The Black Seas Ch. 01-02

Author's note: This book takes place in the same universe/time as Ghosts and Russian Winter just a different time period.

UncleMartin! Uncle Martin!" A tiny voice echoes through the hall bringing Martin Sternigan's attention up from his book. The door to the room bursts open and in steps a girl of eight years old. "Uncle Martin," she huffs.

"Julie what is all the commotion?" he asks.

"I want to hear a story," she says crawling into his lap.

"A story huh?"

"Yeah, but it has to be something good Uncle Martin," she explains.

"A good one. Well I don't think I have any of those for you," he says playfully.

She looks up at him inquisitively. "Oh Uncle Martin, you're too silly.

"I am huh?"

"Yeah," she says giggling.

"Well then what would you like to hear?"

"How about something with pirates," she says excitedly.

"I have just the story for you then," Sternigan says. "Our story begins with the infamous Blackbeard one of his horrible atrocities...."

Aruba, 1696

ThePort of Aruba lay shrouded in a thick fog. The Rackham family was settling down for the evening. Dinner was over and the children were just put to bed with a story when the first of the cannon blasts rocked the night air.

The Rackham's children jumped from their beds and ran into the main room of their house. Their father was there to scoop them up. "Tis alright children," he said. "Stay here with yer mother."

He set them back down, grabbed his musket and scabbard and then ran out the door. The children, Jack who was fourteen and his sister, Anne of twelve years stood holding tight to their mother shaking of fright. Cannon blasts continued to rattle homes near the sea intensifying the children's fear.

"Yer father will take care of things children," she said with a comforting voice. "Come now, we need to get to the cellar."

Jack pulled away and began for the door. "Jack!" His mother called for him. "Where ye be going?"

"To help father," he said turning back for a moment.

"Ye must stay here with us."

His mother's words feel of deaf ears; he was already out the door.

Thechildren's father, Jonathan Rackham, ran through the streets joined by many of the other mean of the port. The pirates had not yet begun to row ashore and were still focused on their bombardment giving time to form some sort of defense.

Jonathan knew this attack was because of him. He had hoped he could hide his family in Aruba, but he was wrong. Blackbeard was coming for his revenge and he would not rest until he had Jonathan.

In an instant he knew what he had to do. If it was him Blackbeard wanted then that would be all he got. There was really no reason to cause harm to anyone not involved in the matter.

Turning suddenly from the main group, he cut into an alley that would take him to the shore much faster. He thought that maybe if he could meet the landing party there he could surrender and spare everyone.

With his attention split between the present and thoughts of the past, he never saw the cannon ball rip through the building and into his body. The ball carried him back into another building, crushing him and indenting the wall of the building.

Death should have been instant but he was fortunate enough for that. He sat on the ground looking down at his torn and mangled body as his insides slowly seeped out. His thoughts filtered back to the beginning of it all.

Caribbean Sea, 1681

JonathanRackham was aLesser Demonunder the pirate Blackbeard. Neither demon, however, was born a demon but rather aZombie. He now stood before his master and captain in Blackbeard's quarters. He knew why the captain had called him there. It was the same reason each and every time. Why Blackbeard put up with Jonathan, he never knew.

Ye know why I have called ye before me.Blackbeard stated.

He was menacing in his human form. Standing over six feet, his face covered with a thick, long and black beard. Never once did anyone see him without an armory of pistols or cutlasses tucked in his belt or throughout his persons. Jonathan stood silently waiting the berating he received each time.

I don't have to explain it over and over fer ye. This will be yer last warning. The next time it carries the weight of death.He warned.

That surprised Jonathan. Blackbeard had given him the same warning over and over again, but this was the first time he spoke of death. Of course death followed Blackbeard wherever he went.

I am sorry master. He said bowing his head.But I did not wish fer this. I rather have been left alone and dead.

Blackbeard's anger raged.I chose to resurrect ye so ye would serve me! And serve me ye will or ye will get a punishment far worse than death!

Blackbeard raised a hand and struck Jonathan. The impact was so hard, he was thrown across the room.Ye will learn to obey me.

Aye, Captain.Was the only response he thought to give.

Tonight will be yer opportunity to prove yer worth to me or I will send ye to Davy Jones' Locker and he will have ye serve a fate greater than one inHades.

Jonathan looked into Blackbeard's dark and hate-filled eyes as they bored down into him. He had only been a demon for a short period of time but like other demons, he feared Davy Jones. ADemon Lordimprisoned to the depths of the seas to serve out an indefinite sentence. To serve under Davy Jones and hisFlying Dutchmanwas a far worse fate than any imaginable.

How will I prove my worth, Captain?He asked after breaking from theIfrit'sterrible stare.

Ye will see.He answered laughing.

TheQueen Anne's Revengesailed on the remainder of the day until finally reaching its destination shortly after dusk. Jonathan spent his time on deck watching the seas and thinking how his life would have been different had he ran instead of joining the men rushing to fight Blackbeard when their town fell under attack. He was beginning to form thoughts of betrayal when Blackbeard interrupted him just as the lights of the town became visible.

St. Croix, our next target.He said venomously. I expect ye to perform like the rest of my crew.

Aye, Captain.

Excellent.He said with a smile.Go get some weapons. I look forward to seeing some blood spilled.

Blackbeard displayed a most devious grin that sent shivers through Jonathan's spine. He wasn't certain how he would betray the demon captain, especially when Blackbeard was the most feared demon pirate of the Caribbean.

He carried his thoughts as he stalked below deck toward the armory. Outside the door he reached to push it open when a plan of his betrayal came to him. He pushed through the door and quickly scanned the room until he found what he was looking for.

He scooped up a couple bombs and exited heading deeper into the bowels of the ship. For his plan to work would take a large explosion since theQueen Anne's Revenge'shull was immensely thick. Two bombs wouldn't do much, but combined with a few barrels of gunpowder would make all the difference in the world.

His heart raced with each step he took and with each fellow crew member he past. At any moment his plan could come crashing down and he would be on his way to see Davy Jones and it was almost enough for him to abandon the plan and return to the deck.

Almost.

After what felt like forever, he approached the gunpowder room apprehensively expecting to be caught in the act. He reached the door and looked around; the deck had a few crewmen busily going about whatever task they were assigned, but none of them even looked his way.

He pushed open the door and found the room empty except for the barrels of powder. He lit the fuses of both grenades; he threw one into the room and the other in the opposite direction and dove to the side for cover.

The first explosion came from behind creating confusion for the crewmen milling about. The next was massive, rocking the entire ship as the gunpowder took full effect. Jonathan struggled to his feet, shaking off the disorientation of the explosion. Water was now bursting through the deck, quickly flooding it. Jonathan knew he didn't have much time before Blackbeard and most of the crew was there. He took a steadying breath and dove into the rushing water.

Theswim to shore was lengthy and upon pulling himself from the water he looked back to see theQueen Anne's Revengeslowly pulling away in the opposite direction. He assumed they had fixed the damage enough to make it seaworthy and hoped Blackbeard wouldn't notice his departure right away.

After a moment of rest he got up and dragged himself into the town. The streets were filled with people looking in the ship's direction and murmuring to each other about what may have taken place. He filtered through the crowd going unnoticed, which is what he hoped for. What he needed was to find some place to rest until dawn and then he'd find a ship out and hopefully spare every person in the town when Blackbeard returned.

Jonathan wasn't sure if he could hide from the demon captain, but he intended to try.