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her ear, shockingly close. "Never met the lady. You know who I am," a male voice said. "Don't you, Claire?"

She closed her eyes.

"Hello," she said, "Mr. Collins."

Chapter Nine

Shane's dad turned on an electric light overhead, and the sudden glare made Claire wince and blink. She looked down quickly at Dr. Mills to confirm that he was still breathing, and not moving. Good. She needed all her concentration right now.

Frank Collins looked the same as he had the last time she'd seen him alive, there in Bishop's office - thin, lean, with his long graying hair down around his face, only now he was paler. He looked like a man who'd lived hard and died the same way - and there was definitely a shadow in him that hadn't been there before. A crazy, scary shine in his eyes, like a silver film. He had a few things in common with Oliver, but where Oliver came across as tough, frightening, and ultimately rational, Collins missed that last one entirely.

He was way too close. Claire stayed very still, trying not to let her pulse pound too hard.

"I see what my son likes about you," Frank Collins said. "You're tougher than you look."

"Thanks," she said. "Now back off."

He laughed again. It echoed off of the stone, as if he'd brought three or four copies of himself to enjoy the show. "No," he said. "I don't think so. Never done it before. Never will." He paused "I'd like to talk to my son."

"Never going to happen," Claire said. "He doesn't want to talk to you."

Mr. Collins's smile showed more than teeth. His fangs slowly unfolded, and the edges caught the dim light. "You think he'd want you sucking plasma, too, sweet-heart? It would kill him if something like that happened. So you might try to be a little more polite."

She wanted to vomit at the thought of Frank Collins biting her. "He'll kill you," she said. "You know he would."

"Maybe he'd try." Frank shrugged. "He wouldn't hurt you, though. I know my boy well enough to know how head over heels he is for you. He'd never touch a hair on your pretty little head. You're his weakness, Claire."

That was sickeningly true. Shane would do anything to save Claire. He'd even let his father turn him into a vampire - which might be what Freaky Frank was thinking about.

She couldn't let that happen. No way.

Claire slowly let the duffel bag she was holding thump down to the floor, and took stock of what she had to work with. Not much. Frank Collins had been turned by Bishop; he wasn't sick. She had no hope of curing him, or even treating him. This was his natural state of crazy.

Her backpack.

Claire let it slide down her arm, hoping that he'd think she was getting ready to make a run for it. It'd be useless to do that; she'd never make it.

Plus, he'd enjoy the chase.

As her backpack caught in the crook of her elbow, she grabbed the front zipper. Gravity helped her pull it down as the weight sagged forward.

Oh, crap.

The stakes weren't in the front pocket. She'd put them in the bigger interior, with her books. There was nothing in the front pocket but some paper clips, a highlighter, and half a candy bar. She didn't think bribing him with chocolate would get it done.

"Relax," Shane's dad said. "I'll let you go."

That seemed . . . too good to be true, but Claire was willing to take it and run. "Thanks," she said, and bent to grab Dr. Mills to pull him toward the portal.

"I didn't say he could go," Frank said, his smile full-tilt crazy. "I deserve a little bonus for being so accommodating."

Claire could feel her heart pounding now, even through the layers of calming drugs that Hannah had dosed her with before. Everything seemed to slow down. She didn't pause to think. She threw all her strength into grabbing the pack in both hands, twirling in place like a shot-putter, and slamming the pack into Frank Collins's back.

There were a lot of books in there, and physics was something not even vampires could ignore, especially when it hit them full force. Frank went sprawling. Claire grabbed Dr. Mills by one arm and dragged him toward the spot where Ada had been standing.

Ada flickered back into existence as she approached. The speaker in Claire's phone activated and Ada shouted, "Leave the man; get the bags!"

"Bite me," Claire snapped. She heaved, got Dr.