DARLING | Nikolai Lantsov

Chapter 4 - The Island

- Nikolai's POV -

Nikolai's mind spun in circles, leaving a strange buzzing in the back of his head. His body felt fluid as he drifted in and out of consciousness. He could feel his body everywhere and nowhere all at once.

Then his senses focused in on something. He could hear someone calling out to him. It was so distant, and then it was right beside him, and it was loud. The suddenness made him jump. And as if pulled from a sleepless dream, he was laying on him back.

"Sir! I need you to wake up!" Someone said again. Feeling began to enter his body, his own flesh feeling unfamiliar. He groaned and using all of his strength, opened his eyes. Stars it was bright. And why was he so cold?

His vision was blurry as he tried to focus on the direction the voice had come from, but then in an instant, it settled on the face of the person who was kneeing before him.

An angel.

What had he done to deserve this great of a welcome into the heavens. She was beyond beautiful. Her hair was like honey, and her skin like milk. Her lips, heavens, they were a sight to see.

She seemed to move in slow motion as she looked back into his eyes. Her long lashes framing her gaze. Her eyes were the deepest blue he had ever seen, and that is saying something with all the time at sea he'd had in his life.

"Sir, can you hear me, can you understand me?" She spoke. Looking at him with a worried expression on her face. He nodded. Still mesmerized by her beauty. Soon the sounds of the seagulls and the crashing of the waves became clearer. Realizing that this might not actually be the other side, he looked around. Taking in the reality of his situation. A sharp pain raced across his head and his hand went to shield himself instinctively.

"You washed up on my beach after a big storm, do you know what happened to you?" She asked, attempting to help me as he pulled himself up into a seated position. He looked at her, puzzling his brain as he tried to retrieve his last memory. But there was nothing to grasp, his mind went blank.

"I don't remember anything." He finally said. Trying to remain calm within himself, as to not cause alarm in his rescuer.

"Do you think you can stand? I have a first aid kit in my home. We should probably get your wound cleaned before it gets infected."

He thought to answer, but then was trapped going in circles around his head trying to solve a problem he didn't know.

So, he started with the basics. He was Sturmhond. He knew that. Nikolai Lantsov, if he were to use his real name. He was a privateer; he owned the Hummingbird. He liked to think of himself as dashing, even incredibly brave. And he had a jolly good crew. 'I wonder where they are... Something must have gone wrong' He thought. He then realized that he had lost focus and left the girl in front of him, waiting for an answer.

"Oh uh. Yes." He finally choked out. She pushed herself up and held out her small hand to help him up. He gratefully took it, and she pulled him to his feet so fast that he almost fell over. She was stronger than she looked.

Now that is a real woman, he thought. He steadied himself and fixed his coat to fit better over his torso, which wasn't easy since he was dripping wet still. He felt like a slimy squid. Not one of his more impressive first impressions.