If a vampire could look paler than usual, Sidney made a fine specimen.

Too many thoughts bombarded her on the approach to the gates - pain, anger, depression, guilt and overwhelming it all, hunger of newly turned vampire.

Sidney wriggled her hand free from the bonds at her back and held onto Callie's wrist. Her touch startled Callie. It was unexpected, but aside from that, touching was something Sidney didn't do. Under normal circumstances, she'd go out of her way to avoid even the briefest skin contact. A moment later, Callie understood why when the echoes of a hundred voices reverberated around her skull.

Sydney's mind voice overrode them all. I need you to keep me grounded. Something is messing with my shields. I can't stop the voices.

The only thing I know how to do is give you healing energy. Will that help? Callie asked, fighting against the tidal wave of voices ebbing against her own shields.

It can't hurt, I guess.

Callie wriggled her hand free so she could clasp Sidney's and let a trickle of healing energy pass between them. But on realizing they only had a few seconds before they entered the compound and would have to leave the car, losing contact, Callie sent a power-filled burst.

Sidney gasped in the sudden silence within her mind. Her shields had not only been repaired, they were stronger than ever. Thank you, she broadcast to Callie.

How do you cope with all that noise? It would drive me insane to listen to that many voices at once. And how can pinpoint one from the masses?

Lots of practice, Sidney broadcast. I just hope I was strong enough to block that power surge. If Micah felt it, we'll be in big trouble before we even set foot in his territory.

Callie hastily looked out the side window, checking for evidence that might indicate Micah knew something was up. Everyone appeared to be going about their business as usual: the security guard nodded as they passed, his attention returning to the closing gates; a gardener raked autumn leaves into a large pile, motioning for his companion to bring a trailer closer. It didn't look like a training camp.

Gavin, the driver, continued along a narrow bitumen path, stopping once they reached a stable block at the back of a sprawling residence. Both he and Russel got out and entered a door marked Office.

They're telling the clerk they found us locked up in the house they found the deochfola hiding in. They're to take us to the induction quarters on the North side, Sidney relayed a condensed version of the conversation. Four others were brought in this morning and we're to go up against them for tonight's entertainment.

The stable block Gavin and Russel ushered them into housed fourteen female humans. Two rows of four bunks lined either side with a communal shower and toilet at the far end of the block. The occupants jumped off their bunks when the door opened, everyone breathing a sigh of relief when Callie and Sidney stumbled in and Gavin and Russel left again.

Sidney did a quick scan of their thoughts, relaying to Callie that none of them knew what was in store for them that night, while she and Callie stood back to back pretending to untie one another.

Noticing their predicament, the woman who considered herself their leader approached, asking them to turn around so their bindings could be untied.

"We got it. Thanks though," Callie said.

"We don't have any time to waste," Sidney said, cutting the leader's introduction routine short. "Come nightfall we'll be herded into an arena where we'll be made to fight. Only one will leave. All the training you've done over the past months has been in preparation for this."

"How do you know?" the leader demanded, feeling her position in the group threatened by the newcomer.

Sidney addressed Callie, "We really don't have time to talk them into it. You'll have to feed from them all."

Not liking the sound of that, several of the women backed up, attempting to put distance between them and this new threat. They managed a few steps before Sidney compelled them to stop. The thirteen who were looking at Sidney stopped, one turned and fled for the shower room.

Callie met her at the door. "I promise it won't hurt," she lisped around her fangs.

No sooner had Callie withdrawn her fangs from the last of the women when Gavin and Russel returned for them.

"You have exactly fifty-five minutes before Micah expects you in the arena. It will take us five minutes to get there from here, don't be late. I can't protect you if Micah decides to come looking for you," Gavin warned.

Callie smiled. "We'll be back in good time, I promise."

"Enough time to finish what you started back at the house?" Russel asked, earning himself a dig in the ribs from Gavin.

Sidney nudged both shifters aside so Callie could pass. I thought the dinner table at home was bad enough. What's it going to be like when you have fifty of these guys fighting to be first in queue? she broadcast to Callie.

Hopefully we won't be here to find out. Where to?

We need to get to as many of Micah's men as possible. Aloud Sidney asked, "Gavin? Where do you guys hang out during the day?"

"When we're not on duty, you mean? There's a house down by the lake where most of the guys will be getting ready for the last tournament at sun down."

"Which way?" Callie asked.

Russel pointed at the dense treeline behind the stable block. "Follow the path, it'll take you right to it."

They met the first three shifters on the forest path, taking them by surprise. Sidney dropped from an overhead branch taking two of them out when they stopped to sniff the air right below her. Callie jumped on the third's back and wasted no time in sinking her fangs into him.

The lake house yielded thirty shifters by the time Sidney said their time was almost up. As they ran back to the stable block, Sidney noticed Susan's car pulling in to park at the side of the main house. She told Callie to go on without her so she could investigate.

On riffling through Susan's thoughts, one main concern kept surfacing: they had no proof. Would Micah trust her word that they went undercover to flush out Graham?

Proof of what? Sidney wondered. She probed deeper.

Susan's next thought revealed enough for Sidney to realise their intended betrayal. I have the Deliverer's sister stowed in the boot of the car. Surely Micah will allow Emily to return to the fold?

Curiosity got the better of Sidney. She stopped alongside the car and listened, but heard nothing beyond shallow breathing. With a disbelieving shake of her head, she pulled the boot open, revealing a likeness of herself she hadn't seen in almost six hundred years.

Stupefied, Sidney watched the deochfola leap from the confines and scream in burning agony when the last rays of the setting sun touched her flesh. None of it registered. In Sidney's mind, she watched a replay of the night she pushed a stake through her true sister's heart. Years of pent up grief assaulted her, weakening and sending her to her knees.

Alarms sounded all around, but it was the urgency of Callie's mind voice that stopped her from slipping her sun charm from her finger.

Sidney! What's happening? Why do I feel the need to put on a show of my power? Sidney? I can feel Micah's power pressing in on me. It's suffocating. I can't breathe!

Shit! Hold tight, I just lost control for a second.Whatever you do, don't answer him.