22. The Silver Blade

Chapter 22

The Silver Blade

The Pirate

S leep eluded me most of the night as my body was devastatingly aware of the creature sleeping next to me. Every content breath that lifted her chest and fell from her slightly parted lips called out to me. I found myself counting them in hopes that they would lead me into slumber, but hours passed, and nothing happened aside from the fact that I was acutely aware of the tightness in my pants. I shifted my hips again to no avail. Her little dance earlier played on repeat at the back of my mind.

Somewhere through the night, she had curled in toward me again. Her arm heated my chest as her fingertips gripped unknowingly at my shoulder, her breath hot at my neck as she breathed in my scent. Gently, I disentangled myself from her hold, careful not to wake the sleeping beauty. For if I did, I knew I wouldn't have the strength to withstand her charms.

Moonlight filtered in through the window. I stood mesmerized by the sight of my siren, her skin practically glittering within the silver light. It accentuated the gentle curve of her hip, the slight hollowness of her cheek, the softness of her lips… My fingers fisted in my hair as I turned from her, the wooden floor creaking beneath my steps as I crossed the small room. With a final glance back at my little seductress, I made my way above deck.

The night sky stretched endlessly overhead with an expanse of twinkling stars mirrored within the dark waters of the sea. I leaned against the railing of the ship, feeling the cool night breeze tousle through the strands of my hair as the salty sea sprayed my face. The distant sound of the waves lapping against the hull provided a soothing backdrop to my turbulent thoughts. The moon hung like an ethereal, glowing lantern, leaving the night under an almost magical light as my mind became the storm that we'd only just freed our ship from.

Talia's closeness had ignited a fire within me that I had long thought dormant. It burned with a fierce intensity threatening to consume everything in its path. My heart raced, beating with want and desire. Primitive emotions I'd given up on ages ago since they never filled the ever-lasting void the curse had granted me. Yet, I wanted this siren, wanted her touch, and from the actions she'd displayed within the confines of our shared cabin, I thought she might want the same from me. But did she want it because I desired it, and thus the curse demanded it?

She was dangerous, unpredictable, and undeniably alluring. Her touch against my flesh like a siren's song, pulling me in with promises of passion and peril. My body wanted it all, even if it ended in my undoing. My mind knew it to be a deadly game we both played together. My heart…

The ethereal bond tethering us together vibrated through the air, a melody of intertwined souls resonating with uncertainty and unseen forces. It weaved us both together like a tapestry of unpredictable chaos, and I felt the invisible force between us always, a constant inner knowing of exactly where she lay. With a heavy exhale, I surrendered to the weight of our shared destinies.

I needed her to help me locate this sea witch to break my curse. She needed my help to break the curse of her people. And, even though she refused to admit it to me, I knew she needed my help to claim her throne. The gold around her eyes couldn't hide that truth. It was okay; I didn't entirely trust her either.

My gaze fixated on the horizon where our quest beckoned, shrouded in shadows and foreboding whispers. An insidious growth threatened to consume my humanity until only a ruthless predator remained, a specter haunting the seas with insatiable desires. The darkness grew inside of me, and I knew it would take me over completely soon.

"Captain, you all right?" Patton's voice pulled me from my dark reverie, his concern palpable as he edged closer, wary yet steadfast in his loyalty.

"I'm fine," I murmured tersely, my gaze locked on the abyssal expanse ahead.

I felt my first mate's watchful eyes assessing my every nuance with inherent scrutiny. The urge to recoil from his proximity clawed at me, a constant reminder of the impending metamorphosis waiting within me. I steeled myself against the encroaching darkness threatening to eclipse my essence entirely. I recognized Patton's unwavering devotion to me, so much like his great grandfather Willy's had been. I held onto those memories, that loyalty I probably didn't deserve, and swallowed back the darkness as best I could.

"We should be close enough now. We need the siren to guide us," I declared, determination and desperation lacing each syllable. "When she awakens, we must glean her knowledge. We will do so gently, but if she resists…" I let my words trail off into the salty air.

Despite the kindling flames thawing long-frozen emotions and stirring dormant desires back to life, I needed to remain resolute in my pursuit for freedom from this curse. Otherwise, I would lose myself to the darkness and there wouldn't be a me left standing here. Unraveling the island's true location was merely one fragment of the quest to break the chains of this curse.

"Of course, captain," Patton responded, "I'll make sure the crew is aware of what is to come."

As he headed below deck, I moved toward the wheel of the ship, taking the worn yet sturdy wood into my hands as I steered our ship through the waters. With my hands fisting the helm, the salty sea in my hair, I could breathe easier.

The moon nearly traveled the length of the sky before Patton returned, urging me to get some rest before the long day ahead. I'd expelled every last strength, and now, as I shuffled back below deck, sleep no longer evaded me as I tucked myself back into the bed, my arm instinctively falling over her shoulders as I fell asleep on a sigh.

The sound of wood grating on wood woke me, and the entire ship shuddered. The screams of my men hollering and shouting had me leaping from the bed, shoving my feet into my boots and strapping on my weapons belt.

"What's going on?" Talia asked from the bed, holding the blanket to her chest like a shield.

"Stay here," I ordered, strapping on my weapons belt before placing my hand on the door. "I don't know what's going on, but you need to stay here."

I rushed from the room and clambered onto deck. For a moment, I paused, taking in the sight of my ship in complete and total chaos as my men fought for their lives against men I didn't recognize. Another ship had boarded mine, their hooks still flung over our railings and boards still crossing the gap as more men crossed the distance.

Several of my men already lay dead on the deck of my ship as metal rang loudly through the dawning morning. Pulling my sword free, I flung myself into the fray, sliding the length of my curved blade through the first enemy's chest as if it were nothing more than warmed butter. I flipped myself over the back of another enemy, slicing through their neck as I landed on the other side of them.

"What the fuck happened, Patton?" I shouted to my first mate at my side. He ducked just as a dagger sailed over his head, and I jabbed out my sword to end the life of his assailant.

"I don't know how they did it, Captain. One second, the sea was clear. Then a fog rolled in. Next thing I knew, their anchors landed on our ship, and they were already boarding," he answered quickly.

Pain tore through my abdomen, and I twisted, jamming my blade between the eyes of another sailor on instinct, their lifeless body falling from my blade with a flick of my wrist. I felt something at my back and ducked, a sword slipping through the air above my head as I kicked my leg out backward, hardened flesh buckling with the power behind my foot as I spun and sliced.

Patton and I had been separated by the length of my ship, and three men surrounded me. They circled me, their weapons glistening with the blood of my men as they kept an equal distance from one another ensuring I couldn't keep my eyes on all of them at the same time.

Corded rope snapped across the skin of my wrist, cutting the flesh and pulling the sword from my hand. Before I could grasp at the ropes circling my wrist, another one slammed around my other hand. My arms bound, pulled taut, left me completely vulnerable and at the mercy of whoever these assholes were. I wrapped my hands around the ropes, readying to yank them inward until a voice stilled my actions.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you."

I paused, my gaze sweeping the deck of my ship as I realized the early morning hour fell silent again, no longer the sound of battle raged between my men and theirs. Instead, mine knelt on the deck with their hands clasped behind their heads and swords held to their skulls.

A man crossed into view, his steps slow and purposeful and not a drop of blood marring his clothing. He'd let all his men do his dirty work for him, probably didn't even cross onto my ship until I'd been bound. "You have something that belongs to us," he said, stopping in front of me.

I frowned at him. "I don't know what you are talking about." I spat blood out of my mouth and onto the boards at his feet. "I don't even know who you are."

The man just grinned, his fingers brushing through the coarse hair along his jaw. "No, you don't. But I know all about you, Captain Black-Eyes." He laughed, a malicious sound that set my teeth on edge as I glared at him, my darkness simmering just beneath my skin begging for more action, more blood. He held his hands out to his side as he addressed his men. "This is supposed to be the infamous Black-Eyes?" He narrowed his gaze to me as his men laughed at my back. "This was all too easy."

He was right. It had been too easy, and that concerned me. If I could count on the curse for anything it was that I always landed on top. I always received what I wanted, without effort or challenge. So what the hell was this supposed to be?

"What do you want?" I asked, annoyed with the theatrics already. The only thing keeping me from yanking on these ropes that had twisted around my wrists was the swords angled at the base of every skull on this ship. If I flinched, they'd die.

"I already told you what I wanted," he said with a shake of his head. "You have something that belongs to us."

"And I already told you that isn't possible," I shouted. I couldn't hold the darkness at bay for much longer, and then every single one of my men would pay the price of my curse, my greed.

Movement behind him caught my eye and I stilled, not even daring to breathe as I watched the door to the lower deck open a crack. They hadn't noticed her yet, and I silently willed her to go back below deck, to hide and stay safe. I could handle these sailors if I needed to, it would just cost me most of my crew in the process.

"Well, that simply isn't true. A little fishy told me you have exactly what I am looking for. In fact, he led me straight to you. You have someone I need to thank for my new position, with my blade across her throat," he said, lifting his pristine blade in front of him as he inspected the silver edge.

"You did all of this for a girl?" I laughed. "Why didn't you say so?"

He narrowed his gaze to me, stepping closer to me. "So you do have her then."

"Yeah," I replied with a scoff, "and she ain't worth the men you took from me."

She shoved the door open until it banged, her anger clear in the draw of her brows as she crossed her arms over her chest. My clothing hung loosely over her frame, but still, my gaze was drawn to her curves, her attitude, and that feisty anger boiling beneath her skin. "You came for me?" she asked, her voice a song that stole my strength.

The captain of the enemy ship turned his back to me as he faced her. "Ah, there you are. The beauty who got away. I see you didn't leave everything behind though."

Talia smirked, holding her hand up to inspect the delicate ring on her pointer finger, a blood red gem winking in the early morning light. She shrugged. "A simple reminder of a time poorly spent." Her glittering gaze pierced the man with a hard, furious glare. "You must be Captain Martin. The man responsible for collecting his slaves."

Her accusation caused me to flinch as painful memories surfaced of a past I had long since forgotten. Before I'd sailed the seas as the first mate of Captain ‘Cannonball' Jack, I'd been rescued from a slave ship. A ship I'd been forced to work on and a ship he had sunk with victims still trapped in their cages as they'd sunk to the bottom of the sea.

"I will go with you," she said, taking another step toward the enemy captain, her voice and movements fluid. "If you agree to let these men go."

My body tensed, my fingers curling around the ropes as I waited for my moment to strike. I watched the captain's shoulders loosen, the sword in his grip lower as he watched her prowl closer.

Talia's hair glistened beneath the glittering sunlight breaking over the horizon, painting the skies in hues of orange and pink that seemed far too beautiful for this moment where everything was caught in the balance. She sauntered closer to him, her fingers lifting seductively as if to touch his bearded cheek. Her lower lip sucked between her teeth as she watched him.

"You want me to let the infamous Black-Eyes go free? If I sink his ship, do you have any idea how much renown I'd earn?" the captain replied.

She smiled. "Do you know how much renown you'd earn simply by having me at your side?" she returned. "I'll go with you willingly. After all, I didn't really choose to come aboard this ship."

Her words contradicted each other, but it was the only indicator I had that she still played the game. She offered to freely go with them, claiming I'd stolen her away, which was true enough, but then also fought for our lives. A pure enigma. When her gaze flicked my way, they flashed with intent, and I knew in a moment it would be time to act.

"You don't need them," she continued, her fingers glazing softly against the captain's cheek as his bones went slack. I watched his men from the corner of my eye, noticing that the holds on their swords also slackened. "You'll have me."

Before he had a chance to react, her other hand came up and dark claws broke from her fingertips. Within a second, her entire body sprung, and she coiled herself around the captain, wrapping herself until her legs bound his arms to his sides as her sharpened teeth clamped around his neck at the same time her claws raked up his back.

I yanked on the ropes binding my wrists, and the two men holding me stumbled forward, their swords sloppy in their grips as they swung wildly at me. I dodged one swing and sent my shoulder into the stomach of the other.

Talia's bare feet slammed into the bloodied deck, and she wrapped herself around another sailor, her teeth tearing the throat out of her victim within the blink of an eye. Blood poured down her chin, her neck, and stained my shirt, but she didn't even seem to notice as she just fought alongside my men for our ship.

The slice of a blade tore at my shoulder and I swung my body around, ducking and throwing a hard kick into the groin of the sailor who'd cut me. I used the rope still clinging to my wrist and wrapped it around his neck until I heard an unsettling pop.

My feet were knocked out from beneath me, and my head slammed into the deck hard. Talia slid across the deck until she stood over me, her claws swiping at anyone who came close enough. My vision narrowed, and darkness threatened to pull me under.

A body thudded to the deck next to me, blood splattering my face as my head lulled to the side. The early morning light faded into the darkness as everything went black.