Lisa had never been frightened of Bennett, but she couldn’t help but keep one eye on her as she reached over and pulled what looked like a box for a necklace from Bennett’s coat. Confused by its thickness, Lisa shot Bennett a look before opening the top, and Lisa’s hands began to shake when she saw what was inside.

Failsafe is what her father had called it, put into play years before when a vampire went on a blood lust-induced rampage. He, like Bennett, had lived off the grid, and having fallen into a well, when he finally climbed out, starved for blood, and unable to control himself, he massacred his own family. Since then, all those living independently were delivered a package every year with a fresh supply of something all prayed they’d never have to use.

“Is this what I think it is?” Lisa said, her eyes fixed on the two syringes.

“Yes, and you’re going to need it when the time comes. The clear one is a fairly strong sedative. It should keep you safe long enough to get away once you cut off the restraints.”

“Okay, so you’re scaring me again.”

“That’s why there are two. If I don’t calm down, if you don’t believe I’m lucid enough to bring you no harm, you’re to use the blue one. That will bring down an elephant at a full charge, and our chemists have added something that will send me into convulsions for a few minutes, so it will definitely buy you the time you need.”

“Jesus. Seriously?”

“I’m being deadly serious, Lisa. Now get up front, and let’s get moving. We don’t have a lot of time.”

Lisa slipped between the seats and pulled out her phone. “Wait,” she said, looking back at Bennett. “Why go to Brookhaven? Can’t I take you to Max’s?”

“Max and his people are in Norway. There’s no one there but the staff and a few stragglers, and I’d end up killing them all. They aren’t strong enough to fight me, Lisa. You just need to get moving and call Brookhaven on the way. Tell them I’ll need two.”

***

Extreme. Of all the things her father had taught her about vampires and guardians, this lesson was the only one Lisa had always felt as extreme. Now, she didn’t. Now, sitting in the back of the van was a vampire panting like a deranged animal. More than once, she’d checked the rearview mirror to see Bennett fighting against the restraints. More than once, Lisa had heard growls, low and angry, rise from the woman’s throat, and on the few occasions when their eyes had met in the mirror, Bennett’s were flaming blue, and her fangs were glistening in her snarl.