These people, places, things, etc. belong to Justin Somper.
Grace watched as the ship came closer and closer. She tensed. Something wasn't right. She stepped back and turned to see the vampires making their way onto the deck. She noticed some of them spot her, but none approached her, except for one of course. Lorcan made his way through the crowd and walked over to her.
"Grace, what are you doing out here?" he asked.
She didn't reply so much but simply turned and pointed at the ship that was rapidly growing in appearance as it drew nearer. He must have sensed something was wrong too because he instantly tensed up. "Get inside," he said. His tone left no room for argument.
She glanced at him, then the ship, before making her way back to her cabin. She closed the door behind her. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.
XXX
Lorcan watched as the ship pulled alongside The Nocturne. He felt his stomach lurch when he recognized several of the crew on the other ship, Sidorio among them. The crew of The Nocturne all backed away as Sidorio and several of his crew jumped onto The Nocturne's deck. He watched as Sidorio's gaze scanned the crowd. He thought he could see something in the giant's dark gaze. Regret? Was he regretting his decision to leave The Nocturne? Somehow, Lorcan doubted it. Did he know Grace was his daughter? Did he regret attacking the ship she was on? Who knew?
Suddenly, Sidorio let out a loud roar and his crew surged forward, weapons out and ready for battle. Before Lorcan even knew what happened, battle erupted on the deck. He unsheathed his sword and just barely managed to block an attack from one of the renegades.
XXX
Grace could hear a commotion coming from the deck and was so tempted to pull back the curtain over the porthole and take a look, but some instinct told her it wouldn't end well. She sat down on the bed, her heart pounding in her chest as she listened to the sounds from outside.
After several minutes, she couldn't take it anymore. She got to her feet and walked over to the porthole, drawing back the curtain. She let out a gasp at the sight before her. Several of the crew lay on the deck, blood oozing from their wounds. They didn't move. She spotted Sidorio among the crowd and realized immediately what was going on. Sidorio and his rebel crew had come to get rid of them once and for all. But where was the Captain? Was he fighting? She couldn't see him.
She suddenly let out a scream and jumped back as a hand smashed through the glass of the porthole, trying to grab her. She couldn't see who it was through the now ruined glass but she didn't need to, she didn't care. She raced for the door only to skid to a halt, watching it open. She felt her stomach flip over as none other than Johnny walked into the cabin.
"Hey there little lady." She stepped back as he walked closer. She remembered the last time they had seen each other. It had been at Sanctuary, in the rec room, just before he had left to join Sidorio. Now, he was back, but what for?
"What do you want?" she asked, trying to hide her fear but failing miserably.
He grinned darkly and stepped closer. "You," he said.
Grace's eyes widened. Her?! What did he want with her? Before she could ask, she heard more footsteps. She looked to see Lorcan in the doorway, several wounds bleeding along his body. He looked furious, terrifying. She wasn't sure what she was more scared of: Lorcan's wrath or Johnny. She watched as Johnny suddenly turned and jumped to the side just in time to dodge Lorcan's sword.
Johnny didn't attack Lorcan back, oh no. He went straight for Grace. Before she could run, he had grabbed one of her arms and had a knife at her throat. She gasped at the feel of cold steel against her skin. She could see fear mixing with rage in Lorcan's blue eyes. He was scared for her.
"Now, I suggest you move away from the door unless you want her headless," Johnny said to Lorcan.
She wanted to tell him to not listen, that Johnny wouldn't dare hurt her, but he was a different Johnny now. She never would have thought he would hold a knife to her throat. She didn't know what he would and wouldn't do, and neither did Lorcan. She could see her was struggling to come to a decision. Finally, the Irishman stepped aside, but she could see it utterly killed him to do so.
She stumbled as Johnny suddenly pushed her forward. She cast a glance at Lorcan before being forced out the door by Johnny. Johnny brought her around the edge of the deck, avoiding the fighting. She was brought to a halt and shot a spiteful look at Johnny, but he didn't even notice.
"Captain!" he called. She watched as Sidorio glanced over before letting out a loud whistle. As quickly as the fighting began, it ended. Sidorio's crew broke away from their opponents and moved back to their own ship. Johnny pulled the knife away from Grace's neck and released her arm but, before she could get away, he picked her up. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling.
She let out a squeak and shut her tightly as he jumped off the deck of The Nocturne and didn't open her eyes again until she heard the dull thud as his feet landed on wood once more. She looked around before looking up at Johnny. She suddenly released his neck and pushed herself away from him, falling from his grasp and landing on her back on the deck. She sat up and jumped to her feet, backing away from the crew of Vampirates. She turned to see that The Nocturne was already shrinking into the distance.
Grace ran to the side rail but it was no use. She couldn't swim that far. And even if she could, she would have to escape Sidorio's crew first. She looked back at the vampires to see Johnny walking towards her. She turned and pressed back against the railing. She couldn't outrun him and, even if she could, where would she go?
She cast one more glance at the silhouette of The Nocturne before she was led away, Johnny's grasp on her arm surprisingly gentle. What did they want with? Would they kill her or use her as some bartering tool? Or perhaps as blackmail. Well, whatever they were going to do to her, she could only hope that Lorcan and Darcy and Conner would be ok.