ut I could feel that Fred was hesitant ready to bolt if
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this was something other than an allyoucaneat smorgasbord。 It seemed like he didn’t trust Riley any more than I did。 We didn’t swim long； and then we saw the others kicking upward。 Fred and I surfaced last； and Riley started talking as soon as our heads were out of the water； like he’d been waiting for us。 He must have been more aware of Fred than the others were。 “There she is；” he said； waving toward a large ferry chugging south； probably making the last muter run of the night down from Canada。 “Give me a minute。 When the power goes out； she’s all yours。” There was an excited murmur。 Someone giggled。 Riley was off like a shot； and seconds later we saw him fly up the side of the big boat。 He headed straight for the control tower on top of the ship。 Silencing the radio was my bet。 He could say all he wanted about these enemies being our reason for caution； but I was sure there was more to it than that。 Humans weren’t supposed to know about vampires。 At least； not for very long。 Just long enough for us to kill them。 Riley kicked a big plateglass window out of his way and disappeared into the tower。 Five seconds later； the lights went out。 I realized Raoul was already gone。 He must have submerged so we wouldn’t hear him swimming after Riley。 Everyone else took off； and the water churned as if an enormous school of barracuda were attacking。 Fred and I swam at a relatively leisurely pace behind them。 In a funny way； it was like we were some old married couple。
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We never talked； but we still did things at exactly the same time。 We got to the boat about three seconds later； and already the air was full of shrieks and the warm scent of blood。 The smell made me realize exactly how thirsty I was； but that was the last thing I realized。 My brain shut down pletely。 There was nothing but fiery pain in my throat and the delicious bloodblood everywhere promising to put that fire out。 When it was over and there wasn’t a heart left beating on the whole ship； I wasn’t sure how many people I’d personally killed。 More than triple the number I’d ever had on a hunting trip before； easy。 I felt hot and flushed。 I’d drunk long past the point at which my thirst was totally slaked； just for the taste of the blood。 Most of the blood on the ferry was clean and lusciousthese passengers had not been dregs。 Though I hadn’t held back； I was probably at the low end of the kill count。 Raoul was so surrounded by mangled bodies that they actually made a little hill。 He sat on top of his pile of the dead and laughed loudly to himself。 He wasn’t the only one laughing。 The dark boat was full of sounds of delight。 I heard Kristie say； “That was amazing three cheers for Riley！” Some of her crowd put up a raucous chorus of hurrahs like a bunch of happy drunks。 Jen and Kevin swung onto the view deck； dripping wet。 “Got ’em all； boss；” Jen called to Riley。 So some people must have tried to swim for it。 I hadn’t noticed。 I looked around for Fred。 It took me a while to find him。 I finally realized that I couldn’t look directly at the back corner by the vending machines； and I headed that way。 At first I felt like
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the rocking ferry was making me seasick； but then I got close enough that the feeling faded and I could see Fred standing by the window。 He smiled at me quickly； and then looked over my head。 I followed his gaze and saw that he was watching Riley。 I got the feeling that he’d been doing this for some time。 “Okay； kids；” Riley said。 “You’ve had a taste of the sweet life； but now we’ve got work to do！” They all roared enthusiastically。 “I’ve got three last things to tell you and one of those things involves a little dessert so let’s sink this scow and get home！” With laughter mixed in with the snarls； the army went to work dismantling the boat。 Fred and I bailed out the window and watched the demo from a short distance。 It didn’t take long for the ferry to crumple in the middle with a loud groan of metal。 The midsection went down first； with both the bow and the stern twisting up to point to the sky。 They sank one at a time； the stern beating the bow by a few seconds。 The school of barracuda headed toward us。 Fred and I started swimming for shore。 We ran home with the others though keeping our distance。 A couple of times Fred looked at me like he had something he wanted to say； but each time he seemed to change his mind。 Back at the house； Riley let the celebratory mood wind down。 Even after a few hours had passed； he still had his hands full trying to get everyone serious again。 For once it wasn’t a fight he was trying to defuse； just high spirits。 If Riley’s promises were false； as I thought； he was going to have an issue when the ambush was over。 Now that all these vampires had really feasted； they weren’t going to go back to any measure of
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restraint very easily。 For tonight； though； Riley was a hero。 Finally a while after I would have guessed that the sun was up outside everyone was quiet and paying attention。 From their faces； it seemed they were ready to hear just about anything he had to say。 Riley stood halfway up the stairs； his face serious。 “Three things；” he began。 “First； we want to be sure we get the right coven。 If we accidentally run across another clan and slaughter them； we’ll tip our hand。 We want our enemies overconfident and unprepared。 There are two things that mark this coven； and they’re pretty hard to miss。 One； they look differentthey have yellow eyes。” There was a murmur of confusion。 “Yellow？” Raoul repeated in a disgusted tone。 “There’s a lot of the vampire world out there that you haven’t encountered yet。 I told you these vampires were old。 Their eyes are weaker than ours yellowed with age。 Another advantage to our side。” He nodded to himself as if to say； one down。 “But other old vampires exist； so there is another way that we’ll know them for sure… and this is where the dessert I mentioned es into play。” Riley smiled slyly and waited a beat。 “This is going to be hard to process；” he warned。 “I don’t understand it； but I’ve seen it for myself。 These old vampires have gone so soft that they actually keep as a member of their coven a pet human。” His revelation was met by blank silence。 Total disbelief。 “I knowhard to swallow。 But it’s true。 We’ll know it’s definitely them because a human girl will be with them。”
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“Like… how？” Kristie asked。 “You mean they carry meals around with them or something？” “No； it’s always the same girl； just the one； and they don’t plan to kill her。 I don’t know how they manage it； or why。 Maybe they just like to be different。 Maybe they want to show off their selfcontrol。 Maybe they think it makes them look stronger。 It makes no sense to me。 But I’ve seen her。 More than that； I’ve smelled her。” Slow and dramatic； Riley reached into his jacket and pulled out a small ziplock bag with red fabric wadded up inside。 “I’ve done some recon in the past few weeks； checking the yelloweyes out as soon as they got near the area。” He paused to throw us a paternal look。 “I watch out for my kids。 Anyway； when I could tell that they were moving on us； I grabbed this”he brandished the bag “to help us track them。 I want you all to get a lock on this scent。” He handed the bag to Raoul； who opened the plastic zipper and inhaled deeply。 He glanced up at Riley with a startled look。 “I know；” Riley said。 “Amazing； right？” Raoul handed the bag to Kevin； his eyes narrowing in thought。 One by one； each vampire sniffed the bag； and everyone reacted with wide eyes but little else。 I was curious enough that I sidled away from Fred until I could feel a hint of the nausea and knew I was outside his circle。 I crept forward until I was next to the SpiderMan kid； who seemed to be at the tail end of the line。 He sniffed inside the bag when it was his turn and then seemed about to hand it back to the kid who had given it to him；
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but I held my hand out and hissed quietly。 He did a double takealmost like he’d never see me beforeand handed me the bag。 It looked like the red fabric was a shirt。 I stuck my nose in the opening； keeping my eyes on the vampires near me； just in case； and inhaled。 Ah。 I understood the expressions now and felt a similar one on my face。 Because the human who had worn this shirt had seriously sweet blood。 When Riley said dessert； he was dead right。 On the other hand； I was less thirsty than I’d ever been。 So while my eyes widened in appreciation； I didn’t feel enough pain in my throat to make me grimace。 It would be awesome to taste this blood； but in that exact moment； it didn’t hurt me that I couldn’t。 I wondered how long it would take for me to get thirsty again。 Usually； a few hours after feeding； the pain would start to e back； and then it would just get worse and worse untilafter a couple of days it was impossible to ignore it even for a second。 Would the excessive amount of blood I’d just drunk delay that？ I guessed I’d see pretty soon。 I glanced around to make sure no one was waiting for the bag； because I thought Fred would probably be curio