Page 34 of A Descent Into Darkness

The sight of their dirty hands on her— it had broken something within me. And Teach had orchestrated the whole thing to provoke me. Unraveling whateverremnants of loyalty I had for the man. I was done being his puppet. I would never again bow to anyone.

But Kat would bear the brunt of my foolishness if I completely lost my head and got myself killed.

“If you have a problem with me, then let’s settle it like men. Don’t be a fucking coward and use a helpless woman to get at me.”

“This was a test of loyalty, and you both failed miserably. My first mate, helping himself to my property behind my back,” he tsked, shaking his head in a dramatic display of disappointment. “If I can’t trust you with my whore, than there is no hope for you.”

“If you’d grant me an audience to explain. I think I’ve earned at least that much.”

“You’ll have plenty of time, and I promise you’ll spill every sordid detail of your betrayal. That is what you’ve earned, boy!”

“I won’t make it easy on you,” I challenged, pulling a dagger into my free hand, ready to pay whatever the cost. I wouldn’t hide my love for Kat in the shadows any longer.

“I hadn’t expected you to, but we have you considerably outnumbered. Don’t we, lads?” The men shouted approval, eager to exact whatever revenge they felt they were owed.

“Aye, but I know I have fate on my side. Katherine’s told me as much.” I could see a flash of fear in his eyes. The possibility that my words held even a grain of truth, were eating away at him.

“Take him down alive, but make sure he suffers for histreason against us.” Teach stepped back, lighting a cigar from the burning cannon fuse at his beard, the cherry red ember flaring as he sat back to watch my demise.

I stood, protectively in front of Kat. I wouldn’t let any of them touch her.

“Which one of you wants to be the next one down?” I taunted. These men knew me. I was counting that as one of the few assets I had. The reputation I’d earned would make them second guess their actions, giving me the upper hand in these unfavorable odds. No one answered. No one moved. There was utter silence. Even the sea, in its unnatural calmness, was quietly waiting for the inevitable chaos.

As if some unseen signal had been given, they burst into action, coming at me two at a time. All of them cowards. Afraid to face me man to man. I tried to stay by Kat’s side, but with every step of the lethal dance, I was pulled further and further away. The deafening silence was now filled with the clashing of steel against steel. My cutlass unapologetically releasing them of their last breath added an unmistakably haunting wail to the battle cries piercing the night air.

I relied on my years of training to guide me. Drawing out the brutal killer that Teach had created. I put every ounce of energy I had into this final stand. I was holding my own until I caught sight of Teach in my periphery. He was heading straight for Katherine.

“Don’t you fucking touch her!” I screamed, but my words were lost in the chaos. I continued to swing mysword, my eyes darting between Kat and my attackers. Teach had her in his grasp. Her pleading screams ripped at my soul. I couldn’t get to her. He was dragging her away from me. “Teach! Teach, you fucking bastard! I will kill you!”

Anger boiled over as they disappeared below deck. I surged forward, but there were too many. The onslaught of rage blinded me in a dance where there was no room for error. A well placed elbow caught my ribs, forcing the air from my lungs. I stumbled backward, losing my dagger. It was my first misstep, and they made me pay for it. A noose was slipped around my neck from behind. Tightening until I could barely pull in a breath. Leashing me like a stray dog, they restrained my arms. The cowards took turns landing blow after blow on my gut. Blackness bled into my vision, threatening to consume me. I refused to give up—not with Katherine in his grasp.

The ground shifted violently under my feet, and the ship lurched starboard, sending all of us sprawling across the deck. Reaching for the noose around my neck, I pulled it slack and sucked in a much needed breath. Getting back to Kat was the only thing I focused on. The wind began to pick up, catching the sails and tossing the ship back to port. A dizzying nausea washed over me before I managed to get to my feet. The crew shifted from bloodlust to wide eyed concern in a matter of mere moments.

Thunder-less lightning skittered across the sky, momentarily highlighting a sea that was beginning to churnunderneath us. A shudder traveled from stern to bow. The planks groaned in protest.

“Whatcha think it is?” One of the men asked.

“Probably just a whale rubbing against the keel,” another answered.

“Mister James, what would you have us do?” The swabbie asked as the groans grew louder. I laughed to myself for a moment. The spell had been broken. Their sinister intent instantly dissolved the moment a new threat presented itself.

“I’m not the first mate of theQueen Anneany longer. You’re on your own.”

A scream pierced the night air, and we all stared in disbelief. The cabin boy’s body hung above the deck. A massive tentacle wrapped around his chest. He lingered in mid air only for a moment before it recoiled back into the sea, dragging the screaming man into the depths with it. Another loud crack from the hull sent the crew scurrying. With Teach still absent and the bo’sun dead, there was no one to take charge. They devolved into a hoard of ants, mindlessly running in all directions. I was entranced by the sight. My feet pinned to the deck, the demon in my chest purred as the kraken began to offer up sweet revenge.

The man beside me was ripped off his feet, a burnt orange tentacle enveloped him from his chest to his thigh. “Help me! Please!” he begged. His hands stretched out to me. Fear clouding his eyes as the kraken carried him off to his death. A normal man would have been spurred into action, but any empathy I had died a long time ago. Now I onlysmiled at the sight. They’d all earned this, and nothing could please me more than watching them get what they deserved.

Waves crashed over the bow as theQueen Annefloundered. The roar of cannons and the screams of men were drown out by the raging storm. The scent of black powder carried on the whipping winds, and I stood like a crazed man at the center of it all, reveling in the spectacle.

Large tentacles slammed onto the deck. The monster of the deep hauled it’s massive body up until one inky black eye was staring at me. The creature grumbled and let out a shriek like I’d never heard. My hands covered my ears, but it wasn’t enough. The sound brought me to my knees, and it felt as though my head might split in half. It wasn’t until the beasts keening subsided that I was reminded that I wasn’t simply a spectator. The ship was heavily favoring her starboard side. TheQueen Annewas on her last breath, and I had to get to Kat. I catapulted into action, getting below deck only to find a flood of water rushing in around my ankles. I was tossed about the hallways as I waded through the rising water. We were running out of time.

“Kat! Kat! Where are you!”

“Here! I’m here!” Her muffled voice called. She was in the captain’s quarters.

I barreled down the passageway, colliding with the door. The rushing water making it almost impossible to wedge it open.

“James, please hurry! We’re sinking. You have to get me out!” My eyes settled on Kat’s panicked face. The water wasup to her waist, and she was chained to Teach’s bed. No sign of the captain anywhere. “He left the keys just out of my reach.” The sick fuck had placed the keys just far enough for her to see her freedom, but not close enough to ever grasp it.

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