Bite Club Page 0,87

"I could do that. But not for free."

Amelie didn't seem too surprised. "Your price?"

"I want out of here."

"That will not happen. And you know it will not happen."

Kim smiled down at her lap--a secret, cynical kind of expression that made Claire feel a little tingle of alarm. "Oh, I don't know. You want to keep Morganville's big secret, right? How are you going to do that with millions of people watching vampires flashing fangs at each other on pay-per-view? Maybe most don't believe it, but maybe some do; maybe somebody decides to come check it out, like a news crew. Then where do you run?"

"Farther and faster than you can, Kim. You'd do well to remember that."

Kim said nothing. Amelie, after exchanging a look with Claire, shook her head. "Take her back to her cell, please. We're getting nowhere."

"Wait!" Kim said as the vampire behind her stepped forward. "Wait. You want these people, right? I can find them. I'm probably the only one in Morganville who has the skills!"

"I doubt that, but you are the one I have readily available."

"Then come on. What do I get for it?"

Amelie's eyes turned red--a muddy, rippling crimson that sent prickles of warning across Claire's skin, like the feeling before lightning strikes. "You get to survive this meeting with me, little girl. And I warn you, that possibility is fading with every unpleasant word you utter. Be careful."

"You wouldn't do it. You're likeher ." A flick of Kim's eyes included Claire in her scorn. "Full of talk, short on action."

Amelie smiled, very slowly. It was one of the most unsettling things Claire had ever seen her do...as if a

mask had been pulled away and somethingterrible looked out of her eyes. Kim saw it, too. Her handcuffs clicked as she tried instinctively to draw away. "Oh, child," Amelie said. "I have worked very diligently to achieve that image, because a ruler should be seen as just and fair and merciful. But you wouldnot like to see me take action. I am, after all, my father's daughter. Now. You will give me the help I require to trace this signal that Claire has found, and you will be grateful that I choose to allow you to continue in your presently comfortable state. Once you have demonstratedresults , we may discuss an improvement in your conditions."

Amelie rarely exerted the power that Claire knew she had, but she felt it now--heavy, suffocating, full of dread. It pressed down on everyone in the room; she even saw the other vampires shift uncomfortably.

But mostly it was directed at Kim, who crumbled like a sugar cookie. "Okay," she said, after about a second's delay of false bravado. "But I can't do it in here. I need access to the Internet."

"We can arrange that."

"And I need to get out of here. Just for a little while." Kim looked up, and Claire saw that, incredibly, she wasstill trying to bargain. Maybe she wasn't quite the sugar cookie, after all. "A day. Just a day. I need--I need to see the sun."

Amelie didn't move, and the dark atmosphere didn't let up, but finally she gave a regal nod and stepped back. It felt like a storm had passed without breaking, and Claire instinctively took in a deep breath, and heard Kim do the same. "A day," Amelie said. "First, you locate the source of this transmission for us. Then you will be supervisedclosely on your furlough. Mr. Martin will go with you--" Mr. Martin, the vampire standing behind Kim, inclined his head. "And Claire."

"Wait," Claire said, at the same time as Kim. They both had identical tones of alarm. Claire kept talking. "You're making me stay withher ?"

"You don't like her," Amelie said. "And therefore you won't give her any...breaks, I think you call them. At the first sign that Kim is misbehaving, tell Mr. Martin, if he doesn't know already, and she will be immediately returned to custody."

"But I--"

"No arguments," Amelie said. "The deal is done. Mr. Martin, arrange for the girl to have her Internet access, but I want it to be closely monitored. You are not to leave her for a moment. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Founder." Mr. Martin inclined his head. "What if she's unable to complete the task?"

"She has an hour," Amelie said. "If she can't solve the problem within that time frame, I no longer need her."

Kim, tough-chick 'tude or not, flinched at that pronouncement. There was no mistaking what it meant. "An hour's not enough time!"

"I sincerely hope