Page 43 of The Vampire King's War

Fiona, who had been studying the ground where the gate had been, popped up from her half-crouched position and hustled over to them. It was interesting to see her and Balthazar so aligned. Christian was glad for it, but he did wonder what their past was like together this life and the one before it.

“Of course,” she said and prepared to teleport them back to Earth.

But Daemon held up a restraining hand. “Julian is not yet asking for assistance, but he does not wish to distract me from our main goals.”

“Julian would rather gnaw his arm off than disturb you,” Balthazar said with an affectionate eye roll. “And, besides, he is the hero-type. Throwing himself into danger to deal with things alone is sort of his thing.”

That was a very good description of his best friend though Christian hastened to add, “Julian can deal with most things. He really is quite capable.”

“Exactly,” Daemon agreed.

“Which is why you want to let him face a zombie horde alone?” Balthazar’s eyebrows rose up into his hairline.

Daemon’s lips twitched. “Now I know how Christian felt earlier. For when you phrase it that way it appears me leaving Julian to face this alone would be wrong.”

“Can Julian face this alone?” Caemorn asked.

He hadn’t offered to go face the zombie horde, Christian noticed, but he had been willing to, which was new for the former Preceptor.

“He is doing quite well, actually,” Daemon said and there was pride in his voice. “Besides, he is not altogether alone. There are quite a few Vampires there. But if I were to go…”

His eyes went unfocused again.

“You’re definitely seeing the future, aren’t you?” Fiona asked.

Daemon moved his head to the side as if his neck were bothering him. Christian guessed that there was no physical ailment he was suffering from.

“I see many paths. All lead to one conclusion,” Daemon admitted. “I merely wish to pick the best path for Julian.”

“The zombie horde is going to cause a panic and reveal us unless it is dealt with immediately,” Balthazar said with a rather amused and horrified look on his face. “You’re really going to put that all on Julian’s shoulders? The boy’s great, but he’s new. Let me go, at least, and use mind control on the crowd and--”

“You have a job to do here,” Daemon said with a nod towards Kaly’s two forms.

“That can--”

“No. It cannot wait, Balthazar,” Daemon said. “The reason the zombie horde and the police are at the museum is because--”

“Kara killed all those people?!” Balthazar’s eyes widened.

Christian saw a flood of images from Daemon’s mind as he shared what happened at the museum to both of them in detail he had not before. Cold sweat popped up on Christian’s brow as he realized what Kara had done and how she could be simply the point of the spear unless Kaly’s people were stopped.

“We cannot delay dealing with Kaly, Christian, or there will be plenty of bodies for Kaly to puppeteer,” Daemon said.

Balthazar reluctantly nodded and turned to look back at Kaly’s other forms. “I need to do this, don’t I?”

“Yes, unfortunately, and it will help you to work through some things,” Daemon said.

Balthazar’s eyebrows rose again and he had a rather puckish look on his face. “You think I have Master issues?”

Daemon squeezed Balthazar’s shoulders. “I think, in time, you will realize that you have me and all those others do not matter as much.”

“You know on other lips those words might sound arrogant. Sort of like your I am king schtick.” But Balthazar didn’t sound--and did not believe--that they were. “Funny, how you happen to be right about all of that.”

“Funny.” Daemon nodded.

“Then I will go,” Caemorn said as he stepped forward. “There is none better than me--save yourself, my king--to deal with the dead.”

But Daemon shook his head again. “No, Caemorn. You must locate all of Kaly’s other forms and find Julian’s parents. I would urge you to return to the Spire and meditate. Julian will be far more grateful for you to do that.”

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