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

let the water run down my body. The horror of how close I’d come to evil hit me. I sobbed, biting down on my knuckles.

“Damn you, I can’t stay angry when you do that and you know it.” He stepped closer.

“No, stop.” I choked that out while I grabbed the pitcher of water I’d placed on the stool beside the tub. “I, I have to rinse.” I sobbed again but closed my eyes then dumped the cold water over my head, ridding myself of the last vestiges of evil. I hoped so anyway. Was it truly gone?

My hand was shaking when I set the empty pitcher back on the stool and stepped out of the tub. Shivering, I reached for a drying cloth.

“Gloriana.” Jeremiah gently wrapped me in the cloth and held me close, his chin resting on top of my head. “I’m sorry you suffered.” He felt warm against my cold body. Stroking me while he tried to soothe my fears away, he held me until I stopped shivering.

“Come, let me carry you to our bed.”

I couldn’t speak, just nodded. He picked me up, careful to keep me well covered, and called for Valdez to open the door. Then he walked down the steps, past at least three guards and a curious Lady Anne, down the steps to our bedchamber.

“Is Gloriana all right?” Lady Anne asked before Jeremiah could take me inside. “Mercy wouldn’t tell me anything, just said she’d had a fright.”

“She did. Now she needs to rest.” He nodded and Valdez opened our door. “Gloriana? Are you all right?” He had learned to let me speak for myself. I counted that as a minor miracle.

“I will be after I’ve rested. Just a little bruised in body and spirit.” I saw Captain Burnett standing behind Anne. “I will see you tomorrow night at your wedding. Is all ready for it?”

“Yes.” Anne turned to her captain. “The bishop arrived tonight. We are meeting with him in a little while.” She tried to look worried for me but couldn’t hide her smile. “Thank you again, Lord Campbell, for your help with Clyne.”

“Don’t speak of it. Truly. Now I must get Gloriana to bed.” Jeremiah frowned down at me. “She went to see that damned witch tonight and had the scare of her life. I hope we can all agree that such visits are not advisable.”

Anne gasped. “Gloriana! I will pray for you. Please don’t go there again. I have promised Malcolm I am done with such foolishness.”

“Not so much foolishness as danger.” Malcolm put his arm around Anne. “Look at Mistress Gloriana. She is pale and her cheek is bruised. I would like to see all witches sent to Edinburgh for trial. I believe the king shares my view. Hanging or the stake. That’s what they deserve.”

“Jeremiah, I am so tired.” I wiggled in his arms. I’d heard enough. This condemnation of witchcraft was a common sentiment in Scotland and England. Captain Burnett was right about one thing. The king had promised church leaders to do something about what they saw as the spread of evil across the land. It didn’t matter if the witch did good, helping her village with her healing skills. It seemed many feared what they didn’t understand so they decided to rid themselves of it.

I’d heard there were many witches already languishing in the Edinburgh dungeon. Soon there would be a mob after Helen if word leaked that I’d come out of her hut hurt and upset. And if those people realized vampires lived among them? I shivered. The witch hunt could spread to include anyone who was different or who had an unusual talent.

“Excuse us.” Jeremiah carried me inside. “I can read you easily, Gloriana. You want to protect that witch. Very well. I’ll spread the word that you were not harmed by her, but by what Fergus tells me was a chance encounter with a bear in the forest. We’ll say you ran from it and fell.”

He lay me in the bed then kissed the bruise on my cheek. “Look at you. You took a serious beating. By some kind of spirit?” He examined one of my arms and frowned at the marks there. “How is that even possible?”

“It seemed real at the time. I don’t know, Jeremiah.” I sensed we were not alone.

“I should have been there.” Valdez stood near the door.

“Yes, you should have been. But Fergus was and could do nothing.” Jeremiah tucked the covers firmly around me. “Just let this be a lesson to you, Valdez. Gloriana is not to be trusted. If you must, call her out as a liar, but follow her wherever she goes. No exceptions.” Jeremiah waved him away. “Now leave us. I only keep you on because my woman likes you. The less I see your ugly face, the better for you.”

Valdez wisely shut the bedchamber door, no doubt taking his place in the hall.

“You cannot blame Valdez for my tricks, Jeremiah.” I yawned, suddenly exhausted. Was it close to sunrise? I had lost all sense of how long this night had been. It had seemed like we’d spent hours in the witch’s hut but it could have been only minutes. I suppose it must be nearly sunrise or Jeremiah wouldn’t have come away from his ship. I asked him about the progress he’d made on repairs but never heard his answer before I fell asleep.

Jeremiah shook me awake. “I’m worried, Gloriana. Vampires don’t sleep, they die at sunrise. That is still an hour away. How are you feeling?”

I yawned again. “Tired. I can’t believe I slept.” I sat up. Still naked, I looked around our bedchamber. I saw that Jeremiah must have had a tub brought in and bathed and I hadn’t heard a thing.

“I came back early from the ship so we could spend more time together.” He climbed into bed and pulled me into his arms. “You haven’t answered me to my satisfaction. How do you feel besides tired?” He raised