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"Da the boy's wrist, Loken felt for a pulse It was strong but irregular

Dropping the boy's arm, Loken sat down to wait for the final outcome

Roshan prowled the outside of the warlock's laboratory, his senses testing the night Loken had been there earlier that evening but there was no indication that Roger West had been with hi, he dissolved intoThe laboratory was eh the sered in the air

Leaving the building, Roshan regained his own shape If Loken wasn't here, then he er West hoht took him to the warlock's house As soon as he neared the front door, he caught the heavy scent of the boy's fear They were here

He ondering how he ain access to the house when he heard a faint scream from the direction of the basement Roshan cursed softly as a second scream reached his ears It was a cry of such torain, a wordless cry of agony, a heartrending plea for help

Even knowing he couldn't enter the warlock's house without an invitation, Roshan couldn't resist the urge to go to the boy's aid Using his preternatural powers to unlock and open the door, he took a step forward, only to be repelled by the power of the threshold and the wards the warlock had set around the entrance

Roshan swore softly; then, knowing there was nothing he could do to save the boy, he transported back to the Nocturne and called the police

Roger West's head rocked back and forth as Loken's knife cut into his flesh The stink of his oaste filled his nostrils,with the scent of his blood Nausea roiled in West's stomach So y to th to free himself from the warlock's power, but it was futile He could only lay there, helpless and afraid

Loken watched through unblinking eyes as blood flowed froash he hadIt appears an injection doesn't work," he said, thinking aloud "Perhaps the blood has to be ingested"

Pulling another vial out of his coat pocket, he lifted the boy's head and held the vial to his lips "Drink this"

Unable to resist, Roger West opened his mouth and sed the thick red fluid, only to voain It ran down his chin and chest, sprayed over Loken's shirt, dripped fro, Loken jumped out of the way "You will drink this and you will keep it down," he said, and pulling a third vial from his pocket, he held it to the boy's lips

"Damn you," West said weakly But he drank the contents of the vial

"We'll give it a chance to work," Loken said, glancing at his watch "Perhaps an hour or two" Tearing a strip of cloth fro the boy, then strapped his ars to the table "Rest while you can," Loken said, and turning off the lights, he left the baseo into the kitchen for a bottle of beer when he felt a draft Walking toward the entry, he saw that the front door was open

Frowning, he gathered his power and e took shape on the porch He recognized it instantly Roshan DeLongpre

Loken grunted softly What had DeLongpre been doing here?

He was still considering the possibilities when a police car pulled up in the driveway Two policeot out of the car

Loken stepped out onto the porch "Good evening, officers," he said with a congenial smile