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So, what’s the plan? she asked as she peered through it What are we supposed to do with the noise?

Shh He listened Counted the clicks until they stopped What time is it?

She consulted her watch 3:00 AM

They must have been ordered to check in at the top of every hour They were clicking their walkies to give a head count and let their leader know they’re still in position and that all is well

How many clicks were there?

A dozen

Why do you think there are so few?

I don’t know, and we’ve run out of time to speculate The vaet them

What do you want to do?

He needed to read the minds of the soldiers before he killed them to ensure none possessed any information The current assumption was that they wouldn’t But he wasn’t coo by And then there were the tracking devices he and Krysta both carried You take care of the vampires

Her eyebrows flew up Really? You trust me to do it by myself?

You could handle those boys with your hands tied behind your back, he said proudly

Don’t you want to read their ?

They aren’t They’re broadcasting as loudly as a bloody booet ’eain or is that a new pet naht want so up onto her toes, she brushed his lips with hers I like sweetheart

And I love you Go do your thing

She drew her swords and grinned Will do

There’s just one

Chapter 17

Krysta confronted the vas blocked the view of the mercenaries on the rooftops Only one mercenary lurked nearby, tucked in the bushes several yards away

Etienne wasn’t kidding about the cae If he hadn’t told her the mercenary was there, then shown her with the scope, she wouldn’t have known it Even his scent had been dampened so much that it was nearly undetectable

The vampires stopped short when she halted in front of the and she hadn’t even confronted the looked and sed in days and carried the odors of multiple blood types Their breath alone could kill a person

Gross She did not want to knohat--or whoh her mouth, she watched them take in her presence, her weapons They presented an interesting contrast Two of theeted and twitched The other two stood deathly still, like twisted mannequins

The last was a little creepy

Don’t underestimate the still ones They’ll be as fast as the others, Etienne spoke in her head

You just do what you have to do and leave these clowns to me, she ordered

They didn’t ask if she was an I her swords Her new speed, coupled with her ability to see their auras and anticipate their actions, h theyaccuracy that they didn’t have a chance

Don’t get cocky, Etienne warned

I think you’ve said that before

She killed the only the most superficial of wounds herself

The mercenary there in the bushes will try to tranq you now, Etienne warned Act swiftly

Sheathing her weapons, she raced toward the bushes in a zigzag pattern

Sure enough, a da through the foliage, she knocked the tranq gun froly by accident, and yanked hier than she had expected Sean’s age Maybe less For soh-hewn and hard Skin lined and leathery frouy’s skin was smooth and clean-shaven

Eyes wide, he reached for the tactical knife on his belt

Krysta knocked it fro the front of his shirt with one hand, yanked him close So close the automatic rifle hooked to the strap around his neck was forced to the side and back, out of reach

"Run," she ordered, calling upon all of her high school drama class lessons to present a facade of fear

"What?" he asked as he pried at her hand