Part 30 (1/2)

Dawn was straining under her mind block, but this mom talk was testing it, seeing how much she could stand before her barricades crumbled. ”She's been crying over you, Robby.”

”And my dad? Has he been crying?”

The question was petulant, a preteen sulk.

”Your dad's very upset, too,” Kiko said.

”I doubt it.”

A zing of heat flashed through the terrible colors of Robby's eyes. Automatically, Dawn held up a hand, as if it would help her retain the integrity of her block. And it did, for the time being, at least.

”My dad abandoned me,” Robby said. ”He might pretend to be upset, but all he wants is to get me captured again.”

”What do you mean?” Dawn asked.

Robby fisted his hands and closed his eyes, wiping out his attempted hold on her. It was like someone had released her mind from a net of chains. Stumbling under the relief, Dawn dug into her jacket pockets, just like Kiko. Crucifix and velvet- wrappedshurikenwere waiting for her to come and get them.

”I mean that I want my dad to suffer like I did all these years,” Robby said, voice crackling. He opened his eyes, but Dawn didn't gaze into them this time. h.e.l.l, no.

”I know he's out there looking for me,” he added. ”I watch him go from place to place, searching, but he's not going to catch me.

I'm not going back to the Underground. Not ever!”

Underground?

The word provoked images of a nest, a lair of vampires. It made the tile beneath Dawn's feet seem like a thin line between herself and a dark pit. Suddenly, her footing wasn't so stable.

”Robby, we just want to take you to your mom.” Kiko was walking forward, drawing his hands out of his pockets.

But before he got them all the way out, Robby screamed.

”I said no!”

With the speed of a whirlwind, the boy vampire's body seemed to spin into itself, white streaks of feathered coldness enclosing him.

Dawn heaved in a breath. Move, d.a.m.nit,move. She began taking out her weapons.

But the vampire was faster. With a snap of roaring thunder, a screech ripped through the air, and a new Robby emerged out of the compact storm.

All-encompa.s.sing, he floated on air, half transparent misty beauty, half seething fallen angel. The glow of his body blinded Dawn, and even as she squinted her eyes against him, it was too late. The invitation of his gaze was irresistible, pulling her in again with sweet promises of fulfillment.

Frank. His image wavered, then solidified in front of her. He was healthy, grinning. Then Eva materialized, holding hands with him.

They both reached out to their daughter.

Longing tore at Dawn's chest, biting, ripping.

”We can be together now,” Eva said. ”Will you come to me?”

Dawn had wanted to hear this all her life, craved it while watching other children with their moms in the park, resented it at night when she raged against the unfairness of life.

For a wonderful moment, Dawn went to her parents, her heart so full that she thought it might drag her down to her knees.

”Mom?” she asked, reaching out to them, sorrow scratching at the wonder in her voice.

”Dawn!” Kiko broke into her head, his voice like a brick shattering a window, destroying the illusion of the perfect family that never was.

Crying out in grief, she jerked back into herself, grabbing her crucifix and yanking it out of her pocket.

But Kiko beat her to it. He already had his out, pus.h.i.+ng it at Robby. The translucent vampire bared his fangs, long and pearly, his awful eyes fixed on the crucifix.

”Come home, Robby,” Kiko said, repeating the phrase over and over, an incantation. But Dawn knew he wasn't trying to save Robby's soul. Who knew if that was even possible? Kiko was persuading the vampire to come with them, to The Voice.

To the mysterious unknown.Dawn joined him, blasting a mind block at the vamp at the same time. ”Come home, Robby....”

Rebelling, the vampire reared back his head, crying out in a voice that combined the chill of a graveyard wind with the plea of a lost child in the night.

”Come home, Robby!”

Their voices were growing in strength as they advanced, crucifixes flas.h.i.+ng against the luminescence of the vampire.

Another screech. Robby glared at the crucifixes again and then...

He stopped screaming, the sounds echoing like broken icicles falling to the ground.

Robby smiled, white fangs gleaming.

What...? Oh, G.o.d.

Immune? Unlike the red-eyes, was he immune to religious imagery?

Fear pressed against Dawn's ribs. She thrust her crucifix at the vampire again, concentrated all her mind power against him.

But it seemed like the initial shock of the silver item had worn off. Dear G.o.d, is that what Robby had been talking about when he'd said he'd escaped the Guards by hiding someplace they couldn't go? Like maybe a church?

”Oh, oh,” Kiko said, flas.h.i.+ng his crucifix at Robby again, then one more time...and once more after that.

In slow, warped thought, Dawn pictured a man attempting to start a car that was dead.

Survival instinct kicked in. She reached for hershurikenbecause they were closer than the gun, and she would sooner kill this vamp and suffer Jonah's anger than die here tonight. Like the bullets, the silver on the blades might do some kind of fancy Breisi-inspired alchemy in his bloodstream, even if the holy water didn't.

Yet she wasn't in time.

Robby wailed, reared back, swung forward with a tentacle-like hand. It all happened so fast...a blur...the smack of contact...

With a yell, Kiko went flying backward, spine arched.

Dawn screamed as he zoomed toward the back wall-the only one without shelves.

Crrrrr-unnnch.