“What do you call this place?” I found myself asking.
“What do you mean?”
“Doesn’t this island have a name?”
She shook her head. “We haven’t come up with a name for it. We normally just refer to it as our island… but on to more important matters. I need to discuss what your service is to be while you’re staying here with us.”
I raised a brow at her.
“Yes,” she said, “we do have the same system as The Tavern. If you stay with us in our community, then you must contribute.”
“Continue,” I muttered.
“The time of most vampires and werewolves is spent on guard duty around the walls of this island. They keep watch and alert the rest of us if any pirates are spotted within a five-mile radius.”
“And how many hours—”
“You, on the other hand,” she interrupted, “will have a different duty from the rest of us.” She stopped walking and looked up at me. “But before I reveal it to you, you must promise me that you won’t tell anybody about this. Not a soul. Not even Matteo. Do you promise?”
I frowned at her. “What are you—”
“And you must understand that if you break this promise, I’ll have you thrown off of this island.”
I didn’t know what to make of this wolf. The mild demeanor she’d assumed around me up until now completely contradicted the words that came out of her mouth.
“Excuse me? Who are you to issue commands to me, anyway? You’re not even the captain of this—”
“Oh, yes. Everyone calls Matteo the captain,” the wolf chuckled. “But Matteo and I rule over this place jointly. In fact, I have more influence than him over who gets what task on this island.”
She watched me for my reaction. I stared down at her, furious at how helpless I was. She had me in a corner, and there was nothing I could do about it.
I nodded reluctantly.
“What’s that?” she asked as though she were speaking to a child. “Is that you agreeing, son? You need to spell it out for old Saira, dear, so I’m sure I’m not just imagining things. Do you promise not to tell a soul?”
“Yes,” I muttered.
“Yes, what?”
“I promise.”
“Ah, good.” Her mouth split into a grin. “So, your task is to become Mona’s friend.”
My jaw dropped.
“What?”
“Oh, your hearing is quite adequate.” She smiled up at me. “I’m sure you heard.”
“Are you insane?”
She laughed. “Well, that’s really beside the point, isn’t it?”
I struggled to find words to express my disbelief.
“I have no idea what you’re asking of me,” I concluded.
“What don’t you understand about it? I’m sure I worded it quite—”
The wolf’s way of answering questions while providing no answers at all exasperated me. “Why the hell do you want me to become Mona’s friend?” I asked, my voice growing louder with each word I spoke.
“You don’t need to know that. You just need to obey. And hush,” she whispered, knocking her paw against my leg. “You promised to keep quiet about this.”
I inhaled deeply, calling on the crisp night air to calm my flaring temper.
“So is this why you rescued me?” I asked.
“Not necessarily,” she replied.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I spat.
“I’m not saying becoming Mona’s friend will always be the only task you’re assigned while you’re on this island. Once you become her friend, it’s more than likely that I’ll assign you a new task.”
I grabbed a branch and ripped it from its trunk, snapping it over my leg in frustration.
Calm down. You can’t afford to lose it with this wolf.
“What does becoming her friend even mean?”
“Well, right now she insists that you are not her friend,” Saira said. “So we need to have the opposite situation.”
“Which means?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“Spend time with her. Make her want to spend time with you. Make her happy. Make her like you. And look out for her.”
Her last words almost sent me over the edge. I had to pause for a few moments in an attempt to rein myself in.
“Look at me,” I said, my voice murderously low. “Is this the face of a babysitter?”
Saira smiled again. That placid, patronizing smile. “I didn’t say I wanted you to babysit her,” she said. “Looking after her is just part of your friendship.”
“But she hates me!” I hissed. “What makes you think she’d ever want me to befriend her?”
“Ah,” Saira said, winking at me. “That’s where your magic comes in. You need to win her over with your charms.”
“I have no charms,” I seethed.
“All men have charms. Some just choose to ignore them.”
“And what if I fail?”
“You’ll have to leave. Sorry, dear. There has to be something at stake here or you may not put in your full effort.”
“And if by some miracle I succeed?” I scowled.
“Next time I ask Mona if you are her friend, she will say yes. After that, I promise you can have some other duty, like guarding the wall at night.”
Seeing me still pacing up and down, she sighed and said, “Look, you’re a good-looking fellow. You’ll manage. Relax. Just be yourself.”
Be yourself.
I smiled bitterly at the notion.
“And just remember: if Mona, Matteo, or anyone else finds out that you are becoming her friend because of an order, you’ll be off this island before you can say Saira.”
Chapter 21: Kiev
Saira led me deeper into the woods until we reached the banks of a lake. She indicated a small lake house in the center and informed me that this was Mona’s home. And after that, she refused to say another word to me. She turned away and sprinted back toward the tunnels, forcing me to chase after her. I asked further questions of her as we ran, but she ignored them all.
On arriving outside the dirt hole that was now to be my home, I followed her inside. She led me along a passageway and stopped outside a door. She pushed it open and gestured for me to enter.
This room was no different to any of the other rooms I had seen earlier in this place. As I sat down on the mattress, Saira pushed the door closed and scampered away.
I still had not even the faintest clue why the wolf had given me this senseless task. Why did Mona even need my friendship? Surely there were plenty of other creatures on this island she’d known longer than me, who would be better candidates if Saira really was insistent on her having company.
Mona had already admitted to me that she liked being alone. Why would Saira want to make her miserable by forcing her to be around people?
A part of me was still in denial, half believing that I’d wake up tomorrow to realize that this had all been some kind of crazy dream. The truth was, my mind simply had no idea how to even start wrapping my mind around the task. I wasn’t capable of friendship. And with that witch, of all people? I grimaced as I recalled my last encounter with her.
I haven’t exactly made things any easier for myself.
I felt stifled by the room. The walls felt too close. I left to take another walk into the night, this time alone. I walked through the forest until I reached the large wall that surrounded the island. I walked next to it, following it wherever it took me around the small island, past woods, lakes, hills, until finally the wall melted into the base of a rocky black mountain.
I looked up to gauge its height. I could reach the top by leaping, but my limbs were hungry for the challenge of the climb. Gripping hold of some rocks at its base, I began my ascent. I didn’t stop until I reached its peak. Hoisting myself up onto the grassy plateau, I realized that I was not alone.
A group of four vampires sat in a corner, their backs facing me as they dangled their legs off the cliff, loo
king out at the ocean. It was only after taking a better look that I realized one of those vampires was Matteo. I considered jumping back down again before anyone noticed me, but it was too late.
“Kiev.”
Matteo had turned toward me, a look of surprise in his eyes. He smiled and beckoned me over. Once I’d reached him, he stood up and, placing a hand on my shoulder, said, “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”
He led me to a quiet corner away from the others and turned again toward the ocean.
“This is our best vantage point,” he said.
I could very well believe that. The view was breathtaking. I could see for miles in all directions around the island.
“And it’s here that I would like you to come to serve your duty as guard.”
I looked at him, not sure how to break the news to him that Saira had already appointed me to a duty. I couldn’t tell him what my task was, but she didn’t tell me I couldn’t say that I had a task.
“Saira has given me work,” I said.
He raised a brow.
“Oh? What’s that?”
“She forbade me to tell you.”
“Very well.” He smiled knowingly and nodded. “Sounds like Saira. I won’t interfere.”
Please do interfere, I thought. I would have happily offered to guard the place for twice my fair share of time if it meant freeing myself from what Saira had in store for me. I had half a mind to request this of him. But the idea of asking favors from him was too uncomfortable for me to entertain.
“Did Saira already go through the rules of this island with you?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“Well, then I had better do so now. We don’t want you getting into any more sticky situations.” He smiled, eyeing me. “Don’t worry—we’re not as strict as The Tavern. That doesn’t mean you can take our guidelines lightly, mind you. We’d have anarchy otherwise.”
“I understand,” I said.
“Good. Our rules are actually similar to The Tavern’s. But self-defense is not a crime here. Deliberate unprovoked violence, however, is punishable by permanent expulsion. Stealing from any of us will also have you expelled. As for contributing to our community, normally you would take your turn at night duty, though it seems that Saira already has you occupied with other things. Other than this, you will take part in whatever missions or expeditions we undertake.” He turned his eyes toward me.
I nodded.
“Sounds simple enough.” I looked back out toward the ocean. “What are they?” I couldn’t keep myself from asking, seeing the silhouettes of dozens of islands in the distance.
“Our neighbors,” he said with a grimace. “All pirates. This whole area is notorious. That’s why we can never afford to be lax on security.”
“Do you have many attacks?”
“Oh, yes. Sometimes on a weekly basis. There are often new pirates passing through these waters who are willing to try their hand at stealing some unearned goods.” He pointed downward. The remains of seven bodies hung skewered on pikes—apparently ogres. “That’s what we do to those who try to plunder us.”
There was an uncomfortable pause as I watched the skeletons swaying in the wind.
“Well, if that’s all, captain, I think I’ll head off.”
“Good luck,” he said, grinning.
I turned away and rushed down the mountain. I continued my tour around the island, occasionally passing a thick snake slithering in the undergrowth, or a deer-like animal with twisted horns I couldn’t quite put a name to.
As each hour passed, I felt worse and worse about my assignment. I didn’t know how I would be able to spring from where I’d left off with Mona into having her accept me as a friend. My ego twinged at the thought of apologizing for my behavior, even though I did regret the way I had handled the situation.
I hated the idea of chasing after her. I wasn’t used to jumping through hoops. Not for anyone, other than my father.
Worst of all, I still didn’t have control over my blackouts. If she aggravated me again, I felt nervous as to how I might react. I had managed to contain myself back on the ship, but it had been a struggle I had no desire to repeat.
Eventually as the sky began to lighten, a warm orange glow appearing along the horizon, I returned to my room in the tunnels. Sitting down on the old mattress, I leaned my back against the wall and stretched out my legs.
I didn’t leave my room for the entire day. I just sat there, looking at the dirt walls and steeling myself for what was to come. Complaining and protesting were pointless. This was the first task that Saira had given me and—as much as I detested the control she had over me—if I didn’t complete it, she would have me thrown off of the island. I would be cast adrift and would surely perish in the ocean.
Maybe I would find an alternative place to stay in the coming weeks, but I had nothing of the sort yet.
My best course of action was to swallow my pride and get this madness over with as soon as possible. After that, Saira would assign me to guard the island like the rest of the vampires. The job I should have had to start with.
A knocking at my door broke through my thoughts.
“Enter,” I called.
A large ogre swung the door open. On seeing me, he smiled and held out an oversized hand. I stood up and shook it.
“I’m Brett,” he said, his mustard-yellow eyes lighting up. “I’m doing some roasting up on the hill nearby. There will be blood, too. Since you’re new, I thought you might welcome the chance to meet some of us.”
I had no desire to meet anybody. But, realizing that I was in need of blood, I nodded and followed him out of the tunnels. He led me to the top of a high grassy hill nearby where a bonfire had been lit. A crowd of vampires and werewolves—none of whom I recognized—sat around it, drinking and talking.
Brett grabbed a jug of blood from near the fire and poured some into a clay cup. I sniffed it. This was neither fish nor snake blood. It was that of some kind of four-legged mammal—perhaps one of the deer I’d seen earlier. It was still unsatisfying compared to human blood, but its flavor was at least less revolting to me than the former two.
I sat in the shadows, away from the group, and drank from my cup. My eyes glazed over as the bonfire’s flames licked the warm night air. My mind drifted back to thoughts of Mona. I started racking my brain for ideas as to what my first move should be, trying to form a strategy. My first hurdle would be meeting her face to face. If she rarely came out of her lake house, I would have to swim across the lake just to stand in front of her.
Lost in my thoughts and speculations, I didn’t notice a slim figure approach the clearing. It was only after several minutes that I looked up and saw the witch standing on the other side of the bonfire. A blond vampire was by her side—the same one who’d first approached me on the beach back at The Tavern. I realized my first opportunity had come sooner than I had expected.
I smirked.
This might just be an easy win…
Chapter 22: Mona
It was that time of night when I needed fresh water.
After the short boat ride to the mainland, I began my walk through the werewolves’ residential area toward the other side of the forest. I passed the armory along the way—a small chamber underground where we kept all of the valuable tools and weapons that we had acquired throughout the years, mainly through plundering other pirates at sea.
After about an hour, I arrived at the small hole in the ground. Attaching my bucket to a rope, I lowered it into the well, trying to make as little noise as possible. As I pulled it back up, sudden laughter sounded out in the distance, coming from the direction of the nearby hill. I looked up to see the flickering of a fire.
The light breeze carried a delicious smell toward me. I salivated. Momentarily distracted, I lost my grip on the rope and the bucket clattered to the bottom of the well.
A few seconds later, a gruff voice called out.
“Hey!”
I di
dn’t need to see though the dark to know that it was Brett. An imposing figure stood up and walked down the hill toward me. His face broke out into a big smile.
“Mona! I’m just cooking something up there. You hungry?”
I was famished. It would be at least an hour before I’d have a meal of my own ready. The smell of hot food was almost too much to bear. Despite my better judgment, I nodded.
I followed him up the hill, but on reaching the top immediately regretted my decision. A dozen vampires sat in the circle around the fire, and there were also some werewolves who had not yet gone to bed.
Worried about spotting a certain red-eyed vampire, I averted my eyes to the ground and followed Brett around the circle, trying to hide behind him. I sat down on the grass next to the ogre. He reached into the fire and pulled out a colorful skewer of roasted sea plants. I would have bitten into them instantly had they not been piping hot.
“Well, I’m off to bed now,” Brett muttered, standing up.
“Oh?”
Now that Brett’s large form had moved, I was in full view of the group.
“Yeah. I’m sorry, Mona. I’m exhausted. I’ll see you around…”
The ogre plodded away. I turned my back on the crowd to face the ocean. But it seemed that I hadn’t escaped attention.
I felt a tap on my shoulder.
On turning around, I groaned.
Giles.
The blond vampire towered over me, one hand hidden behind his back. Apart from Kiev, he was our newest vampire recruit. He’d been with us for over five months, but it seemed that he still hadn’t learned his lesson when it came to badgering me.
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