Give Me Vengeance If Not Love

ELEVEN
Jack had never been more terrified, "No please… don't leave me… please beat me, but don't leave me, please I'll do anything ye want," he called. The door slammed and the lock made that sickening click and Jack was alone not knowing if he would see the light of day again. Jack was not religious, but he wasn't an atheist either. He hung his head, "God, if yer there please don't let me die like this," he whispered as tears began to fall. He looked up, "It wasn't me, Gabrielle for God sakes believe me, it wasn't me," he groaned.

He thought about how she'd looked at him when she'd told him to go to hell. It was like looking at Satan himself. Her gray eyes looked demonic… had she been possessed? Jack smirked to himself; he was really beginning to loose it. She was consumed by grief and the need for revenge… no demons just a very sad and half mad with grief woman… a woman who had stolen his freedom and seemed to be ready to rob him of his life.

Jack struggled against the chains that held him. It was useless. "Elle please, Elle," he cried out. No response. Jack tried to hold on to his sanity, she wouldn't just leave him here to rot… she couldn't… he kept telling himself no, she couldn't, she was too decent and too good. These things couldn't be taken away from her… not even her need for revenge would make her abandon her true self; he held onto this hope and waited.

He waited for quite awhile and just when he thought he was wrong he heard the key in the lock again.

TWELVE
I ran upstairs and threw up again. I cleaned up then made myself a cup of tea with a heavy splash of whiskey. My hands were trembling… if I'd started beating him with the riding crop I think I might have beaten him to death.

I went to bed. I needed sleep, which didn't come easily or peacefully. I had a dream Thomas my darling husband came to me in the dream. He spoke to me, "Elly this isn't you. You're not a monster like they were… you're the beautiful woman I married… let him go," he said. I heard him a long way off. I could almost see his face clearly but he was so far away. I woke reaching out across the bed for him. I rolled over on my back, "Oh Thomas… I need you," I said and began to sob in my pillow.

I drifted back to sleep and dreamed about the pirate in my basement. He was coming toward me with love in his eyes. "I'm not one of them," he murmured as he swept me up in his arms. "No," I cried and sat up in bed. The sun was still asleep so I lay back down and tried to sleep but I kept thinking about the pirate in my basement. I got up and went to my bathroom and ran a hot bath. I made him a cup of tea laced with more of the drug. Then I went down to the basement.

"Elle, oh thank god," he said when I appeared.

"You don't know why I'm here, don't thank god yet," I snapped.

"Yer back, that's all that matters to me," Jack said.

I looked at him closer, he was sweating and trembling. He really had been terrified that I was going to leave him down here to starve to death chained to a chair. "Drink this," I told him.

"What is it," he asked.

"Tea," I replied.

"What else is in it," he asked.

I slapped his face, "Do as I say or I get the rider's crop after you," I growled.

Jack looked at me, "Poison," he asked.

"Drink and shut up," I replied putting the cup to his lips.

Jack looked at me pitifully and drank the tea. "Elle please… I don't want to die," he said and his voice cracked and tears fell from his eyes.

"It wasn't poisoned," I said coyly as I removed the collar.

Jack's head slumped forward and his shoulders shook. "Just want to go back to sea," he murmured.

I ignored him, but watched him as the arrogant pirate I had captured seemed to melt into a broken heap before my eyes.

"All I wanted was to watch my son grow up and grow old with my husband," I said finally.

Jack looked up at me, "It wasn't me," he hiccupped.

I slapped him, "Stop saying that," I growled.

Jack kept his face turned from me.

"I'm going to let you get a bath," I said.

He looked at me, "Thank ye Elle," he said softly.

"I drugged you," I told him.

He frowned, "I should have known," he sighed.

I picked up my sword and unhooked him from the chair then untied his ankles, "Get up," I told him.

Jack did as I told him to do. His arms were useless to him as they were manacled behind him and attached to the belt around his waist.

"Elle," he whispered.

I looked up at him, "What," I asked.

"I still think yer beautiful," he replied and turned his head and flinched bracing himself to be slapped again.

I moved away from him, "Let's go," I growled.

Jack stepped forward and I held the sword at his back as he walked up the stairs. "I thought I'd never see the light of day again," he said.

"Well don't get your hopes up sailor, its night," I told him sharply.


Jack got to the top of the stairs and turned around, "Eh, how do I open the door love," he asked.

"It isn't locked, turn the knob," I said.

Jack backed up a little and got his hand on the knob and turned it. The door opened and Jack stepped backwards over the threshold.
THIRTEEN

Jack's cheek burned from being slapped so often but he barely noticed as he moved through the house.

"Upstairs," she told him.

Jack moved slowly, his arms ached from being restrained for so long. At least he had feeling back in them, hanging from his wrists had been torture, the lady knew what she was doing, he had to give her that. She'd left nothing to chance. Halfway up the stairs, Jack began to feel the drugs take effect, "Ye won't let me drown will ye love," he asked.

"Depends on how I feel once I get you in the tub," she quipped. "Turn right at the top of the stairs and it's the first door on your left," she instructed him.

Jack felt the tip of the sword at his back warning him to behave. He was becoming too groggy to try anything stupid. Not to mention, his arms were useless to him.

The bathroom was small with a lantern being enough light to see inside. If the circumstances had been different Jack might have described it as romantic.

Gabrielle closed the door and locked it with a key. She turned to face him, her look was lethal, "Try anything and you will die," she said sternly.

Jack noticed she'd done away with the sword and was now holding the ugly serrated blade in her hand.

"I assure ye I'm too dizzy to do much of anything, I can barely stand," Jack said and immediately as if on cue his knees went out from under him and he found himself sitting on the toilet lid.

"Stand up Jack," she demanded.

Jack groaned as he stood, "Oh me head," he moaned.

Elle removed the manacles from his wrists and the wide belt. She took his hands and placed them on her shoulders so he could steady himself, "Don't move your hands," she warned.

"Elle please, let me go," Jack murmured as she stripped off his shirt. Jack got a glimpse of the blood and knew his back looked as bad as it felt.

She stepped back out of his reach, "Take off your breeches," she told him.

Jack held up his hands, "Not sure I can keep me balance," he moaned.

"Do it," she snapped.

Jack winced at the brutal look she was giving him. And the blade was still an issue, so he pushed them down past his hips.
He looked at Elle who seemed to be studying his every inch, "Rethinking raping me love," he asked.

FOURTEEN
I found it impossible not to stare at him. His body, had he been made of marble, could only be described as a work of art… he was perfect. Lean and athletic and oh so terribly scared, but these did not take away from his beauty. His arms were the worst… the left one looked like someone had tried to use it to draw a map on and the right had the familiar "P" that the East India Trading Company was famous for putting on those they caught and charged with piracy. And then he removed his pants. He slumped back down on the toilet lid and looked up at me waiting to be scolded or punished for his rape comment. I continued to look at him and he removed his boots and pants completely from his sitting position. He then struggled to his feet again.

I reached out and ran my hand over his right arm, he'd been burned… the scars completely covered the inside. He sucked in his breath sharply and I jerked my hand away, "I didn't mean to hurt you," I gasped. How stupid of me to say such a thing after what I'd put him through.

"Ye didn't hurt me love," he whispered.

"Get into the tub," I demanded.

"I could use a little help," he said sheepishly.

I let him use my shoulder for support and he stepped into the tub. "I didn't give you enough of the drug to completely knock you out as before so as long as you are careful you shouldn't have a problem keeping your head above water. You have half an hour," I said then picked up his clothes and locked him in the bathroom with the key. I quickly made my way to my bedroom where I took out some clothes I felt sure would fit him. I couldn't get the image of him out of my head. I'd not expected to see scars that bad. He'd obviously seen a lot of abuse in his lifetime. Probably most if not all of it was inflicted because of what he was… a pirate. He's still a human being, my conscience screamed. He is still a man my heart said, bringing the image of his nakedness into my head again. I lay on my bed, surely you aren't attracted to him I argued with myself. The throbbing ache between my legs told the truth. I reached into my pants and began to pleasure myself with thoughts of Captain Jack Sparrow filling my head. I climaxed but instead of the release I expected to experience I was left wanting more. Jack was not dead like my husband… no he was there in my bathtub. I began to cry out of shame for I felt like somehow I was betraying my husband. Thomas was just like Jack, he was tall with black hair although he didn't wear his long. His body bore scars from some of his hard learned lessons while becoming a blacksmith. He had dark brown eyes too that looked at me with love and sometimes lust just like the pirate had looked at me. I sat up getting my tears under control and returned to the bathroom carrying the clothes and a towel.

I entered the bathroom and found him leaning slightly with his eyes closed. "Jack," I said gently not wanting to startle him.

His eyes sprang open, "I need a little help with me back," he groaned.

"Lean forward and hand me the sponge," I told him.

He leaned forward but instead of handing me the sponge he took my hand and pressed my palm against his cheek. He looked at me dreamily, "The smell of need is intoxicating… feel free to force me to fulfill that need," he purred then took the very fingers I'd used to pleasure myself into his mouth and sucked them. His eyes locked on mine with lust. My breath caught in my throat and he quickly handed me the sponge before my anger could erupt.

"You'd probably slit my throat when I came," I whispered.

Jack looked over his shoulder at me, "No, I'd prove to ye once and for all just how good a pirate can be," he purred.

I washed the blood from his back. Blood I had been the cause of him shedding, and I was filled with guilt as the marks were revealed. Revenge is not as sweet as some people believe it will be once they get it.

"Why'd you become a pirate," I asked.

"To be free, to have no one tell me where or when to go or how to live me life," Jack whispered longingly.

"But you live with the constant threat of being captured, hung," I argued.

Jack leaned back and looked up at me, "Guess me time is up," he said and slowly stood.

I handed him the towel, "Lean on me," I said.

He took the towel and put a hand on my shoulder then slowly stepped out of the tub.

"I brought you some clean clothes," I said timidly.

"Thank ye," he purred.

"I'll leave you alone long enough to dress," I said and left him locking the door to the bathroom behind me.

I was halfway down the stairs when there was a heavy knock on my door.

FIFTEEN
Jack was zipping up the pants she'd given him to wear when he heard the heavy pounding on the door. Instinctively he knew who it was… the pirates Gabrielle had escaped from would have been looking for her. They would want her dead. Jack thought about pounding on the door himself but he rethought that… instead he finished dressing as quickly as he could and began picking the lock with a very thin and very well hidden hair pin he kept stuck up in his bandana. He'd placed it there after he'd been in jail the last time thinking it would serve him well. The drugs still made him groggy but he had to get out of this room or Gabrielle was a dead woman.

He pressed his head to the door and could hear a commotion and Gabrielle screamed. The Barbary pirates had found her… and they were not happy.

Jack began to work as fast and quietly as he could on the door while trying to listen to what was happening.