"Doggonnit!"
The rum bottle smashed into smitterins as Thatch hurled it at the wall. Rum spilled out, seeping into the wood and filling the room with the stench of alcohol.
Mary, no, James Kidd eyed Thatch from where she stood in the corner, her expressionless face half concealed by darkness. The sun had set a good while ago, just after they'd lost their quarry at an islet.
It had such potential - medicines, wood, crates and crates of sugar, and her assigned Templar kill for the moment- but she had been a legendary, bigger than a man-o-war, and equipped much better than a hunter ship. The Pirates of Nassau had eventually come together in an attempt to bring her down.
Her eyes drifted from the angry Blackbeard to the man he had taken under his tutelage, now captain of his own ship, the Jackdaw. Edward Kenway looked caught between wanting to punch Thatch or give him another rum bottle. Kenway had been the one who tried to convince Kidd to help with their target – thus informing her of the location of a kill she had been scouting out for months – and Blackbeard needed the resources for his men. Perhaps for retirement too, if rumours were right. And Kidd's ship is small and fast - perfect for stalking a ship into a corner.
Needless to say she was pissed off that the ship had slipped away. There had been no wrecks, no screams of men if the ship had sunk, just a peaceful fucking stretch of narrow tranquil blue sea between 2 cliffs. They had been hot on her tail! It'll be a temporary escape, or she'd go scouting for it 'erself.
"There's magic goin' on I tell you! It impossible for such a huge man-o-war to disappear." Jack Rackham snarled. He's a dog – she imagines 'im quivering in those huge boots o' his. Her cheek lifted in a half smirk. He glanced over, blanching at Kidd's expression. She never claimed ter like 'im.
"It's gotta be black magic", another captain agreed. Hornigold was nowhere found when they had set off on this hunt.
"Pah! Magic don exist, you moron!" Blackbeard spat onto the floor. Edward's crew 'as gonna have a good time cleanin' up later. "I'll bet my beard that she squeezed her way into a cave in one'o them cliffs."
"If that truly is the case, that's one hell of a dangerous move they pulled." Kenway growled, deciding on adding his own anger to the mix.
"Ma crew will scout and see what we can find in the rocks." Kidd stepped out of the shadows, eyeing any potential challengers down. She wanted this over and done with. Her Templar had been evading her for months. This was the best time to finally carry out her task and move on. The longer she spent dawdling, the more Templars were being recruited to their cause.
"You'll go into the caves you find, Kidd?" It was Kenway again. He knew her secrets. But it don mean he gets ter treat 'er like a fragile crate.
"Ya'll never know till we head in, won't ya?"
"Then you're essentially goin' in bl...!" she never gave him a chance to complete that sentence. The throwing knife she had been fingering in the darkness had found a place on the wall behind Kenway's head, creating a shallow slit on his high cheekbones on its way. There was silence as many wondered if Kidd was gonna follow up on that move.
Kenway was frozen, eyes narrowing as he reached up to wipe off the blood on his face.
"Whether we enter the caves or no ain't none of your damn business, Kenway." She rebuked softly. She might 'ave a soft spot for the man, but he had pushed 'er buttons. "That ship escaped the jaws of ma crew, and we're goin' in to snap 'em back up."
Thatch laughed this time, a humourless laugh. "We'll leave it ter you then, Kidd. I expect ter see the big lass in de open soon. Try to leave some bits fer the rest o' us. Can't let yer crew hav' all the fun."
"No promises, Thatch." Mary turned to face the rest as they moved to leave the cabin of the Jackdaw. She dallied a little, making sure that the door was closed securely before moving slowly to the other side of the room to retrieve her knife.
"Mary..." Edward's murmur of Kidd's - her- real name was slow and careful.
"You'll do well to watch yer own back Kenway, and I'll watch mine. I ain't no need you lookin' out for me." She cleaned the knife on one of his maps before sheathing it.
"And I hear ma real name once more, and you'll find yourself losing a few... Important parts." She cocked an eyebrow at him. "I always keep my promises."
"You might be playing right into their hands." Ocean blue eyes watched her with concern. She wanted to rub it off as a man's masculine urge to 'protect the lassies', but a part of 'er argued that there was a truer motive - a concern for 'er as a friend.
This particular part of her had been the one that convinced her to bring him to the Assassin's. She had wanted him to see her Brotherhood, her family. Ah Tabai had berated her thoroughly for it. Yet, she continued to believe in Kenway. Goin' so far as to reveal her true identity to him, and try to convince him to move away from riches, rum and plundering.
"Me and ma men can handle it, we got the speed, the small size. We lure 'em out, bit by bit, they'll be out afore Rackham gets drunk."
He was giving her that look again. It held something like awe, surprise, concern. She couldn't be sure.
She tried again, impatience marring Kidd's usual all-business tone. "Me and ma crew'll be fine, Edward."
He sighed, running a hand through his mane. He was as messy as any pirate gets. At least he's clean.
"I know Kidd, I know." But the look he shot her was still heavy with concern.
She didn't know how to react, so she settled on anger. It was how Kidd would have reacted. "Dammit Edward, ya know I don need ya 'protecting'. I can look out for me self just fine!"
All the fight drained outta him with his next exhale. He rested his palms heavily on the table. "Dammit Kidd." He threw the blasphemy back, but it held no anger. Just reluctant... amusement?
"How do I put it?" He raked a hand through his hair again. "I know you're more than capable for it. It's the pirate life - we all chose this. We join the rest in damnation any time. But I asked you for this, but now you have to take more risks than either of us combined. It doesn't make me feel good, Kidd. Don't make me feel good at all." He met her startled eyes for a moment before bowing his head, staring hard at the map on the table.
She snorted a little then. A habit she picked up - not 'ard considering that she 'ad been 'round men since she joined the Navy. "Havin' a conscience now eh, Edward?"
She gave into an urge to park her ass on the table. It was too feminine a motion. Even if men don't try to notice it, their sub-conscious would find it odd to place that action with her supposed gender. She sat down on the table, next to Edward. And kept the silence. No need to draw attention ter a man's embarrassment.
One cheek of his slowly lifted slightly in a small smile. "You know you all are important to me. The danger just comes with the job."
"Ya should be joining us. It will be danger for a greater purpose." He knows what she is talking abt. They've been through this enough. He was obstinate, she was stubborn. He kept ignoring her, and she kept asking. She just knows that she'll get to him, one day.
Acknowledging the importance of his pirate family oughta be the first step, and he had just taken it. She stifled the smile on her face.
"You know me, Mary. You know what I'm doing this for. Hell, this plunder already speaks for itself."
"I 'ave a target on that ship. It only natural that I take a lil' more risk."
He started at that. "Why didn't you tell me?"
She rolled her eyes, punchin' him lightly on his chin. Earned a smile that lit up 'is eyes. When he wasn't being scary, Edward Kenway is very easy on the eyes. "Ya not my mom ya know, I don need ter tell you everything that goes on in me life."
"I can help you!"
"There! That why I don tell yer things. I don need yer help."
"Come one, just one more crew member. I'll sit when you tell me to."
She laughed at that. "Will ya really?"
"I promise." He paused. "I keep my promises too." Honest eyes met hers, and her heart gave a little lurch. He belongs in the Brotherhood, she's sure of it. Loyalty is difficult to find among pirates. Hell, it was difficult ter find in most. She wanted 'im to be part of her family so damn much.
She tries not to think about it. Her life counts on staying undetected. She couldn't let the crew break for too long or too often on land - it would drive rumours that James Kidd was gettin' soft - but she usually had ter dock to locate her targets. So she kept a fragile balance every day. Difficult and lonely, that's' what it was. She caved sometimes, but most people who found out kept her secrets for her. But she couldn't afford to get distracted often. It could get her killed.
Yet, when she did get a moment of peace or had a lil' too much to drink, her heart and mind would stray to endless possibilities. How ter perfect a new technique, how ter make sure her female identity remained secret, dressing up in a pretty dress she saw on display in a shop, how it would be between them if Edward 'ad joined the Assassins... Mary Read is a lass aft' all, even if her outward appearance is a boy. And today, Edward Kenway was doin' a great, if ignorant, job o' making her feel like a lass. And she didn't like it.
"Fine, Kenway," she moved to get off the table, ter create some distance between them. "We leave afore first light. Try not ter get too drunk tonight."
A firm hand stopped her before she got too far. Her heart lurched again, just as her body got jerked back.
"What the fuck, Kenway?" She has ter bury 'er true feelings. She must. She struggled but he was unyielding.
"Unhand me!" Her hand curled into a fist and made rapid headway to his face.
His next move caught her by surprise. At close proximity, its hard ter block a punch. Mayhaps he was naturally fast. Mayhaps he had been expecting it – his open palm met her fist. The movement was quickly deflected and her hand locked in place over his sternum. Her eyes snapped up to glare at him, and warm ocean blue met angry brown eyes. The examining in his eyes made her face and neck flush with warmth. She felt her own glare lose intensity. Shit.
He looked down at their joined hands, his larger one engulfing hers. His fingers threaded through hers, almost experimentally, and Mary drew in a sharp breath of air at the contact.
Her vision filled with ocean blue again, they were wide, surprised and searching. Thoughtful. She stopped breathing altogether. Couldn't draw a whiff in, not when his eyes searched hers – searched her face and settled on her lips. Not when he bent his head down and pressed his lips to hers. They were slightly chapped, tastin' of rum and something else. Her anger and fear fled with the howling wind, and Mary Read gave him as good as she got.
One tug of their interlinked hands and hers was free, moving to fist in his hair instead. His lips traced hers slowly at first, the pressure light and pleasant. But at a rough pull of her hand, he locked his hand on her nape and nipped on her bottom lip, sending a warm sensation to her stomach. He kept his attention there, while she licked the inside of his mouth in retaliation, earning a musical groan from the back of his throat.
He pulled away panting and blue eyes darkened in passion. They were the shade o' water at the bottom of the ocean if yer took a dive.
"Mary..." He was close enough that his breath blew out onto her own open mouth.
She could almost taste 'im again. She tugged impatiently at the collar of his vest.
"Patience, Mary." She would have heard 'is smirk from a mile away.
She was about to shoot back a clever retort when her clothes loosened. The bastard had made quick work of the first buttons on her shirt, taking a chance to place a wet kiss on the crook of her neck. But the sweet mix of teeth and tongue had her gripping his hair tighter, coaxing him over her tattoo, and to the top of one breast. His mouth latched onto the skin and sucked as he shifted their hips, pressing his arousal right over her sex. It wasn't enough!
So she arched her back, head tilting heavenward and wrapping her legs around his waist, grinding her hips into him, hard. Enjoyed the way her body quivered with pleasure. That's better.
With a groan, Edward ripped his mouth away and stared at her with shocked and aroused eyes. She had the last say after all – havin' rendered 'im speechless for a good while. He stared at her for a long moment. And she stared back, impatient and more than a little smug.
He kept their hips joined, and that was good. She would get relief at least. In truth, she wanted more than a roll in the hay with him. With him, she would always want more. She just couldn't tell him that.
"Fuck." He finally said.
"Kenway." She rolled her eyes. "Can ya get on with it?"
He huffed in laughter. "I'll be damned."
"Ya damned, Kenway. How long ya gonna make a lass wait? I feel sad for them lassies ya bedded afore, if ya always take this long ter decide."
He laughed properly this time, bending his head to kiss her again. It was a long lingering kiss, and she let 'im fully explore her mouth, teeth and tongue this time. It was gentle an'… sweet, endearin' even.
That quickly changed when a hand reached down to cup her ass and hoist her core against his crotch. The other hand, the sneak, slipped into her pants and found her sensitive bundle of nerves. Her world flashed blinding white. When Mary came to, he was using both hands to support her arched back, licking and nibbling at the tops of her breasts. The buckles on his vest dug into her skin, but all she could think about was her almost completion. Damn this man!
She scowled that his smug expression when he stopped kissing her skin. "Part of the pleasure lies in the waiting, Mary. Many lassies will happily show you what I mean by that."
"Dammit Kenway, I know ya want this as much as meself." She stroked her hips against his, keeping up the steady friction. She was ready to come from this grinding alone. But she wanted to have him inside her. Just this once. She wanted her body to be joined with his.
She froze mid stroke when knelt down and echoed her thoughts. "I don't intend to just scratch an itch with this, Mary." And he pressed a kiss to the bottom of her jaw, ocean blue eyes staring straight into hers.
At a later time, Mary would reconsider the emotions in her heart when his words had sunk in. Then, she swore her heart had stopped for a moment.
"If you choose this, I intend to take more than bodily fulfillment from you, regardless of whether you offer it or not."
She never would have thought… Terday just kept on throwing surprises at 'er. Mayhaps their plunder's temporary getaway was a good thing.
She tightened her legs around his waist, and licked the shell of his ear. "Tonight, ya have me, Edward."
They made it to his room - by then they had shed their coats and shirts. She sat on his hips with a mischievous smile and removed his hidden blades from his forearms using her teeth, appreciating and playing with his calloused fingers using her tongue. He watched her with heavy lidded eyes, fingering the hem of her pants.
She nearly missed the glint in his eyes just after she finished appreciating his thumb with her mouth. He got up so quickly, he's stripped her of her pants and corset in two quick motions.
A surprised Mary Read sat naked before Edward Kenway, but her was back straight, proud. Somewhere in their struggles her bandana had gone too, and her beaded brown locks now frame her face – an image of a confident woman who fights for a greater purpose in the world.
Edward admired her as she sat on his belly. He wanted her. Had wanted her for a long time.
"Jayusus, you are beautiful Mary." He leant up to kiss her. It was a kiss that spoke even more than the unexpected statement. She shivered at the realization, holding herself to him.
The first touch of skin on skin had them both gasping, their heart-beats matching as their intertwining tongues found their own rhythm. He spent too long laving at one of her nipples, the one with the piercing. So she took her time licking and scratching lightly at the hem of his pants. When his pants were shod, he entered her slowly, carefully despite knowing she was ready for him. She drew her nails down his back for all the care he took.
"Edward!" She had been panting into his ear, but the threat was clear. He thanked the God that her hidden blades were a good distance away.
"Fucking hell, woman. You drive me crazy." He growled low into her ear. And entered her the rest of the way with an angled surge of his hips.
That earned him a cry from her lips as she reached fulfillment, a sound which he swallowed and savoured with his mouth like a marooned man, dying for a taste of freshwater.
Panting and trembling in his arms, Mary savored the sensation of being filled, of being one with another she loved. She 'as always going ter love him more than he would know. She kissed the bottom of his jaw, biting down a 'lil harder on his ear for the foul play earlier. He chuckled lightly, seeming to get the message.
Edward started moving, too slowly. Mary failed in trying to get him to speed up, so she started whispering threats in his ear instead. His laughter was a low grumble in his chest, until she flipped them over and took matters into her own hands. A few swirls o' her hips later, an' he wasn't laughing at 'er after that. She fucked 'im roughly until he twisted 'is hip so that he was on top, and took her at a rapid pace.
The second round, she was content enough to let him take as he pleased, at first. He took everything, every gasp and moan from her lips, sucked every sweet spot on her skin. She helped him along a few places as he coaxed and kindled her pleasure till she felt her belly couldn't get any tighter. She came instantly when he put his mouth to good use, kept on pleasuring her between her legs til she was cursing and writhing on the bed.
It 'as too much and Mary wanted ter pull away. But he kept on suckin' till he 'as satistifed, comin' up to stare an' search 'er face 'aft. Mary was certain she was dazed, flushed and sweaty, wet hair sticking to her face, chest heaving with the effects of so many fulfillments in so short a time. She might even have teared a few times. But he found something in her face, her eyes maybe. To hell with 'im, she didn't know!
It was something that made his ocean blue eyes soften to sky blue, before determination took over and he entered her, hard and fast. She'd lost then. Lost herself in the feel o' 'is skin, the steady thrusts that joined their bodies and kept on buildin' the flames between 'em. He took that final fulfilment from 'er too, leavin' her insides raw and pliant, yet full o' warmth. Fer him.
Panting hard, Mary eventually found herself lying on Edward Kenway's chest, in his bed aboard the Jackdaw. She had lost count of the times he'd made her come. And he'd come twice but made sure not to empty his seed within her. The smell of sex was heavy in the air, mingled with sweat, rum, wood and salt. Filled with the joys of a pirate.
"Kenway." His eyes moved lazily to hers. "Ya a greedy bastard."
His smile was slow. "I warned you." He leaned up and back on one arm, the other snaking 'round 'er waist. She didn't cuddle, Mary Read was a fearsome pirate. But 'is next statement convinced 'er ter let him, at least fer tonight. "You gave all you got, Mary. I am a happy man."
She loves him, too.
The next day, they found their plunder, still intact and hiding in a large cave on the cliff side. James and his crew drew them out, managing to avoid majority of the attempts to hit their ship. The rest of the pirates joined them after they emerged and their plunder went down quickly.
Mary killed the Templar hiding within and spent the rest of the time of the journey back in Edward's cabin.
Everyone was celebrating at the tavern in Nassau when a slightly inebriated Blackbeard approached Edward, where he sat with his crew.
It will be their last night before they part, again. Edward was going be distracted by the news from Thatch, so it'd be her job to make sure his attention returns to her. She knew from experience that a head 'tween a man's legs is the best way ter get 'is attention.
Edward's men were leaving now, just Thatch looking seriously at his fellow captain. At least, as seriously as a tipsy man could.
She fought not to snicker out loud when Thatch said a few words and Edward promptly spit out his ale, just managing to avoid Thatch's beard. She thought she saw some come out of his nose.
"Aye, wonder what caught Kenway's tongue." One o' her crew remarked. He was new. She could excuse him for his stupidity, for now.
Johannes, her quartermaster slapped the man's shoulder with a boisterous laugh. "Ye must be deaf, ye must! Our Captain Kidd 'ere has ensnared Kenway. They've been ruttin' like rabbits the whole time back! Our Captain is known fer 'is touch with both men and women lad, so ya do well remember that."
The new member paled and turned ter 'is captain. "I… I…" he stuttered, but she waved it off. She thought it was time to join the other table. She moved to the table where Thatch was attemptin' to look sorry fer Edward.
"Hello captains." Edward frowned at her, trying to act as if there wasn't rum burning up his nose.
"Hav' you 'eard the rumour mill recently? Somethin' 'bout a boy with so magical a cock that he made Kenway scream like a girl? Wonder what that's about?" She feigned innocence as Thatch suddenly found 'is rum ter be really tasty and Edward's expression darkened.
Thatch sneaked a look at Edward's face and snorted out loud. Edward's expression blacked further – it looked like a storm cloud that 'as hell bent on shootin' down a ship. The notorious Blackbeard buried himself back into his rum cup.
She winked at Edward before turning back to Thatch. "Such ridiculous hotshot. Remember those crazy rumours about Hornigold?"
That night, Edward made sure the cock was magical (it was his dammit!). He also told her that he loved her, for the first and last time. For Mary Read, it was enough.
A/N: All content from Assassin's Creed is owned by Ubisoft.
Also, i don't know if i'm toeing the line for explicit by posting this content on this site - for those of you more experienced site users reading this, I would appreciate a PM on what's not appropriate so that this story doesn't get taken down. Hope to hear your thoughts on this, dear readers.