girls. It was the American boy with the guilty brown eyes named Josh who finally broke down and confessed how Ioan had been killed.
Lorenzo met them at the old warehouse, where he tortured the doctor for days about some kind of research he had been conducting on vampire blood types. None of it made sense to the young ones, and Josh broke down sobbing when he confessed that he and his friends had drained the little girls instead of letting them go.
By the time Giovanni finished, he could hear Gemma sniffing quietly in Carwyn’s arms as Josh explained how Lorenzo forced Sean to behead Ioan before he tossed his body onto the riverbank on their way out of Dublin. It was the only time the young Irishman showed any sign of guilt.
Giovanni continued questioning them about Lorenzo’s plans, but the young water vampires knew nothing of value. Terry checked the time on the reinforced pocket watch he carried and glanced at him.
“We’re wasting time. They don’t know anything else.”
Giovanni left the crumpled vampires twisting on the deck and walked over to Carwyn and Gemma.
“They are yours. Finish them for Deirdre.”
He watched stoically as Gemma and Carwyn walked over to the two boys, forcing them down on bloody knees as Josh sobbed. Sean cocked his head defiantly. Carwyn twisted Sean’s head off first, tossing it into the ocean before he kicked the body over the railing. The priest stood over the sobbing American boy for a few minutes before his shoulders slumped. Finally, Carwyn knelt down and quietly offered the boy last rites.
Giovanni turned his head away as the boy finished confessing his sins and asking for forgiveness. Carwyn walked away, and Gemma twisted Josh’s head off and tossed his remains into the ocean before rushing into Terry’s waiting arms.
The four vampires walked back to the front of the boat, using one of the deck showers to wash off the worst of the blood so they didn’t startle Beatrice.
“Gio?” Terry called. He was walking behind Giovanni with an arm around Gemma.
“Yes?”
“Your boy knew we were coming.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t he take her?”
Giovanni shook his head at the question that had plagued him since they failed to find any trace of his son on the ship. “There is something he wants more than Beatrice at the moment. That is my only guess.”
“He’s traveling light,” Carwyn said. “Only four other vampires with him.”
“And now none.”
Giovanni muttered, “Who knows where he is? I can’t do anything about it right now. I need to see Beatrice.”
Carwyn nodded. “Go. We’ll question the crew.”
He sped across the deck, only slowing when he had her in sight. He walked to a small metal table where she sat huddled, blinking back tears from the wind, which whipped her dark hair into her face. He waved Jean’s men away, picked her up, and settled her on his lap as he tried to block the wind.
She sighed and laid her head on his chest before she pulled away. “Oh! Is it okay?”
“It’s fine.” He drew her back and tucked her under his chin.
“Lorenzo?”
“They knew nothing.”
“Did they kill Ioan?”
“They helped.”
“Are they dead?”
“Yes.”
She paused for a moment before she squeezed his waist and whispered, “Good.”
They sat silent for a few moments. He drank in her scent and rocked her when she hugged his waist.
“I told him things, Gio. About my father. About you. I couldn’t help it.”
It was nothing he hadn’t been expecting.
“It’s all right. What you knew is not…it’s fine. Your father’s location is still a mystery to me, so I doubt it will make much sense to Lorenzo, either.”
“I thought maybe you hadn’t told me everything because you worried about him taking me again.”
“There were a few things I held back, but not much.”
Giovanni could feel her start to shake, and he held her securely as he examined her, stroking his hands along her limbs and torso, noting every minute flinch or hint of tension. Soon, the shivers overcame her, and he knew the adrenaline that had fueled her for hours was wearing off. The aftershock collided with the stress of the day and caused her to shake.
“Shhh,” he soothed her, sending a mild current through his hands to relax her muscles. He rocked her in his warm arms until her breathing had returned to normal and her heart no longer raced.
“I…shit, Gio. I thought…” She sniffed, stuttering for a moment until she took a deep breath. “I thought he was going to bite me. Maybe turn me. He threatened-”
“I’ll kill him.” He kissed her forehead and tilted her chin up. “As many times as I can.”
She snorted before he heard her mutter, “Not if I kill him first.”
Giovanni smirked as she placed her cheek over his heart. “That’s the spirit of competition, my bloodthirsty girl.”
They sat in silence for a few more minutes, rocking in the cool night air.
“Man, I am glad you’re here,” she said in a shaky voice. “I’m exhausted.”
“You are extraordinary. I saw you disarm that man. You didn’t even need me there.”
He felt her smile. “The librarian finally kicked some ass, didn’t she?”
“She most certainly did. And I’m sure you’ve made Terry and Gemma quite proud.” He winked when she looked up.
“And you?”
He shrugged. “I’ve always been proud of you. I always knew you were extraordinary.”
She smiled and relaxed back into his chest. “I slipped and called Lorenzo by his human name. He knows you’ve told me about your life.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Why did you tell me? Why?” She almost looked a little angry. “You knew I would be vulnerable to any vampire who got his hands on me. Why did you tell me?”
He simply smiled. “Because you asked.”
“What?” She looked up at him, blinking as the wind made her eyes tear up again.
He leaned down and brushed at the tears. “I told you. I can’t deny you anything. You asked. I answered. I like that you know. It’s good to be known.”
She pressed her hands to his cheeks and looked into his eyes. “You should take the memories away so you’ll be safer. I never want to-”
He stopped her with a hard kiss. “Not in a thousand years.”
Beatrice stroked his cheeks and let her fingers trail to the back of his neck where she played with the singed ends of his hair.
“I love you, Jacopo.”
He blinked, wondering whether he had imagined it.
“What?”
She placed her hands back on his cheeks. “I
Giovanni was speechless, so he crushed her to his chest. He held Beatrice for a few moments before pulling away so he could kiss her. He kissed her over and over again, nipping at soft, swollen lips as his heart pounded. “I love you,” he whispered. “
“I love you, too. I never really stopped. I can just admit it now.”
He broke into a low chuckle that turned into a full laugh. He was happy. More. Joyful. She loved him. He kissed
