Miles spent the rest of the day at the blood bank, going through the motions since his mind was hundreds of miles away. By the end of the day, he was more than ready to go home, sit outside in the dark on his back porch, and sip a glass of whiskey to wash away the failures of the day. Lothaire and Raelinn didn't even bother to talk him into hitting Thirst before going home, sensing his brooding mood. They left him to his wallowing as well as the task of locking up.
The blood bank was quiet once they left, and Miles savored the tranquility. Before closing the shop, he opened a blood pouch, poured it in a glass, and sat on the couch in the lobby, glancing out at the darkening sky. He wondered if Martin and his Battalion watched him from the shadows, waiting for him to step outside and into
