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The girls turn toward each other locked in a silent conversation. “We’re coming,” Autumn answers. “It’s no use arguing with us. You won’t win. We’ll just follow you.”
“Dammit,” I sigh. “One condition.” The girls nod. “If something happens to Thorne or me, you run. You run faster than you’ve ever run in your lives, and you don’t turn around for anyone or anything until you’re safe with Fran or Amelia. Do you understand?” I can’t believe I’m considering this.
“We understand,” they answer in unison.
TWENTY-THREE
the swamp of death
“The GPS sayswe’ll be there in ten minutes,” I announce as if I’m the only one who knows how to read it.
“Aye, we should walk from here,” Thorne agrees.
“We’re surrounded by a swamp,” Autumn adds. “Are you sure this is where he is?”
“Not the exact location, but in this vicinity…and he’s a pirate, so this is the perfect environment for him.” Thorne pulls the SUV to a stop along the edge of the narrow road.
“A pirate?” Everly asks.
I sigh before answering. “Kragen is the pirate who took me from Thorne’s ship nearly three hundred years ago. He’s an ancient vampire and a monster. I’ve spent two centuries running from him.”
“If you’ve been running from him, why are we tryingto find him? Especially if he doesn’t have Alex. This seems dumb.” Autumn’s simplified version of the insanity that is my life makes me laugh as I climb out of the SUV.
“You’re right,” I answer. “The goddess and Kragen were married a long time ago.”
“The goddess?” Everly asks. “The goddess was married to a vampire?”
“Aye. They had a child. Her name is Marnie.”
Autumn stops walking. “There is someone out there that’s half vampire and half goddess? What does that make her?”
Thorne scoffs. “Terrifying.”
“What does that have to do with Alex?” Everly continues.
“Eudora took Alex to force me to kill the pirate. He’s my maker, and I’m the only one strong enough, which means I’m the only one who can kill him.” Even saying the words out loud, it’s still confusing.
“That’s dumb,” Autumn continues. “Why doesn’t the goddess just kill the pirate herself?”
“Because if she does, their daughter will die, too,” Thorne answers.
Everly moves in front of the three of us. “So, you’re supposed to kill the pirate, and if you do, we get Alex back?”
“Aye. That’s it in a nutshell.”
“What makes this pirate so hard to kill?” Autumn asks.
“He’s nearly one thousand years old and is collecting vampires to be his crew,” I answer.
“Ah…” Autumn shrugs. “Two immortal child vampires are stronger than twenty regular vampires. Especially young ones.”
“I don’t want you two to fight. You will use your abilities and stay away from the fighting. Do you understand?”
The girls shrug at the same time. “We’ll see,” Autumn answers for the both of them.
We continue walking until the road begins to disappear into a swamp ahead of us. “We’re going to have to swim from here.” Thorne reaches down, lifting Autumn above his head and propping her on his shoulders. I do the same for Everly, and the four of us work our way through the murky water.
We’re several miles in when the faint smell of sulfur surrounds me, stopping me in my tracks.
