Just as we round the building, heading for a break in the perimeter fence facing the road, a figure drops out of the sky in our path. Landing with the force of a comet, fracturing the asphalt as it slams down, it’s another vampire. Eyes burning, her hair a mane of untamed curls, she shows us a fang-toothed grin. “Where do you two think you’re going?”

Daphne has her stake out in an instant, spinning it like a baton, demonstrating her skill. “Back up, you undead bitch. You’re not the only one in the mood for blood tonight.”

The vampire peers around her, though, looking straight at me. “Don’t leave so soon, baby, the Master wants to talk with you!”

“The Master?” Daphne blinks, spluttering with laughter. “Did you seriously just call him the Master? You have got to be kidding me.”

“You are irrelevant.” The vampire snaps ferociously, her cheekbones sharpening as she glares at my protector. “If you put down your weapon and walk away, no harm will come to you. But the Master wants August Pfeiffer.”

I take a step back, metaphorical violins shrieking in my ears, even as Daphne retorts, “Oh wow, I’m so relieved. You promise you won’t hurt me? Actually, you better come over here and show me how to put this down, just to make sure I don’t do it wrong!”

“Keep making jokes,” the curly-haired monster snaps, eyes burning brighter. “Might as well get them out while you still have a throat.”

“Mmm, okay.” Daphne pretends to think. “Got one! Why did the chicken cross the road?”

A sudden impact shakes the ground behind me, and I whirl to find that we’ve been joined by two more of the undead. The first is a man with boot-black hair and a leather duster—it’s beginner Goth nonsense, but I can’t laugh about fully extended fangs and black-tipped claws. He sways toward me, and I nearly swallow my tongue as the second vampire is revealed behind him: my old friend from Sugar Mama’s.

“Auggie, get back,” Daphne commands, all business now, her expression hard as flint.

The Goth vampire lunges first, and Daphne feints a retreat before meeting the advance with a kick to the sternum; at the same time, the girl vampire tries to seize the advantage of distraction but is knocked back when that chunk of broken flooring shatters across the bridge of her nose. What follows is even more dizzying than the altercation I witnessed in the parking lot of the mall. Daphne spins, kicks, and blocks simultaneously, somehow managing to fight both attackers at once while keeping me on the outside.