The Dead Girl's Dance

Shane wasnt talking to the cops. Not about his dad, and not about anything. He just sat like a lump, eyes down, and refused to answer any questions from the human patrol officers; Claire didnt know what to sayor, more importantly, what not toand stammered out a lot of I dont know and I was in my room sort of answers. Evemore self-possessed than Claire had ever seen herstepped in to say that shed heard the intruders downstairs breaking things, and shed pulled Claire into her room and locked the door for protection. It sounded good. Claire supported it with a lot of nodding.

Is that so? A new voice, from behind the cops, and they parted ranks to admit two strangers. Detectives, it looked like, in sport jackets and slacks. One was a woman, frost pale, with eyes like mirrors. The other one was a tall man with gray close-cropped hair.

They were wearing gold badges on their belts. So. Detectives.

Vampire detectives.

Eve had gone very still, hands folded in her lap. She looked carefully friendly. Yes, maam, she said. Thats what happened.

And you have no idea who these mysterious intruders might have been, said the male vamp. He lookedscary. Cold and hard and scary. Never saw them before.

We didnt see them at all, sir.

Because you werelocked in your room. He smiled, and flashed fang. Clear warning. I can smell fear. You give it off like the stench of your sweat. Delicious.

Claire fought back an urge to whimper. The human cops had backed up a step; one or two looked uncomfortable, but they werent about to interfere with whatever was about to happen. Whichwas nothing, right? There were rules and stuff. And they were the victims!

Then again, she didnt suppose the vamps cared all that much for victims.

Leave them alone, Shane said.

It speaks! the woman said, and laughed. She sank down into a crouch, elegant and perfectly balanced, and tried to peer into Shanes face. A knight-errant, defending the helpless. Charming. She had an old-world accent, sort of like blurred German. Do you not trust us, little knight? Are we not your friends?

That depends, Shane said, and looked right at her. You take your orders from Oliver, or the Founder? Because if you touch usany of usyou have to take it up with her. You know who I mean.

She lost her amused expression.

Her partner made a noise, halfway between a bark of laughter and a growl. Careful, Gretchen, he snaps. Just like a half-grown puppy. Boy, you dont know what youre saying. The Founders mark is on the house, yes, but I see no bands on your wrists. Dont be stupid and make bold claims you cant back up.

Bite me, Dracula, Shane snapped.

Gretchen laughed. A wolf pup, she said. Oh, I like him, Hans. May I have him, since hes a stray?

One of the uniformed cops cleared his throat. Maam? Sorry, but I cant allow that. You want to file the paperwork, Ill see what I can do, but

Gretchen made a frustrated noise and came back to her feet. Paperwork. Fah. In the old days we would have run him down like a deer for insolence.

In the old days, Gretchen, we were starving, Hans said. Remember? The winters in Bavaria? Let him howl. He shrugged and gave Eve and Claire a smile that looked a little less terrifying than before. Sorry. Gretchen gets carried away. Now, youre sure none of you knew these intruders? Morganvilles not that big a town. Were all pretty close-knit, especially the human community.

Strangers, Eve said. I think they might have been strangers. Maybe justpassing through.

Passing through, Hans repeated. We dont get a lot of casual visitors. Even biker gangs. He studied them each in turn, and while his eyes were on her Claire felt as if she were being x-rayed. Surely he couldnt really see her thoughts, right? Hans finished with his gaze on Shane, fixed and dark. Your name.

Shane, he said. Shane Collins.

You left Morganville with your family a few years ago, yes? What brought you back?

My friend Michael needed a roommate. Shanes eyes flickered, and Claire realized that hed just made a mistake. A big one.

Michael Glass. Ah, yes, the mysterious Michael. Never around when anyone comes calling during the day, but always present at night. Tell me, is Michael a vampire?

Wouldnt you know? Shane shot back. Last I heard, nobody had made a new vampire in fifty years or more.

True. Hans nodded. Yet its curious, isnt it? That your friend seems so hard to keep around?

They knew. They knew something, anyway; Claire supposed Oliver would have no reason to keep secrets, especially Michaels secrets. Hed probably blabbed it to all of his minions that Michael was a ghost, caught between worldsnot quite vampire, not quite human, not quite anything.

Its night, Gretchen pointed out. So where is he? Your friend?

Shane swallowed, and it was hard to miss the wave of misery that went through him. Hes around.

Around where, exactly?

Claire exchanged a look of dread with Eve. Shane still thought Michael was dead, buried in the backyardand Michael had been pretty firm on the idea that Shane shouldnt know.

I dont know, Shane said. The tips of his ears were turning red.

Hans the Detective smiled slowly. You dont know much, son. And yet you look like youre not completely stupid, so how exactly does that work? Did you hide in the room with the girls? He leaned on the last word, and his vampire partner laughed.

Shane got up. There was something insane in his eyes, and Claire felt her heart stop beating because this was bad, very bad, and Shane was going to do something horribly unwise, and there was no way they could stop him.

Youre looking for me?

They all turned.

Michael was standing at the top of the stairs. He was pulling on a plain black T-shirt with blue jeans, and he looked like hed just rolled out of bed. His feet, Claire saw, were bare as usual.

Shane sat down. Fast and hard. Michael took his time coming down the stairs, making sure they were all focused on him instead of Shane, to give Shane time to get through what he was feelingwhich was, Claire thought, a lot to pack into less than thirty seconds. Relief, of course, which brought a sheen of tears to his eyes. And then, predictably, he got pissed, because, well, he was a guy, he was Shane, and that was how he handled being scared.

So, really, by the time Michael padded down the last step to the wooden floor and crossed over to the couch through the circle of police, things were pretty much just as theyd been, except that Shane wasnt about to push the button on his nuclear temper.

Hey, Michael said to him. Shane moved over on the couch to make room. Guy room, which left plenty of empty space. Whats up?

Shane looked at him like he might be crazy, not just nearly dead part-time. Cops, man.

Yeah, man, I can see that. How come?

Youre telling me you actually slept through all that? Dude, you need to see a doctor or something. Maybe you have a disease.

Hey, I need the sleep. Lisa, you know. Michael grinned. They were good at this, Claire realizedgood at playing normal, even if there wasnt a normal thing in the world about their situation. So what happened?

You werent aware of intruders in your home? asked Gretchen, whod been watching the exchangeand the correspondingly shrinking chance of bloodshedwith disappointment. The others described it as quite loud.

He can sleep through World War Three, Shane said. I told you, its some kind of sickness or something.

I thought you said you didnt know where he was, Hans said. Wasnt he in his room?

Shane shrugged. Im not his keeper.

Ah, Gretchen said, and smiled. That is where you are wrong, little knight. You are all your brothers keepers here in Morganville, and you can all suffer for their crimes. Which you should know and remember.

Hans looked bored now. Sergeant, he said, and the most senior uniformed cop stepped out of the ranks. I leave this in your hands. If you find anything out of the ordinary, let us know.

Just like that, the vamps were gone. They moved fast, and silently; they didnt seem to want to blend in much, Claire thought, and tried not to tremble. She sank down on the couch beside Shane, nearly crawling into his lap. Eve crowded in between the two boys.

Right. The sergeant didnt look happy with having the whole thing dumped in his lap again, but he also looked resigned. Couldnt be the easiest thing, Claire thought, having vamps for bosses. They didnt seem to have a long attention span. Glass, right? Occupation?

Musician, sir, Michael said.

Play around town, do you?

Im rehearsing for some upcoming gigs.

The cop nodded and flipped pages in a black leather book. He ran a thick finger down a list, frowned, and said, Youre behind on your donations, Glass. About a month.

Michael threw a lightning-fast glance at Shane. Sorry, sir. Ill get out there tomorrow.

Better, or you know what happens. The cop ran down the roster. You. Collins. You still unemployed? He gave him a stare. A long one. Shane shrugged, lookingClaire thoughtas dumb as possible. Try harder.

Common Grounds, Eve volunteered before he could start in on her. Eve Rosser, sir, thank you. She was vibrating all overshe was so nervouswhich was funny; when shed been on her own, shed been cool and calm. She had hold of both Michaels and Shanes hands. Although, um, Im thinking of making a change.

The cop seemed bored now. Yeah, okay. You, the kid. Name?

Claire, she said faintly. UmDanvers. Im a student.

He looked at her again, and kept looking. Shouldnt you be in the dorm?

I have permission to live off campus. She didnt say from whom, because it was primarily herself.

He watched her for another few seconds, then shrugged. You live off campus, you follow the town rules. Your friends herell tell you what they are. Watch on campus about how much you pass alongwe got enough problems without panicking students. And were real good at finding blabbermouths.

She nodded.

That wasnt the end of it, but it was the end of her discussions with them; the police poked around a little, took some pictures, and left the house a few minutes later without another word to any of them.

For a good ten seconds after the police closed the front dooror closed it as much as was possible with a busted lockthere was silence, and then Shane turned to Michael and said, You fucking bastard. Claire swallowed hard at the tight fury in his voice.

You want to take this outside? Michael asked. He sounded neutral, almost calm. His eyes were anything but.

What, you can leave the house now?

No, I meant another room, Shane.

Hey, Eve said, dont

Shut up, Eve! Shane snapped.