She saw the six figures leap and land about her. And, unlike Kane, she had not been disarmed. Brigid Baptiste had made certain that she had avoided capture and kept her slung rifle and handgun. Even as she was urged to race past Kane and his reanimated opponent, she was taking the rifle off its sling, gripping it in both hands, stock tucked up against her shoulder. Even a woman as slight as she was had a much better chance hitting a target with a rifle than a handgun. The handgun was an unsupported, lightweight piece of steel that was far less efficient than the long stocked rifle in mediating recoil or aligning sights. Most especially, the rifle had much more ammunition capacity and stopping power than even a large-bored pistol. Kane was out. He joined her as the vampires circled them both, hemming in the subterranean tunnel entrance they’d originally come through. The man from America had traded his handgun for the staff, and he tightened his grasp on the long weapon, looking around.
