BLOOD CURSE

~ SIX ~

"Do you yield?" Lyria hissed in his ear, her warmth breath sending shivers down Lucien's spine.

Fighting against her grip, Lucien refused to answer. However, his struggling sent a waft of his scent to Lyria's nose. More importantly, he sent the smell of his blood to her nose. Gums aching, the Vampyre squeezed her eyes shut in the hopes of forcing the fangs back.

Not now, she prayed to whatever beings would listen as she removed her lips away from his neck.

Unfortunately, Lucien had the most alluring blood she had ever smelt and her grip loosened as her restraint snapped. Head slamming into wall, Lyria couldn't hide the elongated canines jutting out of her mouth.

"What the hell-"

Lucien released her and stumbled backwards, tripping over his own feet as he went. Closing her eyes, Lyria slowed down her breathing until she felt the fangs sliding back into her gums. She could sense that Lucien was still there. That he had not yet run.

"Are you willing to listen to me now? Or do you wish to be bested again?" Lyria took a step forward.

Lucien did not take a step backwards. Fear had him rooted in one spot.

"What in the blazing hell are you?!" Lucien demanded, sword pointing at Lyria, not moving even when she stepped closer and closer.

Blade jabbing into her abdomen, Lyria looked into Lucien's eyes and said as calmly as possible, "I will explain everything to you but you must listen to me. More importantly, you must trust me. Are you capable of that?"

Moments passed and Lyria's hope began to fade as Lucien's sword did not falter. Finally, he dropped the sword, fell into a chair and chugged a bottle of rum.

Taking that as an invitation, Lyria slid into the chair across from him and sat with unnatural stillness. Stroking his blond beard, Lucien shook his head at the image that refused to leave his brain. There was no denying that Lyria was a breath-taking beauty and despite the monstrous features she had previously adorned, Lucien could not ignore the fact that she was attractive.

A beauty that he found himself desperate to trust. Her voice, like smooth silk, was irresistible and even though every fibre of his body was begging for him to run, he stayed just to hear that voice talk.

"Lucien, I promise you, I am not the one who pillaged your ships. I am many things but I am not dishonourable."

"How do I know you are not lying to me? You lied about being human." Lucien said gruffly, his voice no higher than a whisper.

Twisting the golden ring adorning her left thumb, Lyria knew that pleading would not convince Lucien, nor would haughtiness. Placing her hand on the table, the thunk of the ring against the wood drew Lucien's attention to the Black Spot marring her soft skin.

"If I lie then this thing will brand me forever. I propose an exchange; I give you the absolute truth and you release me."

Hesitation danced in Lucien's sea eyes. Eyes that reminded Lyria of home. Knowing that it would take something drastic to get the blond Captain to trust her, the Vampyre offered to teach Lucien how to defend himself against her kind. Immediately, he agreed to listen. And then he would make a decision as to whether he should trust the warrior.

Pulling out a folded piece of paper, creased so much that it had been folded and unfolded multiple times, Lyria slid it across the table towards Lucien. Using her left hand, she made sure that her Black Spot never left Lucien's vision. Eyes scanning the letter, some sense of shame washed over the man as the truth was uncovered.

"Now you know that I am innocent. Well, not entirely. I did murder your messenger. However, I am not the one murdering your men. My own men are being taken to Davy Jones' Locker. This is why I need your help. I have no idea what is doing this but you I beg you to help me figure it out."

"What are you?" Lucien commanded, fist clenching.

Nothing scared him more than the idea that the notorious Captain Blackwood was afraid of whatever was killing Pirates. In fact, nothing frightened him more than a scared Captain Blackwood.

"According to legends, we are a species called Vampyre. We are unnatural creatures that, in order to survive, feed off the blood of others. Specifically humans. However, there is a benefit to the monsters that we are. We are faster and stronger than most creatures. We can see, hear and smell more intensely than most creatures. And, we are nearly impossible to kill. Every member aboard The Crimson Rose is a Vampyre. As I found them dying, I offered them a chance to die or to be reborn. Therefore, I turned them when they begged me to."

"Who turned you? Were you dying?"

"That's a story for another time." Lyria said, draining her glass. "But, no, I wasn't dying."

Disgruntled noises sounded from outside the door and the two Captains knew their time of peace was over with. Half an hour. That was how long the peace between the two crews had lasted and now, they were at each other's throats. Sighing to themselves, both Captains let out a chuckle at their similar reactions.

Reaching the door before Lucien, Lyria felt him stop her by grabbing her hand. Turning to look at him, she noticed that his gaze was traced on the top of her left hand. Lyria found the whole situation amusing; Lucien was having a hard time processing Vampyre's yet he had actively sought out a witch to place a curse-of-sorts upon Lyria.

"I, Lucien Whitelock, rescind the mark that I placed upon Lyria Blackwood, recognising I was mistaken."

Immediately, the spot began to shrink until the freckles on her hand were once again visible. Thanking Lucien, the dark haired woman placed her hand on the door handle but was stopped when words left Lucien's move that she had never even dreamed of hearing.

"I trust you. Together, we will uncover the demon behind this and destroy them. Meet me at the main docks by noon tomorrow. From there, we will begin to devise a plan."

"Thank you." Lyria nodded her head, thanking him for many things.

Trusting her, listening to her, removing her Black Spot, and more importantly, working with her.

"Lucien, before you go out there, you need to know something. Vampyre's have a gift called compulsion. It allows them access into the minds of humans. Luckily, there is a plant that can prevent a Vampyre from controlling you as long as you wear at all times."

Pulling out the bracelet her father had gifted her all those years ago, she dangled it in front of the young Captain. Explaining that it contains Vervain, she explained the consequences that would occur if he ever removed the bracelet from his wrist. And then proceeded to give him a demonstration.

Grabbing the back of his neck, she forced his blue eyes to meet her hazel eyes. Barely giving him time to admire the golden flecks in them, her pupils began dilating and constricting.

"You will remember every moment of this conversation. Any detail I tell you in the future about Vampyre's, you will remember. On the other hand, you will not breathe a word of it to another living soul. You will never be able to utter the word to anyone but myself and my crew."

Clasping the bracelet around his wrist, she smiled at how tight the dainty chain looked on his muscular wrist. Reeling in shock, a small part of Lucien felt violated but he knew that Lyria was only doing it to protect her crew. Something that Lucien could admire. Nodding to each other one last time, they exited the tavern with a newfound alliance.