Asim was silent for the space of two breaths. “So do it,” he said so softly that the words were little more than air.

Cyn froze, stunned and suspicious. Could she trust the vampire? Why would he do this? On the other hand, what choice did she have?

"Why don't you do it?” she breathed.

"I cannot,” Asim said with simple honesty. “He is my Sire, my master of several centuries.” His voice grew softer, more persuasive. “But you can, Cynthia.” He gestured with a shoulder to where Liz lay unresponsive while Jabril lapped blood from her neck like a fastidious cat. “Is it not worth taking a chance? What do you have to lose?"

What indeed, Cyn thought. She opened her mouth to agree, but then remembered something Raphael had told her about his Mistress's death. “What happens when he dies? What about the others?” She nodded at Jabril's vampire minions who were focused with a singular hunger on what their master was doing.

"They are weak. I will handle them."

"Handle how?” Visions of Asim throwing her and Liz to the wolves flashed vividly through her mind.

Asim chuckled again. “So suspicious. Are we not allies?” He ran a thin finger down her cheek. “I would not waste such beauty on the likes of those. No, I had another sacrifice in mind.” He glanced at the PI's back.

Cyn was repulsed by his casual cruelty, but if was a choice between her and Liz or the PI who had delivered them to the vamps...

"What happens to Liz?"

"She comes with me."

"No."

"Yes,” his voice hardened. “Elizabeth remains with me and you walk away free. That is my offer. Rest assured, I will treat her far better than Jabril ever did Mirabelle."

"I want Liz safe."

"As do I. Time is running out, Cynthia. He will finish soon, and your only chance will be while he is distracted by the feeding. Do we have a deal?"

Cyn swallowed, choking on her next word. “Yes."

The gun nudged into her hand and she took it, running her fingers over its surface, verifying its readiness. Asim's hands dropped from her and she jerked quickly away from him, much to his amusement. She waited until Jabril's girlish mouth lifted away from Liz's pale skin, watched as he threw his head back to savor the blood rolling down his throat. In a single, smooth movement, she raised the gun, took careful aim and fired. Her finger squeezed the trigger twice in quick succession.

Jabril's eyes flashed open in the final seconds, more irritated than alarmed, but it was too late for even a vampire lord. Two perfectly round holes appeared above the bridge of his nose, quickly filling with blood as the rest of his head blew away. He fell backward, propelled by the force of the blast, Liz rolling from his lifeless arms.

Jabril's bodyguards froze long enough for Asim, in a burst of vampire speed, to sweep Liz up and throw her into the truck. Cyn made an aborted movement in the PI's direction, but Asim tumbled her on top of Liz and shoved the bewildered PI toward the dead Jabril with the same motion. Cyn tried to shout a warning but had to jerk away when Asim slammed the hatch shut.

She clambered back to the window in time to see several of Jabril's vamps collapse to their knees, their faces contorted in pain and grief. Others remained standing, but barely. Swaying from side-to-side, eyes blank and staring, their muscles tensing and veins bulging as if under some terrible strain. Suddenly one of them threw his head back and howled, his hands tearing at his own hair, ripping out great bloody chunks of scalp along with it. As if this was some sort of signal, the others responded by pounding on their own flesh, turning their faces to the night sky in a horrible cacophony of mourning.

The first one turned abruptly, his own blood running down his face and hands, his head swiveling slowly from left to right as he scanned the area, eyes flashing yellow with fury when he spied the terrified PI backing slowly out of the circle of cars. The vampire's mouth opened in a vicious grin, his fangs gleaming white and sharp. He howled again, but it was no longer in grief. The maddened vampires turned as one.

And Cyn screamed.

Chapter Fifty-five

They sped through the night silently, the only noise the whistle of tires on asphalt. With no other cars on the road, the vampire drivers had turned off the headlights, seeing better with only the moonlight to guide them. Raphael's thoughts were on the road far ahead, where he could feel Cyn growing more frantic with every mile closer to the border. Surely she knew where she was being taken, and what awaited her there. His people had lost all contact with the outside world some miles back, entering the wireless dead zone. He found it odd that such a thing could still exist in a world where every person seemed to own a cell phone. He heard Duncan curse beneath his breath as he tried once again to establish contact.

"It doesn't matter, Duncan,” he said softly. “She is very near."

"My lord—” Winona began, but Raphael cut her off with a sharp intake of breath. He stiffened abruptly, his gaze trained straight ahead, his eyes glowing molten silver as he reached out instinctively to shield his people against a sudden wash of unrestrained power.

"Jabril,” he growled.

Winona's eyes were wide with confusion, but Duncan understood. “He is dead?” Duncan said in disbelief.

"He will be soon,” Raphael said absently, straining to find Cyn through the storm of Jabril's death call. His head jerked up as Cyn's cry of terror suddenly pierced the tumult.

"Stop!” He said it with such force of will that all three drivers were hitting the brakes before their conscious minds were even aware that an order had been given. “Duncan,” Raphael said sharply, and then he was gone, the door hanging open to the breeze of his passage.

"Bring the vehicles,” Duncan ordered the surprised Winona as he shoved past her to follow Juro, who'd ripped the passenger door open with such fury that the metal was still groaning with strain.

In a matter of moments, the vehicles had emptied out, leaving only Winona and the drivers on the desolate road.

Chapter Fifty-six

Cyn covered her ears against the howls of the maddened vampires. She only wished she could tear her horrified gaze away from the sight of Windle being torn apart piece by piece, the vampires ripping off chunks of flesh, sucking on the meat and fighting with each other over the spoils.

Only Asim seemed unaffected, standing motionless with his back to the truck. One of the crazed vampires leapt for the truck, and Cyn tried to scream over the bile surging up her throat. She shoved herself away from the window and against the back of the seat, but Asim repelled the attacker easily. He threw the vampire into the arms of another, and watched calmly as the two began tearing at each other in a renewed frenzy.

Apparently, Asim's plan for dealing with Jabril's minions involved letting them destroy each other so he wouldn't have to.

Cyn stared in shock a few moments longer, and then jerked herself into motion. She had no illusions about Asim's willingness to keep their bargain, because she had no intention of keeping her part of it either. Did he really think she would turn over Liz to save herself? Of course, he did. This was the guy who, at this very moment, was letting his future subjects tear each other apart in order to make his life easier over the next few days. Nothing Asim did would surprise her.

Her glance fell on the gun he'd let her use to kill Jabril. Well, almost nothing, she thought. She searched the compartment until she found the second gun with its full magazine of Hydra-Shok, checked it quickly and tucked it against her back beneath her jacket, then turned to the unconscious Liz.

The neck wound had sealed over already, which was typical of a vampire bite. Nature was a wonderful thing. Sometimes. Cyn felt the girl's forehead, brushing away a lock of blond hair. It was cool, but dry, and when she checked her pulse, it was strong. Jabril had a lot of experience draining women; he knew how much he could take without damaging his victim. It was fortunate he'd needed Liz alive.

Cyn became aware it had grown silent outside the truck, and she looked up to see Asim laying his hands on a kneeling vampire. It reminded her of Raphael's ceremony with Mirabelle, and she realized he was probably doing very much the same thing. She wondered if Asim was strong enough to hold Jabril's territory, but didn't waste too much effort worrying about it. After all, if she had her way, Jabril's territory would still be very much in need of a new lord after tonight.

Asim lifted his hands from the head of his newest minion, his shoulders slumping briefly in exhaustion. The newly sworn vamp remained on his knees, swaying slightly, eyes closed. Only one other vampire knelt next to him, and he was in an even worse state, leaning back onto his heels, head lolling in semiconsciousness. Both were spattered with blood and bore the signs of a hard fight. As if aware of her scrutiny, Asim spun around and strode toward the truck, his eyes meeting hers across the distance.

Cyn steeled herself with a deep breath. Adrenaline had her heart pounding, her blood rushing and every nerve zinging. She fought the urge to touch the weapon hidden at the small of her back and instead clenched her fingers around the gun Asim knew about, the one she'd used to kill Jabril. She held it in plain sight, not even flinching when Asim reached for the truck and pulled the heavy cargo door upward. Faster than she could follow, he leaned over and took the gun from her hand, holding her wrist and squeezing it painfully. “We don't want any accidents now, do we, Cynthia?"

He gave her a quick grin, and then brought her hand to his mouth, licking away the blood still leaking from her torn fingers. “Jabril was right. Your blood is delicious."

Cyn swallowed her revulsion and glared at him instead. “Elizabeth needs medical help, a hospital."

He ignored her, dropping her hand and reaching in to lift Liz in his arms. “Do you know what happens when a vampire lord dies, Cynthia?” he asked. His eyes flicked up at her, then around the body-strewn desert. “I mean apart from this,” he dismissed. “Do you know how his replacement is chosen? His assassin inherits everything. His power, his territory.” He caressed the unconscious Liz with a dreamy smile. “Everything that was Jabril's is now mine."