Vampirates 4: Black Heart Read Online Free

Marianne and Angelika followed their leader back out into the corridor. It swung closed behind her, and the three members of the Wrathe family were alone once more. They looked at each other, dumbstruck.
    "I'm going after her," Moonshine said.
    "No!" cried Trofie and Barbarro in unison.
    Moonshine stopped in his tracks. "But, Mom, your hand ..."
    "We'll get another," Barbarro said.
    "Oh, yeah," said Moonshine. "We'll just pop out to the golden hand store!"
    "She's a vampire, isn't she?" At last Trofie's voice betrayed some of the fear she had kept so well hidden before.
    "Yes, my dear," nodded Barbarro, taking his wife in his arms. "A vampire. Or Vampirate. Whatever they call themselves. The same monsters who killed my dear brother Porfirio."
    "All the more reason to exact a swift and terrible revenge," Moonshine said.
    "This isn't something to be entered into lightly or alone," said his father. "We were lucky to get away with our lives tonight."
    "All right," Moonshine persisted. "But what are you planning to do about it?"
    "First, I'm going to talk to Molucco. He has some experience with these creatures. He talked me out of pursuing them for revenge before, but that's all changed now. I'll see to that. These monsters cannot attack us on our own ships! So we talk to Molucco. Then, I'm taking this up with the Pirate Federation. We will work together to purge the oceans of these menaces." He bristled. "They chose the wrong ship to attack tonight! Let no one be in any doubt about that."
    Moonshine couldn't help but reflect that, stirring as his father's words were, the captain had been rather less combative during his encounter with the Vampirates.
    Barbarro drew his wife and deputy closer to him and spoke more softly. "But right now, I'm taking your mother to our cabin," he said to his son. "If you want to make yourself useful, summon the entire crew to meet me on the main deck in ten minutes sharp. I want to know just how those devils boarded the mighty Typhon in the first place." His orders given, Barbarro led his wife out of the stateroom.
    Moonshine began to follow them, then stopped in his tracks, spying the domed tray that Lady Lockwood had carried in with her. His shock had given way to hunger. Was it too much to hope that there might be some tasty morsels under the lid?
    But as he lifted the lid, he was disappointed. The platter was empty, save for one item. A playing card.
    Moonshine reached forward and lifted it into his hands. It was similar to a regular playing card, but there was something odd about it. It was the queen of hearts ... except that hearts were always red.
    And this card was black.

    4INCOMPLETE REUNION

    "No need to linger in the shadows," Mosh Zu said as Grace and Connor entered the meditation chamber. He was standing in the center of the room, facing them. In front of him was a wicker chair, its braided twigs glowing pale gold in the lamplight. The back of the chair was turned to the twins. At its side, also made of wicker, was a round table on which sat a pitcher of water and three glasses. As Grace watched, a small, pale hand appeared from the other side of the chair and reached out for a glass. Grace's heart lurched. The hand belonged to Sally, her mother. In just moments, she and Connor would sit down and have their first real conversation with her. Suddenly, the enormity of this meeting felt overwhelming to her. She reached for Connor's fingertips, and she could feel him shaking, too.
    Mosh Zu remained matter-of-fact, asking Connor to help him bring two more chairs over to the middle of the room. Grace found herself alone, mere steps from her mother. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward. Sally's eyes met hers, the vivid green of her irises perfectly mirroring Grace's own.
    "Hello again!" Sally said, smiling up at her. She looked weak, but she was, just as Grace had remembered, flesh and blood. Grace leaned forward and kissed her mother's cheek. It felt as smooth and cool as marble, but to