“Did you have to kill him?” I turned to scream at the pirate. “He was young with his whole life ahead of him!”
“He was a Scot.” She spit on the body. “Good riddance to ya, I say. Now move. Straight ahead. I’ll tell you when to turn or go up.” She waved that gun. “I can wound you and no one will care. Hear that?”
I listened and there were gunshots below us in the courtyard. It seemed our guards and her pirates both had guns and were using them. My stomach dropped. Healing from them or not, wounds were painful and could slow me down in a fight.
I kept going, shoved by that painful gun barrel in my back when I slowed down. Her spies had been busy, for she took me on a meandering path of hallways then stairs up to another tower. This one faced the hill where we had come out of the secret passage. Had Jeremiah remembered to tell Fergus to post guards there?
We walked all the way up to the open battlements at the top of the tower. Looking out, I felt like I could see forever. I could certainly see that there were no guards on that hilltop below us. Perhaps they had run to the aid of those under attack at the drawbridge.
“You like the view up here, mistress? What do they call you? Gloriana?” She laughed. “My Gran told me they called your queen that once. Are you so lofty? I think not.” She pushed me with that hard gun barrel to the low wall until I was leaning over it and could see the long way down to the ground. Then she stepped back.
I stood and faced her, refusing to just lean over or beg for my life. I was sure that was what she expected. “I am no queen and neither are you. Just a good shot with a bow and arrow. You should be grateful I didn’t kill you.”
“Grateful? Grateful that I cannot lift my arm to hold my own bow? Grateful that my people now look at me with pity?” She stared at me with such hatred I thought she’d shoot me then. Instead, she shook with anger and a tear streaked down her face.
“Killing me will not bring back your arm’s usefulness.”
“It will show my people I can still lead. That I can seek revenge and carry it out.” She waved her gun at me. “Turn around again. You are going to jump, I think. Take your own life. I will enjoy hearing your screams on your way to death.”
“You will have to push me because I will never jump.” I pointed at the vague shape barely visible across the sea in the strong moonlight. “How do you like the view? Isn’t that Ireland over there?” It was a full moon, perfect for raiding. No wonder she had come so soon after Jeremiah had attacked her holding.
“You think I am too broken to push a bitch like you to her death? Can you fight, Mistress Gloriana? Even with only one arm I can take you down and toss you over.” She had put her gun in her belt and pulled out a long knife. This now looked like a fair fight. She didn’t know I kept my own knife under my skirt.
“I know you have killed men, Zarah.” That earned me a look of surprise. “Yes, I know your name. You killed Lord Ralph, the Guardian of the Coast. You have allowed rape and slavery, taking young girls from their homes.” I noticed she paled. “Did you know that?”
“No. Sometimes my men do things without telling me, things that I don’t approve of. But killing the Guardian? Why wouldn’t I? He killed my father. An eye for an eye.” She waved that knife at me, drawing blood when she nicked my arm.
I had a vampire’s speed and used it, pulling my own knife and darting around her to take a swipe at her arm. She gasped when I sliced that bad arm of hers.
“How did you do that so fast?” She wasn’t giving up. She gripped her knife and stood ready for my next move. “Never mind. You are going over that wall. Trust me, you will not survive the fall. I have dreamed of it as a fitting punishment for hurting me.”
“You think so?” I would survive such a fall but didn’t want to think about the pain or the process it would take to knit my bones together afterwards.
“If you came in through the tunnel, you must have passed our dungeon. How would you like to be locked up in there with the spiders and rats, waiting for a trip to Edinburgh and the hangman?” I dodged her stabbing motion. Then I darted under her thrust, bringing up my blade to pierce her thigh. It was a move Valdez had shown me. She gasped, limping out of my way as blood streamed down her leg.
“I didn’t think a woman like you could fight, damn you.” Her arm quivered as she pulled her gun. She aimed and shot at me, hitting me in the shoulder. I think she expected me to fall down, crying.
I did reel at the pain, but wouldn’t let her see how she’d hurt me. She hadn’t reckoned with a vampire. I still stood, ignoring the searing pain and the blood streaming down my arm.
“Want to try again? You missed my heart.” I mocked her. Why not? I knew such guns had but one shot and took time to reload. I went so far as to slap my shoulder. “You are pathetic.”
“Unnatural creature! Fall down. Give up. Most women…” With a curse, she flung the gun away.
“I am not most women.” I had tears in my eyes from the pain but would not give in. I was ready when she lunged, aiming her knife at my heart. I grabbed her wrist and twisted, holding on and pushing hard until she tripped and fell.
I threw myself on top of her until we lay chest to chest on the stone floor. She panted, her red face almost matching her hair which had come unbound. She stared up at me, her hatred like fire in her eyes.
“Damn you to the fiery pits of hell. I will not let you take me alive.” She twisted and bucked, trying desperately to push me off. She was pulling at her britches and I realized she was reaching for her sword.
I leaned hard on her good arm and took it away from her, throwing it across the tower. It landed with a clang, out of reach for both of us. I still had my knife and held it to her throat.
“Give up, Zarah. You have no idea what I am or what I can do.” Or what I wanted. I nicked her vein and her blood trickled down her throat. It was rich and called to me. No, I could not give in to my cravings. While I fought my fangs, she heaved me off with the last of her strength.
I still gripped her wrist, determined to take her knife, as she dragged me with her to our feet. I tightened my grasp, Zarah’s bones cracking under my palm.
She was wild-eyed and yet determined. “Bitch, strange creature!” She struggled, desperate to get away from me. She kicked my shins and I howled with pain. But I wouldn’t release her.
“Say what you will, you are mine now.” I shoved her toward the steps leading down. “You will spend your last days in the Edinburgh gaol.”
“I will not!” She threw herself at me, a last effort to force me to let go. She’d dropped her knife on the stones already, her hand turning dark as I increased my pressure on that wrist.
“You have no choice.” I grabbed her jerkin and turned her toward the steps. “I’ve won.” I finally released her wrist and she held it against her chest.
“Whatever you are, I will not let you lock me up.” Tears ran down her cheeks and she took a deep, shuddering breath. To my horror, she bolted, took a running jump and dove off the battlements. She screamed a war cry as she leapt.
Shocked, I ran to the edge to see her broken body below. Was she moving? I stared for several long moments but saw no sign of life. I could only stand there motionless, surrounded by the scent of her blood and mine. My own wounds were closing, thanks to the blood I’d had recently.
I listened to my own labored breathing, far off gunfire and the shouts of men far below in the courtyard. Her cry echoed in my mind. Was it really over? My body hurt, oh, how it hurt. But I could still stand. I threw down my bloody knife. I couldn’t stand the sight of it or that tower rooftop, with the remains of our battle scattered across it. I turned away. I felt empty and had no feeling of triumph as I made my way back to that bathing tower where I could watch for Jeremiah’s ship.
The queen is dead, long live the queen. I wondered if there would be another queen for the pirates.
Colin came to the door. “Are you all right? I found MacDougal’s body here. Then there was no sign of you. Where
have you been?” He swore when he saw I was wounded. “You are bleeding.” He gently guided me to the stool. “Sit, I’ll send for Mercy. And, um, Maggie should know what to do.”
“Relax, Colin. I’m already healing. Vampire, remember?” I did sit down though. “I met Zarah, Queen of the Pirates. I think she must have come in through the secret passageway. What happened to the guards there?” I leaned back against the wall, drained.
“You met… Where is she?” Colin gazed around the room like Zarah might be hiding in the bathing tub. That almost made me smile. “You know Valdez and Lord Jeremiah are going to have our heads for this. I can’t believe she got to you. And wounded you!” He groaned and covered his face. “I’ll be lucky to still have my post.”
“You did nothing wrong. She was clever. I’m sorry we lost one man, maybe more. Now she is dead.” I paused, my stomach unsettled as I healed. I reached up and pulled the bullet from my shoulder as it rose to the surface of the wound. That surprised me. Usually bullets had to be dug from flesh, even a vampire’s. I didn’t think any more about it, was just grateful it had happened. I would toss it out the arrow slit when I got up from the stool.
“Dead? Did you kill her, mistress?” Colin looked at me with awe.
I couldn’t stand it. “No. We fought but then she knew she’d lost. She couldn’t face the dungeon and Edinburgh so she threw herself off the top of the northwest tower. Her body should still be down below it. Near the hill where the passageway opens. I didn’t see any guard there. Did we forget to post one?”
“Dennis was on guard duty.” Colin frowned. “If you saw no guard, then we will look for him. I hope he didn’t have his throat cut as well. I’ll send men there right away. And to look for the queen’s body.” Colin looked out the arrow slit. “No sign of Valdez yet? He just missed the attack by the pirates. I’m surprised he left when he must have seen their ship in the harbor.”
“He trusted you to handle them, Colin. You and Fergus.” I stood and the room shifted under my feet. I had to admit I was surprised Valdez hadn’t turned around and come back once he’d seen the pirate ship. But then again, we’d had no warning. The pirates must not have entered the harbor. They could have left their ship down the coast and walked in to surprise us. I said as much to Colin.
“Aye. I’m sure you’re right. We have guards watching for them all day and all night. The first we knew of the attack was when they hit the front gate.” Colin took my elbow when I swayed. “Sit, mistress. You look pale.”
“I admit I am still reeling from my fight with Zarah. She was clever, Colin. The attack at the front gate was a distraction.” I let him lead me back to my stool. “She wanted revenge. To punish me for ruining her arm.” I rubbed my own arm. Yes, it was healing but that didn’t take away the pain.
“You defeated her!” Colin came closer. “Since you were wounded, do you need blood? I will gladly serve you.” He held out his wrist. “You are a hero, mistress!”
“I certainly don’t feel like one. Zarah killed herself, Colin.” I sighed, tired and so worried about Jeremiah I couldn’t think straight. “Thank you for offering your blood, but I am fine. I will call on you later if I need you.” I got up and shook out my skirt. It had a tear which Maggie would fuss over. I found myself fighting tears. And fighting the picture in my mind of when that pirate, no, that woman had flung herself over the wall to her death.
Colin talked excitedly for another few minutes about the pirates and what they might do now without a leader. I sent him on his way
I walked over to the window and stared out at the sea. It was bright enough under the full moon to tell that there were no ships coming in and that the pirate ship was almost out of sight. Had they collected Zarah’s body before they left? Surely one of them had noticed that she’d gone missing. I hoped they planned to give her a decent burial, though why I should care about that, I didn’t know.
What I really watched for in the darkness and moonlight was Valdez. Where was he with news of Jeremiah? I prayed he’d bring my man home to me.
11
I almost jumped out of my skin when Florence arrived just before dawn. I’d been so afraid she’d be caught by the sun. She shifted right in front of me then collapsed into my arms.
“I could not find them!” She cried until her eyes were red. “I failed my dear Angus.”
“Where did you go?” I poured water into a bowl and dampened a cloth. “Sit and tell me everything.” I handed her the cloth and she wiped her face.
I had no idea how all this shape-shifting worked, but her gown, lovely once, now looked almost shredded. Had the wind done that while she flew? Her face and hands were dirty, and she cleaned them off with a sigh. Tears ran down her cheeks again.
“I thought I caught their scent so I landed on an island not far from here. I ruined my dress searching through bushes for them.” She looked down at her skirt and sobbed. “I found graves, amica . But then I realized it was where the vampires had spent their days, safe from the sun. I threw myself down in one just to smell my dear Angus. Foolish of me, eh?”
“You mean they buried themselves in graves each day?” I breathed a deep sigh of relief, trying not to imagine that moment before the death sleep came when you had to lie there with dirt over your face. “But they had already left them once night fell.” I hurried to the window. “Flo, where could they be? Looking for their ship? You didn’t see it?”
“No. I saw the pirate ship attacking our own castle. I thought to come and help, but it was a small group, easy for our soldiers to defeat, so I kept on looking.” She came to stand beside me to look out the window.
“The pirate ship is gone now so I must have been right.” She put her hand on my back. “But look at you. Your dress has blood on it.” She lifted it to her nose. “Mortal blood. What happened here?”
I told her and found myself shedding a few tears in her comforting arms. I couldn’t stop seeing Zarah’s wild dive over the battlements. Her own men must have recovered her body, because Colin’s party of soldiers hadn’t been able to find it.
“Do you think she could have lived, Glory?” Flo held my hand. “You were so brave! I hope they just took her home to bury her. If one of our kind found her, she could have become vampire if she still breathed. Wouldn’t that be un brutto trucco? ”
Trucco , I think she meant trick. More than a trick, it would be horrible. I just shook my head. No, surely, she’d been dead and was on her way to Ireland to be buried in a place of honor as their fallen queen.
“Valdez shifted and went to look for our men as a favor to me. He will not be happy that I had to fight that pirate wench while he was gone. I wish we didn’t have to tell Jeremiah that it happened. He might dismiss Valdez for leaving his post.” I took one more look out the window at the lightening sky. “At least Valdez can keep searching once the sun comes up. He knows Jeremiah’s scent well.”
“He never should have left you. That pirate bitch could have killed you.” Flo stalked to the door. “Come. It is time we both seek our beds before we die. You must make sure you have guards at your door since Valdez is not here to take care of you.” She threw open the tower door and shouted. “Guards! Come to me!”
Colin came running. “Yes, madame.”
“Take care of your mistress. She is tired and must sleep.” Flo waved her hand at me. “Caspisci? ”
“Yes, right away. I have two trusted men from Dollar who will be outside your door all day, Mistress Gloriana. And two for you as well, Madame daVinci.” Colin led the way down the stairs. “I cannot believe that pirate female managed to get to you, Mistress Gloriana. Lord Jeremiah will have my head for that.” Colin actually looked scared for a moment.
“Colin, what happened is not your fault. Poor MacDougal paid with his life trying to guard me.” I spared a moment to murmur a brief prayer for the poor man.
“I haven’t told Fergus or Captain Burnett yet. Since we didn’t find the bitch’s body, I don’t know what to think.” Colin
stopped in front of my door, nodding to the two men waiting there.
“I’m sure her followers picked up her body and took it home for burial.” I’d love to keep my fight with Zarah a secret, but I knew it wasn’t possible. There were too many mind readers who would know about it as soon as they returned. Valdez certainly would see my every thought. I couldn’t seem to hide them from the men in my life.
Colin took a steadying breath and threw open my door, checking behind tapestries and even under the bed to make sure no villains lurked there waiting to attack me. When he was satisfied that the room was clear, he escorted me inside.
“At least you came out all right. Healing already, you said.”
“Yes, I am fine. A small knife wound, even a gun shot, is nothing to a woman of my kind.” I showed him that I was healing, the pink skin visible through a rip in my sleeve.
“The pirates sailed away as fast as their ship could go. Not that it was fast, our cannons did some damage there, Captain Burnett says. I hope it sinks before it gets to Ireland.” Colin stopped near the door. “The captain is making sure we are prepared for another attack. They damaged his ship too before they left. He says they might still come back. Bastards!” He stared at the blood stains on my dress. “We should be celebrating, you know, mistress. You killed the pirate queen. You are a hero!” He smiled proudly.
“No, Colin, when it came down to it, Zarah killed herself. She threw herself off the tower. She couldn’t face being locked up in our dungeon and facing trial. You know she would have hanged after that.” I didn’t feel proud of what had happened with Zarah and was not about to strut about like her victor. “I certainly don’t feel like a hero but do tell Captain Burnett she is dead. That may change his plans for our defense.”
“She threw herself off because she knew you had won the fight!” Colin was almost hopping with excitement. “She’s dead. I’m sure of it. Fergus has to know. Everyone does. Could be the pirates will want revenge but I can’t imagine they will be quick about it after the losses we gave them.” He laughed. “You should have seen the lads fighting, mistress. I was that proud of the way they took down those rats.”
Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates Page 14