Part 25
Sleep was no haven for Max. Unlike Liz who fell into blissful slumber. He raised up and looked down at her. She looked so peaceful thus. Long thick lashes rested upon smooth delicate cheeks, brows straight and relaxed, mouth curved upward. Softly he smoothed a lock of hair from her fair, dapm with perspiration. A reminder of what had occured between them. He smiled at the remarkable reminder and reached up behind his neck to disengage her arms from around him. Then he gently moved to the side and adjusted himself so that Liz's head rested on his shoulder and her body fit within the circle of his arms.
He marveled at that sudden thought. She moulded so perfectly against him it was as if her petite figure was made for his body. Never had he felt so with another woman, but htis woman. Ahh this woman had entranced him from the moment he had shoved that hood down. She had aroused in him a desire he never knew existed.
He could remember that first time when he got his first taste of paradise. When he got his first look at heaven. His little theif had responded so passionately he knew that that taste would not leave him sated for long. And it hadn't. It had simply wetted his appetite and he determined to have more.
But she had rejected him that first night and he content to wait. He put her to work. And he watched every move she made. He observed every graceful movement as she scrubbed and cleaned, and the look of those gentle hands working upon the deck was almost ludicrous. Yet he couldn't help but admire her stamina and pride. Even as she knelt on her hands and knees her back was rigidly straight and her eyes wide and defiant.
He smiled as remembered that confrontation when he presented her with her lunch. She reminded him of a furious little sprite. And quickly after that she had turned into a terrified one. He remembered it all too clearly. He had barged through her door just as he saw one of his crew memebers mount her, ready to rape her. His rage was fast and furious. He saw red and his control snapped. He had approached them, fury and pain whirling within him. Instead of brown cascading hair he saw shimmering gold, instead of petrified wide brown eyes he saw ocean blue with tears streaming down a delicate face. His vision grew distorted as he relived a day not so long ago. A day that cost him his sister. He charged towards them.
Later as he had held onto Liz all thoughts of the past vanished into the dark corners of his mind. All he could concentrate on was the slender woman that clutched him with terror, as he gingerly wiped away her tears. That moment when he was transported back in time disappeared and all he could think about was the here and now and the woman in his arms. After comforting her he had determindly gathered his crew around and threatened anyone who came near her would recieve one hunderd lashes and if Max happened to be in a foul mood then, a good beat up.The crew had heeded his warning after watching his demonstration on Hugh as an example.
But then there was the time after that. He was determinded to hold back and give her her space to recupricate from her ordeal. He contented himself with heated looks and fleeting touches to feed his growing hunger. When he had ordered that bath for her, it was all he could do not to rip her clothes off and join her in the tub. Instead he restrained himself to a sensual taste of her as he helped her out of her dress and to remind her of just how pleasurable it could be. With the right man. And he was that man.
She drove him crazy. And when he spotted her being molested by those men on shore he thought he would go insane. He swore to himself that she was sent to him to set the world off its axes and cause more trouble than she was worth. He almost laughed as he remembered. He should have been angry. He 'was' angry. But all that pent up anger and frustration and fear had erupted into a delirious fit of passion. And she had surrendered. It filled him with pleasure and satisfaction. She had responded and they had both felt the most unbelievable pleasure. He was sure she felt so. He made sure of it.
He had never been with a virgin before, but he knew well enough of the initial pain. He had made it one of his rules never to get invloved with virgins. But somehow, with this woman, it seemed the choice was not his. And to be truthful, this lack of control on his part disturbed him. Disturbed him very much. Frowning slightly he looked down again at the woman in his arms.
He was too restless. Gently he unentangled himself from her clinging arms and moved off the bed. Liz immediately moved, anxious to retrieve the heat that had abandoned her. Max moved away and stood. Liz shifted to his side and sought the remaining warmth of his body. Max lifted the covers more securely over her. Liz burrowed within their warmth and stilled. Max stood staring at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he leaned over and smoothed back once again a lock of hair from her forehead and lightly kissed her temple. Turning away he then dressed himself in his shirt, breeches and boots and made his way across the room and made sure to shut the door softly behind him.
Once on deck Max noticed the stillness and quiet that was always there after the crew stopped lingering about. Grateful for that fact he made his to the rail and looked out to the inky painting before him. The sea below churned dark and deep in its depth, the night a cloak of shadow around him and the sky scarcely full of stars black and almost lifeless if not for those few twinkling points. The wind was warm as it blew and Max let his thoughts drift.
He tried to put them out if his mind. Every day and night he was reminded of why he was here and what he was doing, but he tried to not dwell to much. But now, after his physicaly exhausting encounter with Liz- he smiled briefly at that- he was not strong enough to stop the images as they flitted through his mind. He could remember the day as if it was yesterday. The death of his beloved sister. The betrayl of the woman he had pledged his heart to. All because of one man. The reason he was here. Disomano.
He wished for a moon he could howl is rage and pain at. He wished he could summon scalding tears for his loss. But no. It was not possible. He could not indulge. He was not Maxwell anymore. respected gentlman, charming, sensitive, soft and with a heart of gold. No. He was Max now. Pirate of the seas. Plunderer of ships and women's hearts. Feared, cold, hard and no longer with a heart. He was the Hawk as people called him. Watchful, strategic, ruthless, proud and always gets his killings. It was like tradition, every pirate had a name. His was the Hawk.
Disomano. Inhuman.
A hand laid itself upon his shoulder and Max was snapped out of his painful reverie. He realized then that he was gripping the rail until his knuckles had turned white in an unconsious effort to break it. His body was trembling with supressed emotion.
"Maxwell" he knew immediately who it was and relaxed slightly.
"Michael" Max greeted his friend without looking at him. He did not want even his best friend to see him in such a state.
"Don't let it trouble you too much Maxwell" Michael spoke, instinctively knowing what Max was thinking of. At other times Max found it amusing that they always knew what the other was thinking but in this instant it was very irritating.
"Trouble me? I do not have any idea what you speak of Michael" Max said in a light tone he hoped was decieving enough. But Michael was not fooled.
"Do not try and mislead me Maxwell." his tone was slightly reproachful.
Max sighed. " I know. Forgive me" he said in defeat.
"Just...do not let your hate consume you" Michael's voice was hesitant. Max suddenly felt incensed and angry and he jerked away from Michael's hand to spin around and glare at him.
"My hate is completely justified" he bit out between clenched teeth. Michael dropped his hand and gazed at him steadily.
"Aye i have no doubt it is. It is for me too. I was there remember?" he reminded him quietly and Max could say nothing to that.
"Then why make that remark?" he asked instead.
"We may have a purpose here and now Maxwell. To exact revenge upon this man for what he had done. To hate him for the crime he commited. But not to let it distort out life" Michael said.
Max gave him a puzzled glance. "You speak in riddles Michael. What is the matter with you? You talk as if i shall leap off a cliff in if it meant taking him with me" he tried for a light tone.
Michael only looked at him. "Wouldn't you?"
Max didn't answer directly. He pondered that for a moment. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to think of his sister and his ex-love. He wanted to think of the death and betrayl, but it was not so. Unbidden came the vision of Liz sleeping peacefully in his bed.
"No" he replied and he knew it was the truth, even if did not know why. Or did not want to know.
Michael looked surprised and Max bit back a chuckle. His friend expected him to be 'consumed with hate' as he had put it so much that he would sacrifice his own life to end another's. Perhaps at one time. But now, no more.
"Do not look so shocked Michael. I still have my common sense you know" he said, eyebrow raised.
Michael raised his own. " I was begining to doubt that. Thank god i was wrong."
Max suddenly turned somber. "That doesn't mean i don't want to inflict the worst torture upon him possible" he said omniously, then twisted around and gazed wildly at the dark horizon. "I want to kill him Michael. I want to kill that bastard" his fist connected with the rail but he was unconcious of the throbbing of pain.
The hand was there again on his shoulder. "I know Maxwell."Max spun back to face him."Do you Michael?Do you?Damnit!" he swore and threaded a shaking hand through his already ruffled hair, making them stand up to dishelved attention.
"We'll find him Max" Michael reassured quietly. "We'll fins him and we'll make him pay. Then we'll regather our faith in life, and live."
Max's mood suddenly changed and he looked at Michael with some amusement. "I say Michael, pray tell me where this newfound belief and love in life has come from" he oaused and gazed at him almost wickedly.
Michael only smiled slightly and shrugged.
"Ahhh. So that green-eyed spitfire has finally rode you to submission aye?" Max asked, oh so innocently.
Michael's eyes bulged out and he reddened. "I-I...that is to say-" but Max interuppted him with a wave of his hand.
"No need for apologies my good man, you may have kept me up half the night but i'm always a charitable person for a good cause" and he choked back his laughter as Michael turned into a choking beetroot. He waited for the coughing to subside. When it didn't his own eyes widened.
"Good God Michael you're really choking" he rushed to his friend's side and pounded him on the back, ordering him to bend over and take deep breaths. Still, he could not help an escaping chuckle. Michael looked up, eyes teary and glaring. Max backed away and raised his hands in surrender. Still he grinned.
Michael straightened and composed himself, " I trust you will go back to bed tonight and wake up in the morning completely refreshed and unaware of our present conversation..." he trailed off and looked at Max pointedly.
"Consider it done" he reassured, unable to keep that grin off his face. Then the mood abruptly changed as they suddenly both recalled what other conversation they had.
"You are justified Max in you cause, just...be careful" Michael said softly into the darkness. Max turned away and tried to think it through but found he was suddenly too tired.
"Aye Michael. Worry not" he said, and when he turned around Michael was gone. Gone to his little spitfire Max thought humourously. And then his mind was filled of Liz. His own brave sprite. He grinned to himself all thoguhts of his revenge and pain gone. He pictured her in his cabin burrowing in his warmth and was all too eager to return to her and fall asleep with her in his arms. Strangely he knew tonught his nightmares would not come to haunt him. They would be vanquished as would gather her to him, rest her head on his chest and his chin on the top of her head.
He would inhale her scent and fill his dreams with her. A crazy thought but he paid it no mind as he strode off the deck, away from the darkness.
"What information do you hold for me?" Sean aske grimly as he studied his man of affairs who was standing uneasily, fidgeting and sweating. He was afraid. And so he should be.
"My lord, it appears the pirate and the lady had sailed out into the ocean sir" he paused to swallow " their destination is unknown..." he trailed off when Sean broke into expletives not even known to the common sailor. He shoved out of his chair and began to pace angrily.
When there was no other utterance from the man he turned on him and demanded impatiently" Well?" is that all?"
The little man jumped and almost scurried away like a frightened rabbit but he did not feel like he should risk it. For indeed he did have more news.
"N-no my lord, there is also another matter" he began.
"Well get on with it then" Sean stopped to glare.
"One of your ships was taken by pirates over a week ago" he said quietly, and waited for the explosion.
It came without further delay.
"WHAT! am i hearing you right? Are you saying that one of my ships was plundered by pirates a week ago and no one has thought to tell me!" Sean yelled and stalked towards him. looming, dark and furious. Almost a deadly look in his eyes.
"Y-yes my lord, i cannot say why it was not reported till now but-" he started but was cut off.
"I do not want excuses. Just tell me, who is it? Every pirate has a name they like to go by" he said grimly. "Who is it?"
The man of affairs swallowed nervously again before answering fearfully, "The Hawk my lord."