“There was a man who came here by that name, but he’s moved on,” the woman hunter informed.
“Where did he go?” Henry asked while wrapping an arm around Alice and pulling her closer.
“He didn’t say.”
Jameson swore under his breath, and I was disappointed as well. We had traveled all this way looking for a specific hunter, knowing that we would find safety with him. Now, I had no idea what we were up against.
Another small herd of vampires came into sight, heading for the group of hunters. Before we could yell out a warning, the group rounded on the approaching corpse-like vampires. With quick, efficient movements, they had the vampires subdued enough for the woman to go around and stab them one by one through the heart. Clouds of charred ash rose into the air, while a small group of children appeared from behind a building, walked to the different piles, and scooped the ash into sacks.
Once all the vampires were dispatched, the woman hunter strolled to our group, leaving hers to clean up the mess.
“My name is Ruth. Welcome to what is left of Port Valor,” she greeted, putting her blade into a sheath that was tied to a belt around her waist.
Jameson stepped forward and introduced all of us while putting his own dagger away. He gestured to the ship that was anchored in the bay, explaining how we had gotten here.
“I didn’t think Port Defiant would crumble so quickly. There were hunters stationed there,” Ruth responded, shaking her head in disbelief.
“We were surprised as well. Solomon had once mentioned it to be well-protected,” Jameson replied, wiping ash off his arms.
“The hunters move their locations frequently to keep the organized vampires from locating them all, but still they should have been there to keep things under control,” she explained, her dark eyes flicking to me too often for it to be a coincidence.
“That makes sense. If a hunter is ever turned, they could betray the whereabouts of the other group, but by keeping everything constantly on the move, the risk of discovery is diminished,” I reasoned, thinking fast and trying to ignore Ruth’s emotionless stare.
“Are there any more vampires with you?” Ruth asked Jameson, ignoring me.
“No, just me,” he answered, seeming confused by the question.
“I don’t think we should lie to each other.” Her stare narrowed on me.
“We aren’t lying. There aren’t any other vampires in our group.” Jameson’s anger was rising, along with my own.
“If you don’t believe us, here,” I replied, thrusting my wrist at her. “Check for a heartbeat.”
Ruth’s hand had gone to the handle of her blade, and I could feel Jameson’s body tense next to mine. I knew that he wouldn’t hesitate to end her if she continued to threaten me. She took a step closer, and Jameson’s arm wrapped around my waist, his fingers latching onto the fabric of my dress, ready to rip me away if she made any move to harm me.
Slim fingers, which were surprisingly cold, wrapped around my wrist firmly. She froze, concentrating on feeling my pulse. We stood there for almost a full minute that felt like an eternity, but she finally nodded and then released my arm.
“My apologies, but I had to be sure,” she offered, while I rubbed my wrist trying to warm the area back up.
“Be sure of what?” Jameson seethed angrily, and I drew closer to him, trying to reassure him that I was unharmed.
“The blade I carry knows when vampires are near. That’s why we are called hunters, because the weapons that we are bonded to allow us to find vampires. I could feel that vampires were in that building and the group of them outside, but then I also sensed one over here. Children are precious and must be protected, so I made the decision to come here when I saw the little girl.”
Jameson’s arm around me had stiffened to the point where it felt like a band of iron held me. I was stunned at her revelation. Had her blade sensed the vampire in me? I wasn’t a vampire. I was human with vampire-like attributes. Wasn’t I? My chest tightened at the thought that I could be more vampire than we had originally thought.
After our talk with Ruth, she invited us back to where their group was staying. Jameson had a quick word with Alex before sending him back to the ship, asking him not to tell his captain what Jameson was in case we needed their help again. We didn’t need them jumping to conclusions and causing us more problems. We had enough of them.
Ruth mentioned that Port Baldaire was still safe, last she heard, and that’s where Captain Philip should head toward for rest. Since Port Baldaire was the furthest island in the chain, it made sense that it would be a safe place. They also had more room and board there, to accommodate the large group on the boat. The safe house they were using in Port Valor wouldn’t have fit everyone.
We didn’t stick around to watch the ship weigh anchor; instead, we were led to a plantation home not far from town. An oversize yard followed by the beach surrounded the huge manor, making it easy to spot vampires coming from far way. Everything, including their defenses, was methodical and well thought-out, almost military-like, and I wondered about Ruth’s background.
There was a barn a short walk from the manor, and Ruth gave Jameson permission to go feed there. He was hesitant to leave me, but I knew he was hungry, and he didn’t want me coming with him to feed. After a little prodding, I convinced him to go.
Feeling exposed, I went in search of Nettie. I found her with Nathan and the other children spreading the charred ashes from the vampires that were killed earlier around the perimeter of the house.
“I was told by one of the older children that the starved vampires avoid the ash of other dead ones,” Nathan explained when I asked him about the purpose. “When they go hunting, they collect the ash and use it to deter other vampires from approaching. It works well for the starved vampires, but they aren’t sure what affect it would have on a well-fed one.”
I worried it would have some sort of adverse effect on Jameson, but he didn’t seem to mind when we arrived here. I made a mental note to ask him if the ash bothered him at all when I saw him return.
An early evening meal was served, which I was grateful for, since we hadn’t eaten lunch before departing the ship. I sat with our group as we ate fresh-baked bread and meat that hadn’t been available on board the ship.
Jameson found me after I had finished eating. He took my hand, pulling me away, and I followed willingly. The manor was more of a mansion, but it seemed to have been built with vampires in mind. The main part of the house was well-furnished, but the truly impressive part was the underground level. An iron and steel-reinforced door with impressive bars for barricading led into the space. Rooms had been sectioned off and furnished from the manor above.
We entered a bedroom, and Jameson closed the door firmly behind him, then rounded on me, and I found myself wrapped in his arms. His lips were on mine before I could blink. I melted against his chest and kissed him back, our kisses quickly becoming more urgent.
He had cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes. His scent tickled my nose as he pressed himself against me while his hand tangled in the hair at the back of my head. He deepened the kiss, and I quickly lost myself in the heat that spread throughout my body and the feeling of him everywhere.
His lips moved to my neck, and I clung to his shoulders in an effort to remain upright. I tipped my head back, while his hand supported me, and he moved from my neck to my collarbones. A gasp escaped me as his teeth nipped my skin before his lips kissed the sting away.
His mouth returned to mine, and we shared a few more deep kisses before we broke apart, and I found myself plastered against his chest, quivering. He held me tightly against him, almost to the point of pain, but I didn’t care. I lived for the moments that we were alone together.
“Do you think we’re safe here?” I whispered, slipping my hand into his shirt that I didn’t remember unbuttoning and pressing my palm against the skin of his chest.
“I think so,” he replied, running his fingers t
hrough my hair.
“You don’t sound certain.”
He sighed while I stroked the skin of his chest. “I think this is the safest place for us,” he finally answered. “I’m impressed with what Ruth has done here with these people. After I fed, I wandered around and saw some of their defenses. She has thought of nearly every possible outcome.”
“But?” I prompted him when he paused.
“I talked to some of the people outside, and they told me that Ruth isn’t originally from here. When I asked where she was from, they didn’t know the answer. I’m having a hard time trusting her, even though she’s a hunter, because of that and how she treated you earlier today.”
“I’m worried about what happened earlier, too,” I confessed quietly.
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he vowed fiercely. “You believe me, don’t you?” he added with a tone of uncertainty.
“Yes, of course,” I reassured him, never once doubting that he would protect me. “I just worry that, one day, there will be someone who is stronger and more experienced than you that we will have to face. I know that you will do everything you can to protect me, and I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”
“You make me stronger, Lavinia. Your presence, your scent, the heart that beats steadily in your chest… makes me stronger.”
How long will it take for me to be strong enough to stand by his side and fight?
I didn’t know the answer, but I resolved to train harder, so that I could fight for him just as he vowed to fight for me. I may have made him stronger, but I feared that I was also a weakness that could very well cost him his life.
My being balked at that thought. I was not weak. I had somehow survived being turned into a vampire twice. His life was important to me, and I’d do whatever I had to do to keep him living.
“Lavinia, I…” he began but trailed off as he tilted his head, listening to something I couldn’t hear.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, pushing away from his chest, so I could see his face better.
“There is a bell ringing. I think that’s the signal a ship has entered the bay,” he replied, loosening his arms from around me, but I watched him as he continued to listen. “Someone just said that they think the sails are black.”
Chapter 15
Jameson buttoned his shirt, and I straightened my dress before quickly braiding my long hair into a plait down my back. Black sails could only mean one thing: pirates. In my limited dealings with them, they had all seemed to be vampires. Was it too much to hope that the ship was filled with regular pirates and not blood-thirsty ones?
I caught Jameson’s eyes as he reached for the door handle, and the haunted look in their blue depths informed me that he was thinking the same thing. It suddenly became much harder to draw a breath, and I wished that we could go back to just a few moments ago, when all I cared about were his arms remaining around me.
He hooked an arm around my waist, pulled me against him, and kissed me. The kiss was full of longing, but it also contained a promise. I returned the kiss, desperately trying to convey everything that I was feeling.
All too soon, we pulled apart. Our fingers intertwined, then he was pulling me through the door while I took his kissed promise and tucked it close to my heart. When we returned to the main area of the plantation, everything seemed to be chaotic, but at closer inspection, it was nowhere near that.
Hunters moved confidently through the house, giving and receiving orders, as they prepared for the intruders. Alice, Nathan, and Henry waved at us, calling us toward them. We made our way through the people and stood against the wall with our group.
“Were any of you assigned to do anything?” Jameson asked.
Henry shook his head. “Ruth told us to stay out of the way.”
“That’s not going to work for me.” Jameson’s chest rumbled.
I placed a hand on his arm, hoping to calm him. “Where is Nettie?”
“She’s in the underground section, with the other children and townspeople who aren’t trained to fight. She made some new friends already, which made leaving her a little easier than when we tried to on the ship,” Nathan answered.
I nodded, letting out a sigh of relief that we didn’t have to fear for her safety at that moment.
Ruth stormed into the room then. Her short brunette hair was pinned back, and she’d changed her wardrobe. She still had on dark clothes, but the new ones had armor sewn into the arms, chest, and legs. All of her vital organs were covered, including her neck, which had chainmail wrapped around it.
Jameson blurred toward her. “Where do you want us?”
“Downstairs with the others,” she snapped. “I don’t have time to deal with you at the moment, so stay out of my way while I protect what’s left of this place.” She stomped off before Jameson could say another word.
When he made his way back to our group, he was visibly shaking. I tried to reach for him, but he took a step back. “Just give me a moment.” His voice softened, and I didn’t take his need for space personally.
“She’s obviously busy,” Alice offered. “Let’s head to wherever she just was and arm ourselves. I doubt she’d refuse our help if we simply showed up ready for battle. I’m sure we can figure out where things are. If it’s anything more than pirates out there, they’re going to need our help.”
Nathan nodded. “Alice is right. Let’s go.”
Jameson didn’t say anything, but he let me tug him along, so I tried not to worry too much. We ventured down the hallway, moving against the crowd as more and more hunters came out armed similarly to Ruth. We received a few stern looks, but nobody stopped us. Assumedly, they were smart enough to realize that we weren’t a threat, and they didn’t need to stop and question us.
The last of the hunters maneuvered out of a room on the right, toward the end of the hallway. We waited until they passed us before entering the room. The storage area appeared as if a small windstorm had rolled through it. Pieces of armor were laying everywhere, along with various weapons. There wasn’t much left for us to use, but it was better than nothing.
We moved in to begin sorting through the remnants, and Jameson reached for my arm. “You know you don’t have to help us, right?”
“I do, but I want to,” I replied. “Between what Alice taught me and my inability to die or be turned into a vampire, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
He flinched. “Yet. You haven’t died or been turned yet. Until we know more, we need to assume you can still be changed or killed. You can’t let your guard down.”
“I won’t. How about I promise you that if there are a bunch of vampires out there instead of pirates, then I’ll stay as far back as I can. I still want to help, but I won’t do anything drastic. Plus, my extra abilities seem to increase considerably when I’m under pressure. I’ll be fine.”
“I won’t hold you back, as I’ve said before, but I won’t deny that it makes me feel better to hear you’ll stay away from the front lines if it comes to that.”
Alice shoved armor at me, ending our conversation. “These should fit you. There’s extra chainmail in the corner over there, too.”
“Thanks for grabbing stuff for me,” I replied, feeling bad that we hadn’t helped them.
“We’re a team.” She smiled at me as she walked to finish getting changed.
I pushed Jameson toward Nathan and Henry. “Go. We all need to be ready.”
He pressed his lips to mine, then turned. I joined Alice and helped her get the arm pieces on as she did the same for me. We both took the chainmail and covered up as best we could before we went looking for weapons.
I found a rapier sword that was the perfect size and weight for me, and Alice opted for two daggers. The men each armed themselves with swords and other smaller items that could fit in the pockets of their trousers.
Once we were all ready, Jameson went around to each of us and checked our armor before we left the room. When he was done, we followed him out an
d headed toward the main entrance to the house. It had appeared to be where everyone was headed earlier.
Shouts and murmurs could be heard from down the hall before we even saw the group. People were upset about something, but I didn’t understand what until we turned the corner. That’s when I heard my name and my body froze.
“If Lavinia is what he wants, then we need to hand her over,” one man said.
“Why risk the many for the one?” another shouted.
A snarl ripped from Jameson, and all eyes fell on us as they quieted. “He won’t get Lavinia. She is not an item to be handed over on demand. Whoever is out there won’t leave you alone even if he gets Lavinia. If it’s who I think it is, the sooner we attack, the better chances we have of survival.”
Ruth stepped forward. “He said his name is Pierce, and he wants his wife, Lavinia.” The accusatory tone in her voice was clear as she moved her stare to me.
I squared my shoulders, stepping toward her. “I am not his wife. He killed my family, then tried to turn me. I got away and have been with Jameson ever since.”
She was inches from me, distrust written all over her face. “What’s so special about you? Why would he travel all this way to find you? Why do I sense you’re a vampire, yet your heart still beats? There are too many questions, and you don’t seem to have enough answers.”
Her left hand snatched mine as her right hand drew the hunter’s dagger. Before I could blink, she sliced open my palm, then pressed the flat side of the blade against my wound. The cut burned, but not bad enough to make me scream. What had me the most surprised was the reddish hue that glowed from the dagger.
Jameson yanked me away from her. “What the hell? I already told you she wasn’t a vampire. If you touch her again, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”
She raised her hands in surrender, her eyes alight with wonder. “Calm down. I got the answer I was looking for. We will help you protect her from Pierce, and whoever he has brought with him.”
Blood of the Sea Omnibus Page 13
