Keepers of the Flame (Trilogy Bundle) - By Melissa F. Hart Page 0,46

situation as we found ourselves, I couldn't help a secret smile at her choice of words. I closed my eyes as Keenan started toward me with the platinum bonds and remembered my dad showing Claudia and I how to activate the security lock. Keenan had already grabbed my arm and was rolling the bonds around my wrists. I immediately felt weak and knew I had very little time to act.

I went still then let all the panic and fear I'd been feeling rise up within me. It completely obliterated the feelings of love and security as I thought about never seeing Dylan again. Suddenly, the door slammed shut and there was a blast. The force threw us all off our feet and I watched as Keenan went flying to the kitchenette area.

“What the hell just happened?” He yelled.

I shook the bonds free from my wrist, thankful that he hadn't yet secured them. “You have just been checkmated.” I told him calmly.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” He asked just as a platinum net was released from above and fell around him. “Get me out of here, you stupid bitch! I'm going to kill you for this!”

I ignored him and went to release Katrina's bonds. When she was free she wrapped her arms around me. “Oh child, I've missed you so much.”

“I'm so glad you're okay. Are you okay?” I asked anxiously.

She laughed in delight and pointed to where Keenan was still issuing threats, “I'm glad now that this creep is finally disabled. If only he would keep quiet.”

She drew a full circle in the air and we were instantly surrounded by an air bubble, or at least it looked that way to me. It totally cut off the kitchenette and though I could see Keenan's mouth moving and the rage in his face, we couldn't hear a thing.

“Ah, much better.” She sighed. “Come let's sit. This could take a while.”

“What are we waiting for?” I asked following her to the sofa.

“An alarm would have gone off at the protector HQ. This place should be swarming with protectors in no time.” She said with satisfaction.

“How did you know this about the vault?”

She cast me a sly glance and said, “I designed it, child.”

I gaped at her in surprise. There was certainly more to my grandma than I knew.

“Okay, tell me what else you're responsible for that I don't know about.”

She laughed in delight, “That will take a while, girl.”

“You said we could be here a while.” I reminded her.

She looked like she was thinking about it, and then she relaxed against the sofa with a smile. “All right then, where do I begin?”

As I watched her, I felt gratitude well up inside of me. I was glad to have my grandmother back.

Chapter Eight

I took a deep breath and deliberately pushed out the fear that had been threatening to overwhelm me since I'd seen Luanne's note. I couldn't believe she'd gone out to meet the kidnapper alone. I knew she was walking into a trap, but she must have known that too. Yet she'd still gone ahead. I felt bleak at the thought of something happening to her. I pushed the fears out again and took a deep calming breath. I was not going to be any use to her if I continued this way.

We were at the address she'd left for me in her little note. We'd just entered the house before we were attacked on every side. I felt a blow to my solar plexus and went down. This was what I got for that split second lack of focus. I jumped to my feet, with my fists swinging. This was close combat and there was not call for a sword. As one of the vampires came at me, I swung my legs in an arc and kicked him just below the knee, taking him down. I aimed a brutal kick for his head and saw with shock that instead of becoming dust, like a vampire would, he just stopped moving.

“What the hell is this?” I heard one of the other protectors yell as the same thing happened to him.

All around the vampires were going down the same way and I could see the collective reaction from the group of protectors. I leaned down and touched the body of the vampire I'd felled.

“I believe these are robots.” I said. standing up again.

“What?”

“Lord Morrison was working with some genetic scientists to create robots that were as close to real vampires