In The Arms Of My Pirate

Revenge

Captain Hillington snorted, grabbed Charles by the arm, and led him back to the main room.

Charles slipped his fingers into Hillington's pocket and slipped out the key to his manacles.

Captain Hillington didn't even notice.

The man was an imbecile, Charles thought with a shake of his head.

A servant called Lafitte and his guests to dine for their morning meal,
and Charles was placed on a chair at the outer edge of the dining room,
forced to watch as the British ate with
Jean Lafitte as honored guests.

Fury roiled beneath the surface of Charles's skin, but he struggled to maintain his composure.

If they made him leave, he wouldn't know tricks Lafitte was up to.

"Amnesty and wealth," Lafitte said casually, examining his gold-gilded fork, atop which perched a bloodied piece of prime steak.

Charles slipped the heavy key out of his shirt sleeve as the British diplomats nibbled daintily on their food.

Except for William, who hadn't touched his plate. Instead, he fingered the handle of his cane and watched the pirate king with dark curiosity.

"What else could you want?" William asked.

"It gets lonely out on the open ocean," Lafitte said with a slow grin. "I crave the company of someone bright, someone with fire... someone like that young lady in the other room."

Charles froze, the key halfway into the manacle on his wrist.

The Commodore coughed, patting his lips with a satin napkin. "The young lady is engaged."

"To me," Captain Hillington added, his grip tightening on his fork and knife.

"And my pirates' ships answer only to me. They will not join the fight unless I give the word," Lafitte said.

"Torture can make a man say any word," William said, voice low with warning.

Lafitte laughed. "You know the terms of my surrender and cooperation. Tell me, Captain Hillington, what matters more to you, your woman? Or your country?"

***

The window creaked behind Octavia and she turned her head groggily. The laudanum muddled her mind to the point where she couldn't tell reality from her imagination.

A shadow fell across the bed and she forced her eyes open.
She tried to scream, but only a strained gurgle came out.

Bloody Benny stood above her, pressing a finger to his grinning lips.

***

Charles stared at Captain Hillington as the man sat, brows furrowed in contemplation.

William stamped his cane in disgust. "Miss Palmer is not part of the bargain."

"She is," Lafitte steepled his hands in front of his nose. "And only your brave young Captain can make the choice."

A pattern of knocks rattled the door and William stiffened. "Excuse me." He stood sharply and left the room.

Charles continued to watch the young captain. With every passing moment, his fury grew.

They could offer Lafitte amnesty. Money. Forgiveness...

But not Octavia. Never Octavia.

In one fluid motion, Charles unlocked his manacle and lined for the table.

He snatched the stake knife from Captain Hillington's hand, twisted around the chair, and wrapped his arm around Lafitte's neck.

He pressed the blade's tip against the thin flesh of the pirate king's throat.

The men around the table yelled and lurched to their feet.

"Drop your weapons," Charles shouted, dragging Lafitte backward.

"How did you get free?" The Commodore asked, flabbergasted.

Captain Hillington's hand reached instinctively for his pocket. He paled.
Charles didn't have time to grin and gloat.

"He's joined the Americans," the Commodore said. "Kill him!"

Charles pressed the blade harder. Hot blood trickled over his other arm, but Lafitte didn't even flinch.

"I don't care about my country," Charles said. "Or yours. But I will not sit by and watch you give this devil wealth, amnesty, and the woman I love."

The door burst open and William stumbled inside, clutching a bloody wound on his arm.

"We're surrounded!" He shouted. "It's a trap."

"Protect Lafitte!" Captain Hillington snatched up his abandoned pistol and aimed it at Charles. "Surrender, Atwell, and I may spare your life."

Charles grinned in response. "Vengeance is sweeter than life."

The wall exploded in a hailstorm of bullets. The British men cried out as blood and splinters sprayed the air.
The Commodore grabbed one of his sailors and used him as a shield.
Lafitte struggled to get away.

Blinded by rage, Charles drew the blade across Lafitte's neck. But the pirate king twisted, protecting his jugular.

Charles dragged the man to the ground as the deafening sound of bullets flying stuttered to a stop.
He only had seconds before Lafitte's men related their single shot pistols.

"For Theodosia," Charles snarled, and plunged the blade into Lafitte's gut.
Without waiting to see the life fade from Lafitte's eyes, Charles twisted.

William struggled to his feet, cheek cut by a flying piece of wood and face dirtied by gun powder.

Charles dove and tackled his brother in law to the floor.

"Crawl!" He shouted, and they scrabbled into the hallway, Captain Hillington and the Commodore got on their heels.

Safe behind another layer of wood, they stumbled to their feet and raced toward the front door.

Charles split from the group, looking around frantically.

"What are you doing?" William shouted, crouching by the door. "We must leave!"

"I won't leave without Octavia," Charles said, and drove his shoulder into the locked door to the doctor's surgery.

***
Sorry for the short chapter! I had to typed it out one- handed on my phone while on a plane with 2 kids... so it's a little rough, sorry!
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