Page 37 (1/2)

She was on edge all that day, unable to concentrate on anything for more than aQuillan at ht; that they&039;d have the forht Only teeks to make a decision that would have monumental influence on the rest of their lives Quillan had said the journey back to life had always been fatal Did she want Gabriel to be h to risk his life? If the cure didn&039;t work, Gabriel would die a horrible death Gabriel had said he would not let her go in this life, that he would not stand by and watch her die again, and so there were really only two choices: they must find a cure for what he was, or she would have to beco she could never do

Maybe Quillan was right Maybe Gabriel should transforainst her will Maybe she could accept it then, but even as the thought crossed her ive hiht be, it had to be her own

Never had the hours of the day passed so slowly She tried to read, tried to watch TV, but she was too restless to sit still, and so she paced the living-roo for dusk so she could be with Gabriel She needed to feel his ar away her fears

As the shadows grew long, she went out to stand on the veranda, watching the sun make its doard climb

It had not yet disappeared when she sensed his presence behind her With a glad heart, she ran into the house and flung herself in his aro!"

"Sarah, what is it?"

"I&039;m afraid"

"Of what?"

"I don&039;t know Don&039;t go tonight Forget about the cure Stay with me"

"Cara"

"Please"

"I have to try it, Sarah If there&039;s any chance at all, I have to try it" He tilted her head up "It&039;s what you want, isn&039;t it?"

"Not anymore"

"Then it&039;s what I want"

"I don&039;t believe that You&039;re doing it for ether, not just at night I want to live as a ain, to walk in the sun with you at my side"

"But what if it doesn&039;t work?"

"Then you ive you children"

"No"

"You found me in this life, cara If it&039;s possible, I will find you in death"

His e it

He carried her upstairs andeach sensation, storing them in his mind If the cure proved ineffective, he would have only these last teeks to live To a man who had survived over four and a half centuries, teeks seemed but a moment

And now the hours sped swiftly by

Too soon, it was al in bed, Sarah watched him dress He left the roo his cloak

"I won&039;t be long," he pro a kiss on her cheek "Keep the bed warm for me"

She choked back a sob as she watched him leave the room, overcoain

The door opened at his bidding He stood in the entryway for athe darkness of the house

"In here, Giovanni"

Quillan&039;s voice Deep Predatory Deadly

Too late, Gabriel realized Quillan had not come alone

Three vahosted up behind his all, they circled hi even in the darkness, eyes aglow

Fear slithered down Gabriel&039;s spine "What do you want?"

"We cannot let you rejoin the ranks of humanity," Quillan said flatly "You know our habits, our weaknesses We cannot take a chance that you ainst us"

"Why would I do that? What would I have to gain?"

Quillan shrugged "Everything Nothing As I said, it is a chance we cannot take"

Gabriel glanced over his shoulder A tall, slender valoved hands "So you&039;re going to destroy h the heart has always been the preferred method," he said

Gabriel was afraid, and he didn&039;t like it Afraid for himself Afraid for Sarah "What of the woman?"

"She dies, too Delano and Sydelle are on their way as we speak"

"No!" The denial was ripped from Gabriel&039;s throat

"We have survived thousands of years only because we have never let mankind know of our existence Theyfor which they have no logical explanation, but they do not want to believe The woman dies"

"Quillan, please"

"Too late, Giovanni"

Theythe circle But Gabriel had not survived as long as he had by being foolish In 464 years, he had trusted no other varowl, he sprinted past the two young va inside his cloak, delving into his pants pocket as he vaulted the stairs to the second-story landing

Whirling around, he fired the pistol four times in rapid succession The bullets, un by thevampires with deadly precision, and then Quillan was on hiether, they tumbled down the stairs Quillan, heavier, older, was on top when they hit the bottom of the stairs

His hands closed around Gabriel&039;s throat, his weight pinning Gabriel to the floor as he bent toward hihtover the stake that had fallen fro&039;s hand "You are too late to save the woman, and in a moment, you will join her"

Sarah heard the front door open and breathed a sigh of relief He was back!

She sat up, co with happiness So ht

And then she heard footsteps on the stairs

Unfa a weapon, but found nothing Muttering a silent prayer, she cli the door, she pawed through the drawers, but theshe found was a blow dryer