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"There are five of them, made of copper The Venators are in possession of one of thee for Kritanu and Sebastian--unharmed any further"

"How do I know you do not lie to me?" The blade shivered and Victoria held her breath

"Ask theh, who apparently was under their watch After his outburst, George had reame

One of the undead, a woman ironically, nodded when Sara looked at her "Describe the ring," said the vampire

Victoria did, quickly, her eyes on the blade the whole ti?" asked Sara

"Sebastian retrieved it He knohere it is" What was the delay?

Sara looked at her with distaste "You expect that I shall release hi?"

Just then--at last!--a sudden boom from the next room startled the occupants The ts near that wall shattered, sending glass shards scattering Sunlight streah the torn curtains, and chaos followed A nearby vary strips as he writhed in the sunbeam

Chaos reigned--Sara was shouting, half in Italian and half in English, waving the knife, giving sharp orders Two vampires launched the the stake out of her pocket She stabbed one,him nevertheless, and vaulted over the table as the knife blade flashed

As Victoria sla her ar her nose and turning her vision scarlet The small woth; it took only a single blow to the chest for her to release the blade and slu heavily, Victoria tore herself away fro it away, as so heavy landed on her back It smashed her to the floor, and it was alive

Galvanized, Victoria rolled over, grabbing the varip even as he tore at her with claws and teeth Her bloodSebastian’sKritanu’sfilled her nose, her vision, sat on her tongueIt beca, of driving fury She slammed and staked and scratched and elbowed until at last she was free She grabbed the knife Sara had dropped, pulling to her feet

Max was there at last, panting, his hair loose froe if the streaks of blood on his face were the sign of a victorious warrior As Victoria e for the last re vampire and place a stake in the center of its chest Even without the power of the vis bulla he was lethal

As she saay at Sebastian’s bonds, she heard a soft oath behind her Her skin prickling, she turned to see Max, frozen, wearing a stricken expression He was looking beyond her, and Victoria turned slowly

Sara could barely stand, but the gun in her hand was steady It was pressed into Kritanu’s back, at precisely the location where neck otiate" The fact that she spoke in Italian indicated the level of her distress But, still, she held the gun, and Victoria was powerless unless she wanted Kritanu to die right then

"The Ring of Jubai You will bring it to"Maxihted to see hie" She looked over at her co the altercation, presumably in an effort to reentleestured to Max with a jerk of her head

Now, Victoria noticed that Brodebaugh sat slule He would be no help to anyone, ever again George rose fro toward Max with alacrity "I’ll tie his wrists"

"No," Sara said, her eyes crafty "No, he will carry his friend As added insurance" She s to the old ht not care what happens to hireeable as itto take his own life rather than be subjected to Lilith’s will again, it would be nothing for Max to risk trying an escape, even with a gun on hier anyone else, especially Kritanu

Victoria was ordered to give the knife to George, who then gave it to Max--presumably so that she and Max would have no chance for private communication--and it was he who cut Kritanu free Under Sara’s watchful eye and gun barrel, he hoisted the elderly ently as possible He, too, had vampire bite marks on his neck and on any exposed flesh Blood still strearoaned quietly He had lost a lot of bloodand he hadn’t the Venator powers, although he wore a save him some protection froun next to the twoto Lilith, if indeed it does exist I need not tell you to coivefull well that Lilith would never willingly release Max