Now that sounded painfully familiar. He probably wasn't talking about a literal Cainite, of course. But it sounded close enough. Close enough to get a wince of sympathy out of Fatima, anyway.

Which was no small thing.

"That sounds...awful," she said, fully aware that the adjective was probably inadequate. She tried to imagine how she would feel if Emily ever became a Cainite. Or worse, a Sabbat Cainite. It caused a hollow feeling to suck the life out of her chest for a moment.

More than awful.