The Collector |Sequel to Collector of Odd|

VI |Curses Come and Curses Go|

The worst curse is one that lives

          Blackbeard's quarters were what she remembered them to, elegantly dark. Her fingers skimmed across the large mahogany table, she felt the dust before she saw it coating her fingers. Her nose wrinkled, but she did not speak a word. It was strange how a ship could be so dusty, however, Mirela had a feeling that wasn't exactly the case. The gypsy was aware that Blackbeard held something dark, she'd seen him command his ship to life, it was unnatural. With a second finger Mirela skimmed it across the table, she eyed the dirt coating her fingers and a thought struck her. His ship was dying, whatever dark magic he used, it was taking a toll on what it encountered.

          With a barely noticeable shiver, Mirela brushed her fingers across her shirt, not worried about the smudge it left. "How did ye survive..?" His question came from somewhere behind her, she didn't turn though, she continued to prowl his quarters. Her eyes lingering on the pieces that had not been there the last time she was here. She paused in front of a map that was hanging on the wall, her fingers traced nimble over the very lines she had drawn for him. Her lips tilted into a smirk. "I see you didn't find what you were looking for then." It wasn't a question, merely a statement she hoped would ruffle his feathers. The grunt from him in response told her she had succeeded.

          "I already knew you were planning on getting rid of me, the fire was unexpected however. I applaud your efforts." She turned as she spoke, noticing he stood behind the large chair at the head of the table, his char. She stepped up to the chair at the opposite end of the table, her left hand came to gently rest on the back of it. Mirela eyed the man before her. He had aged significantly since she had last saw him. Her brows scrunched. Maybe it wasn't just his ship that was dying.

          "Like with the dust, I merely made you see what I wanted you to see. I let you see me burn." The gypsy titled her head to the right, her hair falling over the back of her shoulder as she did. Her right hand came up to tug the collar of her shirt away. In the dim light, Blackbeard's eyes looked more blue than green, and those blue orbs were instantly locked on the burn that started an inch up the left side of her neck and trailed across the top of her shoulder. The scars were an angry pink, puckered and wrinkled from what he assumed was her lack of rest during the time the wound needed to heal.

          She was looking at him head on now, the scar out of sight as she righted her posture. "Unless my heart is out of my chest, or my head is not attached, you should always assume I survived." Her words were icy as she spoke, her once aloof expression was now resentful. Blackbeard slowly began to realize why she had always warned him to mind his manners around her. At the time, he simply thought she was taunting him, trying to get under his skin. Now, however, he understood that she had been warning him. The whispers were true, she truly was a force to be reckoned with.

          "What is it ye want then? Ye did not come all this way just to spite me." His blue eyes narrowed at her, and for a moment Mirela simply stared at him. His eyes looked like the ocean. Blue, but with a tinge of green from the moss below. The gypsy turned her back to him, a sign she obviously did not see him as a threat. Blackbeard bristled at the show of disrespect, but really, did she have a reason to fear him? She had willingly been bitten by the flames for him to believe he had won, she had escaped from death without so much as a bat of her eye. For a moment, Blackbeard believe she did have ties to the sirens below.

          "I'm here to look after Jack." She had spoken carelessly, her fingers skimming across one of his many stolen paintings. Mirela took note that Blackbeard did not seem like he was going to speak, maybe he hadn't heard her, or maybe he didn't know what to say. "Your daughter.." She spat out the term, her lips curling over those sparkling canines. "has taken it upon herself to play with what is not hers." Mirela spun on her heels, her hair fanning around her in response. "Gypsy's are possessive beings, and while your daughter is simply doing what I assume you are telling her to. She is dull and will get herself killed if she keeps taunting me." Mirela was standing near the door to his quarters now, her fingers fiddling with one of the many hats he had.

          "Do not think I won't toss you in the brig" Mirela was sure he was going to say more, but her eyes stopped him. Hazel orbs seemed to darken like the sky during a storm, her pupils were dilated in what he feared was rage. "Do not threaten me, Blackbeard." Her tone was sharp, matching the teeth she bared at him. "I do not care what you have planned for Jack. I am only here to keep the idiot alive and to make sure your draft daughter stays away from what is mine." Hissing her words, Mirela snatched the three-point hat she had been fiddling with a left Blackbeard's quarters without so much as a second glance. The gypsy was done talking.

          As the gypsy left, Blackbeard was finally able to fall into his chair, his hands scraped angrily across his face. He knew when he stumbled across her on one of his many searches for the fountain of youth that it wasn't an accident. Yet for some reason he had fallen for her charm like every other man. He had the urge to cage her when he found her, lock her up so she couldn't escape, but she had batted her eyes at him and purred words he couldn't deny. She had offered to help him, he only needed help her in turn. As it turned out she was the only one that gained anything from their meetings and after she had sent him on many pointless hunts he had snapped. The only way to rid himself of her was to kill her. As it turned out though, he had merely cursed himself even more.

          Blackbeard snarled, his hat was thrown carelessly across his quarters along with what was perched upon the table before him. "I'll kill them both once this is over."