The Slayer by Theresa Meyers Read Free Book Online Page B

causing every sense to be on edge as Winn moved. He didn’t trust Darkin, especially not vampires. And now that the spiders were gone, his neck felt exposed. Winn pulled the collar of his duster up to cover it as a precaution. No sense in taking chances on a ship full of vampires.
    Enric opened the same door the contessa had entered, and close up Winn could see the stained glass was as fine as anything made by Tiffany & Co. “Let’s get you to the bridge. I know the captain and the contessa are waiting.”
    They walked quickly along a narrow hall to the base of a set of stairs, then climbed up to the second deck. It appeared to be nothing more than an endless set of long hallways punctuated at regular intervals with doors.
    â€œSleeping quarters?” Winn asked out of curiosity.
    â€œ Da .”
    â€œEverybody on the same deck, or are crew and passengers separated?” Winn asked. He mentally counted the doors and figured there were two, maybe as many as four bunks to a room, so he could estimate the total number of vampires on the ship.
    â€œThere is only one sleeping deck, but since most of us need only a few hours at most, we rotate in shifts.”
    Great. That blew any kind of calculations to hell.
    Enric barely paused enough for Winn to get his bearings before he continued on with the abbreviated tour. “The bridge is located on the top deck.”
    â€œSo are you and the contessa both from Transylvania?”
    â€œ Da . The entire royal court is there.”
    â€œYou connected to the vampires here in the States?”
    â€œWe have diplomatic relations with them.”
    They traveled up another set of stairs to the top deck. The top level of the dirigible looked modern, like the rest of the ship, but far more plush, like an expensive hotel lobby, surrounded by windows that looked out into the night sky.
    Huge potted palms, with their long, feathery green boughs, broke up the large open space, making the heavily stuffed and elegantly carved chairs and settees grouped together in clusters seem more inviting. Underfoot a thick, Oriental carpet muffled their steps. He didn’t miss the vampire’s crest in rich burgundy and gold bracketed by the ominous black wings. At the far end of the room, a roaring fire crackled and sparked in the grate of a marble fireplace. It seemed tranquil in comparison to their fight with the shifters and spiders.
    Granted, the stone cherubs holding the ornately scrolled columns aloft had fangs, but knowing this was a vampire ship didn’t make it any less impressive.
    â€œHow long have you known the contessa?”
    Enric stared at him for a moment. His lips twitched. “About four hundred years. I was a stable boy in the count’s household, and she offered me the chance to become a child by gift for my service.”
    Winn’s gut heated a bit. Enric probably knew her better than anyone. “Why does the count let his wife serve in politics?”
    â€œHer ladyship is a widow and isn’t one to let any man tell her what she may or may not do.”
    Enric gave him an amused glance and gestured to an ornately carved set of wooden sliding doors. “These lead to our dining area.”
    â€œDining room? The couches out here don’t work well enough for you?” Winn jibed.
    Enric raised one brow. “No, it’s much better when we just line our victims up in the dining chairs and ask them to lean to one side.” He hissed and bared his fangs, causing Winn to stiffen, then Enric chuckled. “Truly, you’ll have to do better if you wish to wound me, Hunter.”
    â€œAnd you’ll have to do better than that to scare me,” Winn retorted.
    A spiral of smoky particles beside Enric twisted into the solid, petite form of the contessa. “Gentlemen, manners.” The cold edge to her voice left no doubt she disapproved of their exchange. “Do not bare your fangs again at our guest unless you are