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These military men are not like the LAPD。 They expect their orders to be obeyed。 They may have instructions to take us alive； but they also have orders to prevent us from escaping。 A quarter mile from the water； they open fire with surgical precision and suddenly our rotor blades are not a hundred percent intact。 Our copter falters in the air； but stays up。 The noise above us is deafening。 Yet I continue on toward the lake。 I have no choice。
〃Get ready to jump；〃 I tell Joel。
〃I'm not leaving till you leave。〃
〃Nice line。 But you have to jump as soon as we cross over the water。 Swim for the far shore； not the near one。 Stay under water as long as possible。〃
Joel hesitates。 〃I don't know how to swim。〃
〃What？〃
〃I said I don't know how to swim。〃
I can't believe it。 〃Why didn't you tell me that earlier？〃
〃I didn't know what you had planned。 You didn't tell me。〃
〃Joel！〃
〃Sita！〃
I pound the chopper dashboard。 〃Damn！ Damn！ Well； you're just going to have to learn how to swim。 You're a vampire。 All vampires can swim。〃
〃Says who？〃
〃Says me； and I'm the only authority on the subject Now stop arguing with me and prepare to jump。〃
〃You jump with me。〃
〃No。 I have to wait until they fire their lethal blow…that way they'll think I'm dead。〃
〃That's crazy。 You will be dead。〃
〃Shut up and crack your door slightly。 When you reach the far shore； run into the hills and hide。 I'll find you。 I can hear a vampire breathing ten miles away。〃
The Apaches are still determined to prevent us from reaching the water。 One swoops overhead and literally drops itself directly into our path。 I have to go into another steep dive to avoid it； which is easy to do because the craft is ready to crash anyway。 The water is now only a hundred yards away。 The Apache behind us opens fire。 They mimic my earlier strategy。 They blow off our tail rotor。 I immediately lose control We spin madly to the left。 Yet the water is suddenly below us。
〃Jump！〃 I scream at Joel。
He casts me one last glance…his expression curiously sad。
Then he is gone。
Pulling back hard on the steering bar； I try to gain altitude； partly to distract them from Joel and partly to stay alive。 It is my hope they didn't see him jump。 My chopper swings farther out over the water。 A mile away I see Hoover Dam。 There is no way I can make it that far。 The chopper bucks like a hyperactive horse on speed。 Cracking my door； I take hold of the shotgun and blast at one of the Apaches as it swings nearby。 I hit the top blades； but these suckers are tough。 The military chopper banks sharply。 Then the two helicopters regroup； hovering behind me； twin hornets studying a wounded butterfly。 Over my shoulder I see one pilot nod to his gunner。 The man reaches for a fresh set of controls； no doubt the firing mechanism for the rockets。 As I throw my door open wide； an orange tongue of flame leaps out from the side of the Apache。 My reflexes are fast； blinding by human standards； but even I cannot outrun a missile。 I am barely free of my seat when the rocket hits。
My chopper vaporizes in midair。
The shock from the explosion hits with the power of an iron fist。 A fragment of burning metal cuts into my skull above my hairline； sending waves of searing pain through my whole system。 I topple like a helicopter without a stabilizing propeller。 Blood pours over my face and I am blinded。 I do not see the cold water of the lake approaching； but I feel it when it slaps my broken side。 The molten shrapnel in my head shudders as it contacts the dark liquid。 I fell myself spiralling down into a forsaken abyss。 Consciousness
flickers in and out。 The lake is bottomless； my soul as empty as dice without numbers。 As I start to black out； I wish that I didn't have to die this waywithout Krishna's grace。 How I would love to see him on the other side…his divine blue eyes。 God forgive me； how I love him。
2
I awake with a pale wash of light panning across my face。 Opening my eyes； I see it is the searchlights of hovering helicopters pointing down on me。 Only they are high in the air； and I am many feet underwater； on my back； on the bottom of the lake。 Even though unconscious； my mind must have had the wisdom to halt my breathing。 I don't know how long I have been out。 My head still hurts but the pain is bearable。 It is obvious that the personnel in the helicopters cannot see me。
I wonder how Joel is； if he escaped。
My left leg is pinned under the wreckage of my chopper。 It is good because otherwise I would be floating on the surface； probably with many bullet holes in me。 Pulling my leg free； I roll over on my belly and begin to swim away from the lights； not sure at first if I am moving deeper into the lake or closer to the shore。 My desire for breath is strong but not overwhelming。 I know I can swim a long way before I'll have to surface。 They can't scan every square inch of the lake。 I am going to escape。
Yet there will be no freedom for me if Joel is not free。
Ten minutes later； when the lights are far behind me； I allow myself to swim to the surface and peek。 I am far out in the center of the lake。 Behind me； near the shore where my chopper was blown out of the sky； the helicopters still circle； their beams still focused on the water。 Close to this spot； on the shore； are several trucks； many uniformed people； some cops； some army personnel。 Joel stands in the middle of them； a dozen guns pointed at his head。
〃Damn；〃 I whisper。 〃He really couldn't swim。〃
I cannot rush in to save him。 I know this yet I have to stop myself from making the attempt。 It is my nature to act quickly。 Patience has not e to me over the centuries。 Floating in the center of the black lake； it seems to me the years have only brought grief。
Joel is ushered into an armored truck。 Men on the shore are donning scuba gear。 They want my body； they want to see it before they can rest。 I know that I must act quickly if I am to track Joel。 Yet I also know I have to stop killing。 They'll be looking for any suspicious deaths in the area as a way to confirm I am still alive。 A throbbing sensation in my forehead draws my attention。 I reach up and pull away a chunk of
shrapnel that has been working its way out of my skull。 Before the infusion of Yaksha's blood； such an injury would have killed me。
I swim for the shore where Joel is being held； but a mile to the left； away from him and the dam。 I am a better swimmer than most dolphins and reach land in a few minutes。 No one sees me as I slip out of the water and dash into the rocky hills。 My first impulse is to creep closer to the armed assembly。 Yet I cannot steal one of their vehicles to follow Joel。 Fretting about the growing gap between us； I turn away from the small army and run toward the campgrounds。 Even in the winter； families e to Lake Mead to enjoy the nature。 Overhead； an almost full moon shines down on me。 Just what I don't need。 If an Apache spots me again； I swear； I am going to jump up and grab its skids and take it over。 My turn to fire the rockets。
The thoughts are idle； the mental chatter of a natural born predator。
I find a family of three asleep in a tent on the outskirts of the campground； their shiny new Ford Bronco parked nearby and waiting for me to steal。 Silently； I break the lock and slip in behind the steering wheel。 It takes me all of two seconds to hot…wire the vehicle。 Then I am off； the window down。
Throughout my long life； hearing has always been ray best sense。 I can hear snowflakes as they emerge from a cloud two miles overhead。 Indeed； I have no trouble hearing the army's motor parade start their engines and pull away from the lake。 Probably the mander thinks he should get Joel to a secure place； even before the body of the blond witch is found。 I use my ears to follow them as they move onto a road that leads away from the lake。 Yet； with my nose in the air； it is my sense of smell that is the most acute。 It startles me。 I can smell Joel…even in the midst of the others…clearly； in fact。 I suspect this is another gift of Yaksha； master yakshini； born of a demonic race of serpents。 Snakes always have exceptional senses of smell。
I am grateful for this newfound sense because I can accurately trail the military parade from a great distance。 These people are not stupid…they will check to see if they are being followed。 Once again I am struck by my ability to sense their thoughts。 I have always been able to discern emotions in mortals； but never ideas。 Yaksha must have been an outright mind reader。 He never told me。 I know for sure the people up ahead are checking their backs。 I allow the distance between us to grow to as much as fifteen miles。 Naturally I drive with the lights out。
At first the group heads in the direction of Las Vegas。 Then； five miles outside the City of Sin； they turn east onto a narrow paved road。 The column stretches out and I have to stay even farther back。 There are many signs： RESTRICTED AREA。 I believe we are headed to some sort of government base。
My hunch is confirmed less than an hour later。 Approximately fifty miles outside of Las Vegas； the armored vehicle carrying Joel disappears into an elaborately defended camp。 I speed up and take my Bronco off the road； parking it behind a hill a mile from both the road and the camp。 On foot； I scamper toward the installation； growing more amazed with every step at how plex and impenetrable it appears。 The surrounding fence is over a hundred feet high； topped with billowy coils of barbed wire。 Ordinarily I could jump such a barrier without breaking a sweat。 Unfortunately； the place has manned towers equipped with machine guns and grenade launchers every two hundred feet。 That's a lot of towers。 The pound is huge； at least a half mile across。 In addition to the towers and fence； there is a densely packed maze of three…foot high electronic devices… they resemble metal baseball bats…stretched along the perimeter。 I suspect that if tripped they emit a paralyzing field。 Vampires are sensitive to electricity。 I was once hit by a bolt of lightning and spent the next three days recovering in a coffin。 My boyfriend at the time wanted to bury me。
One side of the pound is devoted almost exclusively to a concrete runway。 I remember reading about a top…secret government installation in the desert outside of Las Vegas that supposedly tests advanced fighter craft； nuclear weapons； and biological weapons。 I have a sneaking suspicion that I am looking at it。 The pound backs into a large barren hill； and I believe the military has mined deep into the natural slope to perform experiments best hidden from the eyes of spy satellites。
There are Sherman tanks and Apache helicopters parked close to barrack…like structures。 No doubt the weapons can be manned in ten seconds。 One thing is immediately clear to me。
I will not be able to break into the pound。
Not and get out alive。
The armored vehicle carrying Joel has halted near the center of the pound。 Armed soldiers scurry to line up around it； their weapons drawn and leveled。 A cruel…faced general with a single star on his shoulder and death in his eyes approaches the vehicle。 Behind him is a group of white…clad scientists…just what I don't want to see。 The general signals to somebody out of view and the side door on the armored vehicle swings open。 Heavily chained； his shoulders bowed down； Joel is brought into the open。 The general approaches him； strangely unafraid； and searches him。 Then he glances over his shoulder。 Several of the scientists seem to nod。 I don't understand the exchange。 What are they approving？ That Joel is a genuine vampire？ They don't know about vampires。
〃Or do they？〃 I whisper。
But it's not possible。 For the last two thousand years or more； Yaksha and I were the only vampires on earth。 Recently there have been others； of course。 But Ray's conversion was short…lived； Eddie was a psychotic aberration； and I destroyed all of Eddie's offspring。
Or did I？
This general wanted us taken alive； I realize。 He's the one who gave the order to the Apache pilots。 They waited a long time before they used their rockets； and then only when they were forced to。 In fact； t