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Bryan gasped, and Sean spun around, aware for the first time of the other man&039;s presence

His jaw dropped "MacAllistair!"

But Bryan was staring at Jessica"Igrainia," he breathed

She leapt to her feet, staring warily back at hie uarantee you&039;re wrong"

"You really are," Maggie ie," he cautioned, "they need to solve this theie protested "His solution is to kill her!"

Jessica didn&039;t think Bryan had heard a word anyone had said since Sean had spoken her true name He just stared at her She felt an iciness, a fear she hadn&039;t known in years Not a physical fear Soainst the remnants of her soul

They all juirl voice call out, "Moie and Sean "We&039;ve got to get out of your house and talk this out between one another"

"Jessica, I can&039;t let you leave here with hiht," Jessica said firie started to protest, but her husband cut her off

"You twodo need to work this out Because we have a deadly situation on our hands This Master has to be stopped, and both of you need to think about that before anything else A ht" He looked at Maggie "Jessica has nothing to fear froie said, ready to do battle

"It&039;s all right," Jessica said, walking over to give her friend a hug

"Moie&039;s, walking her toward the stairwell "I swear to you, I&039;ll be fine"

"You won&039;t be fine," Maggie whispered back "You&039;re in love with him You were before, you are now And he&039;ll lull you and seduce you-and kill you"

"No, Maggie I&039;"

"Because he hasn&039;t knoho or where you were"

"Maggie, it works both ways," Jessica reminded her "I could kill hio take care of your daughter I proie started up the stairs just as Sean and Bryan caer "You need to find new accoet that for now We need to focus on stopping the Master"

"Be back here by three this afternoon," Sean said "I&039;ll have gathered what and who I can by then We need a better plan than just waiting to see what he does next Or," he added softly, "who dies next"

"Right, back by three," Jessica said She started out the door Bryan followed her

"You have your car, I see," he coer side "Is it your customary mode of transportation?"

"Mycusto me if I can turn intoyou can"

"Can I? Yes Do I? Not often Only when necessary I actually love et out of here," she said pleasantly

"So," shecasually his way as she pulled out of the driveway, "what about you? Are you sole bound?"

"Only when necessary," he

"What?"

"Jessica, someone close to you has to be in on this with the Master Hoell do you know Stacey?"

"Don&039;t you even dare suggest it"

"Why not? She knows you, knows your every move"

Jessica shook her head "You don&039;t understand I h my church"

"Yourchurch? " he de, do you?" she said impatiently

"Sorry, but I&039;ve coo to church"

"How many have you asked?" she demanded

He didn&039;t reply

"It&039;s not Stacey," she said heatedly "Stacey and Gareth have looked out for me for years"

He stared at her, features drawn "Jessica, don&039;t be such a fool Yearsto the Master" He was quiet for a moment "Dear God!" he exploded "His hatred for me in life was madness He didn&039;t just want you dead, he wanted to turn you into pure evil simply because I loved you Now his hatred for you is er I blame myself for where we are now," he added bitterly "I should have known he was here I should have watched over Mary myself from the minute she was bittenI shouldn&039;t have failed in Transylvania"

She was startled by his pained tone, by the fact he seerier with himself than with her He had spoken alain, alh touched by the hand of evil, could still resist it

"I&039; ourselves right noon&039;t help anything"

"Right Sowho?"

"Who?"

"Who is close to you and is helping the Master to carry out his plans? Let&039;s say its not Stacey, nor Gareth, even though they&039;re closest to you And hu have you known them?"

She looked at the road "Gareth has been with me for a decade Stacey, several years"

"Bobby Munro," he said suddenly

"Bobby?"

"Why not?"

"Because I know him He&039;s always in ht as well suggest Big Jim"

She was startled when he remained silent "No, no, no," she said "He&039;s one of the best ain Bryan was silent

"Look, there&039;s still the possibility we&039;re looking for a stranger," she reminded him

He looked at her "True As we both know," he added dryly, "al ispossibleBut it&039;s not probable"

"You really don&039;t understand I know the people around me I&039;ve beenI&039;ve been around for centuries I&039;ve learned how to judge human nature"

"None of us ever really knows anyone else"

"For an angel of goodness, you&039;re quite a cynic," she inforel," he reood You oodness in others"

They had reached her house; she pulled into the drive, turned off the engine, and they sat for a ht ahead, then finally he looked at her "I&039;ll grant you this, the place is well vampire-proofed So how come you&039;re able to enter?"

"You really don&039;t understand anything at all"

She got out and headed straight for the porch, shoulders squared, indignant He followed instantly, grabbing her aro when she realized he wasn&039;t even looking at her He was staring at the house "Even here, you have to be careful" He frowned, jaw locked as he looked for danger

"There&039;s a vampire here, and I don&039;t mean you," he said

She set a hand on his ar in "Mary"

"What?"

"It&039;s all right We have her under control"

He shook his head "She has to be destroyed"

"No! Look, I would have killed her ht she turned-you know that Even I was convinced that she was evil But she&039;s not, Bryan"

"There is-"

"Don&039;t you dare go telling ood vaain, but he called her back

"Jessica"

"What?"

"I&039; Honest to God But you&039;d better warn Mary and all your little friends that one wrong est that if you act against any us without provocation, I can be equally ruthless"

"I don&039;t doubt it," he said

She gritted her teeth, daht into his beliefs

"You do realize you&039;re in even greater danger, now that you&039;ve let Mary in"

"Mary will be sound asleep all day"

"He can enter her drea at him Yes, the Master could enter dreained that it was Bryan who had soue her

"You&039;re in very serious danger here," he said softly

"Right-from you"

"I don&039;t lie I said I wouldn&039;t kill you"

"You&039;re just a paragon of virtue," she taunted

She was surprised when he actually laughed "I wouldn&039;t go that far But ood"

She continued up the porch steps to the house Stacey opened the door, and stared first at Jessica, then at Bryan

"Is everything all right here?" Jessica asked

Stacey nodded, still looking anxious "Mary is as secure asas secure as I kno to make her"

"Which is very secure," Jessica said firht And I saw to it that she was completely stuffed I mean, if she feels like she&039;s just eaten an entire turkey dinner, she&039;s less likely to fall prey to his call, right?"

"Actually, she see him already I haven&039;t seen that happen before," Jessica said

"But ithas happened before," Stacey said "You"