It seemed to be hell itself on the ship.

The road of the wind and the beat of rain on the deck drowned everything out. A haze seemed to have set in, sheets of water clouding the men from each other.

Above, a rope snapped and the sails flew open, the jolt of the mast sending men into the raging waters where they did not appear again.

There were very few deckhands, a dozen or so men furiously trying to keep the ship alive. Barrels and other debris were scattered everywhere and it seemed that everything not nailed down had found a home among the waves.

I darted across the deck, waves whipping me like a rag doll. At times, I could see waves look next to me, threatening to swallow me whole, but they only threw me off course.

With one foot placed firmly on the steps to the help, I spared a glance over my shoulder and saw Jax making his way toward me.

The rain flattened his hair over his eyes, giving him a paranormal appearance. His actions were sure despite the water pounding around him and he didn't look scared for himself. With the shouts and rapid arm movements, he looked like he was warning me.

After what I had seen, there was no way I was letting him get close enough to trick me again. So, I chose the lesser of the two presumed evils.

"Captain," I huffed, my lungs tight against my ribcage. "One of your men, he was hurt."

"Ya think I 'have time to think about a man while this storm blows us to 'ell?"

I faltered, my mouth hanging agape. "But he's hurt by the hands of another of your crew."

"I'll keep her out of your way," Jax said, his hands grabbing the top of my arm, fingers digging into my skin. Under his breath, he added, "I am not going to hurt you, but we need to go."

"Let me go," I hissed.

"Aye, take her away. She'll be in hysterics soon enough." The captain turned his back and Jax began dragging me back to the stairs despite my desperate struggle.

Just before we reached the end of the platform, I reeled forward, throwing my head back and stomping on the back of Jax's foot. It worked, for just a moment his arms loosened and I wriggled out.

I could feel him snapping at the back of my dress as I closed in on the caption who was yelling at the man grasping the wheel. He looked like he was ready to cry, with swollen eyes and an ominous acceptance. The rain hid any tears that would have been there.

"Please, I grabbed the captain's arm, clinging to the ratted jacket. "He hurt Johnny. If you send me with him, I won't give you any money. Just don't make me go."

"No money, ya say?" The caption seemed to tune everything out but my mention of money. "You're the one who wanted to sail, ya will pay us."

"I'll pay you," I assured, pulling my hands back. "Just let me remain up here."

"I won't have a woman on the helm. Go back to your cabin." The captain threw his hands up and I flinched, scrambling back.

"Come on, Maurea." Jax took my arm, pushing me in front of him, so I was forced to walk ahead of him.

"I don't want to go with you," I pleaded, taking the stairs at a painfully slow pace.

"I'm not going to hurt you, trust me." I hesitated. "The only way you'll survive is to come with me, escape."

It was like a veil was thrown in front of my eyes. The deck seemed darker and the only thing I was sure of was Jax's words. He was right. I couldn't understand why I had questioned him.

"You're right," I said, turning to face him. "I'll follow you."

I could hear my voice was flatter, but there was more fear there than I had ever felt. My words trembled off my tongue, falling like an injured body.

"The boats are over there," Jax mumbled, forcing a smile. His shoulders slumped slightly, gesturing with his chin. "I apologize."

"What have you to be regretful of?" I asked, following him. The storm had calmed for a minute, the wind stalling just long enough for us to make it to the starboard side where the singular dingy thumped against the wall.

"Forget I said anything."

The dinghy was held up from the front and back, long ropes attached to a pulley system at our feet. I couldn't undo the ropes myself. They were too thick and wound around each other in complicated knots.

"Get in the boat," Jax ordered. Kneeling to untie the rope. "Keep still and I'll lower it down. Once you're there, wait for me."

"Will you be able to make it down? The weather is awful, you could be pulled in if you're not careful."

"I have no fear of drowning," Jax half laughed. "Get in and hunker down. You'll be swept away if you're not careful."

I did as he said, climbing in as another wave crept up the side. The smaller raft swayed and I found myself staring out at the hungry waves below. If I hadn't had a firm grasp on the dingy's edges, I would have plummeted into them.

"Stay still," Jax called from above.

Slowly, the dinghy was lowered down. There was perhaps a thirty-foot drop from the deck to the ocean and I was only moving a few feet every minute.

There was the sound of yelling on the deck and Jax disappeared from the railing. In his place, the fuming captain stood. His hair was pushed to one side by the wind, nose scrunched as his eyes burned into mine.

"Bring her up," he bellowed. "Bring her up and throw them both in my study. I'll deal with them myself."

I could only watch helplessly as he grew closer. There was nothing in the dingy with me other than the few inches of water that were steadily growing and the resolution that this was the day I was going to die.

"So you thought you'd float away, lassie," the caption hissed in my ear. "I ought to kill you right here, save us the trouble. Your friend won't be so lucky, poor chap."

Trapped in nature's wrath, our ship wasn't holding and the boards under our feet were shaking in protest. It was a waste of time talking and fighting while the men should be trying to save the ship. What made matters worse, more of the men had abandoned their ropes and posts to watch our fight.

The crowd of ill-washed bodies pressed together in curiosity, the danger that thrashed around the ship meaning nothing to them.

"It's a blooming witch," a chubby man called from his place beside the captain. He was more put together with newer clothes, but he didn't seem to care about his appearance with balding hair and yellow skin. "She enjoyed her handy work and wants to leave us to our doom. We've never had a storm like this. Now a woman's on board, don't think it's a coincidence."

The wrinkles around the captain's eyes grew as a Cheshire grin stretched across his face. "Didn't ya know women on voyages are bad luck," the captain laughed, catching onto the men's deranged line of thought. "Women are witches who bring storms."

"Right," the little man who had first shouted squeaked. "Witches bring storms and this one is from hell itself."

His beady little eyes made him look like a rat and the whiskers around his lips helped. A fitting image in my opinion. Rats always fled a ship before it sank, this rat was causing mayhem before this wreck.

Around him, the deranged look spread from the half-a-dozen crewmates as the thirst for blood and violence continued. The foreclosing doom reflected differently on each man. While most kept fight, desperate to save their own life, others were indulging in all the demented fantasies that had plagued their mind.

Jax was held down by three men, all of them struggling to tie him down. His eyes were wild and I could almost see a gleam in them. If he had looked frightening earlier, he was practically murderous now.

"I will give ya one chance, lassie," the captain whispered, leaning closer. "Give me that money ya promised me and more. A fee for your safety. I want double the money. That should be a fitting sum for the stunt ya just attempted. "

The captain's pale hair dripped water onto my face, the drops mixing with the sheets of rain. His crooked smile was still plastered next to my cheek, but the smug grin hid malicious intent.

"I have no more money and we'd be fortunate to survive that long," I whimpered.

"You may be right, perhaps not." His breath carried despite the wind and brought the smell of onions and old fish. "I guess you'll have to trust us."

His hand reached out to grab my shoulder, fingers tight and I knew his actions would leave a bruise tomorrow as the pressure continued to increase.

"Let me go and return to my cabin," I said. "I can try to contact my sister if we reach land. She can send you all the money you require."

I waited, the sweat on my back burning as the cool rain soaked through my dress. I prayed my gambles paid off. These men were unpredictable and I didn't trust them to value honor, but they valued their lives.

"I'm not sure that's quite fair. It would be a shame to kill you," he hissed the last part, but relief swept through me, thinking he was listening and I had won.

I hastily replied, "I will stay out of your eyesight for the rest of the voyage." I held out my hand, the close distance between us filled as he took it.

"I'd rather keep you somewhere you can be watched," he growled and I almost cried.

"Bring 'er to my study for now. She can sleep there or in the bunks with you," I couldn't see who Captain Pierre had spoken to, but I could guess with the deafening cheer from the men.

"No," I shrieked, pushing away from him. "I'd rather die."

I spoke rashly, but the very thought seemed to stir a ration in the men. Their eyes darkened and I could see their wounded pride on full display.

"Enough. I say we toss 'er in. " The mousy man from earlier yelled, firing up the crowd. "Kill the witch, kill the storm!"

Despite the illogical argument that I caused the storm, the men seemed to believe it instantly. I had just tried to flee and insulted them, they would find some way to get retribution.

As soon as the words were out of the little man's mouth, the faces in the crowd began to change. That was it. The crowd only needed a reason, an excuse, to kill me. I knew as I looked into the captain's eyes, I was going to die.

"All right, men. Let's leave it to a vote," he said. "Who says we throw the witch overboard?"

The cheers, the heartless cheers of the men is something I will always remember. The only one not cheering was the man who tried to help me. Jax's face went stone cold. I locked eyes with him as I was pulled to the rail.

My vision began to cloud, the warm tears spilling down my cheeks. I didn't want to believe the men were going to kill me, but as the bodies began pressing closer together, I could feel the hysteria spread.

"Well little lassie, I say that we're merciful men." The captain looked over my shoulder to the man holding me. "We won't spend precious time killing you. The storm I'll handle that for us. Just swim, ya might make it."

I wanted to beg, but above all I had made a promise, I would never be used by another man. If death was the only way to keep the vow to myself, I would.

Strong hands hauled me to my feet, the force pulling me to the story-high drop. The bloodlust was too far along now. My ears were ringing with their shouts. I tried to look at the man carrying me. Before I could focus, I felt my body go weightless, falling over the rail.

The cheers echoed in my ears as I saw the faces jeering over the railing. My eyes averted from the man who threw me.

That last thing I heard before sucking in one last breath was the roar of protest for the restrained man and the crack of lighting.