strong. Rebellious. They're the good guys. We need to protect them.”
Max nodded. “It isn't easy for vampire communities to stand up to Nereti. Many have fallen already – reduced by cowardice to her puppets. But not these guys.”
A series of caves appeared before them in the distance, shimmering with the night air. Moonlight flooded the view before them, like white milk poured out across the whole landscape.
“It's beautiful...” Kalina whispered.
“We must keep them safe,” Max said again. “We owe it to them. To all the vampires left who follow the Consortium. Who fight the good fight.”
“Let's go,” said Samson.
“Who goes there?” A warrior vampire stepped forward, his dark skin gleaming in the moonlight. He took another step forward, sizing them up. “Samson?”
“My friend!” Samson embraced him quickly. “My dear Uzo. We have come to warn you. You are in grave danger. Nereti's men march on you tonight – they'll be here any minute.”
The vampire's brow furrowed, but he betrayed no fear. “I knew she would come to seek vengeance,” he said. “I did not know the hour. I am not afraid to die for my cause, if I must.”
“You need not perish!” Samson said.
“They have Carrier blood with them.”
Kalina smiled. “ We have Carrier blood, too.”
The vampire looked her up and down. “You mean...?”
“A Carrier,” said Samson. “And what's more, she is one who knows the secret of how to defeat those vampires with Life's Blood in their veins.”
“Look!” Justin opened his backpack to reveal fifty or more stakes, newly sharpened, rubies set into the wood. They shone with a blood-red vengeance.
“This kills them,” Kalina's voice was harsh and firm. “Let them try to stop us now.”
“I have heard tell of such an antidote...” The vampire took the stake in his hands, fingering it with reverence. “But never until now have I believed it existed. I thought it was merely a fairy tale, designed to console those of us about to turn to ash that perhaps one day there would be others who could fight back against those who would seek to oppress us.”
“No longer,” said Kalina. “We can fight back. We can win.”
“They expect it to be a surprise attack,” Jaegar said, “which means we have the advantage.”
“The caves,” Uzo said, a grin spreading across his face. His teeth shone bright white in the moonlight. “They are a vast labyrinth. We know the way. Our enemies do not. If we hide outside them, our enemies will come looking for us in the caves, expecting to slaughter us while we slumber. Once they are safely inside, we can surround them and re-enter.”
“I like the way you think, old friend,” said Samson. “You see, Uzo is an old ally of mine.”
“I saved his life plenty of times in the old days,” Uzo's laugh was deep and throaty. “So perhaps it is good that now you will save mine. We are even today, old friend.”
“Not so,” Samson said, putting his hand to his chest. “For if I recall rightly, you saved my life at least three times.”
“Let us hope you will not have occasion to need to rescue me two more,” said Uzo, and with that they set about to subvert the ambush. The vampires moved swiftly, leaving the cave network and hiding in the brush and stone that surrounded them.
Then, they had only to wait. Kalina felt her heart pounding and tried to swallow down her fear. Even with the element of surprise, Nereti's men were not the most welcome bunch. Could they hear the drum-beat of her
Max nodded. “It isn't easy for vampire communities to stand up to Nereti. Many have fallen already – reduced by cowardice to her puppets. But not these guys.”
A series of caves appeared before them in the distance, shimmering with the night air. Moonlight flooded the view before them, like white milk poured out across the whole landscape.
“It's beautiful...” Kalina whispered.
“We must keep them safe,” Max said again. “We owe it to them. To all the vampires left who follow the Consortium. Who fight the good fight.”
“Let's go,” said Samson.
“Who goes there?” A warrior vampire stepped forward, his dark skin gleaming in the moonlight. He took another step forward, sizing them up. “Samson?”
“My friend!” Samson embraced him quickly. “My dear Uzo. We have come to warn you. You are in grave danger. Nereti's men march on you tonight – they'll be here any minute.”
The vampire's brow furrowed, but he betrayed no fear. “I knew she would come to seek vengeance,” he said. “I did not know the hour. I am not afraid to die for my cause, if I must.”
“You need not perish!” Samson said.
“They have Carrier blood with them.”
Kalina smiled. “ We have Carrier blood, too.”
The vampire looked her up and down. “You mean...?”
“A Carrier,” said Samson. “And what's more, she is one who knows the secret of how to defeat those vampires with Life's Blood in their veins.”
“Look!” Justin opened his backpack to reveal fifty or more stakes, newly sharpened, rubies set into the wood. They shone with a blood-red vengeance.
“This kills them,” Kalina's voice was harsh and firm. “Let them try to stop us now.”
“I have heard tell of such an antidote...” The vampire took the stake in his hands, fingering it with reverence. “But never until now have I believed it existed. I thought it was merely a fairy tale, designed to console those of us about to turn to ash that perhaps one day there would be others who could fight back against those who would seek to oppress us.”
“No longer,” said Kalina. “We can fight back. We can win.”
“They expect it to be a surprise attack,” Jaegar said, “which means we have the advantage.”
“The caves,” Uzo said, a grin spreading across his face. His teeth shone bright white in the moonlight. “They are a vast labyrinth. We know the way. Our enemies do not. If we hide outside them, our enemies will come looking for us in the caves, expecting to slaughter us while we slumber. Once they are safely inside, we can surround them and re-enter.”
“I like the way you think, old friend,” said Samson. “You see, Uzo is an old ally of mine.”
“I saved his life plenty of times in the old days,” Uzo's laugh was deep and throaty. “So perhaps it is good that now you will save mine. We are even today, old friend.”
“Not so,” Samson said, putting his hand to his chest. “For if I recall rightly, you saved my life at least three times.”
“Let us hope you will not have occasion to need to rescue me two more,” said Uzo, and with that they set about to subvert the ambush. The vampires moved swiftly, leaving the cave network and hiding in the brush and stone that surrounded them.
Then, they had only to wait. Kalina felt her heart pounding and tried to swallow down her fear. Even with the element of surprise, Nereti's men were not the most welcome bunch. Could they hear the drum-beat of her
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