Page 60 of Kiss of the Vampire

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

Levka’s brown eyes turned nearly black and his jaw tightened. “Stay here and I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere. All right?”

***

Of all the blasted times for him to hear the troublemakers speaking.

Levka communicated to his friends, “I hear the ones who are planning some devilment somewhere on the deck below me, mid-ship. But Caitlin’s watching the crew carve ice sculptures. I don’t want to leave her alone for long.”

“We’re on our way to the location you’re speaking of,” Ruric said.

Levka concentrated on the voices as he stormed toward the stairs.

“Man, we gotta do it once we leave the last port. Close in, just in case something goes wrong. Don’t wanna sink the ship with us on it.”

Another teen laughed. “Okay, so we do it after St. Martin.”

“Yep. Extend our spring break a bit.”

“Cool.”

By the time Levka reached the middle of ship the deck below where he had heard the conversation first, a dozen teens heading for some activity flocked toward them. Two of the girls were giggling about something, but no one else was talking so he couldn’t pinpoint who might have spoken.

Arman and Ruric joined him.

Levka shook his head and started back for the stairs. “They’re planning some disaster so they can extend their spring break.”

Ruric snorted. “If I could, I’d send them to a Mars penal colony for even thinking about causing trouble.”

“Why don’t the two of you follow that group and see if you recognize the guys’ voices, Ruric.”

“I’m on it.”

“I’ll go with you,” Arman said.

“Where’s Stasio?” Lekva asked, frowning.

“He hurried to make sure Caitlin was all right while you tried to track down the bad guys,” Ruric said.

“And no one’s watching him?”

“We can’t always keep an eye on him, Levka.” Ruric hurried after the teens.

Arman shrugged. “He’s right you know.” Then he took after Ruric.

Levka did double time up the stairs and stalked back toward the middle of the ship. If he could vanish and reappear without getting caught, he would have. His heart hammered against his ribs as he worried Vlad might make a move against Caitlin. But when he saw her pointing at the ice sculpture of a polar bear while Stasio folded his arms and nodded next to her like a dutiful bodyguard, Levka calmed his breathing. On the deck above, Vlad caught his eye. The vampire gave him a cold, hard stare.

Yeah, if Stasio hadn’t been there with Caitlin, the old flame would have tried for her again.

“Thanks, Stasio,” Levka communicated.

Stasio glanced back and smiled. “My pleasure. Vlad’s on the upper deck stewing.”

“I see that.” Levka looked up, but Vlad had vanished.

***

That evening before everyone sat down to dinner at the formal dining table, a crewman dressed like a pirate greeted Caitlin with a charming smile, but instantly, Levka’s hand tightened on hers.