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MEETINGS

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The Nightstalkers were not happy to see Frost. They were not happy that he could walk out in the daylight, or that they weren't supposed to hunt his people. Kevin had been injured and an unknown vampire enemy had kidnapped Caitlyn. Basically, they were pssed off at the whole situation.

Blade had been busy getting a serum update when the van had arrived. Frost got out of the van and stood by the door. King had been keeping watch outside, and Abby and Caulder were inside the shed.

When Caulder had left with Zoe the night before he had taken her to a sleeper Nightstalker unit. Perhaps they should have done that in the first place, but Abby was a softie and had liked having a reminder of Dr Summerfield around. They'd agreed that it was definitely too dangerous though, and Zoe was taken to safety.

Frost crossed his arms over his chest and gave Abby and Caulder a superior grin. King followed the van in, with a gun raised to point at Frost's chest. "Relax, buddy," Frost said to King. "If I'd wanted to kill you people I'd have started with this one here." He jerked his thumb toward Kevin, who limped around the van.

Abby took a glance at Frost through a pair of specialised night vision goggles and seemed to disbelieve what she saw. "Shit," she said softly. Blade appeared at her side. Abby turned to him and said softly, "He's not at human warmth yet, but he's getting there."

"Hey, Blade," Frost said in a pleasant tone of voice, while putting his hands in his pockets and smirking up at the warrior. "So, how's your girlfriend?" he said.

Blade didn't say anything.

"What, no conversation?" Frost asked. "Isn't this the part where you ask why you shouldn't just shoot me where I stand?"

"No," Blade said. "This is the part where you start making yourself useful before someone does decide to off you. Tell him what you know about the beasts." Blade pointed to Caulder who was standing at a workbench with maps and a laptop. "Kevin," Blade continued, "the man out back says he's military. Tell him about the soldiers, the truck and the helicopter and see what he can tell you about who owns them."

"And then what are we doing?" Frost asked.

"Well so far, we don't know sht about the where the beasts came from and why," Blade explained while checking one of his guns, "so we're going hunting tonight. If you want to honour your part of the deal," Blade gave a wry smile, "you'll call your people once it gets dark and get them to try and catch another one. If you haven't pssed me off too much by nightfall, you're coming with us."

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By the time they landed Caitlyn wasn't dizzy anymore, and when they led her underground she walked unaided. Once out of sunlight's reach, the vampire supervisor took off the thick-lensed gas mask that he'd been wearing. His appearance was unremarkable; a human on the street wouldn't have given him a second glance. Balding grey hair, bags under his eyes and a cheap suit that tried to imitate an expensive one. He gave her an apathetic look and raised his arm to gesture down the navy blue hallway.

Wordlessly, she followed them through the passageways that were lit by fluorescent lights on the floor, either side of the dark grey strip of carpet that they walked on. She didn't struggle or attempt to elude them, and she was strangely calm. She had no fear of them, despite whatever advantage they may have had over her because of her injuries and captivity. She should have been a little nervous, but she wasn't. All she knew was that she'd be dead by now if they'd wanted her dead.

Some of the soldiers had stayed above ground, but four were escorting her; two in front with the vampire leading them, and two behind her. Since her capture they had offered her no violence, but they hadn't offered her any explanations either.

They led her three floors down in an elevator and down another dim hall to a windowless metal door that looked sturdy enough to withstand a small explosion. The vampire pressed a button on an intercom device in the wall and said simply: "We are here," in a tired voice. A soft buzzing was heard and something in the door clicked. Someone inside had unlocked it. The vampire pulled it open and gestured Caitlyn inside. She was the only one who entered.

There was a long, shiny black, rectangular table with thirteen leather chairs arranged around it. Six per long side, and one at the other end. That last, furthest chair was the only one that was occupied.

The vampire was well preserved, but Caitlyn could tell somehow that he was old. He had black hair that grew to his shoulders,and had been combed back to rest behind his head in a ponytail. His skin looked white under the lights in the ceiling and he clearly had no scarring. He was a pureblood. He had a square jaw, a straight nose and curvy lips. His face looked like an alabaster sculpture. His eyes were dark, and looked black against the colour of his skin.

His suit was expensive, a dark blue one over a white shirt. His tie was black, save for a vertical dash of red. Caitlyn had noticed a logo with a red stripe on it on the side of the helicopter. She suspected that she was facing the man in charge. If he was going to give them, now she was going to get her answers.

"Why am I here?" she asked, slowly stepping forward.

"We want your help," the vampire said evenly.

"Join the club," Caitlyn said. "What's in it for a half-human like me?"

"Tell me," the vampire said slowly, while absently playing with a pen on his desk, "what do you know about these new monsters roaming around at night-time?"

Caitlyn glanced away as she thought for a moment. "They're hunting both our kinds. They're harder to kill but they do die. How about you, what do you know?"

The vampire gave a weak smile, still looking down at the pen, as though he had no interest in the conversation. "They are old, Miss Groveton, older than you might realise."

Caitlyn frowned. "You know who I am?"

"We do. Miss Groveton, let me tell you a story."