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

dangerous being with glowing eyes and an aura of evil that made me want to run from him.

“Who are you, really?” I couldn’t run. I needed to end this if I could.

“One of Zarah’s family, descended from the great Grace O’Malley, but with powers the pirate only dreamed of. I trained her to fight for our cause.” His dark gaze drifted over me. “What did you think of my dark magic, vampire? How did it feel when you almost died?”

“So, it was you who poisoned the arrow.” I let the dress fall all the way to the ground and pulled my knife from the garter on my right leg. “I knew there was a witch at work for the Irish.”

“Aye. What did you do to make Zarah give up and throw herself off that tower?” He waved his hand and a nearby tree began to burn. “What spell did you weave?”

“No spell. Zarah realized she was beaten and couldn’t live with that fact. She died in despair, McFee.” I stepped out of my dress and kicked it aside.

“Don’t call me that vile Scot’s name again.” He seemed to grow even taller, his eyes burning with an evil fire. “I am Janus, a great wizard. More powerful than you can imagine. I command the flying creatures that have been coming here for years. Have you seen one, vampire?”

“No, I don’t believe you.” I knew he might be powerful and dangerous, but he was also mad. I could see it in his eyes and the way he claimed powers no man could possibly have.

“And I don’t believe you. My Zarah would never lose heart. You bewitched her. Admit it.” He lifted a short staff and a small dragon-like thing flew at me, plucking at my hair. I stabbed it with my knife and it vanished in a puff of smoke.

Gods, he was powerful. I had to stop him before he sent more of those creatures at me. I had one advantage. He couldn’t take his eyes off of my breasts, spilling from that corset. I leaned over and grabbed my dress, throwing the skirt at him. It caught his staff and I jerked it toward me then broke it over my knee.

“You bitch! You’ll pay for that. And for Zarah!” He waved his hands and seemed frustrated when only sparks flew from his fingertips. That did make me jump back.

“Perhaps she was tired of you making her do things she hated. You took a decent person and made her into a tool for your evil. I could see that it weighed down her spirit.” I moved closer to a tree, using it as a shield. “Ask the poor fellow you killed to keep him from talking. He loved Zarah. His own soul came calling from Hell looking for her. Did he finally find Zarah there? Or did she manage to break free of you and find a better afterlife?”

“Clever, aren’t you?” He muttered a spell and thunder boomed. Lightning hit a tree close by and it too burst into flames. “Zarah loved me like a father. She followed me willingly. She hated the Scots as much as I do and she fought like a demon. You think she didn’t belong in Hell? It is where we all will meet again. Gladly.” He laughed in a way that made my spine tingle. I wanted to run but was afraid he’d only catch me and draw me back with one of his spells.

He reached out and one of the broken pieces of his wand moved toward his hand. He gripped it with a smile and a dozen flying dragons flew at me, chittering and snapping at me. I stabbed them one by one until the last one fell to my feet in a puff of that noxious smoke. My eyes ran from the horrid odor and my hand shook.

Was he playing with me? Why hadn’t he set the tree next to me on fire? Or had he tried and found me protected? I glanced upwards and a shiver of awareness touched me.

“You know I didn’t kill Zarah. She chose to end her own life.” I had to say it again.

“Zarah gladly did what I told her to do. We weren’t finished when she came here that night. The Scots and English owe us. We Irish have been robbed of our land and our livelihood. This is the only way to get back what we have lost.”

“I don’t know what your plan is and I don’t care. My plan is to kill you. I don’t think I’ll drink your blood. It is bound to be tainted.” I held my knife as Valdez had taught me. I knew this man had to have used some kind of protection spell. Witches. I might not hesitate to use them, but I also feared them. I said a prayer to whatever gods I believed in and lunged at him.

“Ho!” He leaped back. “You are a brave one. I could turn you into a rock where you stand. Though that would be a waste of a pretty woman.”

“Bold words but I don’t see you even trying to spell me.” I had my own tricks and wanted to catch his gaze. Could I freeze him in place like I’d done with mortals? Or would I be taking a chance that I’d fall under his spell?

“This is more amusing.” He suddenly had a sword in his hand and drew the point down the center of my corset. It burned a path that should have made it fall open but, surprisingly, it held. I slashed his arm, taking advantage of his amusement as he watched what he’d done.

“Devil’s armpit, but you’re good.” Blood trickled down his arm and he saluted me with his sword. “Will you still fight when I have you naked under me?”

“I’ll fight until you’re dead, you bastard.” I briefly closed my eyes, imagined, and then opened them. It had worked. I was behind him and raised my knife to