And a Bottle of Rum
5
A/N: There are some instances of touching without consent in this part. There's also some blood and guts but hopefully nothing too bad. I'm also thrilled that, for the first time, I've been able to use the word "dastardly" in a fic!
One more thing... writing a sea battle was surprisingly hard!
The Devil's Cutlass reached the Valiant while they were still out of the range of the Endeavor's guns and Kara grinned as they drew alongside and saw Alex standing proudly on her bridge, hand on her sword and her chin lifted.
The pirate hopped up onto the deck rail and leapt across the gap between the two ships and onto the deck of the Valiant, her eyes fixed on her friend as the crew around her drew their weapons and angrily converged on her.
"Stand down!" Alex yelled as she moved to the bridge deck rail. "Captain Zorel is here to..." She lifted an eyebrow at the smiling pirate and tilted her head.
"Offer assistance," Kara said loudly. "I can see that the Endeavor is acting a little... aggressively... and their motives may not be strictly above board. Permission to come aboard, Captain Danvers?" She watched as the crew looked at each other and then slowly backed off.
"Permission granted, Captain Zorel," Alex said as she quickly stole a glance at her smirking first officer. "Let's talk. Please join me in my cabin." She slid down the short bridge ladder and led her friend into her private quarters, closing the door behind them and taking off her tricorn.
For a long moment, they just looked at each other, reveling in the attraction that had been drawing them together since the first moment they'd met.
"I really want to kiss you," Alex said softly and nervously. "But I understand that might not be what you want..."
But then Kara was threading her fingers through Alex's hair and kissing her fear away, gently at first and then with a passion that made them both moan and crush against each other. When they finally eased back, the pirate pressed their foreheads together and smiled happily. "I missed you so much," she admitted. "I didn't realize how I'd gotten used to you following me around." The gentle teasing made Alex laugh and hug her tighter.
"I've missed you too, Kara, but as much as I'd love to continue this conversation..."
"Maxwell Lord," the pirate growled, eyes narrowing.
"I estimate only a half hour maximum before Endeavor is in cannon range. The question is, do we attack first, or do we wait to let him play his hand?"
The pirate straightened as her eyes locked on her friend's. "Captain," she replied. "What are your orders?"
Alex's eyes widened in surprise. "Kara, I cannot..."
"Yes, you can," Kara interrupted. "You know him better than I and he's going to come after you first, that much is clear." She nodded firmly. "I will follow your lead. What are your orders?"
"They have ninety-six guns. Between our two ships we have more. I don't understand why he's even getting into this with us. Surely, he's seen that the Cutlass has returned?"
"He's a maniac," Kara commented succinctly. "Hell bent on killing us. I'm not going to let that happen, Alex." She smiled coldly. "Plus, I owe him a gutting."
The brunette nodded. "I agree."
Blue eyes blinked, then the pirate chuckled a little. "I think I expected more resistance to that."
Alex pulled her friend closer by the hips and kissed her again. "He hurt you. I'll gut him myself." She suddenly became very aware of her bunk, just next to them, and her body responded with a growl of desire, but she reluctantly put some distance between them and blew out a long breath. "I think we let him play his hand. Once he has committed to a course of action, we can separate and attack from both sides."
"My crew will be ready," the pirate replied. With a smile, she turned to head back to the main deck, but Alex stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Kara, please, be careful."
"You too," Kara replied, leaving one more kiss on her friend's forehead before heading out the door.
Xx
Captain Lord was not a happy man. He willed his ship to go faster as he paced anxiously back and forth on the bridge. Through his telescope, he could see the Valiant and the Cutlass tied together, and he knew that the two bitches were already coming up with a plan to try to stop him. "No matter," he muttered. "The best ship and crew in the fleet will make quick work of them." He looked over the rail down to the main deck. "Mr. Coville, I want every gun manned. We're going to hit both ships at the same time as soon as they're in range."
"But, Sir," Coville replied. "They will expect it and separate."
"We won't give them the chance. Load the guns, be ready to fire."
"Yes, Sir!" Coville strode along the deck, checking each cannon to make sure it was ready. "Steady, Men, be ready to light those fuses on my order. We're going to fire every starboard gun at the same time, then come about and fire every port side gun. Understand?"
"Yes, Sir!" came the cries of the Navy crewmen and he nodded in satisfaction as he watched them work.
Xx
Kara was watching the Endeavor through her telescope and she tutted as she shook her head unhappily. "He's going for it," she murmured. Then she looked over at her Navy counterpart and lifted a hand. "They've armed all their guns," she yelled. "I can see the men standing by with torches to light the fuses."
"Time to separate," Alex yelled in reply. "We'll take the starboard side."
"Aye, Sir!" Kara replied with a grin. "We'll take the port side. Swing around right after and make a second run!"
"Agreed," the brunette nodded. "May the Lord be with you!"
"You too!"
Yelling orders to their respective crews, Alex and Kara's ships were soon underway, closing the distance to the Endeavor at a pace Captain Lord was not expecting.
"They're in range!" Vasquez yelled and Kara lifted and then dropped her hand. "Fire!"
The cannons boomed deafeningly, and the iron balls sailed through the distance between the Cutlass and the Endeavor, some falling slightly short but others making direct contact with the hull, ripping holes above the waterline. Winn uncovered his ears and then raced along the main deck shouting orders to reload.
"Fire on both ships!" Lord yelled, incensed that his opponents had guessed his plan, and the cannons boomed on both the port and starboard side as the Valiant came into range on the opposite side of them and opened fire.
Alex dove to the deck on her stomach as a cannon ball almost decapitated her and blew out a long breath of relief as she fixed her tricorn. "Damn, that was close." She got to her feet. "Damage report, Mr. Jones!"
"Minor but we're taking on a little water. I sent some men below to patch the hull."
"Good, what about Endeavor?"
"They're showing damage on our side..."
Just then, a young lieutenant interrupted them. "Excuse me, Captain, Commander, message from the Cutlass, Endeavor is taking on water on their side. Looks like three direct hits."
"Outstanding!" Alex grinned. "Bring us about for another run, Mr. Jones. And stand by with other teams for patching. I expect we'll see more damage next time."
"Yes, Sir," Jones nodded and dashed away.
Alex watched the Cutlass come about and spared a moment to picture her friend commanding her ship. She felt a swell of love in her chest and she rubbed at it absently as she realized that her feelings for Kara were deeper than she'd even imagined.
She heard cannons boom then and laughed as her crew got in some sneaky rear shots that made the Endeavor list slightly before righting herself.
Lord was screaming. "Fast reload! Short fuses! I want at least two shots from each cannon on the next pass."
"Yes, Sir!" Coville yelled and then relayed the orders.
On the Cutlass, Kara gave the same order. "At least two shots gentlemen," she yelled. "Let's put this bastard down!" She paused then and pointed. "And someone put out that damn fire! Ships are made of wood you know!"
Within seconds, the fire was extinguished, and she took a moment to assess the position of the other two ships. True to her word, Alex already had the Valiant on course to make another run. The Cutlass was just lining up when suddenly, the Endeavor fired again, the line of unexpected incendiary cannon balls hitting the Valiant and after a moment, exploding within her bowels causing large shards of timber to be expelled outwards. Kara swallowed as a spray of blood and flesh from men being blown apart inside, painted the hull and ran into the water.
"DAMN!" she cried out. "Winn! Fire!" Winn dropped his hand and the Cutlass' guns boomed again. All cannon balls found their mark and the Endeavor's main mast began to lean as the base of it whined and cracked. "Again!" the pirate captain yelled, and a second volley was unleashed, opening the big ship from bow to stern as she fired on Valiant again.
Alex got herself to her feet, ears ringing as she staggered to the wheel and took control, pushing it all the way hard over and listing the vessel onto her less damaged side to avoid taking on too much water. They could stay afloat a little longer that way. She swiped her sleeve across her sweaty brow as she heard men screaming around her.
"Mr. Jones!" she called out. "John! JOHN!"
"Here!" Jones replied as he climbed the bridge ladder and moved to her, clutching at his ribs. "We've taken severe damage, Captain. Many casualties."
"Not all Navy vessels have yet been stocked with incendiary cannon balls. That's why he was so confident, DAMN HIS BLOOD!" Alex gritted out. John nodded as he accepted water gratefully from a young lad who was shaking with fear. He handed the bottle to Alex then and she drank deeply, feeling the smoke-induced hoarseness clearing from her throat. "Condition of the Cutlass?" she asked, leaning her whole body onto the wheel as it fought her for control, and she wondered if the rudder was damaged.
"Still minor damage. They're aligning for another run."
Alex considered the situation in her head and nodded to herself. "Valiant is lost, John. I'm going to bring us around best I can and put us between Endeavor and Cutlass. Fire everything we have, for as long as we can, and then give the order to abandon ship."
"Fire everything, then abandon ship, aye!" Jones confirmed and made his way back down to the main deck, passing along Alex's orders.
On the Cutlass, Kara was shaking. Through her telescope, she could see her friend trying to maintain some semblance of a course heading as her men uncovered rowboats and prepared them for launch. Then she focused on the signal flags and her face fell as she suddenly realized what her friend was doing.
"Winn," she yelled. "I'm bringing us about to align on the other side of Valiant. Prepare to pull their crew from the water! Captain Danvers is about to pull a surprise attack on Endeavor!" Kara strode to the wheel and patted her helmsman on the shoulder. "'ll take it from here, Henry," she said, her eyes locked on the Valiant. "But I need you to tell me if Endeavor changes course."
"Aye, Captain," the older man replied with a little salute.
Just then, cannon fire obscured any of the other noise around her and she felt the Cutlass jolt and shudder under her as a couple of incendiary cannon balls made it to their target. She ducked and held on as the mizzen mast toppled over and fell into the water with a whine-crack of splintering wood and tearing of sail.
"Lord God," Kara muttered as she straightened and focused back on the Valiant. "We'll be lucky to have a single plank left under us when all is said and done." She maneuvered her ship around behind Valiant and as Endeavor moved into position, it fired its guns at the same time as Alex ordered her own men to fire. For a long, terrifying moment, none of the Captains could see anything but smoke and flying debris and then Kara looked over the deck rail and realized that the Valiant's crew was already in the water.
She suspected that Alex was preparing to ram the Endeavor. After all, that's what she would have done herself, had she been in her friend's position. She watched as the Navy captain tied off the wheel with a bit of rope and then dove over the side into the water as another volley of cannonballs slammed into the sinking ship, all but destroying her bow.
But to Kara's horror, Endeavor altered course suddenly and just skated by Valiant as it listed and rolled almost completely onto its side. She looked down onto the main deck and saw her crew pulling navy crewmen onboard and she looked for Alex, rubbing at blue eyes irritated by the smoke in the air. "Winn!" she yelled. "Do you have Captain Danvers?"
"No, I can't see her!" her first mate yelled back as he ran down one side of the deck and then back up the other. "Nothing!"
Kara extended her telescope and searched the surrounding water, but she gasped and clutched the deck rail in anger as she saw Maxwell Lord's men pull Alex out of the water into a row boat and then force her onboard Endeavor. Then she watched as Lord backhanded her friend across the face and then, as she fell to the deck, kicked her hard.
Immediately, Kara began turning the wheel but then she stopped. She had to wait until all of the Valiant's crew was onboard. As a captain, she knew that Alex would want her crew safe, so she waited, squeezing the handles of the wheel convulsively until she got an all clear from her first mate. "Winn, get anyone who can still fight ready. We're taking the Endeavor." Then she grinned and pumped her fist in the air. "HOIST THE JOLLY ROGER!" she roared.
The Navy crewmen all looked at each other but then, with a collective shrug, they raised their fists too and joined the rest of the pirates in a battle cry that made Kara's hair stand up on the back of her neck.
"Hoist the Roger, aye!" her best friend replied, grinning with abandon.
Kara had no idea whether they could actually defeat the crew of Endeavor, but she had to try. She had to try to save Alex. Something suddenly broke inside her... or maybe it reformed... she wasn't quite sure. But what she WAS finally sure of, was the answer to Winn's question.
What are your feelings toward her?
"I love her," she whispered.
Xx
Alex coughed weakly, as she slowly regained consciousness. She blinked heavily, trying to clear her blurred vision and she managed to make out a wooden ceiling above her. Then she registered the soft surface underneath her and the fact that she couldn't move her arms or legs. Then, to her horror, she realized she was naked.
"Ahhhh, you're awake," a male voice she didn't recognize said and a face appeared above her, yellow-toothed, leering smile pinching it.
"Who are you?" the captain demanded, sounding a lot more confident than she felt.
"Thomas Coville, at your service," the man replied with a little bow. "First officer of the Endeavor."
Suddenly, Alex's memory came roaring back and she growled as she tugged hard against the rope tying her down to the bed. "LET. ME. GO."
"Oh nonono," Coville replied as he leaned closer and ran his fingertip slowly over her nipple. "You're going to be here for the rest of your... admittedly short... life, My Dear. Such a pity that you're a whore. You really are quite beautiful." Alex's teeth gritted as his hand ran slowly up her thigh. "I'm looking forward to partaking in your sweetness."
And with that, he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him. "Oh God," Alex whispered as she looked around. Her head was aching, her ribs tender and she was trembling with fear, but she managed to twist herself enough to look for a weapon. Unfortunately, there was nothing. She pulled at the ropes again, but they were so tight that she couldn't budge them or even manage to sit up a little, so she lay there for a moment, her eyes closed as she tried to just breathe and calm herself.
She knew that the Cutlass had been pulling her crew out of the water, but she had no idea if they thought her simply drowned. She had no idea if anyone was coming to help her, so she just knew she'd have to try to help herself. She shivered a little, the cold of the sea water deep in her bones and she longed for some fresh water to clear the brine from her tongue. She was tied so tightly that she was starting to lose circulation in her fingers, so she rotated her hands and feet, trying to keep the blood moving as she tried to come up with a plan.
"Alexandra," a deep voice said as the door swung open and Lord stepped into the cabin. "Such a pleasure to see you." He chuckled a little. "In fact, this is the best way to see you. I doubt I would have seen this much of you while married, even on our wedding night." His face darkened. "But then maybe I would, seeing how you spread your legs for your pirate. How much did she pay you, Alexandra?" He opened a purse and tossed a few coins onto Alex's chest. "Will you suck ME off for this price the way you did for her?"
"You are a disgusting rapist, Sir," Alex got out from between gritted teeth. "Kara is ten times the gentle lover you could ever be! You only know how to take while all she wants is to give."
"I look forward to watching then," Max said with a lascivious grin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, My Dear, I must finish dealing with the Cutlass and bring your…" His nose lifted into a sneer. "Lover… to our bed." He opened the door to step outside and Alex screamed at the top of her lungs.
"KAAAAAAARAAAAAAAA!"
Xx
"Get ready," Kara said as she stood on the main deck rail, holding on to the rigging as the ship swayed fitfully under her. They were taking on a lot of water and Kara feared that her ship may be lost, despite the small crew of men attempting to patch the damage as others worked the bilge pump.
They were feet away from making contact with the Endeavor and her crew of pirates and navy men were already firing pistols and rifles across the space between them. There were three men waiting with hooks to capture the enemy's deck rail and as the two ships slammed together, Kara leapt across and onto two men who could do nothing but blink as her cutlass almost severed their heads. On her feet in an instant, Kara headed up toward the bridge, hacking and slashing through flesh and bone as her men followed. Then two ran ahead of her to take some of the burden, allowing her a moment's respite as she planned her route to Lord's quarters where, she assumed, he would be keeping her love. She'd been on this class of ship before and she knew where to go so she redoubled her efforts as she headed for the steps that led down to the spacious suite.
Kara grunted though as a man jumped from behind a crate and slashed at her with a dagger, but she drew her own from the sheath at the small of her back and plunged it upwards into his throat, screaming out her fury as she lifted him off his feet with the power of it. Then she staggered as a strong gust of wind caught the ship's sails and they spun quickly, smashing the ships together again and sending several men off-balance and into each other's swords and cutlasses. Screams of pain echoed all around her but all Kara could think about was getting to her love.
Captain Lord watched from his coward's position behind a stack of barrels as Kara made her way down the steps to his cabin. He growled and drew his sword as he followed her quietly, creeping down the steps and waiting for her to enter his quarters.
Kara slowly pushed open the door and looked into the room, making sure it was empty od combatants before moving to the edge of the bunk and cupping Alex's tear-streaked cheeks between her blood-stained hands. "Alex, oh my God. Did he touch you?" she asked, terrified of the answer. "Did any of them…" She almost choked on the words but then Alex shook her head.
"No, no, Sweetheart. They didn't touch me." But then her eyes widened, and she took a breath to yell a warning as the hilt of Lord's sword came down on the back of Kara's head, knocking her immediately unconscious. "No!"
"They didn't touch me… yet… you should have said, my Dear." Lord dragged Kara across the floor by her feet and left her there. "I had hoped we'd have more time together, Alexandra, but it seems like we're pressed for it. Poor Coville is dead which means more for me."
Alex squirmed as he got on his knees next to the bed and cupped her breasts, squeezing them roughly in calloused hands. He closed his mouth over her nipple then. "STOP!" she yelled, trying to twist away from him. "Don't touch me!" Lord just grinned at her and Alex shook her head. "You ARE insane," she whispered. "Has so many years at sea turned you into this monster, Max?"
For a moment, his dark eyes blinked at her but then he shook his head. "So many years at sea has taught me that nothing is given freely, and you must take what you want." He slid his hand up her leg and then shoved them apart. "And I want you, Alexandra. I've always wanted you. Every woman I've been with has always been you. Just give yourself to me."
"I wouldn't give myself to you if you were the last man on Earth," Alex growled, and Max laughed heartily.
"That's right, Whore, fight me. It makes it all the better," he said as he stood and untied his breeches.
The brunette captain looked away from the bulge in Lord's pants and she kept her eyes averted as he freed his member and stroked it, running his tongue over his lips as he wondered where to penetrate first. He was so hard and lust-infused that, when silver flashed in front of his eyes, he barely noticed it… but then he looked down to see his severed member roll under the bunk and blood spurt onto it.
And he dropped to his knees, screaming. Screaming. Screaming. Then Kara's hand clenched around his throat and she dragged him to his feet.
"Two things," she advised him. "One: You really shouldn't call women whores and two: you should have tied me up." She plunged her cutlass into his lower belly and jerked it upwards twice, gutting him soundly and tipping her head back as his hot entrails spilled over her hand and onto the floor. "I thought I wanted revenge for what you did to me," she said, getting in his face. "But this is for her. The love of my life." She stared into his eyes until his body went slack and his pupils grew big and sightless. Then she simply let him go and he dropped to the floor like a blood-soaked sack of flour.
There was quiet for a moment, despite the battle still going on outside and Kara's mind floated away to a place where she wasn't covered in blood and hadn't just eviscerated someone. But then Alex's voice invaded her, and she jerked back to reality. "Kara… Sweetheart…"
"Oh…" the pirate breathed. "I'm sorry you had to see that." She untied her love from the bed and then went to the sink to wash off as much blood as she could. Alex wrapped a sheet around herself and went to Kara to hug her hard, dropping little kisses on her face.
"You have nothing to be sorry for," the Navy captain replied. "He was an evil man and you saved me and so many other women from his dastardly ways."
"I…" Kara swallowed, blue eyes glistening. "I was thinking only of you. I love you, Alex, and I know we have a lot of things to discuss… but I really do."
The brunette took a breath to speak but then the door burst open to reveal Winn and John, side by side, chests heaving as they held their weapons before them. "Are you alright?" they both asked at the same time, looking at their respective captains. Then Winn caught sight of Lord's body on the floor and pumped his fist in the air gleefully. He went to Kara and pulled her into a hug.
"You did it," he exclaimed, kissing her forehead.
"Got my revenge?" she asked, laughing bitterly.
"No," Winn replied gently. "Saved the woman you love."
John went to Alex, patting her back awkwardly and smiling. "Glad you're in one piece," he said. But then his face softened. "You ARE in one piece, correct?" he asked.
Alex grinned and slapped his back in return. "All good," she answered with a little wink at her pirate. Then they all suddenly lost their balance as the ship listed underneath them. "Ugh," Alex said. "We ARE still afloat, correct?"
Winn winced and rubbed the back of his neck. "Mostly?"
Kara shook her head. "The Cutlass?"
"She's going to need extensive repairs," the first mate replied. "But she made it. The crew is transferring back over to her to continue patching the worst damage. Now that Lord is dead, Alex can take command of his crew for either reassignment or court martial."
But the brunette just shrugged. "Not my problem anymore," she said, holding up one hand as her other clutched the sheet against her chest. "I'm retiring and I do believe that Captain John Jones here can handle any situation handed to him."
"Captain?" he said, eyebrows raised.
"Correct, as my last official duty before handing you my retirement notice, dressed only in a sheet, I hereby field promote you to Captain with all the responsibilities and privileges of that rank." She held out her hand. "Congratulations, Captain Jones. We'll sort out the rest later."
"Yes, Sir!" John replied proudly. "And I hereby accept your retirement notice from His Majesty's Royal Navy, effective…" He lifted a brow.
"Immediately!" Kara and Alex said at the same time, making them all laugh.
"Ok," the pirate said. "Back to the Cutlass." She lifted Alex gently into her arms.
"I can walk, Kara," Alex chuckled.
"I know… but you have no shoes, and I don't want you stepping on anything that can hurt you," the blonde replied with a smile.
"You're sweet," the older woman smiled. "And I love you so much."
Blue eyes widened. "You… you do? Love me?"
"Like you said earlier," Alex said with an adoring smile. "We have a lot to talk about but… yes, My Love. I'm yours."
And with a smile brighter than the face of the sun, Kara carried her love up the steps and along the main deck to cross back to her own ship.