Vampirates 5: Empire of Night (30 page)

"Oh, Lucky!" cried Ma, conscious of how inappropriate his nickname seemed now. He was gone--a pirate legend and the love of her life. She had always imagined they would end up growing old together someplace. Now reality slashed through that fantasy. Molucco wouldn't grow any older. It was unbearable. "
My
Lucky!" she wailed. "How
could
you go and leave me?" She had never felt such loneliness.

It was then that she noticed a small movement at Molucco's shoulder. His hair brushed forward, as if blowing in the breeze. But it wasn't the breeze. It was Molucco's pet snake, his dark eyes filled with the same pain and bewilderment as Ma's own.

"Oh, Scrimshaw!" Ma exclaimed as the snake came fully into view. "Oh, my poor dear Scrimshaw. You were with your beloved master to the end."

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The snake stared sadly at Ma, then turned his desolate face and burrowed back into the familiar sanctuary of Molucco's rainbow dreadlocks.

In the captain's cabin on board
The Blood Captain
, the celebrations had gone on--belowdecks of course--long past daybreak. Sidorio and his two lieutenants lounged around, the many empty bottles in close proximity telling the tale of their revelry.

"And do you know what he says to me then?" Johnny's words were beginning to slur into one another. "I'll tell you what he says..."

Stukeley interrupted his friend. "No,
I'll
tell you. He says, 'if you want this ship, you'll have to kill me first.' "

Johnny waved his finger toward Stukeley. "Yesss!" he exclaimed, surprised. "Exactly right! How did you know?"

Stukeley shook his head, grinning. "Because that is the twenty-sixth time you've told us the story."

Johnny shrugged, reached for the open bottle at his side, and took a slug. "It's a story worth telling!"

Sidorio smiled paternally at his lieutenants. "You did good tonight, Stetson," he said, turning his head. "Just as you did when you took
The Albatross
, Stukeley. You've both proved to me that you are ready to become captains."

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"I'll drink to that!" Stukeley reached for the bottle nearest to him and held it out to the others. The three bottles clinked. "One for all..." Stukeley said, looking hopefully at the others. Sidorio and Johnny gazed back at him blankly. "And all for one!" Stukeley said. "Just once, you'd think you might remember!"

There was a knock at the door.

Sidorio glanced up. "Come in!"

The door opened and Obsidian Darke entered the room like a dark cloud. "You asked to see me, Captain," he said, his cold eyes sweeping across the scene and registering his evident distaste.

"That's right, Lieutenant," Sidorio said, reaching into the crate and extending a bottle in Darke's direction.

"No, thank you," Darke said. As Sidorio arched an eyebrow in disbelief, he added, "I make it a policy not to drink after sunup."

"Suit yourself." Sidorio unscrewed the cap and helped himself to the liquid inside. "Delicious! You know, Darke, you should loosen up, have a little fun. All work and no play makes Darke a very dull Vampirate."

Johnny laughed and added. "Dull, dull, dull."

Giving their words the barest of acknowledgments, Obsidian Darke carefully moved aside some of the empty bottles and sat down. "When I heard you wanted to see me at this hour, Captain, I thought it must be an urgent matter indeed."

Sidorio grinned. "You mean to rouse you from your

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beauty sleep?" He nudged Johnny, who cracked up laughing. Stukeley chuckled, too, and swigged more blood.

"I did not mean that," Darke said.

Sidorio set his bottle on the floor and wiped the smile from his face. Suddenly he was all business. "I do have something of the utmost importance and urgency to discuss with you. Earlier tonight, Johnny here brought in
The Diablo
. You may have heard of this pirate ship. It's something of a legend. Stukeley was, in former times, one of its crew and I myself sailed on it once, albeit briefly. Now, it's part of our fleet."

"Kudos to you, Lieutenant Desperado." Obsidian Darke turned and nodded formally at Johnny.

"It's
Captain
Desperado, now," Johnny corrected him.

"Indeed?" Obsidian Darke's eyes narrowed. "
The Diablo
was captained by Molucco Wrathe, if I am not mistaken. What of him?"

Johnny giggled. "I let Lola's girls to do their work. We left him at his favorite tavern; found him a table with a great view!"

Darke's face was impassive. "A trophy," he said, disparagingly. "And his crew? How many did you convert during this attack?"

Johnny shrugged. "Just a few. Most of them were off getting rat-faced in the tavern."

"I see," Obsidian said, smiling at Johnny. "In other words, you are to be congratulated for invading a deserted ship."

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"It wasn't deserted." Stukeley came to his friend's defense.

"There's no need for us to argue over semantics," Darke said, smiling in an utterly humorless fashion.

"No need for us to argue
at all
," Stukeley said. "We were enjoying a very happy celebration before you arrived."

"Nothing," Darke said, "would please me more than for you to recommence your fun and games." He turned to Sidorio. "Captain, shall we dispatch our business?"

Sidorio smiled. "It's very simple, Lieutenant. See, as we are expanding our fleet, myself and my co-commander--that's my lovely wife--need to see who has what it takes to step up to the rank of captain."

Darke nodded. "And?"

"Good news!" Sidorio announced. "You've made it to the final cut. Now I just need to see the fire in your eyes. So I'm giving you a mission.
You
will lead the next attack. I'm looking for great things from you, Darke."

Once more, Obsidian Darke nodded.

Sidorio nudged a well-thumbed sheet of paper in the Vampirate's direction. Darke reached out his long, white fingers and took it.

"It's the list of pirate ships we're taking to build our fleet," Sidorio explained. "I've crossed out the ones already secured by myself, Stukeley, and Johnny. You can take your pick of the rest. You have forty-eight hours to prepare for the attack. Choose whichever of the crew you'd

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like to back you up. Except me. Obviously. I never stand in for anyone."

"Indeed," Darke said, passing back the list and rising to his feet. "Will that be all?"

Sidorio nodded. "That's all."

"Which ship have you chosen?" Stukeley asked.

Darke's cold eyes swept across his three comrades. "
The Tiger
," he said.

Johnny laughed.

Stukeley let out a whistle. "You don't mess around, mate, do you?"

"It seems my choice is a source of some amusement to you?"

"No, no," Stukeley said, exchanging a grin with Johnny. "Except you might find
those
pirates just a bit better prepared for the fight."

Darke raised an eyebrow.

"It's the ship of Vampirate assassins," Johnny explained.

Darke did not react. "I will go and begin planning my strategy," he said. Nodding at Sidorio, he turned and made his exit.

As the door closed behind him, Johnny swigged from his bottle again. "I don't like that
hombre
," he said.

"Nobody does," Sidorio replied. "That's what I like about him!" He frowned. "However, he certainly knows how to break the party mood. I'm going to hit the sack."

Stukeley nodded. He pointed at Johnny, whose eyes

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were already closed. "Looks like our little cowboy is ready for the night train to Slumberville, too!"

"Not in my cabin!" Sidorio boomed, giving Johnny a sharp kick with his boot.

"What's that?" Johnny asked, his eyes opening wide in confusion. "Where am I?"

Ignoring Johnny's ramblings, Stukeley addressed Sidorio. "Captain, there's been something I've been meaning to tell you all night, but somehow I just never got around to it."

"I'm tired now," Sidorio said. "You've missed your window. Try me again later."

Stukeley persisted. "It's about Connor."

Sidorio's interest was immediately piqued. "What about Connor?"

"It's good news," Stukeley said. "The news you've been waiting for, in fact."

Sidorio drummed his feet on the floor. "Go on."

Stukeley smiled. "His blood hunger has risen," he said.

Sidorio's eyes widened. He grinned, his gold incisors glinting in the lamplight.

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32 THE HUNT

Darling Grace,

Wakey, wakey! I hope you slept well and had delicious dreams. The girls and I are heading out from the ship on a little jaunt this evening, and we'd love you to join us. Our carriages arrive at ten o'clock sharp. Wear something gorgeous and meet us up on deck.

LLL xxx

p.s. Please bring the attached with you. It may come in handy later!

Lola's note brought a smile to Grace's face. She had just woken up, but it was only eight o'clock, so she had plenty of time to get ready. She felt full of energy--in fact, rather restless--and a trip away from the ship with Lola, Mimma, and the gang sounded perfect. Grace wondered

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if they might bring along some more of those delicious rose-colored macaroons. She had certainly missed nibbling on them the past couple of nights.

Grace noticed the paper clip peeping over the corner of Lola's note. Turning the paper over, she found a playing card resting under the clip. Intrigued, she slipped it out and held it up to the light. It looked like a regular playing card--the Queen of Hearts--only it was black. Grace smiled, wondering if it was part of a game they were going to play later. Then she set down the card and Lola's note for safekeeping and opened up her closet. She had a very important decision to make--which dress and shoes should she wear for tonight's outing?

Grace was dressed and ready to head out by nine thirty. She had butterflies in her stomach, but she wasn't sure why. How could time be dragging so slowly?

There was a knock on her door, and gratefully she ran toward it. Who could it be? Maybe Johnny, she thought with a smile.

Opening the door, she found Mimma standing there, impeccably dressed and groomed as usual.

"I love your outfit," Grace said as she let Mimma in.

"Yours too!" Mimma said. "I don't think I've seen you in that dress before. The color really brings out your eyes."

Grace flushed with pride and anticipation of the night

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ahead. "I'm really looking forward to our outing," she said. "Do tell me where we're going and what Lola has planned!"

Mimma smiled. "All in good time, dear. I guarantee it will be an evening to remember." She snapped open her handbag. "Seeing as you're coming out with us all tonight, I thought you might like me to give you the black heart again." She held up her makeup brushes, ready for action.

"Oh yes!" Grace said. "That's a wonderful idea."

Mimma set to work. As before, she was meticulous. Finally, she set down her brush and led Grace to the mirror to assess her handiwork.

"It looks great!" Grace said. "Oh, but you've done it around my
left
eye. You all wear your hearts around your right eye. Only Lola has hers on the left."

Mimma smiled and put her hand on Grace's bare shoulder. Grace realized she was trembling, for some reason. Mimma's touch helped to steady her.

"You're special," Mimma said. "You're Lola's daughter now."

The others were waiting up on deck as Mimma led Grace out, arm in arm. Lola turned and broke off from the group. She looked stunning in a long coat trimmed with fur and a hunting hat with a spray of exotic feathers tucked in the brim.

"Good evening, Mimma. And who's
this
sophisticated lady?" Lola's head turned slowly from side to side. "Could

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it be? No, I don't think... but it is... why, Grace Tempest. Look how you've grown up before our very eyes!"

Grace flushed with pride once more. "Thank you," she said, still a little nervous. "I hope you don't mind my wearing the heart... on the left, I mean."

Lola smiled and clasped Grace's hands. "I love it!" she said. Her eyes met Grace's. "My dear, you're shaking. We had better get you into the warmth." She turned to address the rest of her crew. "Come on, everyone! Our carriages await!"

The five carriages trundled up the hill road, each pulled by a black horse. Grace thought of Nieve and wondered if Johnny might be out riding her alone tonight. The rider of her carriage didn't look unlike Johnny--though, Grace reflected, not quite so handsome. Each of the young male drivers of the five carriages was dressed formally in a black tailcoat and top hat.

Grace rode in Lola's carriage, along with Mimma and Zofia. They had loaded what looked like three chunky briefcases with them, and these were placed on the floor of the carriage now, wobbling from side to side as the wheels rattled along the uneven track.

"Are those picnic boxes?" Grace asked.

The others laughed at that.

"No," said Mimma.

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"She's not far off the mark, to be fair," Lola said, turning her face to the carriage window. "We're almost there, now. Look, Grace, isn't that a handsome house? Not unlike the one I myself was raised in."

Lola's gloved hand tapped the window pane. Grace leaned across and glanced out. The track continued up to the very top of the hill. And there, nestling right on top, like a beautiful iced cake, was a white mansion with columns around the entrance.

"It's lovely," Grace said, sitting back against the seat once more. "Does it belong to friends of yours? Are they having a party?"

Lola smiled brightly. "Yes, dear. Something like that."

The five carriages drew up around the ornamental fountain in the center of the driveway. As Grace stepped down from their carriage, it looked like a fairytale setting with the water speckled silver in the moonlight.