Free Vengeance of the Demons by Rebekah R. Ganiere Page A

they’d come if there were problems, but I knew from the beginning it was possible this was a one-way trip. But if I can save every person left on this planet, it’s worth it.”
    Could he possibly care about other people so much? It had been a long time since she’d met anyone who wasn’t out for themselves in the end. And especially not someone of the vampiric persuasion.
    “Palm Springs.” She blurted the words out before she could change her mind. “There’s a resort there.”
    He gave her a tight smile and nodded. “Then we go to Palm Springs.”
    * * * *
    Palm Springs was eight hours from Gallup, New Mexico. They left at eight PM and stopped to get gas and food along the way. William couldn’t help the nervous tickle that started at the base of his spine when they crossed into California and grew worse the closer they got.
    Danika wanted him to go to Palm Springs for the weapons, but his concern was for Evan. So when Danika had called, he’d lied and told her that he was still trying to find out where the enclave was. He’d never lied to Danika before. It made him squirm.
    Evan’s skin had taken on a waxy, pale sheen, and she’d fallen asleep about an hour into the trip and only stirred when he woke her and made her drink or eat something. Every once in a while he would feel her skin, but to his ever-cool temperature she was like an oven.
    As the moon dipped low on the horizon, William’s body began to feel the strain of not having slept well or in his own bed for close to a week. He’d have to suck it up though. Who knew how long it would take before he’d be sleeping in his own bed. If ever.
    They were ten miles out and dawn was less than thirty minutes away.
    “Evan. Evan?” He shook her shoulder and she opened her bleary eyes. “Which exit?”
    She glanced around. “Exit?”
    He pointed at the sign. “Palm Springs. Where do I go?”
    “Palm Springs. Country Club Drive.”
    At the next exit, William pulled off the highway and stopped at the corner of Country Club Drive. The fast food restaurants showed no sign of life. For the first time since becoming a vampyr fear raced over him at the prospect of going into a town. This was not his town and these would not be his people anymore.
    He drove past subdivision after subdivision of homes scanning the wide boulevard for signs of life. Within a mile light shone from up on the left. A large resort came into view. He slowed his vehicle, turned off the lights, and pulled to the side of the road.
    He needed to get the lay of the area before going any further. It was one thing to try to help; it was another to end up dead because he went in the wrong way and scared someone.
    He looked over to Evan, who was asleep again. He slid slowly from the driver’s seat, raced across the boulevard to the other side, and crept down the street till the resort lay before him. A giant lake surrounded it, and inside the lake stood a barbed wire fence at least ten feet high. From the looks of it there was only one road that led into the facility. No one was about at the early hour except for a handful of guards and dogs walking the perimeter.
    It was amazing no one had found the place before now. But Los Angeles was the closest big city, and the likelihood that they’d travel several hours out into the desert was slim. Palm Springs was not near any major cities, and unless he’d known to come down this exact exit he would have continued on past.
    He blew out a harsh breath. Getting Evan in there wasn’t going to be easy. He would have to go down the main road and get her to the fence. It was possible he could take her halfway, and she could walk the rest on her own.
    He jogged back to the car and opened her door. He touched her head and then took off her seat belt.
    “Evan. You need to get up now. We’re here.”
    She moaned and opened her eyes.
    “We’re here. There’s only one way in though. I’m going to take you halfway to the fence, but you’ll have to go