Ethan was horrified. "Sweet bleeding Christ!"

"Gaius's people mapped our genome. Brovik's have isolated the mutating agent. We had no choice but to strike out on our own."

"The three of you can't pull Brovik down on your own! You'll have Brovik and and Gaius after you, and when word gets out the Grand Council will scream for your blood as well. Why come to me now? You should have consulted me before you totally took leave of your senses!" Gaius after you, and when word gets out the Grand Council will scream for your blood as well. Why come to me now? You should have consulted me before you totally took leave of your senses!"

"Kurt is hiding outside Munich with a band of rats. We have to help him."

Ethan darkened. "Let him make his own way."

"I can't let him die!" I appealed to his sense of chivalry. "You said if I ever needed anything anything you'd help me." you'd help me."

"Brovik will kill us all!"

"He won't kill you."

"Don't bet on it. Can you get in touch with Kurt?"

"His cell is disconnected."

"Smart. He could be tracked by it." Ethan thought for a minute. "Incredibly risky, even if we could locate the rats."

I broke into tears. "Please. I'm begging! I can't live without him."

Ethan heaved a complicated sigh, as he finished the bandage. "Very well, cara mia cara mia, I'll do whatever I can."

We departed for Germany on a commercial flight the next evening, landing in Munich before dawn. From there, we drove to a pensione pensione outside the city, where Ethan booked a room, saying Brovik's dogs might be watching the big hotels. He didn't sleep, but ordered me to, while he got on the phone. After sunset, he went out, telling me to stay put, returning shortly with a pistol concealed in his coat. outside the city, where Ethan booked a room, saying Brovik's dogs might be watching the big hotels. He didn't sleep, but ordered me to, while he got on the phone. After sunset, he went out, telling me to stay put, returning shortly with a pistol concealed in his coat.

"Where'd you get that?"

"Always ways of finding anything if you're resourceful, let's hope we have the same luck with Kurt. Now about this pack, they tend to frequent abandoned buildings. I've made some inquiries, and there are several likely places." He laid out a map on the table. "This one however is intriguing, an abandoned tubercular sanatorium in the mountains, lots of room to house them, and convenient to the city, but secluded enough to avoid scrutiny. We'll look there first."

We set off in a leased car. It began to snow, the deserted roads becoming very slippery. Several miles into the mountains, we came to a long drive leading to a large building, covered in crumbling stucco and overgrown ivy. Ethan pulled the car off the road into a thicket of shrubs.

"Stay close, Mia. They don't know who we are, or what we want. If Kurt is here, they might think we mean harm."

We set off on foot toward the building. One by one they melted out of the shadows, small, deadly wraiths. The leader, who appeared to be ten or so when made, stepped forward on legs that looked too thin to support his starveling body. Wispy blond hair fell into hollowed brown eyes.

"We're looking for someone." Ethan held up a hundred marks. "Perhaps you've seen him?"

Glittering eyes watched us warily, as they fanned out into a circle around us. The leader swaggered up to Ethan, s.n.a.t.c.hing the money away, slipping easily into English, "We are fifteen here," the boy said, in a pure soprano. "Who are you looking for?"

"He's not part of your pack. His name is Kurt."

"Brovik's minion? Lots looking for him. Who's she?"

"Mia." It was difficult for him to say the next part. "They're bound to one another."

"It's all right, Max," Kurt said, as he moved into the light. "She's the one I told you about."

"I'm not worried about her her."

Ethan cleared his throat. "I give my word I won't harm anyone. We've come to help."

"You lie! You're the Northman's alpha. You've come to take him!"

"This woman is of my making. I'm sworn to aid her."

"Max, it's fine," Kurt a.s.sured him, as he approached. "It's cold. Tell the boys to go inside."

Max looked up with puppy dog eyes at Kurt, taking his hand. "Kurt?"

"I'm leaving with them."

"Stay, we'll protect you."

"No, I've endangered you enough already." Kurt turned to Ethan. "I have no money. They've given me shelter. I'll repay you when I can."

Ethan pulled out his billfold, peeling off another hundred marks. Kurt looked at it in disgust. "They've risked their lives."

Ethan cursed under his breath, handing Kurt four more. Kurt gave them to Max.

"Get more blankets and kerosene. It's too cold in there. I hope someday to do more."

"You're our brother, Kurt. You've always been good to us."

Kurt smiled and ruffled Max's hair. "You've been a good friend. Be careful."

The little vampire flashed a grubby grin, embracing Kurt, and then whistled to his pack. They scurried back into the shadows like the rodents they were named for.

I threw my arms around Kurt, kissing him all over his dirty face. He turned to Ethan. "Why did you let her do this?"

"I've never been able to make her do a d.a.m.n thing she didn't want to. How 'bout you?"

"Max says dogs are watching the airports and train stations surrounding Munich. You have a car?"

"Yes, we could try for Austria."

Kurt shook his head. "They're watching the borders. Better head north to Frankfurt. If we can avoid them, we can get a plane to the states there."

Ethan looked at his watch. "It's after seven. The weather is getting worse."

Snow fell heavily in big sticky white flakes.

"Then we'll have to wait it out here."

"I won't stay in this filthy hole, and I won't allow Mia."

Kurt's eyes narrowed. "You put her out on a night like this with nothing but the clothes on her back. Come on, if we wait any longer, you'll have no choice.

We went only a mile, before the roads became impa.s.sable. We had to turn back, but when Ethan turned the car it spun, crashing into a snow bank. Ethan and Kurt got out, pushing it, but it wouldn't budge. We were stranded.

Kurt called to Ethan through the snow. "It's no use! We must go back on foot. When the weather clears we'll come back."

Ethan cursed, opening the door for me. "Come on, we're walking."

I grumbled as my boots filled with slush. "Sure wish we had the power to control the elements like Dracula."

"Even Immortyls bow to mother nature," Ethan replied.

The three of us trudged through the snow until we reached the building. Kurt ran up to the door and beat on it.

"Max, kommt hier!"

Max opened the door, admitting us as Kurt explained our predicament. Max nodded in ascent and we followed him down a set of stairs into what appeared to be a large ward filled with old iron beds. A couple of kerosene heaters and filthy blankets provided some warmth. The floor was littered with trash and piles of moldering books they burned in a fireplace. The place reeked of rotting flesh and kerosene fumes. I gagged. As we entered the room the rats protested Ethan's presence. Max shut them up, gathering them together to explain the situation.

"Feral animals," Ethan muttered.

"They're our only hope. Don't be so fastidious, Ethan. You perpetuate a system that creates and casts them aside."

"Until very recently you were part of this system."

Kurt had no love for Ethan and had no trouble telling him just what he thought. "Officially, I was no better off. You've certainly treated me as badly as you treat them."

"How long have you known Max?" I asked.

"After the war I came back to see if anyone I knew was alive. Max had lost his family in the war and fell victim to one bloodsucker or another who used him for a few years then cast him aside. I've given the pack money for years. In return they fed me information about Brovik's enemies."

Kurt led me to a bed near one of the heaters. He stripped off my gloves and kissed my fingertips, rubbing them in his hands. "You're hands are cold." He placed the least filthy blanket he could find around my shoulders and held me. The stench of the place made me gag.

Ethan sat across from us on another bed, watching Kurt caress my hair as we tried to get warm. "Are you in pain?"

"I'm fine. It's the smell."

Kurt looked around. "They lure victims here- pedophiles, drug dealers- whatever sc.u.m they can. The ground is frozen. They can't bury them. They put them into the cellar until they get enough petrol to burn them."

"You don't smell so good yourself, darling."

"I'd give anything for a bath." His smile melted me as always. "You shouldn't have come but I'm glad. Lie down and rest." He slipped off my jacket, discovering the bandage on my arm. "What's this?"

"I was shot. Ethan fixed me up."

Ethan was clearly uncomfortable. "It's a clean wound. It will heal."

"The dogs did this?"

I nodded.

"He didn't waste time," Kurt said, grimly.

Max hurried over to us with news. "The pack agrees to let the alpha stay."

"Thanks for nothing," Ethan muttered.

"You must leave as soon as the weather clears. The radio says the storm will end by morning. By evening the roads should be better."

We huddled around the heater not talking much. Before dawn Kurt and I curled close on the mattress. Ethan didn't try to sleep, obviously not trusting our hosts. I closed my eyes and fell asleep, lulled by the deep, shushing rhythm of Kurt's heartbeat.

Kurt was already in deep conversation with Max while I was just rising. Max scratched his bushy little head, looking perplexed.

Ethan got to his feet. "What's wrong?"

Kurt turned to us, his face set and tense. "Someone's missing."

"Karl took the Vespa," said Max. "We never travel alone."

"Little b.a.s.t.a.r.d sold us out," Ethan said.

"We don't know that, but we should get to the car and see if we can start it." Kurt took my hand. As I reached for my jacket, the building suddenly shook and swayed. Plaster hailed down onto our heads, as a huge orange swath of fire roared through the room engulfing poor Max. Kurt dragged me to the steps with Ethan on our heels. We ran up into the demolished lobby, where fires were burning all around and above us, a piece of burning debris nearly knocking Kurt to the ground.

"Look out!" I screamed.

"The door is blocked by the fire!" Ethan yelled. "Find another way out!"

"Here!" Kurt called, pulling me down the hall and out through a ruined sunroom littered with long broken shards of gla.s.s. The three of us made it outside just as the roof collapsed. Inside we heard screams of the unfortunates who didn't escape. Those who did were running in all directions, taking cover in the bushes.

A helicopter stood before us with blades whirling. Through the firelight strode Brovik toward us. We found ourselves surrounded by four large dogs bearing a.s.sault weapons.

"Restrain them."

Guns pressed up against our heads, as we were bound in chains, and pushed into the helicopter. Brovik climbed in, motioning to the pilot to take off.

When we landed later on Brovik's island, we were dragged inside to the main room, the dogs training weapons on us, as Brovik drew a gleaming knife from an elaborate sheath.

"Ethan, I'm surprised," he said. "You always hated the boy."

"I'm sworn to protect, Mia."

"My cavalier, once again you back the losing cause." Brovik motioned to the guards. "Release them, but watch them closely."

One dog with long blond hair like Brovik's, unlocked the manacles, taking a handful of a.s.s as he did mine.

"There's unfinished business before I execute the three of you. Where is my money- and what did Mia do with the Wolf's property? Only one thing would make him so frantic. Just tell me, my dear, where to find the money and data, and it'll be quick and painless."

"If I don't?"

"These gentlemen will do as they like to you, while these two miserable fools look on."

"Ethan knows nothing. Aside from helping me find Kurt, he did nothing."