Terrell was dying, and Frankie would be free.
Snod closed his eyes with a delirious smile. The man he loved was going to be okay, and that was
comforting. He grunted when wet, slimy fingers clamped down on his neck, blinking as he stared up at
the horrible, disfigured visage of Terrell leering down at him.
Most of his flesh had peeled away to the bone beneath and he choked and gurgled furiously, “You’ll...
die now...”
Snod wished he had the strength to give one last clever line, but all he could do was grin. It seemed to
do the trick regardless and he gasped as Terrell bit down at his throat to finish him off.
Terrell suddenly screamed in utter agony, his eyes blazing brightly and his body arching backwards.
His head flopped to the side and black ooze poured from his lips as death took him. Snod didn’t
understand what had happened until he saw the tip of a stake protruding from Terrell’s chest.
Behind him, fangs bared, was Frankie.
Frankie roared and sobbed, driving the stake deeper and deeper until he had practically pushed it all
the way through Terrell’s back. He didn’t spare another thought for his dead Maker, hurling his
putrefying corpse out of his way and gathering Snod into his arms.
“Frankie,” Snod sighed weakly.
“Obe! No, no, no! You can’t leave me!” Frankie pleaded tearfully, biting into his wrist and pressing
the wound against Snod’s mouth. “Drink. Hurry! Please drink for me, okay?”
Snod managed to swallow some, but God, his entire body felt like it was on fire. He turned his head,
vomiting violently and gasping.
“What’s wrong? Why isn’t it working?” Frankie screamed.
“The DD!” Lorenzo’s voice answered. “He took the cure! Every time you give him blood, it’s being
attacked!”
“Fuck, fuck! No, keep drinking, Obe! I love you, but you have to drink,” Frankie whimpered, holding
Snod’s mouth open and filling his throat with blood.
“What are you doing?” Ephraim’s voice, angry, afraid.
“I’m trying to save him!” Frankie yelled furiously, massaging Snod’s neck, trying to get him to
swallow.
The burn was white hot, every fiber of nerve screaming with terrible pain. Snod threw up again,
coughing violently, gazing at Frankie. He wished he had the bond back so he could tell Frankie how
