burning and shuddering from her injuries, Lilith clung to the huge leathery wings that surrounded her. A sin ister laugh filled the cavern.
"Eve seemed upset," the beast mocked as he dumped Lilith on the floor of her Vampire Council chambers. "That was expensive, resource-wise... but she's grown stronger. Rage is gorgeous on her." He looked down at Lilith as he opened a vein on his wrist for her to siphon. "Next time maybe I'll ask her if she's game for a three-way."
* * *
sebastian and jezebel made it to a cave, breathless. They stared at each other for a moment, listening hard for any signs of the Neteru Queens.
"Four of our coven," Jezebel whispered with a hiss. "A sneak attack from the Queens of old like I have never witnessed - and this wasn't even the whole of their num ber... Lilith unable to defend us," she said gulping air out of breath from then-flight. "What does this portend?"
Sebastian came to her side quickly. "Come nearer so that I might tell you," he said in a breathless whisper. He waited until she did, then immediately drew a poison-edged dagger and slit her throat.
Her stunned gaze met his sinister smile as she staggered back, gasping, the opening in her throat gurgling with blood. He watched her fall slowly to her knees, the shock of his at
tack still in her eyes.
"It means that the Queens helped narrow down the com petition," he said smugly as he watched Jezebel die. "Machi avelli taught me that."
* * ** * *
it had taken almost a full hour to get all the rooms properly prayer-barrier readied, and even longer for every body to settle in, check their weapons, and come to a con sensus about what to eat. Marjorie gave up refereeing and curled into a ball on the sofa while everyone finally decided to order in for the meeting.
In the remotest part of her mind she heard them talking. Yes, she agreed, it made sense to get something here, now, and then venture out a little later more rested. A lot had tran
spired. Rabbi was coming in tomorrow. Dan and Heather and Carlos would meet the Weinsteins. Shame they couldn't meet the whole team, she dreamily thought as consciousness ebbed. It was good for parents to know where their children were and who their friends were ...
She was back home at her parents' house. The swing set she remembered was brand-new.
She had on Mary Jane shoes and had long blond pigtails tied with blue ribbon; it was after Sunday school. Someone who made her smile was pushing her higher and higher. Gabrielle! Her mind screamed it in excitement, but in her strange dream, her mouth didn't move. Her sister was young again, and they were laughing. But then Gabrielle's eyes got sad as she touched her face.
"I have to go soon, Marjorie," Gabrielle said. "You be a good girl and run home and tell them adults everything, okay? Don't keep secrets."
Marjorie shook her head. She remembered the secrets of how Gabrielle was touched the way no one is supposed to touch a daughter. It was too terrible and she squeezed her eyes closed, her mind screaming: Don't leave me. You're my big sister and I love you!
"I love you, too," Gabrielle said, cradling her face. "Look at me - you must hurry," she said in an urgent tone that made the child within Marjorie open her eyes. "They made a spell. sent a fast-moving white carpet of nova-energy to fan out from them. Demons melted, dying screaming, only billow ing sulfur remaining. Then it went quiet, so still, that the Neteru Queens didn't move.
A low, warning snarl echoed up as the ground snapped shut.
Eve's eyes narrowed as she looked at her sisters. "This time her husband came. We must warn Adam and the oth ers."
* * *
burning and shuddering from her injuries, Lilith clung to the huge leathery wings that surrounded her. A sin ister laugh filled the cavern.
"Eve seemed upset," the beast mocked as he dumped Lilith on the floor of her Vampire Council chambers. "That was expensive, resource-wise... but she's grown stronger. Rage is gorgeous on her." He looked down at Lilith as he opened a vein on his wrist for her to siphon. "Next time maybe I'll ask her if she's game for a three-way."
* * *
sebastian and jezebel made it to a cave, breathless. They stared at each other for a moment, listening hard for any signs of the Neteru Queens.
"Four of our coven," Jezebel whispered with a hiss. "A sneak attack from the Queens of old like I have never witnessed - and this wasn't even the whole of their num ber... Lilith unable to defend us," she said gulping air out of breath from then-flight. "What does this portend?"
Sebastian came to her side quickly. "Come nearer so that I might tell you," he said in a breathless whisper. He waited until she did, then immediately drew a poison-edged dagger and slit her throat.
Her stunned gaze met his sinister smile as she staggered back, gasping, the opening in her throat gurgling with blood. He watched her fall slowly to her knees, the shock of his at
tack still in her eyes.
"It means that the Queens helped narrow down the com petition," he said smugly as he watched Jezebel die. "Machi avelli taught me that."