Charles grinned. "It's a heady sensation. I sat watching your mother die."
Lucian lunged at him, flesh meeting flesh in powerful blows that sent the surrounding pirates cheering.
They broke apart, Charles spitting blood from the blow Lucian had delivered to his mouth. His breath came in short gasps when he spoke. "Your mother died with your name on her lips. Heartbroken that she wasn't able to see you one last time."
Lucian struck out again, Charles no match for his superior strength and raging fury. Charles's men, realizing he was in trouble, threw him a dagger as he stumbled away from Lucian's powerful blows.
Santos cried out to Lucian, tossing him a dagger.
One of Charles's men dove for it, causing both crews to join in a melee. Daggers and fists flew.
Bones and Jolly remained by Catherine, each man throwing feigned blows, anxious to be part of the brawl as they watched their crewmates fight.
Lucian circled Charles eyeing the dagger he held.
"I killed Marissa and I enjoyed killing that idiot father of mine. He thought he could control me. Have me jump to his commands. He was a fool. And now it is your turn to die," Charles said, and swung the dagger straight for Lucian's face.
Lucian side-stepped the awkward attack, but Charles returned with speed and Lucian shielded the blows with skill.
Lucian managed to maneuver them toward the water's edge away from the heart of the fighting. Charles panted heavily, but fought like a madman bent on revenge.
A sudden side blow quickly deflected caught Lucian's arm, grazing his skin. His leg swung out, taking Charles down, and Lucian followed heavily on top of him. Viciously the two men fought for the one weapon, rolling in the water, struggling in a wild frenzy.
Lucian squeezed Charles's wrist, smashing it repeatedly against a half-buried rock protruding from the water. The knife fell from his hand, disappearing beneath the shallow water.
Lucian smashed his fist into Charles's face twice. Charles returned the blows, barely grazing Lucian's cheek. They rolled, they tumbled, until frantic for victory, Charles made a sudden dive for the dagger in the water.
"Lucian!" Santos yelled, and flung him a dagger.
Charles stood, dagger in hand and a victorious smile spread across his face as he lunged wild and wide-eyed toward Lucian.
Remaining on his knees Lucian raised his hand, capturing the flying dagger just as Charles reached him. Charles attacked from above as Lucian aimed from below straight for Charles's gut.
Lucian's blade sunk in and with one powerful slice Lucian tore the blade upward, splitting him open.
Santos hurried to his friend's side, ignoring Charles's dead body at Lucian's feet and the blood that pooled in the water around him.
"You better hurry. The baby," Santos said nervously.
Lucian handed the weapon to Santos and stepped over Charles's body, stopping briefly to wash the blood from his hands.
Lucian rushed up to Catherine, dropping to his knees in front of her.
She frantically grabbed at his arm. "The baby's coming."
"Don't worry. You'll be fine," he assured her, and carefully scooped her up into his arms and hurried to the longboat. Bones and Jolly followed, grabbing a few more men to help row as they passed by the fighting.
Santos was left behind to clear up the mess, the boat returning for him after Catherine was safely on the Black Skull.
"Lucian," she cried, doubling in his arms as another pain consumed her.
He attempted to soothe her, her intense pain frightening the hell out of him. "Easy, angel. I'll have you on the ship soon. You'll be all right."
She shook her head. "No. I fear it is too soon and the child and I will die. I don't want to die, Lucian. I don't want to leave you. I want to share my life with you and our child. I love you."
"You are not going to die," he said sternly, as though hugging her fiercely to him would save her from death. "I will not allow you to leave me. Not now. Not ever.
Once on deck, her father rushed over. "Catherine?"
"She's in labor," Lucian informed him, and wasted no time in taking her to his cabin, Abelard close on his heels.
A scream tore from her when he laid her on the bed. She curled on her side, rubbing her belly.
"Madam," he shouted at Catherine. "You will face this delivery with the same bravado and tenacity you faced me the first time we met."
"Don't speak to her that way," Abelard objected, feeling helpless to help his daughter.
"Get out," he ordered Abelard. "This is between Catherine and me."
"Papa," she cried, reaching out her hand to him.
Lucian grabbed Abelard's arm and forcibly walked him to the door. "If you love her, you will leave her to my care."
Abelard nodded though he winced when she screamed "Papa" again.