Chapter 3: Unwelcomed Emotions
Hope slammed the door to her cabin shut. The Pearl was deserted as the crew was taking full advantage of being in Tortuga, leaving Hope alone. Which was a good thing as the pirate princess was in a terrible rage.
"Of all the demons in the Underworld, why him?" The vanity fell victim to her temper as she kicked it over. Splinters of mirror littered the floor but it didn't matter. What was seven years bad luck compared to the devil owning your soul?
She sat on her bed, head in hands. "Why him? Why Blackheart?" Tears streamed unbidden down her face. She felt like a boiling cauldron of emotion and she despised it. She hated that the infernal prince still had such power over her. That he could elicit such feelings from her.
Hope thought she had long buried her feelings for Blackheart. She had at one point been in love with the dark prince but now… She knew better. Blackheart could never return her feelings and she accepted that. Why in the world would he still be able to make her act like this?
She sighed, looking into the shattered mirror on her cabin floor. "Might as well clean this up…" She knelt down, gathering her thoughts and the glass shards. "OW!" She dropped a mirror shard, sucking on the new cut on her palm. She pulled a black, silk handkerchief out of her pocket, wrapping her hand unknowingly into a memory…
Fifteen-year-old Hope sucked on her injured hand, annoyed. She knew how to handle a sword but Blackheart's were heavier than she was used to. "You have to be more careful, Hope," Blackheart warned as he gently took her injured hand. "You can easily lose a limb that way." She tried very hard not to blush as her teacher surveyed her wound.
"These swords are a lot heavier than what I've handled," She explained, trying to pull her hand back. His startling blue eyes flashed at her in concern and reprimand. She flinched a bit. "I didn't expect it."
"These swords are older than what you use in your time. Still, you need to be able to quickly assess and adjust to whatever weapon is available," he calmly explained as he wrapped the black silk he kept in his pocket around her injury, tying it tight. "Too tight?" She shook her head, flexing her hand. It hurt but she was used to pushing that aside. "Think you can still fight?" She nodded. No way she was going to cut precious time with Blackheart.
"Let's do this." The demon chuckled at her enthusiasm. Hope found herself blushing uncontrollably as he pulled off his shirt. "W-wouldn't that make y-you more vulnerable?" He chuckled again.
"I'm going to make the blades more blunt so in this case no. Plus, this will give you a chance to practice fighting with a distraction." She gulped. Was she really that obvious? She felt her cheeks grow even hotter as she stared at the monarch's well-muscled chest. He wasn't a hulking brute, but there was an obvious definition of muscles. He smirked. "Unless it makes you uncomfortable…"
"No!" She squeaked, growing redder. "No, it's fine."
Hope shook her head to clear the memory. That was years ago. She had been a lovesick child. She was an adult now and knew better than to trust Blackheart with her heart. She almost made that mistake once before, and she wasn't making it again.
"He's just a job. Nothing more." She told herself as she stood. She set the broken vanity upright, looking at her reflection in the cracked mirror. "I'm not the same girl. He can't trick me…" It was true. She wasn't the same. She wasn't the pure, innocent girl he trained. Now… She shook her head. She tried very hard not to dwell on what she was.
A knock on the door broke her train of thought. "Hope? Are you decent?" Hope released a sigh of relief at the sound of her father's voice.
"Yes. Come in." Jack peeked his head in before fully entering the room. He seemed shocked by the current state of the mirror.
"What happened?"
"Fight with my reflection. What do you need, Father?"
"I'm afraid… I must ask you to share your cabin." He seemed nervous making the request but it didn't bother her.
"With who?"
"I was thinking Daemon Black." Hope frowned. This day was just getting better and better.
"You're certain there's no more room elsewhere?" Jack shook his head.
"I've looked everywhere." Hope sighed. This was the last thing she wanted…
"He can room here…" Jack gave her knee an appreciative pat.
"I'll try to make more room as soon as possible, lil' Sparrow." She smiled at her father's endearment.
"I understand, Father." He kissed her forehead before leaving. Hope flopped back on her bed, less than happy. She rubbed her suddenly aching temples, trying to stave off the headache building in her head.
"What happened to your hand, Hope?" She frowned at the familiar voice.
"None of your business, your highness." The dark chuckle that followed sent shivers down her spine. And she hated it.
"Don't act tough, Hope. It's not you." She sat up, frowning.
"And you know so much about me?" She couldn't help the slight anger in her voice. He seemed genuinely surprised by this.
"Enough to know when you're needing help." He dropped his sack and sword on the loveseat Jack had insisted Hope have in her cabin. "Let me see your hand." She shook her head.
"It's fine." He didn't look convinced as he shrugged off his long duster.
"I'll say it one more time. Let me see your hand." She didn't move. He didn't seem surprised and knelt in front of her, taking her reluctant hand. She flinched at his touch. His hands were still like ice. As if reading her mind, he commented, "Sorry, no body heat." Hope just nodded as the demon prince began to untie the improvised bandage.
"Well, this certainly looks familiar," he remarked, flashing a smirk at her. She was shocked and annoyed by the color sweeping up her neck. He chuckled as he unwrapped her wound. His dark brows came together as he studied the cut. "What happened?" She frowned a bit.
"Fight with the mirror." She nodded towards the broken vanity. A frown crossed his face as he looked at the broken glass.
"I'm familiar with such fights…" He started rewrapping her wound. "But I wouldn't expect someone so beautiful to have such arguments." She closed her eyes in an attempt to hide her embarrassed pride at the comment, but her cheeks gave her away.
"It's not like that… and I'm not that beautiful." When she opened her eyes, she was very shocked to find the demon prince nose to nose with her. "W-what are you doing?" She yelped. He smirked.
"Don't sell yourself short, Hope." She has to lean back as Blackheart inched closer to her. "You've certainly grown…" An arm snaked around her waist. "Since we last met…" His cold lips ghosted against hers, making her shiver. She was just too shocked to do anything to stop him.
When his lips pressed against hers, she felt lost. His kiss was loving, tender. She had never been kissed like this before. Her first kiss has been a quick kiss where as this one lingered. Her hands slid up his chest, but despite her better judgment she couldn't push him away from her. She was ashamed to admit she was enjoying it. "Blackheart…" He chuckled darkly.
Then she felt his hand trying to unbuckle her belt, and her mind hit the panic button. She pushed hard against his chest, effectively sending him across the room. That was more than she meant to do but it made her point. Not that she was rational enough to care at the moment. "Don't touch me!" Blackheart watched shocked as she conjured doors between them, slamming them shut.
