Jameson ran beside me, and I noticed Solomon scanning the area—looking for someone. Ruth appeared at his side then, and together they began to rally the hunters into organized ranks. Evander suddenly emerged at my side, running alongside us toward the beach, so we could get a better look at what or who had arrived.
Sand shifted under my feet with each step onto the beach, and we stopped to assess the situation. Several ships had entered the bay, and I counted six at a quick glance. A couple had the white sails of regular merchant or supply ships, while the rest had the black sails of pirates.
My chest clenched when I watched the ships draw closer to the docks, and my gums simultaneously started to ache with the urge to let my fangs descend. I pushed the feeling away, unsure if it was warranted just yet. I could also feel my newly-discovered claws just under the skin of my fingertips and knew that if we were in for a fight, I was ready for them.
The biggest ship in the group pulled ahead of the others, its black sails bringing with it memories of past encounters with the pirates and vampires. I swallowed hard, watching as it drew closer and not even flinching when Solomon stepped alongside Jameson and Ruth stopped beside me.
“No heartbeats,” Solomon murmured just as I had come to the same conclusion.
While no heartbeats could be heard coming from the lead ship, as Solomon had mentioned, I wasn’t sure about the others still behind it. Sniffing the air, I inhaled the scent of unwashed bodies and blood, which also indicated vampires. A slight sweetness accompanied the smell; it underlined the other scents, almost like an afterthought. My enhanced eyesight showed bodies scurrying around the deck of the ships, though they were still too far away for me to make out any other details.
“They can’t all dock at once,” Ruth observed while withdrawing her dagger that glowed in the rapidly-fading light. “They’ll attack in waves. If we can hold the beach, we have a shot of surviving, with far less vampires left to walk this world. We have two contingents of hunters guarding the house, and all of the civilians have returned to their rooms with the place locked down. We’re as ready as we can be.”
I breathed a silent sigh of relief, knowing that all of the humans I cared about were currently safe and guarded by well-seasoned hunters. It helped me push the worry for them aside, so I could focus on what we were about to face.
Evander sniffed the air beside me—he had been doing it since we arrived on the beach. I hadn’t seen him since the night before when he was in my room to make sure I was all right after my nightmare that wasn’t one at all. It touched me that he cared enough to check on me and to help figure out a solution to what had occurred. He had changed, and I was glad. I finally felt that he was worthy of my trust, and I was thankful that he was by my side now.
He inhaled again, then shook his head, like he couldn’t place the scent.
“What do you smell?” I asked him in a whisper.
“The same thing you all do, but there is something about that sweet smell that seems familiar, yet I can’t seem to place it,” he answered with a frown, glancing down at me before returning his gaze to the approaching ships.
My attention shifted to the lead ship, just in time to watch as a white flag was raised on the mast. Its pure color contrasted with the dark sails behind it. Jameson sucked in a breath beside me as the flag began to flutter in the wind. Clearly, I was missing something, because the appearance of the white flag had caused the mood of the beach to change. With a quick glance, I realized that all the other ships were now flying a white flag on their masts as well.
“What does it mean?” I asked no one in particular.
“Means they are surrendering,” Jameson explained, his eyes never leaving the approaching ships.
“It means they come in peace,” Evander clarified.
“This is unusual,” Ruth mused.
Solomon shifted his stance on the sand. “Could still be a trick. I wouldn’t put it past Prime to come up with this very scenario, hoping we’ll drop our guard,” he argued, and the ease in the air was suddenly ripped away, replaced with something sinister.
“You’re right. We shouldn’t let our guard down,” Evander replied, and though I believed that he agreed, he seemed disappointed at the same time.
It puzzled me that he would feel that way, but I didn’t have time to dissect the feelings of my strange vampire friend, because the lead ship had pulled up to the dock.
The other ships behind it suddenly dropped their sails and remained in the bay while still flying their white flags, but none made any moves to come closer.
The gangplank from the lead ship was lowered onto the dock with an audible thud. Every single person on the beach seemed to be holding their breath as we waited for whomever was on the ship to disembark.
A body appeared at the top, dressed in attire that I had seen most pirates wearing. A loose-fitting top was tucked into straight trousers that disappeared into calf-high boots. Several necklaces glittered against the chest, reflecting the last rays of the sun, and a sword in a scabbard hung from the belt at the pirate’s waist.
When the pirate reached the planks of the dock, Evander suddenly took a deep breath, and his nostrils flared. “Catherine,” he exhaled so quietly that I was only able to make it out because I was standing next to him.
I doubted anyone else heard it.
The pirate on the dock stopped, and I realized it was in fact a woman as she finally lifted her head. Her hair was tucked into her hat, so I couldn’t make out its color, but her facial features were decidedly female.
The pirate looked around at the gathered force on the beach, and I could feel her assessing eyes appraising all of us. Her perusal stopped when it reached Ruth, Solomon, Jameson, Evander, and me. I could feel her curious gaze sweep over my form before moving on and stopping beside me. A look of surprise crossed her face.
“Evander,” she greeted loud enough for all of us to hear.
Evander stiffened next to me, and I could see from the corner of my eye that red was starting to bleed into his green irises. All at once, we stepped forward and made our way to the dock and the woman pirate.
Solomon pulled ahead of the rest of us, making it clear that he was the leader, which I was grateful for.
“Why are you here with so many ships?” Solomon asked the woman Evander had called Catherine.
“We are seeking asylum from Prime,” she answered.
Her words brought with it an accent that made me think of the mainland, and of the few travelers I had seen while growing up who visited the island.
“You are a pirate and a vampire, why should we trust you?” Ruth asked, stiffly drawing the eyes of the woman.
Up close, I noticed her eyes were the darkest brown I had ever seen. So dark that they were only a shade or two away from being black.
“We do not wish to fight in this war that Prime has started. I am a vampire and a pirate, but I wasn’t always this way. I remember what it was like to be human, without this condition being forced upon me. We’ve come to fight against Prime and to see the born vampire that is rumored to be the only one able to kill him,” Catherine defended, her eyes finding their way to me.
Something in them assessed me, but a bigger part of her appeared curious about what I was. I had noticed that I tended to garner more vampire attention than any other hunter or human. When I asked Solomon about it, he said it was because of what I was. Something about me drew vampires to me, just like they were drawn to and served Prime. Solomon speculated that it was the pure venom that had changed me and now flowed through my veins and fangs.
“The Sea Witch has touched you,” Catherine acknowledged, bowing slightly to me.
“Could you give us a moment?” Solomon asked politely, before gesturing for us all to follow him.
He led us off to the side of the dock, where we stood clustered together.
“What do you make of her?” Jameson asked.
It wasn’t the question I would have asked, but I was curious ab
out the answer, nevertheless.
“She seems sincere, but again, I wouldn’t put it past Prime to concoct this elaborate plan to infiltrate our forces and bring us down from the inside. We have to be extra careful about who we trust,” Solomon answered, clearly uneasy.
Everyone nodded in agreement but me. Instead, I turned and crossed my arms over my chest, then stared at the vampire who was slowly becoming my friend but obviously had a secret. It took the others a few moments to notice where all of my attention had centered.
“Well?” I prompted, having the sudden urge to impatiently tap my foot against the ground, like my aunt had done so often when I was in trouble.
“I know her,” he finally admitted, still attempting to ignore my stare. There was more to the story, so I continued to stare him down until he was brave enough to meet my eyes—all trace of red gone from his. “I’m the one who turned her.”
“You’re her maker,” Ruth breathed, her eyes wide with astonishment.
“I’ve only made a handful of vampires in my life, and she is one of them,” he explained, a bit defensive.
“But this means you have the maker bond. You know if she is telling the truth, because you made her,” Ruth urged, pointing out something that I didn’t know was possible.
Evander nodded, running a hand through his hair. His eyes met mine once more. “She’s not lying. I can’t vouch for the rest of her party, but I can for her truthfulness. If you doubt my word, then Lavinia is welcome to do what she needs to do in order to be certain.”
A heavy sigh escaped me. I knew exactly what he was referring to: my compulsion power. I could compel her to tell me the truth, but I really hated that power and wanted to avoid using it if I could. Jameson, Solomon, and Ruth tensed around us, waiting for me to say something.
I searched Evander’s eyes. I could see the regret in them, and it made me relax. He had created vampires, yes, but from the way he had spoken when he confessed to turning her, it didn’t sound like he had done it willingly. I knew there were a lot of things Prime would have made Evander do throughout the years. It wasn’t our place to judge him for those past actions. He was on our side now, and focusing on the past would get us nowhere.
Evander was different; I had no doubt. He was not like Prime, who turned others and feasted on human blood. I now knew Evander was trustworthy, and I would do whatever I could to convince the others of that as well.
“I believe you,” I finally answered, watching his green eyes widen in surprise at my words. “I trust what Evander has said is true. Catherine is here to aid us in this fight, and I, for one, am glad to have as much help as we can get.”
“Not that I want to argue with you, but I need to ask. Why are you so sure now?” Jameson prodded, and I didn’t blame him. It wasn’t long ago that I still questioned Evander’s loyalties.
“Evander has done more for us than I think we realize. Even if sometimes it was strictly for self-preservation or when things didn’t work as he planned.”
“Like when he killed you?” Jameson interrupted.
My gaze met Evander’s. “Yes, like then, but if you had been present the day he arrived on the island and saw me alive after you were taken, you would have witnessed his true remorse. I also don’t believe we would have found the Obsidian Caves without him, and it likely would have taken me a lot longer to accept my true self without him pressuring me.”
“I think Lavinia is correct in everything she said,” Jameson reluctantly agreed. “Do either of you have a problem with us trusting Evander to take the lead with Catherine or allowing them onto the island?”
Solomon and Ruth shared a moment while they thought about Jameson’s question, but my attention remained on Evander as we waited for their approval. My decision to trust him came from pure instinct, which had yet to lead me astray. I just had to hope that now would be no different, because we couldn’t afford any more setbacks. We needed Evander on our side, as well as Catherine and her followers.
Chapter Thirteen
After several tense minutes, Solomon and Ruth both agreed that we should proceed with Evander’s suggestion to trust Catherine, though it was decided that none of the crews could stay on the island. It wasn’t that big of a bother, since we had every intention of setting sail tomorrow. The only concern was whether or not all of the new arrivals would follow.
When we made our way back to the estate, our hunters acknowledged Catherine’s arrival and her host of vampire pirates with unease. I understood their apprehension, and I couldn’t fault them for it. However, with the addition of these vampires, the odds of defeating Prime had risen significantly.
Catherine had also brought a peace offering. They came with supplies that were worthless to vampires, but lifesaving for the hunters and families we had on the island. Food and clothes were the main items given to us, but they also had an abundance of weapons that would be invaluable during the coming conflict.
Their presence, and gifts, could be exactly what we needed to turn the tide from likely defeat to a fighting chance.
“How about we head to bed? We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow,” Jameson suggested once Catherine and the others were back on their ships, giving the hunters some peace of mind.
“I still have to finish filling the jar with venom. We need at least one before we leave.” My previous attempt had been interrupted by the vampire ships’ appearance. Even if I had to be up all night, I would fill at least one jar before we left and the other while we were at sea. I had to do whatever I could to give the others more protections against the army Prime had built.
“How about you go to the room, and I’ll get dinner. You’ll need to be well-fed leading up to the fight, especially if you insist on giving your venom. I won’t have you be anything but your strongest when we face Prime.”
His eyes ignited as he said the words so full of conviction, and for the first time since we spoke of leaving, I saw the true fear in them.
My hands cupped his cheeks and I pressed my lips to his. “We are both going to make it out of this alive and together. I have faith in that.”
His forehead pressed against mine. “I apologize now, but I’ll need you to keep reminding me of that. Bringing you to Prime goes against everything I believe in. I’m supposed to protect you and keep you from danger, not take you straight into the storm.”
“I understand, and I appreciate you not fighting against my choices. It means more to me than I can find the words to say.”
With another kiss—this one filled with worry, fear, and love—we parted ways. I headed toward our room, but when I came around the corner in the hallway, I collided with a hard chest.
Glancing up, my eyes met Evander’s. There was pain emanating from him, and I didn’t understand why.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing for you to worry about. Thank you for trusting me earlier. I know all of you have plenty of reasons not to,” Evander replied.
“You had every reason not to leave Prime’s ship that day and come with us when it all but guarantees your death. I’m just sorry it took me so long to trust you were on our side.” He shifted on his feet nervously, and I realized he was looking everywhere around us except directly at me. “Where are you headed?”
If he wouldn’t tell me what was wrong, maybe I could figure it out by knowing what he was planning.
“Outside, for some fresh air.”
“Or maybe in hopes of seeing Catherine?” His eyes widened, and I knew I had him. “I saw the way she appraised you earlier, and how nervous you became when you saw her. What happened between the two of you? This isn’t only about you turning her, is it?”
“You’re going to make me tell you, aren’t you?” His voice was sullen, and I smiled, knowing I would get my way.
“I just want to make sure everything is all right. I need to know if it’s something we should be worried about.”
His hands scrubbed over his face as he let out a heavy sigh. “When Prime st
arted all of this, he needed Catherine’s approval to get most of the pirates on his side. She’s a leader of sorts to them. When she refused to become a vampire after our first meeting, a lot of the other pirates backed out as well, and Prime saw his army diminishing by the second. So, he sent me on a mission.”
“Were you supposed to kill her?”
“No, I was supposed to make her fall in love with me, so she would say yes.”
My chest tightened as I realized where the story was headed. I tried not to show my shock and disgust at learning they would try to trick the woman, but by the sorrowful look on Evander’s face, I hadn’t done a good job of hiding it.
“I had no qualms about it until I began to get to know her. Instead of making her fall in love with me, I fell in love with her. As the weeks passed with no results, Prime said that if I didn’t get her to agree soon, he was going to kill her and deal with the consequences. He hadn’t wanted to kill her in the beginning, for fear the pirates would turn on him, but he was running out of options to grow his army.”
“Obviously you turned her. How did you get her to agree?”
His shoulders drooped. “I told her the truth.”
“I don’t imagine that went very well.”
“No. She stabbed me.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped me. It was deep, pure, and more than needed. “I’m sorry, I’m not trying to laugh at you, but that surprised me. How did she go from stabbing you to letting you turn her?”
“She wanted to live, and a part of me hoped that she had done it because she had fallen in love with me as well. Yet, she had one condition. She would do so willingly, but she never wanted to see me again. We haven’t spoken since the day I turned her. That was more than eight years ago.”
My heart hurt for my friend and all the pain I could feel emanating from him. “I’m sorry, Evander. Are you going to talk to her?”
“I was headed outside to work up the courage. I’d rather she didn’t stab me again if I approach her.”
Obsidian Horizon Page 10