Part 12 (1/2)

'What? Why?' Adam trailed after him as Jason rushed back through the museum toward the main entrance. 'I was only kidding about the movie-'

'We're being hunted,' Jason told him quickly. 'Remember our friend with the stupid goatee?'

'Who could forget?' Adam replied.

'He's here.'

Adam stopped in his tracks. 'But there are no toothies here,' he said. 'There's just you and me. You don't think he could've a.s.sumed that we're V, do you?' He sounded frightened. After all, Jason had nearly been killed by the last hunter who'd thought he was a vampire.

'Keep moving. We need to get back down to the parking garage,' Jason said. 'I'll recognize his car. Maybe we can follow him.'

Adam pointed to the monorail stop. 'There's a train about to leave. Let's go.' They ran for the monorail, squeezing through the doors just as they were closing.

Jason did a quick scan of the car. No Goatee. 'I'm confused,' he said. 'This is twice I've seen the dude when I wasn't with Sienna. Is he looking for her, or looking for me?'

'And if he's found you, why hasn't he taken a shot?' Adam murmured.

Jason didn't know the answer. They rode in silence the rest of the way. The monorail doors slid open in the parking garage, and they hurried out. The museum wasn't too crowded today, and the parking attendants had directed all traffic to park on the same level. Adam kept watch for Goatee while Jason jogged up and down the line of cars, looking for the black Mercedes.

'There!' he said, spotting it behind an enormous Escalade.

Adam ran over and studied the Mercedes. 'Are you sure it's this one?' he asked.

'I got a pretty good look at it from the fis.h.i.+ng pier,' Jason said. 'OK, let's get the Bug. When he comes down to the car, we'll be ready to follow.'

But Adam was shaking his head. 'Sometimes, my friend, I think I've been gifted with all this brilliance just so I can help you in your quest for . . . What are you questing for, anyway?'

Jason just stared at him.

'Right. Sorry. What I mean is, we don't have to follow him. As if he wouldn't notice your silly VW in his rear-view anyway!' Adam said.

'What do you mean?' Jason asked.

'If you look closely at the b.u.mper of this car, you'll see a sticker with a D and a circle and a little triangle-type thing,' Adam pointed out.

'So?'

'So that is a parking permit for the DeVere Center,' Adam said. 'Only employees are allowed to park in that lot.'

Jason's eyes widened. 'Are you telling me that this guy works at the blood research center?'

'I'm telling you he works for Sienna's father who runs the blood research center,' Adam said. 'Although I'm guessing that the only research our goateed friend does is research into Sienna's boyfriend and his activities!'

'I can't believe it,' Jason said. 'They actually have somebody following me just to make sure I stay away from her! That's insane.'

'On the up side, at least now we can keep your meeting with Sienna tonight a secret,' Adam said, then raised his eyebrows. 'Go ahead, ask me how.'

'How?'

'Well, if you'll look back at this lovely Devereux-mobile, you'll note that the license plate has a registration sticker on it.'

Jason glanced at the plate. 'So what?'

'It's expired,' Adam grinned. 'See what you learn to look for when your father's a cop? I'll call in the expired registration just as you leave tonight. The police will pull him over to give him a ticket, and you'll have the time you need to lose him.'

'Wow!' Jason said. 'Maybe you could have a career in espionage movies. Thanks, man.'

'Your eternal wors.h.i.+p is the only thanks I need,' Adam told him, leading the way back to the Bug.

Jason slid behind the wheel, feeling hopeful for the first time in days. Tonight he'd see Sienna.

And n.o.body would catch them.

Fourteen.

THE PARKING LOT of the observatory was dark when Jason pulled in. He cut the engine and turned off his headlights, but left the roof of the Bug up. Even though Adam was taking care of Goatee, it didn't hurt to be careful. He didn't want to risk being seen with Sienna, and sitting in a convertible with the top down was a good way to be seen.

There were a few cars scattered around the parking lot. Maybe the other people were here to see the view, which was definitely something to witness. The observatory was set up high in the hills near the Hollywood sign, and the city lay spread out beneath it. The lights of the L.A. streets stretched out in front of him like the neon spokes of a giant Ferris wheel. Still, Jason guessed that the people in the other cars were probably too busy making out to look at the view.

By the time he heard the car door open, Sienna was already sitting next to him. He smiled. She could move fast when she wanted to. If he were to become a vampire, he'd be able to do that too.

'One of your father's security guys followed me,' he told her. 'It was the goateed guy from the speedboat remember him?'

Sienna nodded. 'So those guys were spies for my dad!' she fumed.

'Don't sweat it. Adam helped me lose him,' Jason told her. He grinned. 'And probably got him a traffic ticket in the process.'

'Good,' Sienna laughed. Then she sighed. 'We can't get caught, Jason. If I have to go to France, we'll never get to see each other.'

He took her hand, twining his fingers through hers. 'I won't let that happen. Maybe I should just do what my Aunt Bianca says. I think she really does want what's best for me. I found out she was the one who put the money back in my college account. She-'

'No, you can't do it!' Sienna cut him off. 'That's why I had to see you tonight, to tell you I don't want you to try and become a vampire.'

'But if I did, we could be together,' he began.

'You don't know what a huge risk it is,' Sienna cut in. 'Did your aunt tell you what could happen?'

'No. What do you mean?'

'Jason, it's not a simple little thing for a human to turn into a vampire,' Sienna said, her tone serious. 'There's a reason the High Council forbids it. And not just because it brings the vampire and human worlds too close together.' She drew a deep breath. 'One of the reasons we don't like humans to turn is that they could die.'

Her words. .h.i.t Jason like a splash of ice water. 'Die?'