When not out on the sea, which was Killianâs favorite place to be, sailing the vast spread of water on his beloved ship and faithful crew, he often liked to stop by taverns. Drinking rum, charming the ladies, stealing money off of people where possible. It was never a dull time, though his goal still remained ever the same: To get revenge on the bloody crocodile who was responsible for killing his beloved and taking his hand. It became his purpose, his driving force. All the women he slept with, he was certain he wouldnât fall in love with. Alas, he liked to consider himself a gentleman, so he took care in ensuring that their time spent with him was well worth it for them. He prided himself on it, too.
It was another night at the tavern, and come dawn, theyâd be setting sail. The pirate was busy working his magic on a young, attractive woman whoâd shown interest in him when something else caught his eye. âPardon me, love,â he excused himself, his hook gently pushing her aside while he rose to his feet to look past her. There was a kid being yelled at by a few guys who were accusing her of stealing. And then just like that, a fight had broken out. He fully expected the girl to make a run for it, or beg for mercy and drop whatever money she had on her, but instead she fought back. It surprised even them, but it put a grin on Killianâs face. Three against one hardly seemed fair, and the fact that they were beating up on a kid also didnât sit well with him.
Boots thudded against the floorboards as Killian strode over towards the source of the commotion, his hook tapping one of the men on the shoulders. They turned around in response, only to be met with the pirateâs fist. The man wavered on his feet, stumbled a few steps, and then collapsed. Heâd be out cold for the next few hours. The remaining two were taken on with ease, the drunken bastards not standing a chance against a skilled pirate whoâs name was well known and both feared and respected, and a girl who was putting up a better fight than any of them had expected. She had a lot of potential, Killian thought.
To no surprise, after the men had been dealt with and were lying unconscious on the floor, the owner of the tavern had escorted him and the girl outside to prevent any further disturbances. The pirate captain spared the woman heâd been previously flirting with a glance and a wink on his way out, earning himself a playful smile. The tavern door was promptly shut behind them, thus leaving them alone. His crew would surely be joining him shortly, though.
âQuite the spitfire, arenât you?â He asked, turning to face the younger. After looking her up and down once, her size still proving to be somewhat of a shock, a grin graced his lips once more. âYou put up a good fight, lass. Might even make a decent pirate one day,â he quipped. It wasnât what most strove to be, for the term pirate wasnât a compliment. Pirates were seen as untrustworthy themes, and it wasnât too far from the truth. They did steal and they had proven themselves to be untrustworthy in their past, but Killian liked to keep his word. If he told someone they had his word, then he meant it. There was more to him than being an average pirate. He had code. âTell me,â the leather-clad man continued, a brow arching. âWhereâd you learn to fight like that?â
@serpentineblood















