A/N: Welcome! After much thought, I decided to forsake my other POTC in favor of this one. It's darker and hopefully more planned out. The high rating is for the themes and possibly later chapters. It's also inspired by the supernatural romances I've been eating up (but less cheesy!). I sincerely hope you enjoy!

Prologue

The Flying Dutchman drifted on the calm sea in the dimension where those lost at sea wait patiently to board and be taken to their final resting place. The perpetual night lulled on as usual while Will Turner and his shipmates waited for signs of a new passenger, passing the time with a game of cards or stories from when they were alive. The men aboard the ship came and went of their own volition and the crew's ever changing faces always aided the captain's duty. It varied from the old salts who wanted one last chance aboard a ship or young men who did not get their chances in life. The only fixed member, save for Will himself, was his father.

Will leaned over the weathered railing, scanning the waters. It was unusually empty. There had not been a single wandering soul in nearly a week, a new record for the Dutchman. Suddenly, he heard faint cries in the distance. The crew silenced and everyone listened to hear the new arrival.

Will felt a familiar pat on his back and turned to see his father with a solemn smile on his face. "Seems the streak is over, my boy," he said in tired voice. It was never a pleasant thought to dwell on, finding lost souls. But it was their duty, or at least Will's until his time was up.

The captain smiled weakly at his father's comment and then stood straight, facing his men. "Get in position to hoist the boat starboard," he commanded and the small crew hurried to the side.

As the small dinghy glided next ship, the cries became more audible. They were soft, the cries of a child. The faint glow from the lantern attached outlined a little girl, the light playing off her hazel curls and her head buried in her hands. Will's heart sunk. It was rare to find children, but when they had, they'd always had someone with them like an older sibling or a parent. He liked to think that whoever was in charge of life and death didn't want children to die alone.

The normal hustle and bustle that came with lifting up the dinghies hushed as the little girl came into view. Her faint crying ceased and she tucked her knees in and buried her head into her light blue frock, what she had died in.

Will stepped forward and held out his hand. "It's all right, little one," he said softly. He knew she must be afraid and confused why she was here alone.

She lifted her head, her face tear-streaked and her eyes red from crying. She gave him a look with her large emerald eyes that would have made any grown man's heart break and glanced around the crew who had all gathered around before finally resting on Will. She cautiously took his hand and when Will stepped closer, she flung her arms around his neck. Will picked her up. She was young, possibly eight or nine, never seeing her teenage years or adulthood.

He held onto her tightly before gently placing her down to stand on the deck. He kneeled to reach her eye level while she wiped away any remaining tears on her sleeve. Will took her tiny hands and a deep breath. "Do you know where you are?" He knew this was a sensitive subject to some but for a lost child? He was unsure how he would explain the concept of death to such an innocent thing.

The little girl bit her lip and nodded. "I know I'm dead," she replied, her small voice cracking. Her eyes shimmered, threatening to flood with tears once more. "And I know that I will be safe here. My mother told me to wait with you until my sister arrives."

Will's brow furrowed in confusion. Usually siblings came together, even if the time of death was hours apart. "Your sister has passed as well?"

The girl shook her head. "No, my mother said she would have her come get me. She said I needed your protection so that he can't find me." Her tone shifted. There was panic.

Will shook his head and wondered how he would explain that where they were no living thing passed. "No one can find you here, little one," he said slowly, searching for the right words. "These waters are safe and we're going to take you somewhere-"

"You don't understand," the girl cut in. Her eyes filled with terror and Will thought he heard hear her screaming, begging for her mother, her sister, anyone to help. He shook his head, clearing away the screams that he knew would already haunt him. "My mother said he can find me here. She told me if you do not protect me until my sister comes… he will get me again."

The tears began to spill out and she once again clung on to Will, sinking her face into his shirt. Will gingerly placed his hands on her back. He looked up at his father but he only shook his head in response, unsure what advice to give. Will was on his own in this situation. "Who is he? Is it the man who hurt you?" he whispered to her.

She sniffed her tears away and leaned up to his ear. "He wasn't a man," she whispered back, almost afraid to be heard. "He was a demon."

Chapter 1: Forces Unknown

I had woken up, that much I knew. It was dark, even with the faint moonlight flooding through my opened bedroom window. I was still not used to the Caribbean heat and sleeping with my hair down wasn't helping. I inhaled deeply and found what had woken me up. A scent, intoxicating and raw, that had my heading spinning with romantic fantasies and my body aching to be touched. The smell itself was of strong jasmine and citrus and vanilla, altogether almost too sweet.

I wanted to brush it off as a pleasant dream but I felt eyes staring at me. My breath quickened as I sat up and scanned the room. There, in the shadows at the other wall in my sitting chair sat a figure. I blinked, hoping the image would disappear but it remained. It didn't seem natural to me. I felt my pulse escalate. Was it Edmund?

Edmund was my arranged marriage. Although it was set up while I was still a child, I did not get the pleasure of most young women my age of waiting till I was out of my teenage years to wed. No, my parents shoved me into his arms when I was only 17. For my protection, they said. But I felt otherwise. His family had a higher ranking, money, status. But after moving back home and catching my father's lecherous glance at me, perhaps they were right.

Our listless marriage lasted only three brief years. Then, one morning he'd disappeared. His family was in an uproar, blaming his absence on my lack of affection. That is, until he was found his body in pieces in the small wooded area below the house. They blamed it a wild animal, although they never found what it was. I could've cared less. Although relatively agreeable to look at, he demolished any concepts of love that I had dreamed about. This creature in the dark couldn't be him. It felt too sinister.

I slowly tried to edge my way off the bed. The door wasn't far. I had a chance of running out before it could get me. Albeit, a slim chance.

"Stay where you are." I froze. A man's voice. It wasn't only fear that commanded me but the voice's tone. It demanded respect, not out of courtesy but sheer force. It was low but sharp, cutting through the dark like a double-edged sword. I peered at the figure but it seemed to be bathed in darkness. I thought I saw two piercing eyes and my nerves jolted under my skin.

I tried to pull a sheet up close to my chest. It tugged back and dropped as if the sheet itself resisted. The figure chuckled to itself. "No, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

All of a sudden the sheets flew off of me, landing on the floor at the end of the bed. I gasped and stared in shock, feeling all too exposed. My night gown, while modest in length, was still made of lightweight material and my sweat from the humidity and heat had made it cling to my skin. I wanted desperately to hide, to run away, to scream but I couldn't move and my words were stuck in my throat. Whatever this creature was felt like it was holding me in place and all I could do was watch.

The shadows enveloping the figure began to slowly fade and I watched as he took his time to walk into the moonlight. My eyes widened in shock. He wasn't a man, not entirely. His alabaster skin glowed under the eerie light. He was tall, a head taller than myself, with powerful muscles chiseled throughout. Rather than fingernails he had dark, short claws that seemed sharp enough to cut clear through skin. Stunning silver hair fell around his shoulders and blood red eyes stared back at me, accenting the strong features of his face. My eyes dipped lower to find the only thing covering his body, a simple black cloth draped around his hips. I didn't want to admit to myself I was curious what was underneath.

But the most striking and bizarre of his traits was a single black wing attached to left side of his back. It was large, almost skimming the floor with silky black feathers. My mouth fell open in awe as he spread the single wing out slightly in a stretch and pulled it back into place. Not even full span and it was already massive.

His gaze never left me. It was intent and focused. He was a force unto himself, powerful and frightening. While he may have been breathtaking my instincts were screaming that he was dangerous. His heady scent hit me again. It was enthralling and my body protested, longing for his touch. My body went numb and I felt myself sink into some sort of trace.

He took a step closer and smirked. "You're aroused. I can smell it." He took another step closer and eyes flashed with realization. He grinned widely to show stark white teeth with slight points on two teeth, each one at the sides of his smile. "And your shields are down."

Shields? I wasn't sure what he meant. He nodded his head down at me and I looked. My hands were untying the front of my nightgown and my breasts were beginning to spill out. I tried to move my hands but it was more difficult than I expected. They began twist and contort, bending to the point where I thought surely I'd scream from the pain or my wrist was going to break. I finally gained control and my whole body felt lighter.

I scurried close to the headboard of my bed with my knees tucked close and one hand closing the front of my gown. The creature seemed amused and leisurely walked up to the end of my bed. "Please, leave me alone," I said in a hushed voice. It was all I could muster up.

He held up a hand, reaching out to me and then after a pause lowered it. A breath of relief flooded my lungs. "Not yet," he said with a frown. I wanted to tell him to leave again but the words were stuck again.

He walked back to the open window and stood in silence for a moment. The moonlight shining directly on his form held a haunting image. Then he turned to face me once more. "When dawn breaks, head towards the beach by the docks." He lifted one foot on the bottom of the window and paused. A smirk crossed his face again. "And I advise you, be quick about yourself." With that, he jumped out the window.

I scrambled to my feet, racing over to the window and scanned the night for him, both land and sky. Nothing. He'd vanished. The ocean breeze carried his perfume and I inhaled deeply. His very scent was hypnotizing. He was beautiful and yet still deadly. I was both afraid and intrigued. I knew I'd see him again and whether I was dreading that day or looking forward to it, I wasn't sure. As far as his warning was, I wasn't concerned. He seemed like only a dream and I debated if he'd really be there at all.

As I crawled back into bed with far more questions than answers, I couldn't help myself from imagining what bedding a creature like that would be like. I fell asleep with the fantasies roaming around in my head. And they were delightfully terrifying.

A/N: Quite a long chapter but the prologue was included. Please review if you liked it and have a good day!