by ML Guida
“’Tis no matter. I’ll heal soon.”
“You will?”
“You forget. I’m a vampire, and tonight is the full moon.”
“Then you can fly to your ship!”
He didn’t respond but she felt him tense. They needed to stay away from each other. Yet if parting was what she wanted why did the thought leave her feeling so lonely? “Where—”
He put his finger on her lips. “No more questions. We need to find fresh water to nurse our wounds.” He rolled off her then stretched out his hand.
She clasped it, and in one tug he brought her to her feet. “I didn’t mean to panic, but the web—”
A large black spider was in the middle of the web, and she shuddered.
He pulled her close. “’Tis a jungle spider—nothing more. It will not hurt us. I believe the time spider makes it home deep underground in the bowels of Coaybay. It does not live on the surface and only comes when the demon summons it.”
He led her away, putting his body between her and the spider, but pain shot up her leg.
“Ewan, you’re moving too fast. My leg.”
He immediately stopped. “D’ye need me to carry ye?”
She stuck out her chin. “I’m not helpless.” Pride burst through her voice. “I just need you to move slower.”
Dried blood and torn flesh hung from his wound. “Besides, your shoulder is still a mess.”
“Ye keep forgetting I’m a vampire. I’m stronger than a wounded man.”
He wasn’t fooling her. Pain had clenched his face when she’d gripped his shoulder during their passionate kiss. “Let’s find water where we can clean both our wounds.”
He shrugged, then brushed her back in a leisurely deliberate caress.
She raised her eyebrow.
His face turned red. “I wasna trying to seduce ye again. Ye have leaves and twigs on yer dress.”
She smiled at her ability to make a rogue pirate turn five shades of crimson. A glow of satisfaction beamed inside her at his small gesture, but something fluttered behind them, making leaves crunch. She turned around to make sure the time spider hadn’t appeared. She couldn’t shake the dream of Zuto yanking out her hair and saying the spider could track them with the sniff of it. “How long do you think it will take before Zuto sends the spider after us?”
“Soon. He’s desperate, and patience isn’t one of his virtues. We need to get our strength back and be refreshed.”
He squeezed her hand reassuringly, and she forced herself to smile. She wanted to tell him about his daughter, but he needed to be stronger. Tonight, she’d tell him tonight.
She didn’t want him to know the terror threatening to burst through and send her into another panic fit. Angelica, and especially, Isabella, were so much braver than she. But then neither one of them had a time spider hunting them, either.
They walked down a path slower than normal. A colorful orange and blue parrot sat on a branch and cawed. More birds answered. Their chatter eased the tension. Bright red, yellow, and orange flowers bloomed around them. The sun played peek-a-boo between the tall trees, and the jungle grew denser, the air hotter. Hunger gnawed at her gut, and thirst strangled her throat. Bananas hung from trees high overhead, but she was in no shape to climb a tree and Ewan was in worse shape than she was. It was up to her. She had to find food and water before they both passed out and became fodder for the time-spider.
With each step, her leg ached, her limp more pronounced. Ewan wasn’t much better. He stumbled over a twig, and his walk turned into a sway. She clasped his hand to keep him from falling, and his hand was clammy and hot.
She glanced at his wound. It wasn’t as ugly, but she suspected there was poison or dark magic in the strands. If the spider’s strands could weaken an immortal, what could its venom do? She shoved back her panic and concentrated on moving through the dense forest.
Vines and leaves slapped in her face and twigs pulled on her dress, shredding it. Bugs buzzed in her ear, and she shook her head. Her dress stuck to her skin, and all she wanted to do was shed it and swim free in the ocean or a lake. She wiped her arm across her face, swiping off perspiration, and licked her dry lips.
The sound of gurgling water pricked her attention. She pointed west. “This way.”
He frowned. “Are ye sure? I dona hear anything.” His low voice was labored, as if he struggled to spit out each word. Sweat dripped down his brow, and his pace had slowed.
“I’m an undine. Water is my home.” She released his hand and slipped her arm around his waist, pulling him toward her. “Lean against me.”
“There’s no way ye can bear my weight. I’ll crush ye.”
“Don’t under estimate me.”
His eyes fluttered, and he didn’t protest. She grimaced at his weight. If she didn’t get him to the water, she’d have a passed-out pirate and no way to move him. The sound of the bubbling water grew louder, and she wanted to run as fast as she could toward it.
Ewan stumbled and landed on one knee, yanking her to the ground. Misery slammed into her leg, and she couldn’t bite back a cry.
“Go...without me.” Ewan panted. “I told ye...I’m too heavy.”
She shook her head, ignoring the agony throbbing in her leg. “No. I won’t leave you.” She draped his arm over her shoulder. “Come on. We have to keep moving.”
He gritted his teeth and put his hand on the ground, but his arm collapsed, and he fell onto his side. “Leave me.”
“I told you once before I won’t leave you. I’ll find water and food. There has to be something here to eat.”
He put his arm over his forehead. “Ye dona understand. ’Tis not food that I need.”
“You need water. I can—”
He pulled his arm away, and his green eyes had red rings around the irises. She gasped and fell on her arse.
“Penelope, I am a vampire. The hunger is growing inside me faster than it has ever grown before.”
She glimpsed a fang between his drawn lips, which glinted in the deep shade. She pushed away the hair stuck to his burning forehead. “I thought you could only change during the full moon.”
“True. But something’s different.” He gripped her wrist. “Listen to me. Ye need to run. Find yer father.”
“Quit telling me to run back to my father. I need to learn to save myself.” She frowned. “Ow, you’re hurting me. Let go. .”
He lessened his grip, but didn’t release her. “I could do a lot worse.”
His hard voice promised pain and anger, reminding her that he was a pirate and all the stories of the brutal tales of pirates turned her heart cold.
“I have never felt this way. Leave me. Find yer father. He can protect ye.”
Drops of sweat glistened off his white face, and his eyes had turned glossy.
“Ewan, release me.” Her heart beat wildly, and she couldn’t gulp enough air. What if he attacked her? There was no way she could overcome him. He was four hundred times stronger than she.
Confusion clouded his expression, and she swore the red ring around his eyes green eyes turned darker. She pushed her hand on his to free her wrist.
“I said to release me.”
He slowly lessened his grip, and she yanked her hand free. “I’ll get us some water. Stay here.”
She raced toward the sound of the noisy water as fast as her gimpy leg would go. She pushed back a palm branch and smiled. There was a river gushing over rocks, and an orange bush heavy with fruit grew next to it. “Ewan, I found it. Come here quick!”
But he didn’t answer.
She ripped an orange off the tree and tore away the skin. She bit into it, and juice gushed down her lips. It tasted sweet and succulent. Before she knew it, she gulped down two more. She picked four more for Ewan.
Birds shrieked, and she jumped. They flew high into the air as if escaping a predator. Unease curled up her spine. She should get back to Ewan.
She hurried to the river. She needed to get water to h
eal her leg. Fresh water always helped heal any cut. She sat next to the river then ripped another strip off her dress. Her hands shook as she soaked it in the river, then placed the strip over her leg. A burning sting shot through her flesh. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to dab away the dead skin. She wished she had found her mother’s healing herbs to help soothe her wound, but she hadn’t seen anything on the trek through the jungle. She cupped her hands and took a big draught of water. Not able to resist, she jumped into the river and washed away the grime and sweat. The cool water eased her throbbing pain.
She swam to the surface and smiled. Not far from the river was a grove of six foot plants with tiny budded yellow flowers that looked like ragweed. Her mother had taught her how to use them to fight infection by boiling them in tea or wine. She didn’t have the luxury of such, but she could crush up the leaves and take them back to Ewan. She climbed out of the river and hobbled over to the plants. She ripped another strip off her tattered dress then picked enough leaves to roll up in the material.
She crumpled the leaves, allowing them to fall on her jagged cut. Prickles burned on her skin, and she clamped her jaw tight. It always hurt at first, but she knew it would heal faster with the herb. With another strip from her dress, she dressed the wound.
She swam back to the other side. She took some mud and formed a cup the best she could, then froze it. She filled the lopsided cup with water, grabbed the oranges, then headed back to Ewan. For once, she’d done something proactive rather than waiting for someone to rescue her.
Ewan sat under tree, his head hung over his chest.
“Ewan look what I found! I can help heal you!”
He slowly raised his head. “Run, before ’tis too late.”
She stopped, and the oranges dropped out of her arms with a thud. His green eyes were completely red and filled with hunger. He pulled back his lips to reveal pointed fangs and hissed. Her heart stilled. There was no she’d let him near his little girl. He was too dangerous.
He didn’t want the oranges or the poultice she had made in her cup to heal him. He wanted her.
No, he wanted her blood.
Chapter Twelve
Ewan thwarted the throbbing hunger inside him and fought a battle of wills. Both the archangel’s and the demon’s face flashed in his mind. He tried to concentrate on the archangel’s and hear his gentle voice, but he slowly faded away as the curse consumed Ewan like a black fog blocking out all thought and reason. He motioned for Penelope to leave, but she stood there frozen in fear. Oranges were scattered at her feet, and she held a frozen cup in her shaking hand. He clutched the gnarled tree root to keep himself from moving. A red fog blurred his vision. His lungs shriveled like a flattened sail. His heart seemed to shrink, and his heartbeat stalled. Something unleashed inside him, something evil, something he couldn’t control.
He closed his eyes, praying that she would run, but he could smell her delicate scent mixed with terror.
No. He murmured over and over in his mind, but his thoughts grew distance. Hunger gripped him as if he’d been thrown into a dungeon and not fed or drank for days.
Someone told him not to kill, but he couldn’t remember who. The agony pulsed through him until his muscles shrank and his skin pulled taught. It didn’t matter. They were wrong.
He opened his eyes and stared at Penelope. Despite her beauty, all his senses craved the blood pumping through her delicate throat. His nostrils flared as he inhaled the metallic smell. He could hear the blood flowing through her veins. He lost the battle. His fangs elongated, instinct demanding to taste her sweet flesh.
He couldn’t talk.
He couldn’t swallow.
He couldn’t think.
Her blue eyes widened, and her face paled.
“Ewan?” she asked, her lower lip trembling. Her voice was barely a whisper, but with his vampire hearing, he could hear her loud and clear.
She dropped the frozen cup in her hand. It fell onto a rock and cracked in two. Water and crumbled leaves spilled onto the jungle floor. He could care less about water or oranges. He wanted blood—her blood.
He pushed himself up and took a step toward her. She edged away slowly, which was a mistake. He noticed the bandage around her leg. She was lame—easy prey.
Pain wrung through his body, and all he wanted to do was to stop the agony to satisfy the curse.
Kill. Kill. Kill.
The word rolled over and over in his brain. She whirled around and ran, but he lunged and snagged her hand. She screamed, kicking and hitting him. Her terror failed to find the slightest bit of mercy inside him.
He yanked her toward him. Her heart beat against his. A sweet flowery smell teased him. She beat on his hand and slapped his face. He laughed at her foolishness.
“Ewan, please fight it. Think of Catriona. She needs you.”
Her plea fell on deaf ears. He tangled his hand in her blond hair and jerked her head, revealing her slender neck and the thumping pulse in her vein. She twisted her neck, but she was powerless against him. He lifted his head, then in one swift movement, sank his teeth into her flesh. He sucked, filling his desire for blood, greedily feeding his hunger. With each deep drink, his heart beat stronger. Air filled his depleted lungs. He felt like he had the power of twelve men.
Pain faded away. His muscles thickened, and his taut skin slackened.
She pushed her hands against his chest, then her hands slowly went slack.
The earth rumbled, and they both crumpled to the ground. Birds shrieked.
The fogginess in his brain lifted. He raised his head, and shocked gripped him. Blood gushed down Penelope’s neck and drenched her gown. Her face was deathly white, and her eyes were motionless.
He clutched her to his chest and sank to his knees. He tilted his head back and howled in misery.
“Penelope! My god, what have I done?”
The ground grumbled. Trees swayed, leaves rustled, and the jungled debris quivered. The time spider was coming.
Fear sent his heart thumping wildly. He jumped up, still cradling Penelope’s lifeless body, to his chest. Drawing on his vampire power, he bolted through the jungle. Leaves and sticks slapped his face and pulled on his hair. Penelope didn’t stir or groan. He stopped in the middle of the thick jungle and put his hand over her mouth. A warm faint breath blew onto his hand. She was alive, but for how long?
He caught his breath and tried to calm the fear and panic clouding his mind. The ground quaked, and a split snaked through the dense jungle. A long hairy leg stepped out of the crack.
He burst through the jungle onto the white sandy beach. He headed for the water’s edge.
“Eldric!” he yelled. He couldn’t hide the panic that had bubbled through the surface.
He didn’t care if Eldric struck him down. All that mattered was getting Penelope to safety.
Only the steady waves rolled onto the beach.
He gently laid Penelope in the waves, praying that the water would heal her.
Another shriek made his heart stop. He turned around to see the time spider dart out of the jungle. It clamped its sharp fangs together, and eight glossy eyes watched him.
“Stay away from her, beastie!” He unsheathed his sword.
The beast darted down the beach, its legs sinking into the sand.
Hate replaced Ewan’s fear. He raised his sword over his head. “Penelope!” His voice was loud and clear. Her name was like a war cry.
The spider spewed out its web, but Ewan was ready. He moved his body and swiped the sword, slicing the thread in half. The spider lifted its leg and hit Ewan’s wrist. A lesser man would have dropped the sword and suffered a broken wrist, but Ewan was filled with blood and protectiveness. He wouldn’t let the spider take Penelope. He swung his sword and struck the leg, cutting deep into flesh. The spider hissed and spun around in erratic circles.
Ewan didn’t want to lose the advantage and held up his sword, chasing the beast. He lunged and thrust his sword deep
into the spider’s hairy leg.
Suddenly, the spider crawled over on top of Ewan. It lifted up its swollen abdomen to reveal a long ugly stinger, then propelled its body. But Ewan was ready. He gripped his sword and shoved it high over his head, piercing the beast’s flesh. The spider released an agonizing shriek. Black blood gushed over him, stinging his eyes and squirting up his nose. It stank like rotting offal, and he gagged. Drops slipped into his mouth and burned his tongue.
Something hot ripped into his arm like a scorching poker, paralyzing him. He fell onto his knees, and then collapsed onto his sword. Each time he took a breath, unbearable misery pumped through him. He opened his mouth and dribble leaked down his chin.
An earthquake shook the beach. He could feel the poison swooshing into his veins, then nausea seized him. He groaned and vomited.
The beach split open. Sand fell through like a waterfall. The spider shot its web and wrapped around Penelope’s listless body. It slipped inside while its web dragged her through the sand and water like a rope. Any minute, she’d fall in and disappear forever.
Ewan dug his nails into the sand and crawled toward her. “No! Penelope, wake up! Run!”
Another shriek made him freeze. Damn it! Zuto must have sent another bloody spider.
He gritted his teeth and reached for his sword with his left hand. He shook as he picked up the black-stained sword and crawled to his knees.
“Penelope,” he panted. “Wake up.”
He slashed the sword down on the strand, but his effort was too weak, and the sword fell out of his hand. He grabbed Penelope’s hand and hung on tight. If she was going through that crack, he was going with her.
Heat flashed over him. Fire sizzled the strand, and it went up in smoke. Before he knew what was happening, something clawed into his shoulders and swooped him into the air.
“No!”
He wiggled to get free, only to see a green dragon with a dark-haired woman riding on its back aim for Penelope.
’Twas Mariah and William! In dragon form, William gently picked up Penelope with his talons and flew back into the air. Penelope was safe. Mariah would know what to do.
