Sorry for the delayed updates, guys. I haven't decided if this is going to be the last story in the The Damned series or if I'm going to continue with a fourth one. So, until I know for sure if I'm going to wrap up the series with this story or leave it open for the next one and decide where to take the plot from here, I won't be updating very frequently.
Gaston's coronation was held just a few days after the fight. The Damned with the rest of the crew arrived in Corona from the Southern Isles the day before the coronation. Gaston invited the entire crew; mainly because it was at the coronation that he was going to announce his engagement to Jasmine and she was part of the crew.
Meg would not be attending, but the rest of the crew was. No one cared about Gaston becoming king and everyone was confused by Jasmine's engagement to him, but mostly everyone was desperate for one carefree night of fun, and a celebration- regardless of the cause- was just what they needed.
Jim stuck his finger under his collar, trying to loosen it. He'd never had to get dressed up before; even Hercules and Meg's wedding had been more casual. He stood stiffly in the middle of his and John's room of the inn, trying not wrinkle himself. While, John, on the other hand, couldn't be more comfortable in his dress clothes. Jim wanted to rip them off him. Of course John looked handsome, but it didn't look right on him. He walked up behind John and wrapped his arms around the blonde's hard body.
"You know," Jim mumbled, kissing John's neck. "We don't have to go to the coronation."
John gave him a crooked smile through the mirror hanging on the wall in front of them. "No? What else would we do?"
The cabin boy slowly unbuttoned the former first mate's shirt. "We could just stay here." He kissed John's shoulder as he slipped off his shirt. He then slid his hand down the front of John's pants.
John turned around and pulled Jim's head to his so their lips pressed against each other's. "I like where this is going."
Jim untied John's pants, letting his hand trail down inside them.
John moaned into Jim's mouth. "Oh, God."
"I want you now," Jim demanded, pulling John towards the bed. He lied down on his back and watched John remove his own pants before undressing Jim. There was a great sense of relief to be out of those clothes.
John straddled Jim, then roughly grabbed Jim's head and pulled him into another kiss. Jim wrapped his arms around his pirate as John thrusted inside him. They both let out simultaneous moans.
"I want you every night for the rest of my life, John Smith."
"I'm yours."
A loud banging on the door caused Jim to groan in frustration. "Not now!"
He was met with another knock. Jim disentangled himself from John and pulled his pants on before swinging open the door. When he saw Meg on the other side, he grabbed her and pulled her into the room. In one motion, he pinned her against the wall, grabbed his knife off the table beside the door, and held it against her throat.
"You tried to kill John!"
Meg's wide eyes were fixed on Jim. "Relax. I'm here to apologize."
"It's too late for that. I don't want you anywhere near him."
"Jim." John appeared next to him and put his hand on Jim's arm. John had the sheet tied around his waist. The knot was loose and wouldn't hold, which distracted Jim enough for Meg to push him away from her. Jim wondered if that was John's plan. Or did John even know the sheet was one wrong move away from falling to the floor?
Jim moved away from Meg, but kept his knife in his hand; she was also one wrong move away from falling to the floor.
"Can I talk to John alone, please?" Meg asked Jim. She actually had the nerve to sound impatient.
"No."
Meg rolled her eyes. "It's not like I'm going to hurt him."
Jim instantly threw his knife at Meg and it stuck in the wall next to her head.
Meg glanced at the knife. "Too soon?"
John eased Jim onto the bed, then walked over to Meg and pulled the knife out of the wall. "Too soon," he agreed. He discarded the knife back on the table.
Meg gave John her full attention, ignoring Jim for the time being. "John, I really am sorry. That wasn't me. I would never..." She paused. "You know under normal circumstances I would never hurt you. You're my friend. You're my husband's best friend." She cleared her throat. "Were," she choked out. "You were my husband's best friend."
"I know that, Meg. But it doesn't change the fact that you accused me of betraying Hercules and tried to kill me when all I wanted was to help save you and everyone else."
Meg nodded, fighting back tears. "You're right. And I'm not trying to excuse what I did. You don't even have to forgive me-"
"I don't," Jim interjected.
Meg glanced over at him, then looked back at John. "I just don't want you to hate me."
John sighed. "I don't hate you. And I do forgive you. I'm not sure I would have handled the situation any better if I were in your place and it was Jim who had been murdered. But, Jim and Sinbad won't be as forgiving, so maybe you should keep your distance for a while."
Meg nodded. "That's fair."
"Is there anything else you needed, Meg? 'Cause you're definitely interrupting…"
"One more thing," Meg replied. "Do you think it's safe for us to still be in Corona and for everyone to go to this party?"
"What do you mean?"
Meg pursed her lips. "Gaston knows we came here to kill him; how do we know this isn't a trap to arrest us or execute us because of it?"
"You're the one who tried to kill him, not the crew," Jim pointed out.
"I don't think Gaston wants revenge on any of us. Least of all you, Meg." John guided Meg towards the door by her elbow. "Nothing is going to happen. We're here for a party, not a war."
Meg removed her arm from John's grip and spun to face him. "In case you haven't noticed, John; we have terrible luck. We can't catch a break. And now we're in the home of one of our greatest enemies and everyone is just so nonchalant about it."
"We're here because of you," Jim reminded her.
"Gaston was never our enemy; Helga and Kida were," John said.
"And that's another thing," Meg added. "Kida's kingdom is just on the other side of the border. What if her father attends tonight?"
"No one knows we had anything to do with her death."
"Gaston does."
"And he doesn't care; he said so himself."
Meg rolled her eyes. "And you believe him?"
"About that? Yes. We all saw how much he hated her; I'm sure no one is happier she's gone than he is. And I don't think he's all that inclined to turn in the people who got rid of her for him."
"I don't know..."
John pushed Meg towards the door. "Meg, please! My husband is half naked on the bed and that's all I can think about right now. Can we talk about this later?"
Meg groaned. "Fine."
"From now on, no more knocking on our door unless it's dire." John shut and locked the door behind her before she could say anything else. Within seconds, he removed the sheet and was back on the bed with Jim.
Jim already had his pants off. He wrapped his arms tightly around John as John pinned him onto his back. Jim looked up at him, but his eyes were full of concern.
"You don't think she's right, do you?" Jim asked. "About us being in danger while we're here?"
"No." John pressed his mouth against Jim's. Jim kissed him back, but then turned his head away.
"I'm sorry, John. But, what if she is right? I almost lost you once, I can't risk it again."
John sighed and rolled off of Jim. "Meg always overreacts and assumes the worst. If Gaston wanted to get revenge on us, he would have done it while we were all recovering and too weak to fight back."
"Unless he was waiting for the rest of the crew to arrive."
John was having a hard time concentrating on this conversation. He ran his hand up Jim's naked chest. Jim's muscles weren't the only thing that was hard. "Jim, you're killing me."
"I'm sorry. But, I can't shake this. Hercules is dead and you almost died."
John brushed the hair off Jim's forehead. "I truly don't think we have to fear Gaston. Meg stabbed him and he convinced everyone she saved his life and was a hero. He wouldn't have done that if he was planning on having us arrested."
"I guess you're right."
"Of course I am." John pulled Jim close to him. "Now shut up and kiss me."