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"Search and rescue’s not exactly our thing," Dante said, his eyes on the civilian as a rureement kicked up from around the table of warriors

"That’s true," Nikolai put in The Russian-born va hank of sandy-colored hair that didn’t quite conceal the wintry chill of his ice-blue gaze "We’reoperation"

"There’s more to this than just a few stray vampires out past curfew and in need of collars," Lucan said His grim tone dialed down the attitude in the roo on"

"Last roup of three Darkhaven youths left for a rave somewhere in the city and never returned A week later, another tentfroent Chase reached into a briefcase on the floor beside him and pulled out a thick file He tossed it to the center of the conference table From within the manila jacket, about a dozen snapshots spilled out--faces of s, youthful vampire males "These are just the reported disappearances so far We’ve probably lost another couple of inpiduals in the ti with you"

Dante sifted through the pile of photographs and passed the folder around the table, figuring they couldn’t all be runaways Life in the Darkhavens could be a bore to youngwas so bad it would drive groups of them away at a tis? Thisinpiduals in such a short period of ti about it" "There have been only a handful of recoveries"

Chase brought out another file from his case, this one considerably thinner than the first He withdrew a few photographs and fanned theue shots Three civilian vaeneration, and probably not one of thehtless eyes stared up at the caered slits, the natural color of the irises saturated in the aues," Niko said, practically hissing the word

"No," Agent Chase replied "They died in the throes of Bloodlust, but they hadn’t yet turned They were not Rogues"

Dante got out of his chair and leaned over the table to have a closer look at the pictures His gaze was drawn immediately to the crust of dried pinkish foam that circled the subjects’ slack mouths The same kind of saliva residue he’d spotted on his attacker outside the club earlier tonight "Any idea what killed them?"

Chase nodded "Narcotic overdose"

"Any of you hear chatter around town about a new club drug called Criroup of warriors None had "Froent Chase has told me, it’s a particularly nasty bit of che the Breed’s younger crowds It’s a stienic that also produces a burst of enorth and endurance But that’s just the appetizer The real fun starts about fifteen ent Chase added "Users who eat or inhale this red powder soon experience extreme thirst and feverlike chills They convulse into aall the traits of Bloodlust, fros to the insatiable need for blood If the inpidual is left to quench that need, he is alue If he continues to use Criue photos, "is the other outcome"

Dante cursed, half in frustration for the epide the Darkhaven populations, but also for the realization that the young Bloodlusting vaht was a Breed youth, like these, hopped up on the shit Chase had just described He had a hard ti the kid out when he’d been co, Cri fro it?"

"We have nothing o on than what I’ve presented here"

Dante saw Lucan’s grave expression and understood where this was heading "Ah, and so this is where we come in, is that it?"

"The Darkhavens have asked for our assistance in identifying and, if practical or even possible, bringing back any htly patrols Obviously, as a part of that, it is in our shared interest to put a stop to Criree that the last thing the Breed needs iswith the others

"The Order’s willingness to assist with this problereatly appreciated My thanks to all of you," Chase said, letting his gaze settle on each of the Breed warriors in turn "But there is one ht incline of his head, gesturing for the agent to continue

Chase cleared his throat "I would like to have an active part in the operation"

A long, heavy silence stretched out as Lucan scowled, leaning back in his chair at the head of the table "Active in ay?"

"I want to ride along with one or more members of the Order, to personally monitor the operation and to assist in the retrieval of theseinpiduals"

Seated on the other side of Dante, Nikolai burst out laughing

Gideon raked his fingers through his cropped hair, then threw his pale blue shades onto the table "We don’t take civilians along on our operations Never have, never will"

Even Tegan, the stoic one, who hadn’t uttered a single word one way or the other throughout the entire reeent," he said without inflection, only cold truth

Dante held his disbelief inside, certain that Lucan would shut the agent doith the power of his level glare alone But Lucan didn’t reject the idea outright He stood up, his fists braced on the edge of the conference table