“No,” I protested, albeit unconvincingly. “We could take another female. It doesn’t have to be Arletta.” I should’ve just shut up. Aisha had already seen through me regarding Arletta, and by trying to save face, I was just digging a deeper hole for myself. I didn’t want to have to go hunting after another one of these creatures—likely needing to cover myself with another few handfuls of maggot-ridden intestines in the process.

Thankfully, Aisha wasn’t in the mood for waiting around longer. “No. You’ve caught one. He’ll be enough of a specimen to take to the witch.”

I decided that it was best not to press the matter, even as I looked back over at Arletta, now completely bald. She’d left her spot in the corner of the deck and had wandered over to the rest of them.

At least I’d managed to get Braithe. Aisha had no idea that he was one of my comrades. I didn’t see how she would ever find out.

Now we could take him to the witch and perhaps, just perhaps I could strike a deal with her and persuade her to find a cure for him.

“So where’s the box?” Aisha asked.

“I’ll take you there,” I said. Aisha thinned her body until she was in her subtle state—a state that allowed her to pass through solid walls. I led her back down through the trap door and along the corridor to the storage room where I’d left the box.

“God in heaven!” Aisha cried, coughing. “Ugh, that is so gross!”

I was in no mood to listen to her grumbling, as I stood here with practically every inch of me covered with bits of the corpse. I pointed to the box. “You should know it well enough by now,” I muttered darkly.

“And whereabouts exactly is the exit that leads to the lifeboats?” Aisha asked. “There are a few strung up over the edge of the ship.”

“Lifeboats?” I was taken aback by her question. “Why do we need lifeboats?” Why can’t she just use her magic to vanish us all away from here?

“Just answer the question,” Aisha snapped.

“Uh, okay. Follow me.” I led her to the exit she requested. When I opened the door, it led out onto a small balcony, on either side of which were steps leading down toward hanging boats.

“All right,” Aisha said coolly, eyeing the boat. “Now go bring the box here,” she instructed me, with a nod of her head toward the door.

“Can’t you do it by magic?” I asked, looking at her in dismay. “It would be a lot faster.”

She shot me another glare. “Just do it.”

Blowing out in irritation, I gave in—what other option did I have?—and hurried back along the corridor. The soles of my feet were moist with blood and grime, and I almost slipped as I reached the storage room. Planting my hands on either side of the huge box, I gained as firm a grip as I could before dragging it out of the room, along the corridor and to the balcony where an impatient Aisha waited. Here, thankfully, she helped me lower the box onto one of the boats but strangely, she still didn’t bother to use her magic. She resumed her physical form and manually helped me lift it. Although it confused me, I was too distracted to think much of it.

Once the box was in the center of the small boat, Aisha and I moved into it. Grabbing hold of the ropes that held the boat in place against the side of my ship, I lowered us down slowly into the waves. But now we needed an engine. Still holding onto the ropes that lined this side of the ship, I maneuvered us around it until we reached the bow where the sharks swam. I pulled us closer to the dangling reins and grabbed two of them, snatching them for ourselves. These two sharks would be more than powerful enough to give us good speed. The lifeboat being specifically designed for vampires, there was a small covering to give shelter from the sun. But I hoped that we would reach the witch doctor’s island well before sunrise.

River

I was pulled unceremoniously from sleep by a lurch of the submarine. It came so suddenly, I almost rolled off the bed. I sat up slowly, opening my eyes and rubbing my face with my bound hands.

The residue of a dream still remained in my head. It’d been one of the most vivid dreams I’d ever had. It had started with a reunion of family and old friends. Even my father had been present, having been let out of jail early. He’d sat near my mother at the table and they had been talking and actually getting along. He swore that he’d given up his addiction, and was willing to undergo routine medical checks to prove it to us. He said that he’d already found a new job and he wanted to move back in with us. To care and provide for us. To be the father that he’d rarely ever been.

Then Ben had entered the room. Suddenly, I felt a weight around my ring finger and remembered… Ben and I were engaged. He had asked me some time ago—although the memory was foggy. My fiancé’s entrance caused the dinner to become so much more than a family reunion. This meal would now also mark the announcement of Ben’s and my engagement. Of course, I’d been keeping it a secret until now. I had wanted to keep it a surprise for when Ben returned from his long journey.

I could barely contain my excitement as he walked over to me, and I made room for him to take a seat. As I announced the news to my parents, family and friends, my heart swelled. I reveled in the look of happiness on their faces, the acceptance and approval in their eyes as they looked Ben over. It was almost as though they already knew him to be the right man for me, even though, other than my mother and siblings, nobody else in the room had ever met Ben before.