“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 he'd lost his best- his only friend.”

“Yeah? How's this?" Claire, in one smooth, fast motion, pulled an arrow from the bag on her shoulder, slotted it home on the string, and pulled the compound bow back to full extension. She was aiming the arrow straight at Morley's crossed hands, over his heart. He laughed. "You aren't serious--" She fired. The arrow went through both of Morley's hands, pinning them to his chest with the fletching at the end. He stared down in shock at the wood piercing his chest, stumbled, and went down to his knees. Then just down, face forward. The arrow stuck up out of his back, like an exclamation point. "I will," Claire said softly, and let the bow rock forward as she reached one-handed for another arrow and notched it home. "I'm not a really good shot, but this is a really small room, so let me make this very clear: the first vampire who tries to lay a hand on either of my friends gets a new piercing, just like Morley. Now, if you need food, I will figure it out. But you don't get to use my friends like vending machines. Are we clear?" Around the room, vampires nodded, casting disbelieving looks at Morley. Even Oliver was staring at her as if he'd never really seen her before. She didn't know why; he'd known she could do it--hadn't he? Or was she different, somehow?”

“Claire found herself staring at his feet, which were in bunny slippers. Myrnin looked down. "What?" he asked. "They're quite comfortable." He lifted on to look at it, and the ears wobbled in the air. "Of course they are," she said. Just when she thought Myrnin was getting his mental act together, he'd do something like that. Or maybe he was just messing with her. He liked to do that, and his dark eyes were fixed on her now, assessing just how weirded-out she was. Which, on the grade scale of zero to Myrnin, wasn't much.”

“He looked down at himself and laughed softly. ‘‘My dark side dresses better than I do.’’ He stood upand reached for clothes folded neatly on a table to the side as he loosened the tie on his robe. He hesitated, smiled, and raised hiseyebrows. ‘‘If you don’t mind, Claire . . . ?’’‘‘Oh. Sorry.’’ Claire turned her back. She didn’t like turning her back on him, even with the cell door locked. He was betterbehaved when he knew she was watching. She focused on the faint, distorted image of his reflection on the TV screen as he shedthe dressing gown and began to pull on his clothing. She couldn’t see much, except that he was very pale all over. Once she wassure his pants were up, she glanced behind her. He had his back to her, and she couldn’t help but compare him with the only otherman she’d really studied half-naked. Shane was broad, strong, solid. Myrnin looked fragile, but his muscles moved like cablesunder that pale skin—far stronger than Shane’s, she knew.Myrnin turned as he buttoned his shirt. ‘‘It’s been a while since a pretty girl looked at me with such interest,’’ he said. She lookedaway, feeling the blush work its heat up through her neck and onto her cheeks. ‘‘It’s all right, Claire. I’m not offended.”

“Morley joined them, and after a long, uncomfortable moment, Mrs. Grant decided to ignore his presence. Theguards didn’t. Their knuckles were white on their weapons.May I assist?” he asked, and put his hands behind his back. “I promise not to eat anyone.”Very funny,” Mrs. Grant said. Morley gave her a grave look.I wasn’t joking, dear lady,” he said. “I do promise. And I never make a promise I don’t intend to keep. Youshould feel quite secure.”Well, I’m sorry, I don’t,” she said. “You’re just—”Too overwhelmingly dashing and attractive?” Morley grinned. “A common problem women face with me.It’ll pass. You seem like the no-nonsense sort. I like that.”Claire smiled at the look on Mrs. Grant’s face, reflected in the white LED light of the lantern she was holding.You are really—odd,” the older woman said, as if she couldn’t quite believe she was even having theconversation.”

“Knowing Myrnin, there could be anything inside, from a body he'd forgotten about to his dirty laundry.”

“He let Shane drop back down in his chair, and walked out, back stiff. Furious.Shane sat with his hands clutching at the armrests. He exchanged a stunned look with Eve, and they both stood up at once. "No," Shane said. "I did it. Let me fix it."He went off after Michael. Eve chewed her lip and said, "Well, we're either going to see half the house destroyed, or their bromance is going to go all the way.”