Immortal Revenge by Mary Abshire Page A

through. Then the powder would liquefy as it mixed with blood, spread and cause internal burning. His idea was a good one, but testing it became an issue. Katie didn’t want to shoot acid into Kyle. He finally convinced her, after she gathered and stored enough bagged blood to last for two weeks. She shot one of the homemade slugs into Kyle and the result terrified her, but encouraged him to produce more. He’d told her the acid had spread quickly; burning his insides to the point he’d thought he would spontaneously combust. It also roused his wild side and made him ravenous, but he controlled himself thanks to the extra blood. Would it slow down a vampire from attacking? Kyle seemed to think a couple would lend plenty of time to make a good getaway.
    With two more bags filled, Katie left them at the top of the stairs for Jules, then returned to the cellar. She stopped at one of the trunks and unlocked it. Within the wooden chest, empty duffle bags and scabbards lay in wait. She snatched them and headed for the glass case with the swords.
    Staring at the deadly swords, she released a heavy sigh. She couldn’t take all the heavy weaponry. Besides, what would she do with them? For the time being, she selected two from the case. She slid the swords into the scabbards, added a few daggers, then placed them in the duffle bag. The remaining would have stay behind with the rest of the weapons. At least she could keep the cellar locked. If the vamp who destroyed Kyle did his job of cleaning minds properly, then no one should come looking on the property.
    Rifles were next on her retrieval list. Katie selected two from within the case, grabbed the shells and placed them in a separate bag. When Jules announced her return, Katie took the duffle bag with the swords upstairs.
    “It’s heavy,” she said as she handed the bag to Jules.
    Jules used both hands to keep it from landing on her feet. “Heavy? Have you got a dead body in here?”
    “Do you smell any extra rot?”
    “Ha, ha. Very funny.”
    Katie returned to the cellar. She placed a few more knives in the last of the tote bags, then grabbed the one with the rifles and did a quick scan. A wave of sadness passed through her. She didn’t know if she’d ever see such a collection of weaponry or ever be back. She and Kyle had touched every weapon in the room. He’d taught her how to use everything, as if he knew the day might come when she would need to fight a killing machine that fed off humans. Maybe he knew more than he shared with her.
    Ready to leave, she set the lantern back on the desk and turned out the light. With a heavy heart, she ascended the stairs. Jules hadn’t returned yet, so she set her bags aside and then closed the hatch. Mission completed, she picked up her weapons and headed for the bright exit.
    She dropped her bags outside and quickly slid her sunglasses back on her face. Having spent so much time in the cellar, her eyes were accustomed to the darkness. While she shut the barn door and slid the chain through the handles, her vision returned to normal.
    “Is that it?” Jules asked as she jogged toward her.
    Katie heard the padlock click and then gave one final tug on it. Declaring it secured, she grabbed the bags and headed toward Jules. “I have to put the keys back.”
    Jules came to a stop in front of her. She took the smaller of the bags from Katie’s hand. “What’s in the duffle bag?”
    “Rifles.”
    Katie set her duffle bag on the ground. “Wait here. I’ll be back in a second.”
    She dashed to the hiding place for the keys and returned them the way she’d found them, in the damp pouch and under the rock. From a distance and up close, no one would have a clue that access to thousands of dollars worth of weapons lay hidden under the rock. It had been that way for eight years and she hoped it would continue for more.
    “Do you know how to shoot a rifle?” Jules asked as Katie came to a halt.
    “I learned from the best, at night