Temptations

ɎChapter♠ThirteenɎ

 Rosalina made it five steps out of the tavern before she was pulled back into the scent of the ocean. The soldier had followed her out and clutched her hand like a vice. "Good sir, I believe I've said goodbyes. I'm not a whore for you to fuck and drop." He rolled his eyes, almost offended.

"Good thing I'm not looking for a whore then." She narrowed her eyes at his cheeky smile.

"And what are you looking for then?"

"Good company, I suppose." Rosalina opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off. "I don't plan on leaving your side for a while. Such a beautiful woman walking alone on the streets at such a late time is dangerous."

The soldier was handsome, young. His green eyes glowed whenever she smiled, and his hands were delicate on her waist, with a large build one would get from sails. Not a soldier then, a sailor if the scent of the ocean was anything to go on. The sword gleamed at his side, a lovely silver crusted handle, and good, sharp steel. Jack's sword had become dull and blunt, he could use a new one. And the coin purse at his side could pay for kegs of gin and rum.

"At least give me your name." She gave in, the treasures on his belt singing to her.

"Elias Keen," He bowed, sweeping an arm out exaggeratedly. "At your service. And yours?" Mocking the sailor she curtsied low on the ground.

"You can call me Rosa."

"No last name?" Her smirk answered her question. "Beautiful nonetheless."

"Mr. Keen, what are your intentions with me?" She spun on her heels, following an invisible line with each step away from him, spreading her arms out for balance.

"Good company, Miss Rosa." She stepped onto an elevated step, still balancing out her arms, but even though she never swayed once, he took a hand if only just to touch her.

"What would you consider as good, Mr. Keen?"

"Depends on the company, I think."

"I think you'd find me very dangerous company." She hopped down before him.

"How could a delicate woman such as yourself be dangerous company?" She stepped closer, their breaths mingling in the cold hair of the alley she'd led them to.

"You'll find out soon enough." They swayed backward until her back was to the wall, and Elias had his arms on her hips. "That is if you're brave enough." She purred. With one more sinister grin, his lips met hers.

Order versus chaos, they fought for dominance, kissing each other with the wildest of passions. His hands roamed her body, hiking up her leg around his waist as her own fingers twisted around his hair. "My my, Mr. Keen. You live up to your name." His lips traveled down to her neck, and she closed her eyes feeling the lust build up.

Maybe she could let him go, just once. She hadn't felt this good in a while, and she could always find gold somewhere else, she thought as he pushed himself up against her, eliciting a soft moan. Then again, as her leg brushed against the bag of coins on his waist, it called to her. The clinging of silver and copper hitting each other grew louder with each slow grind. And the sword at his side, what a marvelous sword it was.

Her hand slid down from his hair to his chest, and further down towards the sword's handle, all the while his mouth ravaging hers. With heavy breaths he pulled away slightly, hand gripping her waist. He smirked down at her. "Not dangerous enough it seems."

With an innocent smile, she whipped out a dagger from her thigh, holding it up to his neck. "I'd say just about." With a smile she pushed him off, holding the dagger at his neck. "Not one step." She said. But he didn't listen. With a grin of his own, Elias unsheathed his sword. It's marvelous steel reflecting the small lights of the streets.

"Of course you're a thief." He commented, a disappointed sigh leaving his plump lips. With a quick hand, she pulled out a second dagger. "Duel Wielding. A trained thief, then." She shrugged.

"Girls gotta do." With a growl, she launched at him, dagger aimed and ready, but he parried it with a quick maneuver.

The force behind the blade had her moving back, dumbstruck at the focused force. Maybe he deserved to walk out this alley alive, just a few coins and sword missing. "Not just a sailor are you, sir?" She said, catching Elias' swing with her daggers.

"Rear Admiral, believe it or not." She spun with a kick, bringing her blades up with her, scraping his cheek in a shallow wound.

" Young for such a rank." Rosalina swung again, spinning like a tornado in the ocean, a whirlpool of the deadliest kind, but he caught her momentum and pulled her back to him, sword to her neck. She turned her head to look at him, their lips skimming in the process. "I knew I smelled the ocean on you." With a quick elbow to the gut, she was out of his hold. Elias groaned but stood up ready once again.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were aiming for my life." he said, blocking another hit of her daggers.

He moved gracefully, swinging the sword effortlessly in perfect form. His feet shifted over the ground like a phantom, like water dancing in the form of a person. They took their time with their fight. There was nothing feral, or wild, about the duel. More like two civilized fighters, testing each other's skill, enjoying the match itself rather than the final victory.

"I'd say you were a smart man."

They swung at each other, blocking and dodging, nearly hitting each other but not quite. But he was skilled, she noticed, very skilled. With each swing, she was taking a step back, towards the wall. He'd been using the flat part of the blade, never putting her in any real danger. "Why don't you swing that sword for real, Mr. Keen."

"But then I'd be carrying a corpse to the hold." And within a blink of an eye, Elias moved so fast she had no time to react and quickly had her pinned to the wall, the sword at her neck once again. "Drop em." With a chuckle, she followed his orders.

"I'm impressed."

"Sadly I'm not. You'll head to the hold and pay for your crimes like the law says." Her eyes narrowed before a quick grin, and just like Rosalina, Elias found himself face against the wall, groaning in pain as the tip of a third blade was held against his side.

"You underestimate your opponents. So cocky and sure of yourself, Mr. Justice. There's no justice in England. I figured you'd at least know that." She growled in his ear. "Perhaps we'll meet again one day. But you should pray to God that day never comes." With a peck on his cheek. "Good night Mr. Keen." Elias had barely a second to register before the back of the blade was slammed against his head.

He fell to the floor, unconscious and limp. Rosalina tisked her tongue and said "men are too predictable," before plucking the coin purse out of his belt, and picking up the fallen sword. "Until next time, Mr. Keen," she said and walked away.