“Jameson,” I whispered.
His eyes flashed an even brighter red before returning to the normal blue I was used to as he registered my presence. Being without me had been harder on him than I realized. Guilt assaulted me that I hadn’t asked for him sooner.
He moved to stand before me, only the iron bars keeping us separated. I was desperate to touch him, but as I moved my hand through the bars, I was suddenly yanked away from him.
Jameson snarled at Evander, who had pulled me from his touch. He didn’t know that Jameson would never hurt me. All he saw was an irate vampire, who was a hair's breadth away from going feral if I didn’t do something. Shaking off Evander’s hold, I lunged toward the cell before he could stop me again. Slipping my arms through the bars, I wrapped them around Jameson’s neck as tightly as I could.
His growl immediately cut off as my skin made contact with his. He tried to reach through the bars, just as desperate to touch me as I was to touch him, but his shackles prevented any further contact.
“Lavinia…”
His voice was rough and low. My heart ached for what the last few hours had been like for him.
“I’m here,” I answered, choking on a sob.
“Are you all right? Are you hurt?” he asked, desperation ringing in his voice.
“I’m fine. Nobody has touched me.” I decided not to mention the hit that knocked me unconscious when we were grabbed. “Evander, do you have a key? Please let me go inside.” An urgent need was coming over me, and I feared what would happen if I denied it.
“I’m sorry, miss.” Evander stood straighter. “I have orders to follow.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but Jameson cut me off before I could.
“We need to cooperate, or they won’t let you see me again. This will have to be good enough for the time being.”
Now it was my turn to snarl, but it didn’t last long. I agreed with Jameson, though it had been worth a try to ask. If we couldn’t get off of the ship today, I would find a way sooner rather than later. This wouldn’t be our only chance to escape. I’d make sure of it, even if I had to pretend to be Prime’s doting daughter in order to free Jameson.
My fingers wrapped around Jameson’s, and I leaned my head against the bars, looking up at him. He moved forward until we were barely touching through the thin opening, yet it would have to suffice for the time being. Tears ran down my cheeks as I inhaled his scent. It calmed a raging part of me, but not by much.
We stood there for several moments, embracing each other as best we could. We both needed the contact, him especially. I was the only thing that calmed the monster inside him, and he settled my emotions in the same way. Somehow, the shock and everything Prime revealed to me had managed to distract me and push aside the desperate need I felt for Jameson's presence, but I didn’t know if anything would be able to do that again.
“What happened?” Jameson asked me, and I reluctantly leaned away from him.
“I woke up in a room, chained to a chair and blindfolded,” I began, but the growl that ripped from his chest made me jump. I stroked his cheek to calm him. “Then, a man came in and we talked before he untied me. He said Evander could take me to see you.”
“Did he say his name?” Jameson’s chest was heaving as he tried to maintain control.
“Prime,” I whispered, resting my head against the bars again.
“What does he want?” Jameson asked after a quiet moment, the fear evident in his voice.
“I don’t know.”
I should have told him that Prime was claiming to be my father, and that I could possibly be half-human and half-vampire, but I hesitated. I wasn’t absolutely certain that what Prime claimed was true, so I didn’t want to cause him added stress while he was locked away and unable to do anything about it. No evidence had been presented besides a very detailed story and my scent, which had changed with the many attempts to turn me into a vampire.
“He wants something from you. That’s why I’m locked up and you aren’t,” Jameson responded.
After taking a deep breath, I decided it was better to tell him what I knew.
“Prime said things to me…”
“What things?”
“He’s claiming to be my father.” My chest tightened at the possibility Prime was right. I wasn’t ready to accept it as the truth.
“I thought your parents died in a shipwreck,” Jameson replied warily.
“They did.”
“Then how can he be your father?”
“I don’t know. There are things that make sense from his explanation, while others don’t.”
“You can’t trust him, Lavinia.”
“I know I can’t.” I sighed, my shoulders sagging.
“We’ll get out of this. I promise you, I will find a way,” he vowed, low enough for the man behind us not to hear.
Jameson leaned down until his face was level with mine and pushed close enough to tenderly press his lips against mine. The moment didn’t last nearly long enough before Evander cleared his throat, a signal our visiting time had ended. I kissed Jameson back, silently promising that I would be back for him as soon as I could.
I had a sinking feeling that being on this ship was the last place we should be.
Chapter 3
It had been three days since our forced arrival on Prime’s ship. Jameson was still locked in the brig, and I was either being led around or followed by Evander. I was still getting strange looks from the men who bustled about the place, but none dared to approach me, not with the shadow that constantly loomed over me.
That afternoon, Evander and I headed to the galley, so I could eat. During our unending time together, I had discovered that he was in fact a vampire. I hadn’t mustered up the courage to ask him about his scars, but I suspected that he had been a blood slave prior to being turned. The notion made me wonder what he had done to be appointed Prime’s second-in-command at such a young age. Although, age was usually deceiving with vampires. I really needed to get better about asking more questions.
Each night, I met with Prime for dinner. He’d explained that eating together as a family was important, and I did my best not to gag on his words. I was more of a prisoner than family to him. I might not be locked up like Jameson, but my freedom was fictitious.
However, I was surprised to find that vampires could eat food. It didn’t do anything for them like blood did, but apparently Prime still enjoyed an occasional meal with a glass of blood-laced wine.
I strode into the galley like I had done several times before, not caring about the stares from the crew any longer, but today was different. Everyone stopped talking when we entered, which made me nervous. I glanced back at Evander. He was much closer than he had been a moment ago. His body heat reached mine, and his jaw was rigid as he took in the others in the room.
“Get eatin’ or get out,” Evander snarled. His pirate accent seemed more prominent when he was directly speaking to the crew.
His sudden change in demeanor forced me to do a double-take, because he had been nothing but polite around me. The intimidating tenor of his voice was not one I had heard from him over the last few days, which had my suspicions from before raising once again.
“Why ye get the lass?” one of them complained. “It only fair if ye share.”
Evander moved from my side and had the pirate by the neck in the blink of an eye. “Prime said nobody touches her. Ye know what happens if his orders be disobeyed.”
But the problem wasn’t the mouthy pirate. He had only been the distraction.
An arm snaked around my waist while a calloused hand covered my mouth. “Make a sound and yer neck be snapped before he turns around.”
I wanted to laugh. I couldn’t die the conventional way. Whoever had their fish-smelling hands on me was in for a surprise. I relaxed my body, nodding my head as if I was going to obey. I gave one more cursory glance to Evander, but he was still distracted with the other pirate and had no idea what was happenin
g behind him.
“That be a good lass,” the pirate whispered.
Remaining calm, I recalled my training with Alice. We had spent nights practicing how to get out of the exact hold the mongrel had me in then. I eyed my surroundings, knowing I needed a plan before I acted. The counter had a cooking pot on it. If I could get loose enough to grab it, I should be able to knock out my captor.
My window of opportunity got smaller by the second when he tugged me toward him. I wasted no more time. My head flew backward with force, slamming into the pirate’s face. Throbbing pain radiated through my skull and made my vision double for a moment as he howled in pain.
“Ye wench!”
I reached for the pot, but his hand grabbed on to my braid, yanking me back before my fingers could grasp it. He turned me to face him and backhanded me so hard I fell onto the floor and hit my head on a chair.
“Rowland,” Evander growled. Struggling, I turned to find fiery crimson eyes locked on my attacker. “Ye will pay for that.”
My cheek stung as I brushed my hair away from my face to assess our situation, but Evander was already on the mongrel.
He snapped Rowland’s neck before I could blink, then turned to the others. “If ye want the same fate as him, try that again. If yer smart, leave her be. Understand?”
He helped me from the floor as “Ayes” sounded throughout the room. Food long forgotten, Evander led me back to my quarters. He didn’t speak the entire time. His body tensed against mine while I let him support my weight, but I didn’t truly lean on him despite the pounding in my head.
As the situation registered in my mind, I wanted nothing more than to see Jameson. He was the only one who could calm the storm that was building within me.
If the pirates were messing with me, could they be plotting against Jameson as well? Fear began to choke me, and I found it hard to breathe.
Noticing my gasping and the tears gathering in my eyes, Evander paused and looked like he was going to swing me up into his arms, but I shook my head pointedly at him. I could barely stand with my head throbbing, but I was not about to let him carry me. He was a polite pirate, but he was without a doubt a vampire, and I couldn’t let my guard down around him.
Besides a sympathetic nod, he made no further move to help me beyond what he was already doing, which I was grateful for.
Evander opened the door and entered the room first, keeping his body in front of mine to make sure there would be no more surprises. Thankfully, the room was just how we had left it only minutes before.
Prudently, I took a seat on the bed, pulling my legs to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. I couldn’t help but think of how close I had just come to being taken, and I silently thanked Alice for all of our training sessions. I missed her. I missed them all. I needed to get Jameson out of the brig somehow, and us off this ship, so we could get back to our friends where we belonged.
Evander paced the room. “Are you hurt?”
Not wanting to admit it and appear weak, I shook my head. “I’ll be fine.”
“I need to tell Prime.”
The door slammed open. “Tell me what?”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. It must be a full moon, because all the men on the ship were irritable. When I reopened them, I found Prime’s full attention on me, but I was no longer afraid of him. He needed me for something. I just had no idea what.
He eyed my shaken frame. “What happened?”
“Rowland attacked her,” Evander answered for me.
“Is he still breathing?” Prime inquired calmly.
“Not at the moment. I broke his neck, but he’ll wake soon.”
Prime’s sinister chuckle resounded in the space. “Lavinia, would you like to see my treasure room? I need something from there, and I’d love if you would join me.”
My first instinct was to say no. I wanted Evander to take me to Jameson. My body pulsed with a need only he could soothe, not to mention the pounding in my head, although it was feeling steadily better as more time passed. Still, I had to consider what I might glean from seeing his treasure room. There might be things in there we could use if I could get my hands on any of it before we escaped.
I pushed my legs down and smoothed out my dress. “I would love to.”
He extended a hand to me that I reluctantly took, and cold fingers wrapped around mine as he led me from the room. Evander followed silently behind us, looking at me from the corner of his eye until Prime sent him to retrieve Rowland and take him to the deck.
As we walked, my hair kept falling in my eyes, strands having slipped out of the braid during the commotion. Pulling my hand from Prime’s, I began to fix my hair. His face pinched, letting me know the loss of my hand perturbed him, but I didn’t give it a second thought. I took my time fixing the braid, only finishing when we arrived at a locked door on the second level.
There were four levels to the ship, the deck being the first. Prime’s private areas took up most of the second, along with the galley. The third housed mostly supplies and weapons, while the crew took residence in the fourth and lowest level. That was also where the brig was, where I wished I could be at that moment, instead of standing at a door to a room I had yet to see.
“This is my vault. I’m the only one with a key.” Prime grinned, interrupting my musings. “If you see anything you’d like, just say the word and it’s yours.”
“That’s very kind of you,” I answered, giving him my sweetest smile.
His hand cupped my cheek. “Anything for my daughter. One day, I will give you the world.”
My lids fell closed to hide the fact that my eyes almost rolled into the back of my head at his statement.
However, the more questions I asked during our dinners, the more I began to believe the story he had told me when I first arrived. Not everything added up, and I knew I was missing information, but I no longer doubted that Prime was my birth father. Tobias would always be the only father who mattered, though; that would never change in my heart.
Nevertheless, the more I was around Prime, the more I realized I wasn’t the daughter he had always wanted.
I was a weapon.
I was one-of-a-kind.
I just needed to figure out what he wanted to do with me before it was too late.
Even so, I couldn’t deny I was beginning to understand what had always made me so different, why I yearned for more all of my life, when most women would have been more than happy to settle down like Pierce had offered.
Prime released my face and opened the door. I followed him inside and was instantly blinded by all of the trinkets and gold. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of elegant and priceless pieces filling the space. The first table that caught my eye was filled with crowns, diamonds, gems, gold and silver goblets. Some were plain, while others had been encrusted with more jewels.
More tables and trunks were filled with swords and other weapons, but when my eyes finally landed on a corner cabinet filled with hunter’s daggers, my heart stopped. Right in front of me was the weapon I needed to stop Prime.
To end all vampires.
Yet, there was nothing I could do. I might be stronger than I was a month ago, but I wasn’t stupid enough to believe I could take Prime on by myself. I needed to have patience and, hopefully, it would be rewarded.
My gaze shifted to a row of necklaces, not wanting Prime to see what held my attention. “These are stunning.”
His hand skimmed over the pieces before he picked one up from the tray. “Here. This one complements your eyes.”
I pulled my braid away from my neck as he clasped the tasteful piece around my neck. The chain was silver with five round stone settings. The gems imbedded in it were topaz, surrounded by bright diamonds. My fingers traced the jewels once the necklace settled on my chest.
“Thank you,” I offered sincerely.
“Like I said before. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t give you.”
“What about Jameson? You h
ave denied me him since we arrived.” I kept the attitude out of my voice as best I could.
“And I feel badly about that, but he’s refusing to feed. It’s more him I don’t trust than you. Evander tells me you’ve been very compliant thus far, and I appreciate that. Keep it up and you’ll have more freedoms soon. I promise.”
My breathing faltered at the realization Jameson likely wasn’t feeding because they were trying to give him human blood. Why hadn’t he mentioned that during my last visit? I needed to find a way to feed him soon, before he lost his self-control. I had no chance to save him if he became like the other vampires we encountered on the islands who hadn’t fed. I wouldn’t let that happen.
“What’s wrong?” Prime asked. “Do you know why he won’t eat?”
The words were on the tip of my tongue to ask for animal blood, but I didn’t think Prime would find Jameson’s choice in sustenance as endearing as I did. I would have to think of another way to get it to him. There had to be another option.
“No, it just worries me,” I finally answered. “Can I see him after we’re done here?”
“Let’s see how you do with Rowland, and then we can sort that out.”
The way his eyes lit up as he said those words gave me cause to worry. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what came next.
I eyed the daggers once more as he grabbed a sword from the top shelf. “This is my punishing sword. It won’t kill Rowland, but he’ll suffer dearly. You’ll see what I mean soon.”
The glint in his eyes made me decide not to ask any more questions. I didn’t want to know what he meant, and I wanted nothing more than to make myself invisible. “My head is still hurting from the fall. Would you mind if I went back to my room instead?”
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