fought beside you tonight are not the enemy. Reveal yourselves to us so we can recognize our allies.”
I tighten my fingers around Victor’s. Everyone is so still, so quiet. Someone steps in front of Victor. I know who it is before he removes his balaclava. Michael.
He holds out his hand to Victor. They shake. Then he begins moving among the other vampires, shaking their hands, thanking them.
Another Night Watchman steps up and removes his balaclava. I try not to show my surprise. Sampson. I know him from school. As a bookworm, a geek, a kid that other students made fun of. I wonder how long he’s been risking his life for those who never appreciated him. He shakes Victor’s hand, then mine, giving me a shy smile.
“Thank you, Sampson,” I say.
He nods before moving on to be embraced by the vampires.
Two more Watchmen step forward. Then three, then six, and it’s obvious that many are as surprised as I am to see who they’ve been fighting beside. How unfair that they’ve had to hide, even from each other.
When everyone is revealed, I spot Anita in a corner and . . . and is that a Night Watchman hitting on her? And is she blushing?
Victor slides his arm around me. “As I said, it’s only a start.”
“But it’s a start.” I meet his gaze. “I wish the Vampire Council could have seen this.”
“You can tell them all about it when we return to New Vampiria after we defeat Sin.”
“I wish we had a way to know how things are going with Richard.”
“He’ll send someone back with news when he has some. It’ll be another couple of nights before they get to Los Angeles.”
“Long nights.”
“Hey, you two,” Tegan says, interrupting us. “That was awesome. I had no idea some of these guys were Night Watchmen.”
I grin. “Yeah, me either.”
“Here you go,” Michael says, handing Victor and me each a beer and clinking his bottle against ours. “To Crimson Sands.”
“To Denver,” I say. “They showed us what was possible, but we made it happen.”
“To Denver,” everyone repeats.
We chug down the beer. Then stand around embracing the atmosphere.
“So I need to go put on some fresh lipstick,” Tegan says to me. “Why don’t you come with me?”
“You can’t put on lipstick by yourself?” Victor asks.
“That’s chick code,” Michael tells him. “Tegan wants to talk to Dawn where we can’t hear. Which means she probably wants to talk about us.”
She punches his shoulder. “Don’t be such a smarty.”
I can see a light dancing in his eyes, and I realize she’s here not so much for me as Michael indicated, but for him. And I’m glad, so very glad.
“Come on, Victor,” he says, “let’s go grab another beer.”
As they walk off, Tegan says, “That’s something I never thought I’d see.”
“I know. It’s wonderful, isn’t it?” I turn back to her. “So you and Michael—”
“We’re just friends,” she says hastily. “Okay, maybe a little more than friends. He just . . . I don’t know. He just always makes me feel like everything will work out. We’ll defeat Sin, and the Day Walkers, and the Infected. We’ll be safe.” She gives me an impish grin. “And he’s gorgeous. Even with the scars. As a matter of fact, I think they make him sexier.” She nudges my shoulder. “So you and Victor . . .”
I shrug. “I don’t know. We haven’t had a whole lot of time to actually be together when some crisis isn’t breathing down our neck.”
“But he’s way hot.”
I laugh loud and long. The old Tegan is definitely back, thinking about guys and how hot they are. Seeing her like this gives me hope that soon everything will be better.
After a while, Victor and Michael rejoin us. I relish the fact that there’s no awkwardness between us. Eventually Michael and Tegan wander away, and I figure she’s looking for a quiet corner where he can smear her lipstick.
Faith strolls over, but she hardly looks happy. No doubt Richard is on her mind. She’s back in her signature red leather. “Everyone’s acting like we’ve won already,” she says.
“For tonight we have,” Victor tells her. “Even though you weren’t supposed to be involved.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You went into Hursch’s residence with the Night Watchmen,” Victor admonishes her.
“And dragged out Lila,” I add.
“You’re wrong.”
Victor sighs. “Faith, no other Night Watchman would dare go into battle wearing red heels.”
She shudders. “I just couldn’t put on those hideous boots they wear.”
“You’re not supposed to be placing yourself in danger.”
“But it’s all right if Richard does?”
“He’s a soldier.”
“So am I.”
“You’re next in line for the Valentine throne.”
That seems to bring her up short.
“If something happens to me—” Victor begins.
“Nothing is going to happen to you,” she interrupts.
“I’m not planning on it, but you also need to step back.”
“While Richard risks his life?”
“I admit what he’s doing is dangerous, but he’s not going to battle Sin. It’ll be a covert operation. Destroy the V-Processing center, stop Sin’s ability to mass produce the Chosen, and return here.”
“Sin hates you. He’s not going to leave Denver alone.”
“No,” Victor agrees. “He won’t leave Denver alone.”
“Now that we’ve dealt with the Day Walkers,” I say, “we need to start preparing for Sin.”
Victor nods. “I’d hoped we’d have a few days, but until we can figure out exactly where Sin is, we have to be ready.”
“I can do that,” Faith declares.
My eyes widen. “Do what?”
“Prepare Denver.”
Victor gives her a kind smile. “Faith, you’ve never been in a real battle, like we had during the war. You’re not experienced—”
“I know how to throw a hell of a party. How is this any different?”
He shakes his head. “It’s different.”
I know she needs a distraction from her worries over Richard. “Not really,” I say. “I think she can do it. It’s scavenging, getting everything organized. I think she’d be great at it.”
“Then it’s settled,” she says. “I’ll work with Anita, get a list of what’s needed and get things organized here. When Sin arrives, I’ll throw a surprise party for him.”
I can tell that Victor is going to object again. I squeeze his hand, communicate with my touch that he needs to let her do this.
He nods. “All right, then. You’ll represent us here in Denver. I’ll talk to Clive and Jeff—”
“I can handle that.” She turns her attention to me. “Thanks for believing in me, Dawn.”
“Anytime.”
“Don’t expect me at the manor. I’m going to stay in the city.” She strolls away.
“What am I not understanding?” Victor asks.
“She’s worried about Richard. She needs to do something, to have a distraction.” I glance around. “Until Sin arrives, she should be safe here.”
“Everyone should be safe.”
