Page 5 of Across the Sapphire Sea
The stranger’s horse, a dappled-gray gelding, stomped as Elias approached. He knew better than to hesitate. He ignored the horse and its mysterious rider to hold out his wrists.
Maks bound them together and yanked the knot tight so the skin pinched. Elias held in a whimper though he couldn’t stop from flinching. Maks gave the rope a sharp tug. “Walk on.”
Elias felt the stranger’s eyes on his back as he followed behind the mare to the closest tree, but he dared not turn to look. He didn’t want to anyway. Not when the stranger was about to watch him be beaten. Then his voice, a resonant tenor, pierced the tense atmosphere.
“Let me do it.”
Elias’s head whipped around before he could think better of it, the words landing like a blow. The stranger stared right at him and tipped his head, flashing a predatory grin that said,why watch a man be beaten when you could do it yourself?
Maks, who rode ahead, had not seen their exchange. “By all means.”
The stranger winked.
Elias’s jaw dropped along with his stomach. He cast his gaze downward, struggling to swallow both disappointment and the mounting terror of the lash’s sting on his flesh. He didn’t know what he’d expected from the stranger, but it wasn’t this.
Maks dismounted and dragged Elias to the tree. He threw the loose end of the rope over a low sturdy branch and tugged until Elias’s hands were pulled high overhead and he had to stand on his toes. His panting breaths grew erratic as his threadbare shirt was ripped from his back. A cool breeze teased the sensitive skin along his spine, already striped with the scars of previous punishments.
Five lashes. He could take five lashes. Vowing not to cry out, Elias grit his teeth.
Maks took the whip from his belt. The leather uncurled to its full, intimidating length, the end dragging in the ashen soil.
Elias watched while Maks’s back was turned. The stranger landed neatly on two feet, clucked to his horse and patted his rump, sending the big animal sauntering away.
Maks handed the weapon over. “Don’t go easy on him or he’ll never learn.”
The stranger arched his brows. “Is that so?” He took the whip and gave it an experimental crack. Though Elias had seen it coming, the resounding boom startled a twitch out of him. The stranger caught his gaze. “You’re familiar with this punishment?”
Elias was too smart to answer, but he refused to avert his eyes. He doubted the stranger wanted to hear from him anyway. Probably preferred the sound of his own voice. Just like Maks.
“This one needs to be reminded often,” Maks grunted.
“Does he?” The stranger prowled closer, a sway to his step that brought to mind something feline. He strutted a slow circle around Elias, whistling when he saw the mess previous whippings had made of his back. “Ah, this won’t be his first time. Pity.”
Elias felt the man draw close, a solid presence behind him radiating power. Breath ghosted against the shell of his ear. Fingertips tickled his naked spine. Elias stayed perfectly still, his heartbeat thundering in his chest.
Then, quietly, for Elias’s ears alone, the stranger whispered, “I’d have liked to have been your first.”
2
Elias, Present, 1432 Common Era
Bored, sick, and feeling abandoned, Elias had waited hours for Valeri to return to their cabin. The seasickness abated somewhat when he stayed below deck, so at least he had that small comfort. He felt marginally better when Valeri came to retrieve him to convene with the others.
They met, all six of them, in the kitchen galley while most of the crew slept.
“I’ll guard you during the day,” said Aella, the only one of their number who wasn’t a vampire and could therefore be above deck during sunlight. “The captain has been well paid not to ask questions about the odd hours his passengers keep.”
Laurence gave a nod. “Thank you. If you hear any rumblings among the crew, let me know. Seafarers are a suspicious lot. Rather they think us rich and eccentric than something supernatural.”
“Won’t they wonder about the donors?” asked Remy.
Because Elias and Remy were new to the blood, they’d had to bring four willing human donors from Bran Vigny along on the journey. Young vampires had to feed often, and there weren’t a lot of options when stuck on a ship for two weeks.
“No,” said Aella. “The donors wear fine clothes and jewels. They were well instructed on how to blend in. As far as the crew are concerned, we’re all wealthy merchants crossing the Baltic to strike favorable trade arrangements.”
Elias’s gaze flicked from Aella to Ash. The elder vampire’s cool blue eyes focused intently on the redheaded witch. She noticed Ash watching, and color crept into her cheeks. Aella spoke directly to him. “Can you think of anything else we need to discuss?”
If Ash intended to say something, they’d never know because Valeri spoke up instead. “We ought to use magic to sail faster. The sooner we get to Kemi, the better.”
