After Anna promised Mia she'd go hunting with her, Mia seemed to feel a lot better. She was still acting a little flighty, but there was nothing Anna could do about that now. And at least she wasn't looking nervous in addition to slightly desperate.

Anna was just glad school was almost over. If Mia could just get through one last class, she could go home and wait for Anna to come up with a plan. She sat down in English and got out her book. As she flipped it open to the page she'd neatly tucked her homework into, she was aware that someone was staring at her. She looked around, trying to figure out who it was. Rudi Kaelin was staring at her from two isles away.

Anna stared back at her, looking as brave as she could and trying to figure out what Rudi could want.

Last year, Rudi had gotten it into her head that Anna and her friends knew what Luke, Zev, and Conner really were. Of course it was true, but all six of them had been very careful to hide that fact. Luke had been really hoping Rudi would drop it, but she hadn't. Actually, with what Mia was saying, she seemed to be even more suspicious lately. And with the way Rudi was staring at her, Anna had the feeling she was going to find out exactly what was on Rudi's mind after class.

The bell rang, and Anna got her books together as fast as she could, hurrying towards the door. Of course, Rudi was waiting for her.

"Can I ask you something?" she said as Anna attempted to pass by.

"Maybe later – I have to meet with someone." Anna told her.

She was going to meet up with Luke before his practice started. She thought about telling Rudi that; maybe it would get her to leave Anna alone. Or maybe she should tell her that she was meeting up with Carmine. They had the same track practice, and Anna needed to talk with her about going out tonight anyway. But Anna didn't say any of that; she figured Rudi didn't really need to know anyway. Besides, she tried to never talk to anyone who stared at her all period like Rudi had been – nothing good ever came of it.

"How long have you been dating Luke?" Rudi asked, ignoring Anna's suggestion to talk later.

"Why?" Anna asked, looking just a little confused. She didn't like where this was going, but it was still better than Rudi asking about Mia like she'd originally feared.

"I was just wondering how serious you guys were."

"I don't know..." Anna said vaguely. She'd never really thought about it like that. And even if she did, she was pretty sure telling Rudi about it would be the last thing on her mind.

"Do you think it's really a good idea? Seeing him so much?" Rudi pressed.

"Why not?" Anna asked. She hoped Rudi wouldn't take long to get to her point, especially since Anna had something much more important to worry about. A problem caused by Rudi, incidentally.

"He's not like you."

"Not like me how?" Anna asked, trying not to sound worried.

Did Rudi know what Anna was? Maybe that was why she was so anxious to talk to her. But that couldn't really be why she wanted them to stop seeing each other, could it? Although with the way Rudi was apparently harassing Mia, Anna wasn't quite so sure.

"I just mean that he's kind of...different."

So that was it. Rudi was worried because of what Luke was, not because of what Anna was. Anna tried her best not to look relieved.

"I don't mind." Anna shrugged, hoping that would be the end of it.

"I just don't see it being a long-term thing."

"Thanks for your concern." Anna said coldly. She couldn't see how it was any of Rudi's business.

"I just think it'd save a lot of trouble if you two took a break." Rudi told her.

"A break?"

"Well...maybe something a little more permanent than a break." Rudi conceded.

"I think I'll pass." Anna told her. She quickly stepped around Rudi and out the door. Rudi followed right behind her.

"You're pretty quick." Rudi said, sounding surprised. Anna just shrugged.

She didn't particularly like to show off just how fast she really was, especially to someone who was already suspicious of her and her friends. But there was no way Anna was going to sit there and have a conversation about why she should break up with someone who knew what she was and was actually kind of ok with it.

She walked down the hallway, trying her best to ignore Rudi. She really wanted to get out to the field and away from her as fast as possible; this whole conversation was starting to annoy her.

"I'm telling you this as a friend." Rudi told her. Anna stopped short.

"A friend?" she asked.

She didn't recall ever giving Rudi the impression that they were friends. Especially not after the way she pulled Luke aside and threatened him at the end of last year.

"Well, maybe more as Luke's friend." Rudi shrugged, like it was practically the same thing. But Anna was pretty sure Luke didn't really consider her a friend either.

Rudi must have seen the skepticism on Anna's face, because she hurriedly continued.

"All I'm saying is that it's causing him a lot of trouble at home. If you really care about him, you might want to think about that."

Anna didn't say anything. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mia hurrying down the hall – a welcome distraction. She tried to get her attention, but of course Mia was busy texting something. Anna never could understand how she could care so much about that phone. Or maybe, she was pretending not to notice Rudi standing there.

"How well do you know her?" Rudi asked, eyes narrowed in Mia's direction.

"Fairly well. Why?"

"Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"No, what?" Did she mean how Mia was acting so nervous lately? Well, Anna thought there was a pretty obvious reason that even Rudi should have been able to come up with.

"I don't know what." Rudi said darkly. "But there's something wrong with that girl. And I want to find out."

"What do you mean?" Anna just hoped she didn't sound as nervous as she felt.

"I don't know. I just get this feeling..." Rudi shrugged. "So I decided to follow her one night. And then maybe another. You know she sneaks out like all the time?"

"How would you know that?" Anna asked, eyes wide.

"I told you – I've been following her."

"You've been sneaking out at night too then?"

"Yeah."

Rudi didn't even seem to be embarrassed by her admission that she'd been practically stalking Mia. Or to notice the irony in thinking Mia's sneaking out was weird.

"You shouldn't do that." Anna said. What would happen to Mia if Rudi caught her?

"Looks like a lot of us are doing things we probably shouldn't." Rudi said after a minute. "Mia sneaking out, me following her...you hanging out with Luke."

Anna was surprised at the way Rudi managed to turn that around. She wondered if Rudi did it on purpose, or if she'd managed to set herself up for it.

"Tell you what." Rudi said, as if she'd just gotten an idea. But Anna suspected she'd been planning this for a while. "Let's make a deal – you don't talk to Luke anymore, and maybe I'll leave your friend alone. That is, if you're sure there's nothing wrong with her."

"Of course I'm sure." Anna said automatically.

"Well, good. So, deal?"

"Do I understand you correctly?" Anna thought she was being incredibly nice, considering she could barely believe what she was hearing. "Are you...blackmailing me?"

"Of course not!" At least Rudi had the good sense to look shocked. "I just thought it might be a good compromise."

"I'll think about it." Anna found herself saying. She knew there was no way she'd ever go along with it, but she didn't think she'd have to let Rudi know that right away – especially not before she at least tried to come up with a better plan.

"Sounds good." Rudi grinned wolfishly. "Let me know by Friday?"