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“Out ran them. Lost them. Next you’re going to tell us that you out fought them, too!” Demos laughed.

He actually had. But he understood Demos’ disbelief. Sam had been gone in a second when that female Vampire had determined she wanted a snack. Only his gift and a lot of luck had brought him here unscathed. But again, he couldn’t tell them any of that.

“I’m thinking that there weren’t any other Vampires.” Demos pointed a finger at Grayson’s chest. He advanced with every word. “You just killed Gregory Starn and took his invitation. You figured out a story that would get you into the Ever Dark while pretending to not want to go!”

“What? NO!” Grayson cried, horrified, but seeing how that was a more believable story than him evading three Vampires. He wondered if they’d believe his denial less or more if he told them that these Vampires were part of the Sect of Dawn, a group that supposedly hated their kind. “I didn’t--he came in already stabbed. He was dying. I tried calling an ambulance and the cops, but they didn’t come!”

“And why was that?” Demos’ eyes were slits.

He was now just a foot away from Grayson. Ryder stood there, observing them both, not showing anything he was feeling. Did he think like Demos did? That Grayson was a killer? He met those silver eyes, but he found no comfort there. Ryder might not believe one way or the other.

Grayson had the pew again. Now he might have two more Vampires on his tail!

“I--I don’t know, but I think…” Was he really going to tell them about the Sect of Dawn now? Evidently, he was. In for a penny, in for a pound. “They’re not alone. They’re part of a group called the Sect of Dawn. They intercepted my calls to emergency--what? Why are you laughing again?”

Demos was chuckling, but not mirthfully but with disbelief. “The Sect of Dawn? That is out of a comic book, little one! And you made another mistake. The Sect of Dawn hates--”

“Vampires, yeah, I know!” Grayson shook his head. “I don’t understand it either, but that’s what Gregory said! I’m telling the truth!”

Demos leaned in further. His fangs were clearly visible. “Little one, you’re either a fool or crazy. But we’re not to be messed with. And the people we’re going to take you to? Well, they most definitely aren’t ones you want to be lying to.”

Ryder stepped between then, holding up a hand to Demos. “Enough. The boy is scared out of his wits. Something happened to him.”

“Killing somebody will do that,” Demos growled, unconvinced. “Lawson said that this academy shit would cause the humans to tear each other apart. And it's already starting with this innocent-faced kid.”

“Maybe that innocence isn’t just skin deep. We don’t know. Maybe his story will check out,” Ryder said.

“It better or he won’t have much of a mind left when those Eyros get done with him,” Demos muttered.

Before Grayson could say or do anything in response to that, there was a sound. A roof tile sliding down the sloped roof and falling to the ground. Everyone’s head jerked up towards the ceiling. The roof was still intact or so it seemed. A loose roof tile could have been dislodged due to the rain or age or neglect. It didn’t have to be a booted foot kicking it loose as that person crawled along the roof above their heads. Grayson’s mouth filled with bitter tasting saliva. Were the other Vampires here? That would be both a blessing and a curse.

Story of my life!

“There’s more than one,” Grayson whispered, realizing he needed to tell them how many of their kind they faced.

“How many?” Demos asked as he drew out a knife.

It was a small knife. More like a curved dagger just four inches long.Grayson stared at the knife. What was Demos doing? And why? And did it involve him?

“He needs the blood to write the symbol to reopen the gate to the Ever Dark,” Ryder explained, having seen where his distress was coming from.

“I’m not going there, remember?” Grayson’s eyes snapped with anger.

“Why don’t you want to go?” Ryder asked. “Is it because you killed Gregory? Are you afraid that the Eyros will dig that secret from your mind?”

“No!” Grayson hissed, his eyes darting to the ceiling again.

Was the chandelier up there shaking slightly as someone walked across the roof? Why weren’t these Vampires checking it out?

“What’s your name?” Ryder asked.

“Is it really the time for that?!” Grayson growled.

He definitely thought he heard a boot scraping on top of them. Was it the female Vampire? Was she up there just dreaming about sinking her teeth into his throat?

“Tell me your name or I’ll just call you ‘little one.’” Ryder’s lips twisted into a smile.

“Little--I’m not as big as you two, but I’m… it’s Grayson, okay? Happy now?” Grayson answered and immediately regretted it. Ryder had baited him into answering. But to be called “little one” like he was some kind of pet or something! It was not sweet or endearing or anything like that to hear “little one” coming out of Ryder’s mouth. “So, are you the good cop while he’s the bad cop?”