Once a Pirate (Mystical Realm Series Book 1) by Sarah Snyder Read Free Book Online Page A

surprise and Jake chuckled at her hint.
    “Maybe I would rather you hear those stories from me,” Jake suggested as he pulled her closer to him to allow several men to pass by them. “Or, perhaps I just want to be alone with you.”
    Anna blushed in response to his flirting, the rose in her cheeks obvious even in the dim light of evening. “I should probably go, it’s getting late.”
    Jake wanted to argue, desperate to return to their closeness of minutes before, but something held him back. “Of course, I’ll walk you.”
    He was silent for the return to where they met while his conscience and libido fought for dominance. Jake should pursue her without remorse or reserve, taking the release he knew she could give him. It was far too long since Jake sated his physical need and Anna was the only female he wanted just then. Yet, even knowing bedding her would end his suffering, Jake felt no desire to continue his pursuit.
    While Jake knew he could convince her to stay with him, the knowledge she was unaware of his station left him cold. Jake never needed to hide his reputation to bed a woman before and the fact he was willing to do so now made him shudder. Thank you, for being one of the good men ; her words echoed in his mind. Jake wasn’t a good man, he was a Pirate. Besides, the ache in Jake’s chest was growing stronger and he knew the only way to rid himself of the weakness was to let go of the one causing it.
    Jake didn’t ask for another meeting or offer flirtatious banter on their return. He remained stoic as they said their good-byes and Anna walked away from him. With a deep sigh, Jake leaned back against the wall on which he caught Anna earlier. “What a fine time to develop a conscience, Reynolds.” His muttering was heard only by himself and the night, as Anna walked out of sight and out of his life.

 
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
    The day bloomed fresh and warm; the first true warm morning since the beginning of the summer cycle three weeks before. Pink and red bee-like insects buzzed around brilliant blue and green flowers, their petals resembling gems. Shimmering birds flitted about, their bodies glowing silver and their wings translucent. The stones of the castle reflected the light of the sun, making the entire structure seem to glow in the morning light.
    Anna marveled at the sights of the season from her window perch. She fidgeted with the fabric of her skirt, the bright yellow color at odds with her mood. Since her meeting with Jake three days before, Anna was in a state of emotional fluctuation. His promise to find a way to take her home was made without all of the facts, but Jake’s confidence allowed a small iota of hope to bloom. Surely, there had to be another way between the realms; one which she could survive.
    Conceived when they thought it was no longer possible and having been their only girl, Anna’s parents always claimed she was their miracle; an angel sent to them. Anna hated to think of the agony they must be feeling to have their gift taken so violently from them. Her brothers were surely scouring the countryside for her. Alive or dead, they would spend eternity searching for any piece of their beloved sister. And, then there was Richard.
    In all of her twenty-three years, Anna’s every decision was at the mercy of two old-fashioned parents and four overprotective big brothers. Her friends, her schooling, her occupation and her boyfriends were subject to her family’s unnecessarily harsh selection process. Richard was the first man she hadn’t taken home to meet with their criticism.
    Anna’s fiancé wasn’t the most romantic or passionate of men and she felt no passion for him, but he offered what she needed; freedom. Whether her choice was a wise one or a mistake, with Richard it was hers to make. Maybe she hadn’t loved Richard with the earth-shattering, mind-numbing, explosive intensity one reads about in fiction novels, but she did care for him. It was a safe,