Treasure Tides Part 25

"Lucy," Joyce scolded.

Shrugging her shoulders, Lucy said, "What? She was freaking out. I just grounded her a little."

Grace frowned at Lucy, who seemed to shrink for a moment.

"Joanna, you are safe here. I promise. We need your help," Grace spoke softly.

"Yes, those idiots think we can't escape," Lucy laughed. "As if... The truth is, we are just waiting for the--" she stopped abruptly and looked toward Grace, who shook her head, "right moment," Lucy finished lamely.

"What? Where are we?" Joanna asked still fighting confusion.

"Ohhh, we are on Castle Pinckney," Joyce answered with excitement. "It's such a cool place."

Joyce was obviously long on beauty and short on brains. "Yea...not so much," Joanna responded drearily.

"Why did you leave earlier? We thought you received our messages. That was you out near here, right?" Lucy asked, almost accusingly.

"With all the bulging muscle surrounding her earlier today, Joanna obviously had her mind on other things, Lucy," Joyce chimed in with a laugh.

"Wait! That was you?" Joanna asked.

"Yes, dear," Grace answered. "I knew we were pus.h.i.+ng too hard, but we had hoped to get a message to the sisterhood."

"I'm so sorry. I picked up on something, but it was too faint to understand. I really tried. I just couldn't zero in on anything specific," Joanna said, remembering Landon and how kind he had been to her. Admittedly, it had not started out that way, she remembered with a smile.

"That's ok, Joanna. The walls are reinforced here. They were built specifically to make things difficult for us," Grace said with sorrow.

"Why did you need to get a message to the sisterhood?" Joanna asked.

Grace let the first sign of her distress show. She wrinkled her brow and closed her eyes for a moment.

Joanna waited quietly for Grace to answer. A minute turned into two. She glanced toward Lucy who was looking at herself in a compact mirror, reapplying her lipstick. Joanna jerked her head fully toward Lucy, not quite believing what she saw. Lipstick? What the h.e.l.l?

Not bothering to open her eyes, Grace said, "Lucy, put that away. We don't want them to know our powers still work in here."

The compact and tube of lipstick disappeared. Lucy huffed and whined, "I'm bored in this small s.p.a.ce. I need some room," she said as she dematerialized for a moment.

"Lucy, get back here this instant," Joyce snapped.

"Oh, calm down," Lucy said from the far end of the cell. "I just needed a second."

"I know, Lucy dear, but it shouldn't be very much longer," Grace said as Lucy materialized on the bench with her wrists once more in encased in iron. "I will take you on a vacation...wherever you want to go...for an entire week when we finish here," Grace promised with a gentle smile.

"OK, I'll just sit tight. Right where I am, bored out of my mind," Lucy said with a syrupy smile. "But you know I would do anything for you, Grace. I even used my best spell box on Royce, just like you asked me to."

Joanna felt blue sparks shooting from her eyes as she turned her lethal gaze on Lucy.

"You did that to my brother?" Joanna stalked toward Lucy, fury wrapping around her more tightly with each step.

Grace dematerialized and reappeared directly in Joanna's path, placing her body between Lucy and Joanna.

Grace was an ancient. Her magic was stronger than Joanna's even though temper did lend a definite boost at the moment.

"Two years," Joanna said to Grace through clinched teeth, "Two years we looked for him," she continued as tears ran down her face. "I needed him. I really needed him," she sobbed as the flood gates opened, pouring out two years of emotion.

Grace wrapped Joanna in her arms and crooned soft comforting words in her ear. Finally, Joanna raised her eyes to Grace, who conjured a tissue.

"Why, Grace? Why did you take him away?"

"He was in danger, child," Grace said leading Joanna to sit on the long wooden bench. "We were not trying to harm him," she explained as she too sat down. "We were trying to protect him the most expedient way we could."

"Protect him? What were you protecting him from?" Joanna asked, scrubbing her cheeks dry on the tail of her s.h.i.+rt.

"Death, child," Grace answered softly.

Joanna gasped. "Death?" she repeated.

"Yes, dear...Lucy saved him from an eternity of death-without-dying," Grace said with a smile in Lucy's direction, as if that explained it all.

"I don't understand," Joanna said as her head began to pound with a stress headache. Death without dying? What the h.e.l.l did that mean? She was now more confused than ever.

Very softly Grace whispered, "The coin, child. The night-walkers were seconds away when we found him. Your brother had the coin and would not have turned it over willingly. There would have been a battle that he had no hope of winning. He was ill prepared to deal with them. They were not supposed to have been in the city."

"You could have found some other way to help him," Joanna insisted stubbornly.

"There were too many, dear. We would not have been successful, and the coin absolutely must not end up with those who live for the darkness," she said in reference to Vampires.

Suddenly, Joanna remembered the little package in her bra. Slipping her hand down the front of her s.h.i.+rt, she held up the coin with a smile. "I almost forgot I had this."

"Step lively, Matey," chains rattled as the dungeon door opened. Blackbeard and Stede were shackled and being pushed deeper into the dungeon.

"We will find the coin and finish what we started on Ocrac.o.ke Island...immortality. Too bad the Witch died before she could finish her job. The b.i.t.c.h bled out like a wild boar after ye slit its throat," Vane groused. "When ye remember where ye stashed the loot, I've got four new vessels fer the incantation."

The voices drew closer to the cell holding Joanna and her companions. Grace pointed to the floor where Joanna had been dumped when the pirates initially cast her into the dungeon. With a nod, Joanna took her place, collapsing once again against the cold dungeon floor. As she glanced toward the other ladies, she was shocked to see the rumpled mess each had become. Three previously beautiful women had transformed into hags with stringy hair, dirty clothes, and not one speck of makeup.

With a wink for Joanna, Lucy shouted, "Let us out of here. We will never help you, no matter how long you keep us locked in this cell. I'm hungry. We need food, and the water is disgusting."

Joanna chuckled silently. As Lucy began shouting, Joyce waved her hand and the light illuminating the room extinguished. The trio of Witches had this under control, but their captors were too full of themselves to realize they were being played.

"You will have food as soon as Ned gets the porridge cooked," Calico Jack said.

"It won't be long now," Vane said as he laughingly pulled on the chains around Blackbeard's ghostly neck. "My friend here can't seem to remember where the coin is stashed. Maybe some time in the dungeon will loosen his lips." Both Blackbeard and Stede were forced into the cell next to Joanna and her companions.

As Calico Jack sauntered out of the dungeon, he stopped and turned to Stede. "Ye have 'till high tide ta get th' whereabouts of the stash out of Blackbeard. We be pay'in a visit ta th' mainland after that, Matey. We gunna be lookin' fer them descendants ye be so proud 'o. I would hate fer bad thin's ta happen ta yer kin, n' matter 'ow distant." With that announcement made, he slammed the main door shut.

As Vane and Calico Jack walked away, one of them said, "Ye better hope one o' th' b.i.t.c.hes live ta th' end this time."

Soft light illuminated the cell once again.

Blackbeard stood and crossed to the bars separating him from Joanna, "Are you ok, La.s.s?" he asked softly, concern s.h.i.+ning in his eyes. Joanna s.h.i.+fted into a sitting position. "Yes, I think so. What did he mean by that last comment?"

Stede joined Blackbeard at the wall of bars and asked softly, "Are ye a Witch, La.s.s? Tell us honestly. We have to know how urgent it is that we get you out of here."

Joanna looked at Grace for direction. Grace gave a nod indicating that Joanna could disclose their secret.

"Yes, I am a Witch. That is how I boarded your s.h.i.+p," Joanna admitted with a sigh.

"Blast," Stede said banging his fist against the metal bars. Turning toward Blackbeard he said, "We have to get her and the others out of here before they start the ceremony. They may eventually find the coin."

"What coin?" Joanna asked, as if she had no idea what they were talking about.

Blackbeard took a deep breath and began his story. "You see, one of the s.h.i.+ps we uh-- acquired had a very special coin hidden in her belly."

"Yes, but we didn't know the power or significance of the coin then," Stede interjected with anguish. "We would have tossed it into the depths, La.s.s, rather than let it come to this. I don't want you hurt in any way."

"I don't understand; how can it hurt me?" Joanna asked, thinking that said coin was currently nestled right next to her heart. Thankfully, she had remembered not to touch the coin with her bare hands. Actually, she was pretty certain she had the grand trio to thank for the reminder.

Stede and Blackbeard pa.s.sed a look between them, and Blackbeard began to explain, "Hundreds of years ago Vane spied the coin lying on my desk. He somehow knew about the power the coin holds. He said it was pretty and talked me into wagering it in a card game. I still thought it was just another pretty piece of gold," he said, hesitating for a moment.

Stede took over filling in the missing details, "You've heard of the great pirate gathering in 1718. Everyone a.s.sumed it was a week-long party, a celebration for pirates... everyone but Governor Spotswood. It turns out he was a collector of sorts. He knew of the coin and knew we had captured the s.h.i.+p that had been carrying the coin to him. He fabricated a story about how we pirates were banding together and insisted that we must be stopped."

Blackbeard twisted his beard and reluctantly resumed his story. "Captain Maynard and his crew thought the coin was still aboard Queen Ann's Revenge. That was the real reason they set up an ambush. It was a grand fight, but Maynard tricked my crew. Alas, that was the end for most of us."

Blackbeard chuckled as he added, "The jacka.s.s didn't find the coin though, and it's well hidden. Back to Vane...a few months after he swindled me out of the coin, he arrived at a pub one night with a Witch. Vane had her family locked up. He threatened to burn them at the stake if she did not do as he demanded."

"Oh G.o.d," Joanna murmured as she remembered the conversation about a Witch dying.

"She was a pretty young la.s.s," Stede whispered in anguish.

Three Witches sat rigidly on the wooden bench, listening to the story unfold.

"Sherrie," Joyce whispered.

"Aye, that was her name," Blackbeard confirmed, s.h.i.+fting his attention to the Witches still chained to the wall behind Joanna. "Vane pushed and pushed. He planned to use the power of the coin to immortalize anyone who would swear to serve him for eternity. It was a chance to escape Davy Jones Locker. That is what the celebration was really about. The spell was working, too. Incredible energy flowed through our bodies. The winds swirled while lightning streaked across the sky--" Blackbeard stopped, shaking his head, unable to continue.

Stede picked up the story once again. "And so it began. At first, just a few drops of blood were running out of her nose and ears. Several of us tried to help her. We begged Vane to find another way, but he refused to stop the ceremony. He said he would find another Witch and then another if he had to. Vane resorted to threatening her family. He convinced the young la.s.s that if she failed, her family would be dead by first light. At that juncture the poor la.s.s was terribly weak from blood loss. She could stand on the altar no longer. When she fell to her knees, Vane began yelling vile things. He promised to force her younger sister to finish the spell. I could not let her die before me and do nothing... even if it meant eternity in Davy Jones Locker," Stede finished with a shudder.

Blackbeard shook his head at the memory, "Stede drew his pistol, intending to fire on Vane and end the poor la.s.s's torture. Alas, Calico Jack was ready for trouble. He shot Stede, knocking the pistol out of his hand. Tragically, the lead ball from Calico's pistol glanced off the barrel of Stede's gun, hitting the la.s.s directly in the chest. Stede stripped off his s.h.i.+rt, pressing it to her wound, trying to stem the life blood flowing from her wound. I rushed to help him apply pressure, but she had already lost too much blood. With her life seeping out on the ground, she whispered her plea to Stede and I. She beseeched us to free her family and hide them from Vane. We agreed. As soon as she secured our promise, her pale eyes sought Vane. Smiling weakly she whispered, 'Your wish is granted, Charles Vane, just as you demanded...eternity.' Suddenly thunder boomed with such intensity that we were forced to cover our ears. The ground began to shake, and she disappeared before our very eyes. She simply dissolved into nothing. Vane was like a man possessed, especially when he found the coin had disappeared with her."

"We didn't understand what she had done at the time, but all too soon, it became crystal clear," Stede said drearily. "Teach and I kept our promise to the la.s.s, didn't we, Matey?"

"Aye, that we did my friend," Blackbeard acknowledged.

"We hid her family away and left them with enough gold to live on for the next hundred years," Stede boasted gleefully and then dropped his eyes regretfully. "But it did nothing to relieve our guilt over her death. Things declined quickly after that. Within two years we had all been captured and hanged or died in battle. 'Eternity' she had said. We indeed have eternity...neither alive nor dead. We sail only during the full moon."

"How did you get the coin back?" This from Grace, who waved her iron shackles gracefully away, transforming into a regal beauty. Joanna suddenly recalled meeting the Royal Whitestone matriarch while visiting her mother during a Council Recess several years ago. As the memory surfaced, Grace turned toward her with amus.e.m.e.nt sparkling in her eyes. "My mother," she said, "who much to my delight detests my involvement in any field work what-so-ever."

Lucy and Joyce gave up their pretense as well. They moved to flank Grace, one at her left, one at her right. Any misconceptions Joanna might have had about the pair dissolved as she looked upon them now dressed in black tees, close-fitting pants, and combat boots. Each sported an a.r.s.enal of weapons strapped strategically to their bodies.

Joanna chuckled, realizing they were far more than just pretty faces after all.

"Girls," Grace said turning to frown at her companions, "stand-down. These men are--"

"b.l.o.o.d.y Pirates," Joyce interrupted.

"No," Joanna corrected, moving to position herself between the women and her new friends. "Gentlemen," she corrected confidently. "They are gentlemen in the truest sense of the word."

"I agree," Grace proclaimed.

Blackbeard and Stede bowed their heads slightly in appreciation of Grace's endors.e.m.e.nt as well as in acknowledgement of her Royal blood.

Waving Lucy and Joyce away, Grace absently wiggled her fingers at the bars separating the Witches from the Stede and Blackbeard. As the bars melted away she said, "Come closer, gentlemen, we have plans to make."

Becki had heard the guys leave much earlier, but she felt safe. She knew Landon had stationed guards nearby to protect them through tonight. She also knew Royce and Kurt would not let them stay if there was even a hint of danger.

"Let's finish up your packing, girls, and then we will get down to business," Becki proposed.

Two hours later, forty bright pink toes winked up from the floor of the kitchen as they waited for the popcorn.

Beep, beep, beep. Everyone scattered as if it were a gunshot signaling the start of a race.

"I'll get the pillows and blankets," Leann called running upstairs.

"I've got drinks," Clarissa said filling cups with ice.

"Mandy, check under the couch," Becki suggested as she grabbed the popcorn bowls.

Mandy yelled, "Check," as she pulled out the four boxes of candy Becki had stashed earlier under the couch.

"Three minutes and counting ladies," Becki called. They had been through this routine again and again always trying to beat their best time. "Leann, TV. Mandy, DVD. Clarissa, lights."

Dropping to the floor with the last big bowl of popcorn, Becki checked the time. "Woohoo! We shaved fifteen seconds! Good job girls!"

"Yessss," Leann cheered.

"Awesome," Mandy added.

Clarissa laughed, giving Becki a high-five.

Snuggling in with the girls, she had to smother a laugh when Mandy commented, "He's so hoooot!"

Clarissa wasn't as polite. "Mandy, he's too old for you." Fluttering her eyes, she continued, "He's more my age."

They enjoyed a laugh, and then hit rewind to watch the part they had missed.