Connor took a breath, fixing Lorcan with his gaze once more. “Only, unlike me, Jacoby was man enough to tell Jasmine what he is. And, guess what? She’s completely fine with it. So he’s coming back to The Tiger tomorrow and I reckon that’s the end of any chance I ever had with Jasmine.” He raised his glass. “Let’s drink a toast,” he said. “Happy birthday to me! I have so many reasons to celebrate.”
Lorcan hesitated. “Connor,” he said. “I was concerned about you, but I had no idea you were going through all this—the situation with Jacoby and Jasmine, on top of your grief for Bart. And there’s obviously stuff going on in relation to your blood-hunger.”
Connor shrugged. “Nothing a swift pint at the Blood Tavern can’t remedy,” he said.
Lorcan frowned. “We really need to talk,” he said.
“No,” Connor said. “Talking only makes it worse. I’m done with talking.”
“Please,” Lorcan implored him. “I genuinely want to help you.”
Connor rolled his eyes. “One vampire to another?”
“I know you’re having a tough time adjusting—” Lorcan said.
“Understatement of the millennium,” Connor said, draining his drink. “I hate it. I despise it. I despise me. And you want to know the worst part? I’m immortal now so there’s no way out.”
He slammed his glass down angrily on the table. The gesture made Lorcan flinch. As he did so, Connor noticed a figure standing behind Lorcan. A familiar face staring at him in all-too-evident horror.
“Jasmine!” Connor said, feeling a wave of nausea, adrenaline, and dread. “How much of that did you hear?”
There was a definite edge to Jasmine’s brief answer. “Enough.”
“Well, now you know,” Connor said, trying to be matter-of-fact. “Now you know the full story—the real shape of things.”
Jasmine nodded.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Connor asked.
“What do you want me to say?” she asked. “I think you’ve mustered enough self-pity to drown in.” She hesitated before continuing. “Nevertheless, it might interest you to hear that I knew you were a dhampir. I’ve known for some time.”
“You knew?” Connor was aghast.
“Yes,” Jasmine said. “I guessed. It was weird knowing, but I knew it would be all right.”
“All right?” Connor said, incredulously. “How can it possibly be all right? I’m a monster!”
“Yes,” Jasmine said. “Yes, Connor, that’s a remarkably apt description. But that has nothing whatsoever to do with you being a dhampir. You got there all by yourself.”
30
LORDS OF THE SEVEN OCEANS
Sidorio was surprised to find his heart racing as he approached Lola’s cabin. He was transported back to the very first time he had boarded The Vagabond and interrupted Lola during the ritual of her nightly bloodbath. So much had changed since then. Lola had become his wife, and his partner in a formidable empire. Now she would bestow upon him a further prize—twin children who, in time, would join them at the helm of the empire and ensure its further expansion. Sidorio could not remember a time when things had looked so well for him. It seemed that at last it was payback for the long years of purgatory he had endured aboard The Nocturne—when he had allowed his appetites to be subdued and his innate power to be constrained.
He knocked on one of the gilded doors of Lola’s cabin to signal his presence, then hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to go inside or wait for her call. It was rare for him to feel so diffident, but he was suddenly stricken with nerves. He was entering this room as one thing—a warrior, of course, but also a father to grown kids who had little need of him now, however much he wished that was different. But when he emerged from this room later, it would be as father to two newborns, with whom his relationship would surely prove markedly different. He was excited but, he realized, fearful too. What if, after everything he had accomplished in this world, he was simply not up to this new challenge?
The doors opened and Sidorio was surprised to find that it was neither Holly nor Camille who greeted him, nor Lola herself. Instead, standing on the other side of the threshold, smiling softly in the candlelight, was Olivier.
“Congratulations, sir,” Olivier said, gesturing for Sidorio to step inside. Sidorio felt his anger swiftly rise—as if he needed to be welcomed into his own wife’s cabin by Olivier, of all people!
“What are you doing here?” Sidorio asked curtly as the doors swung shut behind him. “You’re supposed to be off running our field hospital.”
Before Olivier could frame his answer, Lola stepped out from the inner chamber, a swaddled babe in each arm. “Leave Olivier be!” she said. “He has been most helpful to me during the births and after.” Smiling beatifically, she walked slowly toward her husband. The way she moved reminded Sidorio of their wedding day. He felt his anger draining away. Olivier was forgotten entirely as Lola stepped closer, bearing their precious twins.
“You look radiant, my dear,” Sidorio said. It was true. Lola’s exceptional beauty never failed to take his breath away, but she had never appeared more beautiful to him than in this moment. He wanted to capture this image of her now and keep it in his head for eternity.
He stepped forward, beaming down at her and catching his first glimpse of the babes. They both had wide dark eyes, which turned inquisitively toward him.
“This is your father.” Lola spoke softly, her eyes looking lovingly upon first one babe, then the other, before meeting Sidorio’s gaze once more. “Aren’t they the most beautiful creatures you have ever seen?”
Sidorio nodded. He reached a finger toward one of the babies. Instantly, its little mouth opened and clamped itself around Sidorio’s fingertip.
Lola laughed and glanced at the clock on the mantel. “He’s hungry again,” she said. “It must be time for another feed.” She turned and made her way to the chaise. Olivier got there first and began propping up cushions for her. “Thank you,” she said, making herself comfortable. “Sid, darling, don’t just stand there looking uncomfortable. Come and sit with your family!”
Spellbound, Sidorio walked forward and sat down in the chair adjacent to Lola’s chaise. In front of the chaise was an antique table. Sidorio remembered Lola’s telling him that it had once belonged to a queen of England, as if this might make the artifact more special to him. He had smiled at her misunderstanding—the table was only precious to him by virtue of its belonging to Lola herself. On the table now rested one of Lola’s Venetian glasses, full of ruby-red blood. Steadying the babies’ plump little bodies, Lola leaned forward and dipped her right index finger into the glass. As it emerged, slick with blood, both babies became instantly alert. Lola leaned across to the babe on the right and his mouth gratefully clamped around her finger. As he did so, the other babe began to wail.
“Now, don’t cry, little man,” Lola said. “Just be patient and Mummy will fix you up, too.” To help her, Olivier stepped forward and brought the glass nearer. Lola dipped her left index finger into the glass and presented it to the other baby. His crying immediately ceased and soon he too was merrily suckling on her finger, just like his brother.
Sidorio watched, mesmerized. Lola was so natural with the babies. Clearly, it had been her destiny to become a mother in this life as well as her past.
“Here, I’ll take that,” Sidorio told Olivier, extricating the glass from his pale hands. “You may go now.”
Olivier stepped backward. “Will that be all, Captain Lockwood?” he asked.
“Yes, thank you, Olivier,” Lola said, flushed with a rosy glow and wreathed in smiles. “Thank you for all your assistance. You’ve been most kind.”
Olivier bowed his head, returning her smile.
“Her name is Sidorio,” Sidorio reminded him icily. “Lady Sidorio to you.”
“I stand corrected,” Olivier said, bowing before hastening toward the exit.
“Wait!” Sidorio called over his shoulder as Olivier rea
ched for the door. “Give us some time alone, but send word for Johnny and Stukeley to come and see us.”
“Yes,” Lola said. “And Mimma and Holly, too!”
“Yes, Captains,” Olivier said, slipping out into the corridor and closing the gilded doors once more.
“He isn’t growing on me,” Sidorio said grumpily, offering the glass to Lola, who dipped her fingers once more inside.
“That’s plain enough,” Lola said as the babes’ mouths clamped onto her fingers again. “Be that as it may, while you were away gallivanting, Olivier was here helping me through the worst of my labor.”
“I wasn’t gallivanting,” Sidorio said, wounded by the accusation and jealous that Olivier had been here to witness the birth rather than him. “You told me to go,” he reminded Lola plaintively.
“Did I?” Lola smiled and shook her head. “Everything before the birth seems foggy to me now. I can barely remember, and, well, it hardly matters now. It feels as though everything began anew for me when these two little birds took flight into the world.”
“Indeed,” Sidorio said, more than happy to let this constitute a fresh start for them both.
“He’s tired now,” Lola said, nodding toward the babe in her left arm. “Look at his long eyelashes. They’re quite as black as mine.”
“Yes, they are,” Sidorio said, leaning closer. As he did so, the other babe let out a cry.
“Now this one,” Lola said, “he’s just like you. His appetite is insatiable. All right, baby! A little patience, please!”
“May I feed him?” Sidorio asked, hoarsely.
Lola paused, her fingers hovering above the glass. Then, smiling, she nodded. “Of course. It will help you to bond.”
Sidorio dipped his own right index finger into the glass, then tentatively extended it toward the baby’s mouth. The tiny lips instantly parted and then closed around his finger. Sidorio beamed with delight.
“Who’s a lucky little man?” Lola said, her eyes upon the baby. “Is Daddy feeding you? Is he? Yes, he is!”
Sidorio beamed broadly. “We should discuss names for our boys,” he said.
“No need,” Lola said. “I’ve already named them.”
“You have?” Sidorio felt somehow wounded. “I thought we’d do that together.”
“This one,” Lola pressed on, indicating the sleeping babe, “is Hunter.”
“Hunter,” Sidorio repeated. As he did so, the boy opened his eyes and seemed to smile at his father.
“You see,” Lola said. “Hunter is very happy with his name.” She placed a finger on the baby’s button nose. As she did so, he smiled and closed his eyes again. Lola turned her attention to the other baby, who was still sucking blood from his father’s finger. “And this hungry little mite is your other son, Evil.”
“Evil?” Sidorio repeated in astonishment. “You don’t think that’s just a little extreme?”
Lola shook her head. “No, my darling, I don’t. What do we want most for this dear little lad? To follow in our footsteps and grow up to be evil incarnate. His name will help guide him on the right path.” She smiled. “Besides, it’s an old family name on my father’s side.”
Sidorio took stock. “Hunter and Evil Sidorio,” he said. It didn’t sound bad, though his own first choice had been Julius.
“Hunter and Evil Lockwood Sidorio,” Lola replied. “I think it rolls off the tongue just that little bit better, don’t you?”
It hardly seemed worth him considering the matter further. Sidorio knew full well when his wife’s mind was completely made up.
“I think Evil has had enough blood for now,” Lola said, staying Sidorio’s hand above the glass.
“But he’s crying,” Sidorio protested.
“He has to learn when he’s had enough,” Lola said, “or we shall never have any peace. Besides, I’m thirsty myself.” She lifted the glass to her lips and drained the remains of its contents in one gulp.
Sidorio observed Evil watching his mother enviously. Then he saw the baby’s eyes close and the infant drift off into easy slumber like his little brother.
“We were nervous about knocking, in case they were sleeping,” Johnny whispered.
“It’s all right,” Lola said, looking down at the babies in their twin gold cribs. “They were having a nap, but they’ll be excited to meet all of you.” She smiled graciously at Johnny, Stukeley, Holly, and Mimma, who had all come in, followed by Olivier, who lingered near the door.
“Up you get!” Lola said, lifting Hunter into her hands and resting his little head on her shoulder. Holly came over and cooed at him. “He’s gorgeous!” she exclaimed.
“Isn’t he?” Lola nodded, then gestured toward Evil’s crib. “Would you like to rouse this one from his slumbers?” Holly nodded excitedly and reached down into the crib.
Lola carried Hunter over to the chaise and resumed her seat. Holly brought across Evil and offered him to Lola, who had quickly grown adept at balancing one babe in each arm.
“Look at you go, Captain!” Mimma exclaimed. “You’re a natural mother!”
“Why, thank you,” Lola said graciously. “The thing is I know full well they won’t be little for long. I must enjoy being able to hold them both for as long as I can, until it gives me back-strain!” She laughed merrily and the others joined in, too.
Sidorio addressed Olivier brusquely. “Come and pour everyone a glass,” he said.
Olivier hesitated momentarily, looking to Lola. She met his eyes, then glanced down to stroke Hunter’s cheek. Olivier walked over to the table where a decanter full of blood and six glasses were waiting. As he poured the glasses, Sidorio passed them jovially around the room to his comrades.
“Thank you, Olivier,” he said, as his subordinate realized that there was no glass remaining for him. Sidorio breezed on ebulliently, coming to stand beside his wife. “Lola and I are delighted to introduce to you our two dear boys, Hunter and Evil,” he proclaimed. “So now, please raise your glasses and join me in a toast to the boys and their beautiful mother.” He lifted his glass. “To Hunter, Evil, and Lola!”
“Hunter, Evil, and Lola!” echoed the others, even Olivier, who mimed lifting an invisible glass.
“Who came up with their names?” Stukeley asked, amused.
“I did,” Lola said, meeting his eyes. “Do you like them?”
“Oh, yes,” Stukeley said. “Highly original. Evil, especially.”
“It’s an old family name of Lola’s,” Sidorio informed him.
“Of course it is!” Stukeley said, not daring to meet Johnny’s eyes. Instead, he lifted his glass and drank.
Sidorio cleared his throat once more. “In all the years I have roamed this earth, I cannot remember another night of such happiness,” he said, his eyes jewel-bright as he glanced at each of his comrades. “We already had a family…” he began.
“Meaning Grace and Connor?” Johnny inquired.
He was met by a cold stare from Lola. “Meaning all of you,” she said icily.
“Yes,” Sidorio said. “We think of all of you as family.” His eyes moved from Stukeley to Mimma to Johnny and to Holly. “And now we have these dear boys who, in years to come, will grow to become your friends and allies.”
“And their commanders,” Lola added.
“What’s that, my love?” Sidorio asked.
“Hunter and Evil will be the commanders of our empire,” Lola said, glancing down lovingly at the twins once more. “These dear little boys will one day rise to become Lords of the Seven Oceans.”
“Ah, yes,” Sidorio said. “Quite so.” He saw Stukeley and Johnny exchange a swift glance. “Moments like this fundamentally change the way you feel about things. Lola was saying so herself just before. How did you put it, my sweet? That everything before the twins’ birth was a fog.” His eyes were like stars shooting across the room. “Everything begins anew tonight.”
Lola nodded, her own eyes bright. The others, including Olivier, leaned closer, aware that
something major, possibly quite unprecedented, was brewing.
“Lola and I have been talking,” Sidorio continued. “And we have decided that it’s time to end this war.”
The blood caught in Stukeley’s throat and he began to choke.
“You’re surely not thinking of offering a truce?” said Johnny.
“Hardly,” Lola laughed. “What sort of a message would that send out about the state of our camp?”
“That’s a relief,” Mimma admitted. “You had me worried there, Captain. It sounded like the twins’ births had put you both in a sentimental mood!”
“The twins’ births have galvanized us,” Lola said. “But not in the way you all seem to anticipate.” She turned to her husband.
Sidorio nodded. “We haven’t gone soft. Quite the reverse. We need to step up the fight to ensure these boys’ future. We are razor sharp and ready for decisive action. We are charging you now to prepare for the ultimate victory.” He paused. “Our next attack will end this war in the most absolute terms imaginable.”
“What do you have in mind?” It was, to Sidorio’s chagrin, Olivier who posed the question. Nonetheless, Sidorio was not about to be derailed. Instead, he glanced first at his wife, next his twin babes—their black button eyes staring back at him in awe—and then at his four dynamic deputies.
“Our next and final target is The Nocturne,” Sidorio announced.
31
MINOR ADJUSTMENTS
Jasmine and Cheng Li stood at the open hatch on the third belowdeck of The Tiger, gazing out into the morning light. The sky was painted pink and silver, its tones reflected by the unusually placid sea. The early-morning mist imbued everything with a sense of calm and stillness. It was as if they had stepped out of the raging inferno of war into a precious pocket of peace. As they watched, a silvery shadow appeared through the mist and the Federation vessel bearing Jacoby drew up alongside.
“Wouldn’t it have been easier if he’d arrived at night?” Jasmine asked.
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