Other than speeding through the battle zone close to Rid, Sylvie took her time getting back to the retive safety of ial Heights. She sidered stopping by her bar to che, but the little HUD that Code had in her vision, fshed the time as three o’clo the m. “Code, you call Amos for me?”

  “Processing request, eg to your mobile devibsp; Amos Whitelock tact acquired.” Sylvie’s AI quickly responded and dialed the number.

  “Sylvie. What I do for you?” Amos gleefully answered. “Please tell me you have good news.”

  Swerving her bike through a few cars that had stopped, Sylvie burst through a red light a heading down the main street called ‘The Boulevard’. She looked into her mirrors and happily didn’t see any police chasing behind her. “Yep, I have good news Amos.” Sylvie paused when she felt Casey tapping on her shoulders as though listening to a song pying in her head. “Amos, hang on a sed.” Muting the call, Sylvie reached one hand behind her and squeezed Casey’s thigh. “Oh, I’m your drum set now?”

  Keeping her hands going to the little beat in her head, Casey ignored Sylvie’s little quip and decided to let her girlfriehe song she was thinking about. She suspected why the song ‘Please Don’t Stop the Music’ by Rhianna with its sultry beat invaded her mind. Initially clutched tightly to Sylvie, the music took over Casey’s senses and she couldn’t help matg the drum beat with her hands. Using her vampirihanced voice, Casey sang a few lines of the song pitch perfect.

  “Baby, are you ready 'cause it's gettin' coldDon't you feel the passion ready to explode?What goes oween us no one has to knowThis is a private show

  Do you know what you started? I just came here to partyBut now we're ro' on the dance floor, a' naughtyYour hands around my waist just let the music pyWe're hand in hand, chest to chest, and now we're face to face

  I wanna take you awayLet's escape into the musicDJ, let it pyI just 't refuse itLike the way you do thisKeep on ro' to itPlease don't stop the, please don't stop the music..”

  Once she lightly sang the st word, Casey slipped her hands back around Sylvie’s waist and ughed, “I didn’t mean to interrupt you and Amos.” Speeding past a twenty-four-hour department store, Casey spoke up. “While you tell him this great news, we stop in there for a few minutes? I want to run in for something quick.”

  “What are you up to, missy?” Sylvie snickered and lightly swatted Casey’s thigh. “Now I want to hear the whole song. Damnit.” Sylvie had Code start pying the fun tra the background while she spoke to Amos. “Alright, Sorry about that, Amos. Are you still with Miss Walker, helpio adjust?”

  “Yeah, she doesn’t believe that she’s both still alive and a vampire. The woman is pretty strong, she’s held off a few of my ands…I don’t know how she’s doing it.” Amos quickly ged topics, “Anyway, you said good news. Please tell me that you have the diary.” He waited a sed, “Taini don’t tease me.”

  Turning at a few wide interses, Sylvie gunned her bike and lea down as she rouhe rge circur parking lot. “Damn I love this store, they always make a race track.” Sylvie ughed and a few seds ter stopped in front to let Casey off. “Should I be worried about what you are doing, darling?”

  Laughing, Amos spoke up. “I didn’t know you still cared about me Sylvie.” Getting a light kiss from Casey, She watched her newborn vampire dart off ihe store. Figuring that she had a few mio waste, Sylvie took off and opehe bike once more, doing tric circles at a breakneck speed. “Oh, Amos. You think too highly of yourself and that awful mustache of yours.” She stopped talking as her tires squealed lightly ing out of a little turn. “However, I am a dy of my word and I have the diary and ledger. I didn’t look at the personal stuff, but the list of politis all the way to DC is impressive.”

  Excitement clear in his voice, Amos chimed in. “Luna…Luna..I ’t find the words to thank you properly. I have the ledger too? I think a little pressure on some of these locals could help me in the long run.”

  Hearing Amos as he cpped loud enough to reverberate in her headset, Sylvie shook her head. “You are eoo excited..and sure you have the ledger, Just let Code s it when I get to the apartment.”

  “Do I want to know what you mean by code, Sylvie?” Amos inquired. “Just so you know, the boy and your older blood bunny - Vera, are safe. Samantha hasn’t tried to attack either of them.” Amos added, “Have you had her blood-muffins?”

  Making her fourth loop around the department store road, Sylvie affirmed and recalled the sweet taste of the little cakes, “Yeah, she’s got a talent for it.” Sylvie stopped talking long enough to get through another loop, “How much longer are you going to be there with Samantha?”

  “You made me ge her, Sylvie.” Amos quipped. “Teically, I am with her forever…like I am with you. I made you both, even freed…you are sorta my responsibility.” Amos ughed, “Although you ditched my advice years ago.” He heard Sylvie purposefully sigh, “Fine, fine. I pnned on being here until she is stable, at the very least.” He paused, “Though, she hasn’t left my side really..through no and of my own. Her son…he’s jazzed about it. Wants to tell all his friends that his mother is a bloodsucker, wants little fangs and everything.”

  “I didn’t need all that, I am sure you will ha with the same grace you’ve always cimed to have.” Sylvie sarcastically replied. “I want to drop off these books and go home, sunlight is ing.”

  “Yes, I will be here. Just brihe stuff like you promised.” Amos dear demanded. “An will be happy that at least one part is done.”

  Refusing to get baited into more versation that would reveal she and Casey had gotten the skull, Sylvie simply said, “Thanks, I’ll be there soon.” She muted the microphone and spoke to Code. “End call.” Hearing the line drop, Sylvie focused on her frantic pace around the parking lot, grateful for the te m so that she didn’t draw attention to herself.

  Lost in thought, Sylvie found herself going over the events of the st few days that brought her to this frantic-paced point. Takihoughts out on her motorcycle, Sylvie kept the bike near its red line while going over everything that had occurred between her and Casey.

  -Kigatilik..is that the thing behind the dark decision to make Casey a vampire? Or was it her ying there in my bed..looking so hopeless, charmed by my body that betrayed me?-

  Moments after she asked herself the question, a flow of i warmth seemed to pulse through her dead veins and fort her mind with Casey’s genuine smile and softly glowing eyes that veyed her appreciation aion to Sylvie.

  -It was always that first toubsp; The ohat turned my head to notice her curly auburn hair a chocote eyes. Yet, the vision was in shadow. What I saw couldn’t ever be and…and..-

  Sylvie instinctively g the moon, admiring its simple white glow.

  -..never saw an eclipse. Sunshine, yes. People running in an open field..both adults and kids, a lovely ke house, a bright and sunny summer day…then time seemed to just flow like a river, and I still stood there..was it me?-

  Before she really knew what she was doing, Sylvie slipped out of the circle and brought her ‘Indian’ to a slow and easy stop in a parking space close to the department store front door and looked at the rge circur lot.

  -I grabbed Casey shortly after that vision. There was a freedom in seeing the pretty day, just like the freedom of going around in circles. Freedom..sunlight…sparks of life…-

  Sylvie flipped the kickstand down and noticed Casey and her full strawberry-blonde hair boung with her hips as she walked.