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afraid, but being locked inside this floating coffin with starving vampires did not fill her with confidence.
    â€œWe have very little extra room in here,” Tures said. “I will take you wherever you wish to go, but you must do exactly as I say and obey me without question. This is my ship and I am in charge. As you can see, some of my crew members would love to devour you. They are obedient to a point. If you push them, I will not be responsible. They have not fed off a living human for centuries. I will not allow it. Periodically, we stop and they feed off ocean predators or game on islands. However, their nature is to kill and to feed. Do not push them.”
    â€œWe shall do whatever is required,” Bryn said. “We need to go to Africa, specifically the mouth of the Congo River. Can you take us there?”
    Tures nodded. “I can do this, but I will have to be paid.”
    Fenix gulped. This could not be good.
    â€œWhat is your price?” Bryn asked.
    Tures looked them over. Her hair was black as coal and her eyes a peculiar green like the sea water around them, large and almond shaped; her nose had a high bridge with delicate nostrils. Her wide mouth smiled as though she was thinking of something funny she didn’t wish to share with them. “I would have her,” and she pointed at Sam.

Chapter 7
    Draak Priest flew slowly back to land. He’d flown far out in the Bay of Biscay in his failed effort to catch Bryn and her sister before they left Europe. He knew where they were going. They were going after the dagger.
    â€œIt won’t be enough,” Cardinal Malenfant whispered inside his head. “She’ll need more to end her curse than just Lazarus’s dagger.”
    Priest groaned. “I thought you’d gone.”
    Evil chuckling filled his mind and Priest thought he might tear his head off to get rid of Malenfant. The Cardinal’s thoughts felt like greasy, malevolent fingers prying through his deepest secrets.
    â€œI will never leave you,” Malenfant said. “This is the first time I’ve had a body for a hundred years. Do you really think I would throw it away and jump out of you and back into the black void that was my previous existence?”
    Priest circled and landed in a clearing. He thought he might be in Portugal. He returned to his human form and shook out the folds of his cassock. “I’ll evict you. If it’s the last thing I do, I will get you out of my head.”
    â€œI thought you were obsessed by the twin witches. My, my, you are a complicated man, capable of so many irrational desires and incapable of focusing on some really wonderful vocations.”
    The only person I want to kill right now is you
    Malenfant’s answer was more foul oily laughter. Priest grabbed his head and yanked handfuls of hair out. He fell to the ground shrieking. If he didn’t rid himself of the Cardinal soon, he was going to go insane.
    * * * *
    Bryn and Quinn lay in the same bunk. The undersea ship was so cramped; there were only a few empty berths. The one they occupied was in its own private compartment. Fenix, Tomlinson, the Commodore and Fingle were bunking with the crew. Samantha had been taken away by Tures, the ship’s female captain. After refusing all of Bryn’s efforts to save her from sacrificing herself for them, Sam had grabbed her arms, stared her in the eyes and kissed her.
    â€œDarling, Bryn,” she’d said. “I want to go with Tures. She makes me feel beautiful and desirable when she looks at me. Please don’t try to stop me. You have Quinn. I need to start building a life of my own.”
    So Bryn had let her go, watching as Tures wrapped her arm around Sam’s shoulders and led her away. For a moment, Bryn felt time actually passing. She knew Sam was gone from her forever and it was time for both of them to move on.
    â€œI can’t believe Sam went willingly with Tures,” Bryn