Vampirates 5: Empire of Night (23 page)

Darke gazed coldly at Grace.

"All right, then," Grace said, irritated but feeling that she had no choice but to proceed. She focused on Darke's eyes. They were usually the best way in. But as she stared into them, she found that they were like mirrors reflecting her own image back at her. He was putting up some kind of block. How was he able to do that? Lola may not have welcomed Grace's reading, but she had been powerless to prevent it.

Grace made a second attempt to get through Darke's defenses. But, this time, she recoiled at the force of the barrier he had somehow brought up.

"It's no good," she said. "I'm not getting anything."

"How disappointing," Lola said, draining the remains of her glass.

"On the contrary." Obsidian Darke extended his own untouched glass of blood to Lola. "I must go now." He turned and saluted Sidorio. "Captain!"

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Sidorio nodded as Lieutenant Darke made his exit.

Lola exchanged a glance with Sidorio. "He's beginning to grate on me," she said. "Must we put up with him any longer? At least Johnny and Stukeley are pretty."

"He's a good pirate," Sidorio said, smiling at his wife. "One of the best we have. What he lacks in small talk, he will make up for in battle."

"We'll see," Lola said, dropping her eyes to Grace once more. "Well, missy, it seems your talent isn't quite as boundless as we previously thought." Her tone was jokey, but Lola had hit a nerve. Grace had never been blocked like that before. She didn't like it. Not one bit.

"Maybe it's time to find yourself a new performing monkey," Grace snapped, turning away and heading out of the cabin in Lieutenant Darke's slipstream.

Lola grinned at Sidorio. "
Someone
's a little highly strung tonight. And after you gave her such a pretty trinket." Lola leaned closer to Sidorio's ear. "Did she really believe it was your poor dear mother's only jewel?"

Sidorio nodded. "As a matter of fact, yes."

Lola laughed throatily. "How marvelous! Zofia will be so thrilled. She threw it together in half an hour last night. I knew it would be the perfect catalyst to bring the two of you together."

Sidorio frowned. "I shouldn't have listened to you,

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Lola. Grace is my daughter. I'm not comfortable playing these games with her."

And with that, he too walked away, leaving Lola on her own.

Frowning, Lola lifted the glass abandoned by Darke and drained it in one swallow. The taste of the blood, warmed perfectly to room temperature, calmed her frazzled nerves. She smiled as Johnny came by and reached out her arm. "Wait up, cowboy!" she called.

Johnny grinned haphazardly. "What can I do for you, Captain Lockwood?"

Lola smirked at him. "Ask not what you can do for the captain, dear Johnny. Ask what you can do for the captain's stepdaughter."

"Grace?" Johnny said.

Lola nodded. "She's in a bit of a mood, Johnny. She needs a little fun. F-U-N. That's your department, remember?"

"You bet your..."

"Quite so!" Lola cut him off. "Well, off you go, then. Don't let the grass grow under your spurs--or whatever it is you cowboys say. Go and plan something fun for Grace--something to put a smile back on that pretty face of hers. I want her fully occupied. Things are about to step up a gear here, and I can't have a loose cannon in our midst."

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25 JOHNNY'S SURPRISE

"You can open your eyes, now," Johnny whispered in Grace's ear.

As Grace did so, her eyelashes brushed against Johnny's hands, which remained gently pressed against her face. All she could see were slivers of starlight flickering through the slim gaps between his fingers.

"Not fair!" she said. "Let me see!"

Johnny laughed. "All right!" he said. "You've been very patient, Grace. I'll take away my hands on the count of three. One... two..."

He kept his hands in place for one more tantalizing moment. "Three!"

At last, he drew his fingers away from Grace's eyes and rested them on her shoulders.

"Oh, Johnny!" Grace exclaimed. There, standing before

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them on the sand, by the water's edge, was a horse. Its body looked bright gold in the moonlight, all except for its mane and tail, which were both pure white.

"Is
that
my surprise?" Grace asked. "It's so beautiful. Its body looks like gold."

"She's not an 'it.'" Johnny laughed. "Her name's Nieve. And her body
is
gold; she's a palomino."

"Nieve," said Grace. "That's an Irish name, isn't it?" Instinctively, she thought of Lorcan.

Johnny shook his head. "I named her Nieve. It's the Spanish word for snow."

"Oh, I see! Because her mane and tail are as pure white as freshly fallen snow." Grace turned to Johnny.

He looked distant for a moment. "Well, yes, that's part of it."

Then Grace remembered her vision of Johnny, riding through the snow. His story had begun and ended in the snow. She remembered the terrible ending--him hanging by his neck from a tree as the snow fell all around him. She felt terrible for having missed the connection at first but, as she looked up at him, she found he was smiling and his eyes were bright once more.

"Now, either we can stand here and admire Nieve's beauty from afar or we can go and take her for a ride across the beach. What do you reckon?"

Grace felt her heart began to race. "I've never ridden a horse before." The thought of doing so made her nervous, but exhilarated, too.

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"Piece of cake," Johnny said, reaching out for her hand. "I'll do all the work. Besides, Nieve won't give us any trouble. She loves a midnight run. Come and meet her."

Johnny led Grace across the sand. When they were a few paces away from Nieve, he began talking to the horse. Immediately, Nieve responded. Grace could see the strength of the bond between the horse and the one-time
vaquero
.

"Now, Nieve," Johnny said, his voice low and soft. "I know how you like to go galloping across the sand and to dip your feet into the cool ocean waters. And I know how you usually like it be just the two of us, Nieve and Johnny. But tonight, see, I've brought a very special friend of mine to come along with us."

Hearing Johnny talk to Nieve took Grace back once more to the time at Sanctuary when she had read the ribbon containing Johnny's memories. Then, she had not only seen him on horseback but also ridden for a time in his shoes. She knew that his bond with horses was a deep one.

All the time he was talking to Nieve, Johnny was stroking the palomino's face and rubbing her nose. Now, he reached into his pocket and produced a sugar cube. He laid it out on his palm, and Nieve gently licked it up.

"Now you," Johnny said, glancing over to Grace. "Reach out your hand."

A little apprehensively, Grace stretched out her palm. Johnny dropped a second cube of sugar into it. "Introduce yourself to Nieve," he whispered in Grace's ear.

Grace looked into Nieve's soft brown eyes. "Hello," she

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said, stretching out her hand. "My name is Grace and I'm kind of nervous because I've never been riding before."

Nieve nonchalantly bowed her head and eagerly took the second sugar cube from Grace's palm.

"Well," Johnny said, "I think we're about ready, don't you, girls? Grace, I'll help you up first."

Grace turned to him, confused. "There's no saddle."

Johnny nodded. "Safer that way. If you fall, you'll fall clear. The stirrups won't drag you along. All you'll hurt is your rear and your pride." Seeing her tense expression, he added, "Don't worry, Grace. You're
not
going to fall."

Still Grace hesitated. Before she could voice any further protest, Johnny hoisted her up so she was straddling Nieve.

"There you go," he said. "Sit up straight, with your elbows in. Excellent. Make sure you're gripping Nieve with your legs; it will help your balance."

Grace squeezed her legs together. As she did so, she felt Nieve move forward. She felt a wave of panic, but immediately Johnny was there, telling Nieve not to even think of going anywhere without him. The horse seemed to understand fully. Now Johnny turned to Grace. "Mixed signals," he said. "You squeezed your legs against her a little too tight, and that's the signal to go."

"Oh," Grace said, "I'm sorry."

Johnny grinned. "
No problema!
Take a grip on her mane, Grace. That's it, nice and tight--she won't mind."

Grace felt surprisingly anxious and far out of her

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comfort zone. In spite of Johnny's calm instructions, she could sense that Nieve was desperate to break into a run across the sand. She dug her fingers more deeply into Nieve's mane, intent on making herself as secure as possible. "Come on up!" she urged Johnny.

"No place I'd rather be," he said with a wink, using a nearby rock to propel himself up behind her. "That's a good girl, Nieve," he said. As he spoke to the horse, his breath was warm against Grace's ear. She hadn't realized how close they would be once he joined her. Now, they were drawn closer still as Johnny reached his arms around Grace's waist and took up the reins.

"Lean back against me, Sugar, so you're nice and stable," Johnny told Grace.

She did as instructed, feeling a spark of electricity as her back made contact with Johnny's chest. Thinking suddenly of Lorcan, she momentarily recoiled.

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked.

"Nothing," Grace said, deciding she was being silly. Everything he was telling her to do was for her own comfort and safety. She was only going for a horse ride with a good friend of hers. She had nothing to feel guilty about. When she next spoke to Lorcan, she'd tell him all about this. There would be no secrets between them.

Grace leaned back further so that she was completely enclosed by Johnny's chest at the back and his arms on either side. Glancing down, she could see the muscles in his forearms as he took up the slack in the reins.

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Already, Nieve was beginning to walk forward across the sand. Grace laughed with pleasure and surprise. "This is easier than I thought it would be!"

"Nothing to it!" Johnny said. Though her face was turned away from him, Grace knew he was smiling.

She felt herself relax and leaned further back into Johnny's chest. Even as Nieve began to move a little faster, Grace felt perfectly comfortable. Her initial nerves had swiftly dissipated and were replaced by a sense of exhilaration and anticipation.

"This is a trot," Johnny told Grace. "It's about the same speed as a healthy person can run. About six miles per hour. If you listen, you can hear Nieve's hooves marking out two beats on the sand. You hear that?"

"Yes," she cried. "I can hear it... and I can feel it, too." And, though she didn't say so, it felt pretty uncomfortable. At this rate, she wasn't sure how long she would last up here on Nieve's back without the comfort of a saddle.

Johnny was unaware of her discomfort. "Now, we're going up to what we call a collected canter. That means that Nieve is still under our control. You're going to hear three beats instead of two."

Grace felt their pace increase with great smoothness and, sure enough, she could hear the three beats of Nieve's gait. She glanced to her side at the waters of the bay shimmering in the starlight. It was wonderful to see it from this completely new perspective. She could see the silhouette of
The Vagabond
and the vast hulk of
The Blood
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Captain
, moored side by side. Already, they had traveled some distance away from the ships. The ocean was deserted here. It was a tranquil sight, a mirror reflecting the star-filled sky above. Once more, she felt their speed increase. This time, she welcomed it.

"And now, we're in a full canter," Johnny confirmed. "This is what Nieve was wishing for, isn't it, girl?"

Now that they were traveling faster, Grace was surprised to find that she felt more, rather than less, comfortable. Pressed back tight against Johnny, she felt as secure as if she was sitting in an armchair.

Grace gave herself over to the smooth, hypnotic rhythm of the ride. She felt her cares melt away. For a spell, neither she, nor Johnny, spoke. The drumming of Nieve's hooves upon the sand blended with the rush of the night air and the crashing of the ocean. It was a symphony of music guaranteed to thrill and soothe her senses.

Grace turned her face to let the ocean breeze cool her. As she did so, her cheek brushed against Johnny's. She was surprised how comfortable she felt being so close to him. Once more, she thought of Lorcan and felt a flash of guilt. She reminded herself she was doing nothing wrong. And she was having more fun than she could remember. She had been through such dark times of late. She had forgotten how it felt to be carefree. What a precious gift Johnny had bestowed on her. Why spoil it?

Nieve's long strides powered Grace and Johnny across the sand, toward the edge of the ocean. As the palomino's

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hooves pounded through the shallows, she sent saltwater flying up into the air. Grace could taste the ocean on her lips. Her own heart was racing now, beating out the exact same rhythm as Nieve's movements.

Nieve sent a fresh spray of water over Grace and Johnny's faces. The cold shower made Grace laugh with surprise and pleasure. She turned and saw that Johnny was laughing, too. His face was slick with saltwater. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming desire to kiss him. They were so physically close, all she had to do was lean back a touch and... Johnny smiled at her, his eyes dancing with light, his lips looking more inviting than ever. Grace forced herself to turn away again, feeling flushed. She wanted to kiss him, but she mustn't. It was a step too far. They rode on in silence.

After a short while, Johnny encouraged Nieve to slow down. The rhythmic pounding of the hooves turned into regular beats as they slowed down to a gentle walk.

"Good girl," Johnny said, softly rubbing Nieve's flank. "Time for you to rest up a while."

They came to a standstill, and Johnny jumped down and then held out his arms to help Grace dismount.

Grace took a moment to adjust to standing on solid ground again. Johnny reached an arm around her shoulder. "You're trembling," he said.

"Am I?" She was--and his touch was doing nothing to calm her; quite the reverse. "I guess I'm still full of adrenaline from the ride."

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Johnny laughed happily. "I knew you'd enjoy this," he said. "Ever since we met, I've been wanting to take you out riding. You can't really get to know me until you've been riding with me. It's who I am." He looked suddenly bashful and continued speaking, perhaps in an effort to cover his emotions. "Once we've given Nieve a little rest, we'll climb back on again and ride back along the beach."

Grace smiled at the prospect.

"So," Johnny said. "Was this a good surprise?"

"Yes." She looked into his eyes. "Yes, Johnny, this was a lovely surprise. Thank you!" Feeling a surge of emotion she could no longer fight, she leaned toward him and planted a soft kiss on his salt-slicked cheek.

He grinned. "Well," he said, bringing his hand to his cheek. "That was a nice surprise, too. A mighty nice surprise."

He looked more handsome than ever before. Maybe it was the moonlight. Maybe it was getting away from the ships and from the others. Maybe it was seeing him at his most natural--the way he was supposed to be. She felt as if he was lassoing her in toward him, drawing her closer and closer with every hungry second, but in truth all he was doing was smiling.

Fighting temptation like this was far from easy. Grace pulled back.

"What's wrong?" Johnny asked, his gaze steady but penetrating.

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"I got carried away," she said sheepishly. "I'm having such a great time that I forgot myself."

"You're
allowed
to have a good time," Johnny said.

"Yes," Grace answered carefully. "But I have to be fair to you...."

Johnny smiled. "Do you hear me complaining any?"

"
And
to Lorcan," Grace said. When Johnny didn't react, she added, softly, "My boyfriend."

Now Johnny nodded. "I understand," he said. "But Lorcan's a long way away, and he wouldn't begrudge you a little harmless fun, now, would he?"

Grace looked deep into Johnny's eyes and shook her head. He wasn't going to make this easy for her.

"Shouldn't we be getting back to the ships?" she said.

Johnny gazed at her. For a moment, he said nothing. Then he nodded. "All right," he said. "If you're ready. I think we've given Nieve a good enough rest, don't you?"

He went over and drew Nieve gently away from the edge of the water. "I know you're thirsty, but don't even think about drinking that," she heard him say. "Saltwater would wreak havoc on your insides."

Watching his tender approach to Nieve, Grace felt awkward.
She
had kissed Johnny. Not the other way around. If anyone had taken advantage, it was
her
, not him. Johnny had offered her this amazing treat, and she had repaid him with churlishness. That hadn't been her intention. She decided to clear the air before the ride home.

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"Johnny," she called, walking over to him. "You know that I like you, don't you?"

He smiled up at her. "I'm happy to hear that, Grace. I thought maybe you'd made your mind up about me and it was a closed book."

She nodded. "I had made up my mind, after you left Sanctuary like that. But since we've met up again, I've realized I was too quick to judge. There are lots of different sides to you."

"Well, thank you," he said. "For taking the trouble to look again." He held out his hand toward her.

She hesitated. Once more, she had the sensation of the lasso tightening.

He smiled. "I'm just helping you up onto Nieve's back, Sugar," he said.

Of course he was. She was mortally embarrassed. Bowing her head, she stepped forward and allowed him to help her up into the saddle once more.

This time, sitting up there, astride Nieve's golden back, Grace felt perfectly at home. In a flash, Johnny was up behind her, once more circling his arms around her and reaching for the reins. Grace leaned back against him, like he had told her to do before.