Feeling hands sift through his hair was unnerving.

"Drink as much as you need."

Alexandre's jaws tightened on Ria's arm, drawing a squeak of pain from the boy and snapping him back to himself. He quickly released him, spitting out the mouthful of blood he had been about to swallow. The hand in his hair slowed, then withdrew as his eyes rose to meet the captain's. If he was still human he might have thought that he didn't look tired at all, even after their fight, but that wasn't true. There was a faint sheen of sweat on his brow and he was slightly pale... He needed blood.

The thought that he might be able to attack him now had Alexandre immediately lunging over Ria. He collided with the captain and rolled, each fighting for dominance. Unfortunately, his observations weren't as good as he had first thought. The vampire easily pinned him to the bloody planks, a twisted smile strewn across his face.

"Did you think that I would let you feed just to be able to kill me? Your newborn powers are diminishing, and I created you..."

He leaned forward, his face stopping mere inches from Alexandre's.

"...you will never be able to kill me, Alexandre."

Just as he was opening his mouth to respond Alexandre heard a loud booming sound off in the distance.

"What the...?"

Worn wood was suddenly blown into the air as a heavy cannon ball slammed through the railing of the ship and struck the captain square in the side. He was spun by the momentum and the easily audible sound of bones breaking crunched through the wind. The captain came to a stop as the ball crashed past his body and through the opposite rail, then into the water.

Holy...

"All hands on deck! Prepare to return fire!"

His mind snapped back to the present when Desden ran out from below deck, shouting orders as he headed for the captain.

"James!"

When the vampire didn't respond, Desden skidded to a stop and leaped up into the crow's nest.

"Hunters!"

He was back on deck in a blur, running over to the mast to untie the ropes from the storm when another blast sounded through the air, this one much closer. The cannon ball roared through the main mast, splintering the wood before the entire thing came down. The loud sound brought the captain back to his wits just in time to dodge. The huge mast broke partially through the deck and decimated the rail where it extended several feet over the water.

"All hands on deck! Prepare to be boarded!" 

With the mast down there was no chance of them escaping so they needed to be ready to fight. As James stood he withdrew his sword from its scabbard and his eyes fell upon Alexandre as he, too, rose to his feet. He didn't look to have gotten injured by the cannon ball that had hit himself. 

Good. 

"Get in my cabin, now." 

"Go to hell!"

He really didn't have time to argue with him, especially since his previous attack on his crew was the reason their lookout had gotten distracted and couldn't warn them of the encroaching ship. 

So be it if he gets hurt! 

Another loud rumble shot through the air, but thankfully the ball sailed just over their heads before splashing into the water several yards off.

He quickly ran over to the edge of the deck to see a giant dark blue ship with white and gold sails begin to run alongside them.

"Shit. It's the royal hunters!"

"Capt'n!"

His eyes darted over to Desden as the sound of hooks swinging overhead rang out. They easily got caught on the secondary mast, allowing the hunters to begin sliding over using cloth from their higher vantage points to gain the needed momentum.

"Get ready, Desden."

"Capt'n we can't take this many..."

"Then we'll take out what we can. We do not run!"

"Aye, would have never thought a' it!"

His heart was heavy knowing that Desden would fall beside him, along with the rest of the crew, but there was little they could do when it came to hunters with a broken sail. The surprise attack drew his normally fast ship to a near stand-still. The hunters were also already paid off, too, and with far more money then he could keep on his vessel as a bribe. Not that he would pay to save his own life, but Desden and Alexandre? He would have no second thoughts in doing so for them.

The first few hunters landed on the deck moments later, their bodies obviously protected by some sort of magic to be able to drop from such heights without issue. James left those men to his crew as he and Desden waited for the captain. He knew that the man never sat out on a battle that he could shine in, and getting the blood captain's head had been one of his main goals over the years. They both looked up as the sound of another coming aboard caught their attention.

"It's him, Capt'n."

"Aye... get ready."

He desperately needed to feed, but his attention was now focused on a middle-aged man who had just landed on deck. He was wearing the royal colors, blue, white, and gold, and had a large dark blue tricorn adorning his finely combed hair. He looked more like a human noble than any man who would dare go up against the infamous blood pirates... but that was his advantage. He had lost many crew members to him, but he would not lose another.

"Wallace..."

The large black-haired man nodded, then smirked.

"Captain James. I see you've already taken some damage... to whom do I owe my gratitude?"

James knew that he was talking about his pale skin and the bright red marks around his neck, but he wasn't going to pick out Alexandre. Instead, he focused his attention on Desden.

Attack right after I do, don't let him surprise you. He often has a speed spell on him.

Aye, Capt'n.

"I brought a drink for ya, captain... thought you'd like some before ya join the hundreds of humans you've sent to the depths."

James' eyes narrowed as Captain Wallace reached into his back pocket, then his arm blurred forward and an explosion of glass and liquid at his feet made James jump back. A surprised hiss of pain left his mouth and his lips immediately pulled back from extended fangs.

Holy water!

He could feel the burn through his pants, but didn't let it distract him since Wallace was now approaching them, blade drawn and, no doubt, enchanted or covered in holy water. When he began to get closer James ground his teeth together and lunged. There was no way he was getting the first attack and he wasn't going to let Desden take the brunt of the captain's force. 

No, that was all his!

His blade swung overhead, clanging together with the other captain's before he leaned back, drawing James' sword slightly forward and shoving his boot right into his damaged ribs.

James grunted and stumbled back as Desden blurred behind Wallace and slashed at his back. His blade hit home, but there was a barrier of some sort keeping the other captain from sustaining a serious injury.

"Damnit, I knew he had magic!"

He turned on Desden and swung his blade, thankfully missing as his first mate jumped back, but as his feet landed the tip of a sword suddenly appeared in his right shoulder.

W-what?

The wound sizzled before he was kicked in the back, sending him to the floor, unconscious.

Wallace's first mate, Ricard, walked over to stand beside his captain, a smirk of triumph on his face.

"We've got the remaining eight vampires in custody. All the rest were killed while resisting," he said calmly. 

Both of their eyes were locked on him now, even though Ricard was obviously speaking with his captain. 

Wait, he'd said that only eight vampires remained... 

"Something on your mind, James?"

Shit. He had looked over at his cabin. It didn't matter anymore. He'd seen what he'd needed to. The door had been opened. 

He listened to me... but it didn't help. 

"Where is the vampire that was in my cabin?"

Wallace chuckled before addressing his first mate, but not looking away from James, of course. 

"Ricard?"

"He's in the brig. Oddly enough, he didn't fight but that won't save him from execution."

James' heart stumbled over itself as he stepped forward, growling while his hands balled into fists. He hadn't realized that his claws were extending, too, cutting into his skin.

"I changed him by mistake. You can't kill him for that."

Wallace's brow rose in surprise.

"Well well, the great Blood Pirate James is actually asking for us to spare someone's life? That is quite interesting."

James bristled but bit his tongue on the curse he was prepared to give him. Honestly, he wanted to burn him to death with his magic, but he didn't have enough energy to break through the barrier surrounding the two.

"How about this. You come with us and we will try your little vampire mistake in court, and if he isn't intent on being a murderer, like his creator, then we'll see about finding him a place where he can live out his life in... safety."

His jaw clenched before he glanced down at Desden, then back up at Wallace.

"I will agree to come with you, without a fight... if my first mate is not harmed and is awarded a fair trial as well."

That had the other captain laughing.

"Your first mate? Your right hand man? What makes you think a trial would ever see him free?"

His face burned with a mix of fury and embarrassment, but he couldn't let the chance to give Desden a little more time pass by. He would never be given freedom by a trial, but he just might be able to escape before he was killed.

"That is the deal. They both get their trial and I'll come with you."

Wallace seemed to be thinking about his proposition as his eyes darted from Desden's unconscious form to James, then back and forth repeatedly until a look of realization struck his features.

Shit.

"You want to save your boy..."

James swallowed hard as the man stalked toward him. He easily got within reach, and James could have technically harmed him, but his first mate was standing over Desden's body with his holy water-drenched sword by his throat.

"If that boy is your son, then the other, hmm..."

Wallace paced around him, making his body tense as he withheld murderous instincts.

"I'm going to guess that he's... your lover." 

James didn't answer, but Wallace just took that as confirmation.

"Turn around and put your hands behind your back. You are under arrest by the royal navy captain Wallace Galland."

James bared his fangs and growled but did as told, turning and putting his wrists together behind his back. Twine was quickly wrapped around them, then all the way up his arms. The faint burning told him that they had been previously soaked in holy water. In other words, they were unbreakable. 

Perfect. 

When he was done being tied up Wallace turned him around and shoved him toward his ship. Ricard had Desden already bound and slung over his shoulder, carrying him ahead of them. The other ship had put a long wooden bridge between the two vessels, allowing them to easily walk across.

"Destroy the ship, I want it at the bottom of the ocean."

What? 

Cannon fire echoed through the air as James watched his vessel take hit after hit, then slowly begin to sink beneath the waves. He had sailed her for over one hundred years...

When it was completely gone from sight he was shoved down a small flight of stairs and into a well-lit corridor. He didn't need any help in knowing where they were taking him, but when he got there his feet froze in terror. Yes, Captain James of the murderous blood pirates was frozen in shock.

Wallace pressed his hand against his right shoulder, then squeezed as a loud scream pierced his ears.

Roman...

His third in command was chained against the wall in one of the four cells in the brig they stood in, having holy water poured down his throat.

Stop...

Roman's eyes rolled back slowly as his body convulsed, rattling the chains. Soon smoke was rising from his skin, then he went completely lax against his bindings.

"Roman..." 

When he could manage to move his eyes from his now-dead third in command, he noticed two other steaming bodies leaning at odd angles against the chains.

Yari and Blane...

His eyes slowly moved over the remaining five. All of them looked terrified, an emotion he never thought any of them would have on their faces. The last one chained up was huddled in the corner, his eyes bloodshot and panicked, though he had the least amount of physical damage on his body.

Alexandre.

His head jerked up, rattling the chains and drawing the attention of the four men in the room.

"You want to go next, hmm?"

A man with dark brown hair and a sturdy build, who had just poisoned three of his crew, sauntered calmly over to Alexandre. His former slave quickly cowered back against the wall, shaking. This wasn't his fault... he didn't deserve to die because he had changed him!

"Don't!"

The man turned around, showing a face full of hatred. He had a scar running from the left side of his forehead all the way down to his jawline... and he had no doubt about how he had gotten it, judging from the way he looked at them.

"Mmm, ya like this one, Captain?"

The word captain was literally spat out, but that didn't matter right then. James quickly looked over his shoulder at an amused Wallace.

"We had a deal. Don't kill him!"

The captain's eyes roamed lazily over to Alexandre, eyeing him up like he was some sort of toy. It made his blood boil with rage, but he tamped it down and waited for a reply. When he didn't respond the brown haired man smirked and grabbed another vile of holy water, then yanked Alexandre's head up by his chin, squeezing hard enough to force his mouth open slightly.

"Time to take your medicine, bloody demon!"

Alexandre fought to pull away and James tried to retrieve some of his magic, but the damned holy water in the ropes was blocking it. 

"Stop, please!"

A deep chuckle behind him stole his attention for a moment, then the words of relief came.

"Leave that one be for now. Kill the other four."

Wallace shoved him forward and into a cell, then undid Alexandre's chains and threw him inside, followed by his first mate adding Desden. The door swung shut with a crackle... of course, more magic. Taking his mind away from the chance of escape for the moment, James checked on Alexandre, who was cowering in the corner again. He was in shock, but at least he wasn't on the floor with poison coursing through his system. After making sure that his son was still alive as well, James looked over at the four remaining members of his crew.

The black haired man was refilling the vials for them in the small basin that obviously held blessed water. He wanted to tell them that he would protect them, as he'd made the four what they are, but there was absolutely nothing he could do as the hunter began pouring poisoned water down their throats.

It was brutal and the screams would likely haunt him for the rest of his shortening life, but it was the easiest way to be sure you killed a vampire. It was their one severe weakness and Wallace knew exactly how to deliver it to kill with just the right amount of torturous pain.

He got so caught up in his crew's pain that he hadn't noticed that Wallace had left, then returned an hour later, once all of his men lay dead against their chains. James didn't have the energy to raise his head as the man's feet stopped before the bars to their cell.

"We are heading to the port of Gil Cres. You, your son, and your lover will be tried in the king's royal court, then undoubtedly sentenced to death while the humans you have tortured will be set free to enjoy their lives. Now then, enjoy your last few nights... and I shall enjoy my payment when your heads roll from the guillotine."