Free Vampirates 5: Empire of Night by Justin Somper

start to pull together her thoughts into some kind of shape.
    She knew she had done the right thing, removing herself from Oskar's cabin. She was not yet ready for this. Her hunger had fallen away as steeply as her appetite at dinner. Now, as she reached out to the deck rail, the thought of what she had been on the verge of doing shocked her to her very core. She took in a deep lungful
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    of air, then exhaled just as slowly. Her body felt released from the thrall of her hunger. She felt normal again, though this seemed a relative state and quite possibly a temporary one. She stood at the guardrail, the breeze caressing her hair and skin, growing calmer with each passing moment.
    She wasn't sure how long she stood there before she heard footsteps and became aware of someone joining her. She smiled, preparing herself for the sight of Lorcan. He must have broken off the sharing to come after her. How typically selfless of him, even in the moment of his most urgent hunger, to come and check on her. Truly, he was the perfect gentleman.
    But when she turned, it wasn't Lorcan's face she found gazing back at her, though it was still familiar, still handsome. Instead it was a face she hadn't expected to see again--or not for a good while, at least, and not here, of all places.
    Johnny tipped his hat and grinned at Grace appreciatively. "Well, look at you, little lady! Heaven must be missing an angel tonight!"
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    9 THE INVITATION
    Connor stood in the icy water, outside the Full Moon Saloon, staring at Jez--or rather, he corrected himself, at Stukeley. His former comrade was wearing a red shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and beaten-up black leather breeches. Since the last time Connor had seen him, at Sidorio's wedding, Stukeley's hair had been closely shaved. From his left ear dangled a tiny skull. On the back of his neck was a fresh tattoo--of a wave, in the style of a Japanese woodcut. Lower down, on the inside of his forearm, was the tattoo of three cutlasses that identically matched the tattoo on Connor's own arm. Connor, Bart, and Jez had each woken up to find them there after their "lost weekend" in Calle del Marinero. It remained a complete mystery to them as to how the tattoos had gotten there.
    "How do," said Stukeley with a nod.
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    "We were just talking about you," said Connor.
    "Well, you know what they say," Stukeley grinned. "Speak of the devil and the devil appears."
    Connor shook his head. "You're not the devil. You've got some wacky new habits and strange new people to hang around with, but you're not the devil."
    Stukeley shrugged. "Thanks... I think." He smiled. "Shall we go ashore?" He put his arm on Connor's shoulder and led him out of the cold water onto the sand.
    Amongst the rubbish on the beach were a couple of rusting oil drums. Stukeley leaned back against one, and Connor sat down on the other. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
    "I came to find you," Stukeley said. "To give you this." He reached inside his shirt pocket and produced an envelope. In the starlight, the vellum shone like a sliver of white gold.
    Connor took the envelope and saw his own name written on it in ink, in wild, curling letters. He had a deep sense of foreboding about what lay inside. He let it rest in his hands for a time.
    "Open it," Stukeley said.
    His heart beginning to race, Connor tore open the envelope and pulled out the folded parchment. He unfolded it and scanned the brief letter....
    Dear Connor,
    I hope this finds you well. My son, you have been much in my thoughts of late. Our reunion was interrupted. We 91 should get to know each other. My wife and I would very much like you to come and stay with us aboard our ships. Come as soon as you can and stay as long as you wish.
    Your blood father,
    Sidorio
    Having read it, Connor instantly folded up the letter and reinserted it into the envelope. He set it down on the rusting oil drum and began walking away.
    "You can't ignore this," Stukeley said, coming to walk