Whatever VLAD’s beams had done to Oliver, Jesse and Myrnin had mostly worn off. They looked, and sounded, more like themselves, less like cold-blooded killing machines. But Claire couldn’t quite forget what they’d been, back on the farm.

She knew she’d never forget it again. What they could be.

Michael and Eve chose to travel with her and Shane for a while, with the three other vamps and Dr Anderson in the second vehicle, and that should have felt normal again. Better.

But it didn’t.

Maybe it was just the exhaustion, the stress, the shattering weight of guilt, but Claire felt they were all trying to figure out how to talk to her. What to say.

She had no idea what to say either. Not for a long, long time.

Eve fiddled with the stereo, seeking out alt-rock stations until all that was left was static, and finally switched it off. Shane was napping by then, and Michael driving. Claire should have been sleeping too, but she couldn’t.

‘Claire?’

She opened her eyes, which had drifted closed, and saw Eve watching her from the front. ‘I’m awake.’

‘I just – look, I need to know. How much of what happened did you plan?’

‘When?’

‘From the time we came out from rescuing Liz from that trap. Did you even have a plan?’

‘I—’ Claire swallowed. Her throat felt suddenly dry, tight and uncomfortable. ‘Not until I knew Dr Anderson was against us. Then I had to – I had to play along. She knew too much. And she didn’t need anybody except the vampires, for lab tests. She only needed me as far as she could trust me, so I – I had to make her trust me, a little.’

‘You turned on us,’ Eve said. ‘You made Shane turn on us, too, didn’t you?’

‘I’m sorry,’ Claire whispered. ‘But it was all out of control, Eve. I didn’t know how else to do it.’

Eve stared at her for another long, painful moment, and then reached her hand back. Claire didn’t know what to do for a second, then she grabbed hold. ‘Don’t ever do it again,’ Eve said. ‘I don’t like feeling that way, okay? It’s the four of us, always. Promise.’

‘I promise,’ Claire said. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she cried a little, holding Eve’s hand. ‘I promise.’

Shane wasn’t asleep after all, because he sat up, put his arm around Claire, and said, ‘We promise.’

‘You’d better, jerkface,’ Eve said. ‘How’s the head?’

‘Taped,’ he said. ‘It’s fine. Chicks dig scars. Wait, did you just call me jerkface? Are we back in grade school?’

‘I love you,’ Eve said.

He closed his mouth, fast, because obviously that was not what he’d expected. ‘I, uh, okay. Love you too. Can we stop that? It’s uncomfortable.’

‘Jerkface.’

‘Much better.’