A Spell of Time (A Shade of Vampire #10)(18)

My throat was parched, my whole body trembling.

I lost track of time. I faded in and out of unconsciousness, my body being carried further and further out to sea. The water became colder and colder, indicating how much deeper I was being sucked. The ocean that had been my savior from the hunters was now my enemy. I didn’t know what nasty surprises it might hold within its depths. I just had to hope there were no sharks in these parts.

* * *

I woke up to the feeling of cords tightening around my body, restricting my breathing. I opened my eyes. I was surrounded by slimy brown rope, closing in around me and lifting me upward. I was too weak to struggle. My torn pants and seaweed slipped off me as I was pulled over a ledge and landed on a hard floor.

“Hey. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

I looked up to see a young man towering over me. A cigarette hanging from his mouth, he was dressed in faded dungarees stained with blood.

I was on a small boat. Nets of fish writhed on the front deck, an assortment of hooks and fishing equipment scattered about. Spotting the dark entrance of a cabin, I dove for shelter from the sun.

The young man followed me, leaning against the doorway. He grimaced as he looked at me.

“Sweet Jesus, you’re a mess. You’re lucky I found you. You wouldn’t have lasted much—”

My hunger took over. I launched for him, gripping his throat and pinning him to the ground. I tore through his jugular. My body heaved as I drained every last drop of blood from him. I gasped for breath, knocking him away from me and leaning back against the wall. I closed my eyes. His fresh hot blood felt like ecstasy flowing through my veins. The sensation drowned out my feeling of guilt.

I stood up and searched the boat. I found a small bathroom beneath deck. I looked in the mirror. I barely recognized myself. Every inch of my skin was covered in swollen sores and blisters. I trusted that the blood would speed up my recovery.

I sat back down, allowing myself a few more minutes’ rest as my body worked on healing itself. But then I got up. I had no idea how much time had passed since we’d been kidnapped by the hunters on the beach, but now that I was alone, I had to try to complete my mission no matter how doubtful I was about it being too late.

I hurried to the control room. My eyes rested on the electronic navigation device. I studied the map. I wasn’t as far away from The Shade as I’d feared I might be.

I examined the boat’s controls. It was a small vessel. I didn’t know how much fuel was left in it, but I had no choice but to attempt this now.

Chapter 14: Caleb

The vessel did end up running out of fuel, but thankfully I’d found a spare jerrycan below deck.

It was close to the early hours of the morning by the time I arrived outside the boundary of The Shade. The boat shuddered as I brushed against the boundary, sending papers and equipment flying everywhere.

I reached for the conch in my belt. Taking a deep breath, I blew into it. I wasn’t able to make out the sound, but if Mona was still on the island, she would hear it.

I waited. And waited. I blew the conch again.

After an hour of waiting, I thought she wasn’t going to turn up. Perhaps the spell had worn off the shell after all these years. Or she had come to the edge of the boundary, seen it was me, and returned, not being willing to give me the time of day. The possibilities were endless.

But then she appeared out of thin air on the deck a few feet away from me, a dressing gown wrapped around her body, her long blonde hair tied up in a bun. I realized how strange I looked wearing nothing but my underwear. At least my wounds had mostly healed by now.

“You?” Her eyes narrowed on me. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to make a trade with you. I have a piece of information that you need to know. In return you must answer a question.”

Her lips parted, her brows furrowing.

“You realize that I could blast you and this boat out of the water with a flick of my finger?”

I nodded, trying to keep my expression calm, even as urgency coursed through me.

“I don’t think you’ll want to do that until you’ve heard what I have to say.”

“What?”

“Once I’ve told you, you won’t be able to keep yourself from running off. I need you to answer my question first.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes darkening.

“Look, vampire. You’ve just woken me up, drawn me away from my bed—”

“As you did when you came to fetch me for Rose.”

“You’re in no position to be calling the shots. Tell me your information first, then we’ll see what question you have.”

I stood my ground.

“No. You answer first, or I’ll not tell you the information I came here with.”

She closed the distance between us, gripping my jaw.

“I could torture the information out of you,” she hissed. “You do realize that?”

I chuckled dryly. “I’m quite beyond responding to torture, believe me.”

She glared into my eyes for several more minutes. I returned her gaze steadily. Then, breathing out in frustration, she said, “Well, spit it out.”

“I believe you were inducted to become a Channeler. Correct?”

“Yes.”

“How did you… become one, without losing yourself in the process?”