help smiling. I’d asked PopPop the same question when he taught me to create a circle. I could still hear his voice in my head.

“Well, lad. It’s simple. If you attune the circle to the power source you want to draw on, it won’t be blocked.”

I said as much to Paul, who grinned. “That’s so obvious, now that you say it.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I felt foolish for a while after I realized that.”

I closed my eyes. Sunset was close. No more than ten minutes away. “I need to get into my trance. We’ll be ready in just a few minutes. Can you feel the approach of sunset?”

“Of course. That’s part of being a vampire.” Paul’s voice held a mixture of confusion and condescension.

I scowled at hi...

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