Claire tried to pull free. He held on effortlessly. He could break bones if he wanted toshe sensed itbut he used just enough strength to keep her from getting loose. Dont, Sam said. I need to talk to you. Please, I promise not to hurt you. Lets sit down, okay?

But Claire looked around, alarmed. The two jocks were moving away, heading for the bar to get drinks. The place was busy, and there were students everywherechatting, laughing, playing games, tapping away on laptops, talking on cell phones. And, of course, nobody was paying attention to her. She could make a scene and probably get away, but that would draw the attention of Oliver, not to mention Shanes dad, and she didnt want that. Low-pro was the order of the day.

Claire swallowed and let the vampire pull her to a secluded table near the window. He sat far from the hard white line of sunshine that had crept in across the wooden floor. The canopy outside screened most of it, but there was a tiny little area of risk left, she supposed.

Sam kept hold of her hand. She sat down, tried to make her voice strong and steady, and said, Would you mind letting go now? Since Im sitting?

What? Oh. Sure. He released her, and gave her a smile that even her biased, suspicious (verging on paranoid) mind interpreted assweet. Sorry. Youre just so warm. It feels good.

He sounded wistful. She couldnt afford to feel sorry for him, no way in hell. Couldnt. How do you know my name? she asked.

His blue eyes narrowed when he smiled. Youre kidding. Everybody knows your name. You, Shane, Eve, Michael. The Founder put out a Directive. First time in, oh, I guess about thirty years, maybe forty. Pretty dramatic stuff. Were all on our best behavior around you, dont worry. His gaze flicked around, touched on Oliver, and came back to her. Well, except for people who dont really have a best behavior.

People, Claire said, and crossed her arms. She hoped it made her look tough and strong, but she really did it because she was feeling cold. Youre not people.

Sam looked a bit hurt. Harsh, Claire. Of course were people. Were justdifferent.

No, you kill people. Youreparasites! And she had no idea why she was getting into a debate about it with a total stranger. A vampire, at that. At least he hadnt done that thing to her like Brandon had done, that mesmerizing thing. Oh, and she wasnt supposed to be looking him in the eye. Crap. Shed forgotten. Sam seemed kind of, well, normal. And he did have lovely eyes.

Sam was thinking over what shed said, as if it was a serious argument. Food chain, he offered.

What?

Well, humans are parasites and mass murderers, from the point of view of vegetables.

Thatalmost made some kind of weird sense. Almost. Im not a carrot. What do you want from me? Besides the obvious, I mean. She mimed fangs in the neck.

He looked a little ashamed. I need to ask you a favor. Can you give something to Eve for me?

She couldnt imagine anything Eve would want less than a gift from a vampire. No, she said. Is that it? Can I go?

Wait! Its nothing bad, I swear. Its just that I always thought she was a lot of fun. Im going to miss her coming in here. She always brightened up the place. He reached in his pocket and took out a small black box, which he handed over. Claire frowned and fidgeted with it for a second, then snapped the cover open. Not that it was any of her business, but

It was a necklace. A pretty one, silver, with a shiny coffin-shaped locket. Claire raised her eyes to Sams, reminded herself again not to do that, and focused somewhere in the middle of his chest. (He had a nice chest. Kind of built, actually. ) Whats in it?

Open it, he said, and shrugged. Im not trying to hide anything. I told you, its nothing dangerous.

She snapped the lid of the coffin open. Inside, there was a tiny silver statue of a girl with her arms crossed over her chest. Creepy, but kind of cool, too. Claire had to admit, Eve would probably be delighted.

Look, Im not stalking her, Sam said. Were justfriends. Shes not the biggest fan of the not quite breathing, thanks to that asshole BrandonI get that. Im not trying to be her boyfriend. I just thought she might like it.

Sam was not fitting into Claires recently built pigeonholes, so new they still smelled of mental sawdust. VAMPIRESBAD, one said. The one next to it said VAMPIRESDOWNRIGHT EVIL. Those were pretty much the only two vampire slots available.

She didnt know where to put him. Sam just looked like a guy with sad eyes and a sweet smile, who could use some sun. A normal guy, one shed probably get her heart rate up over talking to in class.

But that was probably how he got his victims, she reminded herself. She snapped the cover shut on the locket, closed the case, and slid it back across the table to him. Sorry, she said. Im not taking anything. If you want her to have it, give it to her yourself. Not that I think shell ever come in here again.

Sam looked taken aback, but he took the case and put it in the pocket of his leather jacket. Okay, he said. Thanks for listening. Can I ask you something else? Not a favor, just information.

She wasnt sure, but she nodded.

Its about Amelie. Sam had lowered his voice, and his eyes were suddenly fierce and intense. Not so normal-guy. This was what hed really wanted, not just the gift to Eve. This was personal. You talked to her, I heard. How is she? How did she seem?

Why?

He didnt break the stare. She doesnt talk to me anymore. None of them do. I dont care about the others, butI worry about her.

Claire couldnt believe what she was hearing. A vampire wanted her to talk about his vampire queen? Weirdy McWeird. Umshe seemsfine. She doesnt talk to you anymore? Why not?

I dont know, he said, and sat back. She hasnt spoken to me for fifty years, give or take a few months. And no matter how many times I ask, I cant see her. They wont accept messages. Something dark and wounded flickered in those innocent-looking eyes. She made me, and she abandoned me. Nobodys seen her in public in a long time. Now suddenly shes talking to you. Why?

Fifty years. She was talking to an at-least-seventy-year-old man, with skin finer than hers. With a gorgeous, unlined face, and eyes that had seenwellmore than she ever would, most likely. Fifty years? How old are you? she blurted, because it was seriously freaking her out.

Seventy-two. Im the youngest, he said.

In town?

In the world. He fiddled with the sugar container on the table. Vampires are dying out, you know. Thats why were here, in Morganville. We were being slaughtered out there, in the world. But even here, Amelies only made two new vampires in the last hundred and fifty years. He looked up slowly and met her eyes, and this time, she felt an echo of that thing Brandon did, that compulsion that held her in place. I know how it looks to you, because Ive been there. I was born in Morganville; I grew up Protected. I know it sucks to be you around here. Youre slaves. Just because you dont wear chains and get branded doesnt make you any less slaves.

She flashed on an image of Shanes mother, dead in the bathtub. And if we run, you kill us, she whispered. She would have expected him to flinch, or have some kind of reaction to that, but Sams expression didnt change at all.

Sometimes, he said. But Claire, it isnt like we want to. Were trying to survive, thats all. You understand?

Claire could almost see him standing there, looking down at Shanes mom as she bled to death. Hed have that same gentle, sad look in his eyes. Molly Collins would have been just a pet he had to put down, that was all, and it wouldnt matter to him enough to make him lose a nights sleep. If vampires slept. Which she was starting to doubt.

She stood up so fast, her chair hit the wall with a clatter. Sam leaned back, surprised, as she grabbed up her backpack. Oh, I understand, Claire said through gritted teeth. I cant trust any of you. You want to know how Amelie is? Go ask. Theres probably a good reason why she wont talk to you!

Claire!

She stiff-armed open the door and escaped into the day. She looked back to see Sam standing there at the edge of the strip of sunlight inside Common Grounds, staring after her with an expression on his face like hed lost his besthis onlyfriend.

Dammit, she was not any vampires friend. She couldnt be. And she wasnt going to be, ever.