Remember, this is from the rough draft so it does not reflect the final product. Anyway, sit back and enjoy...
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Night Children: Dark Changes
Chapter Sixteen: Slaves
As
soon as the slave ship was close enough the vampires leaped aboard. Roland wished he could shut his ears as his
fellow crew members laughed wickedly.
Roland visibly flinched at the mortals’ screams.
Captain
Worthing, Ruthless Rach, Blood-Eyed Bill
and Abigail Black were already on the other ship, killing randomly. Roland
remained at the railing. He couldn’t
bring himself to join in on the slaughter.
“What’s
the matter? Afraid to leap over?”
It
was Paul, the older, fatter pirate that couldn’t keep up with the others. He stood next to Roland and watched the
slaughter with a gleam in his eyes.
Roland watched him for a moment.
Paul
continued, “I can’t make the jump. I’ve
never been a good vampire. Bill would’ve
killed me decades ago but the Captain lets me stay on. He’s a great man.”
Roland
nodded. He didn’t see the sense in
challenging the Captain’s authority.
Instead he remained silent as he turned back to the slaughter. The Captain of the slave ship was fighting
off two vampire pirates. Abigail watched
from the side, a smirk on her face.
“I’ve
seen you move,” Paul continued. “Why
don’t you just fly over there and finish the mortals off?”
“I...
can’t. Those are people over there. They’re screaming. We shouldn’t be doing this.”
Paul
placed a hand on Roland’s shoulder.
“Hey, it’s all right. This is
what we do. The mortals do it too. I’ve seen a lot of mortal pirates out on the
open sea. Most are just as vicious.”
“But
it’s not right.”
“You
do realize what that ship is for, right?”
“It’s
a slave ship.”
“Can
you smell the fear deep inside? There
are probably four hundred slaves below deck.
Those men our crew are slaughtering intend to sell those slaves. If you think about it, we’re doing those poor
mortals below deck a favor and freeing them from a life of shackles and
whips. We’re the heroes here, kid.”
Roland
thought about it. Paul had a point. At least vampires only killed to eat. Mortals captured and killed for much nastier
purposes.
“You’re
right. Thanks.” Roland exchanged smiles with the elderly
vampire and flew to the other ship.
“Give
‘em Hell, kid.”
