K-Hunter cont.

Ezekiel Pierce loved the sea. His dream had been to travel the world as a merchant or as a navy man. However, his father had done everything possible to destroy any dream of the sea. He never really understood why. There was some vague mentioning of a dear friend who had died abroad. Almost 20 years ago. Ezekiel knew that because he was almost 20 years old.

Watching the sailors load and unload their cargo, he wondered if today he would be brave enough to stow aboard a ship. Other than fiction, the young man had no real knowledge of ships and sailing. His father had destroyed or gotten rid of all books about the sea as he found them. Luckily, Ezekiel knew a young woman who loved the sea almost as much as he did. Her name was Josephine Brentwood.

He glanced at his pocket watch and nearly jumped out of his skin. He was late and his father was going to kill him. Turning his back on the docks, Ezekiel took off running. In his haste to find a way back to the main roads, he found himself in a dark alley.

"Wots a pretty boy like you doin down ere?" A voice asked, causing him to stop.

"I'm just looking for the main road." The young man said, turning to leave.

"How much is that worth to ya?" A second man appeared behind him.

"Look, I don't mean to cause trouble..." Ezekiel said, trying to keep an eye on both men.

"Oh we intend to cause trouble." The first man pulled a knife.

Suddenly, the second man crumbled to the ground. There was a blur that jumped over the top of the  young man. The figure dodged the man's knife and knocked him down with one blow. Scott pocketed the man's knife and turned around.

"Thank you sir, you have saved my life." Ezekiel said, holding out a hand.

Scott looked at the hand and grasped it slowly.

"It was nothing," he replied in even tones.

"My mother would disagree." The young man smiled. "There must be some way I can repay you."

"Perhaps..."

"Well, if you think of something you need or anything you want," he pulled out a slip of paper and scribbled an address on it. "Come to this address and ask for Ezekiel Pierce."

Scott accepted the paper with a small bow.

"Oh, my dear chap!" The young man exclaimed. "I just realized I don't know your name."

"It's Scott," the man replied. "Scott Hunter."

"Yes father, I'm telling the truth!" Ezekiel said exasperatedly.

"So you were rescued by an ape man from the jungles of Africa," the older man laughed. "And you gave him our address? Can he even read?"

"You don't need to make fun of me." He grumbled.

"Dearest husband!" A woman's voice called.

"Yes my dear?" The man called back.

Lady Elaine marched into the room.

"There is a man at the door claiming that our son invited him." She said.

"Yes I did." Ezekiel ran to the door.

"Wait a moment!" His father ran after him.

They reached the front door to find no one there.

"He was there!" Lady Elaine said.

"And I still am," a voice growled.

They turned to find him leaning against the house. Scott had cleaned up and wore slacks and a rough vest over a white shirt. The Lord and his Lady stared at him for a moment, like he was some sort of animal.

"You must be the man who rescued my son," the man held out a hand. "I owe you a debt."

"Yes you do." He took the man's hand. "I know your sons name M'lord but I am unaware of yours."

"I am Lord Darien Pierce." He gestured to his wife. "And this is the Lady Elaine."

None of them saw his eyes flash at their names. Scott's animal side begged to howl in triumph. He managed to twist a wolffish smirk into a smile.

"A pleasure to meet you both," he bowed.

"I suppose we should invite you in for tea," Lady Elaine said.

As the four of them sat in the parlor, Ezekiel could almost sense a strange tension in the air.

"So, what do you do with your time, sir?" Scott asked.

"Oh various dull and trivial things..."

"He used to own a shipping company," Ezekiel said as an automatic reaction.

"That was 20 years ago!" Darien growled.

"Really? Why did you get out of it?" He asked, not noticing the out burst.

There was an awkward silence.

"There was a terrible..." Lady Elaine went quiet.

"A very old friend of ours..."

"Wasn't his name Bill or something?" The young man asked.

"What my son is indelicately trying to draw out is the reason why I have discouraged his desire to join the navy." Darien said, glancing at him with annoyance.

"You've never given me a strait answer about it."

"Not to seem intrusive, but what exactly did happen?" Scott asked.

"He has to know sometime." Lady Elaine said quietly.

"Very well..." Darien said. "My-our- dear friend William Chase... He adored travel but had never had the time or money to go. One day, he and I devised a plan to accompany one of my shipments to Brazil."

He cut off, tearing up. Elaine placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"We stopped at an island in the Bahamas. It was a beautiful, densely tropical place. Then everything went wrong." He regained his composure. "The natives attacked, killing and dragging off several of the crew... Including Bill."

Elaine stared out into the cool night on the back balcony. The memories of 20 years ago still stung. However, she contemplated, Darien seemed still as choked up about as the day it happened. And she had been married to Bill for heavens sakes!

Suddenly she was aware of a figure in the shadows. She turned sharply.

"Sorry if I startled you, m'lady." Scott said.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to thank you for inviting a stray sea dog into your home," he bowed slightly. "I know it's not easy, seeing as I'm a complete stranger."

"Yes. I'm sorry we were not able to make you feel more welcome in our home," Elaine replied. "However, my husband will repay you handsomely for your troubles."

"He shall try, but I don't think such a debt can be repaid." His eyes flashed briefly. "I have a gift for the lady of the house."

He held out a crystalline flower. The tropical petals were vibrant in color. Elaine carefully accepted the delicate piece. The flower was as intricate as a real one but as hard as steel.

"I can't accept a gift like this!" She protested.

"It's tradition." Scott replied. "You'll offend me if you don't take it."

"Alright."

"M'lady, I bid you good night and farewell for now." He bowed again.

"You know, Scott, something about you doesn't seem very strange at all," Elaine said almost to herself.