"Breakfast." He growled as he set the food down on the bedside table, as if disgusted by her very human choice of food.

"Where are we?" she asked.

He ignored her and knelt to unlock the cuff from around the leg of the bed.

Ashley watched and waited for the lock to click free, tensing to make an attempt at a getaway. The moment she started to lean forward, the vamp raised a Taser, and she sat back.

He couldn't match her in battle, but Tasering her would knock her out of commission.

"Dammit," she muttered and snatched the bag of McDonald's instead. She pulled out a breakfast sandwich and unwrapped it.

"You are only alive because of Xander," the vamp said and stood. "We train now."

"Train?" She asked through a mouth full of food.

"Jonny thinks you can help us fight the rogue vamps."

"Why the hell would I help him?"

"Because they have your brother." The vamp tugged on her chain. "We'll see who wins this bet."

She dwelt on his words long enough for him to tug again. Ashley shoved the rest of her breakfast into her mouth and trailed him into the hallway. They appeared to be in a dorm of some sort. Private rooms similar to hers lined the hallway. The décor was dark and woodsy, the dorm quiet.

When she could talk again, she drew closer. "Those other vamps … why do they have my brother?"

"Maybe because Jonny was using him to track them. Maybe because they want to send Xander a message." The vamp shrugged. "Doesn't fucking matter. They'll be destroyed anyway."

Agreed there. They walked out onto a low porch, and she saw where everyone else was. Vamps were sparring all along a lakeside bank beneath the tall, slender trees. Golden leaves had begun to fall and pile at the base of the trees. It was cooler here than San Diego.

"Where are we?" she asked again.

"Outer Banks."

"Virginia?" She glanced behind her to see the quiet retreat, a series of single story buildings joined by wooden walkways and surrounding a central community center with a double A-frame roof. "Okay. So is my brother close?"

"We don't know where he is."

Her focus returned to the vamp. "Why aren't you trying to find out?"

"I don't give a shit about your brother," the vamp snapped. "I care about putting an end to Valon."

"If my brother is important, he's probably located somewhere near this Valon guy, isn't he?" she retorted.

He paused near a group of vamps sparring with knives. "You know what your problem is?"

"No clue."




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