Changeling: Zombie Dawn by Steve Feasey

glared at her. ‘That is not how it works between vampires. Humans, yes.’ He took a deep breath and carried on. ‘We have the ability to briefly “look inside” a human’s thoughts and memories, but that power does not extend to our own kind.’ He paused. ‘And this was not like that. This was an altogether different thing. It was like he’d crawled inside me, like we were sharing the same body.’
    The sorceress was quiet for a while as she considered what she’d just been told. ‘I’ll consult the ancient texts in the libraries here, to see if I can find any mention of such a thing.’ She looked towards the zombies, another thought striking her. ‘It puts a new light on our plans.’
    ‘We will have to move the tower, take it to a new location where we can harvest humans and—’
    ‘And what if your brother visits you again? And again? How much time will we waste moving here and there, achieving nothing?’
    The vampire bellowed in frustration, the zombies briefly raising their heads at the sound.
    The sorceress had never seen him so volatile. She watched him pace back and forth on the raised dais, muttering to himself in a low voice. It was odd to witness this ancient creature, normally so sure of his powers and ability, battling with these new, unwelcome emotions.
    ‘We must alter our plans. Act faster.’ She looked at him and nodded her head. ‘Now perhaps you will understand why I have spent so much effort searching for the Shield. My search could not have ended at a more opportune time.’
    ‘You have found it?’
    ‘That is what I came here to tell you.’
    ‘How must we change our plans?’
    ‘We have no idea if it is only our position that has been discovered. How do we know that your brother is not also aware of our scheme to capture humans and turn them into the undead here at Leroth? No, we have to act now while we can still have some small element of surprise. We have to change the way we go about spreading our zombie horde.’ She looked down at her own body, lost in thought. Using her forefinger and thumb she plucked a large beetle from her abdomen, holding the thing in front of her face and examining it, before dropping it to the floor, where it scuttled back into the mass of insects that was her foot. ‘Instead of harvesting humans here or anywhere else, we must use what we have already to maximum effect. We need to transport Leroth into an area full of humans, and let these two,’ she nodded towards the zombies, ‘wreak havoc.’
    ‘Only two?’
    ‘If we can put them among a big enough crowd, it should be enough.’
    ‘And the Shield? What will its role be?’
    ‘If I can maximize the Shield’s operable distance, it will provide a wide arc of protection, stopping anything getting in or out.’
    ‘How large can you make it?’
    ‘The greater the distance, the weaker the barrier gets, so I will have to be careful not to stretch it too far. I would guess that a radius of a few hundred metres will be sustainable. It will also require all of my efforts and skill to keep it operational for any length of time.’ She gave him a strange look. ‘I will be vulnerable while I’m doing this, and will need you to look out for me.’
    ‘It will have to be done at night. I shall be of no use to you if—’
    ‘Not necessarily. The barrier will stop the sun’s hurtful rays from destroying you. It will be like being under a glass dome.’
    ‘But this Shield is not impenetrable? Could my brother gain access using sorcery?’
    ‘Not easily. It would take a skilled practitioner of sorcery to even attempt such a thing.’
    ‘There’s the daughter – the dhampir.’ The vampire frowned for a moment as he tried to recall the name of the half-human, half-vampire monstrosity that was his niece. ‘Alexa. She has studied the dark arts.’
    Helde waved this notion away. ‘That child would not have the skill or power to attempt such a thing.’
    She paused, then took a step towards him and