The dark streets of Port Royal were empty, save for a few drunken homeless sailors, sleeping away their intoxication. Sarah's sense were tingling with anticipation. Axle was out here somewhere with Elizabeth and she was going to find them.
The soft glow of street lanterns fell onto an isolated block. Sarah clutched the knife she held at her side. The only known weapon that could destroy Axle for good and release Elizabeth from his spell. She had once prayed that she would never have to use the weapon, but now…she could not wait to employ it.
"Sarah." Her name was carried on the wind, said so low that she wasn't sure she had actually heard it. Sarah's heart began to pound. This was it. By the end of the night, either she or Axel would be dead.
Her body acted before her mind could comprehend reason. Turning quicker than any human could understand, she raised the knife above her head. A hand gripped tightly onto her wrist, nearly crushing her bone. Crying out in both surprise and pain, Sarah dropped the knife from her hand.
Smiling slyly, Axel kicked the knife away into the darkness. Sarah's heart sank. Without that knife, she could not be able to kill Axle. Maybe kick the hell out of him, but not destroy him. "Why did you come back, Sarah? Why didn't you stay where you were safe?" Axel's voice held a restrained note of actual concern.
"Well that wouldn't have been much fun, would it," Sarah taunted. To be carefree was to irritate Axel. His grip on her wrist tightened. Sarah clenched her teeth together. Her arm was going numb and she had no escape plan. Wonderful.
"I will kill you, darling. And I won't mess up this time." Axel lowered her arm and released his grip on it. Sarah clenched her hand into a fist and swung. With a simple shove, Axel roughly pushed her to the ground. He was next to her in an instant, his hand tangled in her hair, pulling her head back. He eyed her neck. "Do you remember when I turned you? You were the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I remember thinking that it would be a pity for such a beauty like you to grow old and die. I knew that it would be easy for me to turn you. All it took was a pretty face to persuade you. It was so easy…"
Sarah felt trapped in a never ending nightmare. She remembered all too easily how she had been turned. "Axel…" She didn't know what to say. She refused to beg. She would rather die than plead for her life. He leaned his face closer to hers.
"Say you want me to stop and I will. She'll be out of the picture in one second if you say you love me." Axel gestured to Elizabeth, who had stepped out of the shadows. She watched the scene in the middle of the street with a mix of fevered glee and anxiety.
"Elizabeth, get out of here! Go back to Will," Sarah screamed at the woman, her words suddenly cut short by Axel's hand gripping her throat.
"I'm disappointed, Sarah. You know that she will never take your place but she will make a nice alternative." Axel released Sarah and pulled Elizabeth to him. As he kissed the bewitched woman, Sarah looked into the shadows, trying to find the knife. This was her chance.
Spotting the metal glinting in the lantern-light, Sarah was on her feet before Axel could realize it. She ran for the knife, feeling a small bit of hope welling up inside of her. That hope came crashing down around her when she felt a hand grab her and spin her backwards. She found herself looking up into Axel's dark, glinting eyes. Sarah suddenly had the urge to cry.
She had tried so hard. She had only wanted to help the people how had helped her. And now, because of her careless mistakes, Elizabeth was going to face centuries of despair. Most likely after Axel finished killing Sarah and transforming Elizabeth, he would find Jack and Will and slaughter them as well. The thought of Jack dying by the hands of Axel sent shivers up Sarah's back.
"You still have a chance, Sarah." Axel's eyes held a forbidden promise. He knew that she realized his plans. "If you come with me, I'll spare the life of your precious pirate. Just say yes." Sarah's lip trembled.
"I don't think so, mate." Sarah's head snapped up. Axel dropped her to the ground and turned, his eyes wide with surprise. Jack stood in front of him, playing with the knife. "Now, am I to believe tha' a vampire's weak spot is 'is 'eart?"
Axel stood speechless. "What? How-" Jack stepped forward and shrugged.
"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, mate, what can I say?"
Axle's features darkened. He had not just spent the better part of a month seeking out Elizabeth, stealing her will bit by bit, to be stopped by a mangy pirate. "I'd like to see you try and stop me. You're a mortal, you pathetic maggot. You can't destroy me."
Jack smiled his lopsided smile that said, 'I know something you don't and it will kill you'. "You obviously haven't gotten a good look at this, 'ave you," he asked, holding up the knife. Axel paled slightly, then stood straighter.
"I'd like to see you try and get close enough to use it." Axel's smirked at Jack, his eyes reflecting only hate. Sarah stood and placed a hand gently on Axel's shoulder. He turned to face her, shock evident on his features.
"Axel, I just wanted to say," she said, moving closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "that I have always admired your," she paused, her eyes locking with Jack's over Axel's shoulder. Jack grinned and gripped the knife. "Stupidity," Sarah finished her sentence as Jack rammed the knife into Axel's back.
Axel looked down in shock, then fell to the ground, slowly disintegrating before Jack and Sarah's eyes. Sarah turned to Elizabeth, who was looking around in confusion. "Jack," she said, her hand gripping her throat. "What are you doing here?"
Jack smiled and went to Elizabeth. "You've missed a lot, darling," he said, taking her arm and leading her away from the remains of Axle.
Sarah remained behind for a few seconds, looking down at what had been Axle. Gripping her aching wrist, she followed Jack and Elizabeth back to the Turners'. She somehow dreaded facing Jack after this.