Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust; Sequel to Love is Weakness (Carlos De Vil) series

I Would Pick the Octopus

"Raven! It's okay, sweetheart. I'm getting us out of here." Carlos called to her, with no clue how he was going to do it.

Raven was awake, but barely able to keep her head up, still feeling the effects of the flower.

"Ugh. That was so kind and reassuring. I'm going to be sick." Groaned a sickly-sweet voice, in the shadows.

"Who the hell did that to her?" Carlos demanded, regarding the state of Raven's appearance.

"Isn't she pretty? What's wrong, you don't like her makeover? That hurts my feelings." Hartley quipped. "Besides, she was soaked to the bone when she came aboard. It would've been cruel to let her catch her death down here."

"You've gone too far, Hartley! The VKs are winning. There'll be no way out for you! Let her go!" Ordered Carlos.

"Kiss me, and I will." Dared Hartley.

"Forget it, Princess. Let her go, now! I won't say it again." He denied her.

"You remember that day, with the octopus...?" She mused.

"Yeah, I'm not playing your game." Scoffed Carlos.

"You trusted me. You trusted me so completely. You followed me to a place you didn't know, and you kept your eyes closed the entire time." Hartley continued.

"I was twelve. I'm not twelve anymore, and you're barely human!" Spat Carlos.

"Well, neither is she. All that sweet pixie blood coursing through her veins. I wonder, what kind of power flows through it?" Mused Hartley, inquisitively. "Tell me, is it true that they taste like honey?"

"I can't believe that I ever told you, I loved you!" Seethed Carlos, disgusted by her twisted words.

"I know, you meant it. You were so pure and innocent, so eager for a loving touch. You really would've kissed me, no questions asked." She drawled, poking at the memory.

"Now, if I had to choose, I would pick the octopus. No questions asked!" He spat her words back at her.

"Carlos?" She asked, stepping toward him, her smile creepy and flirtatious, "Don't you want to know, what I taste like?"

"Carlos..." Raven's weak voice sounded.

"Yes! Yeah, it's me, Black bird. I'm here." He attempted to comfort her.

"Just kiss her. If it'll make this nightmare end, do it!" She ordered the boy.

"No. I can't do that to you." Argued Carlos.

"Tick tock." Hartley pressed, losing patience.

"It's... fine, Carlos. I don't care. It doesn't matter now, anyway." Raven choked out, as tears stung her eyes.

Carlos searched Raven's tortured face. His heart sank at her words, but he didn't see another option.

"Let's get this over with." He grimaced at Hartley, then turned to Raven. "Don't look, Raven. Whatever you do. You don't need this memory."

"She has to look, or no deal." Hartley altered the agreement.

"Those weren't the terms!" Argued Carlos, angerly.

"There is no honor among pirates." Countered Hartley.

"You're sick!" Raven cried, in disgust.

"This is your whole plan, Hart? Don't you think this is all just a little sad, and pathetic? You had four years to humiliate me, why do this now?" Carlos demanded.

Hartley looked at Carlos pensively, and turned to glower at Raven.

"You know what to do." She addressed them both, dismissing his question.

Carlos walked toward the Princess of Hearts; and Raven made sure her eyes were open and focused on the two VKs.

Hartley pulled Carlos in by the back of his neck and kissed him, a deep kiss. She slithered her tongue into his mouth forcibly, as he struggled to keep it closed. She did not taste like honey. It was more like brine. Carlos felt ill. She smelled of ocean salt from the ship, it was a bitter scent. Hartley's hands snaked their way into his hair, and down his back, his body not responding to her, like he did Raven. His muscles were stiff and ridgid.

Raven was looking on, and seeing them together made a pit in her stomach. Her heart felt sick.

Out of nowhere, Hartley broke the kiss. She looked briefly into his eyes, and the disgust that lingered in them. Harley then abruptly sunk her teeth into his neck, breaking the skin.

"Ow! What the Hell? You said, a kiss! Nothing else!" Seethed Carlos, through gritted teeth-- rubbing the bit of blood off of his now injured neck.

"Don't you wish, I would have let you kiss me all those years ago?" She asked.

"You actually did me the biggest favor of my life. So for that, I should thank you!" Spat Carlos.

Hartley looked genuinely surprised at his lack of attraction to her, and lack of response to the kiss.

"Friggen succubus." Carlos muttered, still rubbing his neck.

Carlos didn't feel the "thing" that he once felt for Hartley. He was sure now that what he felt back then wasn't true love, but a facsimile of it. It was nothing compared to how he felt when he was with Raven. With her it was chemical, physical, emotional, and spiritual. It wasn't this. Whoever this creature is, it's not the Hartley he once knew.

"Whatever." Muttered Hartley, angrily, and full of hurt pride. "I'm bored with you both. You can take your pixie, and go."

Hartley reached into the front of her blood red corset, and pulled out a set of antique skeleton keys.

Carlos rolled his eyes.

"Thank you!" He gasped, impatiently.

Carlos ripped the keys out of Hartley's pale fingers, and went to unlock the chains. He pulled Raven down, and picked her up bridal style-- as she was still very weak.

Carlos had a bad feeling that this wasn't over. She didn't get what she wanted. Hartley thought that one kiss would turn everything around, and that he would be enchanted by her and choose to stay. Hartley underestimated his love for the pixie and the power that good intentions can bring. She was prideful, spiteful, and she didn't lose. She would be back. No one embarrassed the Princess of Hearts; he and Raven were still in danger.

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