A/N: Wow, it sure has been a while. Thanks to the fabulous reviewers of chapter 21: sharnalicious, Sara&Brianne, CharlieBlackNails, Smithy, Cicci Green, Leanan Sidhe, itzMaria, Sentinel Sparrow, LuckySparrow, A Lady Pirate, Lady Anarane, Deathly Nightshade, sparrow's strumpet, scoobygang-alumni, Vuelve, Triple V, andthentheymademetheirchief, Katie my pirate buddy!, SohoNora, Pirate Gyrl, Pirate Rhi, rynn, Sarah, Saralonde, SpiffySwanky, mypiratejack, Estriel, ilovejacksparrow121, alonefreehearted, baby blue eyes10, Princess-Maiden, Meesixy, Kristin, and Pirate Calliope. It's nice seeing all these familiar faces as well as seeing some awesome new ones! If I left anyone out, I apologize and I appreciate your review. Thanks for reading, luvs!
Days later, Madrid was in reach. Terrence couldn't help but close one eye, peer into the horizon, and trace the line of exposed land with her finger.
"Shall we prepare to dock, Captain?" Jacobs asked cautiously, taking her pale figure in.
Grasping the helm confidently, she nodded. "I think that'd be a wise choice, considerin' we're about to run straight into their shores."
Jacobs grinned at her blunt sarcasm and ran off to tell the others.
The heavy rolling of the waves did nothing for her stomach lately and she forced Brookes to tell the concerned crew it was just a bout of the flu. She is bound to get over in no time at all, boys, she's a soldier, blah blah blah. She pushed back the guilt she had for lying to her crew but knew it was for the best.
"I have to wait until the opportune moment," she grumbled, tying back her knotted raven hair.
"The opportune moment for what, dearie?" a cheerful, throaty voice questioned curiously from behind.
Just wonderful. Turning around, she came face to face with Jack. Finishing off a banana, he took the peel and threw it overboard with a flamboyant arm gesture.
She shrugged and stared out at the sunset. "Just talkin' to meself. It's nothin', really."
"I've been noticin' that you've been extremely, tremendously, exceedingly, terrifically careful around me lately." He leaned up against the helm and began to stroke her hand with his fingers.
"What do you mean?" she scoffed, narrowing her eyes at him, "I've been wit' you makin' plans and whatnot."
"You haven't been in me bed, luv," he said with a wink, "It hurts me something terrible. Have I lost me boyish charms?"
"For fuck's sake, Jack! It's only been a couple of days. You really are insatiable." She immediately glanced down at her boots, feeling uncomfortable from his scrutiny. "After all, I've been sick, remember? Surely Brookes told you."
Jack suddenly grabbed her by the chin and studied her expression carefully, taking notice of her uncomfortable struggle against him.
"It's not the flu, luv. I've seen you wit' the flu before." He let her go and she glared at him, batting his hands away.
"It's probably a different strain o' flu!" Terrence realized she was getting desperate by this time.
Jack laughed, took her into his arms and kissed her long and slow.
Pulling away, Terrence said huffily, "Well, now you've gone and infected yerself with it!"
"I don't know what you're lyin' about, Terrence, but if it's about this adventure we're stuck in the middle of, I think I have the right to know." Jack studied her again, more seriously this time. "Is it?"
"No. I would tell you if it was." Her cheeks burned pink. He was so difficult!
"Well?" He waited expectantly, tapping his foot in a ridiculous manner all the while.
"I just have the flu, Jack. Stop accusing me of lyin'. Instead of bothering myself with your bickering, I think I'd rather get ready to make port," she said in irritation, brushing past him and shouting out orders.
Sighing, Jack made his way back to the Pearl. After this "devil key" excursion was all over with, he'd get to the bottom of it.
Both crews were ordered to stay together from the moment they stepped onto land. Wanted a whore? Everyone goes to the same brothel. Feeling sleepy? Split the cost for rooms. Want a drink? Everyone should decide on the same tavern.
"We'll have strength in numbers," Jack commented soberly, following her down the dock, "Each man is goin' to have your back, includin' me."
"Is that a promise?" she twirled around and settled her lips on the corner of his mouth, grinning up at him.
"One o' the only promises I'll ever make in me lifetime," Jack said, smiling back at her, "So don't get used to it."
"I'll try not to." She glanced up at the distant sound of upbeat music. "I think we should all try to blend in tonight. We should get a feel for the city and try to feel out Malvado in the process."
"You mean head towards crowded, well-lit areas."
"Wouldn't hurt," she said gently.
Terrence, full of fatigue, sat down at the edge of a fountain. The water was a clear blue, complete with lily pads adorned with white and purple flowers. She touched one of the petals softly, and then resumed to watching couples dancing in the plaza. They were so intimate, so content. Others were merrily drinking and talking boisterously.
If only they knew what was coming.
A young Hispanic boy no younger than eight years old was selling pastries on the street corner. Terrence practically had to wipe the dribble off of her chin, it sounded so enticing.
"Way ahead of you," Jack stated while swaggering up to her, holding a wrapped pastry in his hand. Getting down on one knee, he said gallantly, "For milady!"
"I was wonderin' why I kept you around," she teased, "Now I know." Taking it from him, she bit into it and moaned at the first mouthful.
"Why can I never excite you the way baked goods do?" Jack shook his head.
"Don't worry. I happen to like your goods very much," she replied, smiling impishly.
Grinning, he stood up again and stared at the fountain for a bit. Breaking out of his daydream, he said, "I'm goin' to see what Gibbs and the men are up to. Will you be alright…"
She waved him off. "Go. I don't need a keeper."
"I'll be within eyesight." With a swirl of coat, he vanished. Lying down against the marble, she stared up at the night sky and began to count the stars.
At least until every hair on her body stood on end.
She felt frozen. Something was there. Someone was there. Watching her. Licking her lips, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Surely they wouldn't attack out in the open and in front of all these people…?
"Terrence…you look ravishing."
Her fingers sparked with pent-up power and when she opened her eyes, Malvado was leaning directly above her, grinning cruelly.
Blinking a couple of times, she looked up again. He wasn't there.
Was she seeing things?
Unnerved, she quickly jumped up and walked away from the fountain. She had to get out of there and away from the center of the plaza. She felt vulnerable there.
A huge vase rested outside of a local inn and she leaned against it, taking a swift whiff of the blood red roses. Terrence continued to watch the dancers until she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.
Her skin crawled. Her eyes dilated to deep black voids. Every inch of her hummed with a startling force.
"Terrence…" a man whispered behind her, "You are not very talented at hide and seek."
It wasn't just any man. It was him. Malvado.
Willing herself to calm down, she turned to him. A fight right then and there would kill innocent civilians that crossed their path.
"Perhaps I wanted you to find me," she said brazenly, gazing up into his handsome face. His curly black hair sifted lightly in the wind. His green eyes took every inch of her in as if he were sizing her up.
"Your boldness will get you nowhere when it comes to the inevitable battle between us," Everett said alluringly, "But…I do find boldness to be an exciting quality in a woman." To make his point, he took his knuckles and skimmed them down the side of her dirt-ridden face.
She took a step back from him and he followed her every move. "Would you care to join me for a walk, Miss Gallagher?"
"Captain Gallagher, if you please," she growled, "And no, I would not. What point do you have in baitin' me tonight?"
"I wanted to see if I could get under your skin," he said in amusement, "And I think it is working."
She seethed silently and he chuckled. Instantly, he grabbed her arm with excruciating strength. Bringing her hand up as she struggled, he said, "I also wanted to measure your power, my love. And it's coming along nicely. For most Protectors it took longer for the final stages to begin."
"Final stages?" she spat, still writhing in his grasp.
He held up her hand to see and she too noticed the sparks. "Can you imagine what we'd be like joined?" he asked huskily, "My power mixed with yours…we could rule all, Terrence. You would be up on a pedestal. All would bow down to you."
"And sacrifice mankind? No thanks," she said angrily, "You disgust me."
"Do I really?" he whispered again, pulling her close. Her mind began to fog and something stirred low in her belly. She realized it was desire, pure and hot.
"You're doing this to me," she half-whispered, half-moaned. Before he could take her lips and make that pouty mouth bleed, she pushed at him.
"Your will is strong," he grinned. "I'll fix that in due time." Circling her, he said, "Your sad little fuck friend Sparrow tagged along, did he? It seems like Crowe couldn't finish the job." Pausing, Malvado snarled. "He was always weak and pathetic." Looking up at her, he smiled. "And you killed him, pet. Kudos."
"He deserved to be killed."
"Now you're starting to think like one of us. And that transformation will be complete once we get rid of the ones holding you back." Everett continued to circle her. "Your friends, Jack Sparrow…" He stopped to stare at her. "The babe stirring in your womb."
Terrence felt sick. "How do you know that?"
"We're connected, you and I. I can feel your pulse, the blood coursing through your veins, each strain of your delectable muscles."
"How comforting," she remarked dryly, desperately trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Why don't you stop your intimidation tactics and tell me when and where to meet you?"
"Three nights from now," he said, eerily calm. "Up the hills. There's a cave hidden in the depths just offshore. There we will determine who lives, who dies."
She nodded and turned away from him.
"Oh, Terrence?"
She glanced back at his retreating form.
"I'm going to have a delightful time mangling all those you love. And when I'm done, I'm coming for you."
She couldn't take it anymore. With a surge of power, she flicked her wrist and sent him flying thirty feet through the air, throwing him against a brick wall. He lay there for a few moments, stunned and bleeding.
Terrence sprinted off to find the others.