I glance out through the front windshield again. And when I do, a sight in the distance takes my breath away.
At first, it looks like a mirage. Just another shimmering bit of nothing in the desolate heat of the Nevada desert.
Then I see the high wooden spike that marks the corner of the barrier that separates the Sanctuary from the sinful world around it.
The fear comes right on its heels.
“Oh God…” I breathe.
Vlad stops the car at once, screeching to a dusty halt in the middle of the road. He turns to me and raises his sunglasses. His eyes are a light gray, and maybe I’m just projecting, but I could swear they’re the friendliest eyes I’ve ever seen. Maybe he wears the sunglasses so no one sees how kind his gaze really is.
His voice is as gruff as ever when he says to me, “You’re gon
