‘Don’t be out,’ Anderson said. ‘Be home. Check the box you put it in before they leave, and then call me as soon as you’re alone and I will arrange for an escort. I want this device of yours put in the secured area as soon as possible, just in case it works as you say. Vampires don’t like us developing new weapons against them, Claire. I’ve seen others end up dead for simply talking about one, and you’ve actually made one. This is something that Amelie can’t, and won’t, ignore. I’m really surprised that Myrnin allowed this at all, and even more surprised that he hasn’t told Amelie about it.’

Claire thought, with a sudden burst of cold inside, about what had happened to Shane’s family when they’d left Morganville. Amelie had been dead set on keeping her secrets, and when Shane’s mother had begun remembering too much, talking too much, she’d ended up dead. It was pure luck that Shane and his father hadn’t died, too.

What she had done in developing this device – no, this weapon – was a whole lot worse than just blabbing about Morganville. It could be a real threat to them. To their very lives.

Dr Anderson was right. It was something the vampires wouldn’t ignore … and now that she was out of Morganville, accidents could happen. None of her friends would know the difference.

She was alone.

‘Hey,’ Dr Anderson said, and gave her a small, careful smile. ‘Easy. You look a little spooked.’

Claire nodded, unable to say much.

‘You got used to thinking of yourself as safe from them, didn’t you? That they were on your side. It’s easy to make that mistake. They will treat you as an asset, or even as a friend, right up until you cross the line and become a threat, Claire; you’ve already done that, even if they don’t know it yet. You’ve gone from Amelie’s subject to Amelie’s enemy, even though technically you’ve never turned against her … she won’t wait for the actual betrayal. Just the seeds of it are enough.’ Anderson’s eyes were still calculating, still cool. ‘Are you armed?’

‘No. It’s the real world. I didn’t think I needed to … there are laws against it, right?’

‘Would you rather be fined for carrying a concealed knife, or dead in an alley?’

‘Are those my only options?’

Dr Anderson’s smile warmed up, and the seriousness faded a bit. Just a bit. ‘Not necessarily, but I believe in planning for the worst case scenario.’

‘You’d really like my boyfriend Shane,’ Claire said. ‘Okay. I’m used to carrying a knife – silver, right?’

‘We have new processes that allow us to have just a silver layer on the edge. It’s more reliable and holds sharpness well.’ Dr Anderson walked to a locked cabinet and opened it with a palm print and complicated code punched into the keypad; she reached in and came out with a knife in a leather scabbard. It was dauntingly large, and when she handed it over, it felt heavier than Claire was used to carrying.