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"Ned Gillespie Bitten in 1912, when he was fourteen years old"

I stared in disbelief "You bit a kid?"

Eli shook his head "Josie did" He looked atto be humane, Riley We couldn’t help it"

"So why are we here to see Ned Gillespie?" I asked, glancing at the two-story house perched above the uess, until they outgrew one another," he answered "Ned knows about the Arcoses--can sniff a vaht " He nodded toward the house "Colanced at Eli "Is Ned going to freak ht have

"Yep," Eli answered, and I took a deep breath and followed hiht, the front door opened; there stood a young guy, mid-to late twenties, with crazy brown hair and frosted tips, a yellow and black Led Zeppelin T-shirt, and destroyed jeans His eyes crinkled in the corners as he grinned and bumped fists with Eli

"Dude, what’s up? Haven’t seen you in a while," he said to Eli, then looked at me "Whoa Who’s the babe?" He leaned closer to Eli "Is she a bloodsucker? That’s sick, ons "Da "Sweet"

Eli shook his head and laughed "No, Ned She’s"--he looked at me--"a friend A mortal friend" He inclined his head "Ned Gillespie, Riley Poe"

Ned stuck out his hand to shake h I was in shock to see Ned as a young guy instead of a hundred-and-twelve-year-old Weird "Well, Riley Poe, this is the dawning of the age of Aquarius, don’t ya think? Vaether Pretty awesolance at Eli "Yeah, sure" I thought I’d fallen through a tiht into one of Bill and Ted’s excellent adventures

"Well, coave lance and a nod, and I went inside first It was an open floor plan, with cathedral ceilings and a ay at the top that encircled the entire room No sooner did Ned close the door behind us than a cell phone rang, and he patted his pockets, then cursed

"Be right back," he said, and swear to God, had I not seen it withwhat I no about vampires, I wouldn’t have believed it In one leap Ned cleared the wooden railing of the ay--an easy twenty feet if not more He disappeared into a rooain He looked at me as he landed

"Missed call," he said, as if what he’d done was absolutely nor more than lift my brows in astonishment

"Listen, Ned," Eli said "Have you sensed any other vampires lately?"

Ned dramatically lifted his nose to the air and sniffed "Yeah, dude, I have It’s not strong, though--so weak actually I thought it was farther up the coast Why, what’s up?"

"The Arcoses," Eli said "You haven’t seen or heard anything?"

Ned looked at Eli, and seriousness replaced the carefree attitude he’d just had