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

“I have been a sailor all my life. I would not know what to do without the roll of the sea under my feet.”


“Then I take it you would stay with the ship?” Thor said, his disappointment showing.


“I did not say that. But it is a stretch for me to think of living on land.” Iakob paused, then said, “When will you tell the crew?”


Iakob rose and walked around the table to where Thor and Edgar stood. He put his hand affectionately behind the captain’s neck and pulled the man close. “I love you, my lad. You have been like a son to me. Both of you have.” Iakob turned to Edgar, who joined the pair in a hug. “I will take the night to sleep on it and will let you know in the morning what I have decided.”


Thor took Iakob’s response to mean the old sailor could be considering the offer.


Chapter 39