22. Speed Demon

TWENTY-TWO

speed demon

A knock on the door pulls me out of the love trance I've been in for the past few hours. "The news just showed Kragen's ship. He's definitely heading here," Micah announces through the door. "My father would like to meet with you both."

"Aye, probably a good idea," Thorne answers, moving away from me. After exploring every inch of each other several times, we've spent the past few hours wrapped in each other's arms, discussing everything except Kragen. "We'll be down in a minute."

"Not until after a shower," I mumble, moving quickly toward the bathroom.

"We'll be down in thirty minutes." Thorne corrects himself before following me to the bathroom.

I turn, realizing he's naked. "If you get in that shower with me, it's going to take longer than thirty minutes before we appear. "

Disappointment covers his face. "Aye, you're right."

I stop inches in front of him, grabbing his cock with my hands. "We have centuries to make up for, and I will make up for each day we missed." I kiss him on the end of his nose, before closing the shower door behind me.

"You're killing me," he mutters, closing the bathroom door behind him.

I shower quickly, rehashing everything that's happened in the past week.

Ten minutes later, I'm dressed, and Thorne takes my place under the water. I take longer than usual to style my hair, adding a small amount of makeup to give me a little color.

"There they are," Connor announces as we walk downstairs at exactly thirty minutes on the dot. "I hope you don't mind if we meet here."

"Not at all," Thorne answers.

"What are we going to do about Kragen?" Connor asks, not mincing words. "He can't bring a damn pirate ship into the marina. The tourists will attempt to purchase rides."

"Are you suggesting we meet him while he's still in the Atlantic?" I ask.

Connor moves toward an antique settee. "I don't think we have a choice. Do we know how many are on board?"

"Unless there was someone below deck, it's just Kragen and my brother. "

"According to his speed and location, he should be here around sunset tonight."

"Then we need to get to him before then," Thorne answers.

"Micah and I are prepared to fight," Connor says.

I shake my head. "I won't ask the pack to fight for me again. This is between Kragen and me."

"You didn't ask," Micah answers, moving toward the door. "We'll be back in an hour with transportation." The two lycan exit, leaving Thorne and I alone in the room.

"We need a plan," I announce.

"When are we leaving?" Francis asks, joining us. Thorne takes a deep breath, and Francis holds a hand toward his face. "I know what you're going to say. It's useless. I'm coming. If I die out there, it's better than dying alone in here." She stares him down. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"I can't guarantee your safety," he argues.

"No one asked you to."

"We're all coming," Samirah announces as the small group of vampires and Luna come into the room. "We need to see this through."

"Micah and Connor are returning with what I'm assuming is a boat in an hour," I answer, looking around at the small army of quick friends. "Thank you."

"I'll make some sandwiches," Francis announces, leaving the room.

"Oh, I'll help." Luna follows .

"Does she know we don't eat human food?" Elias whispers.

"Aye, she just wants to feel useful," Thorne answers. "If something happens to me, you must protect her."

"Understood," Elias answers.

Thirty minutes later, Luna drags her phone out of her pocket, reading a text. "Micah says they're at the marina already."

"None of you have to do this." I remind them, looking around the room, and making eye contact with each person. "You don't owe me anything."

"We know," Luna answers, leading the group toward the door.

The marina is several blocks away, and we decide to walk the distance. Noticing Francis straggling behind, Thorne picks her up, carrying her like a bride crossing the threshold. "I could get used to this," she says with a smile.

"You need to eat more. You don't weigh anything."

Francis laughs. "You and your compliments. No wonder you charmed the pants off of that one." She nods toward me, and I feel the redness covering my face. "Oh, don't look embarrassed now. I'm pretty sure everyone in the house heard how many times those pants were charmed off."

"Agreed." Luna adds. "I lost count."

"Oh, my God. I'm sorry." I can't control the smile plastered across my face.

"Didn't sound that way earlier," Luna answers .

"We're here," Samirah interrupts…thankfully.

In the middle of the marina is a boat I recognize from dolphin cruise pamphlets. "Speed Demon" is plastered all over the side of the neon yellow speedboat. Micah waves from the wheel.

"What the hell is that?" Francis asks.

"I'm afraid that is our ride," Luna answers. "Nothing like being inconspicuous."

"This is getting better by the minute," Francis adds as Thorne sets her back on solid ground. The six of us work our way to the boat.

"Did you steal this?" Luna asks, climbing on board.

"It belongs to the pack," Connor answers. "How else do you think we earn money during tourist season?"

"I don't know, a restaurant maybe?" Samirah answers, making me laugh.

"If you're human or lycan, you must wear a life jacket." Micah looks around after his statement. "Insurance requires it."

"Does insurance stipulate that vampires aren't required to wear lifesaving equipment?" Abram asks.

"Not in so many words," he answers.

It doesn't take long to get everyone situated and the proper equipment on everyone except the vampires. Micah pilots the boat out of the marina toward the open sea.

"How far out is he?" Thorne asks .

"Not far in the Atlantic. If he comes any closer, we risk exposure to bystanders," Connor answers.

As soon as we're in open water, Micah pushes the boat faster, throwing everyone backward into their seats.

"Holy shit," Francis exclaims. "No wonder people pay a fortune to ride this thing. I think my soul just left my body."

Thorne moves beside his descendant, pulling her close as she giggles with the waves.

It doesn't take long for the sails of the ship to come into view. "There she is," Micah announces, pulling the boat to a stop. "Before we get closer, what's the plan?"

"Pull the boat alongside. Elsie and I will board alone," Thorne says, acting like the captain he is. "If we need help, we'll call on you."

I have no intention of allowing Thorne to put himself in harm's way. If the prophecy is right, I'm the only person who can kill Kragen. I know Kragen well enough to know he will kill Thorne to force my hand. If Kragen truly wants to die, I will give him what he wants.

Micah seems to accept Thorne's suggestion and moves the boat closer to the ship. The moment we're in range for me to jump to the main deck, I do, leaving Thorne behind.

Landing on the deck of the ship, I'm not surprised to find it empty. "What the hell?" Thorne asks, landing behind me.

"Go back to the boat," I demand. "I don't want you here."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this is for me to do alone. I will not allow you to die for me."

"Are you serious? I had myself turned into a fucking vampire for you. There's no way in hell I'm letting you do this alone." Anger rushes off of Thorne.

"I didn't ask you to do that."

"No, you didn't. I did it because I love you, Elsie, and I knew it was the only way to find you."

"You can't leave her alone," I continue, nodding toward the boat. "Francis needs you."

"I'm not leaving her alone, nor am I leaving you alone. Let me help you. It's not necessary to sacrifice yourself for everyone again. I watched you do that once before and will not allow it to happen again."

"Lover's quarrel?" Kragen says from behind me. "What a shame."

"I'm here, Kragen."

"I can both see and hear that," he answers sarcastically.

"What do you want from me?"

He moves closer. "What I want is simple. I want to die."

"I can make sure that happens," Thorne answers.

Kragen rolls his eyes. "You're dumber than I originally thought. You can't kill me, boy. How do you think I've survived this long? Skill? Strength? "

"You're immortal," I answer.

"Yes, that's true, but so are you," he answers. "I'm guessing that since you've come to me, you discovered the curse placed on me."

"Aye," I answer.

Kragen opens his arms wide, exposing his chest. "Then I'm ready, my dear."

"Why?"

"Why do I want to die?"

"No, why me? Why would you turn me knowing I would be able to kill you one day?"

"Guilt? Pity? Self-loathing? Any of those emotions will fill in the blank." He moves closer toward Thorne. "It's fitting that your captain be here to see this. After all, he's the reason I found you in the first place."

"I know the reason you found Elsbeth. My first officer sold information to your men. He admitted the truth right before I killed him."

Kragen laughs. "That imbecile couldn't find his asshole from his nose. He wasn't even capable of finding one of my men to speak with. No, Captain, you're the reason I took Elsbeth. The burden lies solely with you."

"What are you talking about?" Thorne asks.

"Do you remember the sea creature your men brought on board not long before you picked up Elsbeth's family?"

Thorne looks confused. "You'll have to be more specific, Kragen. My men did quite a bit of fishing."

"Your men thought she was sick. They pulled her in with their nets."

"The injured dolphin?" Thorne asks, connecting the dots.

"That's the one," Kragen confirms.

"My men put it out of its misery. She was deformed and dying."

"Your men killed her," Kragen shouts. For the first time since I've known him, he loses his demeanor.

"My men killed a sick dolphin. What does that have to do with you taking Elsie?"

"That was no dolphin, Captain." Spit flies from his mouth as he speaks. "That dolphin was Eudora," Kragen answers, his voice softer.

"Eudora? The sea witch? The one that turned you into a vampire?" I ask, remembering the book Francis read from.

" She was my wife. That dolphin was my wife."

"You were married to Eudora?"

"For many years," he adds. "We were lovers in all sense of the word." Kragen gets lost in a memory. "She often took on the form of sea animals when she swam. A dolphin was one of her favorites." Tears form in his eyes. "Your men drug her on board, and you ordered her death, Captain."

"I…I didn't realize," Thorne answers.

"Of course, you didn't. You were only a stupid mortal." He looks at me. "That's why I took her ."

"You took me because Eudora died? "

Kragen closes his eyes. "She didn't just die, my dear. She was murdered."

"I'm sorry—" Thorne starts.

"Save your meaningless apologies for someone else. Your words mean nothing," Kragen interrupts.

"Kragen, I'm sorry for Eudora, but what did that have to do with me?" I ask the obvious question.

"Someone had to suffer. Why not take the man responsible for her death's true love? After all, he took mine. It was the perfect revenge."

"Then why turn me into a vampire? Why not kill me in front of him?"

Kragen smiles, lifting one side of his mouth higher than the other. "Torture is so much more convincing. What's the point of torturing your human body for a few short weeks, or possibly a month, when I can make that torture last an eternity?" He turns toward Thorne. "Imagine my surprise when I discovered your true love, had sought after and succeeded in turning himself into one of us. What is the saying? Two birds with one stone?"

"Eudora cursed you to walk the earth for eternity, only able to die at the hands of a woman you created. What kind of love was that?" I spew.

"You know nothing, young one."

"Enlighten us," Thorne interrupts.

"An eternity with Eudora, with my true love was all I ever wanted. All I ever needed. Your men found her during transformation when she was at her weakest. When you ordered her death, you killed me along with her."

"You want to join her," I fill in the blanks for him.

Kragen closes his eyes. "Yes."

"What makes you think I'll grant your wishes?"

He smiles wide. "Because you'll do anything for love. You've proven that many times."

"And because I'll kill him," a voice says behind me. I turn, finding Bertram's large arm locked around Thorne's throat, pointing a wooden stake straight at Thorne's heart.

"Bert? What are you doing?"

"Following the orders of my maker. Something you should be doing, too."

"Bertram, step away from Thorne," I warn.

"Why?" he asks. His pupils are dilated, and his face is flushed as the tip of the stake pierces Thorne's skin, bringing blood to the surface.

"You don't have to follow his orders. You can come with me, with us."

Tears fill Bert's eyes. "You just want Charles."

"Charles is dead. You're not. I want to be with you. There's time to live our lives together—time that was stolen from us by him." I point at Kragen.

" You stole that life from me," Bert argues.

I stare at my brother, not sure how to help him. "Kragen stole both of our lives. He killed Charles. All three of us are his victims. Don't let him have this power over you. "

"She's angry because you're not as perfect as your older brother," Kragen continues his brainwashing. "She wishes it was Charles who was still alive, not you. You were a weak and needy child. Always a burden. In fact, if it weren't for you, I would have never seen the love between these two." He nods toward Thorne and me.

"Shut up, Kragen," I retort.

"He deserves to know the truth, Elsbeth."

"Bert, don't listen to him. His truth isn't real. I love you. I've always loved you."

My younger brother wipes a tear. "Kragen's right." He shoves the stake even further into Thorne's chest, moving closer to his heart.

Movement behind them catches my eye. Crouched low and moving quickly is the shadow of Samirah. I know Kragen sees her too, but he doesn't acknowledge her. She's heading straight toward Bert and Thorne.

"Bert, let him go," I warn.

"Do my master's bidding," he answers. "Take his life."

I turn toward Kragen, whose arms are spread out to the side, with his chest bared. "I'm ready, my dear."

I hear Samirah before I see her. In what sounds like a whoosh of sound, I turn just as she leaps onto the back of Bertram, teeth bared.

"No!" I shout just as she bites into my brother's neck, separating his head from his body.

It takes a few minutes for the realization of what just happened to sink in. My brother's head is lying on the deck next to his now collapsed body. He's dead. Bertram is dead.

"What did you do?" I scream toward the crouched body of Samirah.

"He was going to kill Thorne," she answers, moving in front of me. "That wasn't okay."

"He wasn't going to kill him," I argue. "He was just a confused little boy."

"He was a whole ass vampire," she says, matching my energy. "There wasn't a little boy left anywhere inside of him. You're a fool if you think otherwise."

I wipe the tears flowing down my cheek. "He was the only thing I had left."

"I'm sorry about that, but I wasn't willing to risk Thorne's life."

Looking between the two of them, I see a connection that I was stupid to not see earlier. Something passes between them, and I know without asking, they're lovers. "How can I have been so blind?"

Thorne closes his eyes, looking at the wooden deck below. "It's not what it seems, Elsie."

"You're going to stand there, next to my dead brother's body, and tell me that the two of you are not lovers?"

He sighs. "That's not important right now."

"It seemed important enough for her to kill my brother."

"Well done, my dear," Kragen says from behind me .

Samirah smiles, moving from behind Thorne and to Kragen's side. "Thank you, my love." She reaches up, kissing him on the lips. What the ever-living hell just happened?

"Samirah?" Thorne asks, looking just as confused as I feel.

"Why do you look so shocked?" she asks. "Kragen and I found each other years ago. We've been lovers ever since. You were just a stop along the way."

Facing Kragen, I let every bit of rage and anger flow. "I'm ready to kill you now."

Kragen laughs, pulling Samirah close. "Maybe later."

"Am I the only one that's confused?" I ask whoever is listening.

"You were right. That was fun," Samirah says from his side.

"I told you, my dear." He reaches down, kissing her again. "Wreaking havoc is what life's all about." He turns toward me. "I'm always one step ahead, my dear. It's all part of the game. Shall we take our leave?"

"We shall," she answers as the two of them lift into the sky, leaving Thorne and me alone on the deck.