The Desired Victim

~~~Chapter 14: This Heart Harbors Life~~~

(Emory's Point of View)

"God dammit, what the hell is wrong with her?! Why isn't she waking up?!"

Evelyn was lying on the floorboards of the ship, still unconscious. I had been trying to get her heart started again for over ten minutes now. The storm had long passed, and the ship was back on course. However, that doesn't mean shit if Evelyn doesn't wake up. 

"Come on, come on," I growled. I pushed on her chest with all the strength I had, and I was probably breaking some vital bones. But I didn't care, she had to wake up. Or else this entire experience is a complete waste of my time and my money.

You just can't stand the possibility of her being dead, that little voice of mine whispered. Especially since she saved your sorry ass.

I pushed on her chest with even more force than before.

"Just let the bitch die," one of the men commented. "Is she really worth the hassle?"

Rage and fury fueled inside of my body. I turned sharply to whoever it was that said that.

"What was that you said?"

The sailor looked a little more scared now. Scared shitless, actually.

"I mean, come on," he stuttered. "She obviously ain't gonna be wakin' up anytime soon." and then he adjusted his belt and grinned. " I mean, since she's dead, we might as well make some use of the body, eh?" 

The other men cheered and agreed. I stood up slowly, forgetting about Evelyn's heart for a moment.

"Do you not realize what's at stake here?"

I walked slowly towards him.

"If we show up to Mexico empty-handed, it's my ass that's on the line."

I took a dagger from another sailor's sheath without looking away.

"And if my ass is ever in a position of possibly being put on the line, well . . . "

I shoved the dagger through the bastard's throat before he could even react.

"You die. So yeah, she's worth the hassle."

And then I heard violent coughing from behind me. I spun around.

Evelyn was alive.

(Evelyn's Point of View)

No.

No. No. No. No. No. 

Life has been pumped back into my lungs and all of the salt water had vomited straight out of my mouth. My body started convulsing from shock, and deep loud voices swallowed my surroundings. 

This wasn't a nightmare. This was reality.

"Well look who's back from the dead," one of the sailors slurred. "It's a real fiesty one, this one is."

A strong calloused hand grabbed my arm and yanked me on my feet.

"Let's go, slave. Back to the room." 

I dared to look up at him. Emory. He looked angry enough to kill. 

"As for the rest of you," Emory said in a louder voice to the crew. "If you all want to keep your dicks from getting sliced off, I highly suggest you move it. I don't know where your sorry excuse for a captain is, but I'd like to get off this damn ship." And with that, he dragged me back to our lodgings. 

Our entire room was completely flooded because of the storm. All of Emory's suitcases were completely drenched, and whatever articles of clothing he had in them were ruined as well. It was just another thing for him to get mad over. 

I sat quietly in the corner of the room on the floor. I was curled up into a ball trying to get whatever body heat I could. I was still wearing the skimpy clothes from the first day of leaving shore. Once my body had recovered from the shock of being alive again, all of the pain hit me at once. The wound in my thigh, my chest, my throat, hunger, thirst. Not to mention I was freezing.

Emory was sorting through his water damaged suitcases to try and salvage anything he could. He was breathing loudly and threw various pieces of clothing behind him angrily when he realized it was useless. He was obviously furious. 

I sneezed.

His head snapped towards me, and my heart dropped. But for some odd reason, his expression began to soften. His mocha brown eyes seemed to look right into my soul, and his masculine jawline with small areas of handsome stubble seemed to relax slightly. 

"Evelyn."

My heartbeat accelerated excessively. The way he said my name was so . . . beautiful. He spoke so soft, so gentle. I absently wondered what it would be like to have him whisper in my ear . . . 

Stop this, I told myself. He is evil. He doesn't care about you. 

"Honeybird, come here."

I only stared at him, mesmerized.

"Now." His tone was a little more annoyed at this point. 

I stood up slowly, keeping my guard up. The wound in my leg throbbed, and my entire body kept shaking from the cold. I was extremely light-headed, and I craved some hot tea from home. I stood as close to him as I dared.

Then he started doing something I wasn't expecting. He stripped away all of the clothes on his upper half until he was bare-chested.

I felt faint. I felt myself starting to panic. I couldn't move.

"You need body heat," Emory explained. And then he wrapped his arms around me.

Almost immediately, my cold and wet body started to react to the warmth. He kept his arms wrapped around my body and I could actually feel myself melting like ice. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around his torso and I let out a deep sigh. He was so warm. I could feel every muscle ripple through his chest, and I listened intently to the strong drumbeat of his heart. I had found the safest place in the world. But . . . 

Emory took a hold of my chin and made me look up at him. He was such a beautiful man when he wasn't constantly scowling. 

"Thank you for saving my life," Emory murmured. He lowered his eyes to my lips. "Thank you, Evelyn."

He pulled me closer to him, and leaned towards me until our mouths were only centimeters apart. 

I somehow got the courage to say, "It was a life worth saving, Emory." 

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Okay, this is DEFINITELY my longest Chapter so far, so I probably won't update for a while. A lot happened in this chapter!! Lol :) I need your guys help with deciding a cast for my characters, and also comments and votes and feedbacks are much appreciated!!! What do you think happens next? ;) I am honestly loving this story right now <3 OH!! comment and let me know if you'd rather have more action and plot moving material or Emory and Evelyn action ;D