Mate of the Vampire

by Guida, ML

  The new Fiery Damsel had a high rounded stern with a large aftcastle and a bowsprit at the stern, giving her the ability to move and maneuver faster. With her hinged gun ports, she had guns in the lower deck, near the waterline, increasing the number of her cannons, outgunning the Phoenix, a small frigate.

  The Damsel fired, and cannons splashed into the water, getting closer and closer to smashing into the Phoenix’s hull. She might outgun the Phoenix, but Kane O’Brien was their captain and no sailor’s fool.

  Ronan glanced up. The billowing sails seemed to strain to capture every ounce of strength and speed from the wind. Fore and aft maneuverability remained in the sails, but they were at angle. Even with a rudder, they could have out-sailed the carrack. The Phoenix appeared to be erratic and unsteady, but Ronan knew the cap’n was playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with Palmer.

  Full sailed, the Damsel headed directly into the Phoenix’s beam. Palmer had taken the bait, and his ship was clearly in sights of the Phoenix’s thirty-two guns, which aimed at his hull. Since Amadi was on island with Violet and the freed slaves, Ewan Kelley had taken over as the master gunner aboard the Soaring Phoenix. He was the obvious choice to step in during Amadi’s absence since he’d been Amadi’s gunner’s mate. Ewan was almost as tall as Amadi, but the exact opposite of Amadi with his Scottish heritage—flaming long red hair and green eyes. The sun turned the bloke’s skin red with freckles, so he always wore a shirt to keep the sun from turning him into a burnt crab. He put his hands on his hips and waited for the cap’n’s signal. Gunners clutched wicks soaked in saltpeter and spirits of wine, the fuses flashing red hot. Others stood eager to reload wadding, shot, and powder. Palmer was either overconfident or something urged him to draw the Phoenix’s guns on his ship. Did the bloody fool want to seize the Phoenix from the cap’n? Or was it something more sinister—Zuto perhaps? The demon was a hard master and not one to disappoint.

  Kane lowered his spyglass. “Palmer thinks he has outmatched us.” He glanced at Sean Mallory, the helmsman. “On my order, bring her hard to starboard and keep her tight.”

  “Aye, cap’n!” Mallory positioned himself at the makeshift tiller, but the Fiery Damsel’s guns fired. Cannons hit the starboard side of the Phoenix, and she shifted. Smoke circled around the deck, and sulfur permeated the air.

  “Now, Mallory. Bring her hard about!”

  Tackle clanged and rigging rattled as cables loosened and altered to turn and sail. The sails suddenly filled with wind at the ship’s new angle. Canvas clapped overhead, and the towering masts flared out over the rising sea as the Phoenix sailed into the wind and sprints of water sprayed into the air.

  Kane yelled, “Fire when ready, Ewan!”

  Men lit the wicks, and guns fired. Cannon balls bashed into the hull of the Damsel’s hull and tore through her sails. Ronan slipped, and Angelica fell. They collapsed onto the deck amid the men frantically securing the sails and preparing for battle.

  William grabbed Ronan’s arm and yanked him off the deck. “Macmillan, what the hell are you doing up here? You should be below deck.”

  “There’s a reason Palmer is pursin’ us and bein’ reckless,” he gasped.

  “What? Why?”

  “Take me to the cap’n.”

  William draped his arm over Ronan’s shoulder, and he and Angelica made their way to the cap’n, dodging running men and blinding smoke.

  “Kane!” William shouted.

  Kane turned and frowned, obviously not used to his orders being ignored. “Macmillan, what the devil are you doing up here?”

  “I know why Palmer’s bein’ so erratic in his pursuit.”

  William stiffened. “How would you know this?”

  “My dream. The demon said if I wouldna force myself onto Angelica, he’d find a way. Donna ye see? He’s sent to Palmer to take her. You must send her away now. Before ’tis too late. You must tell Mariah to break the binding spell.”

  Angelica blinked at him in surprise, as if she couldn’t believe he’d begged for her freedom.

  Kane rubbed his chin and glanced between Ronan and Angelica. “No, you’re not healed yet and we’re no closer to finding a way to bring Lark home.”

  The Phoenix fired again, blowing holes into the carrack’s portside, but rather than turning away and getting out of the line fire, the carrack pursued.

  “But I can’t let you fall into enemy hands, either.” Kane nodded at his brother. “William.”

  “Aye?”

  “Transform and take both of them to Tortuga.”

  “What? I’ll not leave Mariah.”

  “No harm will come to her,” Kane said. “Once you leave with Ronan and Angelica, you’ll draw their fire.”

  “Cap’n, ’tis madness.” William looked at Kane as if he’d just turned into the king’s jester.

  “Zuto’s growing desperate.” Kane’s voice was calm. “He wants both of you.”

  Ronan nodded. “Zuto canna leave the island. It will give the ship a chance.”

  “Aye, but he’s a crafty demon, and he can send someone to do his bidding.” Kane peered through his spyglass. “I see Palmer. D’ye remember the yari?”

  Dread flushed through Ronan’s veins. He remembered the agony Lark had been in when he wore the yari and had disobeyed Palmer. Was this what Zuto had planned for him or, worse, for Angelica? Was it a vile trinket from Coaybay?

  Both Ronan and William nodded.

  “He’s got something in his hand. Not a choker, but something else. Some kind of gold crown with a red ruby in the center of it. Could be some kind of evil talisman.”

  Chapter 10

  Kane lowered the spyglass. “Now go, William. That’s an order.”

  William glared and dropped Ronan’s arm. “Mariah’s my life, Kane. I can’t lose her like I did Sharon.”

  Sharon had been William’s first wife, and he’d always blamed himself for her death.

  Kane met his brother’s worried gaze. “I swear to you she’ll be safe.”

  The Damsel fired her guns again, cannon shot tearing the Phoenix’s sails.

  “Take Mariah and Angelica to Tortuga,” Ronan said. “Cap’n, send me out on the dingy to draw their fire before the Damsel sinks this ship to a bloody grave.”

  William stared at the port side of the deck where Mariah stood next to Hannah. Both women concentrated on the enemy ship. Hannah held up her palms, drawing on her power while Mariah held up a chalice and an athame, conjuring some kind of a spell.

  Kane followed their gaze. “Now, William.”

  “You promise she’ll be safe?” William’s voice shook with fear.

  Ronan punched him in the shoulder, trying to get him to cave into his instincts. “No, she wonna, not if you donna take Angelica and I out of here. Do ye want her to end up like Sharon?”

  William glared, and his eyes glowed gold. Drakon had been challenged. No one threatened Mariah and lived.

  Kane grabbed William’s arm. “Listen to me. As long as these two are on this ship, Mariah will be in danger. Do as I say. Don’t give into your fear, brother.”

  William nodded and stepped back. He arched his back and spread out his arms. His clothes vanished, and his skin turned to a blue green and scales emerged. His hair disappeared, and his face changed, his nose protruding, eyes gold. Talons replaced fingers and toes. Wide wings sprang out of his back and flapped. He grew in size until he was a dragon as big as a carriage. “Get on me.”

  Ronan tried to unwind his arm from her. “Angelica, get on his back.”

  Her eyes wide, she tightened her grip on his arm. “But—”

  The Fiery Damsel came along the starboard side. Palmer had a golden crown in his hand. Like the yari, it had glowing rubies and sparkling diamonds.

  “’Tis the devil himself.” Ronan tried to push his stubborn wench behind him.

  Palmer laughed. “Zuto has a present for you, Macmillan.”

  Ronan’s blood chilled. “Blimey, ’tis another yari.”

&
nbsp; Her slender brows wrinkled, Angelica stared at the crown as if waiting to see what magic it possessed. “What’s a yari?”

  “A cursed talisman from Coaybay.” He led her away from the Fiery Damsel. “You have to get below deck. That bloody thing bound Mariah’s brother, Lark, and prevented him from using his power. Turned him dark.”

  Kane grabbed his arm. “It’s not Mariah he wants. It’s Angelica. Go with William, now, before it’s too late.”

  “You donna know that.”

  Palmer jumped off the port side and transformed into a bat. He still clutched the crown in his talons, and he headed toward the Phoenix.

  “There’s no time to argue.” Kane lifted Angelica and put her on William’s back.

  “No.” Ronan reached to pull Angelica off, but Kane slammed his fist into Ronan’s mouth. Pain exploded. Ronan couldn’t think and spun around like a whirlwind, then fell flat on his back. He gasped for breath.

  Angelica screamed. “Ronan!”

  Ronan got up, but sharp talons dug into his shoulders and air rushed over him.

  “Hang on.” William’s voice was like a buzz in his hear.

  The daze cleared from Ronan’s head. Pain thumped in the back of his head, and his mouth throbbed. Bloody hell.

  A pair of shapely legs and toenails painted blue straddled William’s broad back. Angelica.

  Shouts and cannon fire drew Ronan’s attention away from those lovely legs. Below, men scrambled on the Phoenix, and she sailed away from the Fiery Damsel. Why was Kane retreating?

  “Hurry.” Angelica pointed. “He’s still coming.”

  Ronan glanced over his shoulder. Palmer flew straight at them and flung the crown. The bloody talisman pursued, moving as fast as a dragon. Wind rushed over Ronan, and he hung onto to the dragon’s legs tightly. William dived and flew in erratic circles, but the diadem closed the distance.

  Ronan looked over his shoulder and frowned. “William, behind you!”

  The damn crown was a tail’s length from overtaking him. He turned his head and blew out a stream of fire.

  Ronan smiled, but his smile faded. The crown burst out of the flame, glowing red hot, and sped toward him faster than a dragon. ’Twas as if it were angry.

  William jerked to the left, but the crown followed. ’Twas getting closer and closer.

  “William!” Ronan yelled. “Get Angelica out of here.”

  He didn’t know what the blasted crown would do, but he was afraid it would force him to do something evil to Angelica or force Angelica to submit. He never should have made the damn deal with Zuto.

  The Soaring Phoenix’s cannons recoiled, forcing the Damsel to engage. Wounded men flew off the ship into the water, turning it crimson.

  The white smoke changed to a mysterious red that swirled up into the air, covering the Phoenix’s flag like a cloud. It streamed past the flag to blanket the flying diadem. Mariah must have cast a spell, and Ronan hoped it was strong enough to counter the magic controlling the damn thing.

  Ronan strained to see if it dropped into the sea to disappear forever. Something moved in the cloud like a bug under a rug as if trapped. Thank God!

  The crown ricocheted inside the cloud, faster and faster, pushing out the ends of the cloud and making it thinner and thinner, until finally, the cloud dissipated. Ronan clutched William’s legs. “William, we have gotta move!”

  William flapped his wings harder, and they managed to put some distance between them and the possessed yari.

  “William, look out,” Angelica cried.

  Ronan’s heart sank. A harpoon headed straight for William. They were too far away for a harpoon to reach them. Zuto—he had to have given Palmer some kind of incantation to make it move so high and so fast. William spun to the right at the last minute, but the harpoon shot through his wing. He led out a bloody shriek, and a stream of fire burst through his mouth. Blood sprayed into the air and splattered onto Ronan’s face. William lost speed and spiraled down to toward the sea like a fallen eagle.

  Ronan’s eyes widened. Terror shot through his beating heart. Fins appeared in the water, circling the screaming and bloody men. Sharks! Could their luck get worse? If William dropped Angelica, she’d be ripped to pieces.

  William flew lopsided, dropping lower and lower. The Phoenix and Damsel were behind them, too far to help or too far to capture.

  “William!” Ronan yelled.

  He didn’t answer. Any hope Ronan had faded away. He looked up, and a small island was just past the circling sharks. A spark of hope ignited inside him. “William, there’s an island ahead. Can you make it there?”

  “Will try,” William gasped.

  The dragon descended, and his speed slowed. Fear pulsed through Ronan’s veins.

  “Come on, O’Brien, you can do it,” Ronan said.

  His confident voice masked his fear. Below, the fins were closer, and he could see the outline of the beasts. William dipped so close to the surface that Ronan’s boots dragged in the foamy water. His heel hit a fin hard. The shark opened its mouth, revealing sharp teeth ready to rip his foot off.

  He lifted his feet above the waterline, but the sharks closed in. Their mouths were wide open, revealing sharp jagged teeth. Holy hell!

  A shark jumped and bit the back of his heel. Sharp pain gripped him. He screamed. He smashed his other foot into the shark, squashing its nose. The beast released him, but his blood drizzled into the sea, and the sharks went into a frenzy, moving quickly in the water, ripping apart the helpless men. Their pitiful screams turned Ronan’s stomach.

  Water sprayed onto Ronan. He lifted his legs close to his chest to keep the beasts from ripping his limbs out of their sockets.

  Angelica cried, “Ronan, we’re almost there!”

  William flew higher and faster, putting distance away from the sharks, but he groaned and lost ground again. Ronan skidded on the water’s surface. He was losing too much blood. Dizziness swirled around him. Dull pain throbbed in his ankle, and his fingers slipped down William’s leg. Waves beat into him, and he clasped William’s leg, afraid he’d release them and be torn to pieces.

  A shark bumped his foot, its teeth narrowly missing Ronan’s other foot. Blimely, he’d be a cripple for sure. Being a vampire didn’t mean limbs grew back; he’d found that out the hard way. William soared into the air, and Ronan’s feet glided over the shark’s firm back.

  The hard, sandy, beach sped toward Ronan, but William flew past it, spiraling toward the lush jungle. Ronan’s heart beat faster. ’Twas going to hurt. He just needed to hang on a little bit more. He shook his head, trying to keep from passing out. This wasn’t good.

  William’s claws opened, and Ronan slammed into the top of a willowing tree. Brown, green, and yellow colors spun around him as he catapulted through branches, leaves flying through the air. Bits of leaves and twigs flew into his eyes. Jagged twigs tore into his flesh. He did a flip and crashed onto the jungle floor. The breath knocked out of him. He lay still, trying to breathe. A few feet away, William was sprawled out on the jungle floor naked, the harpoon embedded in his side, blood pooling at his side.

  Something smashed onto Ronan’s head and pain jolted through him. He put his fingers on his temples and brushed against something cold and hard. Pointy sharp tips dug into his skull and the agony stole his breath.

  “Ronan, the crown!” Angelica had her hand on her mouth. Her dress hung off one slender shoulder, barely covering her right breast. A slit down her gown exposed a long leg. Smudged dirt and blood covered her body.

  Jaaysus, it had found him.

  He pushed on the edges, cutting his hand, but ’twas stuck, mortared to his head. Acid churned in his stomach.

  Take her. Take her. Take her.

  A cruel male voice echoed in his mind. It wasn’t his or Zuto’s. Blood pumped through him, pooling in his cock. He grew hard, and his balls full. Lust consumed him. Lord, he wanted to rip off the rest of her gown and gaze on her curvy body, have her long legs wrapped around h
is hips as he plunged deep inside her.

  “Ronan, you’re bleeding.” Angelica pressed her palms on his cheeks. “Talk to me, please.”

  He closed his eyes and turned his head, trying to block out the sudden urges. He inhaled Angelica’s scent—a sweet sea breeze, which made his lust grow stronger. “Go, now,” he whispered.

  “What? I can’t hear you.”

  He stared up at her. Her eyes widened. She fell backward, her face stark with horror.

  “Ronan...”

  I want the wench., The voice grew stronger in his head.

  “No.”

  The voice hissed. Unbearable pain seized him. His body shook, and he went into convulsions.

  If you want the pain to stop, rape the girl or die.

  Ronan pressed his palms over his ears to block out the voice, but the voice only grew louder, more urgent. Tingles raced over his arms, then an invisible forced shoved his arms to his side. Fear pulsed through him. He wasn’t in control of his body. “I...canna...control it. Angelica, run...hide.”

  William lay motionless on a bed of ferns, the wind blowing leaves over his body. Ronan wanted to call out to him, beg him to protect Angelica. He was losing to the black magic. He tried to call out again, but he bit his own tongue, and blood dripped down his chin.

  Angelica crawled to her feet and put her shaking hand over her trembling mouth.

  He simply looked at her and blurted, “Run.”

  Chapter 11

  Angelica scrambled to her feet, fear squeezing her lungs tightly. Ronan’s red eyes were filled with lust and determination. She had to get away before it was too late.

  Her beating heart thundered, and blood roared between her temples. She wanted to help Ronan. His right boot was mangled, and blood oozed from his heel, but she didn’t dare. He wasn’t right. She needed help.

  She rushed over to William and shook him. “Wake up, please.”

  He groaned. Crimson gushed down his twisted arm, and bone protruded from his flesh. It was broken.

  “Did you hear me? Ronan...he’s...he’s....”