Exist (Vampire Assassin League Book 30) by Jackie Ivie Page A

move her gaze.
    “I am sorry . I cannot leave you. It is too dangerous. Come. I will carry you.”
    He stood. Lifted her against his left side. Looked down at her, locking gazes. Her heart gave every sign of being affected as it thudded heavily. Rhythmically.
    He was right.
    There was a distinct echo as his heart matched.
    “This isn’t going to work,” she whispered.
    “Wrap your arms about my neck. Legs about my waist. Hold tight.”
    “How are you going to get him to go with you? Nigel says he’s your size. Angry. Stubborn. You can’t force him if you’re holding me.”
    She did the requested movements while she argued. Got suctioned into place against his side. And it felt really nice. Damp, but warm.
    “That is the least of our trouble. You saw the plan?”
    “Vaguely. Something with ‘D’s.”
    “Yes. Four of them.”
    “That’s not a bra size?”
    “Why would it be such a thing?”
    “Delusions have a way of being off-the-wall like that.”
    “This is not a delusion, lioban. A 4-D Team is scheduled for noon. We have less than an hour.”
    “Before what?”
    He looked down at her. Lifted both eyebrows, putting little lines across his forehead. Replied with one word. “Boom.”
    “Boom?”
    “Deploy. Destroy. Disinfect. Disappear.”
    “Destroy? How much destruction are we talking?”
    “Everything.”
    “You’re joking.”
    He shook his head.
    “You can’t just blow everything up! Not in my delusion! That kind of thing will really do some damage to my psyche!”
    “I speak, but you do not seem to hear. This is not a delusion, lioban. ”
    “It has to be.”
    “Why?”
    “Because anything else is impossible.”
    “How so?”
    “We really have to go into this now? Right now?”
    “We have a few moments. The guard is still there. And even if he moves, I can go through a door as easily as open it.”
    “All right. Fine. I’ll just start with that. You’ll go through a door?”
    “Yes.”
    “Let me guess. Because you’re a vampire.”
    He smiled.
    “Let’s start there, shall we? We can drill down from that. There’s a root cause to this hallucination. I might as well find it before we blow stuff up. You claim to be a vampire. You actually exhibit vampiric traits. Both are impossible.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Because it’s true.”
    “What makes it true?”
    Leah blinked. Thought for a moment. “Because it just is.”
    “Again. Why?”
    “Certain beings do not exist. Never have. Werewolves. Yetis. Vampires. Easter bunnies. Tooth fairies. You know. Impossible things.”
    “Why do you say they don’t exist?”
    “Because nobody ever saw one!”
    “They have.”
    “Bull crap. If they had, there would be a valid record.”
    “Every culture has written proof of their existence.”
    “Mythical stories. Complete fiction.”
    “What makes them fictional?”
    “There is no scientific proof to back anything up.”
    “What would you need for this scientific proof?”
    “Okay. Maybe if I met one. Saw signs of special powers. Proof of immortality. Got bitten by one. Or maybe—”
    Her voice stopped. He had one eyebrow quirked up again.
    “If I cut myself right now and it instantly heals, would that suffice as scientific proof?”
    She was going to gag. “No. Please. Don’t do that.”
    “You worry for no reason. But you are amusing.” He leaned forward and looked around the building again. Returned. “You are ready?”
    “Just don’t kill anybody. Okay? Don’t make me go there! Killing people in your mind is the sign of a truly deranged psyche!”
    ”Lioban. This is not in your mind.”
    “Please, Anso?”
    “You make this extremely difficult for us. Do you know what you ask?”
    “Please? If I cross that line, there’s no going back! Please?”
    He considered her for a moment, as if she asked something completely unreasonable. And then he sighed heavily.
    “Very well . No killing. For you.”
    The relief was short-lived. Anso was moving before the words