“But—he isn’t a vampire.”

Rick seemed to skip a beat before answering her. “No, he isn’t a vampire.”

“What can I do?”

“Nothing. He’ll be all right. He’ll manage on his own, or Lucian will step in.”

“Lucian isn’t here,” she said.

“But he’ll be back.”

“But—”

“He’s old. Very, very, old. And can sense trouble. He can enter into minds ... he’ll know, trust me.” She stared at him. She didn’t even really know him— and she was supposed to trust him. But these bizarre things were growing easier. Because, she had, of course, gone completely to the flip side of sanity.

She believed.

“What do we do now?” she asked.

“We wait. See to your grandfather. I’m watching Ann.”

As Tara started back down the stairs, there was a knock at the front door.

Katia came rushing out from the library. Tara shook her head at her. She walked to the door herself and looked through the peephole.

She exhaled, fought with the demons of logic and sanity still lurking within her mind, and opened the door.

Lucian and Jade entered.

Tara opened her mouth to speak, to explain the current situation, but she didn’t need to do so.

Lucian spoke. “They left just minutes ago?”

“Yes.”

“Jade will stay here. I’m going. Listen, it’s imperative that you all be incredibly careful. Every window, every door, must remain sealed. Don’t leave. You understand?” She nodded.

“Rick is here, of course,” Jade reminded Lucian.

Lucian glanced at his wife. “Rick needs to stay in, too. He’s got incredible courage and spirit, but he’s still so young... inexperienced,” he added, looking at Tara. He smiled. “It will be all right. I’ll be back with Brent And while we’re gone, just sit tight. Get in there with Jacques, and... Tara, I think that you can perhaps find what we’re looking for.”

“What?”

“Jade will explain. I’ll be back,” he said.

He turned, and was gone. Jade closed the door behind him. She looked awkwardly at Tara, shrugged and smiled. “Well... what we need to do is find their lair.”

“Their lair?”

“Lucian can ... feel where others are. But, naturally, they’re blocking him. Probably setting all kinds of traps, but it doesn’t really matter. We have to find them. We’ve spent a great deal of our time here looking. Following their trail. But... we haven’t found the right place yet. It’s going to be what appears to be an old ruin, but is actually sound. And hidden, far off the beaten path ... hidden by nature, trees, vines, foliage. Do you know such a place?”

“I... I think I know of several. When we were children, sometimes we’d take turns riding our horse, Daniel, into the woods. We’d come upon all kinds of places.”

“Let’s go in with your grandfather. And start studying the maps again.”

“All right,” Tara said softly. She led the way to the library door, and they entered together. Jacques looked gaunt, but determined. He already had maps spread out on the desk. He greeted Jade with a question in his eyes.

“Lucian has gone for Brent,” she said, smiling. “I’m sure he would have been fine on his own, but ... it’s important that we’re all together. Lucian will bring him back quickly.” Jacques stretched out a thin arm, curling his fingers around Jade’s hand. “And you’re all right?” She nodded. “Humbled, but unhurt,” she assured him. “I—I lost one of our witnesses,” she said sorrowfully.

“We’ll get him back.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tara told them both.

Jade explained what had happened at the hotel, whom she had been guarding, and why. And how she had failed.

“Perhaps we can save him yet,” Jacques said.

“Perhaps,” Jade said.

Jacques looked up. “Now that my granddaughter has joined us, I know that we will find the truth.”

“Grandpapa, how can you be so certain I can help?”

“Because it’s you,” he said.

“What is me?”

“It’s you ... I’m old and failing now. And there is always one in the family who is meant to come ... and the new strength in the Alliance. It is you, Tara.”

She shook her head. “I ... I don’t think so at all, Grandpapa! I barely believe any of this, as yet!” He smiled and shrugged to Jade. “Tara, look at the map. What do you think? Tell me what you know, what you remember, from the time you were a child.”

She came around his shoulder and pointed. “There’s what we all called the Giant Rock. It really isn’t giant at all—it’s just what we called it as children. Here, here are ruins,” she told them. “But truly crumbled.”

“We’ve been there,” Jade said. “And the basement is caved in.” Tara looked at her.

“I looked it all up on the Internet Found the owners, the date when it was condemned, and the original blueprints.”

“Oh,” Tara said. “How logical.” She looked back at

the map. “Here ... this ... if I remember correctly, this is the old Dupre House. We couldn’t even reach the house itself on the horse, the area in front is so overgrown.” She fell silent, closing her eyes, as a rush of ice seemed to envelop her.

The Dupre House!

Suddenly, childhood memories combined with the haunting images of her dreams. The shadow wings had thrown her off ... she had only ever gone there in daylight as a child. They’d never been allowed to stay out with the horse in the countryside when it was close to dusk.

She started to open her mouth, to explain the past, and her dream, but she never got a chance. From outside, with the suddenness of a bomb explosion, noises began to rattle the night Eleanora began to howl as if she were a wolf pack in herself, baying, barking, letting out a cry to the moon once again.

And it sounded as if the stables had imploded; old Daniel was kicking at his wooden stall.

“What in God’s name ... ?” Tara whispered.

Katia came bursting into the library, wringing her hands. “I have told him no! I have told him no, but he ignored me! Roland grabbed the gun and went running out. And it’s out there, I know it’s out there ... I saw it! What do we do, Jacques, what do we do? Roland has gone out.” Tara rushed to Katia. “Katia, calm down, please— what did you see?” Even as she spoke, Tara saw something ...

Something she couldn’t describe. It was as if the room darkened. Lamplight flickered, and grew dimmer.

As if great shadow wings were sweeping over the house ...

“Katia, please, what did you see?”

Katia drew away from her.

“Evil! I saw evil!” Then the housekeeper clutched her shoulders. “Evil, Tara, and you must feel it... I can feel it... it is as if it has entered the house!”

As she spoke, the lamplight flickered.

In the hearth, the flames suddenly rose high ...

And then died.

At the same time, the flickering electricity gave a last faint glow ... and then went dead as well.

They were cast into darkness.

Just as the stygian night fell upon them, an ear-shattering scream sounded from the courtyard beyond the door.

And the dog began to howl and bay again ...

Until that sound, too, was suddenly silenced.

CHAPTER 18

Brent sat quietly in the back of the police car, keeping still, offering no resistance. When they arrived at the village station, he followed along as he was told. He wasn’t directed to take the chair in front of Javet’s desk as he had previously done. He was led to a room with a table and chairs, no windows, and just one door. He was aware that the side with the one-way glass led to another chamber, where other officers could watch his movements and hear his words.

He was left there alone for a moment. Then Javet came in and sat across from him. “Coffee, cigarettes?” He asked.

“Sure,” Brent said.

Javet pushed a pack of his own brand across the table. He motioned for one of his officers to go out The man returned with coffee. Javet still stared at him.

At last he spoke.

“All right. Tell me what happened. Start with the night in the crypt. Or before, if you wish. But, perhaps it will be easiest if you begin with the murder of Jean-Luc. You had to have had an accomplice. That’s the only way you could have gotten rid of the contents of the coffin that was excavated.”

“The contents of the coffin excavated themselves— and killed Jean-Luc,” he said.

Javet paused in the lighting of his cigarette, looking over at him. “The contents of the coffin ... the corpse, after hundreds of years, rose and killed your coworker?” Javet said with disgust.

“Yes.”

“You admitted to the murder. You are here to confess.”

“I’m telling you what I know.”

Javet rose, swearing, knocking his chair over as he did so. “That is bull!” The man was furious. Every vein in his neck stood out, and Brent was well aware that the police officer was doing everything in his power not to jump over the table and throw his fists against him.

But he was a good police officer; he found the restraint. Hands balled into fists, he turned away.

He spoke at last. “For tonight, we will leave Mr. Malone in his cell, and give him time to think about his answers. If he can’t find more information than such ridiculous lies to give me, I will have to bring in the old man.”

His back straight, he walked out of the interrogation room. A minute later, one of his officers took Brent’s cigarette and coffee, and indicated he should rise.

That night, he was the only prisoner at the small station. His cell was spare, but clean and neat. Once he was inside, the door was locked. The officers left him.

He sat on the bunk for a minute, waited, leaned his head back, and hoped that Javet had left for the night.