Fallen Angel

by Swanz, Peppa

  She knew who he was before he turned. Captain Brooks. Long white hair hung, now freed from the tie, down his back, clashing with the red of his crisp uniform. His shoulders were slim, making him look almost freakishly tall and lanky. He turned and she was struck by those icy-blue eyes, seeming just as clear as they had during the day.

  “Wild Red Ellie, I presume,” Captain Brooks said smoothly.

  “My name,” she said, her voice cracking. “Is Eliza Jackman.”

  “Miss Jackman.” His footsteps echoed on the wooden deck as he strode, slowly closer. “I have met only a few woman pirates, but I must say I have met none who were quite so fine as yourself. I do hope that you’re—talents—are worth the bargain.”

  Her outraged gasp was overshadowed by the two men at her side. “I say, Captain!” yelled Morgan.

  “I say indeed!” responded Harrington, stepping forward threateningly. “Taking us prisoner was unacceptable enough, but how dare you speak so to a lady.”

  “Pirate or not!” Morgan matched the other man’s stance.

  Captain Brooks gaze seemed to bore into Eliza’s soul. She was entranced by that gaze, unable to avert her own, even when his thin lip curled seconds before he pulled two identical pistols from his coat, aimed and shot.

  The gunshots sounded as one. Deafening.

  Her heart stopped and her mouth fell wide in a silent, terrified scream.

  Morgan and Harrington fell at her sides with two dull thunks. They were dead. Neither made even the slightest sound, and Brooks’ emotionless eyes never left hers.

  She screamed for real, loud and shrill.

  Chapter 10

  The pistol shot echoed around the Virtue and made each of the silent invaders look up.

  Two U-boats rose and fell with the waves, hidden by the darkness, and in one, a single man glared upwards, his eyes blazing with the rage rushing through his veins. His heart stopped as did his breath at the sound of pistols and the blood-freezing scream, but at the cry of, “Catch the blasted wench!” His grin returned anew, wide and wicked.

  That’s it Ellie, give ’em hell till I get to ya. Just a little longer, luv.

  He nodded to Carter, who responded in kind and slowly guided the other U-boat and five men towards the Stern. One way or another Brooks and his murderous crew would be sent to the depths.

  * * * *

  Orders were roared and another pistol shot whizzed past her ear as Eliza ran. Where was she going? Where could she hide? She ran fast, dropping to the ground just in time to miss another bullet or pellet or what ever the hell they were firing. She couldn’t remember how their guns worked now.

  A large man stood in front the entrance to the below-deck, arms spread wide, and his grin ugly. Eliza ducked and slid under his huge arm and down the slick stairs, landing with a thump at the bottom.

  A quick pat over showed that nothing was broken but there was no time for cheering her cleverness.

  “She went below, you bloody fools!” Brooks roared somewhere above and the sounds of stomping boots drew closer.

  Eliza jumped to her feet, heart thumping in her ears, and ran.

  Doors passed at her side in a blur of cruel mockery, offering sanctuary but she knew each would mean her death, trapping her to the whim of whoever found her.

  “I’ve got the little doxy.” Someone yelled behind her and she could hear his footsteps drawing closer. He was faster, he was bigger.

  Another set of steps seemed to appear out of nowhere. Without thought, Eliza grabbed a large silver shield from the wall and lunged down. The huge shield hit the steps sending pain jolting up through her bottom and thighs, but it slid and she with it all the way down till it skidded to an ungraceful stop.

  “You‘re short of your senses, wench!” A voice yelled from above.

  “Well, I believe that I’m from two hundred years in the future,” she called back, still laughing and a little delirious from her escape. “So I suppose you could be right there.”

  Running again, she found herself in the hold and quickly scampered behind a row of barrels. Her delirium was quickly fading giving way to a new wave of fear as her pursuer’s footsteps drew closer.

  “Ahh,” the gruff voice said. “Not so bloody smug now are ye, me beauty?”

  She bit into her lip to hold in a whimper. Her heart beat thumped loudly in her ears and she swallowed hard.

  “Come on out, sweets, you can‘t hide down here forever” he cooed, sending a cold shiver down her spine. “I promise we won’t hurt you, the fine captain Brooks just want’s to talk.”

  Yeah, sure he does.

  All the same, he had a point. They were going to find her. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath then another and peaked around the corner of the barrel just in time to see the craggily looking sailor duck to look around a nearby box. The moment his head tipped out of sight, Eliza quickly jumped to her feet and ran towards the steps.

  “Oi!”

  She didn’t look back, just dashed up the stairs only to cry out when his hand wrapped around her ankle.

  “Now stop all that fight’n, luv,” he grumbled, grunting when she kicked out.

  “Not in your dreams, bucko.” Eliza kicked again, her foot making contact with his face, shoulder, face.

  Finally he let go with a muffled curse as her foot kicked at his face again, and she scampered up the steps.

  Above she could hear more yelling and gunshots but since the atmosphere wasn’t much better below, Eliza decided to take her chance. She ran, not looking back when she heard the rasping breath of the sailor she had just evaded. He was getting closer; she could smell his sweat and hear him cursing. And she was looking around again for something, anything to slow him down. But there was nothing, cloth, bottles—a spear! But she was running so fast that she passed the damn thing before she thought to grab it.

  At the last second she remembered the tiny knife but before she could pull it from her sash she felt the sailor’s long, weatherworn fingers curl around her upper arm and wrench her to a sudden stop.

  “That’s a good wench,” he puffed then shoved her roughly against the wall. “Just you stay still while I catch me breath.”

  “Well that doesn’t sound very romantic.” She was out of breath as well, but not so much that her mind didn’t work. “After all the stories I’ve read about wicked sailors ravishing their helpless captives...”

  “Helpless is not the word that comes to mind, Miss.” He grinned back at her, his cheeks ruddy and his eyes bloodshot as they roved down over her torn, wet shirt. “Though I will not say no to ravishing ye, if that be your pleasure.”

  Her fingers curled around the handle of the knife she had found earlier. “You mean right here?” She made her voice more breathless, not a hard task. “Against the wall?”

  His eyes widened and his breathing grew louder, rougher. “Right fine doxy you are, Miss,” he rasped and shifted closer. He rested one hand against the wall by her head and the other gripped her arm. “No wonder the pirate fancied ye so much. Bet that tight little cunny is wet and wanting already, eh?” He leaned closer and Eliza could feel his erection pressing against her.

  Another shot sounded above and more sounds of running and yelling could be heard, but she and the sailor seemed to be alone. For now.

  So slowly she slid the knife from her sash, her lips twisting into a smile that she hoped was as wanton as his. “One last time, show me what it feels like to be filled by a real man before I’m fed to that monster?”

  He groaned, his chest rising and falling fast, each breath rasping and almost desperate sounding. “It would be quite a story to share with the lads. Me, Charlie Cooper got to taste the sweet flesh of Wild Red Ellie before even the Captain.”

  She wound one arm up around his neck and tipped her head up, bringing her lips closer. “Charlie?” She whispered.

  “Yeah, luv?” he returned, his hand already reaching down to open his britches.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said moments
before plunging her dagger deep into his side.

  Charlie stumbled back, his eyes wide as shocked cries escaped his open mouth. He looked down at where his dirty white shirt was quickly staining read. “You stabbed me,” he gasped.

  Eliza backed away as the sailor fell to the ground. She stifled a sob with her fist and shook her head. What had she done? “I’m sorry…” she kept backing away looking up suddenly when another sailor ran around the corner and stopped short at what he saw.

  “What the bloody ‘ell?!”

  “He’ll be fine.” Eliza took a deep calming breath and kept backing away towards the steps leading up to the deck. “I stabbed him in the side so I shouldn’t have damaged any of his internal organs. Just clean the wound, wrap it—And get lots of rest!” she said sternly to Charlie, before turning and running up the steps.

  Tears streamed unchecked as she ran, blindly out onto the deck. What had she done? What had she become?

  But all at once she was caught. Two huge hands gripped her forearms. “No!” she screamed struggling, kicking, punching. “Let me go, let me go!”

  “Ellie!” His voice was gruff and his hands gripped painfully.

  “You bastard! Let me go, I’ll die before I let you touch me.”

  He shook her roughly then pulled her into his arms with a groan. “But I love touching you, Ellie.”

  Her head spun and her legs went limp beneath her. Eliza knew that voice, knew that smell, that touch. “J—James?” She stammered and leaned back, not sure that she believed her blurry vision as he smiled so tenderly down at her. “You did come for me…”

  The pirate’s hands left her arms to cup her face and knot into her hair. “Always,” he rasped and swooped down to take her lips in kiss that held more emotion and longing then she had ever thought possible from any man, let alone a pirate.

  It was all she could do to grip his shirt and kiss him right back.

  The ship had gone silent around them as they kissed and touched. She shared with him all her love, her loss, her guilt and her fear and knew that he was doing the same. This was real, this was love, this was…

  The sound of someone clapping slowly, loudly pulled them apart.

  “Oh, how very moving,” Brooks drawled.

  Eliza finally looked around to see that both the officers in red and the pirates had stopped fighting and were now watching with baited breath.

  “Bloody hell, Kingsley,” James said, shaking his head. “It has been over fifteen years, can you find no better purpose in life then the destruction of mine?”

  “True, this has been a long time coming, James.” Captain Brooks walked slowly towards them. “But do not fool yourself into believing that vengeance against you is my only motivation.”

  “That is good to know,” James said through gritted teeth. “But Eliza has nothing to do with this. If you wish to settle with me then we will fight, but allow my crew to take the wench back to the Angel.”

  Brooks laughed a cruel shrill sound. “The doxy has engaged in piracy, as have your men, and since you have obviously refused to take my deal you will all be taken prisoner and hung at Port Royal within the month.”

  Eliza gasped, horrified. “No!” She suddenly yelled, pulling out of James’ grasp. “Yes they are pirates, but they are also good men who have done nothing more then try to save me.”

  Before Brooks could respond the ship tipped sharply and shuddered before righting itself, if at a slight lean. He and his officers looked around and quite a few made fearful sounds. Only James and his crew grinned.

  “James,” Eliza hissed from the corner of her mouth. “What have you done?”

  “Pirate, luv,” he murmured, grinning wickedly. “Didn’t expect me to fight fair now did you?”

  With a laugh James grabbed onto a rope and jumped up onto the side. “Gentlemen!” He called and bowed gallantly when they looked his way. The ship shook and tipped sharply again. “Sweet Caroline’s Virtue is about to sink to the depths to join her namesake.”

  The officers looked rightly afraid. Yells and cries of fear could be heard from all corners of the deck. Brooks hissed violently for silence.

  “If you wish to live, drop your weapons and we will take you on-board the Fallen Angel as prisoners, no more and no less. We promise safe, if slightly cramped passage to Tortuga where you will be released to make your way.”

  “Don’t do it you fools!” Brooks roared as a few of the officers looked between each other and nodded. “It’s a trick, this ship is sturdy.” But even as the words left his lips the ship lurched again and creaked loudly.

  All over, red-coated officers dropped their swords and pistols.

  “You bloody fools!” Brooks roared again. “Do you know who this man is!? He’s a filthy, bloodthirsty pirate. He’ll kill you as soon as look at you.”

  But the officers ignored him and continued to drop their weapons.

  James spoke to his crew. “These men are to be unharmed as long as they continue to surrender.” He spoke seriously to the crew members who were shepherding the officers off the ship and onto the U-boats.

  Brooks face turned a deep angry red. “And if he doesn’t kill you, I will!” but his threat seemed to be landing on deaf ears.

  Growling deep in his throat, Brooks pulled a long, dangerous looking sword from his belt and advanced on James with frightening speed. But James saw him coming and dropped to the deck, pulling his own sword.

  Brooks attacked and James defended. Swords clashed again and again.

  “Listen, Kingsley,” James rasped. “That invitation includes you. We don’t have to end it this way.”

  Brooks laughed and bared his teeth and struck again then swung and barely missed James throat. “Oh yes we do, Pirate. This is the only way it was ever going to end between us and you know it.” He jabbed and growled when James avoided his sword with ease. “And after I’ve killed you, I’m going to rape and then strangle your doxy. I must admit after Caroline I developed a taste for watching the life fade from a wench’s eyes while my seed spills in her blood-slicked cunny.”

  Eliza cried out and covered her mouth. James stopped. His face turned ashen but only for a second. With a roar he struck Brooks sword again and again, bellowing with each deafening strike of metal against metal. Eliza could only watch as the fight continued, her mind streaming with these new facts and her body frozen in fear for herself and for James.

  “You black-hearted monster!” James struck again. “Sick, twisted bastard. You told everyone that I raped her! That in her shame at carrying a bastard child she threw herself overboard. For fifteen years I have carried that burden and you speak of your vengeance?”

  Brooks laughed again and struck back, once twice and ducked James’ swing. “Her maidenhead was mine to take.” He hissed. “You seduced her and she fell so in love with you it was sickening. That filthy whore was mine and she knew it. The price for her betrayal was her life.”

  As the officers were escorted from the shuddering ship the two men continued to duel. All words had ceased leaving only their mutual rage and hatred. Grunting and growling their swords clashed again and again. One swung the other ducked, one lunged the other jumped out the way, and the fight went on.

  James grunted and lunged at him and they clashed again. Equally matched they struck again and again with perfect accuracy and prowess. But James was slightly faster and without warning he struck at Brooks hand and deftly flicked his opponent’s sword out of his hand and out of reach.

  “You’ve learnt a new trick since last we met.” Brooks murmured, surprisingly calm. “Next time we duel I will be sure to prepare for that one.” He offered a shaky smile.

  James did not smile. “There will be no next time for you Kingsley,” he said evenly and brought his sword to the man’s throat. “I had heard stories, but never really believed them, until now.”

  Brooks rolled his eyes but backed up all the same. “Oh, come now, James.” His voice shook slightly as his back hit the main mast.
“You’re a bloody pirate for God’s sake, raping and plundering is what you do!”

  “That’s not true,” Eliza finally found her voice. “I have been on-board the Fallen Angel for over a month and am yet to find the crew anything but respectful towards me. Yes they plunder and the lines of right and wrong are blurred, but they do not murder for fun or molest and rape women.” One look at James and she knew what he intended to do. “Nor do they kill unarmed men.”

  “What do you know!?” Brooks roared, only to gasp when James’ sword broke the skin at his throat. “You think you’re from the future! You belong in Bedlam.”

  “Maybe,” James said with a slow grin. “But not before you go down with your ship.”

  Chapter 11

  Back on the Fallen Angel, James held Eliza as though he would never let her go. They stood with the crew cheering around them, as Caroline’s Virtue sank slowly below the waves, her captain firmly shackled to the main mast.

  It was truly a sight to see. The sun sank and the sky turned a blood red. The ship creaked and rocked before tipping up vertically for just a few seconds, giving them a full view of the whole of the ship in all it’s magnificence, before with a loud cracking sound it literally broke in two and both parts sank slowly out of sight.

  “I thought that I had lost you,” he murmured into her hair, his arms tightening around her waist.

  “I thought you didn’t care,” she returned gruffly. Now that they were safe, her tightly held emotions suddenly flowed along with her tears. “James, I love you but I have no illusions about who or what you are so…” But he shushed her with his lips brushing against hers, turning her to face him.

  “I’m sorry about the things I said to you, my darling.” He grazed his lips over her forehead as he spoke. “I thought it would be better not to allow myself to feel such things. But when I saw that little monster with his hands on you, that knife to your throat, I knew it was too late. I knew that I loved you with every fibre of my being, just the threat of losing you was like losing a part of myself.”