He picked a stout port and took the bottle back to the cook’s station. He took the tray of food and the bottle of port back up to the deck.
Keeping Catheryn on board was good for the crew anyway, even if they didn’t know it. She was growing in power. He needed her on their side. He was certain he could use her against the Hoodoo Queen eventually if he kept working on her.
But what if she didn’t? Even though she knew her powers were growing, she still seemed averse to the idea of going up against the queen. Would he be able to justify keeping her on board if she refused to take the queen down?
Rainier walked slowly as the realization dawned on him. He didn’t want her to go. No matter what, he wanted to keep her with him on the ship. He didn’t want to set her free because he didn’t want her to leave. He was feeling something growing between them. He thought about how she saved his life on the beach, and how he held her when she cried after she saw the vision of her ancestors. He wanted to have her in his life and be a part of hers. He wanted to be there with her through the good times and the bad. They made a good team. They could be excellent partners.
He was falling in love with her.
Chapter 15
Catheryn paced Rainier’s quarters. She was warm and sweaty from their training session, and her heart was still racing. She felt anxious and jittery. She practiced a few moves with her sword on her own. She looked at her stance in a full-length mirror that was sitting in one corner of the room. She barely recognized herself.
She was standing tall, not cowering with her chin to her chest. Brandishing her sword with a smile on her face, she felt strong, powerful. She had never felt this way before.
She had Rainier to thank for unlocking this side of her. He believed in her, and he was forcing her to find the power hidden deep inside.
Rainier. The pirate. The vampire.
The murderer.
The smile ran away from her face, and she turned away from her reflection, ashamed of herself. How could she think so kindly of him? He was her owner, her master, nothing more. She was only food to him. He only kidnapped her because she had a pretty face and a warm pulse. She didn’t mean more to him that the dozens of other slaves he could have chosen.
At least, that’s why she was initially brought to the ship. But things had changed. He knew she was not a suitable food source for him, but he kept her on board. He was even trying to help her find out who—what—she was. He volunteered to take her to the shipwreck. He offered to teach her sword fighting. She hadn’t asked him for anything.
Except to release her.
When she asked him to set her free, he refused. He couldn’t grant her this one request. Of course, if he had released her, she probably would have jumped into the sea and swam away. She wouldn’t have cared if the giant spider was still alive or if she would starve to death, she would have left. The idea of being Rainier’s kept slave, as his possible food source, still soured her stomach. She couldn’t really blame him for refusing to release her, could she? Not when they both knew she would run.
Or would she have?
She remembered reading in the hoodoo book that a pure hoodoo witch’s powers were innate. Of course, training can help the powers become stronger more quickly, but even without aid, the powers would eventually manifest themselves. And she had seen this happening. Even before Rainier and his men attacked the Hoodoo House, she had seen small instances of her powers awaking. She shuddered as she thought about the witch she had injured in the kitchen and left locked in a closet.
And her powers had grown by leaps and bounds since her arrival on the ship. Rainier had noticed that her powers seemed to come to life when she was in danger, and she had experienced more than her fair share of life-threatening moments since she came aboard. If she had never been brought to the ship, her powers certainly wouldn’t have grown so quickly.
Would she have left?
If her hoodoo powers were innate and growing, why didn’t she use them to escape? If he wouldn’t set her free, it was up to her to free herself. So why didn’t she? She never wanted to be here. Even now, after all they had been through, it wasn’t her choice to stay. Rainier was holding her captive. No matter how kind to her he was, no matter how much he helped her powers improve, she was his slave and was being forced to do his bidding. The fact that she was his slave should trump everything else. It should render all the good he had done irrelevant. Logically, she knew this.
So why was she staying?
She couldn’t deny that something was growing between them. She had agreed to be his “devotee” only to keep him from feeding on someone else. But she had to admit that the last time he fed from her, she wanted him to bite her…wanted him to do so much more to her. She remembered his kisses on her neck and his hands on her thighs. And on the beach, after she saved his life. She was surprised he didn’t throw her down on the sand and take her. She wouldn’t have stopped him.
Was she crazy? Was she staying, risking her life, submitting to the will of a dangerous vampire and pirate because she wanted to sleep with him?
Or was it something more?
Just thinking about Rainier in that way made her feel hot again. The thought of leaving him filled her with a different kind of anxiety. The thought of leaving him behind, never seeing him again, made her…sad. She must surely be losing her mind if she was developing feelings for a vampire.
She couldn’t admit to these growing feelings…not yet.
As she paced, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror again. But she looked…different. She took a step closer to get a better look. As she did, the mirror seemed to pulse, then a dark inkiness began to fill the glass, like the feathers of a crow spreading out. Her face changed and morphed into the Hoodoo Queen.
“My child,” the face spoke.
Catheryn gasped and took a step back. Was she dreaming? Having another vision?
“No,” the Hoodoo Queen said, as if able to read Catheryn’s thoughts. “I am reaching out to you across the ocean. You have traveled far, my little one.”
“I am not your anything,” Catheryn spat. “At one time I was your slave, but not now. You gave me away. I belong here now.”
“You belong with your people,” the queen said. Catheryn’s heart skipped a beat. She suddenly felt afraid, but she didn’t say anything. If the Hoodoo Queen could speak to her across the ocean, read her thoughts, what else could she do?
“You had to know I would find out, Catheryn,” the queen said. “I found Nathalie in the closet. She was as angry as a hornet, but she couldn’t deny what she saw. And I can’t deny what I have seen, what you have learned. You are not the human we all thought, are you? You are of pure hoodoo blood. With the right training, you could be the most powerful witch in the NOLA Division.”
“And where would that leave you?” Catheryn asked, incensed. Everyone wanted to use her for something. Both Rainier—the powerful vampire—and the Hoodoo Queen—the powerful witch—only wanted her to help them achieve their own ends.
“I would be at you side,” the queen said sweetly, motherly. “As your mentor and the person with experience ruling over a Division, you and I could be an unstoppable team. Together, we could vanquish the vampires and bring peace and security to NOLA. Then, who knows? With your powers, we could look for a way to connect with the other Divisions. A way to save the world.”
Catheryn felt a wave of emotion wash over her. Even though slaves were not included in talks about the current state of the world, they all knew things were slowly getting worse. The tides were rising and food was being rationed more strictly. She didn’t know why this was happening or if it was something that could be fixed without connecting to the other Divisions, but if there was a chance she could use her powers to help make the world, or just their little corner of it, better, she had to try.
But could she trust the queen? Could she trust Rainier? She was at a loss.
“Your magic,” the queen continued, “it called out to me. I
felt it. When you picked up that coin, when your mind was opened, it sent a vibration across the whole world. I felt it. It called to me. It told me to find you.
“I know I did wrong by you,” she continued. “I had no idea who you were, and I treated you badly. I can admit when I do wrong. Let me help you. Let me make amends. Come home, Catheryn.”
Catheryn knew the queen was trying to sweet-talk her, but she chuffed at the reference to “home.” She had been a slave in that house. She had no parents, no siblings. The other slaves, the humans, had looked out for her and treated her more lovingly than the witches had. Then she remembered what Rainier had told her about his vision.
“The humans,” Catheryn said. “What is your plan for them? You said we would vanquish the vampires, but what about the humans?”
The queen paused, which surprised Catheryn. She decided to push her advantage.
“I’ll know if you lie to me,” she said. She had no way of knowing if this was true, but she hoped the queen wouldn’t know either. She couldn’t know just how powerful Catheryn was or would become.
“The humans will have their place in society,” the queen said. “We cannot live without them the way we can without blood-sucking vampires.”
“In your home they are slaves,” Catheryn said. “Is that an example of the place they will have in your ‘harmonious’ society?”
The queen shook her head. “Catheryn, child, come home. The humans will have their place. We can work out the details when you are here, when we rule together. You can help me decide what to do with them.”
While she wanted the chance to help the other humans, a little warning bell was going off in the back of her head. She had lived in the home of the hoodoo queen for too long to believe she would do right by people she thought beneath her. Catheryn’s heart started to race again. She couldn’t go back. Not yet. Or at least not on the queen’s terms.
“I’m sorry,” Catheryn said, though she wasn’t sorry at all. “I don’t think I can accept your offer.”
“Catheryn,” the queen said sternly, the mirror growing darker and deeper, like a black hole, “you will come back. One way or another. You can come home as my guest, as my protégé, under my protection…or you can come back in chains.”
Catheryn felt her heart beat hard in her chest as a pulse boomed out of her body, shattering the mirror. The queen was gone, for now. The thought of once again being in chains terrified her. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t be a slave again. She might be a slave to Rainier, but he didn’t lock her up. If she had to choose between Rainier and the Hoodoo Queen, Rainier would be her choice.
She wasn’t sure what Rainier could do, or what they could do together, but she needed to tell him about the queen. They would have to work together. She threw open the door to the cabin, her small rapier still in hand, and ran out on to the deck to find him.
“Rainier?” she called out.
It was dark, and she got turned around. She couldn’t remember the way to the cook’s station.
It was quiet out, but she noticed that there were lots of pirates on the deck. She suddenly realized that she was surrounded. They were slowly advancing toward her, hemming her in. She looked from one side to the other, but there was nowhere to go. She started to raise her hands, hoping her powers would come to her defense, but then she felt a hand grip her wrist tightly.
She turned and locked eyes with Mathis.
“Hello, deary,” he said menacingly. “A little bird is looking for you.”
He laughed as he pointed to the black crow sitting upon his shoulder. The crew moved in even tighter and laughed as the crow cawed.
Chapter 16
Rainier dropped the tray of food and drink when he saw Catheryn surrounded by the crew.
“What is going on?” he demanded. “Back to your quarters, all of you!”
Mathis stepped forward with an air of surety, a strange black crow sitting on his shoulder. Rainier wondered for a moment where he had seen a crow recently, then he remembered that the Hoodoo Queen had a crow when he faced her at the Hoodoo House.
“What is the meaning of this?” Rainier asked.
“I gave you a choice, cap’n,” Mathis said. “I tried to warn ya. It seemed simple enough to me: the crew or the woman. You chose poorly.”
Some of the men laughed while others grumbled angrily.
“I am the captain,” Rainier said. “I give the orders. I don’t take ultimatums.”
“You ain’t the captain no more,” Mathis said, snatching the hat off Rainier’s head. “The Hoodoo Queen made me a generous offer. She wants the girl. In exchange, she’ll reward the entire crew with gold. As a bonus, she said she’d take you off our hands as well.” Mathis arranged the tricorn hat on his head, adjusting it just so. He ran his fingers over his eyebrows and then straightened his vest. “I’m the captain now. You and the missy will be taken to the brig while we make for NOLA, where we will hand you over to the queen.”
“You think you can trust her?” Catheryn asked. “You think the Hoodoo Queen will actually honor her word to a bunch of vampires?”
“Stay out of this, Catheryn,” Rainier growled, never averting his glare from Mathis. “But she asks a good question. You think that woman will really let you sail away from NOLA with your ship, your gold, and your heads in tact?”
“We have what she wants,” Mathis said. “We also outnumber her. She’s a smart business woman. She’ll do as she says.”
“There’s just one problem,” Rainier said, drawing his blade. “I’ll not go quietly.”
The men all drew their swords, but Mathis held up his hand. “No, no, lads. I’ll take care of this. If I can’t defeat him, I’ll not be worthy of being called captain.”
He drew his own sword as the others took a step back.
Catheryn held her sword tightly and held up her other hand, as if she might try to summon her magic.
“No,” Rainier told her again. “This is a pirate matter. A matter of honor. You stay out of it.”
Catheryn looked hurt, but she took a step back.
Rainier turned back to Mathis and raised his sword. The crow flew from Mathis’s shoulder and up to one of the rafters for a prime viewing spot. The captain and his first mate circled each other for a moment, each sizing up the other.
Under normal circumstances, Mathis wouldn’t stand a chance against Rainier, and they both knew that. Rainier had proven time and again over the years that he was the strongest vampire on the ship, and one of the strongest of all the vampire pirate captains. Yet since he had been feeding on Catheryn, his power had been waning. Mathis knew that Rainier hadn’t been himself lately, but surely he had no way of knowing just how weak Rainier had become…unless the Hoodoo Queen told him that as well.
How did the queen even know where they were? How did she know where to send the raven? Was she in communication with Catheryn? Did they have some sort of witch connection? He would have to confront her about that after this was over. If he survived. He had to. Both of their lives depended on it.
Mathis charged, surprising Rainier. Mathis showed no fear, no hesitation as he used a foreswing, followed by a quick backswing. Rainier dodged the first, but caught his bearings and met the second with his cutlass. Mathis continued to advance, and Rainier stepped back, back, back.
Mathis look a large step forward and sliced uncomfortably close to Rainier’s chest. Mathis’s blade made a clean cut through Rainier’s shirt, barely missing the flesh.
Rainier felt his anger rise. The little blood he had in his body boiled and surged through him. He blocked Mathis’s next blow and pushed back against the attack, sending Mathis reeling backward. Rainier swung again, but this time he missed. Mathis smirked, unconcerned about Rainier’s sudden surge of energy.
The two men continued advancing, retreating, advancing on one another, each getting the upper hand in their turn. But Rainier could feel his strength growing. He had more to lose…too much. He felt a rage burning withi
n him. He tossed the rules of swordsmanship over the railing and grabbed Mathis’s arm before punching him in the face. He heard the groan of the crowd, but that only made him angrier. They would all be next. Faithless traitors!
Mathis looked up at Rainier as blood streamed from his nose. He tried to regain his composure and his standing, but Rainier bent his arm back, forcing him to drop his sword. Mathis fell to his knees.
During the course of the battle, a storm had started to move in. The ship swayed from side to side in the salty breeze. A few raindrops pattered on the deck as thunder rumbled in the distance.
“You’re not the vampire I was once so proud to serve,” Mathis groaned.
“No, I’m not,” Rainier replied.
With that, he released Mathis’s arm. He gripped his sword with both hands and sliced through Mathis’s neck like it was paper. For a second, the whole ship went silent. Then Mathis’s head fell from his body with a sickening thunk.
Rainier kicked the body over the side of the ship but picked up the head by its hair and showed it to the crew.
“Who’s next?” he asked.
The move did not have the effect he had hoped. He thought the crew would be cowed back into submission. Instead, it seemed to have angered them further. They all once again drew their swords and took a step toward him.
“That weren’t honorable!” one of the men yelled.
“You’re no pirate!” another said.
“We’ll not follow you,” another said, followed by a round of jeers.
“Come on,” another yelled. “Look, he’s winded from battle! He can’t take us all on. We’ll kill him and take the girl to the witch queen ourselves. We’ll still get our reward, and then we’ll choose our own captain!”
The crew hollered their agreement as they continued to advance on Rainier. He tossed Mathis’s head over the side of the ship and held his sword up. His eyes scanned the deck for Catheryn, but he didn’t see her. Maybe she slipped away during the fight.
Pirate's Curse: Division 1: The Berkano Vampire Collection Page 11
