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Charles or Jonny had to have had an inkling she was going to search for Brandon the round Ashley didn't have a chance to orient herself let alone determine whether her brother was nearby The Traveler on her tea out in an abandoned cabin in the forest

Fortunately the creatures were caught unaware She'd hacked down three of therab their weapons The Guardians with her fought with unity and discipline, and she broke away fro a pocket of quiet, Ashley drew a deep breath and gazed around her She was using the knife Jonny gave her, less because she needed it and iven it to her

Jonny cared on some level, even if he hadn't said such aloud It didn't confuse her like she thought it would If anything, knowing - finally - she wasn't the only one affected by their relationship settled so died out behind her, and she turned to see the last of the vamps surrounded by the Guardians

"Alive, as requested," one of them told her

She went to the injured creature and bent down beside it "My brother," she said "I want to knohere he is"

The dazed va

She drew the knife Jonny had given her and lifted it "We can do this the hard way or the harder way," she said "Tell ive you Jonny's form of mercy"

The vamp shifted uneasily

"Natural" Charles brusque address ca time

"Not now, Charles," she said and leaned around the va, but they didn't attack, instead parting for the Black God's second in command to approach

"I have a lead on your brother," Charles said "I lost a vamp Leave your lackeys and come with me"

She stood without hesitation "You have a Traveler?"

"You shouldn't leave without us," one of the Guardians warned "Naturals won't last long with vamps"

"Don't you start with me," she said and shot the speaker an annoyed look "I've been fighting with these guys for a week now I definitely don't need you defending me"

"Dusty said -"

"To do what I tell you," she snapped "So Do what I tell you!"

The Guardian backed down but not before he glanced at another of this teammates She had the sense their orders weren't exactly what Dusty said they were, but she wasn't about to let Guardian or vaet in her way