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  “About the legions… a captain for every ship.”

  “Yes, yes,” Sidorio said. “I’ll talk to Lola about that. Must go now. Don’t want to keep the magnificent creature waiting.” He was already at the door.

  “Captain,” Stukeley said. “Forgive me, but Lady Lockwood isn’t part of our command. Should you be discussing such matters with her?”

  Sidorio glared at Stukeley. “Need I remind you who’s in charge around here? I’ll talk to whomever I want about whatever I want.”

  “Yes, sir!” Stukeley said, realizing that he had overstepped the mark. Sometimes the better part of valor was knowing when to shut up.

  But Sidorio had not yet finished. “As it happens,” he said, “Lady Lockwood and I are discussing a merger.”

  “A merger!” exclaimed Johnny.

  Sidorio nodded. “That’s right, Stetson. I’ve asked her to join us. I like her style. I think she’ll shake things up around here. What’s the phrase?” He grinned and punched the air. “A woman’s touch!” he exclaimed. With that, he turned and sallied forth into the corridor, unwilling to delay his date a moment longer.

  Johnny turned to Stukeley. “A woman’s touch?” he repeated. “What is he thinking, hermano?”

  Stukeley frowned. “The captain doesn’t know whether it’s dinnertime or doomsday, mate. That’s the state Lady Lockwood has gotten him in. We’ve tried to talk some sense into him, but it just goes in one ear and out the other. It’s not as though he had much of an attention span to begin with, but since Lady Muck came on the scene…”

  “So what do we do?” Johnny asked.

  “We take things in hand,” Stukeley said. “We let the captain bill and coo with his lady friend until he grows bored and finds a new toy. And in the meantime, we take control of this enterprise. Before it crumbles before our eyes.”

  Johnny’s dark eyes glistened. “I hear you, hermano. But do you really think we can do it?”

  “We’ve got to try,” Stukeley said. “I don’t see that we have any other choice. Do you?” He strode out the door, beckoning Johnny to follow.

  Sidorio was standing with Lady Lockwood and her crew, dressed identically in black capes, when Stukeley and Johnny arrived on the beach.

  “Ah, here they are at last!” Sidorio cried affably. “Boys, come over here. You remember Lady Lockwood.”

  “As if we could forget.” Stukeley muttered, bowing elaborately.

  “Buenas noches, Capitán Lockwood.” Johnny took Lola’s hand and kissed it.

  Lady Lockwood smiled sweetly at the boys, then turned to Sidorio once more. “Your deputies are so charming,” she said. She stretched out her hands to her side. “And no doubt you boys remember Jessamy and Camille?”

  The two women stepped forward to greet Sidorio’s team. Stukeley and Johnny looked embarrassed, remembering all too well how the duo had played them for stooges over the course of several nights.

  “Now, don’t worry, boys,” Lady Lola said. “They promise to play nice tonight, don’t you, ladies?”

  “Yes, Captain,” the pair chorused sweetly.

  Stukeley turned to Sidorio. “Isn’t it time we got this show on the road, Captain?”

  “Sure,” Sidorio nodded. He reached out his hand to Lady Lockwood. “Come with me,” he said. “We shall hunt as a pair.”

  “You know,” said Lady Lockwood, “I have people to hunt for me, darling. I generally prefer to drink my blood out of a priceless Venetian glass.”

  Sidorio was momentarily deflated. Seeing this, Lady Lockwood took his hand. “But I’m always open to a new experience. Come along, you brute.” She turned to address her crew. “Have fun, everyone!”

  Sidorio led Lady Lockwood over to the center of the crowd, and together they gave the command. “Go feast!”

  Stukeley and Johnny watched the hordes tear away. They stood there, surrounded by the rest of Lady Lockwood’s sizable crew, which, Johnny couldn’t help but notice, was composed entirely of beautiful women.

  “Well?” Jessamy said, raising an eyebrow. “We were rather hoping that you’d lead the way, gentlemen.”

  Johnny grinned. “Ladies, follow me!” He started running across the beach, leading the elegant swarm of Lady Lockwood’s crew in their matching black capes.

  After their feasting was done, Johnny and Stukeley accompanied Lady Lockwood’s crew to the beach. Despite Stukeley’s initial scepticism, he had had a great time. Now that Jessamy and Camille were no longer trying to trick them and induce short-term memory loss, they were actually rather fine company. There were, he reflected, worse things than a night of feasting in the company of a pack of gorgeous female Vampirates.

  After a short time, they were joined on the beach by their two captains, Sidorio and Lady Lockwood. Sidorio ran along, carrying Lady Lockwood in his arms, her skirts trailing behind. She whooped with excitement. “Put me down! Put me down this instant!” At last, he released her gently onto the sand. She caught her breath, then turned to the others, a little flushed of face. “Well, we certainly had a good time tonight. How about all of you?”

  There were nods and enthusiastic words from the ranks.

  Lady Lockwood looped her arm through Sidorio’s. “It seems as if our crews are highly compatible, doesn’t it?”

  He nodded, beaming at her.

  “Should I go and sound the siren?” Johnny asked the captain. The siren was to call errant Vampirates back to the ship before it sailed off into the night—or rather the early morning.

  “Not just yet,” Sidorio said with a shake of the head. “It’s still good and dark. We’ve had our fun, and we should let the others have theirs a while longer.”

  Suddenly, the night air was lanced by a bloodcurdling cry.

  “What was that?” Jessamy cried.

  But they all knew the answer. They all knew the sounds of mortal cries. This was different. This was one of their own.

  “It’s starting,” Stukeley said calmly. “The town is staging a fightback.”

  “What do we do, Captain?” Johnny turned to Sidorio for leadership.

  Silently, Sidorio stood up and strode across the beach, looking back at the town. His two lieutenants followed.

  “Should we stay and fight?” Stukeley asked. “Or do you want to ship out?”

  The first scream was now followed by another. Up on the hill, there was fire. A flowing river of fire. Flaming torches.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Sidorio said.

  “I’ll sound the siren,” said Johnny.

  “No!” Sidorio shook his head. “No need. We’re not waiting for any stragglers.”

  “Stragglers?” said Stukeley. “Captain, a moment ago, you were saying we should let them have their fun…”

  “Things change,” Sidorio said. “Those who make it, make it. As for the rest”—he shrugged—“easy come, easy go.”

  Stukeley and Johnny stood rooted to the spot, shocked at the captain’s attitude.

  “Am I not making myself clear enough for you?” Sidorio cried. “Get back to the ship and draw up the anchor!”

  “Yes, Captain!” Stukeley answered, leaping into action.

  “Right away, Captain!” cried Johnny.

  “I suppose we’d better beat a hasty retreat ourselves,” said Lady Lockwood, turning to her crew. “Come on, ladies!” At her command, her crew began sprinting across the sand.

  Lady Lockwood blew Sidorio a kiss. “Nighty-night, then. Thanks for inviting us to partake in the fun. I had a ball, Sid, an absolute ball. And I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again very soon!”

  As Lady Lockwood and her crew fled in one direction, Sidorio and the crew of the Blood Captain raced to the other side of the beach, where their ship awaited them.

  Vampirates were still clambering up the side of the mighty hulk as it began to swing around. Others now appeared on the beach. The final surviving stragglers had at last returned. Stukeley looked down at them. They were a sorry sight. One’s hair had been set o
n fire, and she was desperately trying to extinguish the flames. Another had been staked and was gazing mournfully down at the pole protruding from his chest.

  “Wait for us!” cried one of the group.

  “Swim for it,” Johnny cried.

  “I can’t!” cried the staked vampire.

  Sidorio was impassive. The ship was, following his instructions, already pulling out.

  “You can’t just leave us!” cried the singed vampire.

  “I can do whatever I want,” Sidorio said in a bored tone.

  “You’re our captain!” cried another. “You’re supposed to look after us. The captain of the Nocturne would never have treated us like this!”

  Sidorio rolled his eyes. “That’s kind of the point, isn’t it?” He looked down at the stranded crew members with disdain. “You’re Vampirates, aren’t you? Show some spine. I could take on that town single-handed and leave them for dust… if I could be bothered.” He yawned. “But now, I’m going to go and have a little snooze. Hasta la vista!” He turned and walked away across the deck.

  On the beach, the stranded Vampirates continued to cry out bitterly as the Blood Captain disappeared into the night. Behind them, accelerating across the beach, was a mob of angry townspeople.

  The mob brandished flaming torches, stakes, pokers, and whatever else resembling a weapon they had managed to lay their hands on in the thick of night.

  But now, another ship approached the shore. Its captain stood at the front of the ship, surveying the scene below. “How terrible,” she said, turning to her deputy. “Did you see that? That other ship left these poor Vampirates for dust.”

  “Yes,” said the deputy, “that wasn’t very sporting, was it?”

  The captain shook her head. “I think we ought to go and offer our help, don’t you?”

  Jacoby grinned at Cheng Li. “Yes,” he said. “I think we’ve got room for at least three of those poor Vampirates right here on our ship.”

  They turned and looked at the three cages that had been constructed on the main deck for just such a purpose.

  Cheng Li shook her head. “Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire,” she said. Then she turned again and began signaling to the desperate creatures on the sand.

  32

  RUNNING ON EMPTY

  “Grace, I’m sorry to barge in on you like this. I knocked, but you didn’t answer.”

  Grace opened her eyes groggily. Her vision was blurred, and it took her a moment to place the figure entering the room.

  “Oskar?”

  “Yes,” he said brightly, moving toward her. “How are you doing today?”

  Her vision was hazy. “I’m okay… I guess.” But as she said the words, she felt suddenly nauseous. The room seemed to be spinning around her.

  “Here,” Oskar said, sitting down beside her. She felt his hand grip hers. His touch was cool, like all the Vampirates’… but no, Oskar wasn’t a vampire. He was a donor. Grace’s mind was racing. His touch was cool because she was so hot. She must have a fever. “Oh, Oskar,” she said. “I’m not feeling too well.”

  “It’s okay, Grace,” he said. “I know. I know.” He sat down on the bed beside her and kept hold of her hand. They sat like that for a while, saying nothing further.

  After a few minutes had passed, Grace felt her breathing begin to slow down and her temperature cool. Her vision was becoming clearer. She eased herself up in bed.

  “Well,” said Oskar, “you certainly look better than yesterday.”

  “Yesterday?” Grace said vaguely. “Did you come to see me yesterday?”

  Oskar nodded and smiled patiently. “And the day before and the day before that. Don’t you remember?”

  She shook her head, gripped by a coil of panic. “No, Oskar, I don’t. I don’t even know how long I’ve been here.” She sighed. “I guess I’ve been a lot sicker than I realized.”

  Oskar smiled and squeezed her hand. “You’ve been here for five days, Grace. Five days and five nights. Ever since we left Crescent Moon Bay.” He paused. “Do you remember what happened there?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Of course! My mother passed on. She was reunited with my father—at least their souls were reunited. They went away together.”

  “That’s right,” Oskar said. “And do you remember what happened next?”

  She thought back to being there in the bay. To standing in the churchyard, safe in Lorcan’s arms, watching her mother and father’s reunion at Dexter’s grave. And then seeing them walk away, and then… The vision was dimming, but she held on to it tenaciously. There had been a beam of light from the lighthouse, and she had seen them up in the lamp room, looking down at her and waving good-bye. And then the beam had begun moving across the beach and the bay until she had to close her eyes. Darkness. Utter darkness. But no, before that there had been something else. The gravestone, her father’s gravestone, had glowed red, no, pink. It was as if it was calling her, summoning her. She had raced toward it. And she had seen the extra line of carving—Sally’s inscription. And that was when the darkness had come. She had read the new words, and then everything had begun to blur and she had lost consciousness.

  “I think I must have fainted in the churchyard,” Grace said.

  Oskar nodded. “That’s exactly what happened,” he said. “You see, you do remember! The others brought you back to the ship, back to your old cabin.” He gestured around the room, and now her eyes began to take it in, too. It had been a while since she had been here, after her protracted stay at Sanctuary, but yes, this was her cabin—the one she’d been assigned after her initial arrival on the Nocturne, back when she hadn’t even known the ship’s name.

  She was propped up in the canopied bed, its wooden posts bearing intricate carvings. To her right was the small washroom with its china basin, a washcloth folded over its side. Her eyes continued to move around the room—to the chair, on which her clothes were neatly folded. Close by the chair was the desk. As usual, its surface was crowded with pens, pencils, ink, and notebooks, including the notebooks in which she had written down the crossing stories of the Vampirates she had met and talked to here and at Sanctuary. Beyond the desk was the lacquered chest of drawers painted with strange characters and bearing a silver hairbrush and mirror set. She remembered that mirror. The glass was missing from it.

  Grace seized Oskar’s hand. “How long did you say I’ve been here?” she asked once more, starting to wonder if everything had been a dream—Lorcan’s blindness, their trip to Sanctuary, the captain’s healing ceremony, her mother’s return, and everything after.

  “Five days,” Oskar said. “Ever since your mother passed on and you fainted in the churchyard. The captain and Mosh Zu brought you here. Lorcan carried you.”

  So it hadn’t been a dream. It had all happened. Why did it all seem so hazy to her?

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “Did you say you’ve visited me here before?”

  He nodded. “Every afternoon,” he said. “Lorcan and the captain told me it was okay. They thought you would like the company.”

  “I’m very grateful,” Grace said. “I really am. It’s just so strange that I can’t remember. It’s like everything since the churchyard has been lost. And everything that happened before is all jumbled. I’m having trouble telling what’s real and what’s my imagination.”

  Oskar addressed her in his most soothing tones. “Don’t beat yourself up about it, Grace. You’ve been through a lot in the past few weeks. It’s only natural that your body would react at some point. You’ve been under so much stress. There had to be some outlet for that.”

  Grace heard his words, processing them as though he was talking about somebody else. It made sense, though she hadn’t seen it that way from the inside. “I suppose you’re right,” she agreed. “Maybe I’ve been running on empty for a while, and it’s taken its toll on me. Maybe this is like a cold bug or the flu or something.”

  “Exactly,” Oskar said. “I’m sure it’s
nothing to worry about, anyhow. The most important thing is for you to rest up. You’ll feel better soon, I’m sure.”

  “Thank you,” she said.

  He grinned at her. There was a second knock at the door.

  “Come in,” Grace called.

  “Well, you sound better—” began Lorcan, entering the cabin. He broke off. “Oh,” he said, “Oskar. I didn’t know you’d be here.”

  “It’s okay, isn’t it?” Oskar asked. “You said it was all right for me to visit Grace, remember?”

  Lorcan looked remote for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. Yes, of course I remember. I just wasn’t expecting to see you right now, that’s all.” He paused. He seemed a little agitated.

  “Would you like me to leave you two alone?” Oskar asked him.

  Lorcan nodded. “If you wouldn’t mind,” he said.

  Oskar shook his head. “No, of course not. Besides, I have to go and get ready for the Feast tonight.”

  “Is it Feast Night, tonight?” Grace asked.

  They both nodded. This explained why Lorcan seemed so distracted. Like the other Vampirates, he was at his weakest just before the Feast. It was when his blood levels were at their lowest, and his energy along with them.

  “I’ll go and get ready,” Oskar said. He smiled at Grace. “But I’ll check in on you again tomorrow, all right?”

  “Yes, please,” she said, smiling up at him. “Thank you, by the way, for what you said. You’ve made me feel a lot better already.”

  “Good,” he said with a smile. Then he nodded at Lorcan and made his way to the door.

  “How are you feeling?” Lorcan asked Grace, sitting down where Oskar had sat before.

  “A bit strange, to be honest,” Grace said. “I can’t remember anything since I fainted in the churchyard. Oskar said that you carried me back here.”

  Lorcan nodded. “That’s right.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “One way or another, you always seem to be rescuing me.”