Phearson hid in the dark as the two men grunted while they dragged Pierce’s carcass down the cobblestone street toward the Savannah River.
“This is the sixth one this week,” one of them said.
“Savannah will be cleared of the vermin and safe for god-fearing folk.”
“Pierce’s wife will now be more amenable to me.”
“DiSanti, you have a fiancée.”
“Who is as ugly as a horse’s ass. If it weren’t for her money, I wouldn’t even consider it. Besides, any woman who offers herself to a vampire is a whore.”
Blinding fury surged through Phearson’s veins. He wanted Rosalind–if she became his sweetheart that didn’t make her a whore or fair game. He narrowed his eyes. Disanti would regret those words.
The other scoffed. “If you would curb your gambling–”
“Don’t lecture me. You’re no better than I am.”
“Except I am not forcing myself on a lady.”
“If she were a lady, she’d not have been married to a vampire. She’s a whore, soon to be my whore.”
Both men chuckled.
Enough! He would not allow another woman, especially Rosalind, to fall victim to DiSanti. Palmer was like DiSanti and sickened Phearson with how he treated female captives, especially the undine Angelica. The thought of Rosalind enduring DiSanti’s unwelcome advances unleashed his possessiveness. DiSanti would soon meet Lucifer in hell.
Pierce hadn’t been vicious and reminded him of the vampires on board the Soaring Phoenix. Unlike him and his crew, they didn’t kill their victims. Palmer thought this was a weakness and declared anyone who left a victim alive would lose his head.
Phearson had followed Palmer’s order. He was quite attached to his head.
He followed the men down to the river and waited for them to dump the head and the body.
The fools had picked the wrong vampire. The men congratulated themselves and got back onto their horses. Phearson had sized them up and had decided the two smaller, hooded men would be easier prey.
He drew on his vampire powers and transformed into a bat. Bones and muscles constricted and shrunk. It was as easy as changing clothes. He was three times the size and as strong as an eagle. His wings spread out two feet on each side, and his talons were as sharp as daggers. He flew after them and knocked one off his horse.
DiSanti screamed.
His partner turned around. “DiSanti, what––”
But he didn’t get a chance to answer. Phearson slammed into him, and he fell head over heels over the back of his horse. They both stumbled to their feet while their horses whinnied and ran off.
They fumbled to pull out their pistols, but Phearson was faster than a human. He soared back down and tore their flesh. They both grabbed their wrists and howled with pain.
“’Tis a vampire!” Their eyes wide, they both cried out.
He attacked DiSanti and dug his talons into his shoulder. He loathed men who preyed on innocent women. On board the Fiery Damsel, he’d never raped or brutalized a woman. He might be a pirate, but he did have some honor.
DiSanti slapped at his body, but ’twas useless. Phearson sunk his fangs into the man’s thick neck and sucked his warm blood.
“Matthews, help me!” DiSanti yelled as he pushed on Phearson’s body.
“I have blessed salt water, you devil.” Matthews’s voice shook.
Phearson released DiSanti, who dropped to his knees. He changed back into a man just as Matthews rushed him. Phearson easily stepped out of his way.
Matthews tripped over DiSanti, and they tumbled into a giant mess of cloaks, arms, and limbs.
Phearson waited patiently for them to untangle themselves.
Matthews helped DiSanti stand. He glared as his friend leaned against him. Matthews’s cloak had fallen off his head to reveal a young man of twenty. “Who are you? And how dare you attack us? Do you know who we are?”
“Aye, I do. Two righteous fools who killed an innocent man.”
“He was a vampire!”
Hate dripped from Matthews’s quaking voice.
Phearson narrowed his eyes. “He was. But he told you he left his victims alive.”
DiSanti looked up as blood gushed down his shirt. “’Twas a lie.” He was gasping for breath and would die soon. But Phearson didn’t pity him. Unlike Pierce, he deserved to die.
“Ye obviously dona know much about vampires, do ye?” Phearson approached them, enjoying the fear in their eyes.
Matthews dragged DiSanti, looking around wildly for help. “Leave us alone. Or…or we will hunt you down.”
Phearson laughed. “I dona think so. Yer all alone and not so brave when yer facin’ a powerful vampire.”
DiSanti clasped his hand over his neck, and stared at his blood. “You said vampires don’t kill their victims.”
“I said Pierce and his kind dona kill their victims. I never said that was true with me. Now, I’ll give you a choice. One of ye will die; the other will live. The choice is yers.”
Matthews threw DiSanti at Phearson, then turned and ran like a yellow-bellied codfish.
“No!” DiSanti looked back at Matthews in utter shock.
Phearson wasn’t surprised that Matthews would sacrifice DiSanti to save his own worthless hide.
Phearson finished draining DiSanti, ignoring his pitiful pleas, just like he had with Pierce. Blood flowed through Phearson’s veins, increasing his power, and his fury.
Matthews screamed and ran down the street, trying to open locked warehouse doors. Phearson dropped DiSanti’s lifeless body. Rosalind was safe from him, but what about the others? He rushed after Matthews. He grabbed his arm.
“Please don’t kill me.”
Phearson shook him. “Then take me to Pierce’s home.”
“What? Why?”
Phearson opened his mouth to reveal his fangs.
Matthews turned his head. “Please, please. I’ll take you.”
Phearson forced Matthews to retrieve DiSanti’s overstuffed coin purse, then Roger led him down the twisted cobbled streets to a small house. They hid in the shadows. The light shone inside, and a young blond woman paced back and forth. She held a baby in her arms.
He shoved Matthews. “Who is she?”’
Matthews banged into a tree. “Pierce’s wife. She’s not a vampire. We let her and the child live.”
Phearson’s chest tightened. What if they tried to hurt Rosalind because of him? He couldn’t let this happen. Now, poor Pierce’s woman would be forced into a dire situation thanks to these vile men.
“How noble of ye. Now, put DiSanti’s and your purse onto the grass.”
Matthews shoved his shaking his hands beneath his robe and threw them as if they were on fire.
“Your watch, too.”
Tears flicked in Matthews’s eyes. “I have a wife and a child, too.”
Phearson grabbed his robe and lifted the man off the ground. “Then ye should have thought about that before ye slaughtered an innocent man. I have a message for the Twelve. Tell them there is a new vampire–Captain Fear. And I have no fear of ye. If anything happens to her, I’ll come looking for ye. There’s nowhere ye’d be able to hide that I couldn’t find ye. D’ye understand me?”
Matthews’s lower lip trembled. “Yes, yes. I promise nothing will happen to her.”
He slapped Matthews hard across the head, knocking him out. He dropped him on the ground, then gathered the coins, along with DiSanti’s. Staying to the shadows and out of the light, he quietly slid them inside the door.
He didn’t know the poor woman’s name, but he’d keep an eye on her. He’d been unable to save Pierce, but he’d watch over his wife and child.
He’d never killed over a woman before, and didn’t regret killing DiSanti, but there was something about Rosalind that ignited a possessiveness inside him that was so strong, it scared him. If the Pious Twelve came near her or Rosalind, he’d rip out their black hearts.