illed so deeply into all of us the threat of burning； of a
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return of that hideous pain we’d all experienced once。 That was the reason we could stop ourselves。 Selfpreservation； the only instinct stronger than thirst。 So the threat kept us together。 There were other hiding places； like Diego’s cave； but who else thought about that kind of thing？ We had a place to go； a base； so we went to it。 Clear heads were not a vampire specialty。 Or； at least； they weren’t the specialty of young vampires。 Riley was clearheaded。 Diego was more clearheaded than I was。 Those cloaked vampires were terrifyingly focused。 I shuddered。 So the routine wouldn’t control us forever。 What would they do when we were older； clearer？ It struck me that nobody was older than Riley。 Everyone here was new。 She needed a bunch of us now for this mystery enemy。 But what about afterward？ I had a strong feeling that I didn’t want to be around for that part。 And I suddenly realized something stupendously obvious。 It was the solution that had tickled the edges of my understanding before； when I was tracking the vampire herd to this place with Diego。 I didn’t have to be around for that part。 I didn’t have to be around for one more night。 I was a statue again as I thought over this stunning idea。 If Diego and I hadn’t known where the gang was most likely headed； would we ever have found them？ Probably not。 And that was a big group leaving a wide trail。 What if it were a single vampire； one who could leap up onto the land； maybe into a tree； without leaving a trail at the edge of the water…。 Just one； or maybe two vampires who could swim as far out to sea as
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they wanted… Who could return to land anywhere… Canada； California； Chile； China… You would never be able to find those two vampires。 They would be gone。 Disappeared like they’d gone up in smoke。 We didn’t have to e back the other night！ We shouldn’t have！ Why hadn’t I thought of it then？ But… would Diego have agreed？ I was abruptly not so sure of myself。 Was Diego more loyal to Riley after all？ Would he have felt it was his responsibility to stand by Riley？ He’d known Riley a lot longer he’d really only known me a day。 Was he closer to Riley than he was to me？ I pondered that； frowning。 Well； I would find out as soon as we had a minute alone。 And then maybe； if our secret club really meant something； it wouldn’t matter what our creator had planned for us。 We could disappear； and Riley would have to make do with nieen vampires； or make some new ones quick。 Either way； not our problem。 I couldn’t wait to tell Diego my plan。 My gut instinct was that he would feel the same。 Hopefully。 Suddenly； I wondered if this was what had really happened to Shelly and Steve and the other kids who had disappeared。 I knew they hadn’t burned in the sun。 Had Riley only claimed he’d seen their ashes as another way to keep the rest of us afraid and dependent on him？ Returning home to him every dawn？ Maybe Shelly and Steve had just set off on their own。 No more Raoul。 No enemies or armies threatening their immediate future。
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Maybe that’s what Riley had meant by lost to the sun。 Runaways。 In which case； he’d be happy that Diego hadn’t bailed； right？ If only Diego and I had taken off！ We could be free； too； like Shelly and Steve。 No rules； no fear of the sunrise。 Again； I imagined the whole horde of us on the loose without a curfew。 I could see Diego and me moving like ninjas through the shade。 But I could also see Raoul； Kevin； and the rest； sparkling discoball monsters in the center of a busy downtown street； the bodies piling up； the screaming； the helicopters whirring； the soft； helpless cops with their dinky little bullets that wouldn’t make a dent； the cameras； the panic that would spread so fast as the pictures bounced swiftly around the globe。 Vampires wouldn’t be a secret for very long。 Even Raoul couldn’t kill people fast enough to keep the story from spreading。 There was a chain of logic here； and I tried to grasp it before I could be distracted again。 One； humans didn’t know about vampires。 Two； Riley encouraged us to be inconspicuous； not to attract the notice of humans and educate them otherwise。 Three； Diego and I had decided that all vampires must be following that guideline； or else the world would know about us。 Four； they must have a reason for doing so； and it wasn’t the little popguns of the human police that motivated them。 Yeah； the reason must be pretty important to make all vampires hide all day long in stuffy basements。 Maybe reason enough to make Riley and our creator lie to us； terrify us about the burning sun。 Maybe it was a
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reason Riley would explain to Diego； and since it was so important and he was so responsible； Diego would promise to keep the secret and they would be cool with that。 Sure they would。 But what if what actually happened to Shelly and Steve was that they’d discovered the shiny skin thing and not run？ What if they’d gone to Riley？ And； crap； there went the next step in my logical path。 The chain dissolved and I started panicking about Diego again。 As I stressed； I realized that I’d been thinking things through for a while。 I could feel dawn ing on。 No more than an hour away。 So where was Diego？ Where was Riley？ As I thought this； the door opened and Raoul leaped down the stairs； laughing with his buddies。 I hunched down； leaning closer to Fred。 Raoul didn’t notice us。 He looked at the crispy fried vampire in the center of the floor and laughed harder。 His eyes were brilliant red。 On the nights Raoul went hunting； he never came home till he had to。 He would keep feeding as long as he could。 So dawn must have been even closer than I’d thought。 Riley must have demanded that Diego prove his words。 That was the only explanation。 And they were waiting for the dawn。 Only… that would mean that Riley didn’t know the truth； that our creator was lying to him； too。 Or did it？ My thoughts twisted up again。 Kristie showed up minutes later with three of her gang。 She reacted indifferently to the pile of ashes。 I did a quick head count as two more hunters hurried through the door。 Twenty vampires。 Everyone was home except Diego and Riley。 The
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sun would rise at any moment。 The door at the top of the basement stairs creaked as someone opened it。 I sprang to my feet。 Riley entered。 He shut the door behind him。 He walked down the stairs。 No one followed。 Before I could process this； Riley roared out an animalistic shriek of rage。 He was staring down at the ashy remains on the floor； his eyes bulging in fury。 Everyone stood silent； immobile。 We’d all seen Riley lose his temper； but this was something different。 Riley spun and raked his fingers through a blaring speaker； then ripped it from the wall and hurled it across the room。 Jen and Kristie dodged out of the way as it exploded into the far wall； sending up a cloud of pulverized drywall dust。 Riley smashed the sound system with his foot； and the thudding bass went silent。 Then he leaped to where Raoul stood； and grabbed him by the throat。 “I wasn’t even here！” Raoul yelled； looking afraidI’d never seen that before。 Riley growled hideously and threw Raoul as he’d thrown the speaker。 Jen and Kristie jumped out of the way again。 Raoul’s body crashed right through the wall； leaving an enormous hole。 Riley caught Kevin by the shoulder andwith a familiar screech ripped off his right hand。 Kevin cried out in pain and tried to twist out of Riley’s grip。 Riley kicked him in the side。 Another harsh shriek and Riley had the rest of Kevin’s arm。 He tore the arm in half at the elbow and threw the pieces hard into
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Kevin’s anguished face smack； smack； smack； like a hammer striking stone。 “What is wrong with you？” Riley screamed at us。 “Why are you all so stupid？” He made a grab for the blond SpiderMan kid； but that kid leaped out of his way。 His jump left him too close to Fred； and he stumbled back toward Riley again； gagging。 “Do any of you have a brain？” Riley smacked a kid named Dean into the entertainment center； shattering it； then caught another girl Sara and tore her left ear and a handful of hair from her head。 She snarled in anguish。 It became suddenly obvious that Riley was doing a very dangerous thing。 There were a lot of us in here。 Already Raoul was back； with Kristie and Jen usually his enemies flanking him defensively。 A few others banded together in clusters around the room。 I wasn’t sure if Riley was aware of the threat or if his rant came to an end naturally。 He took a deep breath。 He tossed Sara her ear and the hair。 She recoiled away from him； licking the torn edge of her ear； coating it with venom so that it would reattach。 There was no remedy for the hair； though； Sara was going to have a bald spot。 “Listen to me！” Riley said； quiet but fierce。 “All our lives depend on you listening to what I’m saying now and thinking！ We are all going to die。 Every one of us； you and me； too； if you can’t act like you have brains for just a few short days！” This was nothing like his usual lectures and pleadings for
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control。 He definitely had everyone’s attention。 “It’s time for