A Turn of Tides (A Shade of Vampire #13)(7)

I heard the sound of rummaging and then the clinking of keys.

He returned and, sliding the key into the locks on either side of my wrists, gripped me by the collar and pulled me to a standing position.

He placed an arm around my waist for support.

I gripped his shoulder as he leapt upward with me.

Even in my weakened state, it wasn’t hard for my body to make the jump.

We found ourselves on the roof of the treehouse, overlooking a dense mass of trees.

He paused, pointing down at the ground where his five companions waited with the three hunters.

We leapt down and I was relieved when we began running forward.

The sun was much less vivid down here, the dense leaves blocking out almost everything but a small trickle of sunshine.

We all kept stride with one another as we rushed through the trees.

These must be vampires.

I tried not to look at the blood dripping from the human being carried by the vampire directly in front of me.

It was all I could do to not stop and start licking it off the ground.

It wasn’t long until we neared the shore.

We stopped just as the ocean came into view, so as to remain in the shade of the trees lining the beach.

As we all pulled to a stop, I stared at the six masked men again and repeated my question.

“Who are you?” The vampire nearest to me removed his mask.

He had long brown hair tied up in a bun at the back of his head, a square jaw and sharp blue eyes.

“Jeramiah Stone.” He looked me over with suspicion.

“Who are you?” “Joseph Brunson,” I replied, lying with as little hesitation as I could manage.

It was the first name that popped into my head—the name of a friend I’d met through summer camp a few years ago.

The vampire standing to my left removed his mask, revealing cropped blond hair and brown eyes.

“Michael Gallow,” he said.

“Where are you from, Joseph? What got you caught up with the hunters?” As Michael removed his disguise, the other five followed suit.

That was when I realized that two of them were female.

“I escaped from an island governed by the black witches,” I lied.

“I was part of Caleb Achilles’ clan.” Jeramiah’s and Michael’s eyes narrowed on me.

“How could you escape?” Jeramiah asked.

“Wasn’t a binding spell cast upon you like the rest of them?” “Indeed, one was.

But I was to be transferred from Caleb’s to Stellan’s island.

It was lifted temporarily.

I took the chance to escape during transit.

Because once I reached the island I’d never have another chance.” “How did you get here?” “I leapt into the waters, managed eventually to get pulled up onto a boat, and ended up here.

I got picked up by the hunters.” “So you’re a rogue,” Jeramiah concluded, looking at me steadily, a look of interest in his eyes.

“Yes,” I replied.

“This forest,” a black-haired female muttered.

“Why here of all places? You know about the gate?” I stared at her and nodded.

“I stole a look at a map in the witch’s study during my stay there.

Since I had nowhere else to go and I was in the area, I was curious to check it out.” My voice trailed off.

The map.

I instinctively reached into my pocket where I had put it.

It was gone.

Damn.

“A map, huh?” Jeramiah said, his eyes sparking with interest.

“Do you still have it on you?” I shook my head, scowling.

“They must have taken it from me.” A breeze blew against me, carrying a strong whiff of the humans’ blood.

My stomach lurched.

I gripped hold of a tree branch, trying to ground myself as I felt myself beginning to lose control again.

I needed something to distract myself with desperately.

I forced my eyes back to Jeramiah.

Eager to divert questions away from myself, I asked again, “Who are you?” The vampires exchanged glances among themselves.

Jeramiah was the one to respond.

“We’re rogues too, so to speak,” he said.

“Where are you from?” “We don’t go giving out that information to strangers.” “Well, what are you doing here?” Jeramiah nudged the human at his feet.

“Revenge.

This particular group of hunters has caused us some trouble recently.

Besides, we can always do with a top-up of human blood.” “Thank you for saving me,” I said.

Jeramiah nodded.

“We were there anyway.

It wasn’t a lot of extra hassle to bring you along.” The other vampires were beginning to shuffle their feet impatiently.

“Let’s go, Jeramiah,” Michael said, gripping his shoulder.

“Wait,” Jeramiah said, shrugging aside the blond.

He took a step closer to me, studying my face intently.

He stared into my eyes.

“You’re newly turned, aren’t you?” I was taken aback.

I’d thought I was doing a decent job of concealing my bloodlust.

I didn’t know how he’d guessed.

I thought it was best not to deny it, since he seemed so certain, so I nodded.