“Okay.” I’m not sure what to do about all this. The kid is talking about Angels and death and knowing everything like someone would talk about what they ate for dinner.

Bernard hooks the necklace around his neck and gives a quick squint at the metal plate, before tucking it under his black t-shirt. But I catch a glimpse of the numbers on it. This time I know they’re numbers because some match what’s on the face of the pocket watch.

“So that says your name on it?” I question, nodding at the spot on his shirt where the necklace hides.

He crosses his arms over his chest. “Yes, Kayla,” he says snidely. “I already told you this once.”

Talking to him is pointless so I move on to the last thing in my pocket. My knife. I inch it out, the silver handle the perfect fit for my hand, the jagged blade sharp enough for plunging into a vampire’s chest. If I ever get that far.

“Does anyone have anything else, weapons, anything at all?” I ask, tracing my finger tip along the blade.

“Nope,” Bernard answers, not bothering to check.

I consider patting him down just to make sure. “What about you Maci…?” I trail off at what the small girl clutches in her hands. “Where did you get those?”

She hands me three syringes and three vials, each filled with a black liquid. “The Angel gave them to me.”

Lines sketch the label, forming words I can’t read. “Did they tell you what to do with them?”

“Yeah, he said we were supposed to inject them,” she says, zipping up her jacket. “As soon as we got out here—that it would save us.”

Inject an unknown medicine into my body? “Wait. Someone told you we were going to wake up here—out in the desert?” I ask. “Did they tell you why?”

She nods. “But I can’t tell you yet—not until you’re ready.”

“Did they say—”

A shriek rips the air, like a siren of death. We all freeze.

The vampires have awakened.

Chapter 11

“No… no no no.” Bernard’s on the verge of a meltdown, tugging at his hair as he rocks back and forth. “This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening.”

“Calm down.” I stuff the watch and vials into my pocket. “It’s just like when we’re out on a raid. We just gotta stay on our toes and stay out of their sight.”

“No it’s not, Kayla!” He screams. “This is totally different. We’re not in the city and it’s dark—no one goes on raids when it’s dark.”

Except me. “Keep your voice down,” I hiss. “You’re going to lead them right to us.”

“Kayla.” Maci tugs on my sleeve. “We’re not safe here. We need to move.”

“I know, I’m working on it.”