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"Faster!" His voice was frantic, high-pitched "The daht them! You can do it I can help--"

"No, you can’t!" he screa oddaht now if you don’t shut up and do what I say!"

The last buckle let go The Sword of Saint Michael clattered to the ground

The Morfran shrieked in triu at all of Norden--just a flock of croar the place where he stood I closed to that plane Norden was right I couldn’t help him

"Both hands on your head now Kick the sword away" I did, not as far as I reat to dive for the sword and charge Norden Kane would be dead before I was halfway there

"Face that way" He gestured with his chin, indicating he wanted un he pointed at Kane didn’t waver as he holstered the other gun and pulled out a knife with a long, curved blade

I didn’t move I stood and stared Norden in the eye I would not die onpersonal, okay? I have to"

"You don’t"

"Yes, I do!" he screapersonal Yeah, I’ve called you a freakbut I always thought you’d makean okay partner, ever since"

"Ever since what, Norden? Ever since the concert? You do reot them away from Tina Remember?"

"They tore up that kid" He cocked his head "That’s what’s insideme up I have to I have to!"

The curved blade flashed as it fell froun, jaer

31

BEFORE NORDEN’S BODY HIT THE GROUND, THE GLASS doors of the T station shattered Myrddin ca the jar he’d had at the last murder site Two vaed for my sword, but I’m no match for a vampire in overdrive One of the va rasp, rolled, and came up with the silver chain in my hand

It was the only weapon Norden had leftthe vahastly screa at his cheek The other vaain The chain nicked a chunk of flesh fro about

I stood withthe chain to hold the vaed it, and fear of the silver prevented the to snatch it away from me But I couldn’t rest for a second, or else one of theet any closer to Myrddin

In my peripheral vision, I could see the wizard pick up the curved blade and bend over Norden’s corpse He slashed at Norden’s chest and then opened the jar Loud cawing erupted as the Morfran left Norden’s body I the Morfran, along hatever rerabbed forme I knocked him back

"I can’t wait for you buffoons," Myrddin called He stood, holding the jar in both hands "I must complete the transfer before the life force loses potency After you’ve killed her, meet me below I require your assistance"

"We could use a little assistance here, wizard Hit her with aall the ic I can summon to keep these spirits contained The ritual won’t wait Do as I told you, then coh the shattered door and disappeared down the stairs, into the subway

The vampires spread out The distance between them made it harder for me to use the chain I had to turn between them, and as I lashed at one there was an extra fraction of a second for the other to move in A fraction of a second is plenty of tiot his claws into led for air as he lifted hed and squeezed tighter

There was a pop, like a car backfiring The varound

His friend stared, eyes bugged But only for a moment A second pop dropped hi on the wall he’d fallen behind, holding one of my pistols, was Kane