Tiger moved his hand down to Jasmine’s right hand and risked trying to hold it. Jasmine surprised him by opening her hand and allowing their fingers to lace together.

Jasmine shot Tiger a grateful look as she continued her story. “We were thrown into the brig where there were a lot of other young girls around our age. We were only twelve-years-old at the time. Inside of the brig there was a single glass lantern, and inside was a small flickering candle. Petra insisted that a fairy was inside of the lantern. I didn’t believe in fairies, and so I was unable to see Tinker. I thought my sister was just trying to cope with a bad situation by creating an imaginary friend. But Petra insisted Tinker was real. She had conversations with him, claimed to befriend the fairy, and continued to be adamant that he existed.” A wry smile curled Jasmine’s lips. “Of course, after living in Neverland for so long I can see him now.”

Tiger’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What did the pirates want with a bunch of children?”

“They were slavers,” Jasmine began to explain, and when the blood started to drain out of Tiger’s face she quickly continued, “But they didn’t want us for…companionship. In that, we were lucky at least. No, they wanted us for a far more sinister purpose. We were chosen to be virgin sacrifices. Apparently, Blackbeard had gotten his hands on a map that led him to the Lost City of Gold, El Dorado, which as you know exists in Neverland as all the Lost Things do. Also, on the map were instructions that said that in order to appease the Aztec god Tezcatlipoca a virgin had to be sacrificed in his name. If the god was pleased with the sacrifice then whoever performed the sacrifice would be rewarded generously with gold.”

“They were going to sacrifice children…just to get their hands on treasure?” Tiger snarled angrily. “Those greedy bastards.”

A flash of surprise passed over Jasmine’s face. She wasn’t used to anyone empathizing with her story. “Don’t worry. They ended up getting what they deserved.” Jasmine shook her head of such thoughts. “Anyways, Petra and I were both chosen at the same time to be virgin sacrifices to Tezcatlipoca and were taken into the city of El Dorado. We were tied to a wooden stake that was set up on some kind of platform. After that, we just awaited our fate. That’s when an enormous crocodile emerged from the temple and approached us - its intentions clear as it eyed us hungrily and licked its maw. It wanted to eat us. We screamed, struggled against our bonds, and called for help. And Petra…Petra called for Tinker.”

Tiger used his thumb to caress the back of Jasmine’s hand in a soothing fashion.

Jasmine’s brow furrowed as she tried to recall what happened next. “I remember that a small ball of golden light approached Petra, and golden dust was showered upon her and myself. Then our ropes magically broke. We were free. That’s when Petra started to fly - right before my very eyes. I asked her how she was doing that, and she responded that Tinker was helping us, and that in order to fly I needed to think of a happy thought.”

Tiger cringed knowing how impossible that probably would have been for a scared twelve-year old girl in that moment.

“A happy thought?” Jasmine scoffed. “Can you believe that? Easier said than done. I couldn’t think of a single happy thought, and…I didn’t believe I could fly. I didn’t believe in fairies or magic. But Petra wrapped her arms around my waist and started to carry me away with her.”

Tiger sucked in a breath. At this point in the tale Petra was still sounding like herself - heroic and brave. She’d tried to save her sister. What could have possibly gone wrong?

“Unfortunately, the crocodile was fast approaching us. Just as we were rising up off the ground it leapt up into the air and grabbed my leg. I kicked the crocodile’s snout, and it released me. Then I was falling. Petra quickly grabbed my hand and began to fly us away again. The crocodile continued to doggedly pursue us, but then all of a sudden I was falling again. I fell into a pool of water and as I sank down beneath the surface the crocodile dove in after me. Once it was close enough it bit into my wrist and pulled me down. I called out for Petra, and remember how the cold water filled my lungs. I remember reaching my right hand up to her, but through the water I saw Petra decide to just leave me behind.”

Tiger frowned at her words. “Maybe she thought you were dead-”

“She let go. Don’t you see?” Jasmine heatedly interrupted him. “Petra abandoned me to my fate and to Tezcatlipoca! She let go of my hand on purpose in order to use me as bait to keep the crocodile busy while she made her escape.”

“That doesn’t sound like Petra,” Tiger started to argue, but Jasmine stubbornly ignored him.

“In that moment, all of my fear turned into anger, and I fought against the crocodile with all my strength. I let him have my left hand. Then I mounted his back and wrapped my right arm around his snout in order to keep his maw closed. The beast struggled against my hold and I remember rolling through the water. I knew that my resistance was futile and that in the end he’d eat me, but I didn’t care. I decided to fight until the bitter end.”

“Admirable.” Tiger’s dark eyes were glittering with respect and newfound admiration.

“Then the strangest thing happened. The crocodile transformed into a man. I was so shocked I didn’t react right away. He pulled me out of the pool, and said that I had surprised him - something a mere mortal had never done before. He reached out, cupped my cheek and said I might be useful to him. That’s how I became Tezcatlipoca’s ‘pawn’. He taught me swordsmanship and I became one with sword and spear.”

“No wonder you’re so deadly with a sword,” Tiger complimented with a twinkle in his dark eyes. He recalled how quickly Hook had bested him in battle when she’d kidnapped him from his village. “But all that still doesn’t explain how you became the captain of this ship.”

“Years passed, and then one day Blackbeard’s ship returned to Neverland. That’s when I decided to get my revenge upon Blackbeard. That very night, I snuck aboard his ship. First, I snuck into the captain’s cabin and slit Blackbeard’s throat while he was sleeping. Since that had been so easy, I continued my way through the ship, slitting the throats of all those sleeping, drunken pirates one by one with my golden hook - the one Tezcatlipoca had gifted me with. I acted like a cowardly assassin that night.”

Noticing the shame in Jasmine’s expression Tiger shook his head. “What you did was anything but cowardly.”

Jasmine’s shoulders lifted in a self-deprecating shrug. “Perhaps. I killed all the slavers with my hook that night. Then I freed the prisoners. One of the girls called me ‘Captain Hook’ as she thanked me, and that name has stuck with me ever since. Tezcatlipoca allowed me to keep the ship and crew, but on one condition. Each year, I had to sacrifice one of my virgin crewmates to him. At first, I didn’t care. I didn’t know these girls. They were strangers to me. But later, when the girls had started to become my friends and family, I started to care about them, and began to hate Tezcatlipoca. That’s when I started to plot ways to kill him.”

“And then you heard of the prophecy?” Tiger questioned sagely.

Jasmine nodded. “Indeed. According to Queen Mab’s prophecy Excalibur would destroy Tezcatlipoca. That’s why I kidnapped you, Tiger, to force you to tell me the location of Excalibur.”

“You should have told me why you wanted the sword,” Tiger said solemnly. “Things could have been different. You’ve killed many of my tribesmen, fairies, and Lost Girls.”

“I know,” Jasmine said grimly. “And you may not believe it, but I am sorry. Unfortunately, the ends justified the means. I needed Excalibur at whatever cost. Besides, you never would have believed me if I’d told you I wanted to kill Tezcatlipoca. I was Neverland’s villainess. We were enemies. Pirates and Indians have been fighting and killing each other for hundreds of years on Neverland. And I was carrying this burden alone. I’m used to fighting alone…”

“You’re not alone,” Tiger objected fiercely. “Not anymore. I will carry this burden with you. We will find a way to kill Tezcatlipoca. Together.”

Jasmine gave him an astonished look, and her jaw dropped open slightly. She quickly composed herself and closed her mouth. Her expression turned contemplative. “Why did you save me, Tiger?”

“Because I decided you were worth saving.” Tiger tossed her a roguish smile that was almost flirty. “We’ll need someone as tough as you to help us defeat Tezcatlipoca. You were a powerful enemy - you would make a powerful ally.”

“You would be willing to trust me?” Jasmine eyed him suspiciously. “After all the horrible things I’ve done?”

Tiger nodded. “One must give trust in order to gain trust in return. I’m willing to risk trusting you. I saw good in you before all this. I want to give you a second chance. Everyone deserves a chance for redemption. This could be yours.”

Jasmine arched an eyebrow at him sassily. “You saw good in me?” There was a skeptical note to her voice.

“When I refused to tell you the location of Excalibur you could have tortured the information out of me. But you didn’t,” Tiger reminded her keenly. “Why?”

Tiger watched fascinated as Jasmine’s face turned pink. “I…that’s because, I…I was being selfish,” Jasmine admitted with a shy look on her face. “I liked you.”

Tiger’s dark eyebrows rose to his hairline. “You liked me? But I thought all pirates hate men? Doesn’t your crew have some sort of rule that forbids falling in love with a man?”

A chuckle slipped past Jasmine’s lips. “Well, that was a rule I came up with before I met you.” She nibbled on her lower lip.

Tiger flushed. “Do you like me still?” he asked tentatively, and held his breath as he awaited her answer.

Jasmine swallowed, met Tiger’s gaze unflinchingly, and raised her chin. “Yes. I do like you, but it’s more than that. I desire you - the way a woman desires a man.”

There was a strange look on Jasmine’s face. Tiger thought it reminded him of a cornered animal that couldn’t decide whether it wanted to flee or attack. It was defensive and vulnerable, and somehow very attractive.

Tiger was caught off guard by her admission, but found himself strangely pleased and flattered. He could tell she feared rejection as she held her breath and awaited his response to her confession.

A disappointed look fell over Jasmine’s face when Tiger took too long to respond. “I understand that we can’t be together because we’re enemies, and-”

Tiger frowned since Jasmine was getting the wrong idea. He couldn’t think of the right thing to say to her, so decided to act on his feelings instead. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his own.

“Mmph!” Jasmine let out a surprised squeak, as she was cut off mid-sentence by his sudden kiss. She quickly got over her shock though, and eagerly kissed him back.

Tiger pulled back before she could deepen their kiss, however, and smirked at her, a hungry gleam in his dark eyes. “I want you too. I’ve wanted you for a long time, Captain Jasmine Hook. Too long.” It was Tiger’s turn for revelations, and he’d always admired Jasmine’s beauty and strength from afar. Even if they had been enemies. She’d been forbidden, but now…

Forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest. Tiger thought lewdly to himself.

A sensual, teasing smile spread across her face and she threw the bed sheet off of her with her right hand. “Then what are you waiting for? Come and take me, my Indian prince.”

Tiger groaned at the forward invitation and moved onto the bed quickly. Once he was straddling her body she suddenly seemed so much smaller than him. He took a moment to admire her graceful body and long legs before he leaned forward and licked her lips, demanding entrance to her mouth.

When Jasmine parted her lips Tiger plunged his tongue inside, plundering the sweet cavern of her mouth. Their kissing was passionate and messy.

Tiger grabbed her breasts with his rough, calloused hands and began to knead them boldly. Jasmine let out another startled squeak that quickly transformed into a moan as Tiger continued his skillful ministrations. When Tiger pinched her nipples through her lacy black bra she arched into his touch and writhed beneath him in a needy manner.

Tiger loved how Jasmine was quickly coming undone in his hands. He caressed her thighs next, slid his hands up to move her legs apart, and settled between her spread legs.

Abruptly, Jasmine somehow managed to flip them over so that she was on top of Tiger, straddling him, her crotch resting against his six-pack abs. Jasmine smiled sharply at the man pinned beneath her, and took her bra off. She spun the article of clothing around her index finger before tossing it aside. It landed somewhere on the deck floor.

Tiger hummed at the delectable sight as her bare flesh was revealed to him. She had beautiful breasts with pink nipples that begged to be kissed and adored. Her raven-black hair was cascading about her shoulders in waves. She looked incredibly sexy in that moment. And just a little bit evil. That last thought made Tiger harden in his leather pants.

Jasmine scooted back a little and teasingly rubbed her crotch against the growing bulge in Tiger’s leather pants. Tiger let out a masculine grunt and soon moans were slipping past his lips as Jasmine continued to grind herself against him wantonly. Wicked squaw. He thought to himself, half in exasperation, half fond.

When Jasmine leaned over Tiger to kiss him again, her breasts pressed against his muscular torso, and caused both of them to groan at the sensation of bare flesh meeting deliciously.

After a few more minutes of just kissing and grinding, they both needed more. Tiger started to impatiently unbutton the top button of her pants. Jasmine quickly got the hint, however, and moved off of Tiger so that she could remove her boots, pants, and black silk panties. By the time she turned back to Tiger he’d somehow gotten rid of his own pants, undergarments, and moccasins.

Tiger was lying back on the bed with his hands behind his head to better show off his biceps. Jasmine licked her lips at the sight of all that gorgeous tanned skin and her green eyes raked down his body to the long, hard erection that was resting against his stomach. Tiger smirked smugly at her as he noticed her gaze lingering on his cock. “Enjoying the view? Feel free to take a closer look.”

“You dastardly fiend.” Jasmine chuckled amusedly. She liked how Tiger wasn’t ashamed of his nakedness. Instead, he appeared confident and proud. Jasmine quickly got back onto the bed and straddled Tiger’s body. She boldly sat on his cock so that she could rub her sex up and down his length, and coat it with his desire. She wanted him to be nice and slick to make it easier for her to take him deep inside.