Page 9 of Across the Sapphire Sea
Elias, Present, 1432 Common Era
Valeri’s stirring woke Elias from his slumber, but he pretended to stay asleep as his lover carefully inched out of the bed. Valeri’s age allowed him to get up sooner and stay awake later than Elias, who had to hide from even the dimmest of the sun’s rays.
Elias secretly loved this ritual and stayed perfectly still so as not to ruin it. He had a feeling that if Valeri knew he was awake, he wouldn’t do these little things Elias cherished.
Once out of bed, Valeri gently tucked Elias back in, arranging the covers just so, making sure to shield him from the cabin’s chill. Then he bent over and pressed a soft kiss to Elias’s forehead before dressing and leaving the room.
After he’d gone, Elias stretched and rolled over onto Valeri’s pillow. He took a deep whiff of Valeri’s lingering scent. He adored that smell. Then he closed his eyes and promptly fell back to sleep.
When the rocking of the boat woke him later, Elias knew instinctively the sun had retreated far enough for him to rise. Already his stomach protested the movement, but once he’d fed he could go up to the main deck. Perhaps fresh air would help him feel better.
Elias dressed and departed his cabin to visit the four humans they’d brought along for himself and Remy. A young vampire’s thirst for blood hit hardest first thing in the evening.
The men and women of Bran Vigny’s donor pool were well treated. When not stuck on a ship in the middle of the Baltic, they were free to come and go as they pleased, free to live their own lives, and given all the support required to do so.
In exchange, they provided safe meals for the fledglings who needed frequent feedings. Elias had great appreciation for this system. Unlike Valeri, he didn’t take joy in hunting for his food; he much preferred willing people who knew what to expect over strangers he had to lull into a hazed stupor.
Knocking upon their cabin door, Elias waited until he heard a woman’s voice call, “Come in,” before he entered.
This cabin was larger than the glorified closet he and Valeri shared, with two sets of bunks, a table big enough for a card game, four chairs and even a small round window that would let in natural light during the day.
Aside from the two men, Mir and Rasz, and the two women, Bruneta and Damra, Remy was also present. Just finishing up, apparently. He still had an arm around Rasz’s slender shoulders, and the man looked pleasantly drunk.
Elias bowed his head in greeting. “Good evening.”
Remy stood, a kind smile on his lips. “Hello, Elias.”
“Remy.” Elias returned the smile. He wished Valeri hadn’t asked him to stay away from this vampire. He’d very much like another fledgling for a friend. “Could I ask you a favor?”
“Certainly.”
Rasz had shaken off the dazed sensation most humans experienced when feeding a vampire. He buttoned up his collar and took the mug of warm broth Bruneta offered.
“Have a seat.” Damra offered her own chair and went to sit on one of the low bunks instead.
“Thank you.” Elias took the chair as Remy reclaimed his spot next to Rasz.
“What can I do for you?” asked Remy, his expression open. His eyes glowed gold after the recent infusion of blood. The phenomenon was unlike anything Elias had ever seen. Spectacular.
“I’d appreciate if we kept this between us,” said Elias in a room full of five other people, knowing the request was hopeless.
Remy considered, probably thinking the same thing. “All right.”
Out with it.Just get it over with. “Valeri’s jealousy is easily provoked. He doesn’t like me to drink from male donors.” Elias cast an apologetic glance to Rasz and Mir. “It’s nothing personal, just my life is easier when I don’t poke the sleeping bear. Meaning, I’ll only be drinking from Bruneta and Damra if that’s all right. To ensure they aren’t overused, would you mind mostly feeding from Rasz and Mir?” It was embarrassing to even have to ask, but if he could work this out, the hassle would be worth the effort.
“Of course,” said Remy, his tone laced with concern, then softly, “Are you all right? Are you safe with him?”
Elias hurried to nod. “Oh, yes, perfectly safe. I didn’t mean to imply he’d hurt me. He wouldn’t. He’s just…a lot sometimes.”
“If you need anything—”
“No, thank you, I’m fine. I promise.”
Remy’s intense gaze searched his features. Elias tried to reflect only calm and gratitude, but underneath the facade, he’d become frazzled.
“You know what?” said Remy brightly, changing the tone of the room with his beaming smile. “My friend Clara sent me with loads of reading material. I have bundles of pamphlets and a few books. She thought two weeks on a ship would certainly be boring. Shall we search through them later? You could borrow one, and I’ll bring several to leave in your care,” he said, gesturing to the small group of humans.
“That would be lovely,” Damra chimed in. “We’d be delighted with a new story to read.”
