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.Finally, with a gigantic shout, helifted his foot and kicked out.A huge crackappeared.He rammed his body against it with allhis force and landed on his side on the other side.Dennis was dying.He had known that evenwhen he stood with Thiago, telling him to leave,but there was no point letting Thiago know that.His heart was still beating, but faintly.He’d lost alot of blood.Rory was in good shape physically,but he was terrified and his body neededhydrating.He had no time to waste.He walked steadily down the narrow tunneland then down a flight of stairs, manmade andcrumbling badly.Carden knew that Colman hadalready amassed a sizeable vampire army, and hewasn’t sure if he even had half of the vampires hedid.Well Declen, if you plan on helping me, there’s notime like the present.Thiago, get as many mortals offthe street as possible.How in the hell do you want me to do that? Thestreets are packed.Black out!* * * *149AJ Llewellyn & DJ ManlyThe vampires were waiting.He silently told themthe plan.We’re going to black out Las Vegas.If thereare any mortals left on the street, do what you must toscare them off.Thiago glanced up at the sky andsuddenly there was a swarm of vampiresoverhead.“Holy,” he cried, “this is surelyArmageddon.Okay, hit the transformers.Takethem out.”Within minutes, the street was in darkness.People fled, screaming, not sure what washappening, as Vampires swooped down and triedto pick up terrified mortals one after another, andwere fought off by Carden’s army.Thiago had notime to think about anything.He was immediatelyengaged in battle as the night skies filled up withmore and more vampires.* * * *Shawn screamed when he saw Carden.He tried torun.“He’s here.Dominick! Dominick!”A hand reached out for him, picked him up bythe back of the neck.He went flying through theair and landed hard on the floor of the cave.Hethought he was dead but Carden kept on,mercifully passing him by.Shawn tried to get to his feet, but his leg wasbroken and he was bleeding from the head.It wasall right because soon he’d have what he wanted,150City of BloodCarden’s blood.He’d be young and beautifulforever.* * * *Carden followed the sound of the chants.Herounded the corner of the winding cave andentered another section.He stopped as he felt ahand grab his ankle.He looked down to seeseveral men slithering across the floor of the cavelike serpents.Some were sobbing, pleading.Theybegan to chant his name over and over.Severalhands moved up over his legs.“Take your handsoff me.How dare you touch me!”There were some whimpers, moans, the snakesslithered back, fell silent.Carden looked aroundhim.In the distance he could see something else,another section where an altar of some kind stood.He narrowed his eyes, stepped over the men andwalked toward it cautiously.The chanting of hisname began again.He closed his mind to it.“Rory?”“Yes,” a voice whispered, “he’s here.You wanthim?”Carden gasped as he ran his hand over thevelvet lining of the altar.Right above it was apainting of him lying there naked like a lambbeing prepared for sacrifice.He turned around.Rory was chained to the wall.He couldn’t see151AJ Llewellyn & DJ ManlyDennis, but he knew he was nearby.He took astep, then he saw the figure, a pitiful figure, notvampire, not mortal.It was decomposing, fadingaway painfully bit by bit.The two eyes that lookedat him were rimmed with blood.He was crying.“Carden.”“Colman, let the mortals go.You don’t needthem.I’ll help you.”“You’re lying to me.” He held up the knife hehad in his hand.He placed it at Rory’s throat.“No,” Carden said.“Get up on the table, Carden, or I’ll cut histhroat.”Carden heard a sound.He looked to his rightand saw those men who had been chanting awhile ago.They surrounded him on their knees.“No,” Rory cried out.“Don’t, Carden! Don’t doit.” Carden began to shake.It wasn’t fear.It was thedawning realisation that this thing in front of himwasn’t his uncle.It was his father.“Why didn’tyou…how? How can it be?”“We were in love,” he whispered, “lovers.ButDeclen wanted her.He always wanted everythingI had.He used our weakness to keep us apart.Ihad to reject her, for if I didn’t, he would havekilled her.”“But they loved each other.I saw it.I…”152City of Blood“He loved her, and I had to make her hate me,or Declen would have killed her.Eventually shecame to care for him, but in her heart, she wasalways mine.And you, you are mine, Carden.Youare the dead image of me…or you were.”“What have you done to yourself?” Cardenwhispered.“You’ve become hideous, inside andout.And because Declen stole your love, you wantto kill mine?”One thick, bloody tear dropped on his cheek.He pressed the knife harder against Rory’s skin.“Ihave no choice.You could kill me.I can’t let youdo that.You must restore me, restore me to myformer self.”“No.”“Then I will kill him, Carden.Make yourchoice.You may survive it.You’re strong.Give usyour immortality and I will set Rory and his friendfree.The other one is dying.You can feel it, can’tyou? He has no more than an hour or so left in thisworld.”Rory whimpered.Carden looked at Rory.He could hardly barethe sight of the tears streaming down his face.Shawn hobbled into sight now, glaring at him.“Finally, you’re ours.Dominick, kill those mortals.Let us get on with it.”Dominick looked at Carden.153AJ Llewellyn & DJ ManlyCarden nodded.He smiled at Shawn.“Youwant immortality?”Shawn nodded.“And you will give it to me.”“Yes, I’ll give it to you.Come here,” hemotioned.“Just like that,” he seemed uncertain.He lookedat Dominick.“Go on,” Dominick urged.“I want more than just your blood,” Shawndemanded, limping closer.“I want you to fuckme, right in front of your little boyfriend, unlessyou want Dominick to slit his throat.”Carden reached out, pulled him near.Helowered his head and licked the blood off hisforehead.The wound healed instantly.Shawn reached up and touched Carden’s face.“You’re all I’ve ever wanted.All of this has beenfor you.”The others moaned plaintively, waiting.“And now I’m going to thank you,” Cardensaid.He pushed Shawn’s head to the side and bitdown into his jugular.The luscious, rich, redblood filled his mouth and flooded over his teeth.He continued to drink, feeling Shawn’s body growweak [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]