warren williams is a vampire. a really old vampire who has integrated himself so well into human society, he can hold an office like chief of police and no one, except other supernaturals, knows the truth. the confrontation he and i had two months ago resulted in his retreating into a coma-like trance called "stasis." when the object of our conflict, avery, was eliminated, williams regained full health. he has tried to contact me, to mend fences, but i wasn't ready to see him.

i'm still not.

williams rises from the chair and holds out his hand. he seems to bear no scars from the fight we had. in fact, his gray-green eyes meet mine and i detect no malice simmering in their depths. all the same, i take his hand warily.

he smiles and says, "miss strong. nice to meet you. your mother tells me you've volunteered to help on campus today."

his thoughts project a different message. anna. we need to talk. avery's affairs must be settled. people are beginning to question his disappearance. the hospital wants to start an inquiry.

i drop his hand, smile and ignore the undercurrent. "nice to meet you, too." i glance at my mother, then back to him. "i don't know the particulars of barbara franco's death. i assume you're here to fill us in."

his eyes narrow, darken. you can't ignore this. i want you to meet me tonight. at avery's.

no. if that is the reason you are here today, you have made a mistake. you should have sent someone else. i will contact the hospital. i will send them avery's final message - his letter of resignation. that should buy us more time.

i move away from him and around the desk to stand beside my mother. "what happened to the girl?"

williams watches me for an instant. then the storm passes and his eyes settle once again into pools of calm. perhaps that will work. for now. but we must talk. about you.

he catches the imperceptible nod with which i acknowledge his remark. i know he's right. i need to end the nagging once and for all.

he catches that, too.

he gives me a cold smile and motions for mom and me to sit. there's another visitor's chair in the corner and i pull it over so that my mother and i are facing williams, the desk between us.

"barbara franco's body was discovered early yesterday morning by a jogger in cuyamaca state park," he begins. "she was beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. at this point, we have no suspects and no motive. she had no male or female lovers. there are no known sexual predators in her family or in their close circle of friends. at least none that we know of. we are, of course, looking into that."

he pauses a moment and looks at me.

instantly, i understand. a supernatural death?

there are indications. i have my people working on it. we'll know after the post mortem.

you will let me know?

i will be in contact.

all this passes between us in the length of a heartbeat. i feel my mother move restlessly beside me. i know she's battling with the decision we made last night to keep the information about trish and frey and the possible link to barbara's murder from the police. if barbara's death was caused by a supernatural, though, neither trish nor frey may have had anything to do with it.

and trish may be in greater danger than we imagined.

i speak before she can. "will you have people on campus all day?"

williams nods. "detectives will be questioning students and faculty. your mother has offered us the use of a counselor's office."

i put a hand on mom's arm. "let's let chief williams get his men set up. you need to address the faculty, don't you?"

she draws a deep breath and passes a hand over her face. "yes. chief williams, my secretary will take your detectives to the counseling office. would you like to say something to the faculty? or to the students when we meet later this morning?"

we've all risen from our chairs. williams considers the question for a moment. "i'd like to speak to the students, if it's all right. maybe one of her friends can shed some light on barbara's last day."

mom glances at her watch. "the student assembly is at nine. we've called a minimum day, so students will only be on campus until noon. that way if they wish to speak to a detective or counselor, they can do so this afternoon."

she shows the policemen out of her office and closes the door before turning back to me. "i should have told him about trish and frey."

i know the reason for her anxiety. i also know why she didn't say anything. a decision i agree with. "you didn't say anything because you don't want to involve trish until we know for sure what happened. you're protecting her. it's all right, mom."

"but what if she's in danger? god, anna. if anything happens to her and i could have prevented it - "

i put an arm around her shoulders. "carolyn is her mother and she asked us not to say anything. the police are on the case now. they're trained to investigate this type of crime. if frey is involved, they'll find that out, too. in the meantime, let me see what i can do. i've got david running a background check on frey, and i plan to follow him when he leaves campus today. remember, trish is a troubled teenager. her running away may have nothing to do with barbara."

there's a discreet knock on the door. mom's secretary is back, and she points at her watch. mom acknowledges the gesture and tugs at the hem of her suit coat.

"are you coming to the meeting?" she asks.

i nod. "i'll stand in back. before we go, though, can you get me that file on frey?"

mom shuffles some papers on her desk and retrieves a thick manila folder. "i pulled the file this morning." then, like an afterthought, she reaches into a bookcase behind her desk and pulls out the most recent of a string of yearbooks that fills the bottom shelf. she opens to the faculty section and points. "here's a picture of daniel frey." she glances up to meet the gaze of her secretary, standing expectantly by the door. "i'd better go."

her tension is palpable. i try to make my smile encouraging. she squeezes my arm in an acknowledgment of the effort and leaves me alone to study the photograph open on the desk.

it's a studio photograph, a head shot of a man in his late forties with short salt and pepper hair and a smile made perfect by generous lips and straight, white teeth. there is inherent strength in the face and a certain studied sensuality. daniel frey projects humor, sensitivity, intelligence and sexuality. a combination that would be irresistible to teenage girls.

hell, a combination irresistible to females of any age or species. the vibe i'm getting is strong enough to make me run my fingers over the page.

i snap the book shut and replace it on the shelf. i'll look at the file later. it's time to see if this guy is as good in person.

the faculty meeting is being held in the theater on campus. mom is up on the stage, her smooth, pale hair shimmering under the lights. she's composed, professional and concerned as she fills the staff in on what has happened to two of their students. one a murder victim, and one a possible runaway.

once again, i'm taken with how beautiful she is and how proud i am to be her daughter. three months ago i resented my parents and their inability to accept what i chose to do with my life. now, because i know our time is limited, my feelings have changed.

i shake away the melancholy and let my gaze sweep the room. daniel frey is easy to spot. he's in the middle of the auditorium, surrounded by female faculty members. his expression is serious, engaged, as he listens to my mother. suddenly he turns in his seat and his eyes go straight to mine.

hello, anna. i've looked forward to meeting you.

daniel frey is in my head.

i never felt it coming. one moment i'm thinking about my mother and the next, daniel frey is in my head. the shock knocks me off guard and raises the hair on the back of my neck. i'm exposed and vulnerable. any kind of weakness, whether it's surprise or fear, is a dangerous thing. something you learn very quickly as a vampire.

i shut down my thoughts, but i'm sure not quickly enough to prevent frey from knowing what i feel. he has turned away from me, looking back toward the front, his own thoughts as impenetrable as a cave on a moonless night.

a second jolt hits me as i realize that only once before have i been locked that completely out of another's thoughts. we vampires can conceal our thoughts from one another if we choose. but this is different. daniel frey is not human. nor is he a vampire.

he's like culebra.

and i don't know what that is.