I probably should have gone back to school when Elias asked where I wanted to go. I could have used the steadiness of my normal routine. Unfortunately, it was too late for that now.

I ducked through the narrow pa.s.sage to where the sentry waited. She frowned at my approach. "Who goes there?" she actually asked.

"Anastasija Ramses Parker," I said, trying to sound authoritative as I added, "Vampire princess."

We stared at each other. I waited for her to step out of my way so I could slip past, but she didn't. Was I supposed to ask for permission to leave? I wondered if she was human, like the boy, and if I could push her out of the way if need be. "Uh, I need to go," I said.

She frowned. I'd obviously m.u.f.fed protocol, but she nodded and stepped aside. "As you wish, Your Highness."

I slid past her, with a nod of acknowledgment.

She stuck her head into the pa.s.sageway as though looking for something else. "No escort?"

"He's asleep," I explained. To her skeptical look, I added, "I'll be okay. Anyway, I'll be back."

She seemed on the verge of protesting, but I could see from her expression she was torn. Clearly, she had to guard the cave, but she didn't like me leaving, particularly on my own. Eventually, she shrugged. "G.o.dspeed, Your Highness."

"Uh, thanks," I murmured as I began retracing our steps.

Luckily, our feet had made tracks in the sandy riverbank. I shone my beam on them. Once again, I was struck by how much like a natural river the underground stream looked. Its edges snaked to and fro, and the walls of the surrounding cave were more like cliffs, rising straight upward. In places, the wall jutted outward and I had to hang on to the stone to avoid stepping in the water.

I came to the turnoff. Crawling through that hole brought me back to the railroad tracks. I'd been hoping to follow our footprints, but to my dismay, I discovered trails leading both ways. Had we come from the right or left? My sense of direction was pretty good as long as I had the sun to steer by. In the dark, I was completely disoriented.

I'd just have to guess. At least I remembered we hadn't come far. If I didn't come across creepy boy with the flashlights soon, I'd turn around and backtrack.

I tried not to remember the stories of the kids who died after being lost in the Wabasha caves. Seemed like every year the Pioneer Press reported about some idiots who'd gone in urban spelunking never to return. Of course, now I wondered, had they come across a vampire lair and been dispatched by a sentry? After all, some of the bodies were never found.

As I walked, the quality of light seemed to change. It appeared grayer, more infused with sun. Conversely, the air had grown heavy with a foul, sour scent, like human urine. Shining my light on the walls revealed gang-style graffiti. The ground was littered with abandoned beer bottles, cigarette stubs, aluminum cans, and other more disgusting, less identifiable garbage. I knew I'd taken a wrong turn, and was about to head back when I heard a loud rattle and whine of a diesel engine. Other traffic noises followed, along with a fresh burst of city-scented breeze.

I must be coming to an alternate exit. I decided to press on, at least as far as the turn up ahead. If I could see a way out from there, I'd take it. The turn revealed a split in the tracks. One tunnel disappeared back under the city; the other led to sunlight. The only problem? The exit was blocked by an iron fence, with bars shaped like a grid.

Undeterred, I inspected the fence. After all, it was obvious by the graffiti and other trash that people had come this way before. Sure enough, someone had loosened the bottom corner. I was able to tug the rusty section aside. I wouldn't fit with my backpack, but with some clever maneuvering I was able to pull it through after me. Of course, where I'd had to shimmy on my belly, my clothes now stank of . . . something I tried really hard not to think about.

Gross!

I shook myself out as best as possible and scrammed out into fresh air, such as it was. I'd come out somewhere near Lower-town, near the rail yards. It still drizzled slightly, and the sky remained a disheartening gray. The traffic sounds were coming from the Mound's View Bridge far overhead as tires hissed on the rain-drenched asphalt. The railroad stretched along the banks of a valley nestled among sandstone cliffs. Empty train cars sat on the tracks, their sides festooned with cra.s.s urban art. Sandpipers skipped along the tracks, and pigeons burst into flight in excited, chaotic circles at every noise. A barge horn sounded from the Mississippi, which was visible between the cars.

I headed in the direction of the river. I knew Shepard Road or one of those other streets dipped down into this strange no-person's land between downtown and the East Side. Mom had accidentally taken us here once when we were trying to get to the science museum's entrance.

It was going to be a long hike. Though I could see the road, it was a ways up into downtown. At least I could catch a city bus there. When I'd decided not to go for my driver's license, I made sure to get a monthly bus pa.s.s. As I walked, I flipped open my phone. Finally, bars!

The first person I replied to was Nikolai. I said yes and asked for details. Oh, and could he pick me up somewhere that wasn't home? I explained I was fighting with Mom.

Then, I asked Taylor how the rest of the day was going at school. Was I a total outcast now? Did she think I could ever show my face?

To the rest of the curious nonclose friends, I tried to decide how to "spin" the Thompson incident. I mean, maybe there was a way to explain it that wouldn't involve the word "vampire" or a plea of temporary insanity.

Maybe I should cop to my crush on him? Would people believe I kissed him out of kindness and then got so embarra.s.sed I ran away? I nodded to myself as I dashed across the street to the steep sidewalk. My legs strained at the steep incline as I replied to everyone with the same lie.

Sure, I felt dishonest, but, look, no one would believe me if I told them the truth: I licked Thompson's tasty blood because I found out last night that I'm half vampire, and a princess no less! No way. Would you believe that?

Anyway, I could suffer the ribbing I'd get for being the dorky geek-freak who swooned over a dumb jock. It was the sort of thing that was expected in high school. Being a vampire? Not so much.

Especially when part of being a vampire involved naked cave sleeping. It seemed kind of creepy and alien. Maybe as a half vamp I could be excused from the nudist spelunking? I glanced up at the sky. Afternoon had always been my low point, bio-rhythmically speaking, but I didn't feel compelled to sleep the day away.

At least I never had in the past.

Of course, before today, I'd never sprouted fangs either.

Finally, I reached the top of the steep hill, which brought me to the lowest part of downtown St. Paul. Hotels and office buildings stretched skyward. White-collar workers huddled near back doors on smoke breaks. I walked up toward the main post office, pa.s.sing under a covered bridge made of stone. I never knew what it was for or if it was still in use, but it looked like an early attempt at a skyway, though I thought maybe it was left over from the days when this part of the city was a more bustling port, perhaps to transfer cargo or goods to rail or shipping lines.

Rain misted my face. I shrugged deeper into my jacket. I checked my phone for the time. School was just about out. I wondered what Bea was doing, and if Mr. Martinez had noticed my absence. Would Taylor and Bea still meet at her locker? What would they talk about?

Just then, a text appeared from Bea. The sound of it ringing through nearly made me drop the phone. Talk about spooky timing. I was just thinking about her. Of course, it could be more than a coincidence. It could be magic. She was a full True Witch now. Maybe she'd sensed my thoughts?

I stared at the phone. Should I open it? How mad was she? Although at least she wasn't completely shunning me--that was good, right?

The light changed, so I dashed across the wide, four-lane street. I wasn't sure I was up to Bea drama right now, so I shoved the phone into my pocket.

Dark skies reflected off gray buildings. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my raincoat trying to warm them.

I thought about Nikolai. I knew he was a freshman at the university studying, what? Was it music? Or something like business? I couldn't remember now, but I knew he had an apartment with some other college students. Had he gotten my message? Did he really want to go out with me tonight?

My mom was probably coming home for a late lunch before heading off for her St. Thomas cla.s.s. Had she noticed the missing stuff? Had school called to report me truant?

As if in answer to my question, the phone rang. It was Nik. More magic summoning?

"Hey," I said, trying to sound cool and not out of breath when I answered.

"Hey, yourself." His voice sounded warm and familiar. I found myself smiling at the sound of it. "I got your text. I can pick you up anywhere. What's going on with your mom?"

The nice thing about Nikolai was that I didn't have to lie to him about anything. "This whole half-vampire thing has her freaked-out. I sensed her trying to put a compulsion spell on me this morning to try to keep me under house arrest until next full moon. She wants me to try the Initiation again."

"That's crazy," he agreed. "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. But I'm glad you want to do something tonight. I, uh, could really use someone to talk to."

"Where are you? Do you want to come over now and hang out?"

Did I ever! "That would be great."

NIKOLAI PULLED UP NEXT TO the bus stop. With a self-conscious look at the other people waiting, I scooted into his car. He had the heat on to defog the windshield, but it felt divine compared with the wet chill outside. I buckled in and he took off with a rattling roar.

"Thanks for picking me up," I said, wedging my backpack between my knees.

He gave me a stern look, like he was trying to be professorial or parental--which so did not work with those dark lashes and liquid gold eyes. "Should I ask why you're not at school?"

Did I explain to the vampire hunter about Thompson? "No?"

That surprised him, and his teasing smile disappeared. "Oh. Okay."

Now I felt bad. I chewed my fingernail. "It's a vampire thing," I said cautiously.

"And you don't want to tell me because I'm a hunter, right?"

I nodded.

The car moved in stops and starts through downtown. There weren't a lot of cars on the street, but the lights were badly timed. We'd get started just in time to slow for the next intersection. He didn't say anything for a long time. The windshield wipers beat out a slow tempo.

"Ever since the Initiation, my dad has been pushing me to ramp up my training," he said. "I think the number of vampires surprised everyone. People had largely a.s.sumed that there just weren't that many in the 'New World.' "

I didn't say anything, though my mind drifted back to the pile of unearthly, inert white bodies in the underground cavern.

Our eyes met briefly, but he looked away quickly. The wipers thumped in time to my heartbeat. "I liked the idea of being a hunter a lot better when I didn't think I'd ever have to actually kill a vampire."

I released the breath I was holding.

"It's hard," he continued, talking almost as if to himself. "You have no idea the amount of hatred I grew up with, and I didn't even realize it. It's hard to shake all the bigotry and the sense of the enemy. But then, here you are."

He looked at me then, and something made my heart thump against my chest.

"I've had a crush on you for so long," he said. "And the first time I finally connect with you, it turns out you're a dhampyr. And it kind of blew my mind, you know? I had to rethink so much."

"Are you going to quit?"

He let out a bitter laugh. "It's not that easy. The hunter mantle is pa.s.sed down through the generations. I'm an only child. I can't just cast it aside."

"And I'm the princess of the vampires," I said. "I guess we're the lucky ones."

NIKOLAI'S APARTMENT TURNED OUT TO be the top floor of a house in the shadow of the Witch's Hat, a city water tower in the shape of a medieval turret with a conical roof. The affluent, quirky neighborhood was just on the "wrong"--as in Minneapolis--side of the border between the two cities. I admired the caretaker's wild gardening style as Nikolai unlocked the door.

I was surprised to discover we were alone. At my questioning eyebrow, he said, "My roommates have late-afternoon cla.s.ses."

"Oh," I said, surprised at how small my voice sounded. I'd been alone with guys before, but never one quite so much older. I wondered what he expected. Would he make a move on me? Did I want him to?

The door opened to a secondary interior door and a set of ratty carpet-covered stairs. Nikolai headed up the stairs. They turned at a landing, where someone had hung a life-sized poster of that guy from Heroes as Spock. "I liked that movie," I said, trying to make conversation.

"Huh? " Nik gave the poster a glance, and then said, "Oh, that's Stevie's. She's our resident nerd."

She?

Nik used his keys to open the top door. With a flourish, he flung it open. "Welcome to chez Nikolai."

I was impressed.

I'd sort of been expecting the typical bachelor pad, but Nikolai and his roomies had better taste . . . at least upon first impression. The first room was a large window-filled living area. If it had been that sort of day, the place would have been flooded with light. The wraparound couches matched the easy chairs, and they all looked relatively new and stain free. A gla.s.s-topped coffee table held an arrangement of dried flowers, but scattered on the top were piles of the latest manga t.i.tles and Marvel comics.

Through an archway was a room typically designated as a dining room, but Nik and his friends had clearly declared it the entertainment center. Game consoles, TVs, stereos, and such crammed the walls. What wasn't electronics was bookshelves overflowing with DVDs, CDs, paperback books, more graphic novels and comics, and even someone's vinyl collection. Two doors were visible. One led to a kitchen that seemed piled with pizza boxes and take-out containers, and the other led to a murky hallway and, likely, bedrooms and a bathroom.

"So what do you think?"

"I can't wait to live on my own," I said. "I would love a place like this."

"Let me show you the rest," he said.

I was a little nervous, but he took me by the hand with an excited smile. The darkened hallway did lead to a bathroom, which I glanced at and thought: a lot of boys live here. But after waving in the direction of John and Stevie's room, which I only glimpsed through a beaded curtain, Nik pointed to another set of stairs. "Mike and I get the attic. Wait till you see it. It's awesome."

The attic stairs were narrow and steep, but Nik flicked on a light halfway up that illuminated a wide-open s.p.a.ce. The wood plank floors had been finished and polished to a warm glow. The ceiling was high enough for me to stand upright, and full of the exposed beams of a pitched roof. Two skylights had been built into the ceiling. Fresh air poured in from where they were cranked open. Each boy had staked out a dormer with a futon and an arrangement of antique dressers.

It was kind of cool.

And very, very intimate.

I could tell right away which s.p.a.ce must be Nikolai's. He had a shiny black and chrome electric guitar propped up by his futon frame. Schoolbooks lay piled on the floor along with papers and a laptop.

Casually, he sat on his bed, and patted a spot for me to sit. I wanted to say I'd prefer to hang out in the living room, but that wasn't entirely true. Gingerly, I took the seat he offered. Our knees touched.

Nik looked especially good today. His longish hair had begun to curl at the ends in the rain, and the T-shirt he wore did little to hide a trim, athletic body. He looked hard, slender, and a little dangerous, like a knife.

A lot about Nikolai reminded me of a weapon, actually. There was something about him, a tautness, that seemed on the verge of going off at any time. It was scary and kind of exciting.

I found myself nervously playing with the hem of my sleeve, wishing I'd worn something a bit less dorky than my ratty old Sailor Moon T-shirt and a dowdy raincoat. "So, I listened to your alb.u.m last night," I admitted. "You're a really good singer."

"Thanks," he said offhandedly. His mind seemed to be on something else, because his eyes kept drifting away and lighting on various things in the room.

I felt sort of desperate to get his attention, his approval, so I started babbling. "It's not my usual sort of music, mind you, but I thought it was technically, you know, very good. You sound like a very tight band. I really thought that--"

Before I could make a bigger fool out of myself, his mouth stopped mine with a kiss.

Seventeen.

Even I know that when you're being kissed by an extremely fine-looking guy, it's not the time to overthink. But my mind, which should have been concentrating on the softness of his lips, jittered. What had brought this on? My oh-so-s.e.xy recounting of his band's attributes? I didn't think so. I'd been my usual dorky, lame self. Had he been thinking about kissing me from the moment he invited me over? Possible--he was a guy after all. Look at how he had maneuvered me out of my rain jacket already, and how his hands slid slowly up the contours of my exposed arms.

Okay, brain gone all melty. No longer thinking.

Instinct took over. My body responded all on its own with no input from me. Despite a nagging sense that this was too fast, I quivered under the heat of his touch. My breath hitched. His hands moved from my arms, and I wanted to whimper and beg him to come back. But the moment they slipped down my sides and under my shirt, my brain snapped back on. Hard.

I pulled away.

"Um," I said, not sure what to say to explain my reaction that wouldn't completely break the moment.

Nikolai had the sense to look chagrined. "I'm sorry," he said. "It's just that I've been thinking about kissing you for so long."