Part 14 (1/2)

The scientist's head shot up, and Noah knew he had heard him. He swiveled slowly and fixed red eyes on Noah.

”You are not one of my handlers,” he said.

”No,” Noah said cautiously.

The man's hand hovered over a small red b.u.t.ton on his desk. ”Then you are . . . ?”

Noah decided to go for it. ”I'm fighting with Team Salamanca.”

The scientist c.o.c.ked his head. ”I met them once. Nice kids.” He smiled bitterly. ”They couldn't save me from the vampires.”

Noah didn't say anything.

The scientist crossed his arms. ”So, why are you here?” he challenged.

”The 'kids' need to know what Project Crusade is planning. For tactical reasons.”

The vampire raised his brows. ”Tactical.”

”Yes,” Noah said. Then he added, ”I'm Mossad. Israeli special forces. I can make you tell me. Even though you're a vampire.”

Sherman chuckled. ”You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”

”Or in your case, blood.”

Sherman made a face. Then he shrugged. ”I liked those kids. Except the Irishman. I have no idea why they put up with him. So. We're continuing my work. That's what all this is for.” He waved an arm.

”A weapon to kill vampires.”

The scientist nodded.

”And you're willingly helping them?” Noah asked, trying to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

”Don't worry. You're not the first to be surprised,” Sherman said. ”I was a little surprised myself.” He smiled as if at some distant memory. ”But it really was the only thing to do.”

”Why?”

Sherman fixed his glowing red eyes on Noah. Weirdly, although the vampire was small and slight and looked to have been about forty when he was transformed, he reminded Noah of Antonio de la Cruz-who was none of those things.

”Why?” Sherman repeated. He shrugged. ”Because all Cursed Ones are evil. We all deserve to die. We're parasites on humanity.”

Noah was bemused. ”But if you believe that, then-”

”Please.” Sherman held up his hand to silence Noah. ”I've been through this with my handlers. I'm not good. I'm just logical.”

Noah nodded respectfully.

”I only hope that when we're gone, humanity can recover. But the vampires have so many in thrall. Under their control, I mean. They've identified so closely with their masters that they've lost themselves. They may fight to save the Cursed Ones.” The vampire looked closely at him. ”You're a soldier. I think you understand, yes?”

”More than you know,” Noah whispered.

ISRAEL, TWO YEARS EARLIER.

NOAH.

Noah was fearful and excited all at the same time. It was a momentous day. He and Chayna were finally getting married. He was twenty-two, and she was just eighteen, and her parents had finally agreed to the wedding. The vampires were overrunning humanity; best to spend all the time they had together-except that as an Israeli agent committed to supersecret, violent missions against the vampires and their allies, Noah might not have as much time as other people. Chayna had told him over and over that she was prepared for that. Better one day married to him than a lifetime without him.

As he studied his reflection in the mirror, holding a kittel-his ceremonial white robe-in his hands, he remembered tormenting her mercilessly when they were kids. They were four years apart, and in the land of children, four years was a lifetime. They were friends, then best friends. He remembered telling her his dreams of becoming a writer. They'd celebrated when he had won an essay contest at the age of sixteen-with a shy, quick hug. After all, she'd only been twelve.

Filled with love, he wrote about her, about how it seemed that they were destined soul mates, and his first book was published when he was just eighteen. Overnight he became a literary phenomenon-”Israel's warrior heartbreaker” beginning his compulsory military service.

And then he remembered sitting on the couch with her six months later, when the Cursed Ones revealed themselves to the world. Chayna's hand had wrapped around his, squeezing it tight, and she was pale with fear.

He had told her that she was wrong to be afraid. Really, all he had wanted to do was make that look pa.s.s from her face. So he wrote-to her, to his country, to his people. His second novel was published after war had been declared, and he stayed in the service. It was not the time to lay down arms. He saw that clearly.

He told her he wanted to join the Mossad. Secret intelligence, a.s.sa.s.sinations. She cried for days, and her father told her to break it off with him.

”He'll be dead within a year. Six months,” her father had said.

But he'd survived. And now they would be married.

”I wish you joy,” Yosef said, coming into the room, a huge grin on his face.

”Thank you for being here,” Noah replied. ”I know you're training.”

Yosef shrugged. ”I told my master that I had a year to learn how to fight Cursed Ones, but I had only one day to see my best friend married.”

”I'm surprised they let you come,” Noah said, having heard about the rigor and isolation of the Israeli counter-vampire training facility.

Yosef grinned. ”They didn't so much 'let' me. What is it your father always says?”

”Better to ask forgiveness than beg permission,” Noah said with a grin.

”So here we are.”

Noah nodded. Here they were, and he couldn't be happier.

And then it was time.

During the ceremony, under the chuppah, he knew he was holding his breath until he slipped the plain gold ring on Chayna's finger. For the rest of the day and late into the evening, all Noah could do was grin. I'm married. We're married.