Free Vampire Apocalypse: Fallout (Book 3) by Derek Gunn

mean.
No one had come out and called it a death sentence and Warkowski’s
words had hit everyone hard. Phelps immediately offered a place in
the community for all family members, regardless of the decision of
any other members of their family, but Warkowski’s wife pushed
through the crowd with their daughter’s hand held firmly in
hers.
    “Mr. Phelps,” she announced as
she crossed to her husband. “We are a family. Peter Harris and his
team risked their lives to rescue my husband and he, in turn,
crossed a city infested with vampires to rescue us. How can any of
you expect us to abandon either of them? Shame on you. Shame on all
of you.” Some elements of the crowd cheered her words and others
shouted at those who cheered. People began to push as the crowd
began to fragment into niches that reflected their differing views.
Ian Phelps raised his hands to try and regain control, but just
then April Cassavettes pushed her way through the crowd and made
her way up the steps.
    She was totally unaware that her
appearance had caused everyone to stop. She had not heard the
shouting that preceded her appearance, nor noticed the silence that
fell over the room as she made her way to the stage. Her diminutive
size and determined expression made many blush with embarrassment.
Harris immediately signed to her to stay but she responded with a
blistering flurry of sign that few could follow, though her steely
expression left nobody with any doubt as to her meaning.
    It had been a little like
picking sides for a game when you are young as Harris and his small
group stood defiantly to the side and waited for anyone who wanted
to join them to come forward. Pat Smyth came forward but Harris had
placed his hand on his friend’s shoulders and asked him to stay,
his research was just too important and there would be no
facilities where they were going. The little man tried hard to
argue but Harris was firm and, reluctantly, Pat returned to the
community, though, in an act of defiance, he remained apart from
the main crowd.
    Father Reilly moved toward
Harris as well, and a gasp of shock rippled through the community.
He was still their only priest and his previous injuries still
plagued him. His face was grey but determined as he crossed to the
smaller group. Harris had been honoured that he had chosen to join
them but, again, he had been forced to refuse his help. The
community needed him too much.
    Denis Johnson was the biggest
surprise. The man moved forward confidently, his brightly coloured
shirt almost glowing in its intensity against his dark skin. Harris
had been too shocked to refuse the man. He didn’t know Johnson very
well, though his actions since he had been voted on to the previous
committee had proven to be fair and well thought out.
    As a current serving member on
the council, his loss would only work for Phelps as Regan could now
vote his own choice to the council. This would leave only Father
Reilly and Lucy Irvine remaining who would have any sympathy toward
Harris and his small group. This worried Harris greatly, but he did
not argue with the big man. Instead he smiled warmly and shook
Johnson’s hand. Both men knew the risks involved in taking this
step but sometimes you just had to go with the flow.
    The addition of Johnson led to
three more people coming forward, two men and one woman. The woman
made it quite clear where she stood as she crossed and stood beside
Johnson and slipped her hand in his. She gave him a quizzical look
that led Harris to wonder if Johnson had really thought through
what he was doing. His partner was obviously as surprised as Harris
had been, though, to her credit, she had made her own decision
quickly enough. She was a striking woman with short hair that fell
to her shoulders and curled inwards to frame her face. Her eyes
were almost cobalt and blazed with an intensity that was only
heightened by her soft, chocolate skin.
    Her name was Delilah Franklin
and Harris had known that Johnson