Chereads / The Pirate Hunter / Chapter 5 - Chapter Five

Chapter 5 - Chapter Five

Lotte woke up from her head feeling like it was being smashed with a pick axe. She could hear the soft snores of Fitz laying beside her.

"Fitz," Lotte whispered, hoping he could give her something for her pain. The only problem was, she didn't say anything at all.

No. It couldn't be. Lotte tried again, but no sound came out. Lotte's heart began racing, she had to try again. Before Lotte could open her mouth for the third time, she noticed something.

Fitz had been gagged and bound with rope. And so was she. The horrifying ace of all her muscles seizing up came soon after. Had Black Jack finally found them? Was it the fire? The fight? What gave them away?

The answer to Lotte's question walked through the door a second later. Black Jack hadn't done this, Everet did. He stood in the doorway with a needle, his eyes locked on Lotte. Lotte knew one thing for sure and that was that Fitz didn't carry the drug she had been poisoned with. Her eyes followed Everet as he walked around to her side of the bed. Staring daggers was the only thing she could do. Lotte didn't want Everet to have the satisfaction of knowing she was scared.

"You'll wake up soon," he stabbed the needle behind her ear. "I promise."

The sound of crashing waves was what brought Lotte back to life. The taste of salt was overbearing in her mouth. Her hair felt wet and was sticking to her neck. Lotte blocked out the sun with her hand as she sat up. There was a black coat draped over her body. Looking around Lotte saw nothing but a rocky beach and the jungle behind her. She was left laying on the very little soft sand there was.

"Fitz?" She could call out no louder than rasp hush.

"Not here," the sound of a twig snapped behind her. Lotte's eyes followed Everet as he walked around her, sitting down on a rock next to her.

"You traitor," Lotte grabbed a fistful of sand. "You work for Black Jack."

"No," Everet threw a rock into the ocean.  "Black Jack is just a business partner."

"You're a Looter?"

Everet hummed, "Don't strain yourself. I'll let you stay awake but you are going to be kept sedated." 

"Why do Looters want me?" Lotte asked. "I'm not a boy, I can't give you what you want."

"I don't know, love," Everet threw another stone. "I just do the delivery."

Lotte growled at him through her teeth, "When Fitz finds you he's going to–"

"Your boyfriend? Yeah, he's not waking up for a while. Him or any of his boys."

"What did you do to him?"

Everet didn't answer. He stood up, his eyes searching the horizon. 

"I'll let you wake up a bit," Everet concluded. "I'll even get you something to eat."

"Why would I eat anything you give me?"

"I'm poisoning you already, Lotte. What do you have to lose?"

Without waiting for a reply Everet walked back into the woods. Lotte laid her head back on the sand. Her body was exhausted from just the two-minute conversation. Lotte squeezed the sand in her hand in an attempt to comfort herself. She was too weak to run, hell she didn't even know where she was.

A memory of Fitz played through her head.

I don't like him. There's something off about him.

"You were right," Lotte whispered. 

Lotte could see the silhouette of Fitz's body. She had memorized it so well she didn't need to see her face to know it was him. 

"Fitz," the word came out as a whisper. Yet somehow, he had heard her.

Fitz jerked his head like Lotte had let out a blood-curdling scream. He put his dagger back along the waistline of his clothing. His focus is now solely on the girl in front of him. It felt like Fitz was far away from Lotte, but he reached her in a matter of seconds. 

"Are you ok?" He asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I think so," Lotte's hands gripped onto Fitz's arms for support.

Lotte knew they should be running. They should have been running like hell. But they didn't. They stayed still, fearing one simple move would cause everything to crumble. 

Lotte's eyes lowered away from Fitz's. She felt the temperature in her face rising and his eyes were the ignition. 

Fitz quickly withdrew his hand from Lotte's hair and placed it underneath her chin, forcing her to look at him. Lotte's breath caught in her throat. He held her eyes prisoner and Lotte didn't dare try to resist him. His other hand moved slowly to the back of Lotte's neck, waiting for a sign of something he had done wrong. But Lotte didn't hitch her breath or tense at his touch. She did not try to pull away. She waited. Lotte moved closer to Fitz, trying to close the gap between the two of them. She wanted him. 

Fitz leaned in, slowly and painfully. Testing how long Lotte could resist. 

Their lips formed around each other perfectly. The pressure in Lotte's chest suddenly pops, filling her with adrenaline. Fitz drew out the kiss, again testing Lotte's limits of self-restraint. After he felt satisfied with himself, Fitz withdrew. Their lips parted only for a moment before Lotte reconnected them, deepening the kiss. Her sudden movement caused a moan deep within Fitz's throat. He gripped the back of her neck for stability. Without hesitation, Lotte kissed him again causing a rebound reaction from Fitz. Without warning Fitz dropped both of his and grabbed Lotte by the back of her thighs, hoisting her around his waist. Lotte straightened her back, making sure their lips stayed connected. Her arms wrapped around Fitz's neck, kissing a few more times before they needed to part for air. Lotte's legs tightened around Fitz's waist, causing his heart to pick up the pace. Before either of the two had caught their breath, they collided again. Lotte moved her hands to his face, cupping each side. 

"Get up," Everet kicked her roughly. "I have food."

Lotte's heart sank as her reality came rushing back to her. Fitz hadn't saved her, and she certainly wasn't kissing him. Fitz probably didn't even know she was gone.

Everet had returned with a pile of fruit. Lotte probably wouldn't have eaten if he didn't bring up he was only going to poison her anyway. There was no reason for her to be poisoned and hungry.

"I'm not going to give you the strong stuff again," Everet said. "Unless you make things difficult you won't lose consciousness."

"How kind," Lotte muttered through her teeth. 

Everet sat down beside her, showing no interest in the food. Lotte's strength was slowly returning, but nowhere near fast enough. By the time she thought she might be able to stand again, she was sedated. Everet waited for her to finish eating before he picked Lotte up off the ground with the coat still draped over her. Lotte herself was barely conscious as he walked. She lay with her eyes but nothing more. It was a fight against herself to even do that. 

"Sleep if you want," Everet taunted. "You'll feel better."

"I don't trust you," Lotte's voice wavered. 

Everet let out a chuckle," I have a feeling by the end of this you're going to only trust me. I might be a bad guy Lotte, but I am not a villain."

A smirk plastered across Everet's face," Hold on."

Before Lotte's sedated brain had processed what Everet had said, she felt the wind of the island pushing down on her body. The wind blew down her hair and her body felt weightless. The ground beneath her quickly got farther and farther away. Before she knew it Lotte was floating against the clouds in her kidnapper's arms. 

"Like it?"

Lotte's breath escaped slowly and evenly. So much so she could see it leaving her lips. The sky looked more beautiful than when she first arrived. It was almost like she could touch the explosion of colour. 

Everet let out a satisfied chuckle. Proud he had made her speechless, "Don't you want to fly, Lotte?"

"Not at your price," Lotte pulled herself back. "Killing people isn't worth this."

"You'll think otherwise soon enough."

"Dream on."

Slowly Everet lowered them back to the ground. Lotte hated herself for it but she leaned into his chest, fighting against the sedation. She wasn't sure she could stay awake much longer.

"I wonder what Fitz would think of this?" He teased Lotte. "His girlfriend is snuggling against my chest. I'll make sure to tell him the next time I see him." 

Lotte would have hit him if she could. Even though he didn't look at her, Lotte still glared at him. 

"Just sleep, Lotte. The more you resist the worse you're going to feel."

Lotte couldn't resist it anymore. She could go to sleep willingly or her body would give out on her. "You promised me I wouldn't pass out."

"You aren't passing out. You're falling asleep."

Lotte growled, allowing her eyes to finally close. She felt her body collapse into relief. How could it betray her like this? But Everet was right, once she stopped resisting she felt immediately better. Everet walked with a cocky smirk on his face. He couldn't have been prouder of himself.

He won. Not Fitz, not Lotte, him. Everet stole Lotte and he did so effortlessly.

When Lotte awoke the sky was dark. She could no longer hear the sound of the ocean. Replaced by it was the sound of crickets, crackling.

"Morning princess," Everet said before Lotte even opened her eyes. 

Lotte rubbed her eyes as she sat up. She was laying next to a fire with Everet laying next to her. His coat was still draped over her body. 

"How late is it?"

"Sunset only an hour or two ago." 

Lotte took the black coat and wore it over her dress. It dangled past her dress, going past her kneecaps.

"Are you cold?" Everet asked as he threw a stick into the fire.

"I'm fine?" Lotte growled. She was cold but she didn't want Everet's help. "Where did you get this? You didn't have it yesterday."

"I found it. Probably your boyfriends."

Lotte pulled the fabric closer to her skin. She had never seen Fitz wear it but that didn't mean it wasn't his. Her arms hugged around the jacket, somehow trying to hug him through it. As she stared into the fire she felt hot, fresh tears falling from her eyes. Fitz was the only source of comfort she had. Lotte only felt safe when she was with him. Now he was gone, and Lotte didn't know if she would see him again. Fitz could be dead for all Lotte knew. Everet could have killed him, or Black Jack found him. But Lotte couldn't allow herself to think like that. If she allowed herself to believe Fitz was dead Lotte wasn't going to ever see her family again. She might never see Fitz again. Fitz would find her, he had to. If Fitz was even a fraction of who Lotte knew him to be, he would come after her. Lotte wouldn't allow her kissing Fitz to only be a dream.

"Can we go for a walk?" Lotte found it strange she was asking her captor. By the look on his face, he thought it was strange too.

"Sure. You're not going to try and run away, are you?" He joked.

Lotte shook her head. She waited for Everet to pull anything flammable away from the fire; before allowing him to help her up. Lotte had to hook her arm with Everet's for support. Another thing she felt shameful about. 

"Why a walk?" Everet asked when the fire was no longer in their eyesight. "We're far away from Fitz, you know? Walking out into the woods isn't going to help you."

"I know," Lotte said quietly. "I just—" Lotte stopped walking, her eyes looking up at the sky once they were under an opening. "Want to see the stars."

Everet tilted his head up to the night sky. The stars above them looked like they were standing in a snow globe. Or a bunch of tiny diamonds falling from the sky. After Lotte locked the image in her brain, she looked back down.

"Ok, I'm ready. We can go back now."

It gave Lotte comfort knowing that wherever Fitz was, he was also looking at the same stars. It made her feel like she wasn't so far away from him. 

"That's beautiful," Everet said, still not taking his eyes away from the glistening light. 

Lotte looked at him and examined the wonder on his face, "I know." 

Everet stared at the stars for longer than she expected. For a minute, just a minute it looked like he might reconsider taking her back. Lotte had made up her mind. If she was forced to be with Everet she wouldn't argue against him. Maybe they could be friends. If they were friends maybe he would take her back. 

The thought did wander through Everet's mind. The more time he spent with Lotte the less he wanted to take her. But if he didn't take Lotte to the looters that left a lot of uncertainty for him. 

As Lotte took the first step back to the fire both her legs crumbled. Like a crumbling tower, her legs hit the dirt and Everet's arm dropped from around her waist.

"Are you ok?" Everet asked, staring down at Lottie who looked utterly defeated. 

Lotte groaned. What a stupid question. When Everet went to pick her up she forced him to take all of her weight. Even though Everet's coat, Everet could feel the warmth of Lotte's skin. It was warm. It burned him.

"Shit," he muttered. Everet didn't know why but Lotte's body was reacting to the sedation. If he didn't do something her body was going to cook her to death from the inside out.

"You were fine a minute ago!" He shouted to no one in particular. 

"I have broken ribs, and a concussion thanks to you. I'm in no shape to handle whatever drugs this is for a second time."

"You couldn't have—never mind," bringing Lotte dead to looters was worse than not bringing her at all. 

Lotte closed her eyes trying to suppress the nauseousness growing in her throat. She could feel her body colliding with Everet's as he ran, she didn't care where to. They reached the fire much faster than they had left it. He dropped Lotte into the sand harder than he meant to. Ripping away his jacket from her body Everet dragged a nearly unconscious Lotte into the ocean. Very quickly she felt her head fully submerge underneath the water. She gasped as she came back up, sitting herself up in the water.

"Are you trying to drown me?" She yelled. Lotte scanned Everet's body. The ocean was up to his mid-calf and he hadn't bothered to roll up his pants. The slowly burning fire was lighting up the silhouette of his body. 

Ignoring Lotte, Everet knelt beside her, soaking his pants further. He pushed his hand against her forehead. It was cooler but not cool enough. But the fact that she was yelling at him proved she was improving. 

"Hold your breath," Everet said as he grabbed Lotte's shoulder, pushing her down for a second time.

Lotte reached her hand up to stop him but merely just pushed at his face. Through the struggle in the water, Everet could see Lotte fighting against him. Her eyes were open even underwater. When he saw the shift from frustration to fear in her eyes, he pulled her back up. Two unexpected things happened. Lotte slapped him, and she began to shiver. 

"You," Lotte coughed between words. "Asshole." 

Everet's eyes were caught on Lotte's wet hair. Her curls were now more defined and her hair wasn't such a freak show. 

"You were going to overheat," Everet said, pulling her up. "I didn't have another method of helping you."

Lotte took his hand only because she had to. The water sloshed loudly between their legs. Everet's jacket lay just out of the water's reach. He dusted the sand off before handing it back to Lotte who just draped it over her arm. Everet didn't know about Lotte's fear of water and she had no intention of telling him. But she imagined she hated being forced under the water more than the average person.

When they reached the fire, Lotte collapsed to the ground. Using Everet's jacket as a blanket. Her rush of adrenaline had died down as quickly as it started. Strong enough to not fall asleep her eyes roamed around in the fire. Every so often she looked up at the boy sitting across from her. Lotte's fingers doodled in the sand, trying to form some source of entertainment. 

The thought of getting up and running crossed her mind. But she knew she wasn't going to make it very far. Even if she could run it wasn't going to be faster than Everet. 

"We'll get there tomorrow," Everet said after a while of silence. 

Lotte couldn't force herself to care. She wished that whatever was going to happen to her would happen already. 

"Everet," she mumbled. Only just loud enough for him to hear the sound of the waves.

"Yeah?"

Lotte swallowed hard in her throat, trying to prepare herself for what she was about to say. "Kill me."

Lotte didn't expect him to say yes but she also didn't expect Everet to say anything at all. When Lotte looked up Everet's mouth was open and speechless. 

"Whatever the Looters have planned for me, I don't want to be around for it. And if you'll have any sort of decency you'll kill me before they get the chance."

Lotte surprised herself with the amount of anger she had in her voice. She did mean it. But she didn't expect to be so confident about it. 

Everet's face darkened. His mouth quickly closed and he stood up angrily, kicking sand into the fire. Lotte propped herself up on her arm as she watched him storm over to the water. He stopped just short of the dry sand and stood there.  

How dare she have the nerve to ask him that? To accuse him of having no decency. It's not like he decided to kidnap her. He was only doing what he was told. He had no more choice in this than she did. 

But still, Lotte was angry. Angry at him, angry at Black Jack, angry at the world.

"If you don't I will!"

Lotte wasn't completely sure if she meant it. But she knew she was close to it. She didn't know where the poison was but she knew it was there. Lotte also knew that her body couldn't handle any more of it. 

Everet walked calmly over to her but with a face full of rage. Enough to make Lotte instantly regret her decision to test him. She quickly tried to push her back away from the raging boy but was nowhere fast enough. 

Everet pushed her down, holding her chin between his thumb and index finger. Hard enough to keep Lotte from speaking. 

"Try and do anything of the sort. I will tie you to my back with your hands bound." 

Lotte's face matched Everet's in frustration. She resisted the urge to spit at him and more so slap him. 

"And do not dare talk to me about decency or I will show what having none looks like."

He let go of Lotte's chin roughly, almost yanking her head to the side. Quickly, Lotte placed a hand on her sore face. She scowled at him. Before she had made up her mind to push this further or not, Everet stormed off. Lotte, more pissed off when she started angrily laid back down. Facing the opposite discretion Everet stormed off.