Page 38 of Enchanted By a Pirate
He glanced at her hand and started to reply when he abruptly drew his saber and whirled around. Three men had emerged from one of the shadows. Anna hadn't seen them. Had they been waiting for her? Judging by their clothing, they too were suffering from the economic downturn — not to mentiontheir pungent smell, which reached Anna before they did. With suspicious expressions on their faces, they held knives in their hands, the blades pointing aggressively at Anna and the captain. They pushed up the frayed sleeves of their shirts and approached as one.
"What do they want from us?" Anna whispered.
The captain discreetly pushed her behind him. "I'll take care of them. Stay behind me, Ani." Louder and completely at ease, he said, "Good day, gentlemen, what can I do for you?"
The thugs grinned. "Give us your gold and show us the face of the little one you're hide behind your back. It seems to me she's worth even more than what you're carrying in your pockets."
Anna shuddered. Who were these dark figures?
Meanwhile, the captain raised one of his dark eyebrows nonchalantly. "And if I want to keep my gold and keep my magical companion in safety?"
The brutes laughed. "Don't say we didn't warn you." At the same time, they pounced on him. The captain shoved Anna backward so that the men couldn't hurt her with their blades and placed himself between her and the attackers. In one deft movement, he whipped the saber around, causing the first thug to drop his knife and grab his wrist. The other two attacked from two sides simultaneously, trying to pass him to get to Anna. The captain, however, just laughed as if he was having fun. Were his movements rehearsed? How many battles like this had he already fought? He moved so swiftly that soon the thugs were standing next to each other and he easily pushed them back. The second attacker lost his knife. It fell to the ground with a clang, but the man didn't give up easily.
Anna watched, unable to move. She viewed the fight without so much as budging, as if it had nothing to do with her. However, when the man who had been lying on the ground rose and came at her, her strength returned. Spontaneously, she grabbeda large stone off the road and swung it threateningly. "Stay away from me or you'll get a black eye!'
He laughed, ignoring her threat. "I knew you were worth a lot." He stormed toward her and Anna immediately hurled the stone as hard as she could. He staggered briefly when it hit him in the temple, but he steadied himself all too quickly and threw himself at her. He grabbed her around the waist before she could even run away. She fought back with her hands and feet, trying to wriggle out of his thick arms when the brute suddenly had another knife in his hand. Petrified, she watched as the blade came dangerously close to her face.
"Stay still and maybe I'll let you live a few more hours, little one."
Fearing for her life, Anna remained still. The cold blade touched her cheek. Panic-stricken, she tried to breathe calmly and remain motionless so as not to injure herself on the blade with a careless movement. How could she escape this brutal scoundrel?
Suddenly, the man howled. The captain had knocked the weapon out of his hand. Screaming, he held his wrist. Without hesitating, the captain punched him in the face, causing the man to stagger backward. He came to a stop next to his friends, holding his hose and yelling, "You'll be sorry!"
"You're the one who will be sorry if you cross my path again!" The captain grabbed her hand and Anna hurried away with him, her heart pounding. Were the men following them? She wanted to glance over her shoulder, but the captain stopped her.
"You can't show fear. Don't look back. They won't follow us today. From now on, stay out of this area."
"Aye aye, Captain." Her voice was cheekier than she'd intended.
He gave her a crooked grin. "For you, it's Chris, Ani, always just Chris."
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and her heart beat faster. At that moment, she knew he would never harm her — and hadn't back then. He was on her side and her heart beat in unison with his.
As they hurried back to the market square without anyone getting in their way, she watched him out of the corner of her eye. He had put the saber back, but the handle was sticking out of his black leather coat so that he could draw it at any time. His jaw was still tense, his lips pressed together, and the silvery scar gleamed on his cheek.
He must have noticed her watching him because he kept glancing at her. Noticing that something had changed in her, he grinned and winked. "Just wait until we're out of this damn alley, madam. Then I'll show you what I'm made of."
Her heart pounded excitedly as they hurried along. What had he meant by that? As soon as they stepped out into the sunlight and back into the crowds, he pushed her against a wall and before she knew what was happening, he started kissing her. His hands burrowed in her hair and his lips pressed against hers as if he had to prove to her that she was his. But he didn't need to anymore. She knew it. Even though images or memories of him had not appeared in her mind, she knew they belonged to each other. That he was hers. She returned the kiss, which spurred him on even more. A gasp escaped him and he suddenly stopped. She found her hands on his chest and felt his rapid heartbeat.
With his eyes closed, he rested his forehead against hers. "Don't ever disappear for that long again." He opened his eyes and what she saw enveloped her, just like the arms wrapping around her. They conveyed his feelings, his concern for her, and his longing. How had she not recognized that in the cave?
"I don't intend to." She smiled. Seeing that, he kissed her again as if he couldn't help himself and wanted to make up for lost time.
15
They walked together as they continued on their way. They had walked next to each other before, but now they were a team. Anna trusted him, as she did Anton. They belonged together and she looked forward to when the memories of Chris returned.
"What were you doing in town, Ani?"
"I wanted to look around, and then I ran into Elena. I found out some interesting things. According to her, I worked for a woman named Lotti in a nursery before I disappeared. And Elena doesn't seem to know I'm supposed to be a fairy."
"You are one." His eyes were glowing, but he turned away to scan the marketplace.
"Anyway, she said I didn't come back that Monday. And that you had picked me up after work the Friday before, if I understood correctly. What was I doing at the nursery?"
"You were following a lead. From the start I didn't think it was a good idea, but you insisted and your stubbornness won out — like it does far too often, madam. Who knows who you might have alerted by doing that."
Anna had to smile. Although his tone was extremely gruff, there was tenderness in his voice that you wouldn't think he had, just from looking at him. His dark appearance, his predatory movements, the scar on his cheek… Nevertheless, Anna sensed that there was more to him than just the feared pirate.
