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I didn’t want to go too close, there was a chance they’d already have heard our approach.

“Land over there,” I said, pointing to a clearing some distance away.

“Be careful,” I said, before getting out of the helicopter and running for cover in some trees nearby.

The afternoon light was failing and I felt stronger, more vital.

I would have to feed soon, but for now, I was all right.

I ran up to the house and heard the sounds of fighting inside.

I pushed open the door and saw vampires swarming in the air, without a second thought, I pulled my whip from mybelt and unfurled it through the air, watching it curl round the bodies and bring them down, screeching. I took out my sword and quickly decapitated them.

Izzy was lying on the ground, motionless. I checked on her and felt her pulse. It was weak but she was alive.

Next to her, was her father’s friend. I could see he was dead.

I picked Izzy up, carefully, and carried her outside, marveling at how light she felt in my arms. She needed medical attention as soon as possible.

I carried her to the helicopter and instructed the pilot to take her home, immediately.

Chapter 19

Izzy

A voice is calling me from far away.

“Izzy, Izzy.”

I try to open my eyes but it is as if I am deep underwater, the water is holding me back. It is dark and lovely here, I don’t want to go to the voice, don’t want to open my eyes. The voice is becoming louder now, more insistent and I again make an effort to wake up.

“There you are,” I hear the soft voice of my mother, feel her hand on my arm.

“Mother,” I say and feel a rush of love when I see her face.

“Where are we?”

I can barely make out her face in the low light. The air is cool, almost clammy and I have the feeling we are somewhere far from home. In the mountains possibly, the shelter the people were talking about building.

“Let me see,” a woman says, pushing past my mother to get to me.

“How’re you feeling?” she asks and I recognize the doctor from town.

“Better,” I said, even though I felt pretty awful.

“That stomach wound could have killed you, should have killed you,” she said, looking at me gravely. “There was damage to tissue and organs and fortunately there was some kind of barrier, preventing further blood loss. But I had to operate, and I think I managed to repair most of the damage. We will haveto watch you carefully, for a while there will be no eating or drinking as we give your stomach time to recover.”

I noticed the IV drip in my arm.

“There is always a risk of infection in these cases. I had to remove some of the small intestine so we need to watch you. What happened?”

“A vampire stabbed me. Don’t worry, I killed him,” I said in response to the look of horror on her face.

“No wonder it looked like it did in there,” she said, her face serious. “Their weapons are designed to cause maximum damage. You are lucky to be alive.”

“She’s tough,” my mother said, with a wan smile.

“How did I get here?” I asked as soon as the doctor had left.