24
DAWN
The world explodes in a red haze as Claire’s fist vanishes into Markula’s chest. Draynor and Silas are shooting at her with silver bullets dipped in hunter’s blood — my blood — the latter of which is the important piece for vampire injury. But the birds … those f*****g birds. I can see the chunk taken out of her side where she has no flesh or bone left to block my view of the world beyond, but she can apparently avoid all injury by shifting out of the way in time. I’m not sure if I got lucky when I stabbed her in New Orleans or if she just didn’t see me coming, but the bullets are a different story. They’re not sneaky — they make a sound as they squeal through the air toward her. Or maybe she was powerless when I stabbed her because she was closer to me. And even as I think it, I
