Although Claire hadn't responded aloud, the woman's mouth crooked into a half smile. "I'm not what you expected, am I?"

"How do you know what I expected?"

"Whether you speak or think something, my dear, I can hear it. Let us begin again." She thrust out her hand. "I am Helena."

Claire took her hand and shook it. "h.e.l.lo. I'm sorry you're sick."

The woman shrugged. "The body is frail, but the mind is strong."

"Why are you in a coma? I thought the Grigori heal faster than people."

"We do. Some injuries take longer to heal than others. If I were a human, I would not have survived." Helena began walking, casting a look at Claire to follow. "Come along, I need my exercise."

Claire quickly caught up to her. Every step felt weird and awkward. All around her was blank white nothingness. With no distinction between ground and sky, she had no idea where to place her feet. "Where are we?"

"A meeting of the minds. This is the place where people go when they meditate." The woman paused and looked at her. "If you're uncomfortable here, feel free to change the locale. We can be anywhere you like."

"Anywhere?"

"The only limit is your imagination. Your mind is capable of far greater things than you know. Don't be shy. Think of someplace you enjoy, and take us there."

Claire took a deep breath, trying to come up with a place. The first image that popped into her mind was the soccer field at school. Instantly, they were both there, walking across the wide, gra.s.sy expanse that spread out below the landscaped hillside.

"Wow," Claire said. "That was cool."

"Not bad for a first try." Helena gave her a polite smile.

"Where would you have gone?" Claire returned playfully.

The woman's hazel eyes gleamed. Suddenly, they were traversing the grounds of an expansive, beautifully landscaped estate on a perfect, sunny day. A magnificent brick manor home stood in the distance, surrounded by acres and acres of green lawns dotted with immense, leafy trees and bleating sheep. "I have a soft spot for English gardens."

Claire laughed. As they walked on, past high green hedgerows bordered by brilliant beds of colorful flowers, Claire was finally able to ask the question that had been burning in her mind for almost a month. "Who are you, and why have you been contacting me?"

"Just think of me as your guardian angel, my dear."

"My guardian? Alec never talked much about those. Is it really okay if I call you an angel?"

"I don't object to the term myself, if it helps you understand what I am."

"How did you even know about me? I thought Vincent was the one a.s.signed to look for me."

"Yes, but your abilities are so similar to mine-albeit more diluted-that I've been connected to your mind ever since you Awakened. My accident prevented me from contacting you through normal channels."

"I see." Claire sensed that the old woman was holding something back, and she still didn't understand why Helena was helping her, but thought it best not to press the point just yet.

"My immediate concern is for your safety," Helena went on. "Since I've been incapacitated, I've sent you messages the only way I could."

That brought up the other worry brewing in Claire's brain. "Am I really going to be attacked by a cougar at the Homecoming Dance tomorrow night?"

"Yes."

Claire's pulse quickened with fear. "How do I stop it from happening?"

"My recommendation would be: Don't go."

"Don't go to the dance? But-I can't do that."

"Why ever not?"

All the pent-up emotions Claire had been holding back came flowing out in a rush. "Because my mom bought me this expensive dress and she's so excited about it, and I said yes to Neil after saying no, and it's my first dance, and there's the whole princess thing that my friends have put so much time into, and-"

Helena held up her hand, motioning for Claire to stop babbling. "All right. If you're going to act like a teenager about it-"

"I am a teenager!"

"Clearly."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Helena sighed. "Well, I tell you to keep your gift a secret, and you immediately tell two friends about it-and later your mother. Then-"

"But-" Claire began.

"Then I point you in the direction of the one person who can protect you, and you fall in puppy love with him, despite his explicit explanation that such a relationship is against the law."

Claire's cheeks burned. To have her whole experience with Alec reduced to the term puppy love was insulting. At the same time, her heart ached with fresh pain just at the mention of his name. "I won't apologize for that. I love Alec and I always will-no matter what your laws have to say about it."

"Well, it was very irresponsible of Alec."

"You can't plan who you fall in love with," Claire insisted, rushing to Alec's defense.

"He could have. You forget that to our kind, the concept of love is entirely foreign." Helena paused in front of a large, three-tiered fountain filled with lily pads. "For more than six hundred years, I have watched humans doing the most bizarre-sometimes heinous, occasionally beautiful-things in the name of love. I still do not understand it. But Alec should have known better."

"Well, you don't have to worry about me and Alec anymore. He's gone now. I'm going to the dance with someone else."

"So I saw."

Claire sat down on the stone bench surrounding the fountain and dipped her hand into the cool water. A lump rose in her throat and she swallowed hard, struggling to hold back tears. "How far can you see into the future?"

"I can only see the crossroads which are fated to happen next. It is the same for you. And we can see the fate of anyone except ourselves."

"Okay, so if you're able to see my fate because you're not me, then what should I do about the dance tomorrow night?" Claire shook her hand to dry it as they walked on. "If I don't wear the blue dress, will I be safe? Will that keep the vision from coming true?"

"I doubt that will be enough to alter your fate. The future is a slippery thing. We are often destined to reach certain crossroads, no matter what action we take-or outfit we wear. If something substantial should change with regard to tomorrow evening, you will be on a new path and your destiny will change."

"Should I call animal services then, and say I saw a wildcat roaming around campus?"

"You could, but they would be woefully unprepared for this particular animal. It is no ordinary cougar."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember the man who was watching you at the mall?"

Claire nodded in confusion, recalling the strange, dreadlocked man who'd been staring intently at her that day. "What does he have to do with this? Does he control the cougar?"

"He is the cougar," Helena answered grimly. "He is one of the Fallen, and that is his gift. He can shift shapes between a human and a mountain lion."

"You mean-like a were-cat?"

"A crude term, but yes. Were-cougar would be more specific." Helena sat down on a bench beneath an enormous tree and gazed at the vista around them. "He's a well-known mercenary who will do anything for the right price. He works for both sides but has proven very useful to us on occasion, which is the only reason he's still alive. I don't know who he's working for now, or if-for a change-he's just acting on his own. Regardless, it seems that you are his target-and based on his history, if tomorrow night's attack fails, he'll try again."

Claire sat beside Helena, knotting her hands uneasily. "How am I supposed to live a normal life if the Fallen are always going to be coming after me and death is lurking around every corner?"

"Unexpected danger can strike anyone at any moment. You will get through it the same way that every human gets through their life-one day at a time. Your gifts will help you. And so will I."

Claire stared at Helena. "You'll help me? Really?"

"I said I was your guardian angel, didn't I?"

"Then you're not going to report me to the Elders?"

"I am an Elder, Claire."

Claire felt a tiny flicker of hope. The life that lay ahead of her didn't sound pretty, but it didn't sound quite as desperate, either. Without Alec by her side, it still seemed to stretch away into oblivion like a great wave of loneliness-and she might never be out of danger. But at least now she had a psychic companion who would try to prevent the worst from happening. One day at a time.

"So," Claire said, deep in thought, "back to the were-cougar. When I go to the dance-"

"If you must go," Helena interjected with a sigh.

"If it's not enough to change the dress," Claire went on firmly, "how about if I don't go anywhere near the place where I saw it happen?"

"That might be effective. And as an extra precaution, I wouldn't go anywhere on your own tomorrow night."

"Got it."

"Now promise me one more thing, Claire."

"What?"

"That afterward, you'll come back to see me as soon as you can. Once we avert this immediate threat, I will be able to see beyond it to what you might face next."

"I'll be back on Sunday morning," Claire promised.

Helena smiled. "Good. Just come back to me safely. Good-bye."

Claire opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly, in less than a blink, the mental connection was gone. She was back in the hospital room, sitting at Helena's bedside, holding the comatose woman's hand in hers. And someone else's hand was moving in circles in front of her face. Claire jumped. It was Brian.

"Whoa! Sorry," Brian said. "Just testing to see if you're conscious. Are you ... back?"

Claire nodded.

"That was trippy." Brian blew out a bemused breath. "You never said a word, but your eyes were open the whole time, and you had this vacant, thousand-yard stare that was really creepy."

"Well, that's safer than floating. I guess I am getting better at this." Claire stood up and put her glove back on, trying to collect herself. "Let's get out of here quick."

They slipped down the corridor unnoticed and leapt onto the crowded elevator. The minute it deposited them in the lobby, Brian said eagerly, "So tell me what happened! It's her, right? Did you talk to her?"

"Yes to both."

"What'd she say?"

"Short version: I most likely won't die tomorrow, but every day after that is a toss-up."

thirty-three.

Leaning close to the mirror above her dresser, Claire added a subtle dash of glitter to her eye shadow as she got ready for the dance. But her thoughts weren't on her makeup-they were filled with worry about the evening ahead.

Meeting Helena had been unnerving to say the least. Helena claimed she was Claire's guardian angel, that she would try to warn and protect her. Claire knew she should be relieved-but she couldn't stop the spasm that tightened her stomach at the memory of the cougar's gleaming eyes, the paws as big as saucers, the teeth as sharp as spikes. Was there a chance she might die tonight? You'll be fine, she told herself. She wouldn't go anywhere near that spot on the hillside, and she wouldn't go anywhere alone.

Claire sighed and stared at her reflection. Lamplight shimmered and danced off the folds of her dress, which clung to every curve of her body, and the deep blue color complemented her skin tone. She'd kept her hair simple, just curling it a bit. She felt beautiful.

And steeped in guilt.

Her heart ached for Alec. Where was he now? In some far-flung country, utterly alone, tracking a member of the Fallen? She felt like a fraud, going to this dance with someone else, knowing the sacrifice Alec had made for her and how miserable he must be. She wondered what it would be like to know that he was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs ... what he'd look like in a suit ... what it'd feel like to dance in his arms.

Claire shook her head vigorously, banishing those thoughts from her mind. It wasn't fair to Neil for her to fantasize about someone else. Neil was a great guy. She'd promised to be his date, and she was determined not to disappoint him.

Quickly, Claire pulled on the long blue satin gloves her mom had found her. Grabbing her shawl and evening bag, she hurried from the room. When she arrived downstairs, her mom was sitting on the sofa, talking to Neil. He was dressed in a black suit with thin pinstripes and a crisp white shirt. He had some kind of loose, narrow blue scarf wrapped around his neck instead of a tie. As usual, his dark hair was naturally groomed to perfection. Even though she saw him almost every day, Claire was again struck by how handsome he was.

Neil leapt to his feet as she approached, a smile lighting up his face. "Wow. Claire. You look amazing."

Claire blushed. "So do you. What's that around your neck? A cravat?"

"It's an ascot. I've always wanted to wear one. I went to six stores before I found this. You said your dress was blue, and I had to guess at the shade, but I lucked out-this comes close to matching."

She was touched that he'd gone to so much effort on her behalf. "It looks great. Very stylish."

"You two look perfect together." Claire's mom beamed, getting out her camera.

Brian and Erica soon arrived, looking mighty spiffy themselves. After a round of picture taking-and her mom warning Neil to drive safely for the umpteenth time-they all set off in Neil's hand-me-down Lexus, where they chattered excitedly all the way to the dance.

Claire noticed that Erica seemed a little distracted-she couldn't quite meet Claire's eyes, and seemed to be thinking carefully before she spoke. Then Claire remembered that Erica was on the committee and probably knew the results of the Homecoming Court. Did Erica's discomfort mean that Claire-or Neil-had won, or lost? Claire didn't want to ask, but Erica was clearly fidgety around them.