Immortal War

Grace shrugged awkwardly. “You’ve already thanked me,” she said. “Hundreds of times.”

He smiled at her, opening his arms and drawing her into the gentlest of embraces. “I owe you,” he said. “If you ever need me, if I can ever help you, I’ll be there in a flash.”

“Thank you,” she said. It was a kind offer but she couldn’t imagine what set of circumstances would send her running to him. “You really should get going now.”

“Sure thing, sugar. I just want to say one more thing. If you ever change your mind about Lorcan… I know that ain’t likely any time this millennium, but if you ever do, I’ll be waiting.”

Grace remembered how during her first healing session with Johnny she had felt the tangible sense of his happiness during their midnight horseback rides. In another lifetime perhaps they could have made it work, but not now, not the way the die had been cast. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him not to wait for her but she decided, on balance, that it was kinder to say nothing. Instead, she let him stand back on his own two feet, then addressed Stukeley. “Take good care of him, Jez, or you’ll have me to answer to.”

Stukeley nodded. He didn’t even call her out for using his long-forsaken mortal name. “I’m grateful to you, Grace. More than I can say.”

“Come on,” Noijon said. “Time for the final phase of our plan.”

It all went without a hitch and soon the two comrades were on the other side of the Sanctuary gates— Stukeley leading Johnny back down the mountainside.

“Guess you know what happened to my ship?” Johnny said mournfully.

Stukeley nodded. “Those scumbag pirates came under cover of the dawn light and stole it from you.”

Johnny’s eyes were wide and sorrowful. “That was my ship, mi hermano. My ship and my crew.” He shook his head. “Hell only knows what they did to my men and women if they did this to me.”

Stukeley spoke gravely. “Word on the water is that the oblivion toll was high.” He squeezed Johnny’s shoulder. “But you’ll get another ship.”

Johnny’s eyes were cast down. “Truth be told, I’m not sure I deserve one. I let my team down, Stuke. We shouldn’t have been caught unawares like that.” He lifted his eyes once more to meet his friend’s.

“You know who was behind this attack?” Stukeley asked.

“The unholy Alliance, of course.”

“Yeah, but I mean who specifically.”

Johnny shook his head.

“Lorcan-freaking-Furey,” Stukeley sneered. “Seems like Captain Sanctimonious is directing military strategy for their side now.”

“Really?” Johnny shrugged. “Well, it ain’t no surprise when you think about it. The self-hating Vampirate needs something to keep himself warm on those long, cold winter nights.”

Stukeley grinned. “The way you were talking to Grace back there, I thought you were all going to be friends.”

“Nah!” Johnny shook his head. “I’m done fighting him in love, but I sure ain’t letting him get away with anything in war.”

“That’s the spirit!” Stukeley said as they navigated a particularly treacherous section of the cliff path. Thankfully, the moon and stars were there to guide their footsteps. “You know, I’ve been worrying about you all day long and thanking every one of these stars that you survived.”

“Thank you,” Johnny said, more touched than he could say by Stukeley’s words.

“De nada, hermano,” Stukeley said, smiling at his friend. “Sidorio was out of his mind with worry, too.”

“He was?” Johnny said, his eyes brightening at the thought.

“More than you can imagine. He had to be physically restrained not to go out into the light and search for you himself.”

Johnny’s eyes went wide. “He’d have done that for me?”

“We’re family now,” Stukeley said. “And family looks out for one another.”

“Brothers to the end!” Johnny said, reaching out a hand to his comrade.

Stukeley felt the tears budding in his eyes as he gripped Johnny’s hand tightly. “Brothers to the end!”

24

RETURN FROM THE DEAD

“Ready?” Stukeley asked Johnny as they waited outside Lola’s cabin on The Vagabond.

His companion nodded, so Stukeley knocked on the door.

It was Sidorio who called out in response, “Enter!”

Smiling in anticipation, Johnny pushed open the door and stepped gingerly inside, followed by Stukeley.

“Stetson!” Sidorio immediately rose to his feet and strode toward Johnny. He opened his arms to him but a voice, from deeper inside the cabin, caused them both to freeze.

“So, the cowboy has risen from the dead!”

Sidorio immediately glanced over his shoulder. “I thought you were having a little rest, dear.”

Lola emerged from her private salon, clad in a voluminous layered nightgown, holding a compress to her forehead. She was followed by Camille and Holly, whose face instantly brightened on seeing Johnny. Sadly, the same could not be said for Lola. Her features brought Stukeley to mind of lowering skies before a thunderstorm finally breaks.

“How’s your headache?” Sidorio asked.

Lola ignored the question, brushing past him to focus squarely on Johnny. “Welcome back, Cowboy,” she said, affecting a Texan twang. “We sure are stoked that you made it home to the range!”

“Thank you,” Johnny said, tipping his hat and misjudging the mood of the chamber entirely.

“Did you have fun, flirting with the enemy?” Lola inquired, back to her usual clipped tones. At her side, Holly looked perturbed by this line of questioning.

“Not really,” Johnny said, wising up to the general mood. “I was too sick for that, sadly.”

“What a shame,” Lola said. “For everything your actions have cost us, you might as well have had a few laughs.”

Johnny glanced over Lola’s shoulder to Sidorio. “I’m really sorry about losing my ship,” he said. “I feel just terrible about my crew. I was no kind of captain to them.”

Lola’s lips made a smile but there was no levity in her voice as she took a step closer to Johnny. “You speak the truth, Desperado. You are no kind of captain. But frankly, my dear vacquero, your ship and your crew are as insignificant as you are.”

“Lola!” There was warning in Sidorio’s voice and in his eyes, too, but, when Lola raised her hand, he fell silent again. Lola resumed her attack on Johnny.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve cost us? My husband and I were meeting with the most influential Vampire leader in this quadrant this morning. We were in the middle of signing an accord that would have extended our power beyond the oceans and across the land for as far as the immortal eye can see.” She paused momentarily to grab her belly, then swiftly resumed. “The blood was drying on the contract when news of your defeat and presumed death arrived.” Her eyes narrowed. “How disappointing that the intelligence transpired to