For me, for once.

I sacked out for the next two hours, sipping those drinks, and with every slow mouthful I felt better. More stable. Whatever was in them was great stuff, because the pain faded to twinges, and the guilt faded along with it. I was okay. No, I was better than okay.

I was strong and getting stronger, and that was what I’d always needed to survive here. I had people to protect. This was going to make all the difference.

I was emptying the last bottle when Vassily came in with Gloriana. Glory looked fantastic, and I felt sweaty and dirty and bruised, and I had to sit up. No lying down in her presence.

“Shane,” she said, and gave me that smile. “I just met your little friend Claire. You should be proud; she’s not afraid of much, you know. But so fragile. And I’m quite concerned about her relationship with Myrnin. He’s so unstable, don’t you think?”

I did think that, and had all along; she was just saying what was obvious to me and everybody else except Claire. “I don’t like it,” I said. “But she does what she wants.”

“Yes, she does.” Glory studied me for a few seconds, then glanced over at Vassily. “I think he’s ready, don’t you?”

“Ready for what?” I asked.

“Ready to hear the rest,” Vassily said. “You showed tremendous courage today, Shane. And great talent. We have an opportunity for you, one that I believe would take advantage of your best qualities. You see, we can offer you the chance for two things you have always wanted.”

“Money,” Glory said. “Real money, enough to take care of yourself and Claire for the rest of your life.”

Well, who didn’t want money? I’d been scratching away at it, doing it the hard way like I was supposed to, but that sounded good. Really good. “What’s the second thing?” I asked.

Vassily’s turn. “A way out of Morganville,” he said. “Before it’s too late. Because this town is going to be destroyed, one way or the other, and if you’re smart, you’ll take the money and the chance to earn your free passage out while you still can.”

Cash and a free pass? I blinked, because it sounded like they’d read my mind. I wasn’t completely sure that wasn’t the case. Glory was freaky good at guessing what I was thinking…or making me think that way. That should have alarmed me, but not coming from her. It just seemed…nice. Like I didn’t have to fight to be understood anymore. Glory just got me.

“What about Claire?” I asked.

“Of course, Claire would be able to go with you,” Vassily said. “And anyone else you’d like to see safely gone from Morganville. You can save them, Shane. All you have to do is what you do best.”

“Fight,” Gloriana said. Her eyes weren’t blue anymore. They were a light, sparkling color, almost white, and it should have been terrifying, but it just looked beautiful. I felt warm and weightless and totally at peace. “All you have to do is fight on camera, for an audience. Do you think you can do that?”

I smiled and said, “Where do I sign?”

They had the papers right there, and I scribbled signatures in all the right places. Vassily gave me an envelope of cash, real money, more than I’d seen since my dad had been doing illegal arms deals out on the road.

Glory’s eyes went back to blue, sweet, human blue, and she kissed me on my sweaty forehead and handed me another sports bottle. “Rest,” she said. Her fingers combed through my matted hair. “Don’t you worry about a thing.”

I sank down on the bunk and closed my eyes, but I didn’t go to sleep. Not quite. Not for a while.

Or maybe it was a dream. It felt like a dream, what they were saying when they thought I couldn’t hear them.

“It’s dangerous,” Glory was saying. Her voice had gone flat now, not lyrical and lilting like it was when she talked to me. She didn’t sound like the same person at all. “We have a limited time before Amelie discovers what we’re doing. She’s got spies everywhere, and I’m almost certain that there is surveillance, as well. Are you sure that the uplink is secure?”

“I’m sure,” Vassily said. “The girl who gave us the encryption was one of the best. For months she had video streaming from Morganville without anyone suspecting it. She modified the code to ensure no one could detect this upgrade, in exchange for some favors. The money’s already pouring in, my dear. The plan’s going very well.”

“And the old man? Is he pleased?”

Old man. That sounded ominous, and reminded me of things I’d hoped I’d never have to remember. Surely it wasn’t the same old man. No, they had to be talking about some other vamp. They were all old, older than dirt, and black and rotting inside. I knew that.

“I wouldn’t say pleased. He’s…content to wait, for now. I’ve had to go to considerable trouble to lay false trails, since his disastrous intervention drew Amelie’s attention. I believe I’ve convinced him to wait until we have adequate resources for the next steps.”

“He’s unpredictable. You need to watch him. He got away from me and tried to kill Myrnin, you know. If he’d succeeded…”

“I know. I’ve locked him up again. For his own protection.”

Glory laughed. “Oh, he won’t like that. Protect yourself, Vassily.”

“I’ve been feeding him enemies,” Vassily said. “I believe he’s satisfied enough at the moment. How long until the boy’s ready, do you think?”

“Oh, he’ll fight, no question about it, but I don’t like letting him leave us. Those friends of his, that girl, they could ruin everything.”

“Or cement everything he’s learned,” Vassily said. “I believe in taking risks.”

“Well, it’s yours to take,” Glory said. “I’ll do what I can, of course.”

“For a price.”

“Nobody works for free, my darling.”

When I opened my eyes, Glory was right there, bending over me. Her smile was like a drug, and the brush of her fingers on my forehead felt like the touch of an angel.

“Sleep,” she whispered. “Dream of fire and strength, and remember how much this town has taken from you. Don’t let it take the rest, Shane. Everything else is unimportant, except this: Michael doesn’t mean you well. He’s not your friend. And you can never fully trust him. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I said. It was something I knew already, something I should never have forgotten. You can’t trust vampires.

Except Glory.

I was still smiling, drowning in the warmth of her touch, when I fell asleep.

Shane came home seeming just as normal as ever. He even brought brisket, and they ate, four friends together, like nothing had ever gone wrong. Even Michael’s opaque “juice” bottle didn’t set him off.

All Claire could think was that she needed to sit down and tell him about the call. But she didn’t know what she was going to say, and she didn’t want to say it in front of Eve and Michael. Not like that; it needed to be private.

But afterward, upstairs in his room, when Claire snuggled in next to him, talking didn’t seem to be important. She kept thinking she’d bring it up, but after hours of slow, delicious kissing in his arms, she still hadn’t managed to even start the conversation. Finally, she fell asleep. When she woke up, he was carrying her to her bed and tucking her in.

“Shane?” she murmured. He was leaning over her, close enough that his long, shaggy hair brushed her face.

“Still me,” he murmured back. “Were you expecting someone else?”

She smiled. “Just you.”

“Good girl.” He gave her a slow, damp kiss, one that made her warm down to her toes.

“Shane, I was thinking…”

“About?”

“About…” She didn’t want to do this—she really didn’t. Not when it had been so nice. So perfect. But she tried. “About leaving Morganville.”