My mother squeezes my hand tighter.

Clara meets my eyes. "Fight the vampire. You and Puna need to use everything you've got to kill him," she says firmly. "Take him out - everyone you love depends on it. If he gets you, he'll destroy everything."

Clara places her hand over mine and my mother's; I feel power flowing through her. Puna touches our hands with her wet nose and looks up at me. "We will protect everyone," she says.

My mother leans her head ...