Pale Horizon Read online

  Pale Horizon

  Blood of the Sea, Book Two

  Heather Renee

  Lela Grayce

  Pale Horizon © Copyright 2019 by Heather Renee and Lela Grayce

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, alive or dead, is purely coincidental.

  For more information on reproducing sections of this book or sales of this book, email [email protected] or [email protected].

  ISBN: 978-1794267756

  Editing: Jamie from Holmes Edits and Stephany Wallace

  Cover: Covers by Juan

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Connect with the Authors

  Acknowledgments

  About the Authors

  Also by Heather Renee

  Also by Lela Grayce

  Dedication

  To our readers, thank you for embracing all things vampirates!

  Chapter One

  As awareness finally returned, I wasn’t sure if what I was slowly remembering was true, or if Jameson was into a lifestyle I didn’t know about yet. Given my current state, neither option was great. Thick, abrasive ropes tied my hands to cold armrests, a silk blindfold covered my eyes, and heavy chains wrapped around my legs and chest, keeping me restrained against a metal chair.

  The last thing I recalled was lying in bed with Jameson. We were safe. Pierce was dead. We were headed to find Solomon and get the answers we desperately needed. Then, in the blink of an eye, it had all changed.

  Jameson had been yanked from our bed. It had happened so quickly, I didn’t even get a chance to process what had transpired before I had been hit in the head, rendering me unconscious. As I struggled to recall the memories and figure out where I might be, two words resurfaced.

  “Hello, Daughter.”

  A man had whispered those words to me seconds before I lost consciousness. I didn’t recognize the voice, and my father was dead, which made the statement impossible. His body had been lost to the sea along with my mother’s. He never would have laid a hand on me, so whoever had taken me was insane. They had to be. There was no other explanation.

  My muscles strained against the manacles as I tried futilely to get out of my current predicament. I was careful not to overdo it, because I had no idea where I was and didn’t want to force my chair to topple over without knowing where I would land. The only thing I had successfully done was knock my blindfold loose.

  With my feet planted firmly on the hard ground to keep me stationary, I focused on shaking my head until the silk fabric slid further down my face. The room was dark, and my eyes didn’t fully adjust to my surroundings until the covering fell to my chest. Whoever had tied it hadn’t done a good job, or it was part of the ploy in whatever was happening.

  A desk and chair were set to my right, and a wall stood to my left. If I had fallen over, my head would have slammed into one of them, making me grateful for not losing my calm and ending up unconscious again. In front of me was a neatly made bed, a wardrobe, and another table situated between two doors.

  The table held the only light in the room, but it was dim and didn’t quite reach me. There were windows, but it was dark outside, and the moon must have been too high in the sky to provide light through the small circular openings.

  My heart slowed as I continued to focus on my surroundings. I closed my eyes, listening for sounds that would tell me where I was and, hopefully, where Jameson was. The ocean took precedence over any other noises as the waves crashed against the side of the ship. Somehow, I knew this wasn’t the ship I had been on when I fell asleep, and I feared whose it might be.

  Muffled voices came from outside one of the doors, and I steeled myself for company. I wasn’t quite ready to face my captor, but I probably never would be, so it didn’t matter if they came in at that moment or two hours later. I mustered up all the strength I could, ready to face whatever was happening.

  “I said later, Evander. My daughter is awake.”

  “Aye, Captain. Let me know when you be ready for me.”

  The door creaked open as the man responded and I missed what he said, though I was more focused on why he was calling me his daughter.

  My fingers curled around the armrests, pressing into the cool metal, and I wished for the iron chains to be removed. My increased strength awoke when my heart began beating harder in my chest, but it wasn’t enough to get out of my predicament.

  The door closed with a thud as a man entered the room. He grabbed the oil lamp and made his way toward me. When the light shined on his face, my breath hitched as his red eyes met mine.

  He was definitely a vampire. There was no denying that.

  His face was flawless, yet it showed his age with a sort of nobility I hadn’t expected from a vampire. His jaw was square with thin lips that lifted into a smile at my inspection, showing off his pointed fangs. He wore his hair tied back, and I assumed it to be black in color, but it was hard to tell in the dim light.

  “I’m glad you’re finally awake,” he cooed. “I’ve waited a long time for this day.”

  I didn’t say anything. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I was pretty sure he was insane.

  “Do you know who I am?” he asked, intrigued.

  A few loose strands of hair swayed as I shook my head instead of speaking. I contemplated not answering him at all but decided to play nice for the moment to see how far that would get me.

  “My name is Prime.”

  I froze. Not breathing. Not blinking. Just staying completely still as I realized I had been captured by the most scandalous vampire known to anyone I had encountered in the last month, since being on the run. Prime, who was supposed to finally turn me into a full fledge vampire, instead of whatever I was currently. Prime, the father to all vampires in one way or another.

  All hope dashed away when I recognized there would be no easy way to get away from my captor.

  “From the sudden paleness in your face, I take it you’ve heard of me,” he added with a smirk. “That saves us some time, but no matter what you’ve heard, while likely true, it is not the whole story.”

  He reached for the chair at the desk, its legs scraping the wood floor as he dragged it, before taking a seat directly in front of me. Leaning forward, he set the lamp down on the ground between us and placed both of his hands under his chin as he took me in.

  “I’m sorry to restrain you like this, but I didn’t see any other option. Your abilities are developing nicely, and I won’t risk losing you.”

  His voice was low and full of feeling, which made no sense to me. I knew for a fact that I had never seen him before, so I didn’t understand why he seemed certain he knew me.

  One of his hands suddenly settled on my knee, causing me to flinch. “Don’t be afraid. I mean you no harm. I brought you here to protect you. The people you are with don’t understand you. Well, maybe the boy might come
close, but the others will sooner turn on you than help you.”

  “Those people you speak of have kept me alive for the last month, while your people have tried to kill me several times,” I scoffed, finally breaking my silence.

  “That’s because the group you’re with doesn’t truly know what you are, although, neither does mine, truth be told. They might have assumptions, but I can assure you they are all wrong. I’m the only person who can keep you safe. The sooner you understand that, the sooner I will let you out of these chains.”

  His face remained stoic, and it finally sunk in that he was serious. He truly thought I was his daughter. I didn’t know who he was confusing me with, but I made a quick decision to take advantage of it. If he wanted me to be his daughter, then I would pretend to believe him. If that’s what it took to get off the ship alive, and with Jameson, then that’s what I’d do.

  “What am I?” I asked, with less attitude than before. If he also had answers about what I was becoming, it was worth asking to see what he had to say before I escaped.

  “You’re my daughter.”

  I wanted to scream. Maybe playing along wouldn’t be as easy as I thought. I opened my mouth to ask the question again, with more emphasis on the what, but he continued speaking before I could.

  “Do you know what I am?”

  “A vampire,” I responded, withholding the urge to roll my eyes.

  “And your mother, Susanna. She was human.”

  His eyes squinted, waiting for me to get it, but I didn’t. I didn’t understand crazy.

  A frustrated huff left his mouth at my lack of engagement in our conversation. “You’re half-human, half-vampire. The only one of your kind. The rarest gem in all the oceans. My daughter. My Lavinia.”

  My eyes widened as I processed his words. A small part of me let his words sink in slowly. Even though I knew my father, and Prime was most definitely not him, part of what he said made sense. It explained my abnormalities, but none of those had happened until a vampire sank his teeth into me. There were so many possibilities that, while this one made sense, it didn’t quite fit the circumstances.

  “How is that possible?” I asked, once I regained my composure. “My father’s name was Tobias, and he died at sea with my mother.”

  Prime’s face creased with a sneer, and he leaned back against the chair, crossing his arms. “That man was not your father.” Gone was the soft voice he had been using before. “Your mother never told me about you or I would have raised you myself. I went back for her, but she told me she was betrothed to another and would tell the townspeople about me if I ever approached her again. Back then, I was on my own. I didn’t have the resources I do now, so I left.”

  He paused, his eyes dulling as he remembered the moment. The sadness that graced his face almost made me feel bad for him.

  “Vampire emotions are heightened, especially in the early stages after being changed. I had only been one myself for a month before I met your mother.”

  I wanted to snort about the heightened emotions. That explained so much.

  “Leaving your mother was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to be worthy of her before I came back. I wouldn’t turn her until I knew I could provide for her. It was the proper thing to do, and I intended to do right by her. I built my army and found the nicest ships in all the seas. It took me six years, but I came back as soon as I had all the treasures and gold she could ever want.”

  If any of this was true, Prime never truly knew my mother. She wouldn’t have cared about those things. I couldn’t even fathom her falling for a vampire, but I kept my opinions to myself and let him keep talking.

  “When I returned, I learned she was out to sea with her new husband, but nobody mentioned you. I took to the seas instead of waiting for her return. I had waited long enough, and my patience was gone. When I found her ship, everyone assumed we were pirates trying to rob them, but that hadn’t been my intention at first.”

  My chest tightened as tears pricked at my eyes. I knew the rest of this story and didn’t want to hear it. I knew how my parents died. I knew pirates had taken them from me, along with so many others. Only a handful had made it back, and Uncle David didn’t shield me from the gory details that left me with nightmares for years.

  Prime kept going with his story, whether I wanted him to or not.

  “She refused me. Your mother broke my heart, though, that didn’t stop me. My intention had been to force her hand, but she fought me. Her death was an accident that led to more deaths, including the imposter you believe to be your father.”

  “If she never told you about me, and you killed her, why would you think I’m your daughter?” His story wasn’t adding up, and he needed to have a better reason other than the fact I was Susanna’s daughter if there was any chance of me believing even a fraction of his story.

  His demeanor changed back to the kind man who had walked in previously. He softened and leaned forward again. “You smell just like her.”

  “Excuse me?” He seemed to be purposely avoiding my questions by changing the subject.

  “Well, you don’t anymore, but before I let Pierce get his hands on you, there was a brief moment when I was certain you were Susanna. After I lost your mother, I had to decide what I wanted out of my long life. If I couldn’t have her, then I would have power. I wanted freedom to be my true self.”

  “What do you mean I don’t smell like her anymore?” I asked, curious why my scent had changed and disappointed that I somehow didn’t have that connection to her anymore.

  “Now, you smell more like me.”

  I nodded, pretending I understood the foolish words spilling from his mouth, yet none of it was making any sense.

  “I made a plan to take over this string of islands. I wanted a home that wasn’t on a ship. I might have recruited pirates to do my bidding, but I have no desire to live like one for the rest of my life. I made my armies greater and acquired more ships. Once I felt like my men were ready, we took two islands before striking a deal with Pierce. I had intended to work with his father, but he wasn’t as amicable as Pierce, so we took care of that problem.”

  I always thought Pierce’s parents had died suspiciously. Now, I had my confirmation.

  “On one of my last visits, before we put things in motion to take Port Victory, Pierce had just come from his weekly afternoon with you. I smelled you on him and almost murdered him on the spot. For the briefest of moments, I thought he had my Susanna. When I questioned who he had been with, Pierce told me about you and, as I asked more questions, everything began to make sense. I knew who you were.”

  My skin crawled with those words.

  “Pierce didn’t have the best intentions for you at first, but I set him straight. He only needed your uncle’s land for mining, which was why he courted you in the first place, but I made it very clear to him that no harm was to come to you, in any form. He was allowed to turn you, but we all know how that worked, and he became obsessed with you. I had hoped once you were turned, you would be more open to believing what I had to say, but I didn’t realize your disdain for Pierce until it was too late.”

  I was on information overload. Too much was beginning to make sense as he explained further. I didn’t want to believe him, but as I continued to listen to his madness, I was finding it harder and harder to deny the words he spoke.

  He reached for me. “I’m sorry you have gone through so much for us to get to this point. I promise you won’t have to live in fear anymore.”

  A dark laugh escaped me. “Letting me wake up in chains isn’t the best way to convince me there’s even a sliver of truth in that statement. Taking me in the middle of the night from my bed doesn’t help, either.”

  He leaned back. “Like I said before, that was just a precaution, which I’d be happy to remedy. Do you believe what I have told you?”

  I decided not to play games with him. I could say yes and make all of this easier, but I wanted to know more.


  “I don’t know.”

  He smiled. “I appreciate your honesty.”

  Standing, he walked around until he was behind me, and the sound of chains clanging together reached me before their weight lifted off me. He cut the ropes from my arms next, and I was finally able to stretch my extremities.

  Lastly, he freed my legs and took a step back. “I mean you no harm. I know we don’t trust each other, but I hope soon that will change. Don’t fight this and everything will be fine.” He reached a hand for me as I stood, but I took two quick steps back.

  “Where is Jameson?” I rushed, ignoring his attempt to connect with me. I was done with his stories for now and needed to know where Jameson was, and make sure I didn’t have a reason to try to kill Prime before I had a real chance of succeeding.

  “I was wondering when you’d ask about him. I was beginning to think I shouldn’t have brought him with us. He’s in the brig and not happy, but he’s alive. For now.”

  The way Prime’s voice lowered as he said “For now” made my skin crawl. He might have just spilled a lot of information, but he was not my ally. Nor was I ready to accept him as my father. I would save that to process later, when it wasn’t so fresh and my emotions had some time to settle down.

  “Can I see him?” I asked as nicely as I could, while grinding my teeth. If any harm had come to Jameson, Prime would soon learn I wasn’t helpless.

  “You may, but Evander will escort you. He is my second-in-command, and he will be your guard until I can trust that you’ll see things my way.” His face lowered to mine. “I won’t lose you again,” he vowed, dropping the tenor of his voice.