Chapter 40: My guide and head, what thou hast said is just and right. – IV, 442-443
Call it pure gut instinct.
Animal?
Human?
Survival?
It doesn’t matter.
He’s still alive because he woke up in time.
Rhys is generally a light sleeper, and tonight that came in handy: just as he opens his eyes, a flash of teeth in the darkness sends him flipping out of bed, grabbing the machete Laube had made him as he goes.
He recognizes the man coming for him, but he sure isn’t himself anymore. Glowing green eyes, skin stretched too tight, appearance too angular – he’s possessed.
But how?
Nevertheless, Rhys has the man’s head lopped off in an instant, leaping through the ensuing vamp-dust to see to his friends.
He saves a sleeping Holland just in time, her scream thankfully startling awake Will, who takes out two vamps with one well-placed shot.
None of this places them in a position of safety, however. The entire community center seems to be possessed and coming after them. Their only hope is to get out and maybe lock these things in here.