Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
A second person joins her, and I stop thinking about the vampire altogether. Because I know this person, this woman. I know that tall frame and those broad shoulders, that tanned skin and handsome face.
Siobhan.
“Fuck,” I breathe.
I haven’t seen Siobhan in years. There was a time when she sailed more freely about, using her charm and smarts to convince more people to join the rebellion. But as our numbers increased, it became necessary to remove herself a bit, to protect herself. So she essentially went into hiding.
She should still be in hiding.
The fact that she’s not is more than a little worrisome. I glance at Eyal. “Bring us close.”
“Yes, Captain.” He must sense my tension because normally he has a quip for every command.
None of the rest of the crew know how important Siobhan is to the movement to undermine the Cŵn Annwn’s hold on Threshold—namely that she’s the mastermind behind it. The fewer people aware of that fact, the safer she is. So why is she here?
Eyal brings the Audacity up next to the smaller ship, and the crew tosses a line over. Within a few moments, Siobhan is pulling herself over the railing and onto the deck. I expect Lizzie to follow her, but it’s Maeve who joins us next, her red hair bright against her pale skin. She’s paler than normal, appearing a little shaky on her feet. And there is the vampire, landing lightly next to her and wrapping an arm around her curvy waist, looking like a shark protecting a minnow.
I would enjoy that development a lot more if not for the way Siobhan stalks toward me, her long legs eating up the distance between us. She looks good, really good. She wears the years since I’ve seen her well, there in the laugh lines on either side of her wide mouth and the crinkles in the corners of her eyes that seem to suggest she’s spent a lot of time laughing. And then she’s before me, easily six inches taller than I am and widely muscled.
I would have preferred to conduct this reunion while not soaked and missing my favorite coat, but life rarely cooperates with my preferences.
Still, no reason not to make the best of it. I spread my arms wide, a monarch greeting someone who might be a rival and might be an ally. “Welcome to the Audacity.” I cut a look over to where Lizzie glowers and Maeve smiles sweetly. “Welcome back, in your case. It looks like there’s a story here, but there’s one important question to be answered first. Your ship?”
“Leave it.” Siobhan brushes that away. “It’s got a beacon. One of my teams will pick it up.”
Which means they came here for us.
I knew that, of course, yet hearing it all but confirmed makes me twitch. “In that case, allow me to offer you the hospitality of my cabin.”
Lizzie snorts. “Pass. Is our old room still open?”
“Indeed it is.”
She turns, her arm still around Maeve, and heads for the hatch. No hesitation, no pussyfooting around. I’ve always appreciated that about the vampire.
I glance at Siobhan. “Maeve?”
“She was attacked during…” Siobhan sighs. “It’s why we’re here. She’ll make a full recovery thanks to the miracle of vampire blood’s healing properties, but that’s the least of our problems right now.”
That’s what I was afraid of. “Let’s get this over with.” I reluctantly pull the remainder of the water from my clothing and send the little stream of it back into the sea. It leaves everything vaguely crunchy, but it’s still better than being damp. Marginally.
I lead the way to my cabin, tucked behind the helm. Inside is part haven, part war room, but the latter seems to have taken over in recent months. It’s certainly why Siobhan has sought us out. Sought me out.
The moment the door closes, she sighs as if setting down a great weight. I hate that I understand exactly what it feels like. I’m not carrying around as much responsibility as she is, but being captain means my crew’s lives hang in the balance of every decision I make. As leader of the rebellion, Siobhan shoulders dozens and dozens of crews. Even I’m not sure of the exact number. It’s safer that way.
“Okay, enough with the mysterious leader shit. What’s going on?”
She smiles briefly. It’s a good smile, a little crooked, and it warms her honey-colored eyes. “There’s a reason you’re my favorite.”
“Now I’m actually worried. Stop flattering me and spit it out.”
She hesitates, but finally says, “It’s Bastian.”
The name rocks me to my core and sends me stumbling back several steps. “Don’t.”
Siobhan’s expression goes remorseful, but not so much that she stops speaking. “I wouldn’t have come to you if I had any other choice. I’m aware of the bargain we made.”
“Siobhan, don’t.” It’s pathetic that hearing his name, fourteen years later, is enough to make me shake. Some wounds never truly heal and scar; they fester.