Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates by Bartlett, Gerry (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

I stayed out of the way as Colin and Willum got busy taking off the chains and dragging the dead man out of the room. When they returned, they attached the chains to McFee with enthusiasm while the new prisoner shook his head and seemed to come to his senses.

“What’s this?” McFee rubbed his eyes. “Where am I?”

Valdez stepped outside then came back with a pitcher of water and threw it in McFee’s face. “That should wake him. You know where you are, McFee, and you’d better answer Lord Campbell’s questions if you value your life.” He and Colin dragged the man to the stool and sat him roughly on it.

“Questions?” McFee moaned and gripped his head, leaning over. “You almost killed me. What did I do? Why are you treating me this way?” He retched. “I’m gonna be sick. My head!”

Colin ran out of the room and returned with a bowl. “Lose your supper in this, man. Then quit your moanin’. The master has questions for ye.” He shoved McFee’s legs apart and set the bowl on the floor on top of the chains.

We all waited. Was he going to be sick? Valdez offered to douse him with water again. That got McFee’s head up.

“I ain’t done nothin’. Why are you treating me this way? The traitor tried to kill the mistress. I hope I killed him. Did I? Is he dead?” He looked around the room. He pointed to the puddle of blood. “I got him good with that knife, didn’t I?”

“He’s dead all right.” Jeremiah stepped up to him. “And his last words named you. Why would he have your name in his head unless you helped him when he tried to kill Gloriana?”

“He’s a liar. I ain’t no traitor.” He looked at me. “I think you’re wonderful, Mistress Gloriana.” He gave me a smile that showed a missing front tooth. “Best shot with an arrow in the castle, ain’t ya?”

“Quit talking nonsense.” Jeremiah had had enough. He grabbed McFee’s face as he’d done the traitor and stared into his eyes. “He’s doing it too. Singing in his head. If we needed proof this man was in on the plot to kill you, Gloriana, this is it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What plot? What do you think I’m doing?” McFee rattled his chains, the ones on his hands and his feet. He kicked the bowl out of the way and it went spinning across the floor.

“The man lied if he said I knew what he was doing. I killed him for being a liar. You would do the same, your lordship.”

Jeremiah kept staring at him. “Why are you singing in your head, McFee? It’s an old tune, a child’s tune. And you are singing it over and over again. Who told you to do that?”

McFee looked down at his hands. “Happens I used to work for a family of vampires, sir. I know one when I see him. Sleeping all day, up at night. Word gets around about certain clans. The Campbells, the MacDonalds. There’s good money to be made if you’re willing to put up with their strange ways.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. People knew? Outside of the family compound? Jeremiah schooled his features, but I could see that this news bothered him. Now McFee had told about the singing to avoid having his mind read. Colin and Willum from Dollar stood next to the door, taking in the news. They would certainly remember every word and not hesitate to share it all.

“I’m sorry, yer lordship, but I learned long ago to keep my thoughts to myself. It’s a habit I won’t break. If I hang for it, so be it.” McFee stared down at the chains, tears running down his cheeks and into his long beard. “It’s been an honor to work for you and Mistress Gloriana. It truly has been.”

“Why would this traitor, this pirate who tried to kill the woman I love, call you out as the man who helped him?” Jeremiah picked up the hammer and tapped it into his own palm. He did it with a rhythm almost like a heartbeat. Tap, tap, tap. I couldn’t look away.

The woman he loved. He had announced it to the men in this room, to the world.

“Sire, yer lordship.” McFee sobbed and wiped his nose with a noisy rattle of those chains. “Believe me. I don’t know. I wouldn’t help such as him. I’m just a working man, doing what I’m told. I was sent up to the battlements last night. Mayhap I had a word and thought to jest with the man. But I didn’t know him as a pirate. We was watchin’ the two of ye shoot. I was tryin’ to get the man to lay down a bet.” He wiped his streaming nose on his sleeve again. Blood was matted in his beard. “I’d seen the lady shoot, ye see. I knew it was easy money.”

Jeremiah just watched him, his face so serious it gave me chills. Tap, tap, tap.

“He told me to sod off. Was unfriendly. So I walked on down a ways for a better view. Left him. I didn’t know he was going to pull out his gear and shoot at the lady.” He looked at me, more tears streaming down his face.

“I think you’re somethin’ special, mistress. Shootin’ like that. I was glad I kilt him just now. The man deserved to go straight to hell.” He sniffled and threw back his head, a sad sight with blood from his nose smeared across his face.

“I’m so glad you seem to have healed. ̕̕̕Tis a miracle.” His effort at looking proud of what he’d done impressed me.

“Thank you, McFee.” For some reason I believed him. The pirate had thought the only name he knew in an effort to take down someone with him. “I don’t suppose the man told you his name or anything about himself.”

“He was unfriendly, like I said.”