The Rookie Pirates (Parts 1-6)

37. The Wager

Down on the deck below the mainmast, Kirk growled as he brushed a dusting of snow from his shoulder and glared darkly towards Samantha Bellamy.

"Stop icing the de..." Kirk slipped on some black ice, his feet flying up into the air, and he landed on his back, groaning in agony.

What was it with women making him fall on his back in pain? He remembered the time when Jessica pulled a prank on him at the Hawk's Eye tavern, which involved falling down the steps, then getting covered in slime and feathers. One could imagine the outcome.

Kirk growled in annoyance as he sat up, rubbing his lower back, and glared towards the girl. The loose objects around the ship started to rattle, and everyone ducked for cover as items flew across the deck, aimed directly at Sam with malicious intent.

All it took was the wave of her hand, and the weapons froze and shattered into a dusting of snow before they could reach her. She laughed at his pathetic attempt to hurt her.

Kirk stood back up, and Sam smirked, egging him on. In a second, he was stood before her, his hand gripped tightly around the collar of her blouse. She cursed under her breath; she forgot that the Flints could move quickly on their feet. She didn't have a chance to dodge him.

Instead, she found herself glaring towards the hotheaded captain, but she showed no signs of weakness. There was a reason she was a part of Zachary Flint's crew; she was rather sneaky.

An innocent, scared look fell upon her face, and her breathing heightened.

"P-please..." she stammered. "Don't hurt me." She shied away from him, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Kirk's amber eyes softened, and his hand slackened around her blouse, giving her an opportunity to attack. Sam mischievously smirked. Like always, men were weak when it came to a crying woman. She pushed back from him, jumped into the air, and roundhouse-kicked him, aiming for his head.

She gasped in shock when he tightly grabbed her ankle at the very last second, a smug look on his face as he flashed his amber eyes towards her. Her smile wavered, and her heart pounded. What was it about his fiery eyes that had her losing her concentration? Maybe it was because they reminded her of herself; they showed the fight within him.

"The crying act doesn't work on me." Kirk swung her through the air and slammed her down onto the deck with a loud crash, and she groaned as her entire body ached.

Why were the Flints so incredibly strong? Just who were they?

"No food until you have swabbed this entire deck all by yourself." He stomped off to his quarters, his crew cowering as he marched across the deck.

"What?!" Sam cried in anguish. "Why?"

"You attacked your captain." Kirk paused before entering his room. "Don't look so downhearted. You got off easy. My punishment is usually death to those who disrespect me."

"You're no fun!" She sat cross-legged on the deck with a pout playing on her lips, a childish move which Kirk found sort of cute, but he shook his head before anyone saw that he had looked softly towards her. He would not allow her to play with his feelings.

"Get used to it, Sami. I'm not fun. I'm not my brother!" He slammed the door after him.

Sam mumbled under her breath that she didn't like being called Sami.

Back on the yard of the mast, Morgan and John burst out laughing, and Bart smirked from the interaction between the Ice Queen and the Hothead. The tension couldn't be any thicker, even if it tried to.

"At this rate, the two will be together before they reach Harvest Island." Bart took a swig from his drink.

Morgan shook his head, his shaggy green hair swaying around him. "Kirk pushed Sam too far. Just look at her. She wants to kill him with her bare hands."