Callie yawned and stretched, licking her lips with satisfaction.

Nico released a needy groan, snuggling closer to her side. "Next time you feed we do it in private," he whispered. "I can't take much more of this frustration."

Callie giggled. "I can't drink too much at once, you know that. You'll get tired from the blood loss and sleep half the day."

Apparently, we're headed west, to a town called Dun Na Gal. Micah has rounded up the humans there for some sort of test or game. Sidney spoke into Callie's Mind as she sipped from one of the blood bags Callie had brought with her. Unwilling to talk aloud in case their plans were overheard, Sidney relayed the information Graeme had revealed. We need to get in somehow and find the Draoi before Micah turns any of the humans.

With the first stage of the plan firmly agreed between the three of them - Nico being the third - Sidney went in search of Graeme and their new transportation.

After getting directions from one of the women under Graeme's command, she found him emerging from the bathroom of the main house, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. Pale scars marred Graeme's chest. There were too many for Sidney to count and the fact that they hadn't disappeared when he'd healed meant he'd received them long before he was turned.

"How were you able to survive being up in daylight?" Sidney asked by way of greeting, ignoring his lack of clothing.

"You mean during the bus trip? I made one of your people hide me in the luggage hold on the other side of the bus before it left the town square." Graeme replied unperturbed by Sidney's perusal. He brushed past her into a bedroom, disappearing into a large walk-in closet. "What about you, Day-walker, how are you able to survive the sunlight?" he called from its depths.

Sidney evaded the question by asking, "Have you had a chance to question Lana yet?"

"She doesn't respond to my gentle prodding and I think she'll clam up completely if I get too aggressive." He emerged wearing charcoal trousers, holding an almost identical shirt in each hand. "Our best bet would be to let Charlotte befriend her and gather the information we want. Charlotte has a knack for getting people to reveal their deepest, darkest secrets. Which one?"

She pointed to the one in his left hand. "It sounds like you've had personal experience with her?"

"You could say that. Remind me to tell you about it when all this is over and done with."

"Speaking of which, will you be joining us when we leave for Dun Na Gal?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, do you? Micah will have his men posted in every town looking for me."

"So, what are you going to do? Go into hiding?"

Graham gave a self-mocking snort, tucking the shirt he just finished buttoning into his trousers. "That hasn't worked out too well to date. Fighting isn't an option either, my loyalists are either dead or have fled the country. Perhaps I can call in some favours from elsewhere, gather enough manpower to distract Micah from your insurgence."

"Sounds like a plan. Any idea how long we have until this contest starts?"

"I believe it's been an ongoing thing, but given that there are very few humans left, I'd say there's not much time left."

"In that case, if you have our transport ready we'd best hit the road."

*****

Nico stopped dead in his tracks and looked around, disappointed at what he saw parked at the front of the barn. "Aw come on! Couldn't you at least find something that wouldn't fall apart with the first bump in the road?"

Graeme laughed heartily, tapping Nico on the shoulder in consolation. "Don't let her looks deceive you. Outside she may resemble something we towed from a scrap yard, but under the bonnet beats the heart of a dragon; the fastest, most reliable engine in the world."

In order to demonstrate, Graeme popped the bonnet and turned the key in the ignition. Both of them grinned when the engine roared to life.

"If you boys are finished, I like to get moving," Sidney asked while reaching for the bonnet stay to close it again.

"You'll find two drums of petrol in the boot. As long as you take her fairly easy, it should be enough to get you there."