Hi everyone!
The final book in the Sentinels of Savannah is HERE! I’m so excited for you to read THE CAPTAIN’S CURSE and see the world through Captain Flynn’s eyes! 
Blurb:
Captain Ian Flynn would die for any one of his crew…if he could. Now he might have to. Because one of the only known weapons able to kill an immortal is missing. The Spear of Destiny—a priceless religious artifact from the crucifixion—is in the hands of his ship’s ruthless ex-captain.
Now the lives of the Sea Dog’s immortal pirate crew are all at risk…along with the headstrong mortal Ian never should have fallen for.
Writer Lily Bouchard isn’t sure what’s worse. That she fell for Ian Flynn only to get her heart broken, or that she romanticized the man like he was some gorgeous viking straight out of a movie. So when he shows up suddenly with some absurd tale of immortal pirates and mythical religious relics, Lily doesn’t know what to think. He’s always had a wildness beneath his well-tailored appearance…but how could any of this possibly be real?
Now a centuries-old vendetta between two pirate captains has erupted around her, and Ian will do anything to keep Lily safe—even if it means risking everything. But she won’t give him up without a fight.
The only thing more dangerous than killing an immortal is falling for one…
LINKS –
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Captains-Curse-Sentinels-Savannah-Book-ebook/dp/B0C1X7VN7V/
B&N – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-captains-curse-lisa-kessler/1143329899?ean=9781649373816
KOBO – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-captain-s-curse-1
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61348568-the-captain-s-curse
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/ldydisney/scenes-from-the-captains-curse/
Audiobooks –
Audible – https://www.audible.com/series/Sentinels-of-Savannah-Audiobooks/B09Q6JPCLZ
Scribd – https://www.scribd.com/series/429865853/Sentinels-of-Savannah
Excerpt:
The Captain’s Curse
By Lisa Kessler
Chapter One
Ian Flynn narrowed his eyes as he searched the horizon for his ship and crew.
Nothing made him feel less like a pirate captain than discovering they had set sail without even inviting him. It happened more now than he cared to examine.
Since most of them had fallen in love and expanded the crew to include their women, he’d never felt more like an outsider.
Life would be much simpler if he could walk away. He had plenty of money, and his business was in Atlanta, far from the blue Atlantic Ocean. But his damned heart wouldn’t allow it. He was a pirate. The sea called to his soul. He could no sooner turn his back on his crew and sailing than he could stop breathing. He’d die for any of them.
If death were still an option.
The reaper had been taken off the table for him and his crew the second they’d taken a drink from the Holy Grail over two hundred years ago. The Sea Dog crew was still walking this Earth because of Flynn’s decision to attack the Spanish ship carrying the Grail.
Every choice he made affected all of them, and he didn’t take that responsibility lightly. He wouldn’t walk out on them, even if that was what they wanted.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned from the water and took it out. Agent Bale’s name flashed on the screen. He pressed ignore.
He was in no mood to hear the director of Department 13 tell him, yet again, that they hadn’t found Captain Rutger Morgan or Sampson Bane or whatever the fuck he was calling himself these days. The top secret division of the government prided itself on protecting Americans from paranormal threats, but lately their deadly relics had been vanishing from their vault.
Flynn and his crew had pocketed plenty of gold from Agent Bale by retrieving the missing artifacts, but cleaning up Department 13’s messes wasn’t going to benefit him right now.
Not while the vengeful ex-captain of his ship was plotting his next move. The longer he managed to remain hidden, the chances rose that Flynn would find himself in a trap, and this was a game he was not going to lose.
The phone rang again. Flynn clenched his jaw and pressed accept this time. “Tell me you’ve located Rutger Morgan.”
“Not yet. I’ve got an agent working on it, but I’ve got bigger problems at the moment.”
Flynn rolled his eyes and waited for Agent Bale to continue.
“Since we discovered my former data entry employee, Holli Porter, was smuggling paranormal relics from Department 13’s vault, we’ve been running an in-depth inventory. I’ve got agents out on recovery missions to get back what she sold all over the world, but there’s one artifact in particular that worries me.”
Flynn arched a brow. “And this concerns me because…?”
“I’m getting to that.” Agent Bale huffed.
“If you’d opened with it, I might be paying more attention to this conversation.”
Bale cursed under his breath. “We could get this deal hammered out faster if you stopped being an insufferable asshole, just for a minute.”
Flynn smirked as the sun descended behind River Street. “If there is an offer of payment for my crew, then I’m listening.”
He caught himself hoping Bale would fight back. He needed to blow off some steam. He didn’t want to admit the crew sailing without him mattered. Clearly, he was lying to himself.
“There would definitely be a monetary reward for your crew.” He paused. “The Spear of Destiny is missing from the vault. Holli swapped it with a forgery. There’s a good chance your previous captain has it now. There’s no trace of it on the dark web. It hasn’t been listed or purchased that we can find, so they must’ve kept it.”
A chill slithered up Flynn’s back. “The lance that killed the son of God was in your vault?”
Of course it wouldn’t be for sale. Morgan wouldn’t part with such a powerful weapon.
According to the legends, the Spear that pierced the side of Jesus Christ could kill anyone with a single stab, even an immortal.
“Yes. The church lost track of it in 600AD, and there are at least four replicas spread across Europe, but this was the original.”
“How can you be certain you didn’t have a forgery?” Flynn’s brows pinched with concern.
If Bale really did lose the Spear of Destiny…then Flynn’s entire crew was in danger. And so was Lily. Her beautiful face filled his head before he could push the memory away. She had stolen his heart, but after he discovered Morgan was still alive two months ago, Flynn had ended their relationship. He knew better than to fall for a mortal, but he’d broken almost all his rules when it came to her. Foolish.
Now every day that Morgan walked free was another day he could track Lily down. Morgan would hurt her because she was mortal. He could kill her, and that would be a wound Flynn couldn’t heal. He’d already arranged for Duke to have one of his personal security men tail her, just to be safe, but the Spear added a whole new dangerous layer to the situation.
“It was the real deal,” Bale replied quietly. “I can’t divulge the details, but it killed an immortal being after it was taken from the vault.”
“Fuck.” Flynn grunted. “You’re telling me you don’t know where Rutger Morgan is hiding, and he most likely has the Spear of Destiny at his side?”
“Yes. We need to recover it and lock it up. If he sells it and it ends up in the wrong hands, it becomes an unstoppable weapon.”
Flynn looked down at his shined Louboutin loafers, shaking his head. “And what happens to Morgan once we deliver this relic? Will we use it on him?”
Flynn and his crew had been skirting the law on behalf of Bale’s top secret government department for the past three years, helping them retrieve dangerous metaphysical artifacts for the United States. The partnership had enabled the immortal crew to relive their piracy days, but this job could end all of that.
For that kind of risk, Flynn needed more than money. He needed blood. Morgan’s.
A door closed on the other end of the line and Bale lowered his voice. “Even though Morgan probably isn’t a legal American citizen, he’s still protected under our laws. I can’t sanction an execution.”
“You also can’t put him in jail for a life sentence when we both know he’ll never age or die.” Flynn started walking up the cobblestoned street toward Bay Street. “He carries a god-killer weapon in his hand. If I tell you he fell on it, then that’s what happened.”
Bale didn’t have to like it, but Flynn would protect his crew…and Lily.
“I’m going to pretend I never heard that.” Bale cleared his throat. “I’m emailing you the file on the relic and the contract for the reconnaissance assignment with the standard confidentiality agreement.”
“I’ll let you know after the crew votes. Hell of a way to start the new year,” Flynn grumbled.
He ended the call and shook his head. This shit was draining the immortal life from his veins. He couldn’t just stand around the dock waiting for the crew. Maybe he could find an office supply store nearby to print out the documents Bale was sending over while he waited for the crew to dock.
Anything to stop watching for the Sea Dog’s sails to appear on the horizon.
He crossed Bay Street, heading for One-Eyed Bob’s restaurant. He’d left his car parked in Bob’s lot. Their pirate cook had opened Bob’s Seafood nearly a century ago, and it was now an institution and part of Savannah’s rich history as the oldest city in Georgia. Although Flynn’s business was based in Atlanta now, this city was a touchstone for him. The heart of Savannah remained unchanged just like he did. She even managed to survive the bloody Civil War when the Union troops marched in.
When he reached Bob’s place, the old salt was carrying a bag of trash out to the dumpster. Although he was immortal, he’d sipped from the cup when he was in his sixties. He looked up as Flynn approached. In this lifetime, Bob was sporting a glass eye, although on the ship he used his eye patch. “Hey, Captain. What are you doing in Savannah?”
“I could ask you the same. I thought you’d be sailing on the Sea Dog with the rest of the crew.” Flynn couldn’t quite hide the bitterness in his voice.
Bob grinned. “I wouldn’t miss cooking my lucky New Year’s Day dinner plates.”
He’d forgotten Bob’s tradition. Not that Flynn had ever participated.
Flynn clenched his teeth. He’d made a bargain with the crew in 1795, after the sinking of their original Sea Dog ship, that he would stay away from this city.
For the most part he had.
He’d built his commercial real estate empire in Atlanta, but when his hotel deal in Savannah had crumbled due to a single property owner’s holdout, he’d been forced to visit more often in order to sell off the other properties he’d acquired.
Although he’d never admit it out loud, since the crew had started stealing relics for Department 13, he’d caught himself hoping he might restore his relationship with them. In the past that idea had seemed insurmountable, but each time they set sail on another adventure, the men accepted his presence, and at times, even his leadership.
He shouldn’t give a shit what they thought, but immortality had taught him that love, and his pirate crew, were the only things that never died. Eternity was fucking lonely when the world changed, yet he remained the same.
“I’m negotiating another sale of one of the properties around the Magnolia Mystic shop. Trying to recoup some of my losses.” He scanned the parking lot, avoiding eye contact. Skye’s refusal of his generous offer for her property had been unexpected and, without her lot, his resort project had fallen through. He rarely lost a deal. It still stung.
Bob lifted the lid to the dumpster and tossed the bag inside. He turned to Flynn with a wide grin. “I had an interesting customer at my annual New Year’s Day feast yesterday.”
Flynn couldn’t be less interested, but he nodded as he took his car key fob out of his pocket.
Bob rambled on. “She was a pretty thing with long black hair and dark brown eyes that could see into a man’s soul. Turns out she knew you.”
Flynn frowned, not wanting to make the connection.
Bob made it for him. “Her name was Lily Bouchard.”
Flynn’s heart dropped. This couldn’t be true. She should be in Atlanta, hundreds of miles away from Rutger Morgan. Fuck. His gaze snapped to Bob’s face. “Why was she in Savannah?”
“I’m not sure. It sounded like she was trying to get over a broken heart.” He adjusted his eye patch and narrowed his other eye. “Seems someone walked out of her life without so much as a goodbye.”
Gods, hurting Lily had never been Flynn’s plan. That’s why he’d left abruptly two months ago. If he’d looked into her eyes or heard her voice, he never would have been strong enough to walk away.
But since the day Morgan had captured Flynn and tortured him, there was no hiding from the reality that Morgan wouldn’t hesitate to kill Lily just to hurt Flynn.
The only way Flynn could protect her was to vanish from her life and never look back.
That wasn’t completely true.
He’d actually planned to find a way to kill Morgan, and then explain the situation to Lily and hope she would forgive him someday.
At the time, he hadn’t realized Morgan would be so difficult to find. As the weeks passed, his plans to reunite with Lily faded, and doubt crept in.
She was probably better off without him. She deserved so much more than the love of an immortal pirate captain.
“Fuck.” He scanned the area like she might appear at any moment. “She can’t stay in Savannah. It’s too dangerous.”
Morgan couldn’t kill Flynn, but killing Lily would ruin him.
“You know her?” Bob sobered, straightening up. “Wait. You think Morgan is in Savannah too?”
“Yes.” Flynn had always depended on his intuition. It was like a hidden sixth sense, giving him a knack for spotting synchronicities and opportunities. His gift made him a good pirate captain, and right now, it was telling him they were being watched. Morgan was just waiting for the right moment to strike. “I’ll explain everything when the crew docks the Sea Dog tonight.” He focused on Bob again. “Did Lily tell you where she was staying?”
Bob pulled at his chin. “She didn’t tell me, but I did see her phone when she ordered the Lyft to pick her up. She was going back to the Pirate’s Moon Bed and Breakfast.”
He knew that place. He could be there in ten minutes. Being a cold-hearted son of a bitch was usually simple, but he dreaded turning it on Lily. He’d do whatever it took to get her out of the city.
Flynn popped the lock on his black Infiniti Q60. “Thank you, Bob. I’ll text Colton and let him know to keep the crew on board. Meet me on the deck of the Sea Dog at nine o’clock tonight.”
“Aye, Captain.”
Even after centuries had passed, it still felt fucking amazing to be called captain. He got behind the wheel and drove across the historic district to Reynold’s Square. Every street was lined in massive live oak trees with Spanish moss dripping from the limbs. It was like the city embraced you at every turn. The beauty was never lost on him.
He would’ve loved to share it with her. His heart stuttered. Damn it. He clenched his jaw, struggling to keep his cool indifference in place like a suit of armor. He shouldn’t be risking this, but he had to try.
Could he walk away from her a second time?
He would have to. He had to get her away from Savannah, even if that meant making her hate him more than she probably already did.
At least she’d still be alive.
His shoulders tensed. He excelled at being an arrogant asshole, but not with her. Lily had awakened a part of him he’d never realized existed. She made him laugh, and sometimes even at himself. It was equally thrilling and terrifying at once.
And it was over.
His duty was to keep her alive, and to do that, he needed her to stay away from Savannah and far away from him. He sucked in a deep breath and crossed the street to the Pirate’s Moon Bed and Breakfast, ignoring the way his heart pounded with anticipation.
***
Lily Bouchard sat alone in the courtyard of the Pirate’s Moon Bed and Breakfast nursing a Sprite and praying for the Advil to kick in. The weathered red brick courtyard was covered in moss and ivy. The fountain bubbled in the corner with a cherub perpetually pouring water from a basket. The sound was probably soothing on a normal day. Today it was much too loud.
Those sparkling Mai tais from Bob’s Seafood last night had packed a punch, and she’d been struggling with the world’s worst hangover all day.
Way to kick off the new year, Lil. She rubbed her temples. Oof. The sun was fading from the sky, maybe then she could stop squinting. She’d come to Savannah for a much-needed change of scenery to kick off the New Year.
After Ian Flynn, Atlanta’s most eligible bachelor, ghosted her and shattered her heart, she’d been picking up the pieces.
Plus, she had a book deadline and she was hoping being in a place that didn’t have memories hidden around every corner would poke her lazy muse.
A shadow fell across her and she twisted around, looking up. Her heart stuttered with disbelief. Was she hallucinating now? “Ian?”
He looked like he just stepped out of GQ magazine in his perfectly tailored suit. His fiery red hair was slicked back into a small man bun that he managed to make look hot, like a warrior from some historical movie. Meanwhile, she’d been lucky to wash her face and get her hair brushed up into a ponytail.
What was he doing here? She’d fantasized for weeks about crossing paths with him again, but in her fantasies, she’d been dressed in her sassy black miniskirt and the tight red sweater she knew he couldn’t resist.
In her head, she would tell him she’d hardly noticed he was gone and let him know she had burned his favorite shirt he’d left hanging in her closet, instead of wrapping herself in it just to breathe in his scent.
Right now, her hungover brain was too foggy to come up with anything snappy. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m negotiating some property sales.” His gaze wandered over her as he frowned. “Are you…sick?”
Okay, his condescending attitude was thinning the mental fog. She smirked. “I’m not your concern anymore.”
He stroked his well-groomed copper goatee. His gold pinky ring flashed in the fading light. It was the only part of his outfit that never changed. The large ruby-eyed serpent ring seemed in contrast to his all-business persona. He’d always reminded her of a Viking trying to blend into the world of business. There was a wildness under all his manicuring. It was as if his finely tailored suits and designer shoes were just a disguise.
Or she had romanticized him from the moment she’d met him. She couldn’t say for sure. She’d been a writer her entire life. Empathy and tragic backstories were her catnip, and Ian Flynn was a complicated man with layers that drew her in like a moth to a flame.
She never stood a chance.
And now she could add the mystery of his sudden disappearance from her life.
“Are you selling this bed and breakfast too?”
“No.” He cleared his throat and lifted his chin. “I was passing by and noticed your car. It’s urgent that you get out of Savannah. Now.”
How could he be so nonchalant, as if he hadn’t tossed her aside like garbage? Did he notice her car and think she might be happy to see him again? Arrogant jerk. If he thought she was going to do anything he said, he was dead wrong. In fact, maybe she’d extend her stay.
“Ah. I see.” She rolled her eyes. “You noticed my car, but not my voicemail messages or emails?” She shook her head. “Screw you, Ian. You ghosted me. You don’t get to waltz back in here and tell me what to do.”
“There are…dangers…in Savannah.” He scanned the empty courtyard. “You’re safer in Atlanta.”
She stood up, too fast. Oh shit. Her knees wobbled as she reached out to steady herself. She blinked and rubbed her forehead. His arm was around her waist, steadying her before she could tell him not to, and it felt so damned good. Too good. She rested her head on his chest, trying to catch her breath, but his scent filled her lungs, bringing back memories of the night he’d taught her to waltz, and their first kiss. She closed her eyes.
No. Forgiveness wasn’t happening. Self-preservation took over.
“Don’t touch me.” She pushed him back a step, hating that she missed being in his arms. “If you didn’t come here to apologize or explain your sudden disappearance, you can get the hell out.”
There was a flash of regret in his eyes, but it was gone so fast, she convinced herself she’d imagined it. Maybe she wished she’d seen it.
He straightened his suit and a muscle in his cheek jumped. His blue eyes were like ice as his gaze bore into her. “Hate me, Lil. I deserve that. But don’t put your life in danger. Get out of Savannah.”
Her brow furrowed as frustration burned through the mental fog. “What are you talking about?”
He shook his head. “I can’t tell you that, but the sooner you get to Atlanta, the better.” His tongue brushed his lower lip like he wanted to say more, but he clammed up again. “I should go.”
She stared at him. Hating the way her chest tightened. They used to be on the same team, but ordering her around and expecting her to obey him without so much as a simple explanation made it plain that whatever love and trust she’d thought had been between them once was long, long gone now.
And if he thought she was going to do anything he wanted, he was going to be sorely disappointed.
“That’s it? Seriously?” Sarcastic laughter escaped her throat. “You are a piece of work, Ian. I can’t believe I ever fell for you.”
He looked back over his shoulder. “I wish things could be different.”
And like the enigma he was, Ian Flynn walked out of her life again.
Lily sank into the wrought iron chair again and reached for the bottle of Sprite. Her hands trembled and her chest threatened to hiccup with a sob as her heart ached.
Apparently, she hadn’t gotten him out of her system like she’d thought.
But between his cryptic warning and the brief feel of his strong arm around her waist, unwanted memories of being naked in those arms crept in. The way he used to look at her, like she were his most prized treasure, stabbed at her wounded heart.
She took a swallow of the bubbly drink and vacillated between wanting to defy him by moving to Savannah permanently and getting as far away from him as possible.
She could write from anywhere. She never had to see his face ever again.
But that flash of regret in his eyes tormented her.
Maybe she’d been projecting. She’d wanted him to be sorry for breaking things off with her. Ugh. Enough thinking. She could live lifetimes inside her head and never make a single real decision if she wasn’t careful.
This time she stood up slower and avoided the woozy feeling in her head. For now, she needed food and some sleep. She’d reconsider her options in the morning.
As she walked past the sitting room, the front door opened, and a big man filled the doorway. He had a head full of dark brown, almost black hair tied back in a ponytail, a closely trimmed beard, and shockingly bright eyes. They were almost violet.
A beautiful woman with long, wavy brown hair was on his arm. A big ring sparkled on her finger, competing with the smaller diamonds shining on the tennis bracelet around her slender wrist. When Lily lifted her gaze, the woman smiled at her.
Lily quickly broke eye contact. She hadn’t meant to stare.
They were probably honeymooners. Love.
Her stomach roiled. She might gag.
But her brain was already concocting the couple’s honeymoon trip. Was she an heiress? He brought her to Savannah, and then she’d have a tragic accident while they were parasailing, and he would inherit everything. The story practically wrote itself.
Lily stepped into her room and locked the door, praying the happy couple were too exhausted from travel for a night of sex. These old walls of the bed and breakfast probably wouldn’t be able to contain the sound of their lovemaking.
And now she was suddenly remembering that last night with Ian in her bed.
He’d held her, kissing her temple, as they’d basked in the afterglow. He’d wanted to tell her something important, but an emergency phone call had sent him yanking on his clothes and racing to his car.
She never saw or heard from him again until tonight.
Please brain, shut up.
She went into the bathroom and took her hair down, staring at herself in the mirror. Her eyeliner was smeared, her complexion bordered on yellowish-green, and her eyes were bloodshot.
“Eat your heart out, Ian Flynn. Look what you lost out on,” she mumbled as she washed her face.
Heavy footsteps came down the hallway. Oh great, the big guy and his new bride were staying on her side of the inn.
Of course they were.
She brushed her teeth and stripped off her clothes.
Tomorrow she’d shower and decide her next move. For now, she didn’t want to think about Ian Flynn, or happy couples, or danger. She turned out the light and slid under the covers with a sigh.
Her new year was off to a sucky start.
BUY NOW:
LINKS –
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Captains-Curse-Sentinels-Savannah-Book-ebook/dp/B0C1X7VN7V/
B&N – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-captains-curse-lisa-kessler/1143329899?ean=9781649373816
KOBO – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-captain-s-curse-1
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61348568-the-captain-s-curse
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/ldydisney/scenes-from-the-captains-curse/
Audiobooks –
Audible – https://www.audible.com/series/Sentinels-of-Savannah-Audiobooks/B09Q6JPCLZ
Scribd – https://www.scribd.com/series/429865853/Sentinels-of-Savannah