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"I would ease your disquiet, if I could"

"Ah, well" Jason lifted one shoulder in a shrug "I’ll live And I have hope that this va, it will take theo home"

Adrian looked back out the

Home For him, that was noherever Lindsay was

They reached Ontario and the hangar Mitchell Aeronautics kept there They waited briefly as the massive metal doors parted; then they drove the Maybach inside Jason set off to ements for his trip to Utah Adriandown into the subterranean storage areas The farther he descended, the easier it was to hear the growls and hissing Unintelligible sounds led with shouted threats and profanities from those captives who hadn’t yet been infected

It felt verythe bowels of hell

"Captain"

A petite brunette approached hie and sporting a pixielike cropped hairstyle, Siobhán looked too delicate to be formidable, which helped her immeasurably in battle Her opponents always underestie of rounding up infected vampires The other reason was her fascination with science This hunt had required soinning

With gloved hands, she pulled down the surgicalher face "We’ve already lost two of the six I caught Four is a very sain soon"

"Do any of the noninfected have useful inforht be spread?"

"One illing to talk" She dug into the cargo pockets of her pants and withdrew a loves, which she handed to him

"Are these necessary?" Sentinels were iestured for hi hies "But you don’t want their spittle on you, just for the ick factor"

He donned the protection without further questions "What do we know?"

"The disease first appeared about a week ago It infects at a varying rate Some succuer to show syroup wasn’t aware that there are other incidents of infection in other states, which makes me wonder how es, exa the infected va at the ainst the unforgivingfor Adrian and Siobhán with azes ild, yet lifeless "Do they show any signs of intelligence?"

"No They’re like bad B-movie zombies Aside frohts on and no one ho their blood?"

"We took samples from both the infected and noninfected while they were still tranquilized on the plane However"

Her pause caught his attention and he tore his gaze away from the macabre freak show to look at her "Go on"

She crossed her arms "Their metabolisms are extremely accelerated While the noninfected vamps stayed under induced anesthesia for the duration of the flight, the sick ones woke up shortly after we took off Malachai was bitten by one of the blood"

"Is he okay?"

"So far, he’s fine But I have him quarantined until I know for sure The vamp that bit him was the first of the two causalities I had to put hiet hi before a cage in which a male vampire sat in the corner with his arms wrapped around his drawn-up knees "This is the talkative one"

"So you’re the great Adrian," the va "You don’t look so scary with that , Adrian asked, "What’s your name?"

"Does ithand to push back a grie"

"What is it you like to burn?" Adrian asked, recognizing the signs of withdrawal and knowing that the nificance

"Crystal drea at Siobhán, Adrian asked, "Any possibility the drug is connected? Perhaps it affords a level of i is a possibility at this point"

"Thank you for your help, Singe" Adrian stood and faced Siobhán "Take me to Malachai"

They left the room and moved down the hall

"I have a question for you," Adrian said quietly

"Yes, Captain?"

"Lindsay Gibson ainst sos she’s hunted Since she’s taken down both varoup that was susceptible" He thought of the vaated in Hurricane He’d had Lindsay’s blood on his hands, but it didn’t spark a reaction of any kind, adverse or otherwise "Can you explain why her blood would allow a blade to slice into a dragon’s i I’d have to think about it I’d certainly love to test a sa two souls inside her would be the cause?"

Siobhán slowed before a metal door with a"Yes, it’s possible You knoerful souls are Two in one vessel likely creates a unique force ill probably never fully understand"

Looking through the glass, Adrian saw Malachai kicking back on a cot with his cell phone in hand Adrian knocked Malachai looked up, his face breaking out in a snized his visitor

"I feel fine, Captain," the Sentinel shouted

"Good to hear" Adrian was about to saycame from down the hall He looked over his shoulder "What’s that?"

Siobhán frowned "I don’t know I don’t like it"

A fewcontinued They all looked to Adrian, iftly passed them en route to the source of the sound

As the location of the noise becaue"