by Wendi Wilson
The thump of music below didn’t blot out the sound of waves lapping against the boat hull and the call of gulls in the distance. Moonlight danced on the water’s surface, and a salty wind tugged at my hair, teasing away the nerves that had been building since I stepped foot on this boat.
“The water is lovely,” Warren said gazing out at the ocean. “If I didn’t have The Society to run, I’d take this boat and sail away.”
“Couldn’t someone else run The Society?”
A waiter walked up, offering us glasses of champagne—I refused, wanting to keep my head clear—but Warren took one. He sipped before answering my question. “I guess someone else could run The Society. I’d never thought of it before. It’s always been my family’s responsibility. It’s been mine for decades. I’m not sure who I’d even trust at this point.”
“Charles Purty?” I offered.
Warren’s brow furrowed. “Charles? He’s busy with the camp.”
But it seemed like an excuse, and I wondered about the feud between the two again. Still, I was here to ask about Levi, not Charles Purty and his role in The Society.
“Warren, have you heard from Levi? It’s been a week. I’m starting to worry.”
“Don’t worry,” Warren said dismissively. “They’re all very capable. Being a vampire has its advantages as you’ve already seen.”
There he was, repeating his refrain on how great it was to be a vampire. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was really pushing for me to choose this life. But why me? I’d seen dozens of the hottest vampire babes right here on this boat tonight.
Refusing to be sidetracked, I turned the topic back to what I’d come all the way here to find out. “But shouldn’t we have heard something by now? What if they’re hurt? Levi may be a vampire, but the ones he’s tracking are, too. What if something went wrong, like it did with Sarah?”
Warren shook his head. “The mountains are very vast, so it takes a long time to find anything out there. And I would have heard something if the mission went wrong. Now, listen, tonight is a celebration, and I don’t want to spend it talking about depressing topics. Instead, I wanted to give you something.”
He looked up, catching a waiter’s eye, and snapped his fingers. One of his many servants rushed over and placed a box in his hands.
“What is this?” I asked as he slipped it into my palm, frustrated that he was changing the subject.
“A gift for my best pupil after a very difficult week of training. I know how hard it's been.” His eyes drifted up to mine, sparkling as he watched me expectantly. “Open it.”
I looked from him to the box. I hadn’t expected a gift. It didn’t seem… appropriate. “Warren, I…”
“Please. Just open it. I want to see the look on your face.” He scooted forward on the couch like a kid on Christmas.
Not wanting to upset my host, and, honestly, really curious, I lifted the lid off the box.
I gasped as I took in the stunning earrings—amethyst and diamond drop earrings that were probably worth more than my mother’s yearly salary. Blinking, I could not believe the gift Warren was offering me.
It was too much.
“Warren, I can’t accept these.” I tried to give them back, but he was undeterred.
He took them from the box and began fastening them in my ears. His fingers brushed my skin, sending those shivers down my spine once more.
“Please take them. It’s really nothing. I don’t really know what to do with all of my money, as is evidenced by this ridiculous party. There.” He leaned back, looking at the earrings as they dangled from my lobes. “They really suit you.”
“I can’t keep them,” I protested. “Warren.”
“Piper, they’re yours. Throw them into the sea if you like.” He studied me for a moment before leaning close and pressing his lips to my cheek and whispering, “There’s more where that came from.”
I opened my mouth to protest again, but he stood abruptly, cutting off whatever I was about to say. “I have to talk to my captain. I’ll speak to you later, Piper.”
Before I could say anything else, he was gone.
Yep. Warren Thornberry was used to getting what he wanted. I was right to be careful and try to keep my head. If I wasn’t wary, I’d end up just another of his trophies. It was time to leave. I sighed, grabbed my purse, and went downstairs to find True.
The dance floor was still booming, but True and Xander weren’t on it. I toured the deck to no avail, and then went down to the first floor, but still didn’t see them. Scanning the vampires’ faces, I began to panic. Where were they?
I stopped a waiter as he passed with a tray of blood red drinks. “Excuse me. Do you know where my friends are? They were… um… She’s human, like me.”
He nodded, pointing a gloved hand to another staircase I hadn’t seen before. It went down into the lower area of the ship. I thanked him and took off down the stairs.
The lower level appeared to be the sleeping quarters, which meant bedrooms. My heart began to thud. Were they having sex on Warren’s boat? It didn’t seem like the time or place, but maybe it was the jealousy flaring up inside me. Levi was gone. Warren was making me feel confused. Either way, I wanted to stop it. I’d make up some excuse about being sick and needing to go home. They’d had their fun. It was time to go before things got too out of hand.
I scanned the wood-paneled doors that lined both sides of the hallway. Do I just… knock?
When I closed my eyes for a moment to think, a strange tingle began in my chest. Suddenly, I knew which door… the second on the left.
I started ahead before stuttering to a stop. How could I know it was that door? I wasn’t psychic, was I? I’d actually had a vision of the future, so maybe.
Only one way to find out.
I walked up, grabbed the knob, and opened the door.
It was Xander and True. She was splayed across the bed, limbs akimbo. Her dress was pushed up all the way to her neck, showing her bra and underwear. He was on top of her, clearly enjoying himself as his hands roamed hungrily.
Everything in me recoiled at the sight. It wasn’t that they were making out. It was the fact that she seemed totally out of it—if not asleep or drugged—and he was doing whatever he wanted without a care in the world.
Oh, hell no.
“True!” I shouted.
Xander’s head whipped toward me. “Piper, where’s Warren?”
I shot him a nasty glare and ignored his stupid question. “What’d you do to her?” My hand went to my purse as my rage flared. Where was that vampire blade?
He started to get up. “Nothing. We were just kissing.”
“Then why is she unconscious?” I shouted, storming into the room. I grabbed the wrist closest to me in an attempt to wake her.
That’s when the vision took me.
A body crumpled on the floor. A larger figure standing over it, a male with broad shoulders and blond hair. The male crouches, grabbing the body, and bringing its neck to his mouth. He begins to drink hungrily.
The body shudders, then goes still.
The figure turns as if hearing a sound, and then it’s clear as day.
True rests in Xander’s arms, her neck torn open. She is lifeless, not moving.
She’s... dead.
Chapter Ten
I awoke with a start, sitting up so quickly, I banged my head on the side rail of the bunk bed. I groaned in pain, rubbing my fingers against the spot. I blinked a few times to try to clear the pain and looked around. The cabin was bathed in the soft glow of early morning light, but everyone was still asleep.
I contemplated trying to go back to sleep, myself, but I couldn’t. I had to pee. Bad.
I slipped from my bunk, shoved my feet into some shoes, and crept from the cabin. Once out on the porch, I looked down at myself with confusion. I was wearing a pair of soft cotton shorts and a tank top with no bra. Unease trickled through me as I tried to remember changing into these clothes beca
use they weren’t what I would normally wear to bed, and I’d been wearing my bra every night. The discomfort was outweighed by the fear of having a middle-of-the-night emergency with one of the campers and having to rush them to the nurse with my headlights shining.
And my shirt was inside out.
I shook my head and rushed for the bathroom despite my appearance. It was early, so chances were low anyone would see me looking so disheveled. And if anyone did, well, whatever. I really had to pee.
As I washed my hands afterward, my movements slowed to a stop as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes widened with recognition as they studied the expensive, fancy earrings dangling from my ears. Amethysts and diamonds arranged in a teardrop setting sparkled under the fluorescent lights.
My breathing stuttered as memories assailed me—the trip to the coast, the yacht, Piper and Xander dancing, Warren, the earrings, then… what?
Everything after Warren leaving me alone was a fog, and no matter how hard I concentrated, I couldn’t remember a single detail. What happened? Why couldn’t I remember?
I quickly removed the ostentatious earrings and shoved them into the pocket of my shorts. Splashing cold water against my face, I patted cheeks, whispering “Remember. Remember. Remember,” under my breath.
But it was no use. The entire night from the moment Warren left me to waking up this morning was shrouded in darkness. I needed to ask True.
I rushed from the bathroom and jogged up the path, sliding to a halt when I saw True coming in the opposite direction. Perfect.
“Hey,” I said as she approached, and I fell into step beside her. “What happened last night? I can’t remember anything.”
“Ugh,” she replied, rubbing her temple. “That champagne really did a number on us.”
“Champagne?” I asked, confused. “I didn’t drink any champagne.”
At least, I didn’t think I did. I specifically remembered turning down Warren’s offer of a flute, but after he left, did I decide to throw caution to the wind and guzzle some bubbly?
“Girl. Yes, you did. You came out to dance with me, and Xander brought us drinks. I can’t remember how many glasses we had. Three? Four?” She shook her head, sending her black curls bouncing. “It was a lot. We were wasted. Thank God, Xander got us back here safely.”
I considered her explanation, finding it unlikely, but she obviously remembered more than me. And I didn’t think True would lie. Then my breath lodged in my throat as I looked at her with wide eyes.
“Who changed my clothes?” I whispered, dread coursing through me like hot lava.
“You did,” she answered, setting a comforting hand on my arm. “With my help. I guess you’re lucky you’re actually wearing clothes, as shitfaced as we were.”
She chuckled, shaking her head as we approached the bathroom. I thanked her for helping me last night and turned back around, letting her do her business in private. Plus, I wanted to be alone for a moment to process everything.
Why couldn’t I remember? True seemed to recall everything, but what if she forgot stuff, too? We were on a boat filled to the brim with freaking vampires. Anything could’ve happened. Anything.
I was never drinking again, that was for sure.
I picked up the pace, despite my aching head, and slipped back into the cabin before any of the girls woke up. I quickly changed into something more appropriate, hid the expensive earrings deep in my bag, then checked the time. The girls still had a half-hour to sleep, so I decided to head to the mess hall and see if I could sweet talk the new chef Zelda into giving me an early cup of coffee. I knew breakfast wouldn’t be served for a while, but she had to be there preparing it, right?
As soon as I stepped inside the mess hall, I smelled it. The rich, addictive aroma of fresh-brewed coffee. Despite this morning’s memory fog and confusion, I smiled and followed my nose toward the tantalizing scent.
“Good mornin’, Piper,” Zelda said, holding a steaming cup as she swung through the door leading to the kitchen. “Here ya go.”
“Uh, thanks,” I stuttered. How did she know I was coming for coffee?
Zelda’s red curls bounced as she laughed. She looked like she was in her early twenties, but her navy eyes held a certain wisdom that spoke of centuries. I hadn’t worked up the nerve to ask her age, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find out she was at least two hundred years old.
“I seen ya comin’,” she said, her words carrying a hint of an Irish lilt. “Ya looked like ya be needin’ a cuppa this mornin’.”
“Thanks,” I said again, stronger this time. I chose not to find insult in her words, which could’ve been construed as you look like hell warmed over, and just accepted the kind gesture.
I took a sip, and it was perfect. Creamy and sweet, just like I liked it. I opened my mouth to ask her how she knew, but she held up a hand to cut me off.
“I told ya I seen ya comin’,” she said. “It weren’t with my eyes, but my mind. I think ya know what I mean.”
She gave me a knowing nod, and I nearly spit out the sip of coffee I’d been drinking. I managed to choke it down before my mouth fell open.
“You had a vision? About me coming for coffee?”
“Aye,” she said. “In my former life, I was a Cailleach.”
“What is that?” I asked despite my fear of the answer.
“A witch.”
I took an involuntary step back, holding my cup in front of me like it offered some sort of protection. “I-I’m not a witch,” I stuttered.
“Are ya so sure, Piper?” she asked, her soft voice tinkling like a wind chime.
I leaned in closer, whispering in a hiss. “No. I mean, yes. Yes, I’m sure. I think I would know if I were a witch. Wouldn’t I?”
“Ya have the gift of sight, and normal humans with no witch blood rarely possess such a talent. Perhaps one of yer parents has it in their ancestry and doesna know it?”
I swallowed thickly, shaking my head in denial. “No. No way. They would’ve told me.”
A memory tickled my mind—a conversation I had with Dean Purty.
“I’m sorry. Did you say witch?” I asked, my eyes bugging wide.
“It’s possible,” Dean Purty replied, not even flinching at my outburst. “Take, for instance, Miss King.”
“True? She’s a witch?”
“She’s not practicing, of course, but she does have familial ties to a prominent coven in New Orleans. That doesn’t mean she carries the gene, but it’s possible.”
“There’s no way I’m a witch,” I said. “I would know. Right?”
“Either of your parents could carry the bloodline—”
“My dad!” I shouted, cutting him off. “Sarah said she knows who killed my dad.”
“Perhaps they didna know?” she asked gently, pulling me from the past. Then, she shook her head. “You’re right. Ya would’ve known by now. Besides, it is none of my business. Go on. Take yer coffee with ya and just return the mug later.”
I nodded my thanks before turning and hurrying out. I needed to escape this conversation because it was making my head hurt again. Two people had suggested I might be a witch.
Could they be right?
Half way back to Saka’am, my feet ground to a halt. I stood, frozen, my wide eyes burning with the need to blink. Giving in to the urge, I let my eyelids flutter as I mulled over the conversation with Zelda, focusing on a detail I hadn’t caught while she was talking.
How had she known about my vision? Only a select few people knew that I’d had one, and I couldn’t think of a reason why any one of them would tell the camp chef. Unless, of course, it was to get advice about me from someone who understood what I was going through.
“That must be it,” I whispered as the tension drained from my body.
Unless, of course, she saw my ability to have visions in a vision of her own.
I froze again, another memory I’d somehow suppressed coming back to me. That night in the cabin, when Sara
h had been doing her whole villain monologue thing, she’d mentioned something about my dad when he worked at Camp Shadow Lake. She’d said he’d gone to the dean, raving about a dream he’d had, a vision of his future death.
A vision that had, in the end, proven to be true. Did that mean my dad was a warlock? That I was?
Ugh, my head was spinning. I decided to put it out of my mind, enjoy my coffee, and get ready for another fun-filled morning of camp activities, then an afternoon of training with Warren.
A shiver tickled my spine as I thought of him, and I suddenly remembered a few more details from the night before. Warren, trying to convince me of the merits of being a vampire. His fingers brushing my skin as he fastened his expensive gift through my ears. His lips caressing my cheek as he promised me even more pampering and presents.
And my reaction to those silky words and soft touches.
I’d gotten chills at the time, my body reacting to what amounted to a carefully planned seduction. That son of a bitch.
He wasn’t only using his charm and money to try to turn my head. He was using compulsion. That was the only thing that made sense.
I was going to kill him.
SOMEHOW, I made it through the morning without yelling at any kids or punching something, but my anger remained boiling just below the surface. I ate lunch in silence as True rambled on and on about how amazing Xander was, which only made my anger that much hotter.
I didn’t know if I was mad at her for only seeming to care about the new guy in her life, or at myself for feeling what ultimately amounted to jealousy over the fact that she seemed to care so little for what I was going through. My best friend had just died, my boyfriend had gone missing while tracking down my dad’s murderer, and I was being stalked by one of the most powerful vampires in the world.
But, yeah, let’s talk about how hot Xander’s bod was again.
And my brain was too clouded by rage to work out the truth, despite my efforts to analyze my emotions as Dr. Whitley would recommend if she were here. And honestly, I didn’t really care which it was at that moment—I was just mad.