Chapter Eight: Just for Tonight
It happened again; time slowed to a crawl making the few seconds after seem like an eternity. Aurora's heartbeat pounded in a deafening rhythm as she attempted to see through the darkness. The fresh smell of blood permeated the air invading her senses.
Please let me hear something…her mind pulsed with the rhythm of her racing heart. Foot steps and the swish of clothing broke through the night as a hand gripped her shoulder. Adrenaline and instinct took over as she spun around grabbing the figures wrist and twisting it, almost to the point of breaking. A small yelp of pain came and immediately she released recognizing the voice.
"Jack!" She breathed out in relief "But if you're here…" Aurora looked back and squinted to find the lamp the watchmen carried; she found it and it sparked to life in her hand sending blinding rays of light through the pitch black darkness. Scanning the ground she could see the two guards plus the extra body of whoever had helped them. Aurora dropped to her knees and examined the male figure when she worked up to the face she let out a slight gasp.
"It's Will," She breathed out lowly so that Jack heard and came to the other side. Her nimble fingers quickly ripped Will's shirt off to examine his wound. Lucky for him the bullet had missed anything vital and embedded its self into his shoulder.
"We need to get him up to the house," She commanded taking charge of the situation. Jack nodded to her and managed to pick up Will's limp form and carry him back to his home setting him on a parlor couch. A maid hearing all the commotion comes into the room.
"You, quick get me some water," Aurora yelled firmly to the frightened young woman who instantly followed her instructions. While she was busy with Will's injury Gibbs burst into the room.
"Captain we need to go the Pearl has been spotted" He announced to Jack.
"We know, Aurora and I were spotted on the beach," He explains motioning to Aurora who is cleaning up Will's wound the best she can "Young Will here attacked the guards."
"What's going on?" Elizabeth shouts above all the confusion coming into the room, she suddenly spots the bloodied mass of her husband "WILL!" Aurora turns to look at the hysterical woman as she rushes to his side.
"He's been shot," She explains looking to Jack as if to ask what their next move is.
"Lady Elizabeth the guards are coming up the path!" The same maid from earlier screeches causing Aurora to cringe.
"We need to go," Jack finally speaks up directly to her.
"If we leave him he will be arrested," Aurora says defiantly glancing at him "and if his wound is not treated soon it will get infected."
"Well bring him with us," Jack yells getting very fidgety and glancing out at the approaching lights.
"Mr. Gibbs could you please," Aurora turns to Gibbs who nods and picks up Will's body.
"What about me!" Elizabeth calls out in outrage glaring at Jack.
"You come too," He says following Gibbs and Aurora as they exit out the back towards the beach and Pearl. Elizabeth tags along in a huff behind Jack.
"Bloody pirates," she mumbles climbing into the long boat across from Aurora and next to Jack.
"Funny she said the same thing," He says pointing casually at the pale red head that is tending to Will. Gibbs rows furiously through the water and towards the ship as numerous lights begin to line the beach. Elizabeth decides to ignore Jack and instead try to help her husband.
"The slug is stuck in his left shoulder," Aurora says without looking up "It shouldn't be fatal." Elizabeth begins to stroke his hair as the other woman holds a blood soaked cloth to his wound trying to stop the bleeding. After what feels like an eternity the group finally reaches the Pearl and without a word carries Will to the first cabin available which happens to be Auroras.
"I need a needle and some thread," She takes charge hovering over his wound with a pair of tongs she pulled from a kit in her bag. Aurora digs out the bullet using the tongs and holds out her hand as a small blue flame erupts from her palm. She hears gasp of surprise and amazement as the room becomes still watching her, the only one not surprised is Jack. Using the flame she heats the metal till it glows red and thrusts it into the wound with a sickening sizzle.
"What are you doing!" Elizabeth screams in horror reaching out to stop her. Aurora shakes the young woman's hand from her own and pulls the tongs back out, setting them on a nearby table.
"I was cauterizing the wound to keep him from bleeding out," The redhead says knowingly now picking up a bottle of rum from her floor and cleaning out the hole left in Will's shoulder. Gibbs comes up from behind and hands her a needle and thread, which she uses to close the lesion left. Dressing it she gets up and wipes her forehead with the back of her hand. Only her, Jack, and Elizabeth remained in the room. Sighing she walked out leaving Elizabeth to tend to her husband. Aurora stared at the once paper white skin of her hand which were now stained crimson. She did not even have to peek down at her clothes to know that they were in much the same condition. Her head pounded and was overheated, this much excitement was not advantageous for someone with so much alcohol still coursing through their system. The cool ocean breeze was welcome as the continued to sail far from the port.
"You should stop running off," a calm voice called from behind she instantly recognized as Jack.
"You should stop finding me," She countered turning to him with a smirk. He opened his arms in cruciform style giving in.
"Touché" He responded with a grin coming to stand beside her. Aurora sighed with fatigue. Her body ached for sleep and she would more than willingly oblige her body's demands if not for the man occupying her bed. She could not help the small yawn that escaped.
"Tired love?" Jack asked catching her yawn. Weary blue eyes seemed to answer for her as she turned and looked at him. He could see the exhaustion in her as well as feel his own beginning to override his senses. His tired mind finally remembered that she did not have a bed as it was currently being occupied.
"You know my bed is pretty big." He started and she stared at him as if to wonder where he is going with this "I'd be more than willing to share it." She thought it over for a moment, seeing that he was tired as well and this was, much to her surprise, an honest offer.
"Sounds like a plan but I'm afraid my clothes are all bloodied and I don't think Elizabeth would appreciate the disturbance," She half explains to him glancing back at what used to be her room.
"I'm sure I could find you something to wear for tonight," Jack replied with a grin and turned to walk to his own cabin, Aurora once again following closely. He opened the door and held out his hand allowing her to step in first. Her eyes scanned the room and she walked over to a small basin, saying a few words he could not hear it filled with water and she began to clean herself up. He watches her for a moment with a cocked eyebrow before deciding it was best not to ask. Jack went to the seldom used wardrobe in his room and flung the doors back finding an extra long loose shirt for her to wear. Grinning he spun around to see Aurora sitting on a chair behind him, her eyes shining in the dark as she stared at him. Tossing the shirt to her he came and sat down as she stood to change.
"Do you plan to sit there and watch me change?" She questioned rhetorically, staring at him. His only reply was another devious gold toothed grin causing her to chuckle quietly. Turning around and walking back to the basin Aurora lifted the undershirt slowly from her skin and cleaned off the blood that had seeped through the material. Jack's breath caught in his throat, even though her back was to him he could see she had an amazing figure; toned most likely from physical labor. Her skin was the same milky white and her back was marred by a few scars probably sustained from childhood accidents or fights. One scar in particular, the biggest one, caught his eye. It ran from the curve of her neck and about six or seven inches across her shoulder blade. White cloth covered his view and brought him back from his fixated stare on her. She picked up a brush left by the basin and preceded to brush out her long red tendrils of hair. Setting the brush down she tugged carefully at the drawstring of her skirt and allowed it to pool at her feet them swung her hips carefully out to the side to stretch her tired muscles. Underneath she wore some type of undergarment that resembled tight shorts. He could not help but have his eyes scan the shapely milky legs as he leaned to one side to get a better look he tipped out of his chair causing her to spin around laughing hysterically.
She did that on purpose…He realized as she crawled between his sheets. He stood up from the ground and glared at her.
"That wasn't funny," He growled. The redhead looked to him and shrugged.
"You didn't have to watch," She smirked cunningly "Although it was a fun game while it lasted." He lowered his eyes at her but did not say anything as he removed everything but his shirt, pants, and bandanna. Climbing into bed next to her she scoffed at the fact he still wore that bandanna, even to bed. Lying down on her back she turned her head to one side to get some much needed rest. Jack lied next to her and watched her drift to sleep. Her soft features were covered by a few stray locks of hair.
She's beautiful when she sleeps… Jack thought as he tentatively pushed the stray hair from her face and watched her a moment longer before lying back down himself and falling asleep. Unknown to Jack, Aurora's lips curled into an innocent smile, before she finally fell asleep for real.
The Devil sleeps in your bed tonight.