“T-th-the…” Daurned a full circle where she was standing and backed into Jason, shaking heavily. “...she’s h-here?”

  Laughing quietly, Amber waved her hand. “Daniel, no…no she isn’t here girlie. I said she told me.” With the look of fear not diminishing in Daniel’s copper-hued eyes, Amber touched her temple. “I heard her here, Vivienne is…” Amber closed her teal eyes for a moment, “...they are in Greebsp; See? Nothing to fear, except that garbage outside, which might be worse than Vivienne. At least her kills are swift.”

  Fear and panic subsided slowly as the hair on Daniel’s neck softly went back down, “Do I even want to know? So you have music pying in your ear as well?”

  “ly.” Amber moved her hair and turned so Daniel could see her empty ear. “It is a little more strahan that.” Amber took her third cake, “I hate Halloween now.”

  Pullier bato the room with the others, Daniel ughed. “I have hated it for the st forty-five years.” She paused and ed herself ier’s free arm. “How are you doing it? I suspect the others have falleo the song.”

  “You probably won’t like that answer, Daniel. Are you sure you want it?” Amber politely tried to avoid the question. It took a rather stern look from the small and spunky vampire for Amber to decide to tell her. “I don’t know how, but I belong to her. It’s like I am her sed progeny. I feel her, she feels me. She is in and and is blog the musie.”

  “I-um..” Daniel kept her tiny form arouer the best she could while dealing with the reality that the girl was now part of Vivienne’s family. “Not to press the issue, but why did you e out here? I thought you were trag down some other vampire.”

  Sensing the disturbahat she was causing in both Daniel aer, Amber held up her hands. “Look, I am not going to hunt anyone down. You two are safe from me.” She looked outside, “I ’t say the same about out there.” She saw the fused look on all three of the faces looking at her. “Right. Okay, my hunt for the other vampire didn’t pan out. So many other vampires in the area, thanks to the song that I lost her in the crowd really.” Amber sighed, “It’s a good possibility that Veronica is already gone…” Amber looked into Daniel’s coppery eyes, “That was her name, a fellow friend and blood bunny.”

  Pulling the phone away from his ear, Jester tapped the little red button to disect the call with Sylvie. “Okay, I think I got everything you wao know, sweetheart.” Jester handed Daniel back her phone and carried her to the coud sat down with Daniel in his p. “She told me about her vision, a into more detail about what she told us at the Mill st night before all hell broke loose.”

  Sitting up from her slouched position, Amber turned and listeo Jason talk. “Good, the more we know about that portal the more we try and stop it. We also have a huge mage problem.”

  “We know about her, the news showed it.” Daniel firmed, “The camera shots I swear were staged to show off, and I know that was Tatum Bckwell.”

  Interrupting the two dy vampires, Jason cleared his throat and tinued with what Sylvie told him. “Apparently when it was desighe portal had a song that attracted the shadewraiths, and somehow it is lio the quartz affixed to the ring.” He paused, “They apparently did all this to get the book auhe portal to attract…well, us.”

  With a grim look crossing through her shiny teal eyes, Amber spoke quietly. “I didn’t know it was that deep, I only khat it ulling others into it. Vivienne saved me, but the others…” Amber sighed and nibbled her lip for a moment, “The others, they are gone. I witnessed Brienne and Krystal get taken by shadewraiths, Nathaniel was then pushed into the portal by the person that loved him…” Although she didn’t have to, Amber stated the obvious. “...Brienne.”

  “Shit.” Daniel muttered and snuggled closer to Jason, “Luck or destiny, Jas?”

  “I want to say luck, darling…” Jester made a terrible joke, “...but luly sts so long, this is an unfortunate destiny. I get the feeling that we are going to try and do something about Tatum and the song.” Jester kissed Daniel on her forehead and id his head on top of his partner’s before speaking to Amber, “What about the rest? The boy, Amos?”

  “Burned. I found the boy’s remains by the river headed out of town. There was ash where the other two burned.” Amber reyed sadly. “Whatever the case, it looks like it is the three of us and Vera.”

  Laughing as she rocked in her reer, Vera shook her head. “Mistress Amber, I am far too old to be of any good. I think I will pack up that cash Sylvie gave me a out of this pbsp; Maybe go west towards Ettrick.”

  Pulling back from Jason, Dawisted so she could see Vera clearly. “Probably the best idea.” She ughed, “Any pn to get out of town before you get burned alive?” She poihrough the window, “It’s getting very close and I don’t think you will out walk it.”

  “Not a one, Making this up as I got along.” Vera ughed and groaned as she stood up, her bones popping to remind her of the folly. “Well, sounding like that I won’t make it to the kit.”

  Amber stood up and ed her arm under Vera’s. “I have an idea, Vera. It’s a long shot.”

  Jason flung Dao the empty side of the coud held up his hands, “Don’t even think about it, Amber.” Sug in on his lips, he heard Daniel pining and then righted herself with a gre from her red pulsing eyes. “Sorry, babe. She’s talking about turning Vera.” Jason turned baber, “She’s too old, you’ll trap her like that until she dies of blood loss.”

  “What are the odds that it will cure her arthritis and give her back what youth she get?” Amber looked at Vera, “How old are you dear?”

  “More than two times his age, Amber.” Vera half protested, “I am long out e, even I know that.”

  Amber held up both her hands like she was weighing the subject. “We have two choices. Och her burn to death as she tries to walk out of town. Which let's face it, with her ailment, she probably ’t walk a half-mile.” Amber lifted the other hand, “Or we ge her, let her eat the remaining cupcakes since she won’t be able to feed anywhere else, and see if she help herself.”

  With her arms folded, Daniel maintained her grumpy look and addressed Amber. “Amber, Why ’t we just take her out of town and fet about that damned portal. All three of us aren’t affected.” It was then that the weight of it dawned on her. “She will be affected by it too…”

  “Whoever ges her order her not to listen.” Amber added and rocked on her heels.