Page 55 of Sinner's Salvation

“We were seconds away from getting caught when those tour groups showed up. Were all those people really just tourists?”

Anna didn’t reply right away. “It does seem awfully coincidental and convenient.”

Ahead of them, Baz and Nika paused at another fork. But this time, no one said anything. They stopped walking, and Baz shoved Nika behind him. He snarled and moved so fast, he seemed to just disappear. Shouts and a crunch from around the corner made it clear someone was there.

Brian stopped and flattened himself against the wall.

Evan pulled his Baretta from its holster and switched the safety off.

Anna glanced at his gun, nodded at him, then walked far enough to see what was on the other side of the fork.

She took a moment to study the scene, then bowed. “What brings you to New York City?”

“We are here to help you.” A woman’s voice, Chinese accent. “As our distraction of the police, allowing you to escape, has proved.”










Chapter Nine

Anna bowed again, studyingthe four Chinese vampires. She knew three, but the fourth she’d never seen before. Baz had him pressed against the cement wall, his hand wrapped around the other man’s throat.

He hung limp in her son’s grasp, no struggling or fighting back.

“Ah, I wondered where all those tourists came from.” She smiled, but kept her lips closed. “That was kind of you, Jie Chen.”

The group of Chinese bowed in unison. Even the one Baz held inclined his head as far as he could.

“Are you...well?” Jie Chen asked.

“I am now,” Anna said, but didn’t volunteer any other information.

“Why are you here?” Baz asked, effortlessly holding up the other vampire.

“There is a great deal of unrest among the families. We hoped to be able to discuss these difficulties and work together to find solutions.”

Baz stared at Jie Chen for a moment, dropped the vampire he’d been holding, then stepped back until he was standing only a pace in front of Nika.

“How did you find out the police were looking for us?” Anna asked the woman who led the group. Jie had become a vampire about one hundred years after the Breznik Family had been afflicted. They had several treaties in place. One of them required the Chinese to notify the Breznik Family if they planned to come to New York City.