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shock.
He recovered first, but not much.  Okay.
 What do you mean, okay? I felt my hysteria rising again.  Cyrus is alive. But I killed him. You were
there. We both watched him die. How can he be alive?
Max shrugged.  It s not unheard of. I know there are ways to do it, but who would want to bring the
bastard back? The Please Fasten Seat Belt light popped on overhead, and Max motioned me over to
the couch.
 So, where do we go from here? I tried to sound brave as I settled myself next to him.
 Carrie, he said softly, as though preparing me for the worst,  you know what will happen if I disobey
the Movement.
 And you know, better than I do, what will happen if you obey them and kill my sire. I couldn t take
any more of this, though I knew we were only steps into a very long journey. The uncertainty wore me
down quickly, cast the shadow of doubt over every thought and action until I just wished this was all
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over, for better or worse. Because then, at least, I would know. I wouldn t have to fear losing Nathan if
I d already lost him, wouldn t have to squash down my hope if it was already fulfilled.
Max s arms were strong around me when he pulled me against his chest. His voice wavered only slightly
when he whispered in my ear.  It might not even come to that.
 What s the plan, then? I can t just take this lying down. I sniffled a little, sure it was the recycled air of
the cabin wreaking havoc on my respiratory system, not my emotions overwhelming me.
 I know you can t. He paused.  What did the Oracle tell you?
 She said I should  seek the toothsome ones in the land of the dead. All I can think is that she meant the
Fangs. I grimaced at the memory of the uncouth vampire gang I d met at Cyrus s mansion.  Do you
think they could raise someone from the dead?
Max sighed.  Unfortunately, yes. They actually started out as a mystic cabal. They did a lot of
ceremonial magic, raising demons and stuff, before the motorcycle thing started getting mixed in.
Nowadays there s a pretty healthy blend of both. They ve got enough mystics left that the Movement is
afraid of them. They devote a huge block of training to learning about them.
 Well, that takes a load off of my mind, I said, sarcasm dripping from each word.  So, would they be
able to make the Soul Eater into a god? Because that s the other bomb the Oracle dropped.
 A god? Max s eyes actually bulged at the suggestion.  I& hope not?
 Great. I leaned my head back and closed my own eyes, trying to calm my mind. If I decided it was
impossible now, how would I feel when we were actually in a position to solve this mess?
 The thing is, they have these witches, Max continued.  They still actively train them. And you know
how bad it can be going up against one of them.
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Ugh. Witches. The very idea of them made my skin crawl. The granola-crunchy earth worshippers that
came into Nathan s shop calling themselves witches had no idea of the true power that existed out there.
It was a frightening force, capable of destruction I d never known. Until I d met Dahlia.
Dahlia had been Cyrus s most fervent admirer, until he d made the mistake of trying to serve her as the
main course at a dinner party. She d managed to get herself turned, though I didn t want to imagine the
fate the poor vampire who d supplied her with blood had met. After that, she d calmed some. She was
still out there, though, with the power of a true sorceress and the strength of the undead.
 Could Dahlia have had a hand in this? I asked.
The mention of her made Max visibly uncomfortable. He d been thrown on her mercy the night I d killed
Cyrus, but he d somehow escaped. I didn t want to know what she d done to him to put that haunted
look on his face.  Do you think she would want him back?
Dahlia hadn t been able to kill Cyrus, but she d wanted him dead. She d definitely felt some twisted
variation on love for him. But she was as unpredictable as the wind.
 Probably not, I had to admit, answering my own question.
 Well, let s concentrate on  the land of the dead. I know the Fangs like it aroundBarstow down
inCalifornia , because I ve been sent out there a couple of times on assignment. It s pretty dead out
there. He made finger quotes around the word dead.
I nodded slowly.  Are you suggesting we go and check it out?
 I can t go on a road trip. I think out of the two of us, I m the best one to find out what happened to
Nathan. You, on the other hand& 
I shook my head.  Not by myself.
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 Nathan taught you how to take care of yourself, Max reminded me.  He taught you how to fight.
You ll run into less trouble looking for Cyrus in the middle of nowhere than you will hanging around your
apartment with assassins casing the place.
I was about to point out that Nathan had only taught me self-defense, not imbued me with nonklutziness,
but Max was right. It would be no skin off my back to drive out toBarstow . It would definitely be a hell
of a lot easier than waiting around for someone to hunt down Nathan and kill him, and I d never been a
good damsel in distress. I was a  hands-on damsel.
 I just wonder who they re going to send after Nathan.
Max sniffed the air.  Do you smell that? [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]