“I’m sure after this you’ll all think twice next time you consider breaking the rules of The Tavern.” The ogre chuckled beneath his breath. A few jeers echoed up from the crowds.
He let go of me and it was all I could to steady myself and not fall to the ground. I wasn’t sure which would kill me first: the sun or the ogre.
“The Tavern is a place of peace and rest,” the ogre continued. “You all know the rules! This is what happens to anyone who dares disrupt that.”
Even though my eyelids felt like heavy weights, I somehow forced them to stay open and, in doing so, my vision slowly became clearer. The sea of faces was becoming more distinct and I could make out werewolves, ogres, and other creatures I couldn’t put a name to. In the distance, beneath the shade of some trees, a few dozen vampires stood watching.
“This vampire here is guilty of attempted murder of a human… and this human here is guilty of attempted murder of a vampire.”
A female scream pierced through the square.
“No! Please! Spare my husband!”
The sound of the ogre pulling on chains and someone choking met my ears. I turned my head and saw the human who had attacked me. Like me, he had also been stripped of his clothes and wore nothing but a piece of cloth around his waist.
I was surprised to see the human there next to me on the platform. I wasn’t used to such even-handed justice. As a vampire, I was used to humans always getting away with things and all blame being laid on vampires—and rightly so in the majority of cases.
“That vampire killed Jack’s mother!” the female voice continued to scream out.
“Silence!” the ogre bellowed. “We are concerned only with events that take place within these walls.”
“B-but… I’m bearing his child. Please! Have mercy!”
The ogre ignored her screams and turned his back against the crowds. I heard Jack’s heavy breathing next to me. Each second that the ogre delayed my death was another second for the sun to continue roasting me alive. Part of me was hoping they’d kill me first to end my suffering. But it seemed that even that wish wouldn’t be granted. One ogre slammed Jack down on the ground and held him still while the other picked up an axe, raising it in the air.
I closed my eyes as steel sliced flesh.
Chapter 13: Mona
I didn’t know what to say. I clenched my fists and just stood there looking at Saira.
It wasn’t my problem that he’d managed to get himself into trouble again. I couldn’t keep carting him around places. I wasn’t his mother. Or wife. Or even friend. He wasn’t my responsibility. I’d taken him to The Tavern, one of the safest places existing in these parts, introduced him to Elizabeth, arranged for a roof over his head, and still he’d managed to wreck things in less than twelve hours after I’d left him. What more could I have done for the man? He probably deserved whatever punishment he was about to receive.
Don’t even think about meddling, I told myself. You remember how dangerous that is.
“He’s… not a friend. Like I said,” I muttered.
Saira continued staring at me. I looked away, feeling awkward. Although I never had allowed myself to get close to her, she knew me better than I was comfortable with from our traveling together for years. We’d barely spent a month apart from each other since I’d left The Sanctuary.
She placed a hand on my shoulder. I stepped back, brushing her hand away.
“I used to be like you,” she said quietly.
Her words aggravated me. You have no idea what I am, was what I wanted to spit out, but I held my tongue.
“Afraid,” she said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, the heat rising in my cheeks. “Afraid? Yes, maybe I am afraid of him. He could be a murderer for all I know.”
Saira nodded and didn’t say another word.
She turned around and left me standing there, staring after her.
Chapter 14: Kiev
The woman’s screams intensified. She tried to break through the crowds, but another ogre caught hold of her and dragged her away from the scene.
The two ogres set their eyes on me. Chained by my hands and feet and severely weakened from the torment of the sun, I didn’t attempt to fight. It would only make matters worse. One of them picked up a wooden stake while the other gripped hold of my neck and pressed me against a cool stone wall.
“Wait!” A voice boomed through the square. “I’ll kill him instead.”
I looked up and was confused to see a short round woman. As she made her way through the crowds with surprising speed, I realized that she was a werewolf. She leapt onto the platform, pushing the ogres aside. They both looked dumbstruck.
I racked my brains for any way I might have possibly harmed a werewolf, any reason why this complete stranger would want to kill me. Was this yet another person affected by my years of killing? Would I ever escape the scope of my bloody past? I was as confused as the ogres and audience watching.
“What?” one of the ogres grunted. “We have orders to execute him.”
“In case you forget, I’m Saira, the great-granddaughter of Minneas. That alone should make you heed my words, ogre.” She glared at him.
Saira. Mona’s friend. I hadn’t recognized her because I’d only seen her in her wolf form.
Nobody will have a chance to kill me if they don’t hurry up. The sun will do the deed.
I was relieved when Saira stood over me and blocked the sun’s direct contact with my skin. Without saying another word, she grabbed hold of the keys to the chains from the ogre’s belt and unlocked me.
“Take my hand,” she said to me under her breath.
I didn’t think about what I was doing, or why I would trust her more than the ogres. If I refused the ogres would kill me. I grabbed her hand and she helped me to my feet, holding my waist to support me.
“But… where are you taking him?” the ogre shouted after us as Saira led me away from the platform.
“To a death far worse than what you would have inflicted on him.”
Chapter 15: Kiev
“What are you doing?” I gasped as soon as we were out of sight of the square. I was relieved that she had led us over to some trees so my skin could gain some relief.
“There will be time for explanation later. For now, just hurry.”
As we were approaching the beach, I decided to not press her and rather concentrate on walking faster—a task that was not at all easy when it felt like I was about to faint with exhaustion at any moment.
After what seemed like half an hour of walking on the hot sand, a large ship loomed in the distance. We ducked out of the trees lining the shore again and headed toward it. I let out a sigh of relief as Saira led me up the gangplank leading to the deck and entered a covering away from the direct sun.
As soon as we reached the shelter of the boat, my knees buckled.
Finally she answered my question. “Saving you,” she said calmly.
I looked up at her face.
“Why?”
She hesitated, eyeing me. “I think you might prove to be a good asset for us. Just seemed a shame to have you go to waste. An errant vampire is quite a rare thing these days. Especially one as good-looking as you.” She winked at me. “Most have already settled into their own groups, or indeed settled at The Tavern, and have no desire to move. They’ll never know I didn’t kill you in the end. Just make sure to never visit that place again, because if you do not only will you get in trouble, but I will too. I may be the great-granddaughter of one of the founding fathers of that island, but I can’t pull rank on people there all that often when I’m not a resident. My rank was just enough to shock them into submission.”
She frowned at me as I lay on the floor.
“First thing we need to do is get you cooled down. You look a complete wreck. You’re no use to anyone in this state.”
Every muscle and bone in my body ached as I forced myself into standing position. She walk
ed me down some several staircases until we reached a lower mahogany deck and found a spare cabin. She let go of me and I dropped myself down on the bed.
“I’ll ask for some spare clothes to be sent to you. For now, just lie down and get some sleep. Your body should recover on its own. Or did they apply any serum to you?”
I racked my brain for any memory of serum being applied to my body but found nothing.
“No idea,” I said, shaking my head.
“Well, just sleep. We’ll soon find out, in any case.”
Saira left the room. I felt relieved to be alone in a safe bed. My body was overtaken with exhaustion and within a few minutes, I had fallen asleep.
Chapter 16: Mona
As we lifted the anchor and set sail, allowing the dolphins to begin pulling the ship into the open waters, I stood at the stern, watching the island fade away into the distance. The sun blazed down over the sparkling waters from its full height in the sky.
My thoughts drifted back to the vampire with red eyes. Another pang of guilt hit me. It’s not like you could have done anything, even if you had wanted to save him. He’s under the jurisdiction of the Tavern’s laws.
Just forget about it.
I left the stern and walked past the dozens of people milling about on the deck, still organizing things for our journey. I wanted to retire to my room and lock myself up until tomorrow. I was still feeling run down from the days of lost sleep I’d had at Aviary thanks to being kept a slave there, at beck and call for Arron and his companions at all hours.
I’d done my fair share of work in getting the ship ready for sailing. I trusted I wouldn’t be needed for at least another few hours.
Since I’d chosen to be on the lowest level of the ship away from everyone, there were no windows in my room. Still, when I opened the door and found that it was dark, it surprised me because I didn’t remember dimming my lantern before leaving.
But seeing as I was planning to get straight into bed and fall asleep, I didn’t bother relighting it. I felt my way to my mattress, and lifted back the sheets.
I let out a scream.
I’d just attempted to sit on a cold body. A corpse, I was sure of it. But then, as if I wasn’t already shaken enough, the corpse began to stir and blood-red eyes shot open in the darkness.
I ran out of the room, slamming the door behind me, screaming my lungs out.
“Saira!”
I blazed through the corridors, bellowing Saira’s name. Some crew members hushed me, but I couldn’t contain myself. The fright of finding that monster in my bed mixed with all the implications that now came with his presence on board caused me to lose control.
Saira came walking down a corridor toward me, her face quite expressionless.
“Why?” I panted, clutching her by the shoulders. “Why?”
“Why what?” she asked, an innocent expression on her face.
“Why is there a monster in my bed?”
“Oh, that. He was injured, dear. And he’s a vampire. I needed somewhere dark and comfortable where he could recover. As you know, most of the rooms with beds on this ship have windows.”
“Why couldn’t you take him to one of the other rooms below deck? Or hell, I don’t know, just draw the blinds of one of the rooms in the upper deck!”
Saira shook her head. “All the other bedrooms were occupied at the time. And I was panicking. I just needed to get him somewhere dark and safe as soon as possible. He was in a dreadful state when I found him. I’m sorry, Mona. I didn’t know it would upset you so much…”
“Why did you save him and bring him here?” I spluttered. “I told you already, he’s not my friend!”
“My decision to save him had nothing to do with you, contrary to what you might think. As a founding member of this crew, I have a right to recruit others.” She glared at me. “And I thought leaving him to be killed would be a waste of a perfectly capable crew member.”
Her answers infuriated me. She was lying to my face. She had done this deliberately to throw the vampire in my way. Having lost a daughter made her do the most erratic things.
“And now what?” I hissed. “I need my room back!”
“You’ll get it back,” she said. “Just give him a few more hours of rest to let his body finish healing. Then I’ll remove him and put him up in another room. Okay?”
The situation couldn’t have been further from okay. But she sped off before I had a chance to protest again. By now, a group of new crew members—both vampires and werewolves—were listening in from a distance. Hating to be the center of attention, I hurried away from them.
I found myself walking back toward my cabin. When I reached the door, I placed my ear against it, hoping to hear that he had woken up. But from the gentle breathing, he had fallen asleep again.
Comforted that at least he wouldn’t be staring at me again through the darkness, I dared open the door. I fumbled for the lantern and turned it on. He still didn’t stir.
I stepped toward the bed and hovered over him, examining his face and body. I didn’t notice any injuries. His skin looked totally smooth. I didn’t understand why he had to sleep more, least of all in my bed.
I sat down in the chair a few feet away and continued glaring at him.
Watching Kiev sleeping on my bed was starting to make me feel sleepy. I wished he would wake up and leave so I could have my bed back. Now I’ll have to make a trip to the laundry room and change the sheets, I reminded myself, scowling.
Despite myself, my breath hitched a little as he stirred on the mattress, causing the sheet to slide off him and reveal more of his almost naked form. He had fabric wrapped around his waist, but otherwise the people of The Tavern had stripped him bare. There wasn’t a part of his toned body that didn’t exude strength.
Why is this happening?
And why the hell did I have to ask him those stupid questions?
Now that he had been officially recruited by Saira as a crew member, worry filled me as I thought of the worst-case scenario: I might never see the back of him. I might forever be plagued with his presence. Unless I abandoned my crew, which I couldn’t do easily.
My skin tingled as I watched him sleep.
And I felt nervous.
More nervous than I had in years.
Chapter 17: Kiev
As I lay in bed, the old oak door to my room creaked open.
Clara, the woman my Elder forced me to call sister, appeared in the doorway. She wore nothing but thin silk lingerie.
“Get up,” she hissed. “Did I give you permission to sleep at this time?”
Unwilling to acknowledge her presence, I let my exhausted body remain still on the mattress. The bed shook as she climbed onto it. Cold hands closed around my ankles as she pulled at my legs. I held on to the headboard and kicked her away. I should have known that would only infuriate her further.
“I called you to my bed an hour ago. Why are you still here?”
She climbed onto my back and tore off my nightshirt with her claws, ripping my skin in the process. I winced as her lips pressed against the back of my neck, her legs spread out on either side of my waist.
Then came the lashes. Brandishing a whip, she cut into my flesh until blood soaked the sheets.
“Father gave you to me for a hundred years. Barely twenty have passed. It’s time you stopped fighting me, Kiev…”
I woke to see Mona sitting at the opposite end of the room. She looked daggers at me.
“Is… Is this your cabin?” I rubbed my eyes, attempting to brush away any memory of the nightmare I’d just had.
“Yes.” The tone of her voice was traced with irritation, yet she was attempting to keep her face expressionless. She stood up, handing me a set of fresh clothes. “These were brought for you. You probably want to wear them now.” Her eyes roamed the length of my body. “You should leave.”
I took them from her and pulled them on. No sooner had I pulled the shirt on than she opened the cabin door.
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“Where should I go?”
“Ask Saira.”
I stepped out of the cabin. She slammed the door behind me.
I walked along the corridor toward a door that led to the stairs I had climbed down with Saira. I pushed it open and ascended the stairs, looking around as I did. A few vampires and werewolves bustled about on the second deck, but it was quieter now than when I had first arrived.
I approached a female vampire carrying a large bundle of sheets and asked, “Where can I find Saira?”
She eyed me, then smiled coyly, brushing a few strands of dark hair behind her ear. “You’re new here, aren’t you?” she said.
I nodded.
“I suggest going to the captain’s room and asking there. He might have seen her. You never know, she could be with him.”
“Where’s the captain’s room?” I asked.
“Walk to the end of this hallway”—she gestured with her hand—“then take the first left and it’s the last cabin at the end of that corridor.”
I nodded and motioned to leave. She brushed a hand against my shoulder, her lips still curved in a smile. “And, in case you were interested,” she whispered, “my name is Lorena. My cabin isn’t far from the captain’s, just a couple of doors along to the right.”
She was attractive. But I wasn’t in the mood for playing around. I brushed her hand away and walked away.
I realized that I knew nothing about the captain at all—whether he was a werewolf, vampire, or perhaps another species entirely. I followed her directions and once I reached the end of the corridor, I paused and placed my ear to the door. I could hear a soft shuffling of papers. I rapped on the door three times and waited.