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    Ladies of the Jolly Roger
    Ladies of the Jolly Roger
    Ladies of the Jolly Roger
    Ebook192 pages2 hours

    Ladies of the Jolly Roger

    By Russ Crossley and Rita Schulz

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Four incredible tales of adventure and intrigue on the high seas and beyond.

    A woman cursed by an evil witch to spend her days as a parrot, a paranormal investigator tasked with helping a pirate clear his family name, a time traveling secret agent, a woman accused of murder fleeing to sea with a swashbuckling pirate.

    And finally, a secret agent travels back in time to save the future.

    Untold tales of the ladies of the Jolly Roger and the men they loved.

    LanguageEnglish
    Publisher53rd Street Publishing
    Release dateAug 31, 2017
    ISBN9781386823025
    Ladies of the Jolly Roger
    Author

    Russ Crossley

    International selling author, Russ Crossley writes science fiction and fantasy, and mystery/suspense under the name R.G. Crossley. His latest science fiction satire set in the far future, Revenge of the Lushites, is a sequel to Attack of the Lushites released in 2011. The latest title in the series was released in the fall of 2013. Both titles are available in e-book and trade paperback. He has sold several short stories that have appeared in anthologies from various publishers including; WMG Publishing, Pocket Books, and St. Martins Press. He is a member of SF Canada and is past president of the Greater Vancouver Chapter of Romance Writers of America. He is also an alumni of the Oregon Coast Professional Fiction Writers Master Class taught by award winning author/editors, Kristine Katherine Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. Feel free to contact him on Facebook, Twitter, or his website http:www.russcrossley.com.  He loves to hear from readers  

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      Book preview

      Ladies of the Jolly Roger - Russ Crossley

      Ladies of the Jolly Roger

      Ladies of the Jolly Roger

      Russ Crossley

      Rita Schulz

      53rd Street Publishing

      Ladies of the Jolly Roger

      Rita Schulz

      Russ Crossley

      Copyright 2013 Rita Schulz and Russ Crossley

      All rights reserved

      Trade paperback ISBN 978-1-927621-

      21

      -

      9

      Ebook ISBN 9781476187389

      Cover art copyright ©Ekaterina Yudina | Dreamstime.com

      Cover design by R. Edgewood

      Cover and interior layout copyright 2014 by 53rd Street Publishing

      Published

      by

      :

      53rd Street Publishing

      Gibsons B.C. Canada

      www.53rdsteetpublishing.com

      This is a work of fiction. The persons and situations are products of the author's imagination,

      Contents

      Introductions

      The Scarlet Curse

      Hook Island

      Confessions of A Bold Maiden

      Bloody Betty, Queen of the Pirates

      About the Author

      Other titles by Rita Schulz

      Other titles by Russ Crossley

      Another title for 53rd Street Publishing

      Introductions

      I live in the great Canadian west coast city of Vancouver. I was born and raised here and still think that this is one of the greatest places on earth.

      This is where I learned to love books, to love stories. My earliest memories are of being read to by my parents; among my favorites were bible stories and old German folk tales. And I still have fond memories of watching my mother reading romances while resting at the end of the day, and sometimes even sharing bits of the stories

      with

      me

      .

      Now I enjoy writing stories as well as reading them, and I’ve had a wonderful time creating these for you. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did

      writing

      them

      .

      Warmest regards,

      Rita Schulz

      I am very honored to have my stories, Hook Island and Bloody Betty, Queen of the Pirates, included in this anthology with Rita Schulz. The gestation of these stories was for an anthology by our publisher. Unfortunately, as is all too common these days, our publisher ceased operations before the anthology could be published.

      Thankfully, these days stories do not have to languish in files waiting for another publisher. What you have in front of you is four very fine pirate-themed romances.

      Look for our other work, because I'm confident you will enjoy these.

      Russ Crossley

      September

      2013

      Vancouver, Canada

      The Scarlet Curse

      Rita Schulz

      Isat proud and straight on the shoulder of Cap’n Toby King as he walked up the steep wooden gangway to my new home, the Black Arrow .

      The first mate, Jangles, stood at the top of the gangway, leaning against the waist-high wooden railing of the sleek schooner, and glared at me as we walked past him. A bird-hater perhaps? I looked back at him briefly; his glare hadn’t been directed at me, but at the captain’s back. It wasn’t just a look, it was a really menacing glare, a look filled with hatred. I felt the small feathers at the nap of my neck stand up and shook myself to get them to settle. He might be trouble for the captain or me. I would have to keep my eye

      on

      him

      .

      Jangles had been the first mate aboard Cap’n Randy Black’s ship, the Royal Hound, and when the Black Arrow had been captured there was some talk that he would be made captain, but Toby King was given the ship instead.

      The Black Arrow was Cap’n Toby’s first ship, and with me being an experienced sea woman and pirate, he would need my help and advice. He just didn’t know

      it

      yet

      .

      The captain and I crossed the wide wooden deck to the stern of the ship. He quivered slightly and his shoulder muscles were tense under my claws; he was nervous. The ship was at anchor at Port Royal in the British Caribbean, the tall main mast with its English ensign snapped in the breeze, and everything looked to be in top shape. As we reached the stern, we proceeded through the small wooden door into the captain’s quarters.

      The captain’s quarters were a large room; one wall of small-paned windows in the stern of the ship let in streams of natural light. It had a large, built-in, double-sized bed with a fluffy blue quilt. Against the wall of windows sat a large, glossy, dark wooden desk, and in the center of the room was an antique oak dining table with high-backed chairs.

      A small, rectangular chart table butted up next to the dining table and held at least a dozen charts in the holder on

      its

      side

      .

      Cap’n Toby set me on a long, curved, wooden perch.

      It was in a good spot next to the desk, close enough so that I could see what the captain would be

      working

      on

      .

      He lit the four glass lanterns in their brass brackets on the wall and the glass oil lamp on the table, making the room warm

      and

      cozy

      .

      I gave the thick wooden perch a test and walked back and forth for a bit and then pecked at the wood. I tasted it with my tongue. It was hard, smooth, and the flavor reminded me of walnut oil. It would do. Then I went over to my water and food bowls; they were both nice and shiny. Clean. I like that. I had always been a clean, tidy girl; it was a trait that came with me when I was turned into a parrot.

      Well, Asia, my girl. What do you think about your new quarters? asked Cap’n Toby, as he pulled off his navy blue dress jacket and hung it off a hook by the foot of

      his

      bed

      .

      I admit that I enjoyed looking at the way his shirt fit smoothly over his broad shoulders and muscled chest, and how his pants hugged his narrow hips. His dark grey eyes flashed in the soft light of the cabin.

      He glanced at me and there seemed to be humor behind his gaze. His smile made me happy, and I felt warm and safe. Something I haven’t felt in a very

      long

      time

      .

      There was something special about him. I didn’t know him well, but I could sense that he was a kind, fair man, and an

      honorable

      one

      .

      He was the kind of man that I could fall in love with. But while I was in the form of a bird, having a life and love as a human was all just a hopeless dream.

      A curse had been placed on me a century ago and I had been trying to break it ever since.

      I had been a simple, fun-loving girl who had a pirate for a father, Cap’n Johnny Blood. I loved the open sea. I had learned about navigation, reading charts (something I loved to do), rigging a ship, and wielding a cutlass, like any pirate would. The same way a girl landlubber would learn to cook, clean, and sew. Then I grew into a teenager and I discovered boys, and when I got

      older

      ,

      men

      .

      One day when the crew and I were on shore leave, I spied a very handsome man at the Captain’s Parrot, a pub we used to frequent. We had been in port for a while longer than usual, and Handsome and I got to know each other very well—

      too

      well

      .

      Unfortunately, I was just having some fun, and he took the relationship seriously. Perhaps I did say maybe, or even yes, when he asked if I’d like to spend my life with him. But I was preoccupied at the time—he had just given me a lovely gold bracelet and my mind was focused on the delightful way he was

      kissing

      me

      .

      A week later, when it was time to pull up anchor, I heard someone yell my name. I looked down over the side of the ship, and there stood Handsome and his mother. My heart started beating hard against my chest and my stomach did a

      quick

      flip

      .

      They demanded to see me. Cap’n Blood, or dear Dad, said I had to talk to them. I took my time and strolled down the gangway to meet them. It turned out that Handsome’s mother was a witch, and because I had dishonored their family—apparently everyone showed up at the church except me; I had kind of laughed at them and refused to marry him—she put a curse

      on

      me

      .

      The air shimmered around me and a strange mist

      enveloped

      me

      .

      My skin disappeared replaced by feathers. My arms and fingers dissolved into wings, my legs shortened and my toes became talons. My clothes disappeared beneath a carpet of bright red plumage. I had become the color of flame, a bird—a scarlet Macaw.

      The curse was that I would stay in this form until someone loved me so much that he would be willing to face death

      for

      me

      .

      After she cursed me she turned my father into a stone statue. I looked around for help but there wasn’t any—my ship was already sailing away without me. Icy fingers gripped my heart and squeezed it hard as I watched the statue tumble over and shatter. Then the witch picked me up, snickering as she walked away with me tucked under

      her

      arm

      .

      As she and her son strode down the docks, she quickly handed me to the captain of a cargo ship that was shoving off and leaving port. Keep the bird close to you—she’s very special and good luck. Those were the last words I heard from her. But the witch and her son, and their laughter, still haunt my mind when I think of

      that

      day

      .

      I discovered that the witch was right about one thing: I am good luck to the ship

      I’m

      on

      .

      Another thing: I can speak quite a number of words, but I can’t tell anyone about my curse. When I try, my throat closes up and the words won’t

      come

      out

      .

      And now I was here on board the Black Arrow with a new captain, Cap’n Toby King, the latest in a long line of captains I’ve

      belonged

      to

      .

      Cap’n Toby looked at me and started to gently scratch the side of my neck. "Yes, I am very pleased you’re coming with me on this voyage. I have a little secret to tell you. This is a

      pirate

      ship

      ."

      My head bobbed up and down in agreement. I knew this was a pirate ship, but sometimes in a new relationship, captains state the obvious. I was happy to be on a pirate ship again. Over the years, I have spent time on shore, on large wooden cargo ships, and once on a posh

      passenger

      ship

      .

      I took a liking to Toby; he was the stereotypical tall, dark, and

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