A Shade of Vampire 8: A Shade of Kiev (8 page)

My thoughts drifted back to the vampire with red eyes. Another pang of guilt hit me.
It’s not like you could have done anything, even if you had wanted to save him. He’s under the jurisdiction of the Tavern’s laws.

Just forget about it.

I left the stern and walked past the dozens of people milling about on the deck, still organizing things for our journey. I wanted to retire to my room and lock myself up until tomorrow. I was still feeling run down from the days of lost sleep I’d had at Aviary thanks to being kept a slave there, at beck and call for Arron and his companions at all hours.

I’d done my fair share of work in getting the ship ready for sailing. I trusted I wouldn’t be needed for at least another few hours.

Since I’d chosen to be on the lowest level of the ship away from everyone, there were no windows in my room. Still, when I opened the door and found that it was dark, it surprised me because I didn’t remember dimming my lantern before leaving.

But seeing as I was planning to get straight into bed and fall asleep, I didn’t bother relighting it. I felt my way to my mattress, and lifted back the sheets.

I let out a scream.

I’d just attempted to sit on a cold body. A corpse, I was sure of it. But then, as if I wasn’t already shaken enough, the corpse began to stir and blood-red eyes shot open in the darkness.

I ran out of the room, slamming the door behind me, screaming my lungs out.

“Saira!”

I blazed through the corridors, bellowing Saira’s name. Some crew members hushed me, but I couldn’t contain myself. The fright of finding that monster in my bed mixed with all the implications that now came with his presence on board caused me to lose control.

Saira came walking down a corridor toward me, her face quite expressionless.

“Why?” I panted, clutching her by the shoulders. “
Why?”

“Why what?” she asked, an innocent expression on her face.

“Why is there a monster in my bed?”

“Oh, that. He was injured, dear. And he’s a vampire. I needed somewhere dark and comfortable where he could recover. As you know, most of the rooms with beds on this ship have windows.”

“Why couldn’t you take him to one of the other rooms below deck? Or hell, I don’t know, just draw the blinds of one of the rooms in the upper deck!”

Saira shook her head. “All the other bedrooms were occupied at the time. And I was panicking. I just needed to get him somewhere dark and safe as soon as possible. He was in a dreadful state when I found him. I’m sorry, Mona. I didn’t know it would upset you so much…”

“Why did you save him and bring him here?” I spluttered. “I told you already, he’s
not
my friend!”

“My decision to save him had nothing to do with you, contrary to what you might think. As a founding member of this crew, I have a right to recruit others.” She glared at me. “And I thought leaving him to be killed would be a waste of a perfectly capable crew member.”

Her answers infuriated me. She was lying to my face. She had done this deliberately to throw the vampire in my way. Having lost a daughter made her do the most erratic things.

“And now what?” I hissed. “I need my room back!”

“You’ll get it back,” she said. “Just give him a few more hours of rest to let his body finish healing. Then I’ll remove him and put him up in another room. Okay?”

The situation couldn’t have been further from okay. But she sped off before I had a chance to protest again. By now, a group of new crew members—both vampires and werewolves—were listening in from a distance. Hating to be the center of attention, I hurried away from them.

I found myself walking back toward my cabin. When I reached the door, I placed my ear against it, hoping to hear that he had woken up. But from the gentle breathing, he had fallen asleep again.

Comforted that at least he wouldn’t be staring at me again through the darkness, I dared open the door. I fumbled for the lantern and turned it on. He still didn’t stir.

I stepped toward the bed and hovered over him, examining his face and body. I didn’t notice any injuries. His skin looked totally smooth. I didn’t understand why he had to sleep more, least of all in my bed.

I sat down in the chair a few feet away and continued glaring at him.

Watching Kiev sleeping on my bed was starting to make me feel sleepy. I wished he would wake up and leave so I could have my bed back.
Now I’ll have to make a trip to the laundry room and change the sheets
, I reminded myself, scowling.

Despite myself, my breath hitched a little as he stirred on the mattress, causing the sheet to slide off him and reveal more of his almost naked form. He had fabric wrapped around his waist, but otherwise the people of The Tavern had stripped him bare. There wasn’t a part of his toned body that didn’t exude strength.

Why is this happening?

And why the hell did I have to ask him those stupid questions?

Now that he had been officially recruited by Saira as a crew member, worry filled me as I thought of the worst-case scenario: I might never see the back of him. I might forever be plagued with his presence. Unless I abandoned my crew, which I couldn’t do easily.

My skin tingled as I watched him sleep.

And I felt nervous.

More nervous than I had in years.

As I lay in bed, the old oak door to my room creaked open.

Clara, the woman my Elder forced me to call sister, appeared in the doorway. She wore nothing but thin silk lingerie.

“Get up,” she hissed. “Did I give you permission to sleep at this time?”

Unwilling to acknowledge her presence, I let my exhausted body remain still on the mattress. The bed shook as she climbed onto it. Cold hands closed around my ankles as she pulled at my legs. I held on to the headboard and kicked her away. I should have known that would only infuriate her further.

“I called you to my bed an hour ago. Why are you still here?”

She climbed onto my back and tore off my nightshirt with her claws, ripping my skin in the process. I winced as her lips pressed against the back of my neck, her legs spread out on either side of my waist.

Then came the lashes. Brandishing a whip, she cut into my flesh until blood soaked the sheets.

“Father gave you to me for a hundred years. Barely twenty have passed. It’s time you stopped fighting me, Kiev…”

I woke to see Mona sitting at the opposite end of the room. She looked daggers at me.

“Is… Is this your cabin?” I rubbed my eyes, attempting to brush away any memory of the nightmare I’d just had.

“Yes.” The tone of her voice was traced with irritation, yet she was attempting to keep her face expressionless. She stood up, handing me a set of fresh clothes. “These were brought for you. You probably want to wear them now.” Her eyes roamed the length of my body. “You should leave.”

I took them from her and pulled them on. No sooner had I pulled the shirt on than she opened the cabin door.

“Where should I go?”

“Ask Saira.”

I stepped out of the cabin. She slammed the door behind me.

I walked along the corridor toward a door that led to the stairs I had climbed down with Saira. I pushed it open and ascended the stairs, looking around as I did. A few vampires and werewolves bustled about on the second deck, but it was quieter now than when I had first arrived.

I approached a female vampire carrying a large bundle of sheets and asked, “Where can I find Saira?”

She eyed me, then smiled coyly, brushing a few strands of dark hair behind her ear. “You’re new here, aren’t you?” she said.

I nodded.

“I suggest going to the captain’s room and asking there. He might have seen her. You never know, she could be with him.”

“Where’s the captain’s room?” I asked.

“Walk to the end of this hallway”—she gestured with her hand—“then take the first left and it’s the last cabin at the end of that corridor.”

I nodded and motioned to leave. She brushed a hand against my shoulder, her lips still curved in a smile. “And, in case you were interested,” she whispered, “my name is Lorena. My cabin isn’t far from the captain’s, just a couple of doors along to the right.”

She was attractive. But I wasn’t in the mood for playing around. I brushed her hand away and walked away.

I realized that I knew nothing about the captain at all—whether he was a werewolf, vampire, or perhaps another species entirely. I followed her directions and once I reached the end of the corridor, I paused and placed my ear to the door. I could hear a soft shuffling of papers. I rapped on the door three times and waited.

Footsteps sounded and the door swung open.

My heart skipped a beat.

In the doorway stood the man I’d met on the beach.

Matteo Borgia.

I took a step back involuntarily.

“You’re… you’re the captain of this ship?”

The man smiled.

“Yes.”

He opened the door wider and gestured for me to step inside. I found myself rooted to the spot. He held out his hand. I shook it after a pause. I looked around his cabin, nervous. The room was lined with shelves filled with books, and maps covered the wooden walls. There was a large window fixed to the side of the wall, though the blinds were drawn to keep the sun out.

He wore a freshly starched white shirt rolled up to his elbows and black shorts that stretched down below his knees. I wanted to walk right out of his cabin—hell, jump off the ship. Suddenly, being back in that town square seemed more appealing than being on the same boat as Natalie’s brother. Each time he looked my way, daggers of guilt pierced through me.

Now that I’d come face to face with him again, the resemblance really was unmistakable. I saw Natalie in his eyes, and to think he might have not found out about his own sister’s death due to being in a different realm made me feel sick to my stomach.

“Take a seat, Kiev. Make yourself comfortable. And welcome aboard. Saira did mention to me in passing that you have become the newest member of our crew. And what a surprise it was! I certainly hadn’t been expecting to see you again.”

I gulped and took a seat opposite his mahogany desk.

“Are you thirsty?” He indicated a jug of blood that was perched on a shelf. I could already smell that it was fish blood. I had been thirsty a few moments before stepping into his office. Now, all thirst had vanished.

I shook my head.

He poured a glass for himself and sat down behind his desk.

“What can I do for you?”

“I… I’m looking for Saira.”

“Why do you need her?”

“She put me up in the wrong room."

“Saira is busy now. But if you need a new room I’m sure that I can assist.”

He finished his blood, then got up and opened one of his desk drawers, pulled out a ring of keys and walked toward the door. He opened the door and courteously stepped aside, letting me step out first. I obliged and once we were walking down the corridor toward—I wasn’t even sure where—he began speaking again.

“Saira told me about the incident in the town square. Narrow escape, huh?”

My stomach formed in knots.

“Yes…”

“What got you into so much trouble?” He asked the question casually but I could detect a hint of curiosity in his voice, perhaps even mistrust.

“A man attacked me in the bar. I retaliated in self defense.”

“I see.” He nodded. “Yes. Violence against another inhabitant is the most serious form of crime on that island. It doesn’t matter how it was instigated. Some people see the rule as foolish and unfair, whereas others recognize that it’s required. You get all sorts passing through that place. They have to rule the inhabitants with an iron fist or else it would be chaos and the purpose of the island would be defeated.”

We continued walking down the corridor and once we reached the end, he opened a door and led us down to the level below. We stopped outside a door. He unlocked it and walked inside, drawing the blinds to block out the sun. It was a decent-sized cabin—larger than Mona’s—with a small shower room en suite.

I turned to Matteo and said “Thank you,” hoping that he’d now turn around and leave.

He placed some keys on the small dressing table and said, “Once again, nice to see you, Kiev. I’ll tell Saira to come down and find you once she’s finished her tasks.”

He beamed another smile at me before backing out of the room and closing the door behind him.

I lay in bed and looked up at the ceiling. I couldn’t stop thinking about Matteo. I wondered how long I might end up staying on that ship. As he was the captain—the most prominent member aboard—it wasn’t like I could easily hide from or avoid him. Being forced to face him each day, memories of that bloody night resurfacing in my mind each time our eyes met, was something I wasn’t sure I could handle.

But I had no alternative. At least for now.

Hours passed as I lost myself in thought. I lifted the blinds and realized that night had fallen. Thunder rolled overhead and rain pattered against the glass. As I got up to leave the cabin to stretch my legs, the deafening ringing of a bell echoed from outside. The boat shuddered so violently that I almost lost balance. The lantern in my cabin swung off its hook and smashed on the ground, splinters of glass sent digging into my ankles. I reached the window and looked out. The thick rain made it impossible for me to see far.

The ringing faded away into the distance and once the rocking stopped, I stepped out of my room. A dozen others had done the same, including a werewolf in the cabin next to mine.

“What was that?” I asked.

His eyes were wide with alarm.

“
The Black Bell
,” he whispered back.

“What?”

Ignoring my question, he dashed down the corridor. Everyone around me shared the same look of fear. I followed the direction he was heading in, toward the upper deck.

When I arrived, crowds of vampires and werewolves had gathered in the rain, most of them standing at the stern, looking out at the ocean. I spotted Saira crouching down on the floor near the helm. She looked up at me as I approached.