Last Breath (Book 11) by Caine Rachel

Author:Caine, Rachel [Caine, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Juvenile Fiction, Horror & Ghost Stories
ISBN: 9780451235800
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2011-11-01T07:00:00+00:00

NINE

AMELIE

“As of last report,” Mayor Morrell said, “there are now at least twenty vampires missing. All just disappeared in the course of their normal activities, and most vanished during the day.” He stood in my office, looking exhausted and worried, as well he should; I had made it clear that sleep was a luxury none of us could afford now. With him was his chief of police, Hannah Moses, who seemed almost as tired but a great deal less rumpled.

“Here’s the report on what we know,” Moses said, and passed me a sheaf of papers. “Detailed information on where and when each one disappeared, as far as we can track it. Some vanished right in public, but nobody seems to have seen anything. What the hell is going on, Founder?”

I stared down at the papers, but the ink formed meaningless patterns. It was all meaningless now. All useless. I had waited too long, allowed myself to be swayed by sentiment and argument. I had denied my own instincts.

And now it was too late.

Instead of answering her, I pressed the intercom button to alert my assistant outside of the door. “Bizzie, get Oliver,” I said. “Get him now. I will hold.”

“Ma’am,” Bizzie said, efficient as always. There was a short delay, and then she said, “He’s not answering his phone, Founder.”

“Keep trying.”

Not Oliver. No, most likely he was simply out of contact for another reason. I had to believe so, at least. To lose Oliver now would be . . . catastrophic.

Chief Moses was repeating her question, more stridently. I lifted my head and met her eyes, and she went quiet. So did Morrell.

I stood and clasped my hands behind my back as I walked to the windows. The curtains were drawn against the day, but now I opened them. There was no light. Rain was falling, torrential rain that would wash away the world.

It was my fault.

I stared out into the cold silver downpour and said, “What do you know of our origins?”

In the reflection on the glass, I saw them exchange a look, and then Morrell said, “The origins of Morganville?”

That was not what I meant, but it would serve. “Have you never wondered why I founded this town here, in the desert? So far from the comforts of cities, rivers, lakes, water? In the baking sun, when sun is so toxic to younger vampires?” I didn’t wait for his answer; of course he had wondered. Everyone had wondered, and only three of us now living knew that answer: Oliver, Myrnin, and me. “I chose this place because the rains came so rarely, and when they came, the land soaked up the water so quickly. No lakes. No rivers. Not even creeks.”

“I—don’t think I understand,” he said.

“No. No, you wouldn’t.” I pulled in a breath and let it slowly out, a memory of the need for air. Vampire blood did not pound in the veins the way human blood did; it glided, cool and serene, never troubled by spurts of emotion.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.