e basement through the open door； magnified as only I knew by Riley’s skin。 I could see the bright reflections dance on the wall。 Hissing and snarling； my coven backed into the corner opposite from Fred’s。 Kristie was in the very back。 It looked like she was trying to use her gang as a kind of shield。 “Relax； everybody；” Riley called down to us。 “I am absolutely fine。 No pain； no burn。 e and see。 C’mon！” No one moved closer to the door。 Fred was crouched against the wall beside me； eyeing the light with panic。 I waved my hand a tiny bit to get his attention。 He looked up at me and measured my total calm for a second。 Slowly he straightened up next to me。 I smiled encouragingly。 Everyone else was waiting for the burn to start。 I wondered if I had looked that silly to Diego。 “You know；” Riley mused from above； “I’m curious to see who is the bravest one of you。 I have a good idea who the first person through that door is going to be； but I’ve been wrong before。” I rolled my eyes。 Subtle； Riley。 But of course it worked。 Raoul started inching his way toward the stairs almost immediately。 For once； Kristie was in
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no hurry to pete with him for Riley’s approval。 Raoul snapped his fingers at Kevin； and both he and the SpiderMan kid reluctantly moved to flank him。 “You can hear me。 You know I’m not fried。 Don’t be a bunch of babies！ You’re vampires。 Act like it。” Still； Raoul and his buddies couldn’t get farther than the foot of the stairs。 None of the others moved。 After a few minutes； Riley came back。 In the indirect light from the front door； he shimmered just a tiny bit in the doorway。 “Look at me I’m fine。 Seriously！ I’m embarrassed for you。 C’mere； Raoul！” In the end； Riley had to grab Kevin Raoul ducked out of the way as soon as he could see what Riley was thinking and drag him upstairs by force。 I saw the moment when they made it into the sun； when the light brightened from their reflections。 “Tell them； Kevin；” Riley ordered。 “I’m okay； Raoul！” Kevin called down。 “Whoa。 I’m all… shiny。 This is crazy！” He laughed。 “Well done； Kevin；” Riley said loudly。 That did it for Raoul。 He gritted his teeth and marched up the stairs。 He didn’t move fast； but soon he was up there sparkling and laughing with Kevin。 Even from then on； the process took longer than I would have predicted。 It was still a onebyone thing。 Riley got impatient。 It was more threats than encouragement now。 Fred shot me a look that said； You knew this Yes； I mouthed。 He nodded and started up the stairs。 There were still about
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ten people； mostly Kristie’s group； huddled against the wall。 I went with Fred。 Better to e out right in the middle。 Let Riley read into that what he would。 We could see the shining； discoball vampires in the front yard； staring at their hands and each other’s faces with rapt expressions。 Fred moved into the light without slowing； which I thought was pretty brave； all things considered。 Kristie was a better example of how well Riley had indoctrinated us。 She clung to what she knew regardless of the evidence in front of her。 Fred and I stood a little space from the others。 He examined himself carefully； then looked me over； then stared at the others。 It struck me that Fred； though really quiet； was very observant and almost scientific in the way he examined evidence。 He’d been evaluating Riley’s words and actions all along。 How much had he figured out？ Riley had to force Kristie up the stairs； and her gang came with her。 Finally we all were out in the sun； most people enjoying how very pretty they were。 Riley rounded everyone up for one more quick practice session mostly； I thought； to get them to focus again。 It took them a minute； but everyone started to realize that this was it； and they got quieter and more fierce。 I could see that the idea of a real fightof being not only allowed but encouraged to rip and burn was almost as exciting as hunting。 It appealed to people like Raoul and Jen and Sara。 Riley focused on a strategy he’d been trying to drill into them for the last few daysonce we’d pinpointed the yellow eyes’ scent； we were going to divide in two and flank them。
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Raoul would charge them headon while Kristie attacked from the side。 The plan suited both their styles； though I wasn’t sure if they were going to be able to follow this strategy in the heat of the hunt。 When Riley called everyone together after an hour of practice； Fred immediately started walking backward toward the north； Riley had the others facing south。 I stayed close； though I had no idea what he was doing。 Fred stopped when we were a good hundred yards away； in the shade of the spruce trees on the fringe of the forest。 No one watched us move away。 Fred was eyeing Riley； as if waiting to see if he would notice our retreat。 Riley began speaking。 “We leave now。 You’re strong and you’re ready。 And you’re thirsty for it； aren’t you？ You can feel the burn。 You’re ready for dessert。” He was right。 All that blood hadn’t slowed the return of the thirst at all。 In fact； I wasn’t sure； but I thought it might be ing back faster and harder than usual。 Maybe overfeeding was counterproductive in some ways。 “The yelloweyes are ing in slowly from the south； feeding along the way； trying to get stronger；” Riley said。 “She’s been monitoring them； so I know where to find them。 She’s going to meet us there； with Diego” he cast a significant glance toward where I’d just been standing； and then a quick frown that disappeared just as quickly “and we will hit them like a tsunami。 We will overwhelm them easily。 And then we will celebrate。” He smiled。 “Someone’s going to get a jump on the celebration。 Raoul give me that。” Riley held out his hand
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imperiously。 Raoul reluctantly tossed him the bag with the shirt。 It seemed like Raoul was trying to lay claim to the girl by hogging her scent。 “Take another whiff； everybody。 Let’s get focused！” Focused on the girl？ Or the fight？ Riley himself walked the shirt around this time； almost like he wanted to make sure everyone was thirsty。 And I could see from the reactions that； like me； the burn was back for them all。 The scent of the shirt made them scowl and snarl。 It wasn’t necessary to give us the scent again； we forgot nothing。 So this was probably just a test。 Just thinking about the girl’s scent had venom pooling in my mouth。 “Are you with me？” Riley bellowed。 Everyone screamed his or her assent。 “Let’s take them down； kids！” It was like the barracuda again； only on land this time。 Fred didn’t move； so I stayed with him； though I knew I was wasting time I needed。 If I were going to get to Diego and pull him away before the fighting could start； I would need to be near the front of the attack。 I looked after them anxiously。 I was still younger than most of them faster。 “Riley won’t be able to think of me for about twenty minutes or so；” Fred told me； his voice casual and familiar； like we’d had a million conversations in the past。 “I’ve been gauging the time。 Even a good distance away； he’ll feel sick if he tries to remember me。” “Really？ That’s cool。” Fred smiled。 “I’ve been practicing； keeping track of the
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effects。 I can make myself totally invisible now。 No one can look at me if I don’t want them to。” “I’ve noticed；” I said； then paused and guessed； “You’re not going？” Fred shook his head。 “Of course not。 It’s obvious we’re not being told what we need to know。 I’m not going to be Riley’s pawn。” So Fred had figured it out on his own。 “I was going to take off sooner； but then I wanted to talk to you before I left； and there hasn’t been a chance till now。” “I wanted to talk to you； too；” I said。 “I thought you should know that Riley’s been lying about the sun。 This fourday thing is a total crock。 I think Shelly and Steve and the others figured it out； too。 And there’s a lot more politics going on with this fight than he’s told us。 More than one set of enemies。” I said it fast； feeling with terrible urgency the movement of the sun； the time passing。 I had to get to Diego。 “I’m not surprised；” Fred said calmly。 “And I’m out。 I’m going to explore on my own； see the world。 Or I was going on my own； but then I thought maybe you might want to e； too。 You’d be pretty safe with me。 No one will be able to follow us。” I hesitated for a second。 The idea of safety was hard to resist in that exact moment。 “I’ve got to get Diego；” I said； shaking my head。 He nodded thoughtfully。 “I get it。 You know； if you’re willing to vouch for him； you can bring him along。 Seems like sometimes numbers e in handy。” “Yes；” I agreed fervently； remembering how vulnerable I’d felt
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in the tree alone with Diego as the four cloaks had advanced。 He raised an eyebrow at my tone。 “Riley is lying about at least one more important thing；” I explained。 “Be careful。 We aren’t supposed to let humans know about us。 There are some kind of freaky vampires who stop covens when they get too obvious。 I’ve seen them； and you don’t want them to find you。 Just keep out of sight in the day； and hunt smart。” I looked south anxiously。 “I have to hurry！” He was processing my revelations solemnly。 “Okay。 Catch up to me if you want。 I’d like to hear more。 I’ll wait for you in Vancouver for one day。 I know the city。 I’ll leave you a trail in…” He thought for a second and then chuckled once。 “Riley Park。 You can follow it to me。 But after twentyfour hours I’m taking off。” “I’ll get Diego and catch up to you。” “Good luck； Bree。” “Thanks； Fred！ Good luck to you； too。 I’ll see you！” I was already running。 “I hope so；” I heard him say behind me。 I sprinted after the scent of the others； flying along the ground faster than I’d ever run before。 I was lucky that they must have paused for something for Riley to yell at them； I was guessing because I caught them sooner than I should have。 Or maybe Riley had remembered Fred and stopped to look for us。 They were running at a steady pace when I reached them； semi disciplined like last night。 I tried to slide into the group without drawing attention； but I saw Riley’s head