She made a dash for them. The red-haired vamp cut her off, laughing, and kicked the bolts into the far corner, along with the black canvas bag.
Claire yanked her silver stake out of the waistband of her pants. She was terrified, but she was also angryangry that Eve had been penned up in the corner with all those people, like so many cattle. Angry about all the dead people. Angry for the probably-stupid boy whod just gotten killed right in front of her. Angry that this was all happening because some vamps pride had gotten hurt.
Hey! Shane yelled, and tossed his empty crossbow to the ground as he jumped to his feet. You going to let her have all the fun? Come on, Vampirella! Lets go!
The older vamp turned on him with a snarl, and in one leap was all over him like some horrible jumping spider. Shane hit the ground hard, on his back, and tried to roll, but the vamp was too strong. She snarled again, jaws gaping wide, and Claire desperately threw the silver nitrate at her. It hit, but the vampire ignored the burns.
A blur flashed out of the hallway and hit the vamp in a full tackle, taking her completely off of Shane as she tried to bite him. Both Shanes attacker and the newcomer hit the far wall with a hollow boom, and then jumped apart. Both snarling.
Both vampires.
Michael. He looked tremendously scary when he was like this, all eyes and teeth, and he looked strong. Claire swallowed hard and focused on the vamp in front of her, the redhead, who had been as surprised as Claire at Michaels furious arrival . . . but was getting over it fast.
The vamp lunged for her, but came up short with a kind of funny squawking sound as her head was yanked backward, hard.
Behind her stood Eve, both hands in the vamps hair. Thats my friend, you bitch! Eve said, andwhen she was sure Claire was readyshoved the vamp at her, off balance.
Onto the point of Claires silver-coated, blinged-out stake.
The vamp cried out, and for a second her eyes met Claires, and Claire felt something terrible: guilt. There was terror in those alien eyes, and hurt, and surprise . . . and then the vamp went down at her feet, taking the stake with her.
The vamp girl had been somebodys daughter once. Somebodys sister. Maybe even somebodys girlfriend. Maybe she hadnt asked to be what she was now.
Claire felt sick and she wanted to cry, but there wasnt time, because Shane was at her side now, pulling her into his arms.
Eve? he asked. You okay?
Claire turned her head to look at her friend. Eve didnt look okay. Her Goth makeup was a mess, mascara smeared and running in thick, uneven streams down her face; her dress was torn at the shoulder, and she had long, red scratches down one arm that were still bleeding.
But it was her eyes that really told Claire how not-okay she was. They were wide and full of misery. Without even knowing why, Claire let go of Shane and hugged Eve, who hugged her back so hard it hurt. Eve was trying not to cry, from her hiccuping little gasps for breath.
Youre okay now, Claire whispered in her ear. We came as fast as we could.
Eve nodded and tried to smile. Guess I cant say youre losers for at least a week, then. Her voice sounded odd and muffled, but she blinked back the tears. Thank you. She kissed Claires cheek, then Shanes. Shane stepped away, clearing his throat. Oh, dont go all boy on me.
Mikey! Shane yelled. Youd better finish it up! Your girlfriends trying to kiss
He didnt finish, because all of a sudden the fight was over . . .
. . . and Michael lost.
It happened so fast Claire hardly had time to comprehend it, but one second, the two vamps were a blur of movement, and the next, Michael was down on the ground, crumpled like a broken toy.
The other vamp grinned with her sharp, sharp teeth gleaming in the light, and licked blood from her lips. Her eyes looked brilliant and insane, and redder than the blood. She kicked Michaels limp body out of the way and came for the three of them, doing that creepy jumping-spider thing again.
Suddenly, there was a cold, still presence standing in front of them, and a white hand reaching up, grabbing the vamp in midair and slamming her down to the floor.
Amelie.
The Founder of Morganville had arrived, and shed done it in force; as Claire looked behind her, she saw at least a dozen vampires, all looking very seriously dangerous, including Oliver and a number of others she knew by sight. They were all dressed in long black leather coats, like a kind of uniform, with the symbol of the Founder stamped into the leather on every one of them.
Amelie was wearing white. Pure ice white, almost shimmering in the dim light. Her hair was up in a woven crown, nearly as pale as her elegant silk suit.
Do be quiet, she told the fallen vampire. Youre a worthless idiot, but I dont want more blood tonight. Dont make me kill you for what youve done. Amelies voice was so cold that it seemed to drop the temperature in the overheated, stifling room by at least fiftydegrees.Getup.
The other vamp did, moving slowly. Claire didnt see Oliver move, but suddenly he was right there, holding both the womans arms in a bone-shattering grip behind her. No foolish moves, Patrice, he said. I dont believe the Founder is joking.
Get her out of my sight, Amelie said, and looked at the other fallen vampires. The one whod been burned badly by Claires silver nitrate got up and limped over, looking thoroughly terrified. This one, too. And release those others. She waved a hand at the vampires Shane had nailed with the crossbow bolts. One of Olivers black-coated troopers glided over and pulled the arrows out. The two downed bloodsuckers, released from their paralysis, coughed and sputtered blood.
Theyd live.
Michael, Claire whispered. Eve broke free and ran to him, throwing herself down on the floor and taking his head into her lap. He lookedoh, Godhe looked . . . dead. His eyes were open, and he looked so pale, so still; there was a hole in the side of his throat, but not much blood. Claire skidded to a stop and put her hands to her mouth, trying to hold in a scream. She felt Shanes hands close hard around her shouldersthat was probably his version of feeling the same rush of horror and denial.
Then Michael finally, slowly, blinked. Eve screamed. Michael? Michael! Talk to me!
He cant, Amelie said. She had come up behind them, and was looking at Michael with a slight softening of her usual cool expression. Maybe, Claire thought, because Michael still reminded her of Sam, her lost love. Apart from the color of their hair, theyd looked a lot alike. Hell be all right once we get some nourishment into him. Ill have my people take him directly to the blood bank.
I want to go with him! Eve said.
Im not sure thats wise. Drained and hungry vampires, even ones you know well, can be very unpredictable. I would hate for anything to happen that Michael might regret later.
What about what we might regret later? Shane asked under his breath. Oh, right. Humans dont count.
Amelie heard him, and her head swiveled smoothly as she focused her cool gray eyes on his face. I only meant that you would likely not be around to regret anything, Mr. Collins. Ms. Rosser. Explain what happened here. Now.
Eve was combing her fingers through Michaels blond hair, but now she looked up, startled. That lasted only a second, though, and then her attitude snapped back in place. Gee, I dont know, maybe a vampire attack? she snapped. It was a party; then the frat idiots crashed and started boasting about how tough they were; then these freaks showed up to teach us all a lesson. Thats what they said. They wanted to put us in our place.
I see, Amelie said. And you did nothing to provoke them?
My friend Eves voice failed. Claire could see she was trying once again not to cry, and how much it hurt. My friend Cory was just trying to have fun. That one, the redhead, she grabbed her and just . . . tore her up. Corys dead. I saw it happen.
Oh, man, Shane whispered. Claire put her hand on top of his, where it lay on her shoulder. Eve . . . It sounded like he wanted to say something, but he had no idea what. She loved him for that.
Amelie waited a moment, and then said in a very low voice, I am sorry for this experience, and for the loss of your friend. All who broke the law will be punished.
Eves eyes grew brighter, but not with tears. With fury. Punished ? What, like little kids going to bed without their blood supper? No TV for a week? Time-out?
I can assure you that the punishment will be severe.
Not enough!
Now Amelies voice turned cool again. It is enough for me, and that will be enough for you, Ms. Rosser. Enough for all of you. Do I make myself clear? She didnt wait for an answer; she turned to Oliver, who was standing nearby, hands folded behind him, watching as the vampire prisoners and humans were herded out. Vampires are dead here. I will expect a full investigation.
Of course, Oliver said without turning. And I expect the appropriate punishments will be meted out, according to the law.
Sir, called one of Olivers men, who was kneeling over the red-haired girl with Claires stake in her chest. You should see this.
Oliver walked over, frowned, and crouched down to examine the girl more closely. Silver, his man said, and Oliver nodded. Oliver tugged on a pair of leather gloves and grabbed the stake, which he pulled out and immediately dropped with a clatter to the floor.
The girl didnt breathe, move, or react.
Claire gripped Shanes arm tightly, and waited, but the vampire stayed still on the floor, unmoving. There was a burned patch where the stake had gone in that continued to slowly burn outward.
Shes dead, Oliver said. Silver poisoning. She must have been unusually allergic.
Claire had killed her.
And the appropriate punishment for a human killing a vampire was death.
FIVE
But it was self-defense! theguy seated next to Claire said. Hed been saying it a lot, and at a loud volume, and she thought his anger probably wasnt helping any.
They were sitting in a quiet, wood-paneled room in the Elders Council building, a big faux-Greek temple that always felt to Claire like a funeral home. A really nice one. This particular room featured a long, highly polished table of dark wood, fancy chairs, andof courseno windows. There were two doors, one at either end, but they were both guarded by Amelies personal security men. Claire knew them, slightly, but now they had their sunglasses hiding their eyes, and she knew they wouldnt give her any breaks. They had their serious faces on.
Amelie sat at one end of the long table. Oliver sat at the other. Police Chief Hannah Moses was seated on one side, along with Mayor Richard Morrell, whod taken his fathers seat on the council along with the not-too-fun job of governing the human side of Morganville. Richard was a nice-looking man, Claire had always thought, but he usually also looked tired, and like he didnt smile nearly enough. But then, being Monica Morrells brother would probably take most of the sparkle out of life in general.
On the other side of the table, shackled, were one of the big EEK frat boys with blood all over his shirt, and Claire. Shane, Michael, and Eve had been shut out of the room, and Claire hoped theyd taken Eve home; shed been pretty shaky, once the emergency was over, and had badly needed to clean up and change clothes.
Though Shane had wanted to stay, of course. It had taken all of Claires powers of persuasion to convince him not to start throwing punches when Amelie gave the order to leave. Ill be okay, she told him, with confidence she didnt completely feel. Amelie wont let anything happen to me.
Looking at Amelie right now, sitting so cold and emotionless at the end of the table, Claire felt shed probably overstated that. Maybe a lot.
According to the testimony of both humans and vampires on the scene, the two of you are guilty of the deaths of two of my people, Amelie said into the silence. The frat boy beside Claire shifted, and his chains rattled, but he didnt say anything. He had a leather bracelet on his wrist, a Morganville band that identified him as belonging to some vampire in town. Claire wondered why the vampire wasnt here. He or she was supposed to be, at any legal thing that involved their people.
Well start with you, Mr. . . . Oliver consulted a file in front of him. Kyle Nemeck? Testimony of vampires and humans says that the trouble started with you and others from your fraternity group who arrived at the warehouse. Vampires tell us that you attacked a vampire, Ioan ap Emwnt, on the street, beat him severely, robbed him, and left him for dead. He is not dead, fortunately for you. Oliver closed that file and opened another. This vampire, unfortunately, was not as lucky. He slid a color photograph out onto the table, and Claire had to look away. It was the decapitated body shed seen in the club. Once had been enough. Heres his missing piece. Another photo, this one probably the head; Claire definitely didnt look. While your friends held this unfortunate down, you severed his head. Comments?
The frat boyKylewas sweating. He looked younger now, and very scared. I . . . sir . . . maamit was self-defense. They came after us.
They thought you had killed one of our own, Amelie said. Any vampire can, by law, pursue such an offender and claim him for trial. Your actions, defensive or not, sent this legally pursuing group into a blood rage. Everything that followed, including all the human deaths, can be laid directly at your door. Am I correct, Mayor Morrell?
Richard was reading his file, frowning. Now he looked up, directly at Kyle. His brown eyes were narrowed, and there wasnt any hint of sympathy. Correct, he said. If it were only the human deaths, I could argue for a life sentence. With vampire deaths involved, its out of my hands. Youre a native, Kyle. You know better.
Kyle looked as if he might start to cry. Oliver took the photos back, neatly stacked them, and closed that folder, too. Any defense? he asked, not as if he really cared.
Kyles mouth opened, closed, and opened again. I . . . Look, we didnt know that first dude was a vampire. I mean, we never would have . . . I swear.