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"The girls, my father Help ht froie was free Her fingers fumbled with the ties that held Cissy

"Coie asked anxiously Cissy nodded, sing hard

"Maggie, for the love of God, what is he? His strengthere helpless We--"

"You’ve got to get out of here, fast, and send help, please, while Carter is weakened Go! Can you drive, can one of you drive?"

"Yes!" Angie exclaiot to come with us--"

"No, we need to stay with Sean’s dad! Go, please, go, get to the police station, quickly!"

"Go!" Sean thundered, and the pair fled

Sean had his father in his arms He carried Daniel to a sofa, laid hione?"

"I don’t know"

"Will he die yet?" Sean deht back to his encounters with the vaue, and he hadn’t died in the cemetery

She shook her head "No," she said softly

Deep, eerie laughter seeold eyes were on his His features were taut She was afraid Not for herself For him He wanted to stroke her cheek Assure her How in God’s naie breathed "Barely hurt!"

Froirls, at least, had escaped

Then he felt Carter

Though he was crouched down by the sofa, Sean was suddenly picked up by what see to strike the force that held hiht he couldn’t breathe He couldn’t see at all He could only s

"Deadto take you apart piece by piece!" He was thrown then, thrown hard He landed with a cracking thud against the wall Desperately, he tried to clear his head, to rise

He saw Aaron then Form and mass rather than shadow

"Aaron! I’ away froed tactics She cried out suddenly, throwing herself against Aaron But he started laughing again, the sound rising to le with an explosion of thunder froain, my love? Do you think I went away to heal for all that tier than you could ever hope to be? I’ve gorged on blood, Maggie, bathed in blood, swum in blood I have a power you’ll never take, never in a thousand years " He was lifting her Her fingers were around his throat and she was screa away, and all her fury seeet to his feet, took aiie Daet a clear shot at the head or heart

Maggie screa at Aaron as the bullets jerked their way into hione

A rush of foul, evil darkness swept around Sean Arers tore at his flesh, icy, cold, they lifted hiain

He thudded to the floor In pain Arms wrenched, back, head, shoulders

He lay in darkness He saw Maggie trying to stagger up With tremendous force, he crawled his way to her

"Where is he?"

"I don’t know But he’ll be back"

He dragged her into his arie, you have to do it Make me one of you"

She shook her head wildly "No, Sean, let him take me, let hiie Don’t you see? Nothing you do will change hier"

"Please, Sean, I couldn’t bear it if I brought about your deathagain I love you, Sean, please--"

"Do it, Maggie"

"You can’t kill him as a vampire, Sean You’ll have lost your soul, and when you die that way there is no forgiveness, no escape froain Soft at first, growing louder Looking beyond Maggie’s shoulder, he could see a huge shadow beginning to for of you!"

"No, Sean--" she pleaded, kneeling before him

"Damn you, do it, or we’re dead, and dozens ie, for the love of God!" He drew her against hiie!"

"No!"

"Maggie! Don’t drain th, but I won’t be a true vale" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>