All seven of them were vampires.
An evident hunger took over as they moved toward me. I had no weapon and mentally noted that I needed to carry one in the future. Balling my hands into fists, I watched them draw closer. There was a high probability that they would kill me, but I found comfort in the knowledge that I wouldn’t stay dead for long. Still, I had no desire to die again. We had no idea if there was a limit to the amount of times I could come back to life.
With a gust of wind, Solomon stepped into the path of the newly-made vampires. I wasn’t sure how I knew they were newly made, but my instincts were certain, and I wasn’t going to argue with myself. I shoved the information to the back of my mind to analyze later.
Solomon drew his dagger, but I could tell by his movements that he was hesitant to kill them. He seemed to be moving defensively instead of offensively. If he had been correct earlier, and this ship was loaded down with the people who used to inhabit this town, the seven men approaching me were part of those people. Solomon knew them and, though he had tried to get everyone off this place and to safety, he felt responsible for what happened in open waters.
He engaged the first three while the other four skirted around and moved for me. I ducked the first grab, twisting away. My skirts swirled around my legs, but I ignored the cumbersome material as I continued dodging and ducking to avoid their grasps.
A snarl came from behind the four I faced, and I knew the sound like I knew my own heartbeat. Jameson surged into the fray, and I was confident that he was not aiming to subdue but to kill. He’d destroy anyone who threatened me, regardless of who they had been.
His dagger glowed with white light, responding to his emotions, and his eyes were the brightest red that I had ever seen. He knocked two away from me while I sidestepped another clawed hand and twirled again, blocking a strike with my arm and then ramming my palm into the face of the man whose hand had aimed for me. The vampire flew back before slamming onto his side, sand spraying in all directions.
“Enough!” Solomon roared, flinging the three he had been engaged with onto the sand.
Turning around, he grabbed the two Jameson was fighting by the scruffs of their shirts, then tossed them next to the others. Jameson hurtled forward, seizing the last two and roughly depositing them with the rest.
Quickly realizing that all seven were accounted for, I let out a relieved breath and met the red gaze of the man I loved more than anything. Before I could fully comprehend that thought, I was engulfed in his arms. Jameson held me tightly to his chest, his breathing was labored, and he was trembling. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close while I tried to get my own emotions under control.
“Are you all right?” Solomon asked me once Jameson and I broke apart. He searched my face, concern clearly written on his, which caused my heart to soften toward him just a little more.
“I’m fine,” I assured him, tucking strands of hair behind my ear. My gaze shifted to the kneeling vampires.
Solomon’s hazel eyes, so like my own, searched my face one last time, then turned to the vampires. “Joshua, what happened?”
Joshua shook his head before meeting Solomon’s gaze and his bright eyes faded to a dull red. “Half the crew grew sick shortly after we left, and we fell behind the others. We were a day behind when we finally started to make some headway, but a pirate ship intercepted us. They came so fast, there was no time to properly arm ourselves.”
“We were overrun,” another man added, swallowing hard as he remembered the attack. “They were too strong. Nothing we did harmed them.”
“They bit and drained nearly everyone, tossing their bodies overboard,” Joshua continued. “After turning us, they left us adrift in open waters… with nothing.”
“Everyone on your ship is dead?” Solomon asked, and at Joshua’s nod, he swore vehemently.
“We didn’t know where to go or what to do. Then, I remembered… what you are. We turned the ship around and headed back here.”
“Have you fed?” Jameson asked them with a slight growl.
None of them answered him.
“Have you fed?” he snarled, his voice deeper that time.
“No,” I replied for them, and every single one of the new vampires turned to me.
“They haven’t fed?” Solomon asked me, something tugging on the corner of his lips.
“I… don’t know how I know. I just do.” Trepidation became thick in my throat as I swallowed.
“She’s right,” Joshua finally admitted, nodding at me. “We have not fed. You’re the first we have encountered since the attack.”
The others shuffled around on their knees, and their mannerisms confused me. Jameson noticed their discomfort as well, and he eyed them warily.
“You need to feed, but you will not feed on humans. I won’t allow it.” Solomon pulled Joshua up to stand. “Follow me, and we’ll get you all some blood. This is going to be a hard transition. You’ll need to strengthen your mind, and you won’t have a lot of time to do it. Blood will speak to you, call to you in every beat of a human’s heart, but if you feed from them, you forfeit your souls.”
“Will you go to the ship and help them?” a young man asked me in a whisper.
He was the one I had hit with my palm. He was taller than me, but his body was still thin, showing his youth. He had been turned before he had even transitioned from boy to man.
“Help who?” I asked, but he shook his head before turning away to follow the others as Solomon led them.
My gaze went to Jameson, who kept his eyes on their retreating backs for a minute before fully facing me. He cupped my face, brushing his lips against mine. Heat submerged me, and I drew closer to him. Grabbing my hips, he pulled me flush against him, and I moaned as his tongue flicked at mine. Urgent fingers tangled into his hair, and I pressed against him, not allowing any space to separate us.
I came alive as his hands roved over my body, running up my sides and stopping just shy of my chest. Jameson tore his lips away, and I sucked in a breath as he pressed his forehead to mine. His eyes had returned to their blue shade that I adored. They bored into mine, and I saw the fear he had felt, along with the concern, pride, and love.
“Shhh,” I cooed, running the backs of my fingers along his cheek.
“That was too close. They reacted strongly to the human blood that still flows through you,” he whispered hoarsely.
“I’m all right,” I soothed, watching his eyes close when I ran my fingers along his cheek again.
“I know, but that doesn’t stop my natural instinct to protect you.”
“I feel the same about you,” I replied with a smile.
We stood there for several more moments as the sky darkened further and the moon began its ascent into the sky.
“Let’s go see what the kid was talking about,” he suggested, then placed a tender kiss on my lips.
I agreed, intertwining our fingers while we walked toward the dock.
Our crew had returned to the ship, lighting the lanterns as they went. It glowed brilliantly in the dark. My eyes narrowed until I saw Alice and Henry looking at us from the deck. Alice raised her hand in a wave, and I lifted mine in turn, thankful that everyone was safely back on board.
Jameson and I headed to the other vessel, and a dose of apprehension slithered down my spine as I took in the dark ship that had no lanterns lit. Glancing up at Jameson, the set of his jaw told me that he was feeling the same way.
The ship was still, and the rigging creaked eerily with the slight breeze, causing me to shiver. Red stained the wooden planks of the deck. I could smell the scent of old blood and the remnants of pirate filth.
We searched the deck but found nothing. Jameson grabbed a lantern and lit the wick. Grabbing my hand, he gave me a look that said stay behind me, and I didn’t argue. The feelings I was getting from the vessel were unnatural. It was like it pushed against us, repelled us in some way. Dread filled my chest as we descended into its bowels.
/>
The second deck was clear, though the feelings increased as we searched. The ship reminded me of Prime’s. The wood finish was beautiful, but it had lost its appeal with the dark stains of blood. The stairs were covered with it, while drops splattered the walls and ceilings. The third deck was similar to the one above.
I clutched Jameson’s hand while we descended the last rickety staircase. We searched the rooms closest to the stairs, but we found nothing. Then, while we were heading toward the next door, a sound reached my ears. A sound no louder than a whisper. Jameson turned toward the noise, holding the lantern aloft to guide our way.
My heart beat faster as we approached the door where the sound had originated. Jameson paused for a moment to listen, then pushed the door open. A small form scurried into a dark corner, while another crawled beneath a table. Judging by the feet that were sticking out from below the table, they were children.
My heart skipped a beat when I heard the sound again, and this time it registered as a whimper.
“Don’t be afraid,” I called softly to them. “It’s going to be all right. You can come out now. We won’t hurt you.”
Feet shuffled in the dark corner, and I heard the sound of soft fabric brushing against skin, making me wager there was a little girl where the noise originated. A scraping sound came from under the table when the small body repositioned itself. Jameson took a step toward the table, but before he could bend to look under it, the girl from the corner was standing before us, blocking our way.
She stood protectively in front of us; her long auburn hair was wavy, and shined brightly in the light. She held a doll in her hand, whose dress matched her own, though they were both dirty and stained. What unnerved me the most, though, were the bright red eyes that stared back at us.
The girl stood as still as stone and made no other move toward us. Jameson was rigid against my side as we took in the tiny vampire girl who couldn’t be any older than ten. Before anyone made a move, the other child came out from under the table. A little boy stood up and gripped the hand of the girl. His hair was a darker brown than hers, but the similarities in their features told me they were siblings. His brown eyes were wide in fear, and his other hand was clutching a small, soiled blanket. I realized then that he hadn’t been turned.
“Hello, darlings,” I greeted softly, gaining the unwavering protective stare of the little girl. “My name is Lavinia, and this is Jameson. We promise you’re safe now.”
The boy peered at me from behind his sister.
“My name is Maggie,” the girl offered, her bright eyes meeting mine. “My brother’s name is Timothy.”
“You both have very lovely names,” I complimented. “Would you like to come up with us? We’ve got food and some warm beds just your size.”
Timothy peaked around Maggie’s dress at the mention of food, and I could hear his little stomach growl with hunger, making me wonder how long it had been since he had eaten anything.
“Ma warned us before the bad people showed that if we were ever bitten, then we couldn’t eat what we wanted, no matter how bad we wanted it,” Maggie confessed, and my heart broke.
“I know of something that you can eat.” Jameson’s voice was deep and full of concern.
Maggie shook her head at us. “Ma said that if I ate, I would hurt people. I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Her lower lip trembled.
“Jameson is like you, Maggie,” I offered, trying to think of what would ease her mind. “He’s found something to eat that doesn’t hurt anyone.”
Hunger flitted across her face as she showed her teeth, and I worried for Timothy, but she somehow managed to push the hunger aside. It happened so fast, I wondered if I had seen it at all.
I held my hand out to her. “Come with us. We’ll get you cleaned up and into new clothes. Then, we’ll find some food.”
She hesitated for a moment, her eyes flicking between Jameson and me. When her lower lip trembled, I knew that she was trying hard to be strong, to be the big sister and protect her brother. She was too young to have such a burden placed on her, but her strength and bravery spoke to me.
Maggie could have given in to her hunger and attacked her brother, but her love for him was greater than her hunger. Finally, she placed her small hand in mine, and we led the way out of there and into the cool night air. I took them onto our ship, while Jameson left to get the little girl some animal blood.
A short time later, he knocked on the door of the room I had chosen for them. He had a canteen in his hand, and Solomon stood behind him holding another one. I moved out of the way to let them into the room. Maggie and Timothy were sitting beside each other on the bed, dressed in sleep clothes that Alice had pillaged from one of the empty houses. Solomon paused in the doorway as he took in Maggie’s red eyes.
Alice arrived before I could shut the door, holding a plate of food and a cup of water for Timothy. After taking it from her, I thanked her, shut the door, and returned to my previous spot on the bed. We didn’t want her to stay in the room until Maggie had fed properly; otherwise, she’d be a temptation too hard to resist.
When I handed Timothy the food, he crawled to the other corner of the bed and began to eat. I hated that he was so afraid, but I understood and wouldn’t push him.
Jameson knelt in front of Maggie, whispering softly to her before handing her the canteen. She unscrewed the lid and smelled it. Her face scrunched in repulsion, but she took a sip anyway. After the first taste, she drained the contents with several deep swallows. Once it was empty, she wiped her mouth with her sleeve, accepting the second canteen from Solomon, which she drank considerably slower.
“Maggie, my name is Solomon, and I want to ask you a couple questions.”
Maggie finished her mouthful before turning her red eyes to him.
“I know who you are. The scary man said I might meet you,” she whispered, and my heart rose to my throat. “He said if I got the chance to see you, I should tell you that he knows where you are. He’s getting closer.”
Chapter 13
Once Maggie and Timothy were asleep, I slipped into the hall where Jameson and Solomon waited for me. Jameson wrapped an arm around my shoulder, but it did little to stem the emotions warring inside me. I was horrified that Prime would turn a child and kill innocent people. Yet, I shouldn’t have been surprised.
My stomach turned at what the kids must have witnessed on the ship, as their family and friends were turned or murdered. I hadn’t believed Prime to be that dreadful of a person, but I wondered if believing I was dead had snapped something inside of him. My body shuddered as I let the blame sink in, and I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.
“The vampires on the beach confirmed it was Prime who attacked their ship,” Solomon offered, running a hand through his hair.
“The older boy who spoke to you said the kids stayed locked in the room we found them in. Maggie wouldn’t let any of them enter,” Jameson added.
Drying the remaining tears from my face, I straightened. “She’s a strong girl. My heart hurts for the life she’ll have to live now, forever a child, but Prime will pay for this.”
Solomon leaned against the wall. “I’ve been a thorn in Prime’s side for years now, but he’s never tried this hard to find me before, because everything I’ve done thus far has been insignificant. Something must have happened for him to react this way.”
More guilt assaulted me at Solomon’s words. It aligned with my previous thoughts that Prime was acting out because of our escape. “He thinks I’m dead. Whatever his plans were, they’ve changed. Maybe we should let him know I didn’t die.”
“Absolutely not,” Jameson snarled.
“He’s right. We have the upper hand right now. Our team is growing, and there is no reason for you to be near him until we’re ready to act. Prime doesn’t know I spent weeks with these people. It is why Maggie’s mom knew how to keep her child from feeding, and how the seven others have contained their thirst. We can use them against P
rime.”
I wasn’t sure that was a great idea. There was only so much Solomon could have taught them in those weeks leading up to their departure. I didn’t trust the men and wasn’t ready to team up with them just yet.
“If you want to finish training them, you’re more than welcome to, but I don’t trust them. Their first instinct when they saw us was to attack. Jameson can train me while you work with them.”
“Very well.” Solomon nodded, then walked away.
It occurred to me then that I might have upset him, but I didn’t dwell on it. Too many people I had encountered had other agendas, and if Prime had a hand in turning those men, I wouldn’t put it past any of them to think Prime was the better bet, which meant they could be working against us.
Opening the door, I checked in on the kids. They were still asleep, and I let out a relieved sigh. When I closed it and turned back to Jameson, Alice and Henry had joined him.
“How are they doing?” Henry asked.
“All things considered, they’re doing well,” Jameson answered. “The boy is skittish, but the girl is handling the transition better than any adult I’ve seen. Her heart is full of love for her brother, and that will go a long way in making sure she can resist hurting another.”
“If you think Maggie would be comfortable with it, we can take them in,” Alice offered. “The two of you don’t exactly have time to care for them, and I wouldn’t mind something more to do than being in the galley or training.”
Henry nodded, his eyes staying on Alice as his face softened. It was clear he would do anything for her, and it made me so happy that they had each other.
“That would help out a lot,” Jameson admitted.
“Yes, thank you both. Just be careful, and don’t hesitate to restrain Maggie if needed. She can handle being locked up for a short period. We can’t handle losing either of you.”
I hated thinking about a child that way, but she was no longer just a child. She was also a vampire, and we needed to remember that. I would protect Maggie just as I would Nettie, but I wouldn’t put others I loved in danger.
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