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sit with their morning coffee when this cold spell snapped, never knowing the story
unfolding on this very spot.
Liliana's power snapped at my heels like a pit bull at the edge of its chain. It reminded me
of Umberto's, and I sure didn't want to be the next poor schmuck to keel over in a plate of
linguini. I rushed through arbors thick with vines. I slipped past statues of angels, wind
chimes that swayed dangerously close to song, an empty concrete bird bath that looked
abandoned and forlorn. I'd made it about halfway across the roof when Liliana's power
peaked and a sudden, explosive noise halted me.
Liliana's voice hit the air like a jet engine. "I am not just going to kill you!" She screeched.
"I am going to tear your chest open and drink the blood directly from your beating heart!"
"That's just gross, Liliana. Didn't your poor, dead mama ever teach you any manners?"
I slipped to another section of the roof as she tracked my voice. Hopefully I could play
mouse to her cat long enough to find the twin to the door she'd just destroyed. Then I'd
run some more. The thought made me want to break something.
I could confront her, of course, maybe even smoke her if she wasn't too fast or too strong.
If my aim was true. But I realized, though I wanted to kill her, I couldn't. Vayl should be
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the one to finish her.
I found the door, framed by hanging baskets, and gently depressed the handle. Nothing
happened. It was locked. Holy crap, I'm trapped on top of an eight story building with a
homicidal vampire!
Liliana's power settled on me like a thick fog. I began to sweat as I waded through it,
somehow managing to reach the fire escape without making a noise. When I grabbed the
rails to start my descent, I looked down and saw Liliana's limo parked under a streetlight. I
only saw the car, but I couldn't believe she'd sent her goons home for the evening. Were
they all huddled inside with the heat cranked, still trying to regain the warmth Vayl had
stolen from them earlier? Were they guarding my escape routes, waiting to grab me the
moment I thought I was free? Why hadn't Liliana brought them up with her? It seemed
almost& fair.
No, not fair confident. She was just that sure one puny woman couldn't stand against her
amazing super powers. She hadn't brought reinforcements because she simply saw no
point.
I decided my best bet was to circle back to the door I'd come through. I managed to find
my way through a maze of potted shrubs and outdoor furniture without making a sound.
Part of the twisted remains of a hammock peeked out from beneath the blown door, and
the opening it had left beckoned. I'd just decided to run for it when her voice froze me.
"I thought you might come back here."
Shit! I wanted to bang my head against the wall, but figured that was a part of Liliana's
overall plan and decided to leave it to her.
I turned around, my Lucille mask firmly in place.
She held out her hand, her smile both condescending and triumphant. Three dark blotches
on her chest were all that remained of the bullets I'd fired. "The ring," she said, wiggling
her fingers to make me move faster.
She had me on strength, speed and pure evil intent. I'm sure she expected me to cringe and
shuffle. Which is why my kick swept right up the center of her body without a block, or
even a delay. It contacted her beneath the chin, driving her head backwards and breaking
her jaw from the sound of it. Off-balance and staggering on her too high heels, Liliana's
only move was to reach forward, try to regain her balance. I couldn't allow that.
I kicked her three times in quick succession, contacting her high on the chest, moving her
backwards several steps each time. When her heels hit the lip of the roof I jump-kicked her
right over the side. She fell loud and long, her body making a spectacular watermelon-
under-the-sledgehammer whump when it hit the pavement.
Oh no, it wasn't over. People wouldn't be willing to pay such a high price for immortality
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