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Chapter One

CLAIRE

Shane's lips felt like velvet against the nape of her neck, and Claire shivered in delight as his breath warh Her boyfriend's body felt solid and safe, and his ar her in comfort He was taller than she was, so he had to bend to rest his chin on her shoulder and whisper, "You sure about this?"

Claire nodded "You got the overdue notice, didn't you? It's this or they come to collect You don't want that"

"Well, you don't have to be here," he pointed out - not for the first time today "Don't you have classes?"

"Not today," she said "I had an oh-my-God am lab, but now I'm all done"

"Okay, then, you don't have to do this because you're tax-exempt"

By tax-exempt, he meant that she didn't have to payin blood Taxes in Morganville were collected three ways: the polite way, via the collection center don, or the not-so-polite hen the Bloodmobile showed up like a sleek black shark at your front door, with Men in Black - style "technicians" to ensure you did your civic duty

The third as by force, in the dark, when you ventured out un-Protected and got bitten

Vampires A total pain in the neck - literally

Shane was entirely right: Claire had a legal document that said she was free from the responsibility of donations The popular wisdoh blood to Morganville

Of course, so had Shanebut he hadn't always been on the vampires' side, at the time

"I know I don't have to do it," she said "I want to I'll go with"

"In case you're worried, I'"

"Hey!" She s? That I'?"

"Eeek," Shane said "Nothing Right, Aet the point"

Claire turned in his arms and kissed him, a sweet burst of heat as their lips met The lovely joy of that released a burst of bubbles inside her, bubbles full of happiness God, she loved this Loved hih year, and he'dstumbled, was the best way she could think of it Shane had dark streaks, and he'd struggled with the

But he'd worked so hard to make it up - not just to her, but to everyone he felt he'd let down Michael, his best (vampire) friend Eve, his other (nonvampire) best friend (and Claire's best friend, too) Even Claire's parents had gotten genuine attention: he'd gone with her to see them twice, with exit permission from the vampires, and he'd been earnest and steady even under her father's stern cross-examination

He wanted to be different She knew that

When the kiss finally ended, Shane had a drugged, vague look in his eyes, and he seeo of her "You know," he said, , waro ho them suck our blood Try it tomorrow"

"Blood you down You really want that?"

He shuddered "Hell, no Okay, right, after you" They were standing on the sidewalk of Morganville's blood bank, with its big cheerful blood-drop character sign and scrupulously clean public entrance Claire pecked hihtly on the cheek, escaped before he could pull her close again, and pushed the door open

Inside, the place looked like they'd given it a htly, warmly lit than the last time she'd been in, and the new furniture looked comfortable and homey They'd even installed a tank full of colorful tropical fish flitting around living coral Nice Clearly, the va to put forth their best efforts to reassure the hue

The lady sitting behind the counter looked up and smiled She was human, and sort of motherly, and she pulled Claire's records and raised her thin, graying eyebrows "Oh," she said "You know, you're entirely paid up for the year There's no need - "