Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 106107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106107 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
“Or perhaps because you know deep inside, you are nearly impossible to kill,” she points out softly. “I don’t know about you, but being immortal really does have you looking at life differently.”
She’s right about that. Ever since Priest cut my throat and let me bleed out before bringing me back to life as a Vampyre, life has looked different. It’s not just that I see more; colors are more vibrant, I can see things in more detail, I can see things that are very far away. It’s not just that my sense of smell, hearing, taste, and even touch have been heightened—having sex with Priest is almost too intense at times with all these new sensations.
No, it’s something deeper than that, more than just my newfound strength and powers. It’s knowing that you have eternity on your side. It changes you, makes you braver, less afraid of whatever life may throw at you.
Although, I must admit, I’m not fearless when it comes to matters of the heart. Being an immortal doesn’t shield you from all the usual human worries. Vampyre hearts still break as easily as any other.
And while I may carry the fear of heartbreak with me, that doesn’t stop me. I’m going to love Priest with all that I have, until the end of time.
And that means learning to love the monster too.
“Maren, luv,” Ramsay says, coming over to her. “In the event that this battle gets out of hand, would you be able to call the Kraken to take down their ship? Might be good also to leave no evidence of what we’re about to do.”
She nods. “I will, but let me get my fill first. I can’t let you boys always have all the fun.”
He grins at her and then runs off, grabbing a rope from the mast and climbing up it.
“Lads!” Thane yells, his broadsword in the air. He glances at me and Maren and gives us a curt nod. “And ladies. Here we be! This is it! Are we ready to board and show these bastards no quarter?”
“Aye!” the crew yells, grabbing their weapons and getting into their battle positions. A few of them are down below on the gun deck, arming the cannons.
Maren and I look over the bow as the other ship gets closer and closer, the Nightwind coming in at full speed.
“You might want to stay out of the way for now,” Cruz says to us, brandishing a sword before climbing up on the railing of the bow, holding on to a rope for balance. “Cannon fire can decapitate you.”
“This isn’t my first battle, Cruz,” Maren says frostily. “And besides, they’d already have fired on us if they could. I dare say Aragon has already taken care of them.”
We all look back to the vessel as we start closing in on it, see the blood splatters on the wood that Priest left behind. The occasional man runs down the deck and then seems to hide. One looks at our ship, screams, and then jumps overboard.
White-hot, simmering rage starts to build inside me.
“Cowards,” I growl. Then I yell at the rest of the crew. “You find one alive, you save him for me!”
“Aye!” they yell back, just as eager for me to have my revenge.
“Steady, steady as she goes!” Thane yells back to the bosun at the helm.
Some of the sails are taken in quickly, and the ship starts to turn at an angle so that we’re coming in on the side.
Cruz runs down the rail and jumps over the closing gap between the ships, while Ramsay yells, “Come on boys, let’s feast!” and swings over on a rope. The rest of the crew on deck waits until the sides of the ships are flush against each other before throwing over grappling hooks to secure them, our cannons shoved into their ports. Seems they didn’t even have the time to arm their own.
Priest, I can’t help but think. Please save one for me.
“It’s time,” Maren says, grabbing my hand as the Brethren climb over on the Dutch ship. “Let’s find the men who captured you.”
We jump across the water and onto the other vessel, our movements effortless now that we’re Vampyres, and start running amok along with everyone else. The crew of the Brethren always struck me as being so civilized compared to what I’d heard about pirates—especially when it comes to personal cleanliness—but now I see their savage side. They’re running everywhere with their weapons drawn, pulling out the cowardly humans from their hiding places, stabbing them thoroughly before biting them and drinking their blood.
“I thought they were supposed to keep some alive?” I say to Maren as we make our way down the stairs to where the majority of screams seem to be coming from.
She makes a tsking sound of disappointment. “They’re supposed to, but sometimes the bloodlust gets the best of them. Now that I’m a Vampyre, well, I can’t say I blame them.”