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My stomach curls at the look on his face. It’s a look Iremember from the bottom of his ship. “How did you learn to fly?” He ignores my threat.
“Don’t answer,” I interrupt.
“That was quite rude,Elsbeth. I believe I’m talking to the girl.” He smirks. “Are you a bit jealous?”
“Fuck you,” Everly spews as Thorne lands on the other side of her.
“I see you’ve picked up Elsbeth’s intellectual vocabulary. She’s developed quite a filthy mouth over the years.” Being around Kragen makes me physically sick. My stomach turns being this close to him.
“I’m going to guess the reason I didn’t feel the child earlier means there’s more to her than just flying.” Kragen takes a step forward.
“Stay where you are,” I warn.
“Or what? You’re strong but not strong enough to defeat me. It’s my blood that runs through your veins. I’m the one who made you. You can’t kill me.” He turns his attention toward Thorne, and my stomach drops. “You see, my dear. I know you.” He licks his lips. “I know your weaknesses.” Kragen moves faster than my eyes can see, knocking into Thorne and pulling him into the water below. Seconds later, they lift from the water, with Thorne wrapped tightly in Kragen’s arms.
“Stop!” Everly shouts from below. The two vampires freeze mid-flight. “Put him down!”
Kragen turns in our direction, landing the two of them on the wooden planks of the porch. “Why am I doing this?” he asks.
Everly turns her back to the men, pointing at the tree where the girls were hiding. Seconds later, Autumn lands on the porch next to the rest of us and runs toward me.
“How are you doing this?” Kragen repeats. His hands are frozen to his sides, seemingly tied by an invisible force.
“My sister has a very special gift,” Autumn speaks for the two of them.
Kragen looks between the girls. “You’re doing this?” A wicked smile covers his face. “Come with me, young one. We could rule the world. Two of the most powerful creatures on earth, together would be invincible.”
“Shut up,” I spew. “There’s nothing powerful about you. You were a weak man who turned into a weak vampire.”
Thorne steps protectively close to Everly as the ancient vampire stares her down. “I can offer more than Elsbeth ever could. You will be safe with me, forever. Protected from the ones that mean to do you harm. Come with me, my dear.” He reaches his hand toward the immortal child.
Everly glances between me and Thorne. “You hurt Elsie. She’s not the only one you’ve hurt. I can feel them. Their pain calls to me.” Her eyes turn solid black. “You don’t deserve to live.”
Kragen’s laugh fills the swamp. “Many have spoken those words before, young one, yet here I am, in the flesh.” He turns toward me. “You’ve uttered those words a few times over the centuries,Elsie.” He mocks my name with his tone.
Everly moves to the railing of the porch, breaking off a small piece of wood. “Everly?” I question as she passes the pirate vampire.
“I’m okay.”
Placing the piece of wood in Kragen’s hand, she backs away slowly. “Stake yourself through the heart.”
Kragen looks at the small girl with a mixture of wonder and awe. “Have you gone mad?”
Autumn joins her sister, and the two girls hold hands, staring at the man who I’ve spent most of my life running from. Autumn lifts her free hand into the air, forcing Kragen off the porch and hovering over the water.
Whatever Everly’s doing to his mind is causing him distress. His body is shaking, fighting the mind control sent by the tiny vampire in charge of his movements. The wooden stake is still held tightly in his hand, as he fights to keep his body under his control.
“Did you hear me, Pirate?” Everly teases. “Kill. Yourself.”
Autumn rotates her wrists, and the pirate rotates in unison.
“Kill. Yourself.” Everly repeats. Her words are softer as she focuses all of her energy on Kragen.
Thorne and I flank the small girl, placing a hand on her shoulder, offering our energy as Autumn continues to rotate Kragen’s out-of-control body. I focus on thestrength held deep inside and send every bit of it into Everly. “Kill. Yourself,” I add to their chant.
The look on Kragen’s face is one I’ve dreamed about for three hundred years. Black fills in the whites of his eyes, as he fights against the invisible force pushing against him. A faint voice echoes in my mind, one I vaguely remember from centuries ago.“Burn him,”the voice whispers.“Burn him, Elsie. You have the power within you.”
Pulling my energy back from Everly, I focus on the voice in my head. The small voice reminds me of my sister Bonnie. What is happening? Am I losing my mind? I glance at Everly and Autumn, confused if it’s them I’m hearing.
