with theâ¦consult of a government, but it has nothing to dowith which government has the right to which piece of land. And if Iâm touchy on the subject, well, I am from Virginia. But I wasnât asked to come here because of thatâor because the South wishes to cause any harm to guards, prisoners, soldiers, nurses, visitorsâ¦. Itâs not to stage a mass escape. Itâs not for any reason of warfare.â She looked at the three men, and then softly added, âAccepted warfare, that is.â
Cole remained hunkered down in front of her.
âSo, who sent you?â he asked.
She paused. She wasnât at all sure he was going to believe her. âIt doesnât matter. I was sent by a Confederate general, one whoâs seen what an outbreak can do,â she said at last.
âAnd how are you so familiar with outbreaks?â Cole asked.
She inhaled. âThe Battle of Fredericksburg.â
âWhat about it? You were there? Youâre in the army, of course,â Cole said drily.
She stood, angry, and glad to see that she nearly knocked him down. He was quick, though, and regained his balance to stand, as well. She turned away from him, talking to Cody Fox and Brendan Vincent. âThere was a time when I was a conveyor of information.â
âA spy?â Cody asked.
She shrugged. âAll of us are caught in this.â
âThere was a timeâno more?â Brendan asked. The older man was perplexed. A loyal Unionist, he had apparently come to terms with his need for Cody; he would come to terms with her as well, eventually.
She shook her head. âThis isâthis is something that goes beyond war.â
âGo on,â Cody said.
âThe Battle of Fredericksburg was horrible, truly devastatingââ
âA complete route of the Union,â Brendan interrupted. âAnd yet you say âhorrible.ââ
âA Southern soldier was so agonized by Union losses that he brought water to the wounded Federal soldiers on the field,â she said. âSergeant Richard Kirkland, from South Carolina, didnât even bother with a flag of truceâhe had to alleviate the suffering. The men whispered that Lee, watching from the heights, commented, âIt is well that war was so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.â The point I am making is that the battle itself and the aftermath were so strewn with blood, it was difficult to notice one manâs agony or deathâ¦. Or even that of several men.â
Cole, now with his arms crossed over his chest, was frowning and seemed to understand what was going on. Completely.
âWhen was the vampire attack?â he asked.
She didnât mean to do so, but she shivered, remembering. âIt was cold,â she began. âDecember, and cold. And the men on the field screamed and cried. Many of us then went out to see what we could do. I was with a fellow whoâd had his leg destroyed by shrapnel. Thatâs when I heard the first screamâa scream so differentâ¦. I turned, and I saw theâ¦the man. Darkness was falling, dusk was all around and at first I was confused. I thought it merely someone in a greatcoat who had come to help the wounded, as well. But that scream came again. More chilling than anything beforeâ¦and I heard quick movement and then the sucking soundâ¦and I looked around. One of our medicsâa man who had not been woundedâprotested, demanding to know what was going on. And then one of them fell upon him, and he screamedâ¦.â
Megan paused. Coleâs expression had not changed during any of this. âI knew then. But there were several of them, and the men on the field werenât really listening to me. Iâm sure they thought I was crazy and that whenever they delivered pistol shots into the chest of one of the creatures, it would stay down. But I knew. And I was armed. I was able to take down three of the four I
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley