The anger grew hot, building and intensifying until it threatened to burst out of me.
“No!” I suddenly shouted, flinging my arms open wide. A brilliant, blinding blue-silver-white light burst forth from my hands, arcing above and below me, surrounding me in a sphere of brilliance.
The vampire yelped as the rays of the light touched him, flinging himself backward through the open door.
“I will not be used,” I shouted at him, the light growing in intensity. “Not by you, your council, or anyone! Do you understand? No one!”
The vampire started to say something, but I slammed shut the door, locking it before I crumpled to the floor, face resting against the cool wood as the light surrounding me slowly faded to nothing.
CHAPTER 2
“Last One Standing Shelter, this is Pia. No, I’m sorry, our shelter is closed until the end of the month. We’re having some remodeling work done to the buildings, and the animals have been moved to a temporary shelter so as not to be disturbed by the construction and such.” I tapped on the keyboard and pulled up the information on the caller. She was cleared for adoption, but hadn’t made up her mind yet on which dog she wanted. A couple entered the office and, after looking around for a moment, headed for my desk. I covered the mouthpiece of the phone. “I’ll be with you in just a sec.”
The woman smiled and nodded, and wandered over to look at the board with pictures of all the available senior pets for which the temporary shelter was currently serving as home. I gave the caller only half of my attention, watching the woman and wondering why she looked familiar.