Page 66 of Until My Last Breath

Wickham’s eyes, locked on the fight between Captain Macedo and Elizabeth, caught a movement at his side. The fourth pirate, despite his injury, was grabbing another pistol from his boot and pointing it towards Darcy’s back. With the colonel down, and Elizabeth engaged in her fight, he was the only one left to do something.

Without further consideration, Wickham ran towards the man. The pirate startled by his fast approach and shot at him. Wickham winced in pain, tumbling on the floor.

Opening his eyes and groaning, Richard sat up, witnessing Wickham’s shot. Using his own pistol, Richard killed the pirate as the miscreant reached for another pistol. With the dagger still pierced in his side, Richard collapsed on the floor again.

Darcy pulled his sword from Jose’s body and raised his gaze towards Elizabeth. With sword in hand, she looked like a Greek Amazon.

Captain Macedo was livid, spitting obscenities. With three of his men dead, he turned all his ire against Elizabeth. “This ends now,” he roared, lunging at her. The impact threw Elizabeth’s body backwards. “No one, and especially no woman, will ever defeat Captain Pablo Hernandez Macedo, the great pirate.” With these words, he raised his sword and once more lunged at her.

The metallic sound of crashing swords echoed around the room as Darcy crossed his sword with the captain’s.

Surprised by the interference, he thundered, “I am going to kill you both!”

The shout brought Richard’s back to his senses. With drops of sweat trickling down his face, he raised his eyes and gasped. Darcy and Elizabeth were fighting, side by side, against someone who by the fighting skills could not be other than the captain himself. But his heart missed some beats realising that a wounded man and a woman were no match for a man who had not reached his position without merit.

Richard’s attention was turned to the loud bangs against the cabin’s door, as men were shouting behind it.

Mr Chase.

Being the door as thick as a rampart, it would take the men too long to open it if the bolt was not unlocked.

Richard raised the hand pressed against the dagger and saw blood slowly oozing from his wound. The whole cabin started spinning as his heavy eyelids insisted on closing. A pair of green eyes smiled at him.“I will be waiting for you to come back.”

Jane.

Crying out, Richard crawled towards the door leaving a trail of blood behind him. Mustering all his strength, he stood up.

A cry of pain froze him.

He turned back and saw Darcy falling on the floor with his face covered in blood. Captain Macedo had hit him on the nose with the hilt of his sword.

“No!” Elizabeth screamed and turned to help him.

But Captain Macedo was again in her way. With a strong blow, he sent her sword flying into the air, grabbing her by her arm, twisting it backwards. Elizabeth’s cry of pain cut through the air. With a final turn, the captain threw her against the wall. She hit her head and bounced back to the floor, bleeding.

Darcy opened his eyes and saw her red blurred figure collapsing.

His worst nightmare was happening all over again. Once more, his wounded body was failing him, stealing from him the strength he needed to help Elizabeth.

A diabolical laughter reached his ears, and he turned. Breathing became impossible. The distorted image of the man he and Elizabeth were fighting, fetching a small pistol from his boot and aiming it at Elizabeth, drained all the blood from Darcy’s face.

“No!” he yelled.

There was a loud noise; then the sound of the shot.

Smoke filled the air.

Darcy’s world shattered. Blinded by his tears, he let his head hit hard the floor. After all their struggles, after being so close to saving her…

All in vain.

The last thing he saw was Elizabeth’s face covered in blood as darkness engulfed him.

“Forgive me, my love… I have failed you.”

Chapter 10

14th April 1816.

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