Silence - By Kailin Gow Page 0,40

in Wicked as soon as I can to help,” Kevin said. “Now that Briony’s not there, she’s counting on al of us to help take her and Aunt Sophie’s place.”

Jake nodded. “I’l help too.”

Fal on hoped it would be enough. He had seen some of what was coming, after al .

“I might be a while,” Kevin said. “I have to go see Maisy and Steve first. They think they have a way to help us find Pietre’s new location, but now, they can probably help locate these new vampires too. If we know where they are, we might not have to sit around, waiting for them to do something.”

“We probably won’t have to wait that long,”

Fal on said. He could hear some of the tension he felt in his voice. Despite that, he took the time to reassure Jake. “We’l get Briony back,” he told the younger vampire. “Briony and Aunt Sophie too.”

“I hope so,” Jake said. “They’re the only family I have left. Wherever they are.”

Fal on nodded and left then, snatching up a wild deer as he ran, trying not to think about what he was doing as he bit down on it. The taste of fresh blood pumped through him; nowhere near as sweet or as strong as human blood, but enough to give him the strength he needed.

He ran for Wicked, and he flew too, not caring now if any of the vampires that might have been fol owing him managed to spot him. There wasn’t time for subtlety anymore. There wasn’t time for anything but pulsing, blurring speed.

Even with that speed, it took a couple of hours to get back to the town, and Fal on had to wonder at just how far out he had run, fol owing that dragon. Add on the time he had spent chasing after the creature, and Fal on had wasted most of the day when he could have been warning people. When the western vampires could easily have been making their move.

Arriving in Wicked, he made for George’s diner. It was the logical place to start, even if the other members of the Preservation Society would probably be very careful about listening to instructions from their former leader now that he was a vampire. Most of the staff were members of the society, after al , while going there would also give Fal on a chance to check up on George.

Yet another thing he had neglected. Fal on knew he shouldn’t have just left a new vampire alone like that, but what else could he do?

Just for a moment as he approached the

diner, Fal on was sure that he had made the wrong decision. Jil , Percy and Pete were al there, armed to the teeth with stakes and silver knives, crosses and holy water. When he couldn’t see George straight away, Fal on couldn’t help wondering if the new vampire might have lost control. Might have hurt someone when Fal on was supposed to be watching him.

“What happened?” Fal on asked Jil . “Where’s George?”

“In his office,” the waitress said. “He’s holed up.

He’s not handling it wel .”

“Handling what wel ?” Fal on asked. “He didn’t hurt somebody, did he?”

The worst part was that a smal part of Fal on almost wished George had hurt someone, if only because it was better news than al the other things that might be going on. Or at least, news that had nothing to do with his warning.

Jil shook her head. “It’s not George. There was an attack.”

Fal on’s heart fel .

“What kind of attack?”

“On the high school.” Jil adjusted a couple of weapons. “Several students were hurt. It was definitely vampires, but not the kind we’ve seen before. These vampires weren’t worried about leaving traces of their feeding. They didn’t drag their prey into the woods like the ones before. They were happy to leave drained bodies at the school.”

And there were two obvious absences from the diner. Fal on tried to keep a grip on his feelings. It wasn’t easy. “Maisy? Steve? I should check on them.

Make sure they’re al right.”

“Don’t worry,” Jil said, shaking her head.

“They were the ones who told us what happened. They rushed over and told us to get prepared.”

The way Fal on should have done. The members of the Preservation Society would probably stake him if they knew that he had known, but had said nothing. And right then, Fal on wasn’t sure that he would blame them.

Jil sighed. “This is bad, Fal