Page 131 of A Flash of Golden Fire

Squid agreed that the captain’s words were way out of line and said I should complain about the captain’s prick being so needy and say I was thinking about taking a break from his appetites. I laughed so hard at that because, whilst it might honestly be a very effective bargaining tool, I wasn’t sure that decision wouldn’t punish me more than the captain.

During this stimulating intellectual discussion, Lillith got free of her tether and charged past us, heading down the hall toward the stairs.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I muttered as Squid cursed and made chase. I followed behind, watching Lillith scramble up the steps and Squid follow in quick pursuit.

“Excuse me, pardon me,” I said as I followed them up onto the deck, colliding with a crew member who cursed me, then made the sign of the cross, muttering apologies.

“Oh stop! I’m not going to smite you down for being in the way,” I said, irritated with the way some of the crew steered clear of me. In a way, it was nice to have a little more respect. But on the other hand, I didn’t want the crew worried that at any moment I might call up a sudden storm to solve a minor dispute.

The young man scurried off, and I rolled my eyes, then continued the chase.

“Take it from behind!” a familiar bird voice yelled out.

“Oh fuck off, Esmaralda!” I yelled, spying Domingo and his pet watching us with much amusement.

“Oy!”

The captain’s terse shout pulled me right up, and I skidded to a stop near to where he stood by the rail speaking with Hillier. Hillier was holding an unrolled map between his hands so they could both regard it.

“Mr White,” Captain Martin said, with a stern look at me as his gaze tracked down my body in a way that made my cock stand up and say please. Until his attention landed on my bare feet.

“No shoes, I see,” he said with obvious disapproval. “And scrambling after a runaway goat. Some things never change.”

“You are a cunt!” Esmaralda shouted.

I straightened up and crossed my arms over my chest. I had on my pants and a shirt and even my jacket, so I wasn’t sure why he was grouching at me about my lack of shoes.

“I’m helping Squid. Lillith got away again.”

“I’m sure Squid can handle the animal,” he said. He was using his stern, no-nonsense voice, and my entire body turned into a panting tongue.

Captain Martin turned back to the quartermaster.

“That’s enough, Hillier. Let’s continue on to the Turks Islands. We must go somewhere, and I’m not going to dither about where. We’re fully manned and we have—” He glanced at me with a little smirk, then turned back to Hillier. “—our secret weapon. We’ll be able to deal with whatever comes our way, I trust.”

“Aye, Cap’n.”

“And you,” Captain Martin said, turning to where I was pinned to the spot, waiting for him to take charge of me. “In my cabin. This instant.”

“Yes, Captain,” I said, bashful all of a sudden, knowing full well what was coming.

Esmaralda chose that moment to yell out “The Captain’s cock is a truncheon!” in an excellent appropriation of my voice.

I closed my eyes, knowing that now I was in even more trouble.

Muffled laughter came from the crew who were nearby, and Domingo said, “Shut your trap, you bloody bird.”

I opened my eyes in time to see Domingo hastening away, the rude mynah scrambling for purchase on his shoulder.

The captain’s cheeks flushed but he pretended he hadn’t heard the remark. His gaze was fixed on me, at any rate.

“I need to teach you about the value of wearing shoes on deck, since you insist on behaving like a vagabond.”

I put a hand to my chest, my eyes going wide. “A vagabond! I’m dressed better than—”

“Enough. Go to my cabin and sit in the chair. I’ll be there momentarily.”

I knew enough not to push my luck so I obeyed the captain’s orders.