Chapter 4

The next few days passed slowly, for Will wouldn't let me out of the cabin in fear of my health.

"It takes time to heal," he told me earlier, and I knew he was right. The only visible bruising was on my inner thighs, and it was growing fainter by the day.

I had convinced him to let me practice swordfighting inside the cabin. He seemed reluctant, but gave in when he realized that I needed to keep my strength up. We spent two hours a day inside the cabin, parrying until I was short of breath and he had to help me back into bed. I had never felt so powerless before, and it scared me.

Another thing I missed was Will's body. When the young man undressed in front of me, getting ready for bed, I catch myself intently staring at him, the way his muscles moved, the way the candlelight played off his skin, the way his brown hair just barely touched his shoulders when he untied it.

Whenever he slid into bed next to me, I didn't have too much time to dwell on the thought of romance as I was always tired by the end of the day and nodded off to sleep almost as soon as he kissed me and pulled the blankets up over our bodies.

My last thought before falling asleep was that it was all a dream and when I woke up, none of it would have really happened…

"Enemy approaching!"

Cold, cruel eyes bored into mine as he backed me up against the mast, his dagger pointed at my throat as his rough-skinned hand slid over my exposed body. I looked down, realizing with horror that I was naked and completely alone. His hand grabbed my hip tightly; I was sure he'd leave marks. He leant forward suddenly and attached his lips to the side of my neck, biting hard until I felt him draw blood.

I cried out in pain and tried to push him off, but he was too big; he brought his knee up and wedged it between my thighs, forcing them apart as I uselessly fought him and tried to call for help.

"Shut up," he growled menacingly, closing his hand over my mouth. He turned me around and pushed me against the mast, and I closed my eyes and tried to brace myself for it –

He shoved inside me quickly, then began thrusting, seeming to enjoy the way I tried to muffle my screams against the back of my hand.

Please, let it end soon, please…

I managed to form a word through my muffled screams in a final attempt at getting help. "Will."

His hands slid over my body, touching, grabbing, and I had to keep my lips tightly pursed together to keep from vomiting.

"Will! Please help me!"

"Jack! Wake up."

My stomach turned over with nausea. I woke with a choked cry of pain and opened my eyes, quickly leaning over the side of the bunk to cough. It seemed there was nothing for me to throw up, and I shuddered as my hand quickly went up to my neck to feel if the bite mark was still there.

Suddenly, I felt someone's hand press against my waist, and the terror that surged through me made me yell, "Don't touch me!" And I bolted from the bed, knowing I had to get out of there.

"Jack!" the voice called again, but I quickly stumbled into the adjoining room, sinking down to my knees behind the table as I began to shiver. I looked up at the open porthole, catching sight of the full moon in the sky. Hurried footsteps could be heard coming into the room, and I closed my eyes, too afraid to move.

"Where are you, Jack?"

It was Will. I looked up, telling my eyes not to tear up again as he went around the table and spotted me.

"Oh…it's me," he whispered, sounding desperate as he crouched down beside me. "Jack, look at me…"

I wrapped my arms around myself and looked up.

"It was only a dream," he murmured, gently stroking my cheek. "Nothing can hurt you here."

I closed my eyes once more, and he was there, cold smirk set in place.

I fell forwards into Will's embrace, remembering the pain that man had brought upon me, and gasped as I tried to keep my tears from overflowing. His arms wrapped tight around me, and he drew me closer to his warm body, protectively cradling my head against his chest as he whispered into my ear. This time, I knew it was my lover by the gentle way he held me and stroked my hair.

I felt ashamed. Ashamed of showing such weakness, and in front of the only person who I wanted to see me as strong, no less!

"What's happening to me, Will?" I said brokenly.

He didn't answer; merely continued rubbing my back and murmuring gentle words as he placed a kiss on my temple. I closed my eyes and forced myself to feel that it was Will who was touching me like that. Eventually, my body relaxed against his, and he seemed to feel it, for he whispered, "Let's go back to bed, okay?"

Numbly, I nodded and stood up with him, letting him lead me back to our bed. He waited until I was lying down under the covers before he retrieved a chair and set it directly next to the bed, sitting upon it and leaning his elbows on his knees, rubbing his eyes and looking tired beyond exhaustion.

I frowned. "Why don't you…"

He shook his head, replying, "I saw the look in your eyes when I tried to touch you as you woke up."

"No," I whispered, truly hating myself, "It was only the nightmare, that's all, Will…"

"I don't want it to happen again, Jack…" He pulled the covers around my shoulders. "Get some rest."

It's already begun, I thought inwardly. He's drawing away from me.

"If it happens again, I'll be more worried that you're not there with me," I said somewhat meekly.

"I'll be right here," he said gently.

I watched as he yawned and blew out the candle he had lit before. The cabin was in the soft bluish light of the moon now, and I saw the worry in his eyes momentarily give way to something else I couldn't identify.

I was right. He doesn't want to be near me.

With one final look at my lover, I turned over and closed my eyes, wishing that I'd never accepted the call of the skull and crossbones of the other pirates.