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A Pirate's Life

Volume 4: Parlay is cheap

(Warning: this story contains a suggestive scene but no actual description of sex it's to progress the story)

A day ago Laura had taken a big risk by approaching Captain Black Ear's crew, they were unruly and some were the worst kind of scum. She still had her weapons though, her blade pistols were tucked neatly behind her obscured from any normal front view.

"Hey there lass! Why doncha come have a drink with us!" said the male fox, obviously he was already drunk, and the other two characters he was with, a pit bull, and bear, seemed no better. She confidently sauntered over.

"I'm looking for Captain Black Ear." She brushed back her hair over her shoulders. The males looked at each other then all grinned.

"Well you be lookin in the right place then, we be his crew." Grinned the fox to her. "I be Albert, and this mashed faced pup be Gabe, and this big fellow here be Brutis." He pointed to each as he introduced them.

Laura stayed standing and declined the offer to sit when Albert patted the empty seat next to him. They were dressed in typical attire for a pirate, however, Brutis had a large axe with him, and Gabe seemed to only carry a dagger on is belt.

"I have business with your Captain and wish to parlay with him." She shifted her weight and her tail flicked in annoyance as once more Albert patted the seat next to him.

"We can give ye your parlay with the Captain, but first you have to par-lay with us." Albert stood up looking over Laura while licking his lips, he started towards her fingers flexing lecherously. Laura did not have time for this male's foolishness, suddenly with the blink of an eye Albert found himself staring down the barrel of a pistol. The blade attached underneath hovering mere inches from his lips.

Albert was so stunned that he stopped and looked down the barrel for a while before his mind processed the thought. He backed up a step and held up his hands. The entire bar stopped to look at the she-wolf threatening the vulpine.

"They call me Lead-slinger of the Siren's Song." She growled and cocked the hammer of the pistol. A soft murmur from the bar rose up.

"You be a fake! Lead-slinger be dead!" suddenly yelled out a beagle bar patron. She didn't look in the patron's direction, not even a glance and in a split-second Laura smoothly drew her other pistol in her off-hand, cocked it and fired over her shoulder; using only the reflection from the bar mirror to aim. The bullet shattered the mug in the canine's hand, he yelped and dropped what was left of the glass. Then entire bar murmured, yep it was she was the real deal.

"Who's dead...?" Laura said as she raised the fired pistol's barrel to her lips and blew the smoke away, the barrel made an ominous hooting sound as she blew. Then with a flash of twirling steel and wood the pistol was smoothly tucked back behind her in its holster.

"Uh...p-p-parlay m'lady...?" Albert said meekly with a nervous smile.

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Now in the present, being lead by an ensemble of pirates from the Lucid Tide, Laura was being escorted back to the Siren's Song. Of course Captain Black Ear had said something about collecting from Erik for the services of being a delivery boy, but had not elaborated any further.

The crew held her back hiding her behind their ranks as they approached the Siren's Song. Laura didn't know what they were in a huff about and she had not seen Black Ear since yesterday. Brutis had come back to the ship shook up. What the hell was going on?

Suddenly she heard a familiar voice of first mate Celese. The doberman was standing on the gangplank as the other pirate women stood behind her as proud as ever.

"So come to get your Captain back?" in a tone that made it seem as if the female canine was taunting them. The Crew of the Lucid Tide growled in an unpleasant tone.

"It be past noon! Our Captain has been on ye ship more than twenty-four hours! We be demanding his return!" Albert said in a shaky but brave tone. The rest of the crew shouted in agreement. Then suddenly Captain Black Ear's voice broke through the noise.

"A vast ye squabbling smile! Pipe down! I be right here!" Captain Black Ear stepped out on the deck of the Siren's Song. He was walking a bit funny but seemed to be relatively unharmed. Immediately the crew of the Lucid Tide went silent to listen to their Captain.

"First off, the ship... be she ready for sailin' first mate Albert?!" The Captain seemed to have a more jovial tone to his voice than normal, which unnerved the rest of the crew.

"Aye my Captain!" Albert said saluting, the fox flicked his tail back and forth, a sign of relief that his Captain was fine.

"Good, now second of all... I want all of ye to know that I have been negotiating with Captain Erik and his crew." He paused watching the reaction from the pirates as they whispered among themselves. At this point Erik stepped out on deck as well.

"I want to thank Captain Erik's crew... for their hospitality, as well as for not hurtin me while I was a guest. I be proclaiming a truce between the crew of the Lucid Tide and the crew of the Siren's Song!" Black Ear was definitely more upbeat than normal. Laura had to wonder if it was the fault of the terrible trio. Selena, Helen and Frenchie were notorious for their female gangbangs. Sometimes in just a day, they could leave a poor male victim in a near catatonic state of bliss.

Black Ear then turned to Erik and held up his left hand while putting his right over his heart, and in one of the rarest moments the crew of the Lucid Tide saw their Captain smile.

"I swear by the pirate code of honor that we be friends... nay brothers!" Black Ear then lowered his left hand and extended his right. Erik grasped Black Ear's hand and shook it firmly.

The crew of the Siren's Song watched the two pirate Captain's exchange hearty farewells. Selena, Helen, and Frenchie all smiled to Mason Black Ear as he left with a slight limp in his walk.

"Four timez..." Frenchie said with a smile holding up her hand showing digits.

"Three..." Helen remarked smirking slyly.

"Six..." Selena said with a gibbering and satisfied sigh. The other two looked to Selena with an arched eyebrow, but Selena just smiled to them and shrugged.

Black Ear walked down the gangplank to stand in front of his crew who were staring at the smiling lion. He looked back at the Siren's Song to see Helen, Selena, and Frenchie leaning over the side looking at him.

"Au revoir..." he gave a bow of his head to the ladies then turned to his crew. Suddenly his smile vanished.

"Well what are you waiting for, next century? stop your damn gapping lollygagging you beldrats, and get back to the fuckin ship!" he yelled and pointed in the general direction of the Lucid Tide. His crew immediately hauled tail almost in a stamped to get back to their vessel. Mason followed after his crew with a proud but painful stride.

As the crowd of pirates from the Lucid Tide dispersed they left one person behind, there standing on the docks and then walking up the gangplank came a very alive Laura. The crew of the Siren's Song was stunned; nearly a month ago they had got into a port and were ambushed by new democracy soldiers. Laura was last seen trying to busy the crew time fending off nearly a dozen soldiers, she had been overwhelmed and the last they heard was a gunshot.

Her funeral had been a terrible agony on the crew, yet they promised that if ever one of their numbers fell they would grieve for three days and then move on. It was the way of a pirate; your crewmate was lost but not forgotten. However, seeing Laura alive it was as if a miracle had happened, her return was like a gift from the seas.

Joyful shouts and cries came from the female crew as they ran up to hug Laura, some of the girls started crying, Celese planted a big wet kiss upon Laura's cheek. Laura was so overwhelmed by the moment she almost forgot the urgency of her mission.

Then Laura looked up and saw Erik standing there his eyes beginning to well up tears and she snapped back to her senses. With determination, she forced her emotions back, she had to warn Erik.

"Captain!" she yelled, the entire crew of the Siren's Song backed off expecting her to run to Erik and hug him or kiss him, which might have been allowable considering the situation. Instead the she-wolf ran up and saluted him, at this moment Clara had been disturbed by the ruckus on deck stepped out from the Captain's quarters.

"I have news to report! There is a trap being set for you! Treachery! Assassin!" she blurted out desperately trying to form coherent words over her emotional turmoil. Then Laura spotted Clara. A flash of cold steel and Laura's pistols were draw and trained on Clara. Erik was stunned but stepped in front of Laura.

"What are you doing?!" Erik yelled. Laura still kept her pistols trained on Clara, the rest of the crew also had weapon's draw; some of them pointed pistols as Laura, some on Clara, while others just drew weapons and got ready for the shit to hit the fan.

It was a tense moment; everyone was on a razor's edge. Erik looked into Laura's eyes and she stared back with a steely gaze. Clara was unmoving as Laura slowly edged forward both pistols pointed. She moved up next to Erik staring at the female rodent.

"I was told that there was an assassin that they hired to kill you... and that she was posing as a civilian... Captain they know our patterns..." Laura's voice shook with determination. Clara gazed back at Laura and the crew and then sighed looking down.

"Yes... I-I was hired to kill him but I won't... I can't..." said Clara. Erik turned to Clara with wide eyes. It was true! An assassin in his bed all along! Suddenly the crack of a whip was heard and Helen had skillfully twined her lash around the mouse pinning Clara's arms to her sides.

"Got her!" Helen yelled the whip coiled tightly around Clara immobilizing her, the all women crew gave battle cries as they descended upon the mouse so they could tear her to ribbon.

"Stop!" Erik's voice boomed and the crew halted in their tracks, Tal had to tumble to one side to avoid impaling the mouse's throat with her rapier. Tal rolled to her feet and looked to her Captain.

"There will be no killing... yet, there will be no torture... however, we will interrogate under guard... t-take her to the brig." Erik said his voice trailing off as he turned to walk back into his cabin. Laura holstered both pistols and followed Erik silently for her debriefing.

"He said no killing, and no torturing, but he didn't say a thing about knocking out, goodnight!" with a solid thunk, Leanne struck Clara on the back of the head with the pommel of her dagger and Clara crumpled to the ground darkness taking her.

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Laura told her entire story to Erik, how she was indeed shot but not killed, then captured and nursed back to health, only to be raped and interrogated on the Scarlet Squall. Then she told him of the traitor. She had never seen him but heard his voice telling her things. Things about the Captain of the ship, of Triton's Chest, the assassin that was hired and how a trap was being set. Contingency upon contingency was the effort to entrap or kill Erik.

Karen watched over Clara as she lay unconscious. They had tied her up and treated her a bit roughly throwing her into the brig. Yet the razorback was not all that sure that Clara was a cold hearted killer. Then Karen heard the brig hatch open and stood up straight watching the Captain walk in.

"Leave us..." he instructed and Karen hesitantly exited the room. Erik sat down on the provided stool and looked to Clara. He still was in shock, she was hired to kill him, yet the words she had spoken, she can't, she won't. Clara stirred and groggily opened her eyes her gaze settling upon Erik.

"So first of all, tell me who hired you..." Erik's voice showed no hint of emotion.

"His name is Thadius Henningsway, he hired me out through my freelance contacts." She replied but did not give any further explanation, preferring Erik to ask all the questions he wanted, she would give the answers.

"And how were you planning to kill me?" Erik shifted uncomfortably.

"Not in a conventional sense." She would have to explain this to him, it was hard enough for her to wrap her head around the concept yet alone others. Erik was befuddled as well but he'd get back to that question.

"You said you would not kill me... why?" His eyes gazed into hers. Clara was hesitant but began her tale.

"True I'm an assassin, if I can be allowed to explain. When I was little I found out I could hear peoples' thoughts. All I had to do concentrate on them and I could ear them thinking. I use finish my friends sentences before they could..." Clara lowered her eyes as she continued.

"Then one day I was listening to my friend's thoughts and she began to bleed from her nose. I tried to find out what was wrong by forcing myself to hear her thoughts. She died that day... I found out if I now try to listen to peoples' thoughts that I kill them." A tear ran down Clara's cheek.

"I didn't want to be a monster. Eventually an officer named Victor Korbas found out about my... gift. He too could hear thoughts, but he could control it to a greater degree. He inducted me into a program where they trained me to read thoughts to kill... in the name of the new democracy..." Clara was now letting it spill forth from her, she would tell Erik everything.

"I did a few missions where I did assassinate man bad people, I would only kill the bad ones. Do you recall an ambassador Keldor?" She inquired to which Erik nodded.

"Yes I remember him, non-negotiable, sadist, murderer; someone put a stick of dynamite in his mouth didn't they?" Erik's question was answered by Clara shaking her head.

"No... that was me... I was in the next room to him. He was such a terrible person I focused all my abilities on him and his head exploded. It was the first time I really wanted someone to die... but..." Clara now sat up and looked down at the floor.

"My last mission I killed someone that wasn't bad, but I was forced to do it in the name of the new democracy. After that mission I began to question myself. However, my mentor Victor knew that it was not the life I had chosen. So he helped me escape, as a result for his failure in letting their secret weapon go he was demoted, last I heard he was stuck on some ship far away." Clara thoughtfully placed her words now.

"So now I hire out as an assassin. Under a guise of course, I offer my services to kill people who are evil. Henningsway told me you were a vile person, but I had to see for myself. Your not vile, or evil Erik, you're a good person at heart, just a bit misdirected." Clara looked up to him, tears were welling in the tiger's eyes.

"And how would you know what kind of person I am?! Did get into my brain in order to see what I was thinking?!" he roared, his emotions were getting the better of him.

"No if I did read your mind I'd eventually kill you, and from what I've seen your not the evil pirate that Henningsway made you out to be." Clara and Erik locked gazes for a long while before Erik spoke again.

"Then read my thoughts..." he challenged. Clara's eyes widened in horror.

"No! I won't!" she rebutted firmly.

"Just for a moment...find out what I'm thinking and I'll consider letting you out." Erik was now playing a dangerous gambit, he was testing to see if what she said was true. If she did read his thoughts would his head explode as well?

Clara shook her head defiantly.

"Do it damn you!" He yelled.

Suddenly searing pain briefly shot thought his head and Erik fell to his knees, and grasped his head. Slowly the pain subsided and Erik huffed feeling warm liquid running over his lips. His nose was bleeding; he wiped off the blood and looked at Clara who was now crying tears streaming down her face.

Once more she had been forced to do what she hated to do, especially to someone who did not deserve it. She looked up to Erik with a shaky smile.

"I'm sorry I broke your heart..." Clara said sorrow welling in her voice, then she collapsed into a river of sobs and tears. Erik looked down staring at his own blood on his hands. With his other hand he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. She could have killed him anytime she wanted, yet all this time she was testing him.

The brig cell door opened and Clara looked up to Erik who pulled a dagger from his boot. He moved up and gently sawed the ropes holding her letting them drop to the floor. Clara was speechless and still sniffling from the ordeal.

"My nose is bleeding..." Erik said sniffing and wiping the blood off again, however the flow was slowly subsiding.

"It will go away..." Clara responded hugging her arms to herself.

"My head hurts..." He sat down next to her.

"Mines to..." she said, rubbing the spot where Leanne had hit her.

"So what is your real name?" Erik asked.

"Vivian..." She replied

"I like Clara better." He again wiped his nose which now stopped bleeding.

"So now what?" He asked with a sigh.

"Now I apologize for hurting you." Clara moved up and kissed him tenderly. Erik jerked back a bit but accepted her affections. His hands were unsteady as he wrapped them around her waist pulling her to him. Kissing her back; things would definitely not be the same between them. Not now and not ever again.

Clara slowly and deliberately removed her dress and pressed up to Erik carefully, her touches so soft and warm. Erik had to muster all his willpower not to pull away from this lethal female. He had to wonder, if she could hear his thoughts what other things could she do with her mind. His doubt was being slowly replaced by passion and soon, he didn't care any longer about how dangerous she was. His own clothes being quickly discarded as Clara, his captive, his lover, and would be assassin surrendered her body to him on the cold wooden floor, in the brig of the Siren's Song.

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Captain Henningsway watched through the day as the Dark Exodus left first, then the Lucid Tide. As the Mermaid's Kiss was pulling out of the cove, a scout came running up to him.

"Captain! Captain! The Mermaid's Kiss was sunk in the battle of twenty cannons off the shore of Taylor cove! That ship is not the Mermaid's Kiss!" the scout pointed with one hand and waved a document in the other.

"Get me to my fucking ship! Now!" Henningsway snarled and ran for the landing crafts. He would have to be swift to catch that craft. He wanted that gold and the pirate's head to go with it!

The crew hastily grabbed up tents leaving some gear behind as well as they ran for the boats to return to the Scarlet Squall.

Meanwhile aboard the vessel Victor sat with his eyes closed his head milling about. Suddenly his eyes snapped open; Rath looked at his friend with concern. Victor's odd behavior was interrupting their game of poker, of course all they had to bet was pebbles but it was still fun.

"Vic? You ok?" Rath asked as he held his cards. Right now Rath had a full house of fives and eights. Jon, who was sitting to his left looked nervous, Jon probably had junk, but it was undetermined what Victor had.

"Vivian... your in so much pain..." Victor said and looked to the north. For a long while Victor was frozen in place unflinching. Victor's expressions changed first he seemed sad, then angry, then sad again.

Rath and Jon looked at each other then back to Victor who was staring at the wall making faces. Finally after what seemed like an eternity Rath cleared his throat and Victor stirred looking to Rath.

"Earth to Victor?" Rath inquired. Victor had a sad look on his face but then his expression softened until finally he regained his natural poker face that he always had.

"Glad your happy again... m'dear." Victor said with a smile and set his cards down showing he had a straight from five to ten.

"Aw shit!" Rath said throwing down his cards and muttering curses pushing the pile of pebbles to Victor.

"Aw shit on a stick!" Jon huffed showing he had only a high pair of aces and pushed his rocks to the black wolf as well.

"Well time for us to go Captain's coming back anytime now..." Victor said gathering up the pebbles and sweeping them into a little pouch he kept for such occasions. Then he stood up and as usual seemed to meld into the shadows.

"I really though I had him this time." Rath frowned "It's like he can read your mind or something..."

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The crew of the Siren's Song had pushed off as ordered and was well on the way out of the cove. It had been quite some time since Erik had been down in the brig and they began to worry.

However, there was relief when Erik stepped out of the brig seemingly unharmed.

"Listen up ladies!" Erik said rubbing the back of his head.

"Clara is an assassin, but she is not going to hurt or kill anyone here." As Erik spoke Clara emerged looking down at the ground.

"I'm sorry that I deceived everyone, but your Captain is a good man and a fine pirate all at the same time." She said with shakiness. She expected the crew to hate her at the moment, however, Elizabeth approached Clara and put a hand on her shoulder.

"That's why I haven't left yet. This crew, is like family; this ship, like home; and Erik is like a brother, leader, and sex symbol to us all." The crew looked a bit stunned at Elizabeth's comment. The lioness looked back over her shoulder to them.

"You really didn't think that I've never thought inappropriate thoughts about the Captain now did you girls?" Elizabeth gave a coy smile to them, then gave Clara a hug.

"Its alright love we know Erik is a good man sometimes too good for us, but he makes a fine Captain." Elizabeth finished. The crew all let out a "YAAARR!" and Erik smiled with a bit of embarrassment.

Then each of the crew members approached Clara and gave her a hug. Leanne even apologized for hitting Clara on the back of the head. The last one was Laura who was still skeptical.

"Look here, I still don't trust you... but I do respect you and that is as good as trust. We'll make sure to safely drop you off at the next port." Laura said extending a hand. Clara shook her hand and smiled.

"I don't know why, but this crew has grown on me. I like them, all of them, and weather you'll keep me on this ship as the Captain's relief or return me to land I'll always have this ship and its crew in my heart." Clara then backed up and looked at them, all ladies, all pirates, all friends. Suddenly she gasped and grasped her head falling to her knees.

"Victor?! Wha? Now?!" Clara blabbed and then looked to Erik "We're in danger!"

"Captain! We are being followed!" Came a voice from the crow's nest, Janice had spoken for the first time in months. She looked through her telescope, mounted on her rifle, at the speck in the distance. "New Democracy ship on our heels!"

"Hoist the mainsail! Full speed ahead! We'll try to out run them!" Erik shouted commands as Celese barked orders as well. Polly was squawking in a bit of a panic.

"I want flames shooting out of her ass ladies! If not we'll be in for a fight!" Erik ran up to the wheel and took hold of it from Celese, looking back over his shoulder at the new democracy ship. Erik gritted his teeth

"Catch us if you can bastards..." Erik hissed as the winds caught his ships sails.