Vampire Hollows by Tim O'Rourke

pushed.
    I couldn’t answer him.
    “My God, you’re saving yourself for this Elias Munn, aren’t you?” Luke gasped. “You think that you can stop all of this and lift the burden you carry by giving yourself to him. But you have to love him back, Kiera and if you do, you’ll give him the power to make the decision for you!” Then taking my hand, he looked into my eyes and said, “Kiera, let’s run from this place together. We’ll hide, have a life together. Let them have their war – it doesn’t have to affect us. We could be happy together. You might not love me right now, but I know you have feelings for me, I’ve felt them. How can you possibly know your true feelings? You’ve been through so much. But away from here, from all of this, your feelings might become clearer. Please, Kiera, let’s run away together and get as far from here as possible.”
    Slipping my hands from his, I looked into his sad eyes and said quietly, “Luke, I don’t run away from anyone or anything, it’s not my style.”
    Stepping away from me, Luke gave me a half smile, but I could see fear beneath it. “You’ve already fallen in love with Elias Munn, haven’t you?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous,” I sighed. “I don’t even know him.” Then turning away, I saw Potter leaning against one of those upturned trees and he was staring at me.
    I went towards him, but on seeing me approach, he flicked the cigarette away that had been dangling between his fingers and walked away.
    “Potter!” I called after him, but he didn’t stop, he didn’t even look back.
    I turned back towards Luke, but he had gone too.

Chapter Thirteen
     
    “Kiera!” someone shouted, and I looked over my shoulder to see Kayla running towards me. She was with Isidor and she had a look of wonder and excitement splashed across her pretty face.
    “Isn’t this place amazing?” she cried. “Have you ever seen anything like it?”
    “No,” I said shaking my head and smiling at her.
    “Isidor has been telling me all about where he grew up,” she almost seemed to squeal with pleasure. “You’re going to take us there, aren’t you Isidor?”
    “Sure,” he said, then he looked at me. I could see in his eyes that he didn’t look as happy about being back in The Hollows as Kayla did at discovering them.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked him.
    “Nothing,” he replied with a shake of his head. “It’s just weird being back, that’s all.”
    “Aww, take no notice of him, Kiera,” Kayla beamed. “he just doesn’t want to share this amazing place with anyone.”
    “It’s not that,” Isidor told her.
    “What is it then, grumpy?” Kayla teased.
    Looking about him, Isidor said thoughtfully, “The place just feels different than how I remembered it. It feels tense, like there is something bad coming.”
    I didn’t know if Isidor could sense something different as this was my first time in The Hollows, but I knew he was right about something bad coming. Before he’d had the chance to explain further, we were joined by Coanda.
    “Ready?” he asked us, but was staring at me.
    “Sure,” I said.
    “For what?” Kayla asked me.
    Glancing at Coanda and remembering what he had told me, I said, “We are going to make our way to the Dust Palace. I’m going to meet with these Elders and see if we can’t figure a way out of this mess.”
    “The Elders will never see you,” Isidor warned. “The Dust Place is sacred ground. No one is welcome there unless they are invited.
    “She’s been invited alright,” Coanda said dryly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t roll out the red carpet for her.”
    “What’s so special about you?” Kayla asked me.
    “I’ll -” I started, but Coanda cut over me.
    “Explain on the way,” Coanda finished. “We don’t have time to lose. My spies inform me that Elias Munn has already set off for the Dust Palace.”
    “He definitely won’t be invited in,” Isidor said.
    “If he goes with an army, he