Billie’s cry cut through the miasma of his addled senses. He managed to get to his knees and saw her running toward him. But then she passed Danner. The vampire’s hand snaked out and caught her by the hair, nearly jerking her off her feet and coaxing a painful scream from her lips. It was that scream that fed Stiles’s anger. It drove him to his feet. “Danner! Let her go!”

Nathan pinned her flailing arms and looked her over hungrily. “I don’t know, Mr. Stiles. She’s a pretty one. What if I refuse?”

The soldier was succinct. “Then I’ll tear you apart.”

The vampires all laughed at the wounded man’s audacity. All but Danner. He watched Stiles with a hard-learned wariness. “You’ve already tried that once tonight.”

“Then I’ll just have to try harder.”

Nathan finally smiled and shook his head with wonderment. “What audacity, eh?” he called to the others. “You just can’t help but like him.” He raised his hands and released Billie, who ran to Stiles’s side. She was sobbing incoherently, something about her sons, but Danner was still speaking to his throng. “Shall we tell them what we have planned?” he asked. “Or should it be a surprise? I don’t know . . . perhaps we should put it to a vote—”

“Just get on with it,” Stiles snapped.

“Yes, of course. I believe we should tell him. Then we can savor their reaction.” He approached the two. There were fires dancing in his empty eyes that forced Billie to look away, but Stiles met his gaze and fought it. “Do you remember our conversation in your motel room last night? I wanted you to experience my reality, so to speak. Make you like me. Well, I intend to keep that promise, my friend.”

Stiles did not blink or back down. “Then you must have forgotten what I told you. That I would use it to destroy you?”

“Oh, I remember. And I do believe you. That’s why I won’t stop there. No, I figure if you’re deserving of my gift, you must also be worthy of my fate.” He moved even closer, within whispering distance. “An immortal imprisoned is a tortured soul indeed. I thought about that quite a bit over the last three-quarters of a century. And so shall you. You’ll take my place in that basement cell, my friend, walled in, and you’ll feel yourself waste away, day by day by day, knowing that there will never be an end to your suffering, because you cannot die.” He laughed triumphantly as he walked away, turning only on an afterthought. “But I was once a compassionate man. I know the loneliness of such an existence. So I will allow you company.” He looked at Billie. “She should last a little while. Till the hunger starts to burn.”