None.

We're searching the inn. We're going into the basement now.

Be careful.

We will. Can you meet us here?

I'm halfway there already.

As Ronan continued to search he put out calls to Clarissa mentally. Though probing for her telepathically on a continuous stream could weaken him, he must keep trying until he broke through whatever miasma the ancient one had put around their ability to touch each other's minds.

He tried contacting Sorley.Sorley, where are you? Have you taken Clarissa? Have you seen her and Erin? Speak to me.

A tickling began in his mind, as if someone tried to touch him but couldn't reach far enough. The essence felt female, and his heart leapt with hope.

Clarissa? Please talk to me.

"Damn it, Clarissa, where are you?"

Clarissa tromped through the snow, grateful she wore hiking boots. Although she'd been chilled since she regained consciousness in the crypt, the activity seemed to fight the cold. That and the temperature edged above freezing tonight.

Erin cracked a smile, sad and yet genuine. "Lachlan and Ronan will find us."

While she knew Erin was a strong woman, she also knew that they couldn't rely one hundred percent on the men locating them. "We don't know if Jim is really going to find Ronan and Lachlan."

"That's true. But at least your quick thinking convinced him he'd rather do that than harm us again."

Sadness entered Clarissa in a bleak wave. "Jim didn't deserve what happened to him. I wonder if Sorley is all right."

"I'm not sure I care anymore. The little creep turned traitor."

Clarissa decided not to say that she'd already forgiven Sorley. The ancient one and the evil that joined with him could do massive damage to the psyche. How could she blame anyone for succumbing to that type of horror?

"Lachlan's going to be frantic and I know Ronan will be, too. He loves you so much,"

Erin said.

"And I love him." There, she'd said it into the cold night where the words became real.

Erin nodded. "Let's walk faster. I think my feet are freezing. And my hands are starting to hurt."

"Do you think you can run?"

"Can I run? Do bears do it in the woods?"

A laugh rippled out of Clarissa's throat.

"I can use those latent vampire tendencies to work at my advantage," Erin said. "And so can you. Plus, I was a bit of a track champion in high school." When Clarissa lifted a dubious eyebrow, Erin smiled. "With these short legs? I know it doesn't seem likely. But I wanted it badly enough to train for it." Erin winked. "Think you can keep up?"

Liking the cocky, refuse-to-give-up attitude they'd adopted, Clarissa said, "Probably not.

But bring it on."

"I think I see a glow through those trees."

Clarissa picked up her speed, trotting along as fast as they could in the snow without slipping and falling. She felt new energy overriding all her earlier aches and pains, a sensation of freedom. Suddenly she noted the trees next to them went by at a damn fine speed, faster than a normal human could run. While she ran, at least for this moment, Clarissa felt invincible. She was half-vampire, but the benefits at present outweighed the bad.

Exhilarated, Clarissa let out a hoot. Erin grinned and kept running.

They slowed their pace as the glow of light above the tree line became clearer and Pine Creek came into view.

Erin came to a stop at the edge of the trees and Clarissa caught up to her. As Clarissa took in the scene, she felt deja vu. Her dream of Pine Forest's destruction was well on its way.

Clarissa and Erin crouched down behind a clump of immature pine trees and looked out into the large parking lot alongside the community center. Filled to bursting, the number of people attending the function proved that despite murder and mayhem, Pine Forest had decided merrymaking on Halloween wouldn't be stopped.

"What are we going to do?" Erin said, her tone inferring that she hated not knowing what to do next.

Clarissa had an insane idea. "Maybe we should go to the party."

Erin glanced at her like she'd lost her mind. "Didn't your dream infer that we'd all be fried to a crisp in there?"

"Yes."

When Clarissa said nothing else, Erin frowned. "Yes is all you have to say?"

"Yes."

"All right then. Fire up the barbeque."

Clarissa sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't know what else to do."

"We're going to attract some attention anyway." Erin's gaze coasted over Clarissa.

"Both of us have tangled hair and no costumes."

"Plus we both have these nice little marks on our necks."

"Everyone will think that's the costume."

Clarissa stood slowly. "What about the glowing eyes thing? We can't really control that when it happens, can we?"

Erin also stood. "From what I understand, that comes whenever we're angry, frightened, aroused-" she gave a humorless laugh, "-or we're ready to kick some major butt."

Incredible power rolled into Clarissa's body. "Um...are we supposed to be significantly stronger since we've been bitten?"

"Not as strong as a vampire or a man like Lachlan or Jared. But we are about as strong as two men on our own."

Clarissa gulped. "Two men?"

"At least."