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Chapter One

It didnt happen, Claire told herself Its a bad dreaone like fog

She had her eyes squeezed tight shut Her ainst Shanes hot, solid side, curled up on the couch in the Glass House

Terrified

Its just a bad dream

But when she opened her eyes, her friend Michael was still dead on the floor in front of her

Shut those girls up, Shane, or I will, Shanes father snapped He was pacing the wooden floor, back and forth, hands clasped behind hi at Michaels body, shrouded under a thick, dusty velvet curtain, but it was all Claire could see, now that shed opened her eyes again It was as big as the world, and it wasnt a drea away Shanes dad was here, and he was terrifying, and Michael

Michael was dead Only Michael had already been dead, hadnt he? Ghostly Dead during the dayalive at night

Claire realized she was crying only when Shanes dad turned on her, staring with red-rimmed eyes She hadnt felt that scared when shed stared into vaanville was a scary place, generally, and the va

Shanes fatherMr Collinswas a tall, long-leggedenough to reach the collar of his leather jacket He had dark eyes Crazy eyes A scruffy beard And a huge scar running across his face, puckered and liver colored

Yeah, definitely scary Not a vampire, just a man, and that made him scary in whole different ways

She sniffled and wiped her eyes and quit crying Soured that voice had spoken inside of Shane, too, because Shane wasnt looking at the velvet-covered sprawl of his best friends body He atching his father His eyes were red, too, but there were no tears

Now Shane was scaring her, too

Eve, Shane said softly, and then, louder, Eve! Put a sock in it!

Their fourth rooainst the far wall by the bookcases, as far froet Knees up, head down, she was crying hard and hopelessly She looked up when Shane yelled her na one She had on her deaths-head Mary Jane shoes, Claire noticed She didnt knohy that seemed important

Eve looked completely lost, and Claire slipped off the couch and went to sit beside her They put their arms around each other Eve smelled of tears and sweat and some kind of sweet vanilla perfu Shock That hat they always said on TV, anyway Her skin felt cold

Shhhh, Claire whispered to her Michaels okay Its all going to be okay She didnt knohy she said thatit was a lie; it had to be a lie; theyd all seenwhat happenedbut soh, Eves sobbing slowed, then stopped, and she covered her face with shaking hands

Shane hadnt said anything else He was still watching his dad, with the kind of intense stare er If his dad noticed, he clearly didnt care He continued to pace, up and down The guys hed brought with hi slabs of muscle in black were standing in the corners, arms folded The one whod killed Michael looked bored as he flipped the knife in his fingers

Get up, Shanes dad said Hed stopped pacing, and was standing right in front of his son Dont you dare give me any crap, Shane I told you to stand up!

You didnt have to do that, Shane said, and slowly stood, feet slightly apart Ready to take (or give) a punch, Claire thought Michael wasnt any threat to you

Hes one of them Undead