Pirate's Curse: Division 1: The Berkano Vampire Collection

by Leigh Anderson

  “You can get inside people’s minds,” the younger one said, not looking at him.

  “The Hoodoo Queen can do that, too,” he said. “How else would she know I was back in NOLA? Maybe she’s in your head right now.”

  The young woman looked back at Rainier with wide eyes, but then quickly looked away again.

  “Stop talking to him,” the older one said.

  “Come on,” Rainier said. “What can I do to you from in here? I just want to have a little chat.”

  The older one looked at him defiantly. “I know what you’re capable of, vampire,” she snapped.

  Rainier looked deep into her eyes, even from across the room. He emitted a sense of calm over her.

  She gasped. “Wha…what is that?” she asked as she took a step toward him.

  “Nothing,” Rainier said, waving her forward. “Just a little vampire magic.”

  “What’s happening?” the younger one asked, slightly panicked. “Should I warn the queen?”

  Rainier turned his gaze to her while still keeping the other woman in his thrall. “There’s no need for that, lovely.”

  She smiled and walked toward him. “That…that is nice,” she said. “Are you going to feed from me?”

  Rainier chuckled but shook his head. “Sorry, not today. Can’t drink witch blood.” The fact that feeding on Catheryn had gotten him into this sorry state was not lost on him.

  “Why does that make me feel sad?” the witch asked.

  “Because you know you are missing out on one of life’s great pleasures,” he said. “Now give me the key.”

  “Ain’t got no key,” the older woman said.

  “What?” Rainier asked.

  “Too dangerous to have you and the key in the same room,” she said.

  Damnit, Rainier cursed to himself. Well, she was right about that. And the queen was no fool. Of course she would know better than let the guards keep the key in the room. If he commanded one of the witches to go get it, his control would wear off as soon as she left his sight.

  “Fine, we will do this the old fashioned way,” he said. He lulled the women to come close to his cell, then he gripped both of them by their shirts and banged their heads into the bars. They both fell to the ground, out cold.

  Rainier took a deep breath and gripped the bars. He grunted as he used all of his remaining strength to bend them apart, just enough that he could slip through. When he was finished, he almost thought he was going to pass out. His vampire strength was completely gone. He had never felt so weak, not since he was…human. He nearly shuddered at the thought. He couldn’t imagine being a weak worthless human.

  He couldn’t worry about that now, though. He needed to escape. He needed to find Catheryn. He opened the door to the room and slipped up the stairs. When he opened the next door, though, he couldn’t believe where he was.

  He was in the Hoodoo House.

  The damn witch queen had brought him right into her lair. So why wasn’t she on his ass already? Surely she knew everything that was going on in her own home. Maybe she was distracted by something. What if she had already captured Catheryn?

  Well, he had no way of knowing that unless he got out here. Which he needed to do anyway—this place was too dangerous. He needed to get out and then find Catheryn. Simple, easy, two-part plan.

  He walked down a hallway, but the path quickly ended. He hadn’t noticed it was a dead end before. He wouldn’t have come this way if it was. He could either go left or right, both ways blocked by a door. He went left. After he opened the door, he came to a room that looked like a library. There were now three doors to choose from. He closed the door and decided to go right. When he opened that door, he ended up in the library again.

  Rainier groaned and rolled his eyes. Damn enchanted house! He took a deep breath to calm himself and then remembered something he had learned about mazes when he was young: always keep your right hand on the right wall. Of course, that probably only worked in human-made mazes, not a living, breathing, hexed house like this. But it was the only plan he had.

  He placed his hand on the right wall and walked around the room. He opened the first door he came to and went through. He was at least out of the library. He was back in a long hallway. It was dark, so he couldn’t see the end. As he walked, the hallway seemed to keep going. It just kept stretching on and on.

  “Come on!” Rainier yelled.

  He started running toward the end of the hallway. Finally, he came to another door. Through it, he found a much more mundane room—a kitchen.

  Rainier realized he was starving. He grabbed a loaf of bread and found some cured meat and cheese. He ate quickly, hardly savoring a bite. When a door behind him opened, he turned.

  “The prisoner’s escaped!” she yelled.

  Rainier lunged at her, but she dodged out of the way easily. He realized that, along with his vampire strength, his vampire speed was also gone. But at least he still had his natural strength and agility.

  Rainier grabbed the witch by her hair. She snatched a knife off the counter and swung at him. He let her go and jumped back. She waved the knife back and forth tauntingly.

  “I’m going to enjoy this,” she said. “That little bitch is going to get what’s coming to her.”

  “Nathalie!” a voice behind Rainier gasped.

  He turned to see another witch had entered the room. He grabbed her and used her as a shield as the one called Nathalie charged at him. Nathalie ran the other witch through. The witch screamed in pain and Nathalie stared in horror at what she had done.

  Rainier used Nathalie’s shock to get the upper hand. He pushed the injured witch against her, and they both fell to the floor. Rainier then stepped up and punched Nathalie in the face, knocking her out cold. Then Rainier fled the room.

  He was now in a part of the house that looked vaguely familiar. He must have been here when he approached the Hoodoo Queen before, back when she traded Catheryn to him. He turned left, then right. Finally, he saw the front door. He sprinted toward it, but five witches stepped in his way. And they were all ready for him. They raised their hands and blasted him with their magic.

  Rainier was knocked to the ground, and his breath flew out of him. He gasped for air. One of the witches summoned the black smoke again, using it to pin his arms to his side. Two other witches grabbed him by his arms and led him upstairs.

  The second floor was a large open area, and at the far end, the Hoodoo Queen sat on her throne. A large black crow rested on the spine of her chair and cawed.

  Chapter 25

  “We have to go, now!” Catheryn said, anxious.

  “Wait,” Eva said. “We need a plan. We can’t just run up to the queen without a plan.”

  “But she’ll kill him,” Catheryn said. “If he fights back and the queen thinks he is more trouble than he is worth, or if too much time passes and she thinks her trap isn’t working, she’ll just kill him. She’ll come after me another way.”

  “So what?” Eva said. “I know you think this guy is your ally, but what is one less vampire? None of them can really be trusted. He’d be one less thing to worry about in the end.”

  “Don’t say that,” Catheryn said. “We have to save him.”

  Eva frowned, a sadness marring her already roughened features. Catheryn looked around the room and noticed the other thieves were shaking their heads and whispering. She must have seemed like a crazy person.

  “Everyone, arm yourselves and get ready to leave,” Eva ordered. While they busied themselves, Eva pulled Catheryn aside. “What is going on,” she whispered harshly. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Rainier…” Catheryn said. “He and I…it’s more than…just friendship.”

  “Oh my God,” Eva said. “You’re…in love with a stupid vampire? Are you crazy?”

  “Probably,” Catheryn said. “I can’t explain it. I’ve tried to deny it. Even when he confessed his love for me, I refused to say it back, but I can’t deny my feelings t
o myself. I love him. I have to help him.”

  “But…are you sure?” Eva asked. “You know that vampires have the ability to hypnotize you. It’s how they get humans to submit to them. They can control witches, too.”

  Catheryn shook her head. “Not me. He tried. It doesn’t work on me.”

  “Maybe so, but maybe he has some other power over you. He did feed from you, right?”

  Catheryn nodded.

  “Maybe there is something in the bite,” Eva said. “Like a…a virus or something that would make you his thrall.”

  “I don’t think so,” Catheryn said. “I hated him for a long time, for kidnapping me, for feeding from me, for the way he let his crew deal with the other slaves. And I know, logically, I should still hate him for all of those things. But I don’t. There is another side to him. A kind side, a thoughtful side. He’s a good leader and a good man. It’s why he’s here. I left him on an island. He could have stayed there, out of harm’s way. He could have gone anywhere. Another city, another ship. But he’s here. He came here for me. He loves me. We love each other.”

  “I can hardly believe what I am hearing,” Eva said. “But…I know what’s like when people don’t want to accept who you love.”

  “Really?” Catheryn asked.

  Eva nodded and motioned toward a young woman in the back of the room. She had bright blonde hair and shining blue eyes. She was wearing a plain cotton dress and a bloodstained apron. She was helping wrap the wounds of a young man. The tenderness in her touch was easy to see even from across the room.

  “She’s our medic, or near as we can have one. She doesn’t have any formal training, but her mama was a midwife. Her name is Beth.” Eva got a wispy look in her eyes as she stared at Beth while she worked. “Not everyone is accepting; we are both so young. But I’ve more than proven my ability to be a leader so most people keep their mouths shut.”

  “I…I had no idea,” Catheryn said. “You’ve not even acknowledged her presence since I’ve arrived.”

  “Because I have a job to do,” Eva said sternly. “I’m the guild leader and can’t be distracted. And today I have to lead a rebellion. If I only thought of her, what good would I be? Same for her. She can’t save lives if she is worried about mine. We all have a role to play, a job to do. We have to focus, or all could be lost.”

  “You remind me of Rainier,” Catheryn said with a small smile. “He said something similar when he was training me to use a sword. You have to keep your mind on the fight.”

  “He sounds like a smart man,” Eva said. “So he would understand your need to focus on the battle and not him.”

  It took that for Eva’s point to slam into Catheryn. She’d gotten her to agree to the sentiment, but that didn’t mean she could agree that Rainier could be forgotten.

  “I can’t lose him,” Catheryn said emphatically.

  “I’ll do my best to make sure he comes out of this unharmed,” Eva said. “But we have to have a plan. Do you trust me?”

  Catheryn nodded, but she couldn’t help but laugh a bit. It seemed as though their roles had been reversed. Eva was acting like the big sister, taking the lead, giving orders, teaching lessons. They had both grown up to be headstrong and independent women. If they both lived through this, Catheryn imagined they would butt heads many times throughout their lives.

  “Okay, so what’s your plan?” Catheryn asked.

  “Miss Eva,” a scout yelled as she came in. “It’s starting!”

  “What?” Eva asked.

  “The cleansing,” the scout said. “Several witches were seen rounding people up in the Mardi Gras Coast. They are killing people.”

  “Everyone!” Eva said. “We knew this day was coming. Troops One and Two, head down to the Mardi Gras and stop the witches. I know they are powerful, but we are numerous. Rally the people behind you. You know what to do!”

  “Yes, ma’am,” they all called out as they ran out.

  “The rest of you, grab the supplies and follow me.”

  Catheryn, Eva, and the rest of the thieves headed toward the Hoodoo House.

  “We need to go to the source,” Eva said. “Directly to the queen. If we stop her, all the rest of this madness will come to an end.”

  “So, your plan?” Catheryn asked. “What is it exactly? I’m listening.”

  “Oh,” Eva said. “I don’t have one yet.”

  “What?” Catheryn had to bite her tongue for a moment and regain her composure before continuing. “All that talk about a plan, and you don’t have one?”

  “Hey, I was working out the details,” Eva said. “This happened sooner than I expected, probably because you and Rainier showed up. The queen probably had to move up her timetable.”

  “So what are we going to do?” Catheryn asked.

  “Let’s just see what we are up against first,” Eva said.

  Catheryn didn’t like the sound of that, but she didn’t have a better idea, either. They couldn’t just sit around thinking while people were being killed.

  As they approached the Hoodoo House, they were dismayed to realize they wouldn’t be able to get very close. The witches had set up a perimeter around the house. There was a wall with a witch guarding it every few feet. There were several torches set up as well, illuminating the area. If anyone got too close, the witches would see them immediately and strike them down.

  “What do you think?” Eva asked.

  Catheryn shook her head. “I’m not sure. We can’t take them out one at a time because that would give them time to regroup and focus their efforts.”

  “Can you take out many at once?” Eva asked.

  “I…I don’t know,” Catheryn pressed her hands against her face, trying to summon some sense of calm. “I’ve never tried, and I don’t want to practice now. If I mess up, it would be over.”

  “We have gunpowder, lots of it,” Eva said. “But if we just use fire to set it off, it could take too long to ignite, giving the witches a chance to stop it or escape and regroup. If we set it up around the parameter, could you ignite it all at once?”

  Catheryn nodded. “I think I can.”

  Eva explained the plan to her people, who quickly sprang into action. Catheryn was awed by Eva’s ability to so easily direct her followers. She was an excellent leader.

  Eva returned to Catheryn’s side. “It will just be a moment,” Eva said. “Are you ready?”

  Catheryn was nervous, but she nodded anyway. “Yes,” she said. “I’m ready.”

  Eva placed a reassuring hand on Catheryn’s arm. “Everything will be fine, you’ll see.”

  Catheryn had her doubts, but she had to remain positive, hopeful. If she doubted in their abilities, then she already lost. She had to believe they had a chance. She had to believe she had a chance. Nothing else mattered. Even if Eva’s people were able to stop the cleansing, even if she was able to get Catheryn through the Hoodoo House’s defenses, it would be up to Catheryn to stop the Hoodoo Queen. No one else was strong enough. No one else had pure hoodoo blood. In the end, it was all on Catheryn.

  And she was terrified.

  Eva shook Catheryn’s shoulder. “It’s time,” she said.

  Catheryn followed her and took her place far enough away from the wall, but close enough that she could see all the powder kegs. She took a deep breath and called upon the fire in her soul. Her hands ignited in flame. She threw the fireballs at the kegs, and all at once, they exploded, taking out the wall and half a dozen witches.

  “Attack!” Eva yelled, drawing her sword and pistol.

  The other thieves raised their weapons and their voices as well. Together, Catheryn, Eva, and the thieves charged the Hoodoo House.

  The witches were in shock. Many were killed in the initial attack, and several more were injured in the yard. For the witches still in the house, they seemed unsure what was happening. Some threw open the windows to the upper floors, but the thieves were able to easily shoot them. Some witches came from around the side of the build
ing, but they were shocked at the scene they saw, so the thieves had the upper hand, usually able to land the first blow. Some of the witches were able to regain their senses and fight back, but not in the numbers they needed.

  Catheryn had only one goal in mind—getting through the front door.

  As she ran, a witch came up on her left side, but Catheryn shot her with a blast of energy, knocking her away. Two witches came up on her right, but again, Catheryn took them out easily. These witches had been training for their entire lives and had been taught by the Hoodoo Queen herself, but they were no match for Catheryn.

  The world blurred around her as she reached the porch. She flew up the steps. Nothing could stop her now.

  Well, except for maybe one thing…

  The Hoodoo Queen herself.

  Chapter 26

  “Rainier,” the queen purred from her throne. “So nice to see you again.”

  Rainier stared the Hoodoo Queen down. “Too bad I can’t say the same of you,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “Because you’ve lost,” she said. “This time you will not be able to steal from me or threaten me. From where I am sitting, this is a very nice meeting indeed. Please, join me as my guest.”

  She motioned for the other witches to let him go. Those around him dissipated. This was hardly an act of friendship, though, but one of boasting. She knew he wasn’t a threat to her, even if he wasn’t restrained. She was trying to humiliate him by showing just how weak his position was.

  “You won’t win,” he said, refusing to give into her intimidation tactics. “Even if you kill me, your plan will fail.”

  “What plan is that?” she asked innocently.

  “This genocide of everyone except witches,” he said.

  “Oh, darn,” she said. “You figured me out. Well, no matter. It’s too late. The cleansing has already begun.”

  She reached behind her chair and pulled out a severed head. She tossed it at Rainier’s feet. It was the former second mate of his ship. He must have taken over as leader after Mathis was killed and he jumped ship.