Read Online Vampirates 5: Empire of Night by Justin Somper - Free Book Online
Authors: Justin Somper
Tags: Fiction, General, Action & Adventure, Horror, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Brothers and sisters, Twins, Vampires, Horror & Ghost Stories, Pirates, Seafaring life
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the heart. Did the others have any sense of his discomfort? Apparently not.
Bart's eyes were sad and empty, while Jacoby's were as wide as portholes as he questioned Bart further. "Your old friend Jez is working for Sidorio, King of the Vampirates?!"
Once more, Connor felt a stab in the heart. Yes , he thought. King of the Vampirates and, by the way, my father .
"Well," Jacoby breezed on. "Look on the bright side... at least he's not dead... only resting." His attempt at humor was lost on the others.
Bart shook his head. "There's no bright side, mate. Jez is worse than dead."
Connor turned to Bart, his heart racing. Before he knew it, he had opened his mouth and was asking Bart a question--a question he felt compelled to ask even though he was far from sure he was ready to hear the answer. "Do you really think that? That it's worse to be a vampire than to be dead?"
"You saw what he was like, Connor, when he came to us and asked for our help. He was tormented. Every day, every night of his life --for want of a better term--is torture now. If he was dead, he'd be at peace. He was a
79
good and honorable man. He deserved the right, true end to a noble life. That... monster Sidorio denied him that."
Connor shivered at the word monster , for if it applied to Sidorio, then it certainly applied to Connor himself. Bart didn't yet know that Sidorio was Connor's true father. Nor did he know that Connor was a dhampir and therefore half-vampire. But Bart's impassioned words left Connor in no doubt. If he had known, he'd have turned those same heartbroken eyes on Connor and pitied him for a fate worse than death. Connor felt queasy at the thought, and queasier still at the fact that he was keeping such a big a secret from so close a friend.
Jacoby pressed on, oblivious to Connor's meltdown. "Suppose it had been you, Bart? You, instead of Jez, killed in that duel. Would you really prefer to be dead and buried than brought back from the edge--to walk and talk and sail the oceans again?"
"Absolutely!" Bart said, smashing his fist down into the palm of his other hand. "I told you before. A short life but a merry one. That's what I signed up for." His eyes blazed with fire as he gazed at his comrades. "When I die, bury me deep as hell where no vampire can dig me up and have me join his crew. Deal?"
No one answered.
Bart's eyes scanned the group. "I asked you all a question. Do we have a deal?"
"Yes," Connor said, his voice overlapping with those of
80
his comrades. He felt really sick now, and intensely claustrophobic. He had to get out of the tavern, away from this conversation. He couldn't stand it a moment longer.
As Cate reached out a soothing hand to Bart, Connor was quick to seize his opportunity. "I'm not feeling so good," he mumbled to Bo Yin. "I need some air."
"I'll come with you, Connor Tempest," Bo Yin said, her face etched with concern. But Connor shook his head and held up a hand to deter her.
He strode away from the group and made his way toward the back of the saloon. The back door was ajar, and Connor slipped outside.
He found himself on a small beach, strewn with litter from the tavern. Waves lapped, like whispers, against the sand.
Connor breathed in the night air. He kicked off his shoes and socks and rolled up the bottom of his pants. Weaving his way through the debris, he walked out into the water. The first caress of the cool liquid around his ankles was instantly soothing. He closed his eyes and willed the toxic thoughts raging in his brain to drain out into the waves and be carried away on the tide.
When he opened his eyes again, he felt momentarily dizzy. The sea below and the stars above seemed to be sliding toward each other. He had lost his footing and prepared himself for an imminent dunk in the cold, oily water. But somehow he remained upright, suspended in midair. It took him a moment or two to come to his senses.
81
Glancing down, he saw that a pair of pale hands had reached out to steady
Bart's eyes were sad and empty, while Jacoby's were as wide as portholes as he questioned Bart further. "Your old friend Jez is working for Sidorio, King of the Vampirates?!"
Once more, Connor felt a stab in the heart. Yes , he thought. King of the Vampirates and, by the way, my father .
"Well," Jacoby breezed on. "Look on the bright side... at least he's not dead... only resting." His attempt at humor was lost on the others.
Bart shook his head. "There's no bright side, mate. Jez is worse than dead."
Connor turned to Bart, his heart racing. Before he knew it, he had opened his mouth and was asking Bart a question--a question he felt compelled to ask even though he was far from sure he was ready to hear the answer. "Do you really think that? That it's worse to be a vampire than to be dead?"
"You saw what he was like, Connor, when he came to us and asked for our help. He was tormented. Every day, every night of his life --for want of a better term--is torture now. If he was dead, he'd be at peace. He was a
79
good and honorable man. He deserved the right, true end to a noble life. That... monster Sidorio denied him that."
Connor shivered at the word monster , for if it applied to Sidorio, then it certainly applied to Connor himself. Bart didn't yet know that Sidorio was Connor's true father. Nor did he know that Connor was a dhampir and therefore half-vampire. But Bart's impassioned words left Connor in no doubt. If he had known, he'd have turned those same heartbroken eyes on Connor and pitied him for a fate worse than death. Connor felt queasy at the thought, and queasier still at the fact that he was keeping such a big a secret from so close a friend.
Jacoby pressed on, oblivious to Connor's meltdown. "Suppose it had been you, Bart? You, instead of Jez, killed in that duel. Would you really prefer to be dead and buried than brought back from the edge--to walk and talk and sail the oceans again?"
"Absolutely!" Bart said, smashing his fist down into the palm of his other hand. "I told you before. A short life but a merry one. That's what I signed up for." His eyes blazed with fire as he gazed at his comrades. "When I die, bury me deep as hell where no vampire can dig me up and have me join his crew. Deal?"
No one answered.
Bart's eyes scanned the group. "I asked you all a question. Do we have a deal?"
"Yes," Connor said, his voice overlapping with those of
80
his comrades. He felt really sick now, and intensely claustrophobic. He had to get out of the tavern, away from this conversation. He couldn't stand it a moment longer.
As Cate reached out a soothing hand to Bart, Connor was quick to seize his opportunity. "I'm not feeling so good," he mumbled to Bo Yin. "I need some air."
"I'll come with you, Connor Tempest," Bo Yin said, her face etched with concern. But Connor shook his head and held up a hand to deter her.
He strode away from the group and made his way toward the back of the saloon. The back door was ajar, and Connor slipped outside.
He found himself on a small beach, strewn with litter from the tavern. Waves lapped, like whispers, against the sand.
Connor breathed in the night air. He kicked off his shoes and socks and rolled up the bottom of his pants. Weaving his way through the debris, he walked out into the water. The first caress of the cool liquid around his ankles was instantly soothing. He closed his eyes and willed the toxic thoughts raging in his brain to drain out into the waves and be carried away on the tide.
When he opened his eyes again, he felt momentarily dizzy. The sea below and the stars above seemed to be sliding toward each other. He had lost his footing and prepared himself for an imminent dunk in the cold, oily water. But somehow he remained upright, suspended in midair. It took him a moment or two to come to his senses.
81
Glancing down, he saw that a pair of pale hands had reached out to steady
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