would take such a risk.
“We’ll be there soon,” Ephraim growled. “Don’t get any wise ideas, okay?”
Snod felt a wave of pain break through from Frankie, and hearing him gasp in pain made his heart
ache. They had to get out of here. He had no idea what was waiting for them, but he had no doubt that
the Order would kill Frankie. He swallowed hard, looking at Ephraim and saying urgently, “You
don’t have to do this.”
“Shut up,” Ephraim warned.
“Ephraim, listen to me,” Snod pleaded. “We’ve known each other since we were children. We did
our very first hunt together. I helped you after your first lesson, do you remember? Just like you
helped me.”
Ephraim said nothing.
“We were friends! Please, if you ever gave a damn about me, you have to listen to me. The Order is
wrong. They’re wrong about everything. Vampires, our sins, all of it—”
“Shut up!” Ephraim roared, punching the steel mesh again. “I will not listen to your blasphemy!”
“You know it’s wrong!” Snod shouted passionately. “Come on! Deep down inside of you, down in
your fuckin’ soul, you have to know it’s not right! There has to have been some moment, some doubt
—”
“Stop trying to confuse me!” Ephraim growled furiously. “I never have doubts, never! I believe in our
God, I believe in the word, and I believe in our sacred charge to rid the world of the unholy curse—”
“Disease!” Snod snapped. “It’s not a curse, it’s a disease! Listen to me! We were wrong!”
“It’s a curse born from their unholy pact with Satan, and you fucking know it!” Ephraim argued
through gritted teeth.
“Come on,” Snod scoffed bitterly, trying another angle now. “Don’t you think it’s strange that Father
Sanguis wants us alive? He’s up to something. He wanted me to find a name, a name of an ancient
vampire...”
Ephraim growled faintly, but he held his tongue. He cocked his head, listening expectantly.
“There are old spells for summoning vampires if you know their name,” Snod said quickly. “Why
would the council want to summon a vampire, huh?”
“It is not my place to question their wisdom,” Ephraim replied stiffly.
“You don’t find it odd that they’re very interested in summoning the very thing we are sworn to
