"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,
And breathed in the face of the foe as he pass'd;
And the eyes of the sleepers wax'd deadly and chill,
And their hearts but once heaved and forever grew still!"
-George Gordon Byron
Chapter Eighteen
The sound of a shrieking siren fills the room, and my head snaps up at the sound. Chester, with glinting silver sword in hand, raises his arm and quickly beheads a necromancer before him. I expect to see blood and guts, a man's life spread out before me. But instead, there is nothing. The man dissipates into a thin evanescence and rises into the air like the morning sea mist.
"Remind me to ask about that," I say to Chester as he reaches with a strong arm to do the same to another of Ivory's associates, who struggles to escape.
But before I can make my own move, something knocks me from under my feet. I land on my back with Ivory struggling to hold me down, and I get the vision of her hissing and biting at my neck with those stained lips of hers, as red and deadly as a rose with the sharpest thorn.
Somehow, I manage to throw her off me, but I'm weaponless. Searching frantically for my sword, I could cheer when I finally spot it, and dive out of the way of her wrath before once again, Ivory and I are left to our own battle.
Abruptly, she scissor-kicks my feet out from under me, knocking the air from my longues, and it takes me a moment to even register a response. But somehow, I manage to jump back to my feet once I catch my breath, only to nearly be run through by her sword.
We circle each other to the left, the right, striking out but neither of us connecting with flesh. But as I step back to create a larger empty space between Ivory and myself, I'm nearly knocked over by a fallen chair. To my obvious disadvantage, Ivory thrusts her arm out just as quickly, and the metal of her sword plunges deep into my abdomen. I look down as she pulls it away, grinning and proud of her gory work.
My hands instantly rush to cover the wound, but when I lift them away, my palms are covered in a nauseating crimson red.
"What's wrong, Duchess?" she hisses. "Can't handle a mortal wound?" A crack sounds throughout the room as I'm hit with the hardest blow I've ever received to my jaw. Her arm has so much momentum that I'm knocked off my feet once again and the world slowly fades to black.
But not completely. I'm stuck in between of what seems of reality and dormancy. I can hear voices, shouting and swords clashing around me, and as I fight to open my eyes, I can swear I hear Ivory's voice from above me.
It seems I'm exhausted, unconscious, or possibly dead. I'm fighting to move, but nothing is happening. I'm perplexed in a dream world, telling myself it's not real, it's just a nightmare, but still I do not awaken.
And just as suddenly, I can hear Jack's voice, but I don't understand his words. It takes me a short moment to realize that he's calling my name and trying to emerge me awake. And then he's speaking to Ivory, for her voice fills my ears, and the warmth of his skin is gone. With that, I have more of an urge to rise to my feet.
"Something is coming, Or maybe someone. We don't know yet. But what we do know is that it's after you. I have to be there when that happens, so I can stop it."
My own words flood into my mind, remembering the first night I met the pirate. He thought I was joking when I had told him this, and I remember how annoyed I was with his gold teeth and flirtatious manner. This is when I realize the origin of my mission.
Wearily, my hazel eyes crack open, and I look about the room for Jack and Ivory. Sure enough, she has him in a bitter duel, the both of them jumping over chairs and slashing at one another's flesh and clothing.
Jaden, the overprotective doctor on the Black Pearl spots me, an exhausted and bloody heap in the corner, and rushes to me. "Are you all right?" His hand traces my cheek, which has been cut from the rings on Ivory's hand, and frowns at the wound drenching the fabric of my dress.
"Give me your sword," I say, ignoring his question.
He gives me a strange look, but hands it over. Slowly, he helps me to my feet. I don't take my eyes from Ivory's back as she simultaneously corners Jack and venomously knocks his sword from his hand.
"Looks like that mortal wound wasn't as hard to handle as you suspected," I quip from behind her. And as she turns around, her eyes as black as death, I swing the sword out with both hands, disconnecting neck from shoulder before she has a chance to respond.
Instead of dissolving into nothing like the others, a black cobra falls at my feet. It darts out, but before it attacks, the sound of a pistol fills my ears. Once, twice, and the snake falls to a mess of bloody ruins on the floor. Loyal stands beside Jack with weapon of destruction in hand.
I almost fall to my knees, I am so relieved. In fact, I would have said something witty, as usual, if it wasn't for an enormous burning pain throughout my limbs. I look down at my wound again, only to see my bodice a damp, deep red and tiny pools of my own blood at my feet.
Jack steps over the snake, gently placing a hand at the small of my back, and advances his attention to my abdomen. He's marred with only slashes to his clothing and small cuts to his skin.
"You, pirate, have a thing or two to learn," I smirk at him.
He frowns, but his eyes are shining with pure amusement. "And ye, my darling, need to learn to keep your clothes on."
The sleeve of my dress has been slit in two, and the shoulder is hanging over completely, exposing an abundant amount of milky white skin. The cleavage line of my dress hangs considerably lower as well, but still shows no more than I would frown upon.
Loyal eyes me with concern for a moment. "I'll get the bandages," he says.
"At least there's no bullets to remove this time," Jack notes as he wraps an arm about my waist, and begins helping me across the room.
"How optimistic of you," I say.
We enter the backroom, only to find Emmet and Chester standing beside Sadie, who allows Mercy to apply a damp cloth over her badly bruised and swollen nose; courtesy of me, I might add.
Mercy's mouth drops open when she sees me. "What on Earth happened to you?"
"Ivory felt like slicing me open," I supply.
"Are you all right?" Emmet asks with tenderness in his bright eyes.
"I'll be fine," I reply.
He shakes his head. "You always find some way in getting hurt."
"Karma!" Sadie pipes up, only for Mercy to narrow her eyes at the barmaid in warning.
"Sadie, what happened to your nose?" I ask just to spite her.
She glares daggers at me. "You broke it!"
I can't help it; I burst into laughter. My humor doesn't last long though, considering the abrupt movement causes the pain in my stomach to spread.
Loyal finally walks in, bundles of bandages in hand. Jack takes them, only to hand them to Chester. "Mercy, mind if we do this in the washroom?" the pirate asks her.
"Of course not," Mercy replies as she hands him a bottle of rum, which I know will be used not for drinking, but to disinfect my wounds. "I assume you know what you're doing?" she adds.
Jack smiles. "Of course, love."
Emmet once again looks me over. "Are you sure you're all right?"
I nod, a small smile on my lips. "Pour me a brandy, bartender, and I'll be perfect."
He laughs. "Will do."
But despite my good nature, every step is a painful one. Jack sees this and easily lifts me into his arms, ignoring my arguments that I can walk on my own. "She could have killed you," he contends.
Chester swings open the door to the washroom, and Jack gently sets me down at the small table beneath the window. "They'll be able to paint the walls in your blood, with all that you've spilt latley," my boss says. He sets the supplies on the table beside me, and goes to one of the cupboards to get linen.
"I'll tell you why you're always getting hurt," Jack supplies, and takes a blade from the inside of his right boot. "It's because you're always in the eye of the battle. Or getting yourself into trouble. You just live for attention, don't ye?" he adds, his eyes glinting with humor.
"One would think," I reply. Jack takes the blade and slices open the bodice of my dress, but just enough that he can tend to the wound. This is the last of my fighting days," I muse aloud. "Shouldn't I be happy about that?"
Jack presses down on my stomach with a mound of linen, attempting to stop the bleeding. "Well, ye can always pick a fight with Loyal. I bet he can take ye," the pirate says with a wink.
I scoff in thought of my older brother kicking my ass. "I doubt it, Sparrow. How do you think I always get my way?"
Chester uncorks the bottle of rum. "Andie, about the deal with Loyal-"
"Don't worry about it," I say.
"But-"
"Don't worry about it," I repeat, my voice more forceful.
Jack unintentionally presses down too hard on my stomach, and I gasp loudly, my hands instinctively fluttering towards the source of pain. He brushes a kiss to my palm in sweet apology.
"Well, this is one thing I won't miss," I say. "All the cuts and bloodshed."
The pirate pulls the bloody cloth away, only for Chester to hand him another bundle soaked in the Caribbean's best rum. "All right," he says, "Hold your breath."
I do as he says, but when that hot white pain begins boiling at my flesh, I let out a strangled cry and clutch the sides of the table for dear life.
"Want to give me a drink of that?" I ask Chester, snatching the bottle of rum from his hand. Taking a large gulp, I then find it easier to relax with a warm, filling sensation in my stomach.
"It's a good thing ye heal so fast, love," Jack tells me. "If ye didn't, I don't think I'd be able to stop the bleeding."
I watch him as he begins wrapping the bandages around my stomach, doing his chest to be as gently as possible. He turns his head a little to the left as he does this, and it's only now that I see the scratches across his collarbone and past the confines of his shirt. I reach up and gently brush two fingers across them, frowning at the little drops of dried crimson that stain his shirt.
Jack doesn't cease his movements at my caress, but I can see his eyes, dark and intense. In fact, we're so caught up in ourselves that we forget Chester was ever in the room, and neither one of us notice as he steps out.
After a moment, that thoughtful look on the pirate's face disappears, and his lips upturn into that famous half smile that I adore.
"What?" I ask.
He continues wrapping the bandages, ignoring my question, and I allow my palms to slip past the hem of his shirt to wander the lean muscles and smooth skin beneath it. I lean up to press a tender kiss to his neck as my fingertips trace those cuts, inhaling his musky scent.
"Will you miss me when I'm gone?" I ask quietly.
Finishing his business with the bandages, Jack tangles one hand in my hair, and trails the other tantalizingly slow down my neck.
"You'll miss me terribly," I say. "You're going to wish you never met me go."
That smile once again claims his handsome features. "Is that so?" He leans close, just barely brushing his lips upon my skin.
I nod. "But you're too stubborn to admit it."
"Will ye miss me?" he asks.
I smile. "Kiss me."
For some reason, this chapter was a challenge and most difficult to write. I rewrote the fight with Ivory about three times, and I'm still not satisfied with it. But I hope you all enjoyed it, anyway.
Some good news: There will be a sequel. And in fact, I've already written the first two and a half chapters. I'm excited.
And on another note, I posted a one-shot I wrote about a week ago called "Aspiration". It would be much appreciated if you guys could give me some feedback on it, if you haven't already. Thanks.
Please drop me a review.
Terradaina: I'm glad you're excited!
Supermonkey289: Haha, nice clean violence. I suppose that is possible.
ComfortablyNumb89: I'm glad you're enjoying this story as much as I am writing it, and that you had something to read after your crazy weekend. Reviews like this are what inspire me to write, so thanks for being so uplifting!
Snarker: Thank you so much!
Genevra: Let me just say that I appreciate your review and all that you said. You are truly a wonderful reader/reviewer (as well as a person), giving me such great feedback as you always have, through every one of my stories. I'm happy beyond belief that you enjoy reading my work. Your feedback and honestly is what I look forward to when I update. Hope you're having a great summer, darling.
Captain-Ammie: First of all, I love the way you spell your name! I've never seen it spelled that way before, and I adore it. And of course, I'm glad you're enjoying my story.