Empire of Night Read online

  "I am a proud voyager of the night.

  No lesser, nor greater, than a being of the light.

  I will not hide in the shadows,

  For why should I hide?

  Nor shall I stalk the dark places,

  With the intention of striking fear into passing strangers.

  I will be moderate in my taking of blood,

  For blood is a gift above all worldly treasure.

  I give thanks for this gift.

  I embrace my immortality.

  I relish this journey through all eternity.

  No lesser, nor greater, than a being of the light.

  I am a proud voyager of the night."

  As he finished speaking, Mosh Zu paused for a moment, glancing left and right to survey his crew. Then he sat down. The music resumed, and the doors to the banquet

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  hall were thrown open again as the servers brought in vast platters loaded with food.

  Feast Night had begun.

  "Tut, tut! You haven't touched a thing!" Oskar chided Grace as the servers began clearing away the main course plates.

  Grace glanced down guiltily. Oskar was right. She had cut up her fish and pushed it around her plate, but very little had actually reached her mouth. "I'm not very hungry tonight," she said. "And there's such a lot of food!"

  "That's why it's called a feast," Oskar said, with feigned patience.

  Lorcan and Mosh Zu were deep in conversation. Grace leaned in toward Oskar. "I think it's because of the changes I'm going through. My hunger is very erratic. Sometimes it's really intense and urgent. Sometimes, like now, I have zero appetite." She paused, locking eyes with Oskar. "But my other hunger seems to be rising."

  Oskar nodded, unfazed. "Have you thought about getting your own donor? Or--how about this--why don't you share with me as well?" He smiled at her, invitingly. "I don't know why we didn't think of it before. Of course, you should share me!"

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  Grace surveyed Oskar's handsome, smiling face but shook her head. "It's very good of you to offer, Oskar, but I'm not ready. Besides, Mosh Zu tells me that I don't need to take blood. As a dhampir, I should be able to master my appetite, just as he and the captain have done."

  Oskar's face was etched with concern. "Are you sure you're not expecting too much of yourself, Grace? Setting yourself the same standards of discipline as the captain and Mosh Zu?"

  Grace shrugged. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "Sometimes, I don't have a clue who--or what--I am anymore."

  "Now, now," Oskar said. "No sad face! You look far too beautiful tonight to be sad." He glanced over as the servers reentered the room with platters of dessert. "Oh, goodie! Chocolate mousse. My favorite!"

  The thought of yet more food made Grace feel queasy. "I think I'll go to my cabin for a bit."

  As she stood up, Mosh Zu and Lorcan broke off their conversation and turned toward her.

  "Are you all right, Grace?" Lorcan asked, looking concerned.

  "Yes." She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm just feeling a bit tired and off-kilter. I think I should go to my cabin and lie down."

  Mosh Zu nodded.

  Lorcan rose to his feet. "I'll walk you there."

  "No." Grace shook her head. "I'll be fine on my own.

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  You stay here. I'll see you later." She turned to Mosh Zu. "I apologize for my bad manners," she said.

  Mosh Zu softly shook his head. "Go, Grace. You need your rest."

  Grace nodded and pushed her chair back under the table, making her way as discreetly as possible across the floor of the banquet hall. But there was no escaping the laserlike gaze of Darcy Flotsam, who glanced up at her questioningly from across the table. "I'm fine," Grace mouthed to her, before turning and exiting the room.

  Grace felt better as she climbed the steps up to the higher levels of the ship. She considered going out on deck to get some fresh air but decided that she really would be best off returning to her cabin. The ship was deserted--everyone was down in the banquet hall--and she made swift progress along its corridors, gratefully pushing open the door to her room.

  The first thing she saw on entering the cabin was the painting that now hung above her bed. The picture had been a gift from Lorcan. It depicted a young man and woman stretched out lazily on a ship's deck. This ship's deck. The couple's eyes were fixed on each other as they basked in the afternoon sun and the first flush of love. They exuded joy and optimism, but Grace knew this was deceptive. The two figures depicted were Grace's mother

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  and the man Grace had thought, until recently, was her father. It captured Sally and Dexter at the peak of their youth and happiness. Soon afterward, their lives had veered into dark water.

  Grace's eyes locked on the image of Dexter Tempest. He might not be her father by blood, but he would always be her dad.

  She turned away from the painting and approached the dressing table and the mirror that rested upon it. She looked into the glass, scrutinizing her reflection. In spite of all the changes she was going through, she didn't look obviously stressed or run-down. On the contrary, she looked rather pretty tonight. Indeed, as Oskar had noted, the latest dress borrowed from Darcy had brought out the subtle coloring of her eyes.

  Grace found herself gazing deep into her own reflected eyes, watching the green shift to blue like the ocean waters. Then, she felt an increasingly familiar sensation. It began as a certain queasiness but grew into a deep, gnawing hunger. A hunger not for food but for blood.

  As the coil of hunger ricocheted through her body, Grace kept her gaze locked on the mirror, observing herself with horrid fascination, as the familiar emerald green of her irises disappeared and was replaced by dancing orange fire.

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  5 THE HOMECOMING

  "I'm home!" A familiar voice reverberated around the bridge of The Blood Captain as the door was flung open.

  Jez Stukeley and Johnny Desperado, Sidorio's two ambitious lieutenants, scrambled to their feet to salute their returning captain as he strode inside to join them. They were somewhat surprised to find Sidorio dressed in a silver fox fur coat and matching hat. Ever since the Big Romance with Lady Lola Lockwood, the captain's dress-sense had taken a turn for the bizarre.

  "It's great to be back!" Sidorio declared, dropping two hefty suitcases on the floor and standing, hands on hips, grinning at his two deputies.

  "Nice hat, Captain!" Stukeley said. "I take it you didn't honeymoon in the tropics, then?"

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  "No, the Ukraine," Sidorio said, unbuttoning his coat. "Lola wanted a snow and ice vacation."

  "How... quirky," Stukeley mumbled while nodding agreeably.

  Sidorio shrugged off the coat and sent his hat flying through the air. It landed on a protruding part of the ship's steering kit.

  "How's tricks?" he inquired, rubbing his hands together briskly. "Anything crop up in my absence that I should know about? Anyone misbehaving? Tell me everything!"

  Johnny shook his head, exchanging glances with his comrade. "It's all been smooth sailing, hasn't it, Stuke?"

  Stukeley nodded, his hand resting possessively on the ship's wheel. "We've kept everything nicely under control, Captain."

  "Excellent work, lads," Sidorio said, marching over to the wheel and placing his own hands firmly on its circumference. "I knew I could depend on you both to take care of business for me." He grinned, surveying the vast hulk of the ship beneath him, and the thronging crew below. Then he shifted his bulk, with the result that Stukeley had no choice but to step aside and release his hand from the steering wheel. "I'm home now," Sidorio said, quietly but with unquestionable authority, "and things can get back to normal around here."

  Behind Sidorio's back, Stukeley grimaced at Johnny.

  Johnny knew how much his friend and comrade had relished taking command of the ship during the captain's

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  absence. Johnny had undeniably gotten a kick out of it, too--and there was no doubt
that the crew had been more organized under their command than had previously been the case. The question was, now that Sidorio was back at the helm, would things remain structured or would they slip back into the old chaos? It could go either way. It didn't matter so much to Johnny. He was more than capable of going with the flow. But he had lately detected a new drive and ambition in Stukeley's demeanor. He had known there would be tension upon the captain's return; he just hadn't expected it to surface quite so soon.

  Johnny racked his brains for a way to defuse the air of tension on the bridge. Suddenly he had an idea, and inquired of Sidorio, " Capitán , where is your lovely wife?"

  "Lola's on her ship," Sidorio said. He registered the surprise in his lieutenant's eyes and added, "She has her ship and I have mine . Just like before we were married."

  Now Stukeley's interest was also piqued. "So Lady Lola won't be coming to live with us here on The Blood Captain ?"

  "Not for the time being." Sidorio shook his head, then waved his hand as if swatting away a fly. "Let's not waste time discussing my domestic arrangements. I'm sure there are far more interesting things for us to talk about."

  "Sure," agreed Stukeley, exchanging a swift, surreptitious glance with Johnny. "Just so long as Lady Lola is

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  well and quite recovered from the horrendous attack at your wedding." Both lieutenants watched carefully for their boss's reaction. After all, it was Stukeley and Johnny who had instigated the "horrendous attack," though it had been inflicted by the pirates. Did Sidorio know or suspect the truth?

  If he did, he wasn't giving anything away--and subtlety had never been his strongest suit. He simply nodded amiably at Stukeley. "Lola's better than ever; thanks for asking. You'll see for yourselves, soon enough. She's invited you two over to The Vagabond tonight for Tiffin."

  " Tiffin ?" Stukeley's face was blank. "What on earth is that?"

  Sidorio shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine; I can't be expected to keep track of everything that goes on in that woman's head. All I know is you're due over there"--he glanced at the ship's clock--"oh, about ten minutes ago."

  Stukeley made no move to leave. Instead, he inquired casually, "Do you know why your wife wishes to see us?"

  Sidorio shook his head. "I suppose she wants to get to know you better. After all, you're working for her now, as well as me."

  "Working for her?!" This time, Stukeley couldn't keep the irritation out of his voice.

  "She's my wife," Sidorio roared, turning to face his deputies. "Lola and I run this empire together. You report to her now, as well as to me."

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  Stukeley struggled hard to contain his anger. Both Sidorio and Johnny watched as his face morphed through several contortions.

  Sidorio smiled, then broke into a grin and finally a fullbodied laugh. "Had you going, didn't I? Nothing's changed, you babbo ! I'm still the one in charge of everything . But I have a wife now, and I have to make her think things are different. It's the secret to a successful marriage."

  The relief was immediately evident on Stukeley's face.

  Sidorio shook his head and lifted his huge left arm, embracing his deputy with a hug. "Did you really think I was demoting you, compadre ? After everything we've been through together? You were my very first sire, remember? You'll always have a place right at the heart of my empire."

  He held Stukeley in something approximating a headlock, then hoisted his other arm and grabbed Johnny simultaneously. "You too, Stetson. You came to us later, but I knew you had leadership potential from the very first--like it was branded on your forehead." He chuckled. "No, nothing changes. You two are my compadri as well as my lieutenants, and that's exactly how it's going to stay. Don't you worry! Even after my son and daughter come to join us, there'll always be a place here for you both."

  Stukeley's face froze once more. " Your son and daughter? " he rasped.

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  Johnny looked equally dumbstruck.

  Sidorio released the two lads from his clutches and sent them both flying forward. They spun around to face the captain as he continued.

  "My son, Connor, and my daughter, Grace, will be joining us here soon. Well, actually Connor will bunk here with us and Grace will stay with Lola on board The Vagabond . We think it'll work best that way...."

  "Sorry," interrupted Stukeley, frowning as if in acute pain. "You're saying Connor is your son ?"

  Johnny faced Sidorio, his head tilting to one side. "Grace is your daughter ?"

  Stukeley raved on. "Connor Tempest? My old mate, Connor Tempest?"

  "Yes," Sidorio boomed. "Though, strictly speaking, his name is Connor Sidorio."

  "And Grace, too?" Johnny said as Sidorio nodded again. "But how?"

  "It's a long story," Sidorio said, closing his dark eyes momentarily, then opening them once more. "The twins' mother was a donor on board The Nocturne . My donor."

  "You've never mentioned this," Stukeley said, his mind whirring away furiously. "And you and Connor have had run-ins before. More than run-ins. He tried to kill you! And me too, come to think of it!"

  Sidorio nodded. "You speak the truth."

  "And Grace..." Johnny added, "she's not exactly your

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  number-one fan. She and I got pretty close during her stay at Sanctuary, and she confided in me a lot."

  Surprisingly, in the face of this flood of objections, Sidorio remained perfectly calm and spoke with equanimity. "No one's denying that we've had our differences in the past. That was before we all knew where we stood. What we are to one another."

  "Connor tried to set fire to us both!" Stukeley protested. "He succeeded in destroying three of our comrades. And he was the one who stabbed Lola... twice at the wedding. Captain, he sliced off your wife's head."

  Johnny couldn't look at Stukeley, but he marveled at his nerve. Yes, it was true Connor had stabbed Lola, but he'd been doing their bidding. They had made a pact with Connor's commander, Captain Cheng Li--the spunky young pirate who led the dedicated Vampirate assassination squad.

  Sidorio simply shrugged. "Every family goes through rough patches. Connor didn't know who or what he was then. Now he does--he is my son and heir. Grace is my daughter and my other heir, equally important. That's why we're inviting them to come and stay, so we can all get to know each other better. It was Lola's idea."

  "I'll bet," Stukeley muttered under his breath.

  "A family reunion," Johnny said, smiling guilelessly. A fresh thought occurred to him. "So, if Grace and Connor are your children, are they like us? Are they vampires?"

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  "No." It was Stukeley who answered the question. He was already ahead of his comrade. "They aren't vampires, they're dhampirs --half-mortal, half-vampire. Incredibly powerful beings."

  "What else would you expect?" Sidorio declared proudly. "Connor and Grace are my children--blood of my blood. You couldn't ask for more powerful genetics. And Lola will be their stepmother." His face lit up. "You know, I expect that's what she wants to talk to you about. Making the twins welcome, that kind of thing."

  "It will be good to see Grace again," Johnny said with a grin. "I always felt I had unfinished business with her."

  "Careful, Stetson," Sidorio said, giving him a swift clip around the ear. "That's my daughter you're talking about."

  "We'd better go," Stukeley said, ushering Johnny toward the door. "We shouldn't keep Lady Lola waiting any longer."

  Sidorio nodded. "Quite right," he said. "Enjoy your Tiffin, boys!"

  As his lieutenants departed, Sidorio turned and glanced back down at his ship, his nascent empire. He felt a rare excitement running through his veins. Times were changing. He had Lola at his side now, as well as his trusted lieutenants. Soon Connor and Grace would be here, too. And wait until he shared more of his and Lola's Grand Plan with Stukeley and Johnny. It would send their heads spinning!

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  6 TIFFIN

  Sidorio's two lieutenants were met on the deck of Th
e Vagabond by one of Lady Lola's officers. Zofia was an attractive, young-looking woman whom Stukeley remembered seeing, but not talking to, at Sidorio and Lola's wedding. He now took the opportunity to strike up friendly conversation, but she resisted his advances. Perhaps she was shy. She led the two lieutenants down the ship's main corridor, walking ahead of them until she came to a standstill in front of a cabin door. "The captain is waiting for you in here," she announced, knocking twice on the door.

  After a brief pause, the door opened and Lady Lola herself appeared on the threshold. Her face was bright. "Stukeley! Johnny! How lovely to see you both." She

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  kissed the air on either side of their cheeks, then ushered them inside.

  "Will that be all, Captain?" Lola's underling inquired.

  "Yes, thank you, Zofia. I'll be taking Tiffin with the boys now. I don't wish to be disturbed. You know how I hate Tiffin to be interrupted!"

  "Very good, Captain," answered Zofia, nodding and turning away.

  A fresh thought occurred to Lady Lockwood. "Zofia, dear, would you ask Mimma to come and see me later, before she goes off duty?"

  "Aye, aye, Captain." Zofia saluted Lady Lockwood, then exited the cabin, closing the door behind her.

  "Well, don't stand on ceremony, boys," Lady Lola said, beaming at Stukeley and Johnny. "Take a seat. Make yourselves comfortable. I've prepared some Tiffin for us."

  "What exactly is Tiffin?" Johnny asked, sitting on an antique love seat upholstered in silver velvet.

  "Tiffin is a term for a light meal or snack," Lola explained. "It originated at the time of the British rule in India." She held out a small silver platter. "Blood candy, Johnny? I think you'll find them absolutely delicious. It's my own recipe."