Caitlin flew through the night sky, racing for all she was worth. In one hand, she clutched the three keys, feeling her father's presence with her strongly. In the other, she clutched the vial holding Violet's blood, feeling the energy pulsing through it, praying, hoping beyond hope that this small vial of blood could save Caleb's life. And praying that then, somehow, they could figure out how to save Scarlet’s life, too.On her way from Bodium Castle to Warwick, Caitlin had to fly over London, and as she approached it, she was completely caught off guard. On the horizon, even from this great distance, she could tell something was terribly wrong. Huge clouds of fire rose up into the sky, and as she got closer, she could already feel the heat.The sight below her took her breath away. The entire city seemed to be a great ball of fire. The few survivors she could spot ran through the streets, screaming, shouting. Others lay in the streets, lifeless, looking as if they had been infected
Sam dove down low in the night sky, aiming right for Arundel Castle. It was exactly where he had sensed it would be, and he could feel Polly's energy strongly. He felt Polly in distress, and the feeling coursed through his entire body; he was surprised by the intensity with which it had struck him. He was surprised to recognize how deeply he felt for Polly, almost as if she were a part of him.At first, he been angry, jealous, and resentful to hear that she had flown off with Sergei. He’d had a hard time getting over the fact, and at first assumed that it could only mean that she still had feelings for him.But the more he dwelt on it, and the more he felt her true feelings of distress, the more he began to realize that maybe it was something else. That maybe she had been duped. Or captured.Sam had felt nervous to leave Caleb and Scarlet alone with Lily, but he reasoned he’d be back in just a few hours, and that they were safe, and that Polly's life was in definite, immediate dange
Kyle and Caitlin dove for each other, each in a murderous rage.Caitlin met him head-on, and they crashed together like a pair of charging rams. They grappled, grabbing onto each other's shoulders. They tore and clawed at each other, and it was a tremendous meeting of strength. Kyle was twice her size, but Caitlin could feel a strength burning through her beyond what she’d ever known. And strangely enough, even in the midst of such a heated battle, she no longer felt overwhelmed by her emotions. She felt calm, clearheaded. In control. She focused on her breathing, on her inner strength, on the life force coursing through her.Caitlin could sense Kyle’s hatred, his fury. But she was surprised that she could also, as she turned in, sense something deeper underneath: fear. She was shocked to sense that Kyle was afraid. Of her.After minutes of grappling, Caitlin got the upper hand. She turned and threw him, and he went flying across the room, slamming into a stone wall.Kyle stood the
London, England(September, 1599)Caleb awoke to the sound of bells. He sat bolt upright and looked all around, breathing heavily. He had been dreaming of Kyle, chasing him, of Caitlin, holding out a hand for help. They had been in a field filled with bats, against a blood-red sun, and it had seemed so real.Now, as he looked around the room, he tried to determine whether it was all real, or if he was truly awake and back in time. After several seconds of listening to his own breathing, of feeling the cool dampness in the air, of listening to the quiet, to his own heartbeat, he realized that it was all a dream. He was truly awake.Caleb realized he was sitting upright inside an open sarcophagus. He looked around the dim, cavernous room and saw that it was filled with sarcophagi. There were low, arched ceilings and narrow slits for windows, through which streamed the smallest amount of sunlight. It was just enough to see by. He squinted at the glare, reached into his pocket, a
Sam woke to the sound of screeching birds. He opened his eyes and saw, high up overhead, several huge vultures circling. There must have been a dozen of them, and they circled lower and lower, seemingly right over him, as if watching him. As if waiting.He suddenly realized they assumed he was dead, and were waiting for their chance to swoop in and eat him.Sam jumped to his feet, and as he did, the birds suddenly flew off, as if startled that the dead could rise again.He looked around, trying to get his bearings. He was in a field, in the midst of rolling hills. As far as he could see, there were more hills, covered in grass and odd bushes. The temperature was perfect, and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was very picturesque, and there was not a single building in sight. It appeared he was in the middle of nowhere.Sam tried to figure out where he was, what time period, and how he’d arrived. He desperately tried to think back. What had happened before he’d gone back in time?
Caitlin sat up in the sarcophagus, and stared back at the man before her. She knew she recognized him from somewhere, but could not place where. She stared at his large, brown, concerned eyes, his perfectly chiseled face, his cheekbones, his smooth skin, his thick, wavy hair. He was gorgeous, and she could sense how much he cared for her. She felt deep down that this was an important person to her, but for the life of her, she could not remember who it was.Caitlin felt something wet in her palm, and looked down to see a wolf sitting there, licking her. She was surprised at how caring it was towards her, as if it had known her forever. It had beautiful white fur, with a single grey streak running down the middle of its head and back. Caitlin felt she knew this animal, too, and that at some point in her life she'd had a close connection to it.But try as she did, she could not remember how.She looked around the room, trying to take in her surroundings, hoping it might jog her memory
"I see you two have found each other," came a voice.Caitlin and Caleb, in the midst of their embrace, both spun at the voice, startled. Caitlin was shocked that anyone could have snuck up on them so quickly, especially given their alert vampire senses.But as she stared back at the woman standing before them, she realized why: this woman too, was a vampire. Dressed in all white, wearing a hood, the woman lifted her chin and stared back with piercing blue eyes. Caitlin could detect a sense of peace and harmony coming off of her, and she let down her guard. She felt Caleb let down his guard, too.The woman broke into a wide smile."We've been waiting for you for quite some time," she said, in a gentle voice."Where are we?" Caitlin asked. “What year is it?"The woman only smiled back."Come this way," she said, turning her back, and heading back out through the low, arched doorway.Caitlin and Caleb exchanged a look, then followed her out the doorway, Ruth at their side.They w
Caitlin and Caleb walked out the enormous arched doors of Westminster Abbey, into the morning light, Ruth at their heels. They both instinctively squinted and raised their hands to the light, and Caitlin was grateful that Caleb had given her the eyedrops before they’d exited. It took her a few moments for her eyes to adjust. Slowly, the world of 1599 London came into focus.Caitlin was amazed. Paris in 1789 had not been all that different from Venice in 1791. But London in 1599 was a world apart. She was shocked at the difference 190 made.Before her, London was spread out. But it was not a bustling, metropolitan city. Rather, it felt more like a large, rural town, with large, empty lots, still in development. There were no paved roads—everywhere was dirt—and while there were many buildings, there were far more trees. Nestled amidst the trees were crudely laid out blocks and rows of houses, many of them uneven. The houses were all built of wood, with huge, thatched, straw roofs. She