Emily's skin went cold under Conner's hand and she trembled unable to pull her eyes free of his burning glare anymore then she could hope to pull out of his grip. She felt the first warm tears sliding down her face. "Please don't kill me." Captain Teirly's face split in a cruel smile.
"I see no cause to kill ya Miss Perrington." His hand slid away the rough skinned fingers tracing so gently across the sensitive skin of her wrist that she shivered as he pulled the bottle to his mouth and drank deeply without releasing her from his gaze. It was like a great serpent, an ancient dragon of the sea, had fixed her with its deadly gaze and she could do nothing but wait for the strike. The touch of his skin and the strength of his eyes had stirred something in her and she dared to believe she might make it through this night alive what scared her though was what may done to her in lieu of execution. She had never felt the kind of excitement, that now grew along with her fear, even while exploring and pleasuring herself and she found herself wondering if the pirate demanded she serve his lusts would she do so as a matter of survival or as a wanton creature willingly submitting to a predator. He handed the bottle back in silence.
"I think I should go."
"We had a deal. Belt for belt straight to the bottom."
"I don't think I should let myself drink that much with a man looking to avenge himself against my father."
"Have ya any inkling what might happen should I shout yer name here Miss Perrington?" She froze amid gathering her skirts about her to rise then shook her head. He smiled more cruelly and wider then ever before he spoke. "I don't think you'll find many friends of yer father in this Inn. Those what don't bare his brand have likely been on the raw end of one of his salvage claims. So you can share a drink with me or likely wind up sharing a bit more with all the other gents. Unless ya believe they'd keep their manners with the half native illegitimate child of a man they hate." He tipped the bottle neck towards her again and she took it quickly drinking rather deeply wanting to feel the relaxing warmth of the rich liquor. "Smart girl." The bottle passed between them a few more times in silence before Emily found her voice again. "Are you going to kill my Father?" He looked her over smiling. Not the vicious smile of the sea dragon, this one was both frightening and exciting. When her Father's friends had looked her over in this way it had always met with her disgust but here in this powerless situation, surrounded by cruel enemies, drunk, and unarmed she felt herself growing aroused. He was rugged and strong and very different from the world of her father and his rules and customs. The rules and customs to which they only held in convenience and cast aside when the opportunity to gain was presented. She was not sure why but she did not doubt Captain Teirly's tale of her father's treachery. Though she had only known kindness and firm guidance from the man, those in his company had certainly over the years shown her their capacity for deception and opportunism when it came to trying to lure her virtues from her. Only now did her father's own lesson of 'judging a man by his company' seem to apply itself to that same teacher. "Its true yer Da took A life from me but he did not take my life so I'll not take his." He drained all but the last dregs from the bottle and pushed it back to her. She took the final belt and looked back at him; the room twisting around him as she tried to focus. She had never been this drunk.
