He had long brown hair tied up in a bun at the back of his head, a square jaw and sharp blue eyes.
“Jeramiah Stone.” He looked me over with suspicion.
“Who are you?” “Joseph Brunson,” I replied, lying with as little hesitation as I could manage.
It was the first name that popped into my head—the name of a friend I’d met through summer camp a few years ago.
The vampire standing to my left removed his mask, revealing cropped blond hair and brown eyes.
“Michael Gallow,” he said.
“Where are you from, Joseph? What got you caught up with the hunters?” As Michael removed his disguise, the other five followed suit.
That was when I realized that two of them were female.
“I escaped from an island governed by the black witches,” I lied.
“I was part of Caleb Achilles’ clan.” Jeramiah’s and Michael’s eyes narrowed on me.
“How could you escape?” Jeramiah asked.
“Wasn’t a binding spell cast upon you like the rest of them?” “Indeed, one was.
But I was to be transferred from Caleb’s to Stellan’s island.
It was lifted temporarily.
I took the chance to escape during transit.
Because once I reached the island I’d never have another chance.” “How did you get here?” “I leapt into the waters, managed eventually to get pulled up onto a boat, and ended up here.
I got picked up by the hunters.” “So you’re a rogue,” Jeramiah concluded, looking at me steadily, a look of interest in his eyes.
“Yes,” I replied.
“This forest,” a black-haired female muttered.
“Why here of all places? You know about the gate?” I stared at her and nodded.
“I stole a look at a map in the witch’s study during my stay there.
Since I had nowhere else to go and I was in the area, I was curious to check it out.” My voice trailed off.
The map.
I instinctively reached into my pocket where I had put it.
It was gone.
Damn.
“A map, huh?” Jeramiah said, his eyes sparking with interest.
“Do you still have it on you?” I shook my head, scowling.
“They must have taken it from me.” A breeze blew against me, carrying a strong whiff of the humans’ blood.
My stomach lurched.
I gripped hold of a tree branch, trying to ground myself as I felt myself beginning to lose control again.
I needed something to distract myself with desperately.
I forced my eyes back to Jeramiah.
Eager to divert questions away from myself, I asked again, “Who are you?” The vampires exchanged glances among themselves.
Jeramiah was the one to respond.
“We’re rogues too, so to speak,” he said.
“Where are you from?” “We don’t go giving out that information to strangers.” “Well, what are you doing here?” Jeramiah nudged the human at his feet.
“Revenge.
This particular group of hunters has caused us some trouble recently.
Besides, we can always do with a top-up of human blood.” “Thank you for saving me,” I said.
Jeramiah nodded.
“We were there anyway.
It wasn’t a lot of extra hassle to bring you along.” The other vampires were beginning to shuffle their feet impatiently.
“Let’s go, Jeramiah,” Michael said, gripping his shoulder.
“Wait,” Jeramiah said, shrugging aside the blond.
He took a step closer to me, studying my face intently.
He stared into my eyes.
“You’re newly turned, aren’t you?” I was taken aback.
I’d thought I was doing a decent job of concealing my bloodlust.
I didn’t know how he’d guessed.
I thought it was best not to deny it, since he seemed so certain, so I nodded.
He gave me a knowing smile.
He looked back at the other vampires, who were now looking at me with interest and had stopped shuffling their feet.
“And you really are a rogue?” Jeramiah said, raising a brow.
“Yes, I already told you.
I wouldn’t be here all alone in the middle of this forest if I wasn’t.” “Hm.” He crossed his arms over his chest, as if still deep in thought.
He turned his back on me and addressed the others in a language I’d never heard before.
I had no idea what he was saying, but the others began responding in the same language.
The discussion seemed to get more heated by the minute until eventually Jeramiah turned back to face me.
“Do you have somewhere to go?” I shook my head.
“Would you like shelter?” I looked at them, studying each of their faces one by one.
I didn’t know these vampires, but the fact was, I couldn’t stay in that submarine.
I’d already tried, but my bloodlust had forced me to shore for human blood.
And now that I was on shore, I could do with somewhere safe to stay, away from the sunlight beating into my eyes.
“That depends on where it is,” I replied.
“Somewhere safe.
Away from the sun.
Away from the threat of hunters.
Somewhere with an unlimited supply of blood.
Where you never need to worry about going thirsty.” My mouth watering, on the verge of losing control and grabbing one of those humans at his feet, I couldn’t deny the attraction of his words.