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The bracelet told her nothing Nor could she really expect it to--it was Monica’s, not Jasper’s Mouth dry, she turned the handle and opened the door The air that rolled out to greet her was thick with age and a ht across the layers of darkness It revealed the slimy floor but little else
A hand came down on her shoulder, and her heart almost stopped She screamed and spun, only to find the priest she’d seen earlier in the church grounds She sed and gave hiht"
"It was not entle, as if he feared he was talking to someone not quite sane "Idown here" Should she lie? She eyed hireen eyes told her he’s seen enough of life to know the truth froator" She pulled her wallet out of her jacket and shone the flashlight on her license
"I got a tip that an escaped cri in your cellar" The priest frowned "I don’t see how The doors are kept locked, and I’ve seen no one strange about" No one but herself, she surmised from his look "The side door and this one were both open, Father Have you checked theht" She glanced over her shoulder Soination?
"Is this crierous?"
Why wouldn’t he just leave? If Monica stirred, the priest was in danger Nikki doubted if his robes would offer erous"
"Then I think we should call the police"
She glanced back to the dark cellar At least the priest would be out of the way if he went to call the police AndMonica into the sunlight and death As long as they arrived well before sunset, there shouldn’t be any sort of danger With Monica out of the way, the only night pulsed across her skin "Call theard is trapped in this basement I’ll stay here to ensure she doesn’t escape"
His gaze widened at the mention of Monica’s name, then he nodded and moved back up the stairs Nikki watched his retreat Did he know Monica? Maybe she should warn hiainst a wall Priest or not, he wouldn’t believe her The lanced at her watch Perhaps the priest had decided to call the loony bin first, just to ensure she wasn’t an escaped nutcase She cast her senses into the base that Monica was still there The wash of evil was answer enough
A few minutes later she heard the sirens Yet she couldn’t escape the notion that so she shouldn’t But they had to get rid of Monica, for everyone’s safety Didn’t they?
Footsteps pounded down the hall She rubbed her ar they’d hurry MacEwan clomped down the steps and stopped beside her "This better not be one of your tricks" His breath washed over her, and she screwed up her nose Too bad garlic didn’t effect vampires "It’s not She’s all yours"
She offered hiht, but he shook his head and produced one of his own "Jenkins, make sure she stays put You other two, follow me"
The three men stepped into the baseht gave away their position She clenched her fists, half-expecting Monica to wake and try to escape But no sound broke the silence except for the occasional footstep
Minutes later, Jenkins’ tay buzzed
"Call the paramedics in, Jenkins" MacEwan’s voice sounded annoyed, even over the tay "And get theood"
"And Miss James?"
"Tell her to stay put, or her ass is lanced at her Nikki s" He grinned slightly then headed back up the stairs Nikki shifted her weight fro uneasily in the darkness She wanted to go into the cellar and see Monica for herself, but knew MacEwan had h with Jasper still on the loose, maybe jail was the safest place to be Jenkins returned a few e presence next to her She glanced at her watch If MacEwan didn’tto control a very angry, and very awake, vampire
Footsteps sounded down the hall Two paramedics pounded past them and disappeared into the darkness More minutes ticked by
Finally, MacEwan reappeared The two paramedics carried Monica on the stretcher just behind hi them
She let the five er looked more dead than alive She was li Nikki frowned Soht
She crossed her arht look, she was still a monster Like the fiend she called a lover, Monica enjoyed the terror she inflicted on her victims It had been all too obvious in her eyes when she’d attacked both her and Jake
But evil’s lanced over his shoulder "I don’t want you disappearing anywhere I’d like a ith you first"
She nodded She had no intention of leaving, anyway Not until she was certain of Monica’s fate She followed the men down the hall, then stopped as the first paraht touched Monica’s still for her skin armth Just for an instant she looked like the Monica of old--a carefree, innocent teenager Nikki bit her lip and half reached out to stop them Then she dropped her hand to her side and watched the two h, tortured sound that ricocheted through Nikki’sOh ChristShe took a step forward Fire leaped through her brain, stopping her She doubled over, gasping in pain, eyes watering as she struggled to see Monica The teenager kicked and twisted against the straps holding her captive She screamed and cursed and called for her father, over and over and over The two paraled to keep hold of the stretcher as the convulsing beca sound, then suddenly she was free and on the ground Her eyes flew open, revealing a sea of red where there should have been white Tendrils of san to rise froan to craards the doorway and the safety of the church interior<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>