Page 68 of Voyage of Death and Desire

I catch a glimpse of movement behind her, and my heart stops.

“Call them off,” I warn for the second time.

Kragen clasps his hands together. “It’s out of my control.”

Leaping from the deck of the ship, I land in front of Brittney’s dirt-covered minivan.

“Elsbeth, how…how did you do that? Did you just jump from the ship?”

“Brittney, you have to leave, now!” I demand. “Don’t stop for any reason. Do you understand?”

One of Kragen’s men moves behind her at vampire speed, teeth bared. I slam into him before he reaches her, pushing him into the trunk of a heavy oak tree. Her scream pierces the air. “What is that?” she starts.

“Go, now!” The vampire in my arms is fighting against me. He’s transformed into a monster, losing all aspects of his humanness.

Brittney doesn’t hesitate. She’s inside the van with tires spinning within seconds. The moment the van is out of sight, I grab the vampire’s head, ripping it from his torso. He collapses in a thud.

“Bravo, my dear,” Kragen says from the deck after watching the spectacle I put on. “It seems I underestimated you through the years. Think of all the entertainment I’ve missed.”

“Tell your men to back off,” I warn, ignoring his attempt at humor.

“What would be the fun in that?”

“Tell them,” I repeat. “I will kill them all.”

“Oh, very well. Leave the woman alone.” His words are no louder than normal speech, but I know without asking, they will follow orders. “Come back to the ship, my dear. I have something for you.”

I could run. I could be back in Charleston in a matter of hours, but I know from experience, Kragen will not leave me alone. Especially now that he finds me…interesting. I jump back to the ship and to the side of my captor. A vampire I don’t recognize comes from below deck. He stands in front of me, holding a large white box.

“This is for you,” Kragen says as the young vampire pushes the box toward me. Sliding the top off, I’m not surprised to find a wedding dress neatly folded inside.

The young man sets the box on the floor and lifts the dress in front of me. “This will look perfect on you. The color will be perfect with your chestnut hair.” The style of the dress reminds me of my youth. Ivory silk taffeta, covered in ruffles and lace, would’ve been perfect three hundred years ago for the wedding I was never allowed to have.

“It’s lovely. Thank you.”

“I’m pleased you like it. The wedding will take place before the games begin.” Kragen turns to the young man. “See that she’s ready by then.”

“Today? You said the wedding was Friday.”

“Did I? Seems I had my days wrong.” He turns, leaving the two of us alone on the deck.

The young vampire throws the dress over his shoulder, looking me up and down. “Seems we have some work to do. Your hair is beautiful, but that style will never do.” He claps loudly. “Let’s go.”

I subconsciously run a hand through what’s left of my braid. “What time will the games begin?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Whenever Kragen decides for them to begin but usually around sunset. The setting sun gives a certain ambiance to the hunt.” He grabs my hand, pulling me into the captain’s quarters. “Have a seat. I have my work cut out for me.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Gordon, and I am your personal stylist for the day. Think of me as your vampire bestie.” He smiles, filling me with dread.

Is this guy for real? “Nothing personal, Gordon, but I’m not interested in having a vampire bestie.”

“Then I hope you’re prepared to deal with the wrath of Kragen because I’m not. Now, sit down, and let’s do something to keep him happy. Shall we?”

I’m older and stronger than Gordon and could easily overpower him. Instead of fighting, I choose to follow directions. Maybe he’ll have information that will help free the humans.

He pulls out my braid, setting my dark curls free. They hang halfway down my back. “Damn, girl. Your hairisbeautiful. Why did you keep it hidden in that braid?” He pulls a bag of goodies out of nowhere andbegins brushing through the curls, finding every tangle along the way.

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