Sea of Darkness

By Isadora Brown

Working with a supernatural enemy is Kelia's only hope of solving her father's murder. But her investigation puts her own life in danger.

The Society’s sole purpose is to protect the general population from vicious Sea Shadows, and Kelia’s their top Slayer. But when her father is murdered and her handler insists it’s suicide, she starts to question whether The Society really has her best interests at heart.

Now, to solve her father’s death, Kelia must work with an unexpected ally: Drew Knight, an infamous Sea Shadow and the most beautiful creature Kelia has ever set eyes upon. A Sea Shadow who, without intending to, just may show her who the real enemy is...and it’ll only cost her one unnamed favor to be collected at a future date.

But after her affiliation with Drew Knight is discovered, Kelia is forced to choose between what she’s known since the beginning of her existence...or a dark, terrifying truth that puts her life at risk.

Find out who dies and who survives in SEA OF DARKNESS, the first installment of The Vampire Pirate Saga, an exciting new urban fantasy romance readers of Sarah J Maas and Karen Marie Moning are sure to devour!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather C. Myers
• Release date: Sep 30, 2021

Book preview

1

Kelia Starling wished she’d had time to clean her blades before being dispatched to slaughter a Sea Shadow. It would have been calming to know her blades were fresh, ready for their next victim, rather than stained with dried blood, rusted and dull from the fight before. 

Her father—the great Gregory Starling—always told her living in the past would get her killed in the present. He also told her that ensuring her weapon of choice was fresh and gleaming with the promise of her next kill was a guarantee for victory.

There was no time to clean her blades now, though. Not when the Sea Shadow was directly in front of her. 

The monstrous beast snarled, his skin pale. There was something off about him, something that didn’t quite sit well with Kelia, even more than the fact he was a vampire. There was something ferocious about him, something more animalistic than other Shadows she’d encountered in the past, despite his very human appearance.

Kelia lunged left. He stepped out of her way, her blade narrowly missing his side. He grinned, his long fangs protruding past his lips in a way that almost made him seem darkly amused. Perhaps he was imagining what she would taste like. 

Sea Shadows were notorious for feeding on the living, for ripping away flesh so they could drink the thick crimson blood as it pooled out of a living human in order to fuel their insatiable desire for a life that would never again be theirs. They would walk this world forever without the assistance of a beating heart. In addition to immeasurable strength, their speed was faster than even a jungle cat’s. Their teeth could puncture flesh and rip organs from the body. And yet, Sea Shadows were known for their control. They mastered their strength, using it when they chose. How they chose.

But this thing in front of Kelia… He was not controlled. 

The wind whipped against her face, causing tendrils to pull from her tight braid and blow into her eyes. The distraction gave the Sea Shadow a momentary upper hand, and he snapped his jaw. 

When Kelia flinched, he tossed back his head and barked out a cruel laugh. He might have been handsome when he was a human, with dark blond hair that reached his shoulders. Before she’d seen a vampire, she’d expected their presence to be chilling—unnerving—but instead, warmth pooled in her stomach. One never expected to find such a heartless enemy attractive. 

Unexpectedly, a wave pushed into the hull of the boat, and Kelia stumbled. She gripped the handle of her cutlass, clenching her teeth. She hated how unsettled she felt; did this Sea Shadow feel the same?

To be honest, it didn’t appear as though he could comprehend much of anything, save for the fact Kelia was in front of him and looked like his next meal.

The beast lunged forward, nearly taking Kelia by surprise with the directness of his attack. Sea Shadows usually reserved their strength and speed for when they truly needed it. In a way, Kelia appreciated that this thing was taking her seriously as an opponent. 

The Sea Shadows she had fought before him liked to toy with her, tease her. She did not mind that. They’d all underestimated her abilities, and for that, they’d paid quite dearly. But this one would be a formidable enemy. One that would bring her great satisfaction to dismantle.

She smirked at the way the creature lunged, as if trying to get this over with as quickly as possible. As it were, the Sea Shadow behaved as though she was an obstacle in his way, a nuisance he needed to get rid of, so he could complete whatever it was he needed to do. Or maybe it was simply being reckless—maybe it knew she would defeat it. Maybe, if Sea Shadows could reason, it thought death might be a kindness.

There was something in his eyes, though. Something that made him…human…regardless of what he truly was. Perhaps it was the grey that remained in his irises. Kelia didn’t know much about Infant Sea Shadows, but she did know their thirst for blood was insatiable. This Infant did not seem hungry, exactly. He seemed furious that some flimsy-looking girl was in his way, preventing him from…

She did not know what, to be quite honest.

He slashed at her with untrimmed nails that scraped along her shoulder before she could step out of the way. As she dodged his next advance, she swallowed, her hands shaking. 

A wave rocked the small boat once more. This time, Kelia managed to stand her ground, but the Infant was not as graceful as his older, more experienced counterparts. He nearly tripped, though managed to right himself just in time.

Remember, Kelia, an agent called. You need to capture him alive.

Kelia wanted to snarl at the onlooker. It would be easier if they would help her. But no, these two men only knew how to sail the blasted boat. They couldn’t defend themselves to save their lives. Literally. Which was why they stayed a good distance away, letting the Slayers handle the messy work.

Actually, the fact they were currently not in the small cabin that had specifically been designed to ensure their protection gave her pause. Why were they outside, watching her? Who were they to give her pointers on how to fight?

At that moment, the Infant struck, slicing her cheek with his nails. The ripping skin tugged downward until she yanked her face away from his grasp. If she didn’t clean that as soon as she got back to the fortress, she’d be facing an infection. 

No more distractions, Kelia.

Taking a breath, she raised her blade. She was ready to strike when a gust of wind blasted her face, sending her braid into disarray, tendrils of hair coming free. Kelia closed her eyes against the strength of the blast and tightened her core muscles to keep the wind from throwing her off-balance.

At least she wasn’t the only one.

The Infant seemed to be struggling himself. It didn’t appear he was accustomed to his newly found powers yet. He kept staring at his hands, as though he could not believe they belonged to him. 

Did he feel the power surging through his body, but didn’t know what to do with it?

Kelia huffed a breath. First, the unclean blades. Now, the wind tousling her braid. This was not going the way she planned. 

It didn’t help that the sea was not cooperating with her, either. Not that it ever did. She was much more skilled on land than the ocean. At least the land was solid and did not move out from under her.

Kelia stepped forward and struck. The blade sank into his side. He let out a piercing scream, one that shook the entire boat. This time, her blade was not laced with liquid silver; for some reason, The Society required he be brought in alive. She had no idea why. It was not as though they could question him when he didn’t seem to be in his right mind. If they thought he would be able to understand their questions and provide rational responses…

Well, she was not one to question The Society.

Kelia yanked the blade from his flesh, sending drops of dark blood splattering everywhere. She nearly gasped. Sea Shadows, being creatures of the night who were both dead and doomed to live an eternity, did not bleed. How could they when their hearts had stopped pumping? That was why, when they were pierced with silver, they disintegrated into ash rather than bled out. 

Did his heart still pump, or was this excess blood?

Kelia shook her head. It would probably run dry in a few days. Besides, it didn’t change anything. She was sent to complete a task, and so she would.

In her moment of distraction, the Infant leapt off his feet and sprung. He knocked her down and pinned her against the old wood of the boat. His nails sank into her shoulders, and she turned her head, trying to muffle her cries of pain. She thought she heard the two agents shouting, but the roar of the wind drowned them out. What they were saying was lost in the breeze. 

She needed to think. Fast.

The Infant snapped at her neck, and she strained against him, pulling back as far as she could so his teeth only grazed her skin.

She was going to die.

Or worse—he was going to turn her into one of them.

Her distraction might prove fatal. She shouldn’t have pondered on the oddity of the Infant. That had always been her greatest fault. How many times had her trainer chided her for not paying attention? He didn’t understand how she could think of anything else when her life was in danger. It went against human nature.

But sometimes those thoughts were what saved her. Sometimes, what she noticed helped her win fights. She just needed to…focus. To take control.

Her left hand still held her blade, but the way the Infant gripped her shoulder made it impossible to use it. She couldn’t even manage to kick him. The best she could do was struggle, though she doubted that would work, considering his strength far surpassed hers.

If the damn agents threw the Infant off her, that would at least distract him so Kelia could make use of her blade. But it did not seem the two men were bright enough—or brave enough—to figure that one out. If she was going to survive, she needed to act quickly.

As she strained against him, a thought flashed through her mind. It was so vile, so revolting, she thought it just might work. Without warning, she opened her mouth and spat on the Sea Shadow. The action took him by surprise, and he froze. Taking advantage, Kelia pushed him as hard as she could.

He growled, a fierce sound that rivaled the thunder. 

It hadn’t worked.

He was as immovable as a rock.

Until a wave from the turbulent sea slammed into the boat so hard it knocked him over. 

Kelia sprang to her feet, and one of the agents rushed to hand her the silver cuffs. She managed to clasp one cuff on the Infant’s wrist, and he screeched as his skin smoked. The second cuff, however, was easier to get on, though the smell of burning flesh still stuck in her nose.

Once he was in custody, she let the two agents lead the Infant belowdecks. They’d place him in the small, one-cell brig made of silver, while Kelia stayed where she was, attempting to catch her breath. 

That was close. Too close.

And her job was not yet done.

Andrew Knight stood on the deck of his ship, taking in the horizon. The elements were acting up again. The wind tousled his short hair and ruffled his clothing, and the thunder roared from somewhere off in the distance. He had been alive long enough to know the rain would hit Port George in a few hours, drenching anyone unlucky enough to be outside.

Though it was still night and Drew could step on land, he refrained from doing so. Unless he felt as though his presence was required, he was perfectly content staying onboard the ship he’d had for the past century. The waves were turbulent, but he maintained his balance with ease, having done so countless times before.

Something was wrong, though. There was something going on out there that required his attention. He just didn’t know what.

Port George was filled with a subset of the wealthy English population who tended to stay in one location without exploring the island, which worked well for Drew, since he docked on the part of the island that no one knew about. Fortunately for him, the islanders staying in their own little bubble gave him the run of the southern portion, should he choose to roam it. 

But Drew preferred the sea. He could always count on the sea to change. It was humans he couldn’t trust.

Which was yet another reason he was stationed on Port George, home of the Slayers headquarters. They were here, plotting nefarious acts against his kind. Which was ironic, considering.

Any news of him?

Drew’s eyes shifted from the horizon to rest on Emma, one of his few human friends, even if she was also a witch. She was the only person he trusted who had a heartbeat. In fact, he trusted her so much he allowed her to roam freely aboard his ship and to run errands for him that he could not do himself.

No. His voice was cold, though he did not mean for her to take the dismissing tone personal. She never did. If he is after The Society, and I suspect he is, then he should be here.

How would he be able to determine The Society’s exact location? she asked, taking a step toward him. Emma usually kept her distance—not because she was afraid of him, but because she didn’t like anyone invading her personal space. It was something she sacrificed when she pretended to be a whore, but only when she absolutely needed to blend in with the population of downtown Port George. 

Drew said nothing, but she had a way of reading him. Surely she knew Christopher was probably tipped off by Drew himself. 

Her expression fell. Oh.

You disapprove? he asked, quirking an eyebrow. 

I just know a man in love will follow his heart instead of his head, Emma murmured in a low voice. I don’t want his feelings to get him killed, Drew. She straightened her posture, as if daring him to challenge her. Or worse.

You think they will turn him into a Shadow? he asked. 

He was surprised by the curiosity in his voice and hoped he hadn’t portrayed anything more—anything that would suggest he hadn’t thought about such a thing happening, or how, now that he had, he was shaken by the thought. But only as much as something could shake Drew Knight. He had seen too much in his long life, experienced so much, that it was hard to take him by surprise. Emma, however, was always good at coming close.

I would not be surprised, she murmured. He focused intently on her profile, but she did not shudder under his gaze. They know who he is to her. He never tried to hide it, the fool.

Yes, but he’s a fool in love, Drew interjected.

Even worse, Emma said. Are you planning to do something about this? He has probably already fallen into their hands.

Drew pressed his lips together. You think they’d risk taking him on if they did turn him? he asked. He would be an Infant with no experienced creator by his side. He would be dangerous. He cocked his head to the side. I wonder what the Queen would think.

Emma’s face twisted. The Queen, the mother, was the first Sea Shadow, turned by the Wyntura Trade Company in the late fourteen hundreds. There were now a few thousand Sea Shadows, all of whom could trace their lineage back, in some way, to her. The Wyntura Trade Company refused to continue to create beasts themselves. Instead, they forced her to create Shadows for them until she grew too powerful for even them to contain. Now, they only worked together when it benefited them both. Any Shadows too uncontrollable or powerful to contain would be taken out by The Society. 

Drew was not one to hate, but if he hated anything in this world, it was her. She was a wretched, awful beast who took what she wanted and gave nothing back. A true pirate who bred loyalty through fear rather than respect. One who preyed upon the innocent and had no qualms about doing what was necessary to get whatever she wanted.

He was keen on exposing truth and justice, something he knew The Society was adamantly opposed to. That had been his goal since freeing himself from the Queen’s clutches, and he was intent on doing just that. 

 Power, Drew continued. The Wyntura Trade Company values power. And they’ll damn the lot of us to acquire it. 

His teeth clenched, a beast snarling at the wind, and he stared out at sea. It was in moments like these—in pure, blissful ferociousness—that his dark eyes teased red. He knew this, for his whole world would tint red in response. 

Drew could almost forget he was a Sea Shadow, save for these moments. The moments where his anger got the better of him, and his nature as a vampire of the sea took over. 

He was aware enough to know some Shadows were vicious, wild things who did what they wanted—but the same could be said of some humans as well.

The Queen had been one of the more vicious Shadows. She fooled others with her beauty, but Drew knew better than to fall for such seductive charms. He had learned a lot from her while under her thumb. Since breaking away from her, his life—death—was much better than it had been when he was with her harem of Shadows, kept around as nothing more than protection and pleasure. And since leaving there, he learned that most Sea Shadows didn’t deserve to be hunted and killed by The Society who created them.

When he focused on Emma again, her gaze was still intent on him. A breeze ruffled her hair, and Drew could perceive every muscle in her body as it tensed. Drew couldn’t help but smirk at her effort to conceal her shudder. She always tried to hide her fear, even though no one would blame her if she were to admit fearing a being that was more beast than man.

Cold? Drew asked, teasing her.

Her muscles tensed more. He could sense it.

I prefer the cold, she said.

Mmm, he murmured, turning back to the sea. These storms on the cusp of summer and autumn always seemed bitter, as though the summer was upset at relinquishing its hold on the weather.

Emma took an abrupt step toward him, drawing his attention again. But just as abruptly, she froze. She appeared nervous. Which meant she wasn’t about to let him off the hook with a change of subject. Emma was about to challenge him.

Her hands curled into tight fists at her sides. Well? she asked. What do you suggest we do? 

Wait, Drew said. We wait.

But—

There’s nothing more we can do, he said, sharply this time. And then…

And then? Emma prodded, perking her eyebrows.

If the Shadow breeder is the same man, we track him down and acquire the necessary information in whatever way possible, Drew said, feeling that darkness wash over him again.

Emma placed a long index finger on her chin. Right. Of course, she said. What was his name again? 

Drew Knight turned away from her, gripping the edge of the ship so tightly his knuckles turned even whiter than his already pale skin.

Starling, he said. Gregory Starling.

2

Once they were safely back at The Society’s docks, Kelia rushed off the ship and threw up in the nearby bushes. 

If she never got on another boat, it would be too soon. Of course, that wasn’t really an option. Especially not if she wanted to continue her pursuit to become a Sea Slayer.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve and tried to stay steady, reminding herself why losing her stomach was worth it in the end.

Due to their curse, Sea Shadows practically lived on the ocean. Unless the sun had fully set, they couldn’t touch land without bursting into flames. That meant it was safer for the Slayers to capture them on the waves during the day, before they invaded at nightfall. And that meant Kelia either needed to brace herself against her sea sickness…or give up her duty as a Slayer.

She hated the blasted sea, but no one ever said she had to like it. 

Maybe one day her training would catch up with her, and she wouldn’t feel this way anymore. She laughed bitterly. 

Yeah, right.

She spun toward the two agents behind her, who each gripped the Infant Sea Shadow by an arm. Interestingly enough, he wasn’t struggling, fighting, or hissing. Instead, he kept his cold, grey eyes on her. 

Kelia pursed her lips. She liked to think she wasn’t afraid of a lot of things. Even Sea Shadows were not to be feared when one knew how to put them down, and she’d been training her entire life to do so. But as much as she didn’t want to admit it, this Infant made her squirm. 

With a sigh, she tamped down those feelings and lifted her chin with false confidence. She didn’t have time to be afraid. She had a job to do, and fear would get her killed.

The two agents led the Infant Sea Shadow up the dirt path to the grand stone fortress that stood as protection for the citizens of Port George, as well as the secret headquarters of the Shadow Society. Sea Shadows who were taken here never left. Kelia didn’t know what happened to them, but she did know they were never seen nor spoken of again.

You’ve returned.

At the familiar tenor, she snapped her attention back in the other direction. Her father stood a few paces away, a wariness in his blue eyes. This expression was nothing new, and Kelia kept her mouth shut as he appraised every inch of her, searching for injuries. She knew better than to tell him she was not harmed, not when he could see the torn clothing and the scratches on her face that were already clotting.

In one piece, she mumbled when his eyes met hers once again.

He cut a glance at the sea almost dismissively. Barely.

Kelia clenched her teeth to hold back from making any biting comments. She’d been raised better than that and would not disrespect her father, even if he was acting colder than usual. His gaze scanned the area surrounding them, as though he thought someone was listening in on their conversation.

The thought unsettled Kelia. Only The Society knew of this place. No one else. They were safe. Why was her father acting as if they were being watched?

His blue eyes found hers again—cold eyes she was thankful she had not inherited. Gregory Starling was a loving man, but there were times he was reserved to the point of barely speaking. Most of the time, it was after she returned from missions, though she didn’t travel out for them often. She was still in training.

Well? he asked finally.

Kelia took a breath. I got him, she said, trying to keep the attitude from her voice.

His eyes slid over to where the agents led the Infant up to the fortress. I can see that, he said. Did you obtain any information from him?

From an Infant? Kelia furrowed her brow. They barely register who they used to be and what they are now. How am I supposed to obtain information from them?

Who told you that?

She nearly snorted but managed to stop herself. Despite the blood that stained her blade and the skin-tight pantaloons she had to wear on missions, she was still a lady, and ladies did not snort, no matter how ridiculous the questions that were being asked.

"Everyone