Ghost Pirate Boyfriend: Gustaaf Von Malevance #2 (complete)

The Devil’s Swift is a labyrinth. Years of being underwater and recreating itself has turned it into a monstrous entity of its own. Wandering around the halls and even the deck can get you lost. Von Malevance doesn’t keep me locked up like I expected. I have nowhere to go, so why keep me imprisoned was his logic. The Devil’s Swift sees that I don’t try anything funny. And even if I were to jump overboard, which sounds worse than death, there’s no way I even can. Somehow everything is contained. 

Lir stays close to me, keeping his word that he will be my guardian on the ship. Unlike all the other ghosts who remain on the ship, Lir is much different. Everyone else was once human, but from the looks of Lir, I’m not quite sure. He is of average height and has a sleek swimmer’s build, but he is covered in glossy scales and has fins here and there. The back of his head droops down into long, curly tentacles. They twitch and move every now and again, but only when Lir seems to be reacting to something. His feet and hands are webbed, and one leg is shorter than the other, giving him a noticeable limp. 

He brings me food every day, often times sitting with me while I eat. He tries to get me to talk to Von Malevance, hoping that if I can get through to him, maybe he will change his mind. But I have no desire to talk to him, Von Malevance has made his bed with me. As far as I am concerned, he isn’t the type to change his mind so readily. After all, this whole plan is to seek revenge and bring back his beloved wife. I am next to nothing for him, he won’t listen to me whatsoever. 

Sometimes at night, Rosemary continues to visit me. The room will grow cold and the window will frost over. Her small hands press to the glass and she will speak to me. She will ask me to look after and care for Von Malevance, but each time, I tell her he isn’t my responsibility.

“Oh no, I suppose he’s not. You must understand, I love him so much and I worry,” her voice sighs over the loud singing of the music box. 

“You’re dead,” I throw at her. “Why does it matter?”

“I am dead,” Rosemary whispers, “but I am not gone.” Her hand stretches through the window and her chilled fingertip taps against the locket that has fused itself to my body. “My love for him is what keeps me tethered, but only you can see me. If only he had waited a few moments and kept his head.” Her hand slips back through the glass. “I am sorry, Grace. I can’t tell you how long I was trapped in my own home. After my father did what he did, I tormented him until the day he died.”

I look back at the window. “Now we’re getting somewhere. You should have led with this, Rosemary.”

Rosemary giggles. “My father married for status and wealth, he had no love in his heart for me or my mother. He only saw my brother as an heir and he was certain to marry me off when I was ready enough.” She makes a disgusted grunt and her fingers curl on the glass. “He brought back my locket like it was a trophy, but all my mother did was mourn. Poor thing. She suffered so much under my father. We all did. So, I did what any hateful child would do. I watched him die, but not before I got my fair share of laughs.”

“Your descendant isn’t much better,” I scoff. “Garrett.”

“Oh, that one!” She sighs. “He’s like my father made over, I swear. Did you know he tried to sell me? But when people kept complaining about seeing ‘some dead woman in a bloody gown,’ he tried to get the media on it. He actually invited some ghost hunter show to the house.”

“And what did you do?” I lean closer to the window.

“Absolutely nothing,” she says with a proud sniff. “Made him a laughing stock. Quite enjoyable.”

“I never even knew the Baudelaires were haunted,” I say with a shake of my head. “How come you never came out at the exhibit?”

“I did,” she sighs. “But only once all of you were gone. I liked you. You and your Grandma were sweet and kind people. I didn’t want to give you any grief at all. I only came out to visit Gustaaf.” She then sighs sadly. “Seeing him just lying there, it broke my heart all over again. But at least I was with him, that’s all I ever could have asked for.”

“There’s no way you can reach him now?” I ask. “Can you possess me and speak to him now? Maybe if you try, you can convince him not to, you know, kill me?”

Rosemary sighs sadly. “I am afraid it is not that simple, Grace. I’m not strong enough to will myself over another person. Gustaaf knows this, that’s why he’s doing what he is.”

“Damn,” I grumble. 

“I have to go,” Rosemary whispers. The music box closes and the door opens as Lir comes into the room.

I stand up and walk over to him, taking one of the plates from his hands. “Thank you,” I grumble.

“What’s wrong? Did I wake you?” Lir asks.

“No, I’m fine,” I sit down on the edge of the bed and pick at the food with my fingers. “It’s just...I’ve been thinking.”

“Ah, have you now?” Lir sits at the desk like he always does. “What’s on your mind?”

“Rosemary and Gustaaf--I mean, Von Malevance.” I set my plate aside. “What’s the deal with that? How did they meet?”

Lir licks his finger. “Well, it’s kind of a long story. But basically, Rosemary snuck onboard after Von Malevance had attacked some French ship. She had taken the clothes of an officer and stowed away on our ship. Von Malevance found her and locked her in his quarters so no one would do anything to her.”

I frown. “And that’s it?”

“No, of course not,” Lir chuckles. “There’s a lot more to it, but it isn’t something that’s for me to talk about.”

“Oh,” I grumble. I pick my plate back up and start eating. I watch Lir as he turns to his plate. Even for some sort of fishy creature, he isn’t all bad to look at. In fact, he’s quite pretty. I find as more time goes on, I do greatly enjoy his company. 

“And what about you?” I then ask.

Lir chuckles and smiles at me. “And what about me?”

I shake my head. “Who are you? Why are you serving Von Malevance? You’re obviously not one of his skeleton crew. But you have been alive since he died, and probably longer before that, I assume.”

Lir licks at his finger, his tongue is dark green and sparkles slightly. “I owe him a great debt,” he says simply and goes back to eating.

“But for what?” I scoff. “What did he do that was so great that you’re still working for him now? Why not just walk away if you don’t like how things have turned out?”

Lir scratches the side of his face then sits so he completely faces me. “People in this world work against their moral code everyday. Sometimes there are things in this world that just work out better when you do. Von Malevance was once a good man, but grief and rage can warp anyone.”

I meet his eyes and swallow back a nervous flutter. “You’re still not answering my question, Lir.”

He tilts his head to the side. “Because I don’t really want to. I am still uncertain what truths you need to know. If these are the final days of your life, I would prefer they be as comfortable as possible. The less questions you have, the better.”

“I’d have less if you answered me,” I toss at him.

Lir smirks. “Believe me, you’d have far more if I did answer you.”

I shrug and look back to my plate. “Just so you know, I do like you, Lir.”

The tentacles on his head squirm and squeeze up tighter, before curling around his neck and face.  

“I was only asking these things, not out of simple curiosity, but because I just want to know you a tiny bit better.” I set my plate on the floor and a crab darts out from under the bed and yanks it back. 

Lir chuckles nervously. “Yes, well, I am showing you what I think you’d be comfortable with.”

I take a cautious breath and run a few ideas through my mind. I then stand up as Lir does to clear the plates. He turns and looks at me with surprise, and I stand on my toes to plant a kiss on his lips. His lips are full and soft, but he feels cold to the touch.

Lir gasps softly as our lips part. “Grace, what are you doing?”

“The less questions you have, the better.” I pull him close, kissing him again as my arms wrap around him. “If this is to be the end of my life, I want to live it.”

Lir’s expression is pained, but he clings to me. His strong arms wrap around me tightly. “What can I do?” He breathes.

I pull him down onto the bed with me, kissing him hungrily as we both strip away our clothes. I press to his naked body, feeling his glossy scales against my soft skin. Lir moans into my ear and his sharp teeth graze down my neck and shoulder. I shiver and cling tighter to him. 

“Is this really what you want, Grace?” Lir cups my cheek as he looks into my eyes. “Tell me the truth.”

I nod and rub the back of his neck. “I told you,” I whisper. “I want to die knowing you. If Von Malevance is intent on taking my life from me, I want to share what’s left in your arms.” I hook my leg around his hip and feel something cool and slimy rub against me. 

Lir moans and his eyes flutter. He bites his lip and looks down. Below, something is wriggling about. Peeking between us, I see tentacles slithering along my thighs and stomach. The long tendrils come from an opening at his crotch. They’re super slick and slimy, but the sensation isn’t bad at all. Then something extends from the center of the tentacles. It’s thick and hard, and slips inside me easily.

I let out a pleasured moan as Lir fills me. I stretch as I take him and, already, my knees are beginning to shake. Lir kisses me as he begins to move, his soft hands roam my body and I am taken over by the pleasure of this moment. 

Lir’s moans and grunts are only for me to hear, quiet and right in my ear. His long tongue slithers around in my ear and he whispers my name over and over to me.  I hold onto him for dear life as the pressure inside me builds. I squeeze tight around him, feeling every bump and flare of his cock.

The tentacles squeeze around me, kneading me and rubbing against my clit. I’m soon unraveling, crying out as Lir’s movements begin to grow harder and faster. He lasts longer than I do, in fact, I cum twice more before he finally succumbs.

He snarls and lets out a final loud bellow before he releases inside me. I shiver as the cold sensation travels up my spine and down through my limbs. His release is like a thick jelly and it sticks inside me, even as he pulls out.

We lay together, naked and breathing hard, trading soft, lazy kisses until he falls asleep on my chest. I wonder for a moment if I have gone too far, but this is the first time I’ve felt so safe since I was forced on board this ship.

As I fall asleep, the music box begins to play again. I try to stay awake, but I am pulled under by the soft sound of Lir’s breathing.

I then open my eyes immediately and stare up through fog. My breath comes out in thick white clouds, only added to all the mist that is engulfing me. I sit up, trying to escape the fog, but even standing, I cannot remove myself from it. 

I race forward, stumbling and tripping. I hit the ground hard and I cry out in pain. I then see a small white hand before me.

“It’s ok, don’t be scared.”

I look up, seeing a beautiful woman. Her long dark hair is styled up around her head and she’s wearing a veil. I take her hand and she feels so cold, my fingers hurt. As she pulls me up to stand, I see her wedding dress and then the blood that’s pouring down from her stomach.

I wrench my hand away and try to run back, but I hit a wall.

“Grace, it’s ok,” she whispers. “It’s me.”

The music box sings in my head and I narrow my eyes at her. “Rosemary?” I ask.

She nods and places her palms over her stomach. “I’m sorry. I really don’t mean to scare you, but uhm-” she presses her lips into a tight line. “This is all I have to work with, I am afraid.”

“I thought you said you couldn’t possess me,” I say as I step back towards her. “So what is this?”

“Dreams are a common ground for the living and the dead. Here, I can visit you and answer some of the questions you may have.” Rosemary extends her hand to me. “Lir couldn’t help you, but I can.”

I take hold of her hand and suddenly we are on the deck of the Devil’s Swift, only it’s much more grand and taken care of. It’s not a labyrinth of false halls and twisting boards. The men roaming around are flesh and blood rather than the ghosts of what was. 

I hear guns firing and cannons going off. I instantly hit the deck and Rosemary turns her head towards the cannons. “The day I came onboard, Gustaaf was attacking a ship I was on. I was on my honeymoon with the man my father arranged for me to marry.” She sighs and rolls her eyes. “Luckily, I had warded off our wedding bed by starting my menstruation. My husband was horribly disgusted, so he had separated us until I got better.”

“Got better?” I scoff.

Rosemary shrugs and turns back to the action unfolding. “It didn’t matter, he was killed within moments of Gustaaf coming on board.” She has a dreamy, sweet smile on her face. “I took his clothes and followed Gustaaf and his men back onto this ship. I hid for a few days until someone found me.” Her head turns and, looking ahead, I see Von Malevance dragging her out from below the deck. He tossed her on the ground and, looking up at him, Rosemary spat on him.

Von Malevance glared down at her and she spat at him again. Raising his sword, Von Malevance was ready to cut her to ribbons, but Rosemary stood up and faced him. Granted, she was five foot nothing and Von Malevance was seven foot plus, the height difference between them was astronomical, but Rosemary stood higher still. Von Malevance lowered his sword and started laughing. 

“Who are you, girl?” he asked with a low, rumbling voice. “Are you insane or are you just ballsy?”

“I am Rosemary Baudelaire,” she announced and stood with such poise and pride, I even felt a chill. “You killed my husband back on that ship.”

“Oh! So you’ve come to seek revenge?” Von Malevance chortled.

“No,” Rosemary scoffed. “I came to escape so that my father would think I died too. I don’t want to go back there. I also thought perhaps I should thank you for ending my misery.”

Von Malevance smirked down at Rosemary and took a step closer to her. “And what sort of thank you were you wanting to give me?”

The bloody Rosemary beside me sighs. “To be honest, I was full of false bravado back then. But I knew that either I would be spared and released to shore once found, or I would be killed. Either way, I didn’t have to go home, so I wasn’t afraid of my fate.” A smile then spreads across her face. “We had sex that very evening. It was my first time with any man, technically my wedding night.” Her smile is so proud and nostalgic. “But do you see him? Can you blame me for wanting to climb into his bed and ride him to my death?”

“Uhh-” I watch as Von Malevance picks up Rosemary from the deck so they can face each other eye to eye. He’s a massive guy, strong and robust. His hair is pitch black and his eyes are endless blue. He is certainly not the worst man I’ve ever seen. I could understand how Rosemary was instantly charmed by him.

“I’m not one to judge,” I finally reply.

“I never felt such passion,” Rosemary swoons. “When he took me, he always asked. My husband never even asked to kiss me. He would grab me and slobber on me whenever he saw fit, and that was in just four days.” She walks away and the scene before us changes as we walk into a room.

Rosemary and Von Malevance are naked and lying in bed. His big arms serve as her pillow and she trails her fingers up and down his side, making him shiver with delight. 

“At first, it was all fun and games. I got to revolt against my strict upbringing and he got to fuck a beautiful woman. We enjoyed one another, that’s what mattered.” Rosemary walks up beside the vision and pets Von Malevance’s head. “We soon fell into the trap. Neither of us intended it. Von Malevance was strictly against romance of any kind.” She turns and looks at me as the visions murmur quietly and giggle to themselves.

“He was raised in a brothel. His mother was a whore and he never knew who his father was. He watched the women around him get abused daily. He saw his mother rotting away. When she died, the madam sold him to the highest bidder.” Tears flow down her cheeks as she turns back to look at Von Malevance as he struggles to stay awake. “One day, he killed the madam and took the women and their children. They were his first crew.” She walks away again and the room changes. 

Von Malevance is on the floor, crying, as someone walks away from Rosemary. She looks disheartened, but she soon rushes to Von Malevance’s side as he weeps.

“My first pregnancy ended before it began. We both never knew and yet…” Rosemary places her hands over her continuously bleeding stomach. “He mourned and he realized what he wanted.” 

Rosemary looks up and there is a blue sky and palm trees. Glancing around, I see we’re standing on an island. The Devil’s Swift is anchored at a dock and Von Malevance is running up from the shore and grabbing Rosemary as she laughs loudly.

“Cruorem Island was to be where we would settle. Lir gave it to us,” she turns and there is suddenly a house built amongst the trees. “One last journey and we would spend our lives here.” Rosemary walks up to the door, but her hands fade through it. She sighs sadly and turns back to me. “We married on the sea, in the same place we first met.” She chuckles and walks towards me as the sea grows around us and we rise onto the deck of the Devil’s Swift. “He had kept the coordinates since that day.” We’re standing in the crowd of the crew as they watch Rosemary and Von Malevance kiss. She’s in the same wedding dress as now, only it is not tattered and covered in ever flowing blood.

“But-” Rosemary continues as storm clouds form overhead. “Not all stories have a happy ending.” She motions and I watch a ship crash into the Devil’s Swift. I am tossed aside and rolled around on deck. I hear a scream and, looking up, I see Reginald Baudelaire charging with his sword drawn as Von Malevance has his back turned. 

Another scream comes when Rosemary stands in his way. She takes her own father’s sword into the stomach. The father and daughter look at one another, and while Rosemary sheds tears, Reginald Baudelaire pulls out his sword and pushes her aside. 

Stricken by the loss of his wife, Von Malevance drops to the ground and holds her in his arms. Rosemary smiles at him and touches his cheek one last time before succumbing to her wounds. Reginald Baudelaire shoots him in the jaw, point blank.

I am then in the sea, numb and horrible. I watch as Rosemary’s body sinks into the cold water from above. Moments later, Lir swims by and plucks her from the waters. He drags her on shore of Cruorem, where he breaks down in anguish before burying Rosemary behind the home they never got to enjoy.

I watch as Lir stays by her grave, even as he begins to dry out. I kneel down beside him and place my hand on his head.

“The Devil’s Swift was destroyed,” Rosemary’s voice cracks. “The men were thrown overboard and Gustaaf was taken away and buried as a cruel joke by my father.” The world goes dark again and Lir fades from my sight. 

“Can you understand now why you have to reach him?” Rosemary kneels down beside me. “He is blinded and he needs someone who can reach him. Please, Grace. You have to reach him before it’s too late.” The music box is growing loud again.

I wake up and quietly move out of the bed. I dress and leave, all while not waking Lir from his slumber, taking the music box with me. As I go out on deck, I see Cruorem Island ahead of us. Von Malevance is on the deck, watching as the shore grows closer and closer. He then looks down, staring at the open pages of Rosemary’s diary.

“What are you doing out on deck, girl?” He growls lowly. He turns towards me and the gold coins in his eyes flash brilliantly.

I swallow and step closer towards him. “Because Rosemary asked me to.”

He snarls and looks at me. “Rosemary is dead! How dare you mock me using her?”

I touch the necklace on my throat. “If you had just been calm,” I whisper as my voice shakes. “You would have heard her the same way I have. She’s here!” I tap the locket again. “She’s been trying to get me to help you, she knows that what you’re doing is dangerous.”

“I’m doing it for her!” Von Malevance towers over me, and I feel weak and stupid. 

Taking a few steps back, I breathe and I take the same stance that Rosemary did in the vision. I stand before him defiantly. “You don’t see what is happening because of how blinded you’ve become.”

Von Malevance grabs me by the neck and hoists me off the ground. I choke and grunt, grabbing onto his wrist and clawing, but I only find bone. The music box falls from my hand and clatters to the ground. It opens up and begins to play. 

“I know you loved her, and I’m sorry.” I wheeze.

Von Malevance drops me and I hit the deck hard. I gasp and pant, clasping my neck in my hands. I then realize the necklace is missing. I look up, seeing Von Malevance has it clutched in his hand. The locket opens and a strand of hair falls out. The dark brown hair is braided together with a lock of pitch black. As Von Malevance stoops to pick it up, a small white hand rests on it. 

“Rosemary,” he starts to cry.

She picks up the lock of hair and her dress begins to patch together. She smiles and the blood stops spilling. “Can we just go home?” She touches his cheek. “You promised me.”

Von Malevance steps forward, but all his bones tumble and clatter onto the deck. His spirit slips away, joining Rosemary’s. He is young and new again, just like the day of their wedding. The music box plays and they begin to spin and dance together on the ship.

Suddenly, the deck crumbles away below me. I scramble, grabbing onto something as the ship splits in two. I’ve lost track of Rosemary and Von Malevance as the ship begins to rot away and crumble back into the ocean.

“Grace!” I hear Lir and he grabs hold of me as we fall into the ocean. 

As we sink into the water, Lir begins to glow again. He swims us back to the surface and then takes us onto the shore of Cruorem Island. As the sun rises, I watch as Rosemary and Von Malevance dance before their home. The building looks new and pristine, and it glows from within with warmth and welcome.

“Oh, there you are.” Von Malevance kisses Rosemary then walks over to us. “I wanted to thank you, old friend.” He clasps Lir’s hands in his own. “You’ve sacrificed a lot of your time over this. I’m sorry.”

“No,” Lir whispers. “It was all worth it, seeing this. “I just wish I could have paid you back for saving me.”

“You paid that back more than you think you did,” Von Malevance smiles at him. “You once were the most frightening creature in the sea, my friend. You were once known as a god.”

I stare at Lir in shock.

“You never lost what you were just because something else took your place.” Von Malevance then looks to me. “Take care of him. He needs someone to keep an eye on him.” The pages of Rosemary’s diary begin to fly away from his body. He stands and goes back to his bride, and their image fades as the sun rises.

I sniffle and rub my eyes, crying as Lir holds me. “Is it true?” I whimper. “Are they gone?”

“For now, maybe.” Lir stands and offers me his hand. “Let’s go inside,” he says. “We should rest before we try to make it back home.”

I stand and walk with him into the house. Everything looks untouched despite the centuries that have passed. I hear the music box play from a room and when I find it, it’s set before a painting of Rosemary and Von Malevance, along with Rosemary’s complete diary. 

“We should take these back with us,” Lir says. “You can show them in the exhibit.”

“I can show the truth,” I murmur. “Prove Baudelaire is all wrong.”

Lir kisses me and hugs me close. “I’m glad it all worked out.”

I relax in his embrace. 

“Now that your life isn’t ending-” his voice starts off shakily. “Do you still...I mean, am I-” I stop him by kissing him.

“You can tell me what sort of god you once were later,” I whisper. “But it will be later.” I kiss him again and stand on tiptoe to press it into him. “Because of course I still want you.”

Lir finds a small boat that we’re able to go home on. He pulls it along as he blazes through the water faster than any motor. Getting home, Grandma and I cry when we see one another. Most of the exhibit is still intact, save for the Baudelaire room which has mostly been trashed. Grandma claimed robbers have done it and, luckily, the guard who had been there agreed, still a little confused by all that happened.

We hang the portrait of Von Malevance and Rosemary for all to see, along with the music box. We published Rosemary’s diary so everyone could see the truth of the matter. It sold out quickly at the museum and soon, Garrett Baudelaire had to admit to his family’s blemished history.

Lir stayed with us and wrote a book about his life with Von Malevance. He even wrote about Eliza and her growing family. We still go to Cruorem Island and stay in the old house. We often wonder if we will ever see Rosemary or Gustaaf again, but it really isn’t important. What is important is that the story is finally over and their happiness is truly known.