Raised in an orphanage after being found abandoned on the London docks as a newborn baby, without a known last name nor date of birth, Theodore has but one friend, Seth, a fellow orphan. Destiny takes Theodore away from Seth and back to the sea when he comes of age and is found an apprenticeship on a vessel in the English merchant navy. Thor, as he becomes known aboard ship, soon falls for Miguel, the handsome boatswain. However, his life is turned upside down when their ship is raided. Miguel is torn from his life and Thor is taken hostage and forced into the life of a pirate aboardThe Dragon. Both attracted to and repulsed by the evil Captain Wyvern, Thor finds the large dragon tattoo -- the symbol of the rank of the ship's captain -- taking hold of him and binding him to the man. Fate intervenes once more and Thor is elected captain ofThe Dragonwhen Wyvern is killed during a raid. Dismayed by Wyvern's ruthlessness, Thor is determined to show humanity to those vessels his crew plunders now that he is in charge. But despite his growing wealth, power, and reputation, Thor is restless and unfulfilled. He feels his life is not yet complete and somehow reaches beyond the decks of the pirate ship he now captains. A raid on a Dutch merchant ship brings yet another twist to Thor's life when someone from his past is found on board. Thor now has to face hard choices, the most difficult of which involves deciding if he can leave the sea and make a new life on land with his rediscovered love. But with a price on his head and a large tattoo of a dragon on his body, can Thor escape his past life of a pirate?

The Dragon

“Seth, I love you,” Thor said, pulling him even closer. “There is no need for us to remain on The Dragon. We can be together and be free.”


Seth sighed. “I love you, too, Theodore. And your plan for a life we could share together makes my heart sing. However…”


Thor knew what Seth would say: that he was a man of his word and was bound to stand by his promise to marry the daughter of Noach Brabrent, his employer, even though he did not love her. Thor felt a flash of anger. For a brief moment the power of his position as captain of The Dragonsurged within him. Seth was his hostage and he could no more leave Thor than fly off The Dragoninto the sky under his own power unless Thor willed it.


Thor forced the emotion down and said, “Why then, if your promise of marriage to this person means so much, have you stayed with me this long, giving me hope of our sharing a life together?”


Chapter 35