Blood Lines

washed over him, masking the stink of his own fear.
    Vicki.

    She said she would be there when the dawn reached out to take him. She would fight with him. For him. Would not let him burn.
    Sanctuary .
    The tension went out of his muscles and his fingers loosened where they crushed her shoulder. Tentatively, she let him go, ready to launch herself forward should he start to run again.
    'The car's just back here." Actually, she'd kind of lost track of where the car was but hoped Henry would turn and see it. "Come on. Can you drive?"
    'I-I think so."
    'Good." Other questions could wait. Not only did the echoes of her skull hitting the sidewalk make it difficult to hear the answers, but from the sounds that had preceded his flight, Henry had just left a house full of police officers by way of a closed window. They'd be playing the chase scene any second and that would lead into a whole new lot of questions there were no answers for.
    Ms. Nelson, can you tell us why your friend turned into a smoldering pile of ash in the holding cell at dawn?
    One hand held tightly to his jacket as Henry surged toward the car, continuing to grasp it until her other hand touched familiar metal. She scrambled to get into her own seat the moment she figured out where it was, then watched him anxiously-or rather watched his shadow against the lights of the dash-as he started the engine and pulled carefully out of the parking space. She had no idea why people weren't boiling out of the Solicitor General's house like wasps out of a disturbed nest, but she certainly wasn't going to complain about a clean getaway.
    'Henry…?"
    'No." Most of the raw terror had faded, but even Vicki's presence wasn't enough to completely banish the fear. I can feel the sun. It's hours to dawn and I can feel the sun . "Let me get home first. Maybe then…"
    'When you're ready. I can wait." Her voice was deliberately soothing even though she really wanted to grab him, and shake him, and demand to know what had happened in there. If this is Henry's reaction to the mummy, we're in a lot more trouble than we thought .
    'Do I go after him, Master?"
    'No. You are tied into the spell and the spell is not yet finished." He spat the words out, the power of his anger crackling almost visibly around him.
    'But the others…"
    'They can hear nothing that happens within this room. They did not hear the window break. They will not interrupt."
    With an effort, he forced his attention back to the multilayered spell of coercion he had been in the middle of evoking.
    "When I have finished with the Inspector, then you may search the grounds. Not before."
    Inspector Cantree tossed his head and sweat began to soak through the armpits of his costume. His eyes rolled back and the muscles of his throat worked to produce a moan.
    'It didn't hurt the others, Master."
    'I know."
    The ka that had touched him earlier with its magnificent, unending potential for power, had been within his grasp and he had been forced by circumstance to let it get away.

    That did not please him.
    But now he knew of its existence, and, more importantly, it knew of him. He would be able to find it again.
    That pleased him very much.
    * * *
    When Vicki finally saw Henry's face in the harsh fluorescent glare of the elevator lights, it gave nothing away.
    Absolutely nothing. He might as well have been carved from alabaster for all the expression he wore. This isn't good…
    Three teenagers-in what might or might not have been costumes-got on in the lobby, took one look at Henry and stood quietly in their corner, not a word, not a giggle until they got off on five.
    And every cloud has a silver lining , Vicki mused as they filed silently out.
    The last, finding courage in leaving, paused in the doorway and stage-whispered back. "What's he supposed to be?"
    Why not?
    'A vampire."
    Hennaed curls bounced on sequined shoulders. "Not even close," was the disdainful judgment as the elevator door slid closed.
    Vicki used her keys to let them into the condo, then followed close on Henry's heels as he strode down the hall and into the bedroom. She flicked on the light as he flung himself on the bed.
    'I can feel the sun," he said softly.
    'But it's hours until dawn."
    'I know."
    'Colonel Mustard, in the library, with a mummy…"
    Henry glared at her from under knotted brows. "What are you talking about?"
    'Huh?" Vicki started and lowered her arm. She'd been doing a painful fingertip investigation of the goose egg on the back