Part 19 (1/2)

Olivia was already a distant memory down the hall, but as Jack had me in his arms, he flew after her. It was still within the realms of human capabilities but more like Olympic speed racer. We were jutting down a winding pa.s.sageway that just appeared to be an intricate labyrinth of forgotten bas.e.m.e.nt halls. At least that's what I could tell from what I could see, but most of it was completely black. Then, abruptly, we burst through a set of heavy doors. We were outside, with a set of cement stairs leading up directly in front of us.

Once we were at the top, Jack set me down, and I looked around. I could see the marquee for Barfly glittering brightly, but we were hidden in an alley, next to a secret stairwell I had never noticed before. Olivia was already waiting for us when we got there, crossing her arms over her chest in a way that pushed out her ample bosom. A full moon splashed in between the buildings, lighting her face wonderfully, and she was even more exquisite than I had first believed.

”Thanks,” Jack told her almost sheepishly. He had moved a couple feet away from, even though I could feel how badly he just wanted to put his arm around me until he was certain I was safe, but he didn't trust himself right now.

”You have to be careful,” Olivia cautioned him gently. ”What were you thinking bringing her here?”

”I don't know.” He scratched his head and looked at the ground. ”I'd never brought anyone here before, and the girls I'd met here before never seemed like they were any danger.”

”That's because they're wh.o.r.es!” Olivia was incredulous, looking at Jack like he was an idiot. In response, he kicked a beer bottle with his foot. ”They let people bite them! If you had wanted to share her, you probably wouldn't have had a problem.”

”What the h.e.l.l happened in there?” Milo demanded.

”I don't know really,” I shook my head. ”There were these vampires, Violet and Lucian. And they were into me for some reason, and Jack went to look for you, so they pounced.”

”What were you doing?” Jack lifted his head to look at Milo. ”You just like disappeared in there.”

”I was dancing! That's what we were there for!” Milo threw his hands up in the air. ”I didn't know we'd have to run out like ten minutes later because you didn't realize it wouldn't be a good idea to bring a human to a vampire bar!”

”You guys can sort it out later,” Olivia interrupted. ”You should probably get out of here now.”

”Yeah, you're right,” Jack sighed, and then looked at her earnestly. ”Thank you. You'll never know how much I appreciate what you did tonight.”

”Yeah, well, I've been there,” Olivia shrugged, but then her expression got more severe. ”But you need to hurry up and turn her, unless you're ready to bury her.”

”It's complicated,” Jack sounded exasperated, and I knew it touched the same raw nerve it did me.

”Maybe, but death is simple,” she nodded to the end of the alley. ”Now get out of here.”

”Thank you,” Jack repeated.

”Thanks,” I echoed, smiling at her. ”It was nice meeting you.”

94.

”Take care of yourself, kid,” Olivia smiled back at me before going back down the stairs, into the darkness that led back to the hidden vampire club.

My head had already healed, so Jack felt like it was safe to move close to me again. He took my hand as we walked quickly towards the car. All the clubs downtown were starting to let out, so the streets were even more crowded than they were before. We were blanketed by people, but that made Milo more nervous. They had put me in the center of them, and Milo kept scouring the crowd, as if a vampire would leap out and attack me on a crowded street. Neither of them said anything until we reached the car.

”Well, that was fun,” Milo sighed as he leaned back in the seat.

”I am so sorry,” Jack apologized desperately. He started the car and wouldn't even look at me.

His plan tonight, even with the best intentions, had almost gotten me killed, and that bothered the h.e.l.l out of him. ”I should've known better.”

”It's okay,” I rea.s.sured him. ”You didn't mean anything, and everybody's okay. And it was a really interesting night. I learned a couple things, and that's something.”

”There's easier ways to learn,” Jack insisted.

”I had a blast!” Milo interjected. ”I mean, until the whole Alice-almost-getting-slaughtered thing.

That wasn't fun. But the running away kind of was. I felt like Matt Damon.”

”What does Matt Damon run away from?” I looked in the backseat at him, but he just smiled a c.o.c.keyed grin at me, so I figured that night had gone well for him.

”I don't know. I just felt like him,” Milo shrugged.

It was such a 180 from how he used to be. Everything I did made him nervous and scared, but I had almost been murdered, and he was making jokes on the ride home. He was suddenly so carefree and confident.

He was still sweet and geeky, but he'd lost his insecurities and paranoia. If that's what I had in store for me, I could not wait to turn.

”At least you wore your pajamas here,” Jack said as we got closer to his house.

”Why?” I asked.

”Because you're spending the night at my house tonight.” There was nothing naughty or mischievous in his voice, and I didn't understand what he was getting at. He swallowed hard and looked at me out the corner of his eyes. ”I just want you there tonight. Okay?”

”Okay,” I nodded.

”Oh, slumber party!” Milo exclaimed, and Jack didn't even crack a smile.

The night had really gotten to him. On top of what had already happened, I'm sure he wasn't thrilled about explaining to Mae what happened. Even I was dreading it, and I hadn't really done anything wrong.

Neither had Jack per se, but neither of them saw it that way.

95.

Chapter 14.

The sheets were the most comfortable in the world and the bed felt like a cloud, but I kept tossing and turning.

After Mae had given Jack a serious tongue las.h.i.+ng, she'd actually started to weep over what could've befallen me and then held me close to her for about an hour while listening to Etta James. Jack hid the entire time while Milo tried (futilely) to lighten the mood. Eventually, everyone just showered and went to bed. I don't know how everyone else faired for sleeping, but I was doing terrible.

Maybe it was the adrenaline of the night, or all the new questions I had swirling in my head. After seeing all the gorgeous vampires at the club, it would be impossible to believe that Jack hadn't hooked up with at least one or two of them for s.e.x or blood or something else. As Mae had pointed out before we left, vampires and men only think about thing one thing, and while she had been implying that vampires only want blood, I don't think that Jack could completely turn off the man part of himself either.