Halfway to the Grave

Page 21

She grabbed her purse with a determined gleam and headed toward the door.
"But Mom..."
I followed her downstairs, trying to convince her not to leave, but she ignored me. My grandparents eyed me from the porch, faces drawn together like thunderclouds as my mother got in her car and drove off. It was definitely time to call that landlord.
The landlord, Mr. Josephs, told me I could move in the following weekend. It couldn't come soon enough. I occupied myself with showering, shaving, brushing my teeth, anything but wondering what Bones was doing. Maybe I was worrying for nothing. Maybe it had just been casual for him, and I wouldn't even have to tell him it couldn't happen again. After all, the man was a couple hundred years older than me and a former gigolo. I certainly hadn't robbed him of his virginity.
A car pulled into our driveway around six, and it didn't sound like my mother. I looked out the window, curious, and saw it was a taxi. A familiar bleached head appeared next as Bones got out of it.
What was he doing here? Another panicked look revealed my mother still wasn't back, but if she showed up now and saw him...
I ran down the stairs so fast, I tripped and landed in a heap at the landing just as my grandfather opened the door.
"Who are you?" he demanded of Bones.
I was mentally coming up with a story about him being a fellow college student when Bones answered him in perfectly polite tones.
"I am a nice young girl here to pick up your granddaughter for the weekend."
Huh?
My grandmother poked her head out, too, mouth open at the sight of Bones in her doorway.
"Who are you?" she parroted.
"I'm a nice young girl come to pick your granddaughter up for the weekend," he repeated the odd line, staring her directly in the eyes with a flash of green. She soon got the same glazed look her husband wore, and then nodded once.
"Oh, well, isn't that nice? You are a nice young girl. Be a good friend to her and set her straight. She has love bruises on her neck and didn't come home until this afternoon."
Sweet Holy Jesus, why couldn't the ground just swallow me? Bones stifled a laugh and nodded solemnly. "Don't fret, Grannie. We're going to a Bible retreat to scare the devil out of her."
"Good for you," my grandfather said in an approving voice, expression blank. "That's what she needs. Been wild all her life."
"Go have a pot of tea whilst we pack, both of you. Off you go."
They went, still with empty eyes, and trod to the kitchen. Soon I could hear the water being sloshed into the kettle. They didn't even drink tea.
"What do you think you're doing here?" I asked in an angry whisper. "If only the movies were right and you couldn't come in unless invited!"
He laughed at that. "Sorry, luv. Vampires can go anywhere they please."
"Why are you here? And why did you trick my grandparents into thinking you're a girl?"
"A nice girl," he corrected me with a smile. "Can't have them believing you'd taken up with a bad sort, can we?"
I was in a rush for him to leave. If my mother came back, it would take more than a flash of his eyes to convince her that he wasn't what she'd see him as-her nightmare, come to life.
"You have to go. My mom will have a heart attack if she sees you."
"I am here for a reason," he said calmly. "Not that I want you to be involved any further, but you were very emphatic last night that you wished to be informed if I discovered where that club was. I have. It's in Charlotte, and I'm flying there tonight. I bought you a ticket, if you want to go also. If you don't, I'll just go into your kitchen and convince your grandparents I was never here. That way you won't have to explain my presence later to your mum. It's up to you, but you have to decide now."
I knew what I would choose, but I was still rattled at how this could have been a very ugly scene. "Why didn't you call instead of just coming over?"
His brow arched. "I did. Your grandfather hung up on me as soon as I asked for you. You really ought to get a cell phone. Or remind them that you're twenty-two years old and it is appropriate for a gentleman to ring you."
I left the gentleman comment alone. "Yeah, well, they're old-fashioned, and they kind of lost it when they saw my neck-which was very inconsiderate, by the way! Leaving all those 'Been there, done that!' stamps for them to see!"
A grin tugged at his mouth. "In all fairness, Kitten, if I didn't heal supernaturally, I'd be covered with similar markings, and my back would be a river of scars from your nails."
Change of subject. Change of subject! "As far as tonight," I went on hurriedly, "you know I'll go. I told you I want to stop Hennessey, and I meant it. You already found where the club was? That was fast."
"I knew before, in fact," he said, leaning against the doorframe. "I'd researched it this morning while you were sleeping. Was going to tell you about it when you woke up, but then you ran out like hell was chasing you and didn't give me a chance."
I had to drop my gaze. Looking him in the eye was more than I could handle. "I don't want to talk about that. I'm not so shallow that I'd let my..." What to call them? "My misgivings about last night interfere with stopping a murderer, but I think it's best if we leave that alone."
His half smile remained. "Misgivings? Oh, Kitten. You break my heart."
That brought my head up. Was he making fun of me? I couldn't tell. "Let's focus on priorities. If you want to, we'll, ah, talk about that later. After the club. Wait here while I pack."
He held open the door. "It's not necessary, I brought your game clothes. After you."
"I haven't seen you here before, cherry pie," the vampire said as he slid into the seat next to mine. "Name's Charlie."
Bingo! I was so happy, I almost clapped my hands. We had landed in Charlotte at ten, checked into our hotel at eleven, and arrived at Club Flame just before midnight. I'd been sitting in this disgusting place for two hours, and with the slutty dress I was wearing, it hadn't been a lonely two hours.
"Sweet to eat, and easy as," I replied, mentally gauging his power level. Not a Master, but strong. "Looking for a date, honey?"
He trailed his fingers along my arm. "You bet, cherry."
Charlie's accent was pure Southern. He had brown hair, a friendly smile, and an athletic build. His drawl, plus that aw-shucks demeanor, only made him seem more amicable. Who could be evil when he had an accent like candy, right?
The guy to my left, who'd been hitting on me all night, gave him a belligerent look.
"Hey, mister, I saw her first-"
"Why don't you get up on outta here and go home?" Charlie cut him off, still smiling. "Best hurry, now. I don't like to repeat myself."
If I were that guy, I'd hear the steel underneath his good ol' boy act, and be warned.
Of course, I wasn't drunk, ignorant, and just plain oblivious to the danger in front of me.
"I don't think you heard me," the man slurred, laying a heavy hand on him. "I said, I saw her first."
Charlie didn't lose his smile. He took the man by the wrist and hauled him out of his chair.
"No need to fight and cause a ruckus," he said with a wink at me. "We'll flip for you, sugar. I'm feelin' lucky."
And he dragged the man out of the bar. The fact that no one commented spoke for the classiness of the place.
I looked around, torn. If I tried to stop Charlie, I'd blow my cover and wreck Bones's chance to find Hennessey, again. So I did nothing. I sipped my drink and felt sick inside. When Charlie returned, he had that same genial grin, and he was alone.
"Turns out I am lucky tonight," he commented. "Question is, are you going to make me very, very lucky?"
I was trying to listen for a heartbeat outside, but the interior noise was too loud. Whatever had happened was over. There was nothing to do but see this through.
"Sure thing, honey. I just need a little something to help with my rent first."
My voice was flirty. Not a hint of stress. Practice did make perfect, and the rent comment was my ode to Stephanie. I thought it was darkly appropriate.
"What's your rent, cherry pie?"
"Hundred bucks," I giggled, shifting on my chair so my dress climbed higher. "You'll be glad you donated, promise."
Charlie's gaze skimmed my thighs in the ridiculously short dress, and he took in a deep breath. Only months of training kept me from blushing at what I knew he was doing.
"Honey child, from the looks of you, I'd say that's a bargain."
He held out his hand and I took it, hopping off my chair.
"Charlie, wasn't it? Don't worry. You're in for a real treat."
As Charlie drove, I was quietly thanking God that he hadn't attempted a quickie right on the premises. My hooker charade only went so far. Bones would be following at a discreet distance, and we were hoping I'd be taken back to Charlie's place, breaking Bones's cardinal rule of me avoiding a vampire's home base. What information we might find was worth the risk of him having roommates.
"How long you been a working girl, sugar?" Charlie asked, as if discussing the weather.
"Oh, about a year," I answered. "I'm new to this town, but I'm saving to move again."
"Don't like Charlotte?" he said as he pulled onto the highway.
I allowed a hint of nervousness to enter my voice. "Where are we going? I thought you were just going to pull off the side of the road or something."
"It's or something, cherry." He chuckled. "Believe that."
How would a normal prostitute react? "Hey, don't go too far. I don't want to walk all night to get back to my ride."
Charlie turned his head and looked me full in the face. His eyes blazed emerald and he lost that friendly demeanor.
"Shut the f**k up, bitch."
Okay. Guess the pleasantries were over! That suited me just fine. I hated to make small talk.
I nodded with what I hoped was a glazed expression and stared ahead without another word. To do anything less would be suspicious.
Charlie whistled "Amazing Grace" as he drove. It was all I could do not to whip my head around and snap, Are you kidding me? Couldn't he pick something more appropriate, like "Shout at the Devil" or "Don't Fear the Reaper"? Some people had no sense of the proper music for a kidnapping.
He pulled up forty minutes later to a tiny apartment complex. It was set back from the other, similar buildings along the street. The neighborhood was lower-middle-class, but not ghetto. Just something you wouldn't see people strolling through for the view.
"Home sweet home, cherry pie." He grinned, shutting the car off. "At least for a little while. Then you'll get to leave town like you wanted to."
Interesting. I hadn't been told to speak, though, so I continued with my catatonic act. Anger simmered in me, thinking of all the girls who hadn't been faking it. Tainted blood had advantages.
Charlie opened my car door and yanked me out. I let him propel me up the single flight of stairs to the second floor. He didn't even bother holding on to me as he fumbled with his keys. That's right, buddy. Don't worry about me. I'm helpless.
He shoved me inside when he opened the door. I let myself trip, partially to stay low and get a view of my surroundings, and also so my hand was near my boots.
Charlie didn't care about me sprawling on the floor. He stepped over me and plopped himself onto a nearby couch.
"Got another one, Dean," he called out. "Come see."
There was a grumble, a creak of furniture, and then presumably Dean.
Seeing him almost cracked my cover, because he strolled out buck-naked. I had to steel myself not to instinctively look away. Bones was only the second guy I'd seen that way, and Danny had been so fast, it barely counted. In the midst of everything, I was embarrassed. How absurd.
Dean came right over to me and tilted my face up. His parts were swinging so close, I fought a blush. And a recoil.
"She's gorgeous."
Charlie grunted. "I found her. I go first."
That statement wiped away my embarrassment. Son of a bitch. These pigs were going to get it, all right. Permanently.
I'd just heard footsteps outside when Dean turned to Charlie.
"You expecting someone...?"
My stake cleared my boot the same instant Bones leveled the door with one kick. Maybe I was being spiteful. Could have been convenience due to its proximity, but the first place I drove it into was Dean's groin.
He let out a high-pitched scream and tried to grab me. I rolled away, yanking out my other stake and flinging it into his back. That brought him to his knees and I pounced, jumping onto his back like this was a macabre rodeo.
Dean bucked frantically, but I grabbed the stake with both hands and slanted downward, shoving with all my strength. He flattened under me. Splat. I gave the stake another shove for good measure and moved away with a kick he didn't feel.
"Guess you went first after all, asshole."
Bones already had Charlie beat when I looked their way next. He hoisted him on the couch, sitting him on his lap in a pose that would have been comical for two grown men. If you didn't count the wicked-looking blade protruding from Charlie's chest.
"Good thing I didn't need the other bloke, luv," he commented dryly.
I shrugged. Too late now. "Then you should have told me."
Charlie was staring at me in the most astonished way.