My Pirate Lover by Lexie Stewart

his own attack.
    Captain Bloody’s many layers of clothing provided him a degree of protection but Lance’s blade found his meat.
    Captain Bloody’s eyes narrowed and with a mighty roar, he swung his sword like a baseball bat.
    Their swords clashed and they were locked together.
    Lance gave a grunt of pain and when they parted there was something sticking out of his neck.
    He retreated beyond the reach of Captain Bloody’s blade and plucked the thing from his neck.
    Captain Bloody made no effort to close the distance between them. He just watched, smiling.
    “Lance!” cried Joe. The youth took the sharp thing from Lance’s hand and gave a moan of despair.
    “It’s nothing,” said Lance.
    “It’s a tranquilizer dart,” said Joe.
    Lance gave him a look of incomprehension.
    “It will knock you out,” said Joe.
    Lance shook his head but already his vision was blurring.
    Captain Bloody stretched an arm out rigid in front of him, fingers splayed.
    “See?” he yelled. “See how I control this man you think so mighty?”
    “It’s not magic!” cried Lance. “He’s not… a god. It’s just… a drug…” His words slurred and he slumped backwards.
    Joe tried to catch him but only managed to get dragged down with him.
    Captain Bloody’s boots stomped towards them. Laughter rolled around inside him like thunder in a barrel.
    “Looks like there’ll be a plank walkin’ tonight!”
    #
    Walking a wobbly plank of wood barely two feet across, protruding from a ship rocking up and down and swaying back and forth is not easy.
    Especially with an audience of jeering pirates.
    Lance, still groggy from the dart, and Joe were taking the walk together.
    “ ‘Tis a shame you be leavin’ so soon, Captain Breakheart!” said Captain Bloody, his one mad eye spinning gleefully. “But ye needn’t worry. I’ll take good care o’ yer ship, matey!”
    “I’m gonna hunt you down!” said Lance.
    “Are ya now?” said captain Bloody. “And what will ya be doin’ then?”
    “I don’t know,” said Lance, “but it’s gonna be really bad.”
    It was a lame threat but Lance wasn’t at his best. Joe’s fingernails were digging into his arm hard enough to draw blood and the further out they went, the more wildly the plank bounced.
    “Look out fishies!” sang Captain Bloody. “Dinner’s comin’!”
    At his word, the pirates prodded with swords and boarding pikes, pushing the captives out along the plank until they stood on its very edge. Some of the more impatient pirates drew pistols.
    “Can you swim, Sailor Joe?” asked Lance, his gaze set on the distant shape of an island.
    “Aye, Cap’n!”
    “Good.”
    They jumped.
    #
    Lance and Joe swam to the island and dragged themselves ashore.
    The island was breathtakingly beautiful. It had white sand, sapphire blue water and lush greenery.
    It looked like a postcard people on holiday send to their friends back home to make them jealous.
    There was, however, nothing to eat or drink, just sand and a few trees and that was it.
    Joe and Lance stood dripping and panting, taking in their new home while the water lapped at their feet.
    “I’m sorry it’s come to this, lad.“ said Lance. “You fought like a tiger!”
    “Tigress,” said Joe.
    “What?”
    “You mean to say, I fought like a tigress.”
    “Josie?” said Lance in amazement.
    He stepped forward and removed the woollen cap from her head. Josephine’s dark hair fell down over her shoulders.
    Lance touched the moustache she’d created from hair she’d pulled from the hairbrush. He pinched one end and ripped it off.
    “Josie!” he cried and swept her into his arms. Remembering himself, he stepped back and held her at arm’s length. “I told you to stay in my cabin!”
    “You didn’t tell my alter ego Joe to stay in your cabin.”
    “Well, lass, I can’t see there’s much point in squabbling about it now.”
    Lance walked out of the water and sat down on the sand. Josephine plopped down beside