One Wish

ONE WISH

By

Debra Soles

© copyright by Debra Soles, October 2009

Cover Art by Alex DeShanks, October 2009

ISBN 978-1-60394-369-2

New Concepts Publishing

Lake Park, GA 31636

www.newconceptspublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author's imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

Nero wondered when he had changed his mind about her and decided to go ahead and marry such a strange woman. There was just something about her that was so unique and intriguing. No matter what he knew he had to find out what it was or it would follow him for the rest of his life, biting him in the butt with the unknown facts and unanswered questions.

Obviously she was beautiful, but it wasn’t that. Her long dark waves, spanned down to her waist and her eyes were like the richest, finest chocolates. It was true that she was seriously tiny and he now understood what Georgey had meant about her needing some meat on her bones. For once he had to agree with Georgey there.

Nevertheless, he had seen plenty of beautiful women in his life, from all over during different voyages, both close to home and far away. Throughout his travels he had seen Oriental women who were petite and perfect, Swedish women who could set the blood of any man on fire. Hell, he had even seen flirtatious Hawaiian women who left a man aching, but none were anything like Melanie.

Nero stretched out his hand and took one of Melanie’s in his. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lilly blink in surprise and start to fan herself at his brazenness. If the girl only knew what he thought about Melanie, she would be more than shocked. Chances were she would probably fall over into a dead faint.

Ignoring Lilly’s disapproving stare, he redirected his attention to Melanie and asked, “How much do you actually know about me?”

Melanie made a swiping motion with her had, indicating his person. “This... What you look like. How you talk, dress and act. I know your name and that you are some kind of sea captain.”

Amused by her point blank statement he chuckled and she felt renewed sparks flash through her body, like being pressed into such a small space with him didn’t already have her hormones screaming. “Ok, well you sure are honest, aren’t you?”

Giving him a half smile she lifted an eyebrow like she had seen him do earlier, “Brutally honest. Is there any better way to be?”

Impressed he laughed, “To true. Well, let me tell you a little about myself, then you can tell me all about you. Then I guess we can take it from there.”

Melanie nodded her understanding and listened as he started. “Well I own a whaling company and quite a few ships, one I personally command. I have a nice town house here in New Bedford, as well as my usual home, which is a nice sized plantation on Nantucket Island.”

Melanie held her hands up to stop him and asked, “How old are you Captain?”

“Please Melanie call me Nero and I’m thirty-one. Why do you ask?”

Reassuringly she smiled, showing him she wanted  to understand, not ripe him apart with questions. “You are telling me facts I don’t need to know. You might as well say I make such and such a year. Like that would make me marry you?” She shook her head, “Not likely. I want to know who you are.” She tapped his chest, “In here. I do not care if you have a big fancy house or you live in a shack. I could care less if you had money coming out of your ears or you have to kill yourself every day to make a dime. I want to know who you are. Like, what is your favorite color?”

Caressingly he ran a hand through her hair and smiled into her eyes, “Black.”

Being herself, she laughed at him outrageously, “Black isn’t a color. Honestly, what is your favorite color?”

Having fun with each of her reactions, he grinned, “Yesterday it was blue like the sea. But today...” He fingered one of her long dark tresses, “Today I have a sudden liking for long black hair.”

* * * *

Nero reloaded Melanie's gun for her and double-checked his own. The hatch door handle was in his grasp in one swift movement, and then he rotated his shoulders in toward his body.

"Ready?" Both Melanie and Sully nodded and he shoved the door open, gun aimed and ready in his left hand, with his saber in the other.

One quick glance over his shoulder, showed him Melanie and Sully on his tail as he took off running to where the lifeboats were hitched. A gasp of surprise made him turn in the direction it had came from, to see Captain Dunlin. With astute reflexes, he aimed and fired, taking out his enemy with one perfect shot. The man’s own arrogance had been his own end, by walking into the line of fire as if he were invincible.

Nero reached one of the lifeboats at the same time as Sully. They each swung their swords and slashed the ropes, which held the boat. With its bindings free, the boat slipped into the turbulent waters beside the now deceased Captain Dunlin's ship. With a blast of a gunshot in his ears, Nero whipped around to see Melanie, send off a shot that ended the horrible existence of Dunlin's first mate. Only a moment before the first mate had been young and looked as if he could play the perfect part of a rouge, but no more would he defile innocence.

"Hurry Melanie." Nero yelled, while he forced Sully over the side of the ship.

Nero watched with his heart pounding in his chest, as Melanie ran toward him. From the corner of his eye, he saw sunlight flash off of metal, as a gun was raised, then heard the deafening sound of a bullet being ejected from a gun's chamber. His legs moved of their own accord, while he ran as fast as he could, then grabbed Melanie and swung her around.

The impact of the bullet racked her body sending trimmers all the way through his. Nero saw the bullet go through her arm and knew the second her life blurred before her eyes taking her to a world of nothingness, as well feel her body become almost boneless. Nero slung her up to lie in his arms, ran and leaped into the air.

Their bodies flew over the ship's railing and they fell straight into the waters below. Wave after wave pulled him under, pulled him deeper, then deeper still, trying to rip Melanie from his arms. The fight didn't leave him, as he kicked harder, refusing to let the evil waters steal his adored  wife.

Using every bit of strength he had left in his body, he kicked his way to the surface and gasped for air. The stinging water filled his eyes and forced him to blink to be able to see. Finally he could look around, which helped show him the way to Sully, who was forcefully rowing toward them.

When they were close enough Nero shoved Mel into the small boat, before pulling himself in after her. He laid there for a moment, trying desperately to draw in a breath of fresh air, all the air his poor lungs were begging for. There was still shouts echoing from the ship behind them, which forced him into action. He picked up the second set of oars and started paddling along with Sully, with every muscle in his body screaming in anguish.