23. The Swamp of Death

TWENTY-THREE

the swamp of death

"The GPS says we'll be there in ten minutes," I announce as if I'm the only one who knows how to read it.

"Aye, we should walk from here," Thorne agrees.

"We're surrounded by a swamp," Autumn adds. "Are you sure this is where he is?"

"Not the exact location, but in this vicinity…and he's a pirate, so this is the perfect environment for him." Thorne pulls the SUV to a stop along the edge of the narrow road.

"A pirate?" Everly asks.

I sigh before answering. "Kragen is the pirate who took me from Thorne's ship nearly three hundred years ago. He's an ancient vampire and a monster. I've spent two centuries running from him."

"If you've been running from him, why are we trying to find him? Especially if he doesn't have Alex. This seems dumb." Autumn's simplified version of the insanity that is my life makes me laugh as I climb out of the SUV.

"You're right," I answer. "The goddess and Kragen were married a long time ago."

"The goddess?" Everly asks. "The goddess was married to a vampire?"

"Aye. They had a child. Her name is Marnie."

Autumn stops walking. "There is someone out there that's half vampire and half goddess? What does that make her?"

Thorne scoffs. "Terrifying."

"What does that have to do with Alex?" Everly continues.

"Eudora took Alex to force me to kill the pirate. He's my maker, and I'm the only one strong enough, which means I'm the only one who can kill him." Even saying the words out loud, it's still confusing.

"That's dumb," Autumn continues. "Why doesn't the goddess just kill the pirate herself?"

"Because if she does, their daughter will die, too," Thorne answers.

Everly moves in front of the three of us. "So, you're supposed to kill the pirate, and if you do, we get Alex back?"

"Aye. That's it in a nutshell."

"What makes this pirate so hard to kill?" Autumn asks .

"He's nearly one thousand years old and is collecting vampires to be his crew," I answer.

"Ah…" Autumn shrugs. "Two immortal child vampires are stronger than twenty regular vampires. Especially young ones."

"I don't want you two to fight. You will use your abilities and stay away from the fighting. Do you understand?"

The girls shrug at the same time. "We'll see," Autumn answers for the both of them.

We continue walking until the road begins to disappear into a swamp ahead of us. "We're going to have to swim from here." Thorne reaches down, lifting Autumn above his head and propping her on his shoulders. I do the same for Everly, and the four of us work our way through the murky water.

We're several miles in when the faint smell of sulfur surrounds me, stopping me in my tracks.

"What is it?" Thorne asks.

"I smell him."

He nods, before moving again. The water has gotten deep enough that even on my shoulders, Everly's feet are fully submerged.

"Can you do what you did earlier with Brayden's power?" I ask the girl on my shoulders.

"Already did," she answers. "I did it as soon as we entered the swamp."

"Smart girl." I turn toward Thorne. "With Everly's shield up, we're going in blind. "

"Or human," Autumn adds.

The smell of sulfur fills my nose once more, telling me we're moving in the right direction. I lose track of time as we stomp our way further into the muck. Something large slides into the water from a patch of dry land. The thought of what could be near my feet is almost as terrifying as what we're searching for. I've never realized how much I depend on my ability to sense energy until I'm denied access.

"I see something," Everly announces from my shoulders. "It looks like a house."

"There are some people that live out here in the swamp. Can you see it well enough to make out any details?"

"Looks old and made of wood," she answers.

"Do you see anyone there?" Thorne asks.

"I don't know. It's too far away."

We keep moving toward the building in the distance. With Everly's vampire eyes, it's still several miles ahead.

"I see someone," Autumn whispers. "They're on the porch." She stares into the distance. "A man is sitting in a rocking chair."

"Is he human?" Thorne asks.

"I can't tell."

"I can let the shield down," Everly suggests. "Just long enough to figure out what he is."

"Do it," I answer. "Only for a second." The young girl takes a deep breath and energy floods me. Not only do I feel Kragen, but he's not alone. "Put it back!" I shout.

"Bastard," Thorne whispers.

"Aye. There were others."

"That felt yucky," Autumn whispers from Thorne's shoulders.

"Kragen is yucky," I answer. "Everly, keep the shield up. The only chance we have is for them not to feel us. We have to get as close as possible to figure out our next step."

We continue moving toward the house and the awaiting enemy with the shield securely in place. We're less than a hundred yards from the building when Everly makes a strange sound from my shoulders.

"What's going on?"

"Something feels like it's poking at me," she answers, resting her head in her hands.

"Poking?"

"Yeah. Like a knife stabbing at my brain."

"Someone's trying to get through the shield," Thorne whispers.

"The closer we get, the more it hurts," Everly whispers.

Thorne moves next to a large cypress tree. "Climb up," he directs Autumn. "This is as close as you two are getting."

I follow him, pushing Everly behind her sister. "What about the shield?" she asks.

"Hold it over us as long as you can. Don't release yourselves from it. If you're going to lose control of the shield, keep it over the two of you, and let us go. Do you understand?" I answer.

"I think so." Everly's voice sounds exhausted.

"Yours and Autumn's safety comes first."

The girls climb the tree, hiding in the recesses of its branches. Once I'm sure they're in a safe spot, we continue moving toward impending doom or freedom. The irony of me not killing Kragen when I had the chance, to now being forced to do the deed by the Goddess of the Sea, isn't lost on me. Instead of taking his life on his ship, Thorne and I are stomping our way through a swamp to his front door.

The house is still twenty feet ahead when I feel Everly's shield lift and a swoosh of energy flow in. "Here we go," Thorne says through my mind. We don't waste any more time. Without the protection, we leap from the murky water to the porch of the house seconds later, finding the porch empty. The vampire who was outside earlier is gone, but his energy still lingers.

Thorne rips the door off its hinges, and we enter full speed, finding it empty. No furniture, no people, no vampires…no nothing.

"Where are they?" Thorne asks.

"Kragen's close. I sense him."

Back on the porch, I turn a full three hundred and sixty degrees, searching for the source. A few hundred yards away I spot something that fills me with dread. The bow of a pirate ship looms in the distance. It' s not as large as the one he abandoned in North Carolina but a ship, nonetheless.

"Do you see it?" I ask, nodding toward the dark wood.

"Holy shit."

"How does he plan on getting it out of here? We're in a swamp for God's sake."

"Does Kragen need a plan?" Thorne stares at the ship. "There's no point in hiding. He knows we're here. Let's go say hello, shall we?"

"No need," a familiar voice says as Kragen lands on the porch in front of us. He's wearing a pair of cargo shorts, a tank top, and flip-flops. I hold in the laugh that's trying to escape.

He looks me up and down with a disapproving smirk. "It seems you've let yourself go a bit, my dear. You look as if you've tromped through a swamp." He laughs at his joke. "Although I'm not unhappy to see you, I will say I'm surprised to see you so soon. I imagined we'd continue our little cat and mouse game for a hundred more years or so."

"Believe me, it wasn't by choice."

"Don't tell him the truth," Thorne warns.

"If you didn't already figure it out, Captain, I can hear your communications with each other." Kragen crosses his arms across his chest. His laugh echoes off the nearby trees. "Surprise!" He stares at us. "What, you two thought you were the only special ones?" He shrugs, turning toward me. "Until Elsbeth, I thought I was the only one."

"That's why you took me? Because I was special? Why all the bullshit excuses?"

I want to slap the smile off his face. "Entertainment?" he answers with a shrug.

"Torturing me, allowing others to torture me, holding me captive for a century, chasing me for two centuries, and terrorizing me was fun? I knew you were a sick son of a bitch but not to this extent."

"I'm just full of surprises." He turns toward Thorne. "If I'd have realized you had a gift, I could've had a pair. Imagine the fun that would have presented."

I move closer to the pirate. "You're going to die."

"That sounds familiar," he teases. "Shall we play this game again?"

"Samirah's not here to save you this time," Thorne adds. "She's dead."

"Aww, what a pity. Although, I'm not sure what's worse. You thinking she saved me, or you thinking I care if she's dead."

"Have you ever cared about anyone?" I spew.

"Once," he answers, looking at Thorne. "Until your men killed her. Imagine my surprise when I found such a gifted young girl on the ship. In fact, Captain, you should thank Elsbeth. If it weren't for her, I would've sunk your entire ship and taken them all as my crew. She saved you and your men."

"I didn't kill Eudora," Thorne answers .

"No, your men did, which makes you responsible."

"She's still alive, you insufferable asshole!" I shout.

Kragen stares at me like I've spoken a language he's never heard before. "Lies! If she were alive, she'd come to me."

"How can you be this dumb? She's the one who sent me here to kill you."

"Lies. Shut up, bitch."

I've struck a nerve and continue my attack. "She wants you dead so badly that she's followed me through two different cities to ensure I complete the task."

I've never seen Kragen so flustered. His demeanor changes, and he lowers his arms. "You're lying."

"She hates you so much that she pretended to die and is forcing me to kill you." I continue my assault.

Kragen doesn't hesitate. He moves toward me at full speed, wrapping his hands around my neck and pushing me off the porch into the water below. His hands are still tight as he holds me against the slimy bottom of the swamp. "I should've killed you the day I took you from that ship." His words echo through my mind.

"You weren't strong enough then, and you're not strong enough now." I reach inside, pulling the ability that started this shit show in the first place, and wrap my hands around his. Slowly, I pull his fingers away from my throat, pushing my hands between his hand and my neck. "Get the fuck off me. You don't control me anymore. "

Slipping my arms closer to his head, I twist my body, freeing myself from his hold. I breach the surface, leaping to a cypress tree nearby. "I knew there was more to you," Kragen says, landing on a different branch. "It only took three hundred years for you to discover it. Join me, Elsbeth. We can rule together."

"You're joking, right?" I can barely keep my smile at bay.

Thorne leaps from the porch, landing on the branch next to me. "In case you're confused, asshole, Elsie won't be joining you."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a shame. We could've been great together, my dear."

Without warning, I leap off my tree, landing beside Kragen. "I'd rather die."

"That can be arranged." Kragen moves faster than I can track, wrapping an arm around my waist and lifting us into the sky above.

"Elsie!" Thorne shouts as we fly over the tops of the trees and the swamp below.

"We're not doing this again!" I shout, rotating my body to face his.

"That's going to be a bitch of a fall," Kragen says moments before I free my arm from his grip.

"I'd rather recover from the fall than smell your putrid breath one more second." Pulling my arm back, I punch his jaw hard enough to dislocate the bones and tendons holding it in place. Blood covers me, as his wound pours dark red liquid. I take advantage of the distraction and follow the first punch with another, hitting him on the other side, completely separating the bones in his jaw.

The assault causes Kragen to loosen his grip, hurling me toward the murky water below. I'm a few hundred feet up. Kragen's right. The impact is going to hurt like a bitch. I rotate, putting my feet toward the ground in hopes I'll be able to land standing up. With the rate of speed I'm moving, there's no way this is going to work.

"Elsie. Your legs will shatter," Thorne's words echo through my mind. He's telling me something I already know, but I don't have any better ideas.

Pulling my legs to my chest, I brace for landing when something grabs me from the air, moving me away from the water. Seconds later, I'm standing on the porch of the house without a clue of what happened.

"Are you okay?" Everly's weak voice asks. She's standing beside me with a wide smile covering her face.

"Holy shit. You can fly?"

The tiny girl shrugs. "I guess. I saw the pirate do it, so I borrowed the skill."

"Thank y…" My words are cut short by Kragen landing beside Everly.

"Who is this lovely, talented creature?" He picks up one of her small braids in his hand, rubbing it between his fingers.

I pull her from his side. "Leave her alone."

My stomach curls at the look on his face. It's a look I remember from the bottom of his ship. "How did you learn to fly?" He ignores my threat.

"Don't answer," I interrupt.

"That was quite rude, Elsbeth . I believe I'm talking to the girl." He smirks. "Are you a bit jealous?"

"Fuck you," Everly spews as Thorne lands on the other side of her.

"I see you've picked up Elsbeth's intellectual vocabulary. She's developed quite a filthy mouth over the years." Being around Kragen makes me physically sick. My stomach turns being this close to him.

"I'm going to guess the reason I didn't feel the child earlier means there's more to her than just flying." Kragen takes a step forward.

"Stay where you are," I warn.

"Or what? You're strong but not strong enough to defeat me. It's my blood that runs through your veins. I'm the one who made you. You can't kill me." He turns his attention toward Thorne, and my stomach drops. "You see, my dear. I know you." He licks his lips. "I know your weaknesses." Kragen moves faster than my eyes can see, knocking into Thorne and pulling him into the water below. Seconds later, they lift from the water, with Thorne wrapped tightly in Kragen's arms.

"Stop!" Everly shouts from below. The two vampires freeze mid-flight. "Put him down!"

Kragen turns in our direction, landing the two of them on the wooden planks of the porch. "Why am I doing this?" he asks .

Everly turns her back to the men, pointing at the tree where the girls were hiding. Seconds later, Autumn lands on the porch next to the rest of us and runs toward me.

"How are you doing this?" Kragen repeats. His hands are frozen to his sides, seemingly tied by an invisible force.

"My sister has a very special gift," Autumn speaks for the two of them.

Kragen looks between the girls. "You're doing this?" A wicked smile covers his face. "Come with me, young one. We could rule the world. Two of the most powerful creatures on earth, together would be invincible."

"Shut up," I spew. "There's nothing powerful about you. You were a weak man who turned into a weak vampire."

Thorne steps protectively close to Everly as the ancient vampire stares her down. "I can offer more than Elsbeth ever could. You will be safe with me, forever. Protected from the ones that mean to do you harm. Come with me, my dear." He reaches his hand toward the immortal child.

Everly glances between me and Thorne. "You hurt Elsie. She's not the only one you've hurt. I can feel them. Their pain calls to me." Her eyes turn solid black. "You don't deserve to live."

Kragen's laugh fills the swamp. "Many have spoken those words before, young one, yet here I am, in the flesh." He turns toward me. "You' ve uttered those words a few times over the centuries, Elsie ." He mocks my name with his tone.

Everly moves to the railing of the porch, breaking off a small piece of wood. "Everly?" I question as she passes the pirate vampire.

"I'm okay."

Placing the piece of wood in Kragen's hand, she backs away slowly. "Stake yourself through the heart."

Kragen looks at the small girl with a mixture of wonder and awe. "Have you gone mad?"

Autumn joins her sister, and the two girls hold hands, staring at the man who I've spent most of my life running from. Autumn lifts her free hand into the air, forcing Kragen off the porch and hovering over the water.

Whatever Everly's doing to his mind is causing him distress. His body is shaking, fighting the mind control sent by the tiny vampire in charge of his movements. The wooden stake is still held tightly in his hand, as he fights to keep his body under his control.

"Did you hear me, Pirate?" Everly teases. "Kill. Yourself."

Autumn rotates her wrists, and the pirate rotates in unison.

"Kill. Yourself." Everly repeats. Her words are softer as she focuses all of her energy on Kragen.

Thorne and I flank the small girl, placing a hand on her shoulder, offering our energy as Autumn continues to rotate Kragen's out-of-control body. I focus on the strength held deep inside and send every bit of it into Everly. "Kill. Yourself," I add to their chant.

The look on Kragen's face is one I've dreamed about for three hundred years. Black fills in the whites of his eyes, as he fights against the invisible force pushing against him. A faint voice echoes in my mind, one I vaguely remember from centuries ago. "Burn him," the voice whispers. "Burn him, Elsie. You have the power within you."

Pulling my energy back from Everly, I focus on the voice in my head. The small voice reminds me of my sister Bonnie. What is happening? Am I losing my mind? I glance at Everly and Autumn, confused if it's them I'm hearing.

"Elsie, burn him!" I don't second guess. Focusing on the monster floating in front of me, I imagine his body bursting into flames. The energy flowing through me overwhelms me as I fight to regain control.

"Burn," I whisper, turning my attention fully onto Kragen. "Burn, you son of a bitch."

Kragen's skin begins to glow as small cracks form on the surface. His eyes search for the source, and his hands are still held tightly to his sides. "What is this?"

"It's redemption," Thorne answers for our group. "You're going to die now, Kragen. We've decided." His skin splits as his body tears open, revealing what looks like hot lava underneath. The stake in his hand moves slowly from his side and in front of him, dangerously close to his heart .

"Burn," I repeat. On command, his skin comes to life and begins to melt from his body, revealing something from nightmares.

"Do it now!" Everly shouts as a burst of energy flows from her tiny body and into Kragen. He loses control as the stake slowly slides into his heart and an ear-piercing scream escapes his lips.

Tears fill my eyes as the man who made me—the man who killed my brother—the man who tortured, raped, abused, and beat me for years turns into ash before my eyes.

Autumn continues holding him in the air until there's nothing left to hold. She releases her hand, dropping his charred clothes into the murky water below. Everly collapses from exhaustion. Her eyes are closed, and her cheeks appear sunken in.

"Everly? Is she okay?" Autumn asks.

Thorne scoops her into his arms. "She's exhausted. Killing Kragen took all of her energy." Neither of them asks about the fire, and I'm grateful. I don't have an explanation for myself, let alone anyone else.

Lifting Autumn into my arms, I hug her tight. "Thank you," I cry and squeeze the tiny hand of the passed-out girl in Thorne's arms. "Thank you, both."

"Can we go get Alex now?" Autumn whispers, wiping tears.

I have no idea where to begin looking for Alex. I don't share that information with the immortal child in my arms. "That's exactly what I intend on doing," I answer, completely unsure how to make that happen.

"Where is Kragen's crew?" Thorne asks, cradling Everly to his chest. "I sense more energy but can't determine how many or where."

"Aye. I feel vampire energy, but it's weak." I glance at Everly. "Do you think she's still shielding us?"

He shrugs. "It's possible. I don't think we've discovered the limit of what she's capable of."

"I don't feel anything special," Autumn adds. "There are vampires, but they're not any danger to us."

"How do you know?" I ask.

"If they were, we'd be dead." Her words are simple and straightforward. "Alex is our first priority. As soon as we tell the goddess that he's dead, she'll give us our brother back, right?"

Thorne and I share a knowing look. "Aye. Let's get back to the city." Thorne leaps from the porch to the top of a large tree with Everly wrapped in his arms. I do the same with Autumn, leaping from tree to tree until we reach the dirt road that leads to the abandoned vehicle.

Less than an hour later, we pull in front of the home we left only a few hours ago. Everly's been awake since being back on the road. Several bottles of goat's blood later, her energy is slowly beginning to return to normal.

"There's someone new inside," Autumn announces as we pull to a stop in front of the house. "I don't recognize the energy. "

"I feel it too." I turn toward Thorne, not sure what awaits us.

"If they're in Fran's house with the baby and Amelia, they won't be a threat." Thorne exits the SUV, opening the door for the girls to follow.

The visitor's energy is strong, ancient feeling as we approach the door. I reach for the handle, just as the door opens, revealing someone who looks so much like Amelia they could be twins. Long red curls hang down her back and bright blue eyes stare into mine. "You must be Elsbeth," she says with a bright smile. Kneeling, she brings herself face-to-face with the immortal children. "Hello, girls. I'm Celeste."