Vicious as a Darling (Daughters of Neverland Book 1) Page 3
“If only that would work,” I tease, before my smile drops. “No, there’s a reason he chose the stars rather than the sea when we were given a choice. When you’re in the stars, it’s easy to imagine Neverland doesn’t exist at all.” As I look out of the window, Smee watching me closely, I swear I can hear the ticking of a clock in the distance.
Time. We’re all running out of time.
Chapter Three
Sailing the seas of Neverland is an odd concept. There are waves and wind currents, but they all lead always to the same blasted thing: the mass of land at the center of this insane world. You can’t leave, can’t just sail away, can’t escape, because every single outlet brings you right back to Neverland. I’ve often wondered if it’s different for the Captain of the Stars, if he follows the wind current only to arrive right back to the center. Sometimes, I can catch him above the clouds, sailing in his unusual flying ship. I’ve wondered if he’s checking on me but dismiss it. We only have so much area to sail; it’s inevitable we’ll run into each other from time to time, even if we hardly ever speak.
The fishbowl is both my nightmare and soothing. A nightmare because I’ve longed to leave for ages, and soothing because it takes away the guesswork, the stress, about which direction to go. It doesn’t really matter where you turn because you always end up in the same place anyways.
Now, looking at myself at this age I’d never been in my world, I had to grow quickly into a woman. I’d never been a child, even less so once I got to Neverland and was Chosen, but turning into a woman while here created some interesting problems, especially when I wasn’t the only one changing.
My crew used to be made up of boys and young men. Now it’s made up of the occasional child Peter brings and mostly men. The problem with that was they noticed I became a woman as well. Most respected my position as their captain, but a few grew brave enough to proposition me, and I’d been tempted. I’d been very, very tempted. I’m no virgin, but even after all this time of celibacy, I know it would be a bad idea to sleep with a member of my crew. Besides, once we get on land, there will be other options anyways; I just haven’t made it to that point. Once I made it clear to my crew I had no plans to start a romance with any of them, they backed off, far more respectful than one would think a crew of pirates could be.
As stupid as it is, my heart only seems to beat for one man, and I hate that it does. First thing I’ll be doing when we arrive on land is flush him out of my system once and for all. Tink’s men are a little too blood-thirsty for my tastes, the fairy men are far more brutal than I can handle. They’re great to look at, even when they were young adults. I can’t imagine what they look like now, if they’ve been affected by the same problem as we have. I’d spent time with one of Tink’s men long ago, and while there aren’t bad memories of the time, it had felt empty. I haven’t repeated the action.
Tiger Lily’s men are the safer option. While still brutal and powerful, they’re always kind to me, always respectful. Not once has any of them ever run their eyes lecherously over my form. No, in the Tribes, it’s a woman’s place to pursue a man, because she holds the reins. The Tribes are a matriarchal community, and Tiger Lily is strict on what is and what isn’t allowed. Men are put to death for stepping out of line, for pursuing a woman if she says no.
I’d sent out the letters the day before, but not in any way we used to send mail back in my world. The Daughters and Leaders have a connection. All it takes to send a letter for me is to write what I need to say, close my eyes, and project it out into Neverland. It always delivers and there’s no mistaking who it’s from. It’s a handy power we all seem to have.
Slowly, the fog begins to roll across the water around us as we draw closer to the main mass of Neverland. There are other islands off the main one, some inhabited by other creatures, some not, but by far the most terrifying one of all is Skull Rock.
Nothing grows on the small island. There are no living creatures there. It’s just a large mass of gray rock, and nothing else. The only feature on the entire island is a cave. A glow always seems to illuminate from deep within, an orange light that pierces through the fog like a beacon. I’ve never had to go inside, thankfully, but I know the stories. The mouth of the cave serves as a depiction of a skull, jagged rocks forming sharp teeth. There are even eyes to complete the look, the glow shining bright no matter the time of the day.
It’s impossible to dock in the cove without passing by Skull Rock, so we always have to suffer the screams.
Before I came to Neverland, before Daughters and Leaders were chosen to keep the peace, Neverland’s magic was kept alive by blood. Within the caves of Skull Rock, there’s an altar where sacrifices were made every quarter moon. Too many lives were lost to useless prayers, and those who died in vain haunt the island. The souls of those who died scream as you pass, begging you to come on land, to go away, to save them, to let them swallow you whole. There have been rumors that a few have been brave enough to explore the island; none have survived. Even as long as I’ve been in Neverland, Skull Rock still terrifies me, and I’ve never urged my crew to go there. It’s best to let some evil lie.
The problem is, evil isn’t just within Skull Rock. Evil is in the very make up of Neverland, and although things are changing with our appearances, it still feels as if Neverland wants to eat us all and make our deaths swift.
Slowly, carefully, we sail past the haunted island, the fog growing thicker even though the sun still penetrates and helps light the way. Once on the main landmass, it’ll be as if it’s permanently night. I don’t know how the Tribes and Tink’s Coven handle it. I would miss the sun too much.
“Land ho!” Whirlpool Walter shouts from the crow’s nest. I have no idea how he received the name, already dubbed the moniker before I arrived, but he’s a good crew member. He also has the sharpest eyes of the crew and perfectly suited to the crow’s nest. “Ship ho!” he shouts just as quickly, and I twist around, searching.
I see it nearly thirty seconds after Whirlpool Walter does, the massive ship dropping from between the clouds, the glittering underbelly passing right over us and falling gracefully towards the water. My ship is normal, meant to sail the seas, but this one is meant to sail the stars, the sails giant billowing balloons rather than sheets. I’ve always wondered how it steers, how it flies, but have never been curious enough to ask the Captain.
The ship, perfectly named ‘The Star Chaser’, dips into the sea before us, not only touching down but blocking the way to Neverland. If they don’t move, we can’t get to the meeting. My lips twist into a snarl before I can help it. It’s just like him to play games.
I raise my hand, pissed The Star Chaser has already taken a position for battle. I won’t be intimidated by them. “Smee,” I hiss. “Ready the cannons just in case.” It’s not unheard of for us to attack each other. Sometimes, it chases the boredom away. Other times, I really just want to fuck up their day.
The Jolly Roger rumbles with movement as my crew readies the cannons, prepared to fire if The Star Chaser fires. Besides the slight noise, no other sound comes from either ship, both crews standing silently and watching.
We’re close, close enough that if we were to fire on each other, there might be deaths. I won’t let my crew die for a petty game, so I’ll make sure to fire first if necessary.
“Well, well, well,” a deep voice calls across the distance between us, and my blood runs hot as I both recognize and don’t the man who steps up onto the balustrade. “If it isn’t a little Wendy Bird, all grown up.”
My crew and I aren’t the only ones who have aged. The last time I saw Captain Hook, he was still the cocky, infuriating nineteen-year-old I met when I first came here. Now, he’s a man, his long hair flowing around his shoulders, his brocade military coat glittering in the small light. He appears closer to thirty now, but he still has the same sharp jawline, the same scruff there, the same star-colored eyes. His signature hook replaces his right hand, a small glint coming from the metal.
My mouth drops open slightly at his appearance even as his eyes trace down my body, appreciation in his gaze.
He meets my gaze again and winks, and I damn near swallow my tongue.
Fucking pirates.
Chapter Four
CAPTAIN HOOK
I watch Wendy standing on the Jolly Roger, her shoulders back, her head held high, and her eyes fierce as she clutches her pistol at her side. Her crew all stand ready for a fight, their own weapons raised, their cannons prepared just in case I have some sort of devious plans up my sleeves. There’s really no need. They should know by now I won’t fire on the ship while Wendy is onboard, even if she can’t die. We tend to avoid bloodshed from our crews.
The last time I saw Wendy Darling, she was sixteen, still just as fierce, but very much a girl. Now, she stands before me a woman, her curves tempting beneath her loose shirt and tight pants. Her saber hangs from her hip, the feminine floral tattoo on her shoulder and arm standing out in sharp relief against her skin. She’s glorious in her Captain’s tricorn, the purple and white feathers dancing in the wind. I can tell she’s just as surprised by my appearance, as if she wasn’t certain whether I would have aged as she has. No special treatment here. I’m certain all of Neverland has suffered the same fate. I can’t really complain, though, as I stare at the woman who haunts my dreams.
“Are you planning on starting a war, Wendy Bird?” I call across the distance, the plank I stand on vibrating with the waves. Having spent forever on ships has given me permanent sea legs. I don’t even tilt as the ship sways. I look at the cannons on the Jolly Roger pointedly. “After you invited us here to begin with?”
She frowns at me for a moment but raises her hand. Every single one of her crew lowers their weapons, but the cannons aren’t immediately put away. Wendy isn’t ignorant. If she senses a fight, she won’t just bow down. Her crew still stands ready with their muskets and pistols at their sides, just in case. Her men have always respected her, and she earned it far faster than I did my men. She rules her ship with compassion and care, rather than fear. She never punishes without due cause, never harming them in anger. It was a lesson I learned from her, though I’ll never tell her that; she’d never let me live it down.
“So, what does the Captain of the Seas want with the Captain of the Stars?” I ask, meeting her pale blue eyes, the same color as the night dress she’d arrived in Neverland in so long ago. I wonder if she realizes I still remember the night clearly, the moment Peter dropped her on my ship, scared, unprepared, and completely disillusioned about what to expect. Peter hadn’t brought her immediately to my ship. No, he’d been curious and kept her for himself for a short time, torturing her in some way she’s never spoken about, but like always, Peter grew tired of her and dumped her on The Star Chaser. I’d never wanted to strangle the boy more than that moment. If I’d been any less than a gentleman, there’s no telling what could have happened to Wendy that night. It had been so long since a new girl had been brought to Neverland, Peter should have made certain she was okay. Fucking Pan. I’d love to wring his neck for that alone, not to mention all the other idiotic things he’s done over the years. The sea could have claimed Wendy that night. Hell, the mermaids aren’t the only terrifying creatures in the water, but I’d made sure she was okay, was comfortable, and became smitten the first time she’d been frightened and yet still held a knife up to me with shaking hands and no idea how to use it. Wendy Darling has come a long way from the frightened sixteen-year-old girl.
The moment I’d received Wendy’s message, I’d wondered what she would look like with the changes befalling Neverland. I should have expected she’d be even more beautiful, even more fierce. I’ve never intruded on her unless she calls, no matter how much I long to. She thinks I’m an insufferable pirate, and that’s true, but I always wanted to win her trust in other ways.
The Captain of the Seas gestures down her body – which I’ve already taken a long look at – and then to her men, the look on her face challenging. She points to me. “Isn’t it obvious? Something is wrong.”
I trail my eyes down her form again and she shifts on her feet. Good, let the Sea Captain have a reaction. It’s only fair. “I don’t think it’s wrong at all,” I purr, and her men immediately erupt in swears and threatening shouts. Always protective of their Captain.
Wendy holds her hand up and they stop, a smile on her face. I don’t think it’s because she likes my words, however. It’s more like she’s amused by my attempt, and that only challenges me more. Wendy always knew how to set my blood on fire. “We’re going on land to speak to the others. While growing up isn’t such a nightmare to me as it probably is to Peter, we still need to discuss what is happening. Certainly you can feel it. Neverland is sick, and the land doesn’t just get sick because of a fluke. There’s some new threat here, and we must address it.”
Oh, Peter is most definitely having trouble with this change, I think. Out of all the creatures of Neverland, he’s the only one who truly never wanted to be a man. I can’t wait to see how he’s handling everything, and secretly hope he’s far worse off than any of us.
Her challenge still rings in the air between Wendy and I, the smug look on her face making me itch, making me want to turn it to one of pleasure. So many years of dancing around the attraction, fighting it, has left me with an emptiness. We’ve wasted so much time, have so much history. I used to be afraid of such feelings. That was a mistake on my part, because the moment I started aging, with the thought of death on the horizon, my biggest regret was not making my intentions clear. I’m going to change that.
I raise my brow, balanced on the plank, in the classic power pose I know she hates. “And what if I don’t care about these things? After all, me and my crew are far removed from the Neverland you sail.” A chorus of agreements go up from my men as a wicked smile curls my lips. “What are you prepared to offer to get me on land with you?”
Chapter Five
I scowl at the same time as my men all raise their weapons and train them on Hook’s crew yet again. Each of them senses the threat in me; we’ve spent so much time together they can react with the tension in my shoulders rather than any actual command.
Hook just stands on his balustrade in front of us, his posture one of the things that’s always annoyed me. He’s baiting me, that much I can tell, and I’m tempted to rise to it. It’s been so long since I’ve had such excitement, but there are more important things to focus on. Hook may not think the threat is real, but I can feel it in my bones; Neverland needs our help.
I raise my pistol and train it on the infuriating pirate in front of me, intending to only threaten him and get on with it, but I can’t help the playfulness that comes out any more than Hook can resist the challenge. “How about you get to live?” I purr. The barrel of my gun is trained right on his chest. My hands don’t shake; they haven’t in a long time.
Hook doesn’t flinch, his arms relaxed at his side. He never reaches for his weapon, but he’s never needed to. His words are his weapon. “Come now, Wendy Bird. You know neither of us can die.”
I know the words are teasing, but underneath, I sense the sadness we’ve all felt at least once. Not being able to die means we’re doomed to this world forever, never moving on, never growing up – until now – and never leaving. Neverland has become our prison in a different way than it is for everyone else. Now isn’t the time to address that pain, however. “That was before the magic here started acting weird and we started to age. Are you prepared to test that theory with your life?” I pull the hammer back, my finger on the trigger.
Ever the cocky pirate, Hook raises his brow, a smirk on his face. He’s completely confident I won’t pull the trigger at all, but he should know better. “Yes.” The single word echoes across the space between our ships, his challenge loud and clear.
I don’t wait for him to call my bluff or hesitate at all. I aim the gun to his shoulder and pull the trigger.
Chosen by Neverland, we’re given certain powers and roles. While I’m the Captain of the Sea and can sail a ship with my eyes closed, I’m also a little faster than normal, a little stronger, and in rare instances, I can control the ocean itself. I’ve never been able to master the skill, only successful when my emotions are high, but I’ve come to realize maybe that’s the power. It’s a last-ditch effort, not meant to be taken advantage of all the time.
Hook has some of the same powers, his speed, his abilities as a captain, his strength, and some commands of the wind. I’ve always thought we were meant to be two sides of a coin, or perhaps two magnets constantly pulled towards each other but also forced away. His powers mean he’s able to easily dodge the bullet I’d aimed for the flesh of his shoulder, his movements a split-second too fast for my pistol. I also knew he’d dodge it, but it still proves my point. He doesn’t have to know I intended for the bullet to never hit its mark. It embeds in the mast of his ship with a splinter of wood. A few of the men look at the bullet hole, their brows raised.
“You tried to shoot me,” Hook growls, but he doesn’t sound angry at all. Instead, his eyes grow more heated, doing things to me that he has no business doing. I’d had a crush on the pirate when I first came to Neverland, but he made it clear he wouldn’t pursue me. Fucking pirate made sure to mention it in the worst way possible, too. So he has no right to look at me that way. The magnet thought comes back full force when I can’t tamp down on the feelings I shouldn’t have.
“Next time, I’ll make sure you can’t dodge it,” I promise. “Now turn your ship around and dock it. We have business to discuss.”