Cora Cranston closed the door to the suite she and her friends shared and twisted the handle to make sure it locked behind her. She slid the key into the pocket of her skirt and skipped a few steps to catch up with her friends as they headed down to the cafeteria. Cora and her friends were on a two week long cruise to celebrate their recent graduation from college and it had been the most relaxed time she had spent in a long time.
Cora had long, dark auburn hair that curled gently below her shoulder blades. She twisted it around her finger as she and her two friends, Emmie and Lori, discussed their plans for the day.
"After breakfast, we should head up to the deck," Emmie, a tall blonde, suggested. "Work on our tans." Emmie was very tan, which suited her slim, willowy frame. Her hair was cropped short around her heart-shaped face, which gave her a pixieish air.
"That's the suggestion you always have," Lori complained. The shortest of the three friends, she was dark haired and dark skinned. She linked her arms through Emmie and Lori's, grinning up at them. Her smile was always charming; no male had ever been able to resist her for long. She considered herself the most promiscuous of the three, but sometimes Emmie would tell stories or drop hints that she had far more experience than the others gave her credit for. Cora knew her friends far outstripped her, even though she was no virgin, but didn't care. They were each content in their sex lives.
"I think we're passing some islands today. The one guy mentioned something about dolphins?" Cora was curvier than both, with what some referred to affectionately as a "ghetto booty", and a sharply defined waist.
"Ooh, dolphins," Lori said excitedly, "I'm definitely on board with that!" Her excitement was contagious and even Emmie warmed up to the prospect as they entered the dining hall. The room was small, as befitted the cruise they were on. Unlike a Disney or other major cruise line, the major draw of this company was their small, intimate cruises. They were slightly more expensive but worth not having to fight large crowds for entertainment and the crew's ability to customize planned activities instead of having to create a general schedule. As recent grads, Cora and her friends were only able to attend because Lori's parents were very wealthy and had insisted on including her closest friends when presenting the cruise as a graduation gift. It was the first time Cora had ever experienced anything so upscale and she was determined to soak in as much as possible.
When they finished breakfast, Cora led the way down the narrow hall. Today's program had indicated mimosas on the top deck and those were one of Cora's favorite things. She stopped suddenly only a few feet away from the staircase that led to the open door to the deck. "Something's weird, guys," she said. She could faintly hear the sound of shouting and had noticed the engines had stopped. She opened her mouth to explain what had caught her attention when she was interrupted by three men shoving a small mass of vacationers down the stairs. The three women were shoved back against the wall as their fellow passengers were herded past them. Belatedly, Cora's eyes focused on the weapons, an assortment of blades and firearms, that the three darkly dressed men held. One of the men roughly grabbed Emmie's arm and indicated that the other two should follow the other passengers down the hall.
Cora's heart beat fiercely in chest, but she kept calm. These men were clearly pirates of some sort. Hopefully they were only here to rob the rich clientele and did not intend any hostage taking. She briefly prayed to whomever was listening that their intentions would go no further. The men had showed no interest in fondling any of the women so far and that gave her hope.
They were herded back into the dining hall. All the passengers were crammed inside and Cora and her friends were deposited near the door. Cora watched the pirates as they established control over the terrified passengers. They were a motley group, a mix of genders and races, well armed and clearly demonstrating an ease with their weapons that showed their ability to use them. They defied the recent conception of pirates as all being from Somalia. One man in particular caught her eye. He stood with arms folded against the opposite door. Tall and with dark blonde hair, his well muscled body draped sinuously against the frame. He watched everything, one hand on the machete at his waist. Even though he never spoke or gave commands, Cora got the distinct feeling that he was the one in charge. Another man, equally tall, with a dark hair and beard over a swarthy complexion, had the appearance of command, issuing orders, and shoving the passengers around and everyone else had started to react to him as the leader. Only Cora noticed the subordinate glances he gave the other man for permission.
Right as everyone was settling down, the curly haired man noticed her watching him. The expression on his face did not change other than a slight furrowing of his brow. Then he smiled slightly and slipped through the door.
The swarthy man began to shout. "We are here for your valuables," he nodded at a toned woman who began to pass through the room, searching people for valuables. She was especially rough with the men, taking liberties with their bodies. A man joined her, exhibiting the same behavior with the women. Cora could feel her friends trembling in fear as they watched them progress, terrified at the treatment they may eventually receive. "As we speak," the speaker continued, "Your rooms are being searched and you are being robbed. Your bank accounts will be drained. Please make your lives easier and give us any information we ask for to facilitate our time here. We can make your lives difficult if you do not cooperate." A woman across the room yelped as the man searching her fondled her breast.
A hand gripped Cora's upper arm and dragged her to her feet. Her friends started at the sudden movement. Emmie began to cry softly. The blonde leader stared into Cora's deep green eyes, ignoring her fearful friends. Few others in the room noticed, preoccupied by their own predicament. "Come with me," he whispered in her ear, his voice low and masculine. She saw him glance over at the man shouting commands and nod at the door before pulling Cora from the room and out into the hall.
Cora resisted when he tried to force her to follow him. She planted her feet and yanked back against his grip on her arm. "Let go of me," she said fiercely.
He smirked. "Those two ladies in there next to you, they are your friends, are they not?"
Cora's eyes widened before she could control her expression.
"I thought so." Taking advantage of her lowered guard, he pulled her to him, pressing her against his long, hard body. He arm went around her back, just beneath her shoulder blades and his other hand went lower to cup her ass. He put his mouth against her ear, heat from his breath warming it as he spoke. "You're not the only observant person on this boat. I see how you pegged me. I admire intelligence." He squeezed her ass. "And when that's combined with a body like yours..." He bit her earlobe gently and she pulled against his grip, fighting the strong arms holding her firmly in place. "Now, you can continue to fight me--I'll still get what I want, trust me." His grip on her bottom tightened until it was painful. "Of you can come quietly. And if you don't do it for your sake, do it for your friends. I can make their lives hell with a snap of my fingers."
He loosened his hold on her until he only gripped her by the arms so he could look down at her face. He had an astonishing pair of bright blue eyes. They were as hard as stones and filled with lust. Cora felt her breathing quicken, finally losing some of the calm that she had managed to hold onto while facing the sudden pirate invasion. He began to smile as he saw her fear begin to show on her face. Ethan knew the moment he had seen her that she was not the sort to panic or give in, but the way she had been acting protective towards her friends had shown him the power he could use to gain control. She went limp under his hands.
