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Adrenaline surged through her veins as she ducked into a darkened area she suspected was used for deliveries and paused It was the closest thing to an alley nearby and would have to do Reaching beneath her coat, she drew her borrowed shoto swords and spun around "Hi, guys"

Those va crouch, intending to taunt and frighten her, frowned Straightening, they looked at each other, then her

She grinned "I believe this is where I’m supposed to say: It’s on"

Etienne appeared behind the vamps at the mouth of the pseudo-alley, swords drawn "Actually," he countered "it’s not on Did you forget we need to talk to the weapons they had thought they wouldn’t need to slaughter a drunk sorority girl

Krysta swore "Yes, I did I see nohy that gruuy didn’t want to do this It kinda ruins the flow of it all"

"What the hell?" one va back and forth between the a bright blue as they slid to Krysta "And his mortal Second"

The others’ eyes flared to life in a variety of colors Some actually hissed liked h their midst and planted himself in front of Krysta

Dah away not to ha

"Kill them!" the first vampire snarled

Etienne raised one of his swords and pointed it at the badly "Gentleest you slow your roll" Over his shoulder, he , isn’t it?"

It was kind of hard to be h "Yes" Was he trying to use er to her after their little conversation?

He focused once ht interest you"

They responded with a lot of posturing and spewing of epithets

"Huedly "They want to capture you, torture you to learn about the virus and your abilities, then kill you"

"What kind of bullshit is that?" one blurted

"It’s bullshit is what it is," another answered

So clever, that one

"Yeah, since when do ihed "Since any inforainst us These huether"

Weapons still at the ready, Krysta glanced at hied confused looks At least those eren’t twitching with the need to attack

"You knohat?" Etienne said finally "This is pointless Every va his swords with a flourish andforith incredible speed Blood sprayed as carotid arteries sprang leaks in the wake of his blades Two va their weapons wildly, then sank to their knees, hands grasping their throats and trying futilely to staunch the flow of their life’s blood A third engaged Etienne, the battling duo blurring and zipping around like the Taz vae auras streaked toward her a second before their for hits that sparked snarls of fury And retaliation

She began a slow trek backward as she shere their auras directed her Her thigh stung as one of their blades cut through her clothing and hit flesh Then her side Her hip Her swings and thrusts neither ceased nor slowed

Soe flew over her head and hit the brick wall to her right hard enough to shower theht?

One of her opponents slowed and stu wildly Blood poured fro ti to find the arteries She was off her gaht

The other vampire jerked backward, then hit the wall beside the other one

Etienne was on him so fast she couldn’t see exactly what he did But when he stilled and stepped back, the blades of his swords dripped cri hard, Krysta lowered her weapons

Etienne turned to her, eyes glowing a vibrant alistened on his clothing "Are you all right?"

She nodded and smiled "We rock!"

So his head, he wiped his blades on his coat and sheathed them "Where are you hurt?"

"What makes you think I’m hurt?" She didn’t want to admit it If he knew she was injured every tiain in an attempt to protect her and

Well, she didn’t knoould happen next She’d like to think she would just go back to hunting on her own, but doubted Etienne or the elder ialled a little

Or a lot

"I can s the distance between theain by his acute senses and attention to detail

Since she couldn’t refute it, she settled for rumbly noises as she wiped her own blades clean and sheathed them

"Krysta"