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I stared into his hypnotic green eyes, unaffected by the mesmerizing power contained there. I was immune to his vampire voodoo but I wanted to have his undivided attention for what I was about to say.

  “Listen to me, you bloodsucking bigot. Your kind created ‘mongrels’ like Jill and me. You have a responsibility toward us. You don’t get to sweep it all under the carpet because you can’t control your full-bloods.”

  Thomas sighed deeply. “Colby, you don’t understand. We are talking about an ancient species here who can’t accept change. Most of the elders are”—he struggled for the right words—“a bit touched in the head. They don’t act reasonably or think rationally. They have lived most of their lives in fear of being murdered. Our laws and government evolved to protect all vampires and keep our lines pure. They don’t want a bunch of mongrels out there causing problems.”

  “Like I just said—a bunch of bigots.” I took a deep breath and continued to look him in the eye. “I don’t have a chance, do I, Thomas? They aren’t going to listen to me at all, are they?”

  He stared back unflinchingly. “Things don’t look good, Colby.”

  “Oh.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. I wasn’t going to get a chance to defend myself after all. I was up against thousands of years of fear, bigotry and—if I understood Thomas correctly—ancient, whacked-out vampires.

  “What if I knew where my Creator was? What if I turned him in? Would that prove my worthiness? I mean, it worked for you.” It was a shot in the dark, but worth a try.

  Thomas weighed his words carefully. “If your Creator was returned to us, it would mean his death. He wouldn’t come willingly. It might exonerate you or you might be killed alongside him. It is up to the elders. They are”—he paused again—“unpredictable.”

  My mind raced at the thought of getting back at the one who’d gotten me into this mess. If it wasn’t for him, I would be at cheerleading practice, leading a normal life. He deserved to get staked for attacking and changing a teenage girl, dooming her to an eternity of adolescent hormones and breakouts.

  “I don’t like the look on your face,” Thomas said, interrupting my thoughts.

  “Really? Well, I don’t like the thought of getting staked before being named Homecoming Queen, so we all have some adjusting to do, don’t we?”

  “Colby …” His voice was low and forbidding.

  “What did you expect, Thomas? That I would be thrilled with the news and gratefully follow you back to these elders like a sheep to the slaughter? Uh, I don’t think so. What do I have to lose? I either get killed by Chuck or one of your vampire police.”

  “Charles Winthrop is very elusive. I have been tracking him for the last six months and have come up with nothing. Finding him is a lost cause for you.”

  “Oh, is that so? Because you can’t find him no one can, huh? I got news for you, buster—I’ve seen him not once, but twice since he changed me. So if little ol’ mutant me can find him where big bad Terminator vampire can’t get a clue then maybe you need to find a new line of work.” I flounced back into my seat.

  Thomas blinked at my outburst several times before replying, “You have seen him twice and said nothing to me?”

  “Yeah, I guess we both have our dirty little secrets,” I retorted, my voice dripping with sarcasm. He doesn’t tell me about Jill and now he has the nerve to look hurt that I didn’t tell him about Chuck? I don’t think so.

  “Colby, this is an impossible situation. I can see you’re distressed …”

  “Hah!”

  “But you have to be realistic. Learning about the vampire way so you can defend yourself to the Tribunal is your only hope now. Not chasing down a rogue vampire you can’t possibly outwit.”

  He was using his soothing-an-unreasonable-child voice and just to add insult to injury, he thought I was too stupid to live if I chose to use my time finding Winthrop. I couldn’t believe I kissed him, and liked it. A lot.

  I stood up and calmly wrapped the pink chenille scarf my aunt had knitted for me around my neck. I picked up my gloves and pulled them on, tucking each finger in with flair. I grabbed my purse and looked down at him, trying to ignore how great he looked in his worn cotton pullover.

  “I am going after Chuck. Stay out of my way. I may not be Blooded, Thomas, but I am something you’re not. Desperate.”

  I meant to sweep from the room in a dramatic exit, but Thomas grabbed my wrist.

  “I still want to help you defend yourself to the Tribunal.”

  I used my vampire strength to pry his fingers off me and replied, “The trouble is, Thomas, I don’t trust you anymore. If the Tribunal decides I don’t get a license, then they send you to do the dirty work. So I have to ask myself: why would you want to help me when you’re only going to kill me in the end?”

  He acted as though I had slapped him. “I wish you no harm, Colby, I thought you knew that. But understand this: there are many ways to die and if the elders decide that is your fate, I would make sure it was painless for you.”

  I was so shocked to hear this revelation that I sat back down. “Would you really be my executioner, Thomas?” I asked incredulously. Who did this guy think he was, anyway?

  Thomas looked past my shoulder. “It is one of my duties for the Vampire Council.”

  I gaped at him, for once in my life speechless. I’d thought we were starting to become friends—more than friends, actually. I confided in him about what it was like to be different, a mutant freak in a world of full-blooded vampires, and he sat there supposedly comforting me when all the while he was responsible for the deaths of how many half-bloods before me? Maybe even Jill.

  “You are the half-blood executioner,” I whispered accusingly and felt a small satisfaction when he winced.

  “I am not the only one but I requested the duty, in case things didn’t turn out well for you.”

  I couldn’t believe my ears. He wanted to kill me? No, he not only wanted to kill me, he asked to kill me!

  “You requested it?! What about Jill, Thomas? Did you promise to help her, get all cozy and then throw her out a tree?”

  His head snapped back. “Jill Schneider’s case is none of your concern and will only distract you from what you need to do. Right now the only thing that matters is making a strong defense to get your license.”

  I felt my lower lip quiver and bit it to stop the tremble. I was not going to cry in front of him. “The only thing that matters to me, right now, is getting as far away from you as I can.”

  I raced out of the doughnut shop and made it to my car before Thomas grabbed my upper arm.

  “Let go!” I screeched like an outraged parrot. And adding to my distinguished role of a woman scorned, I stomped my feet like a two-year-old. “Let go! Let go! Let go!” Stomp, stomp, stomp.

  Thomas stepped back, putting distance between himself and the shrieking toddler I’d become, and, with a last unfathomable look, spun on his heel and left.

  After he was gone I started to shake. Sure I talked big but I was scared. I was only sixteen! I was fighting for my survival. I was all alone and the one person I thought understood me was going to wait to kill me as painlessly as possible.

  “Nicely done.”

  Winthrop was standing on the passenger side of my car.

  I jumped a bit, even though I tried to pretend I hadn’t. I couldn’t help it, my nerves were shot.

  “Do you see why you should be with me now? We are the same, you and I,” he stated flatly, his brown eyes looking very deep and pensive.

  “Really? The same? Hmmm, I can’t remember the last time I attacked a helpless girl, changed her into the walking Undead and threw her in a ravine.” I tapped my chin thoughtfully. “Hmmm. Where is my memory?”

  He smiled, showing his bloodstained fangs and teeth. He was freshly fed, it seemed. “There is strength in numbers. I could protect you.”

  I hated to admit it, but it was a tempting offer. Thomas was offering a pain-free execution, while Winthrop was offe
ring me a chance to live. I doubted ol’ Chuck could really keep me safe, although he had supposedly managed to elude Thomas for almost six months.

  “You’ve helped me enough, thanks.” I wondered if I could truss him up and take him back to the Tribunal with me.

  “The Tribunal will never let you live.” He stopped smiling when he announced that verdict.

  “How can you be so sure they haven’t already given me a license?” I asked him.

  He laughed at me. “The Dark Ones wear their licenses with pride.” He had me there. I was ring-free at the moment.

  “Why do you think they’ll never give me a license? I think I’ll take my chances. I can be pretty charming when I want to.”

  My retort caused instant fury to cross his features. “A half-blood will never be allowed to live in vampire society. Never! You are a fool.”

  “Then enlighten me. You’re a vampire—explain why you can’t let half-bloods into your society.”

  His eyes narrowed, looking for the insult he was sure I’d slipped in there. I suppose he was pretty pleased to realize my interest was actually genuine because his features returned to the usual carefully schooled polite mask. What a whack job!

  “There was a time before vampires were reduced to bureaucrats pushing papers and filing ‘Blood Wars’ when our people were strong. I have been told all my existence that half-bloods will never be accepted and that is not going to change for you.” He wrinkled his nose in derision. Now I was starting to get angry. He was the one who created me and damned me to start with.

  “Listen, Chuck, you are the reason I’m in this mess in the first place. Why should I come with you? You’re living on the edge, barely a step ahead of the Investigators. You don’t seem to be offering a whole lot of security, in my opinion. And you look like a transient who lives under the bypass”—I nodded scornfully at his fraying coat and fingerless gloves—“so why should I believe you could protect me at all?”

  He cocked his head at me, like a curious bird, and in the blink of an eye, he was beside me. I stood perfectly still while he pushed some strands of hair away from my ear and whispered, “Because I’m still here, aren’t I?”

  I turned my head and our gazes locked. There was something stirringly familiar about his eyes. As though I knew him or should know something about him. I felt a magnetic pull that beckoned me closer, to give in and trust him. Thomas had warned me I might feel this way about my Creator and I had scoffed at the idea. Now I could see what he was talking about.

  As distasteful as it sounded, to get my license I needed to bring Chuck in. And doing that meant I would have to suck up to him. Ewwww.

  “I’m not sure. I have to think. Will you—will you meet me tomorrow night?” I whispered uncertainly, playing the part of reluctant Undead.

  He smiled in delight at my apparent change of heart and leaned forward to put a brotherly kiss on my forehead. Gag. It took all my strength not to squirm or pull away. If I was going to get my license, I was going to need Chuck; but still, putting up with his affection was almost more than I could bear.

  In an instant he was gone, a quick blur through the parking lot and into the night.

  I got into my car and drove home. It was close to midnight and I was wide awake. It was a school night but I knew I would never be able to sleep. Funny thing, I didn’t feel like going out and wandering the streets either. Being a vampire should be more exciting, but I was more of a veg-on-the-couch and watch movies kind of gal.

  As I went by Piper’s house I was glad to see a light in her window still burning. I parked, then, picking up some pebbles, walked into her side lawn and threw them in the direction of her room. After a moment, she looked out in confusion.

  When she spotted me, she pulled her window open. “How’d it go?” she whispered loudly.

  “Not good. I think Thomas offed Jill.” My voice broke as I said it.

  Piper shook her head in denial, teeth caught over her lower lip. “What are you going to do?”

  It was an excellent question. I shrugged at her and said, “I made a date with the devil.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Winthrop. I made a date with him tomorrow night and plan to capture him. If I turn in my Creator, I may have a shot.”

  “Are you crazy?” she hissed. “He’s a crazed killer!”

  “Sadly, my options are limited,” I retorted dryly, kicking at the dewy grass with my sneaker.

  “I’ll be right down. I can help you plan,” she volunteered, starting to pull her window closed.

  “Stop!” I forgot to whisper and she shooshed me. “You can’t get involved. It’s way too dangerous for you. I’ll figure it out on my own.”

  “I can handle it.” She started to close her window again.

  “I said no, Piper.” My voice was like steel.

  “Don’t tell me what to do! You can’t boss me around like I’m some sort of little kid. You need all the help you can get right now. I might be your only hope.”

  “Heaven help me if that’s the case,” I said sarcastically. “I can’t capture Winthrop and worry about protecting you as well.”

  “Fine!” Piper slammed the window down, flipped me off and threw her curtains closed. Great. Things were just great.

  Twelve

  I sat on the couch feeling like I didn’t have a friend in the world. Oh yeah, I didn’t. How silly of me to forget. I was about to figure out my next step when the scent of vanilla wafers caught my attention.

  “Hey, Aunt Chloe,” I said softly over my shoulder.

  “Those new ears of yours are something else, missy,” Aunt Chloe said as she padded into the family room wearing fleece slippers and an oversized robe. I gave her a halfhearted smile when I noticed she was carrying a heaping bowl of ice cream, but didn’t bother to correct her. I couldn’t hear much better but I could smell everything.

  She took a post opposite me in one of the large overstuffed chairs and nearly disappeared. She swore under her breath and struggled to sit upright. “I love your mother dearly, but I hate her taste in furniture. A body should be able to sit in a chair and stay put, not sink into a pool of fluff.”

  I jumped up to help her. When she was finally seated properly, she took a bite of ice cream and said, “You look like you lost your best friend.”

  I snorted at her but smiled in spite of myself. Aunt Chloe had a gift for understatement.

  “Piper is pissed at me and Thomas, well, Thomas …” I trailed off, not wanting to tell her the truth: that he wanted to kill me.

  She nodded in sympathy. We sat in companionable silence a while longer, she eating her ice cream and me—well, I was drowning in my own misery, wishing I could eat her ice cream as well.

  “Did I ever tell you about the love of my life?” she said suddenly.

  I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Aunt Chloe never married but I always thought she preferred to be independent.

  She regarded my look and chuckled. “Yes, I know what you young people think. Someone my age who never married probably hates men. You thought I buttered my toast on the other side, didn’t you?”

  I tried to object, but instead my mouth just sort of hung open and wobbled about like a big fish gasping for its last breath.

  “No. No. Don’t deny it. The way I saw it was, if I couldn’t marry the love of my life I wouldn’t marry at all. Wouldn’t be fair to the fellow who came after him.”

  Wow, Aunt Chloe had a love of her life. Who’d have thought?

  “What happened?” I asked, not sure if fate or tragedy had kept them apart.

  “It was during the war. I wasn’t much older than you when we met. God, he was magnificent.”

  “How could you have been so young?” I asked skeptically. After all, Aunt Chloe was known to exaggerate on occasion.

  “Times were different then. I went to nursing school when I was sixteen. Not much for young women to do back then, career-wise. I graduated when I was barely eighteen and was called
upon to serve my country right after. I was pretty wet behind the ears and with the war, well, I grew up real fast.”

  “Did you know him long?” I was fascinated that she could have been a surgical nurse at such a young age.

  “No, not long. But it didn’t matter. Our eyes met and we both knew it. You don’t meet your soul mate and not recognize him.” She wagged her spoon at me to emphasize her point.

  “So what happened?” I asked eagerly.

  She sighed deeply, put her spoon and empty bowl down on the side table and astounded me with her answer. “I killed him.”

  “Come again?”

  She nodded in affirmation. “Yes, I had to. It was the only humane thing to do.”

  “Aunt Chloe, what in the world happened?”

  “I told you we met in the war. I met him in France before he was being shipped to Germany. We spent two wonderful days together before he left. Then we planned to see each other again. He came to see me three more times before they brought him in on a stretcher. He was deathly pale and we couldn’t get a strong pulse. I was heartbroken when he stopped breathing. Well, that was it.

  “They toe-tagged him and it was on to the next wounded soldier. But I wouldn’t leave him. I was convinced it was all a big mistake. He couldn’t be dead, not my Ned. No one could tell me different. I don’t know how much time passed. I sat next to him, holding his hand while his sweet face was covered. I want to say he must have squeezed my hand, but I can’t be sure. Anyway, I looked under the sheet and he was staring up at the ceiling, as calm as you please.

  “I was so relieved, I was crying and laughing and throwing myself over him. I made quite a scene, I must say.”

  I smiled at her, imagining the joy she must have felt.

  “I jumped up to tell the captain who was in charge that Ned was alive. I got maybe ten feet away and heard the most awful scream. I turned back and Ned was standing over a wounded soldier and he was biting his neck. My sweet Ned was drinking this man’s blood and that boy was a-screamin’ something awful. I ran back toward them, convinced I could pull Ned off but I couldn’t. He was too strong, too thirsty to hear me plead. I could tell then and there that the creature before me wasn’t my Ned anymore. He was something else entirely.