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freedom. I won't do this."

The tension was ramping up fast. Claire swallowed. "Then let's make a deal," Claire said. "We want Kim, and whatever video she turned over to you."

Morley frowned at her. "In exchange for . . . ?"

"I'll ask Amelie to let you all leave."

"Asking is an easy task; there's no commitment required. Doing is accomplishment. So you will get Amelie to let us leave. Here is my incentive: if you don't manage to secure her permission, your two friends here sign lifetime contracts to me." Morley turned to Jacob and Patience, who nodded. "You see? Even they agree with that."

"Oh hell no," Eve said.

"And you are in a position to bargain . . . how?" Shane held out a hand toward Eve, trying to restrain her a little. "No lifetime contracts," he said. "One pint a month, blood bank only. Ten percent of our income."

"Hmmmmmm." Morley dragged the sound out, still staring through half-lidded eyes. "Tempting. But you see, I can simply insist on a lifetime contract with none of your silly restrictions, or kill you right now."

"You won't," Shane said. That made Morley's eyes open wide.

"Why not? Jacob and Patience were quite specific - they're concerned for Claire. Not for you, boy."

"Because if you kill me and Eve, you'll make her your enemy. This girl won't stop until she sees you all pay."

Claire had no idea whom he was talking about - she didn't feel like that Claire at all, until she imagined Shane and Eve lying dead on the ground.

Then she understood. "I'd hunt you down," she said quietly. "I'd use every resource I have to do it. And you know I'd win."

Morley seemed impressed. "She is small, but I see your point, boy. Besides, she has the ear of Amelie, Oliver, and Myrnin; not a combination I would care to test. Very well. Limited contract, one year, one pint per month at the blood bank, ten percent of your income payable to me, in cash. I will not hunt, bite, or trade your contracts. But I insist on standard punishment clauses."

"Hey," Eve said. "Don't I get a vote?"

"Absolutely," Morley assured her. "Your thoughts?"

"I'd rather die," she said flatly. Shane turned toward her, and from the look on his face, that was not at all what he'd expected her to say. "Don't look at me like that. I told you, I'll never sign a contract. Never. If Mor lock here wants to kill me, well, I can't stop him. But I don't have to die by inches, either, and that's what this town does to us, Shane; it takes little pieces of us away until there's nothing left and I won't sign!" Eve's eyes flooded with tears, but she wasn't scared; she was angry. "So bite me, vampire. Get it over with. But it's a one-time thrill."

Morley shrugged. "And you, boy?"

Shane pulled in a deep breath. "No deals if Eve doesn't buy in."

Claire's mouth tasted like ashes, and she was trying frantically to think of something, anything to do. She tried to build a portal behind them, but the system bounced her back, wouldn't let her so much as begin the process.

Ada.

She took Shane's hand in hers. "You'll have to kill me, too," she said. "And you can't. Not without consequences."

Morley looked positively unhappy now. "This is getting far too complicated. Fine, then we do it this way. I give you the video you're looking for, and if you don't manage to secure Amelie's permission within, let's say, a month, your friends' lives are forfeit. Yes?" When she hesitated, he bared his stained teeth. "It's not a question, really. And my patience is wearing thin. In fact, it's positively threadbare."

"Yes," Claire said.

He spit on his palm and held it out. They all just looked at him. "Well?" he demanded.

"I'm not shaking that," Shane said. "You just spit on it."

"It's the way deals are sealed - " Morley made a sound of frustration and wiped his palm against his filthy clothes. "Perhaps not anymore. Better?"

"Not really," Shane said.

Claire stepped forward and shook Morley's hand. She'd done worse.

He turned, dirty raincoat flapping, and the other vampires fell in behind him. Jacob Goldman held back, staring at Claire. He looked unhappy and tormented.

"I wouldn't have let him do it," he said. "Not to any of you. But you understand why I have to do this? For myself, and Patience?"

"I understand," Claire said. She didn't, really, but it seemed to make him feel better.

Claire, Eve, and Shane picked up