“This is Davin’s brother, mom. We’re meeting him at the dance because he hasn’t quite made it home from Lebanon yet.”
“I thought you said he went to Manchester.”
“Yeah, that’s where I meant.”
Sully laughed under his breath. Her shoulders loosened, and all curiosity left her expression.
“Oh, I see. Well, you kids have fun. Be careful, it’s supposed to be the first snowfall tonight. Remind Davin about dinner tomorrow night.” She looked at Sully again. “You’re more than welcome to come too, if you’d like.”
I answered before he could, quickly turning down her good hospitality. “No, he’s fine. He’s got other plans. Bye, mom.”
He smiled politely in agreement. I grabbed my jacket off of the coat rack, motioning for Sully to head towards the door. Once outside, he opened my door casually, holding onto my arm to help me into the low car. I was used to getting in and out of a more lifted vehicle (Davin’s), so the dress I was wearing made it rather awkward trying to keep myself covered. But I managed, before he closed the door gently behind me.
It felt as though I was leaving on a date rather than being watched by a vampire bodyguard. Unusual didn’t wholly explain the atmosphere inside the Mustang between the two of us. I didn’t know what to say to him, but the ice had to be broken because I was stuck with him for the remainder of the night, or at least until Davin returned home.
“So, you’re fine not going to this thing with Gretchen?”
“Yes. Should I not be?” He continued to look forward.
“Well, I thought you liked her at least a little bit. I figured maybe it bothered you some.”
He shook his head. “No. She’s a good kid, but I know I am not the man destined to be with her. So, why should she throw away something that may work out really well for her and Andy?”
Referring to her as a kid showed his true age. It always tended to slip my mind that they were a couple centuries old.
“I was thinking about how you said that you hope what happened today didn’t ruin our friendship. Do you consider us friends?”
He continued to keep his eyes on the road ahead of us. “Yes.”
Man, getting any kind of conversation out of him was like pulling teeth. Maybe bringing up today’s earlier episode wasn’t the best conversation starter, but it’s all I could think of at the moment. It wasn’t every day I was stuck in a car with a vampire I had always thought to be an asshole but come to find out he was secretly in love with me.
“I never considered you my friend. You haven’t talked to me much before.”
“If that’s all it can be, then that’s what I’ll take. But, forgive me if I sometimes avoid you like the plague. It’s not intentional.”
He still was not making any eye contact with me, instead he kept himself fully focused out the front windshield. Why did he have to say anything to me about how he felt? He should’ve just kept it to himself, then it wouldn’t seem so strange being in the same vicinity as him, and he wouldn’t feel the need to avoid me either.
“That’s fine I suppose.” Why the hell did I say suppose like it bothered me he didn’t want to have anything to do with me if I wasn’t with him? “Will you please just look at me Sully?”
He closed his eyes for a moment, then turned his head to look me in the eye for the first time since we had gotten in the car.
“If I didn’t know with all my heart and soul that I was meant for Davin, then maybe I would have the same feelings for you that you have for me.”
“Please Adelay, save me your pity.” Yep, he was back to his normal cocky self.
“Okay then, I would never even think twice about you. How’s that for pity.”
If he wanted attitude, then that’s exactly what he’d get. Shockingly he touched my cheek with the back of his hand, giving me a provocative smile before looking forward at the road again. How could Gretchen want to give him up for Andy? He was a geek compared to Sully. I wondered if there was more to the story than she was telling me? If Sully really had distanced himself so much that she knew it was a lost cause to even try.
CHAPTER TWO
Hanover High parking lot overflowed with cars for the Fall Harvest Dance when we pulled in, with many still working their way into it. Multicolored lights flashed sporadically through the gymnasium’s windows, showing us that the festivities had already started. A line of students had formed by the entrance at a long table, set up with none other than Bernadette Harris and Cricket Anderson who were taking names of everyone before they entered the building, and handing out what looked like raffle tickets.
When Sully and I approached together Bernadette did an obvious double take.
“Oh, if it isn’t Sully and…” I smiled sarcastically at her, lifting my eyebrows and waiting for her to say more. “Adelay? Oh, is Davin through with you already so his brother decided to pick up his leftovers?”
Sully felt me jerk, and snagged my arms, pulling me into him, just as I was about to strangle her from across the table. I swallowed coolly.
“The only one considered leftovers here is you, by the entire senior class. He’ll be here though, and yes, he’ll be here for me not you. Sorry to burst your little bubble of hope.”
She rolled her eyes at me, thrusting two raffle tickets into Sully’s hand. Cricket watched me, wisely not uttering a word.
Sully moved his hand gently, pushing into my lower back to nudge me forwards through the front doors. I walked past the two with my head held high, and very, very happy with myself.
“Well, Davin was right, there’s never a dull moment with you.”
“Hey, I did not start that. She’s a stuck-up bitch that needs to be knocked off her high horse.”
“Well in front of the school is not the best place to do that. Hanging around vampires for the past few months, you should already know that witnesses are not the best things to have around. Quite frankly, I think you bruised her ego worse with your words anyways. She’ll sit there and stew, knowing that Davin is still with you and she has no chance in hell.”
Well, that definitely boosted my ego a little more. We continued together into the crowded gymnasium of people dancing to The Sweet’s, The Ballroom Blitz, that was loudly playing from large black speakers sitting on the DJ’s portable stage. The entire room was decorated in silver and ice blue, giving the area a winter atmosphere -as if it wasn’t winter enough outside.
Thousands of tiny Christmas lights wrapped in sheer white organza hung from the ceiling and bordered the entrances, along with huge sparkly snowflakes randomly suspended from the roof.
Placed around the gym were towering fake trees painted white with no leaves, and dusted in silver glitter with again, white Christmas lights wrapped around their naked branches. One big round illuminated moon was on the far wall from a projector hidden somewhere in the gym. For a true effect, all you had to do to was look outside to see the real full moon that was partially hidden behind some dark clouds, looking to be threatening some kind of yucky winter storm. I had to admit it was pretty impressive for a school dance.
I scanned the room for Gretchen and Sarah, who spotted me just as my eyes landed on them over by the snack bar. Gretchen flailed her arms, signaling me over to where they were standing. I looked at Sully, who looked extremely uncomfortable crammed inside here with hundreds of teenagers.
Honestly, so was I. His hand was firmly placed on my arm, making his arm push into my lower back.
I shrugged myself away from him and headed towards Gretchen and Sarah. Sully trailed behind me a few seconds later still looking unimpressed with the scenery.
“You look amazing Adelay! I love your dress.”
Sarah’s mouth was full of food, so she only nodded her head in agreement.
Sully examined me up and down with ache in his eyes, then gritted his teeth before smiling, making me blush.
“Thanks, Gretch, so do you.”
She giggled. She did look cute, and, as always, qui
te pixyish in her canary-yellow, spaghetti strap dress that came to her knees, along with bright pink heels and a bright pink clip to match her adorable shoes. I watched the way Gretchen gazed at Sully with rejection hidden behind her artificial laugh.
Robbie and Andy approached us, each with their hands full of cups with punch, and one more was held between Robbie’s teeth.
“Here, Adelay,” he mumbled, thrusting one of the cups towards me.
I took it from him, so that he could take the third one out of his mouth before it fell out. He handed Sully the one in his right hand, keeping the one in his left for himself.
“I don’t drink juice.” Sully murmured snidely under his breath.
“It’s not just juice, I added a little something extra.” Mischievously raising both eyebrows a few times, he opened the jacket he was wearing over his button up shirt, showing a vodka bottle tucked away in the inside pocket.
“Ahh, even better.” Sully still had a rude tone in his voice that Robbie brushed off.
“Thank you, Robbie. That was very nice of you. You do know if you get caught you won’t be graduating right?”
“Ehh.” He shrugged. “I only spiked our drinks. I used my James Bond skills to sneak it into the cups.” With that he took a huge gulp out of his glass.
Andy had already passed his cups off to Gretchen and Sarah, and was now casually drinking from his, steadily eyeballing Sully over the rim of the glass every time he took a sip. A hint of arrogance leaked from Andy. I was willing to bet he thought he had won an invisible competition between Sully and him, and I was also willing to bet if Sully told Gretchen he wanted her right now, she would take him up on the offer in a heartbeat.
The strong taste of vodka stung my tongue, leaving a trail of heat down my throat. I coughed a couple times which seemed to lessen the burn.
And so, our Halloween night had begun. How was this night going to end? I couldn’t even answer my own question, and that scared me to death.
More than two hours had already passed by since we first arrived at the Fall Harvest Dance, and Davin was still a no show. So, after a few dances -provoked by more than a couple of Robbie’s tainted drinks- I was ready to retreat to a local club called Cult (an oddly fitting name) when Andy suggested we should ditch this boring social.
“We’ll have some real fun there, and they don’t even card you. Butch just says be prepared to have our asses handed to us by him in the back alley if we get caught.” Andy slurred his words slightly. I wasn’t sure if he needed anymore, but I was ready to get out of this place ASAP.
“Who’s Butch?”
“The bartender, he’s a friend of my brothers.”
Sully leaned over whispering in my ear. “Are you sure drinking is something you should be doing tonight? It would be wise to be as alert as possible, since you are marked for death by a werewolf and your best friend.”
I glared at him. What nerve he had to mention Xander in that way again, when he knew how angry it made me!
“So are you, if I recall. I believe it was anyone with the last name Ashford. Who knows, maybe he’ll get to you first.”
He shook his head refusing to argue with me.
Bernadette was still lingering by the entrance as we made our exit.
“So, I see Davin stood you up.” She smirked, causing my face to heat up.
“No, he just didn’t want to deal with a juvenile stalker. He said you just never give up; it’s really quite sad.” I made a pouty face at her, giving her the finger on my way out the door.
Even though I had insulted Sully, he still kept himself wedged in between her and I, to ensure I went out the door completely without ripping her head off on the way. Robbie followed swiftly behind him.
Gretchen, Sarah, and Andy had already managed to make it out the door.
After getting into the Mustang, I was once again stuck with Sully in awkward silence. I decided I wasn’t going to be the icebreaker this time, mainly because I was still mad about his prior remark about Xander.
Where did he get off telling me I shouldn’t drink anyway? He was here to escort me around, making sure nothing happened to me until Davin came home, not give me unwanted advice, and throwing out unnecessary comments.
“You and Bernadette should hook up. You’re both jerks.”
Okay, so not being the icebreaker didn’t necessarily go as I had planned. He looked at me and shook his head smiling.
“Stop taking everything I say to heart, Adelay. But you are in denial about Xander. True, I don’t know him, but your visions and the absence of communication with him is not a good sign. It’s human nature to not accept the possibility of such an unfortunate outcome. We’re vampires. We have been around for a long, long time, and have witnessed things that would make your blood curdle with so much fear that you would never leave the confinement of your frilly little bedroom. Everything isn’t rainbows and lollipops when you live amongst the damned.”
Is that how he thought I perceived the world, rainbows and lollipops? I wasn’t going to ask his pompous ass, so instead I huffed, looking outside the passenger window watching my breath send little puffs of steam onto the glass then disappearing every time I inhaled.
Cult was nestled in an alleyway between two buildings just on the outside of Main St. Déjà vu rippled my insides, but I couldn’t quite place what was giving me such an overwhelming case of the heebie jeebies. Bright neon crackled from the sign hanging above the steel door, and small concrete steps led us into the underground club.
The subtle smell of incense filled the musty air when we walked into the joint that was packed from wall to wall with sweaty bodies, and a cloud of smoke thick enough to part with my hands if I tried. Moisture trickled off of the bodies on the dance floor, adding to the humid heat in the room. The scene of the club was a lot darker than I pictured, giving off a little bit of a Gothic flavor.
Black lipstick, big boots and leather were definitely welcome. What struck me strange was the fact that Andy, Robbie, Gretchen and Sarah were comfortable in a place like that. Sully seemed to brighten up the second we walked inside compared to the crappy school dance. When he broke away to get himself a glass of wine from the bar, I was actually able to take a deep breath without feeling like I was breathing for the both of us.
Gretchen approached me with a red fluorescent drink as soon as he walked off.
“So what’s with Sully sticking to you like glue? It’s not like something is going to happen to you when there’s like at least five of us at all times.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know but I am glad to have my own bubble back, even if it is only for a second.”
We found our way over to an isolated corner of bright red suede couches with Andy and Robbie following closely behind. Sarah was already out on the dance floor with a guy sporting tight blue jeans and worn out converse.
“So, is this somewhere you come often?” I was looking at Andy but questioning all of them. He was the first one to reply.
“Yeah, I know it’s not really our type of place, but like I said we can drink without getting carded; so, I’m not picky. Once I’m twenty-one, I will probably never set foot in here again.” He took a sip of his neon blue drink that glowed underneath the many blacklights.
So, my observation was dead on that they didn’t fit in there. I wondered if Davin was a regular though. I watched Sully at the bar slide his cell phone out of his pocket, talk, then put it back a minute later with a serious look strewn across his face. He motioned for me to come to him with his pointer finger. I placed my drink that Robbie had given me on the little table in front of us before I walked to where he was standing impatiently.
My legs didn’t feel as sturdy as they had before I first sat down. Who knew it would be a job to walk in heels when you were drinking? I laughed to myself.
When I approached him, he grasped my arm pulling me into him so he could talk in my ear without much interference from the music that was thumping so loud it was hard to even hear
yourself think.
“There’s been some more activity. My father picked up their scent by the Rouge Amour, and there’s more than one again. If you remember, we killed the one that had been accompanying him that day at the morgue. So, who do you think is with him now?”
I shrugged. “How should I know?” But I knew very well what he was insinuating.
“There’s proof right there Adelay that you are in denial. Stay here at Cult, and do not leave until Davin or I come back for you. Is that understood?”
My heart jumped at the mention of his name. “Is Davin back?”
“No, not yet. But when he does come back, I promise you he’ll come straight to you.”
The hours were passing by quickly, and I knew it was only a matter of time before Davin would be here for me. Before walking away Sully warned me one final time. “Do not leave Cult for anything or with anyone.”
“I won’t.” I rolled my eyes. Why would I leave with someone? I wasn’t a moron.
With that he turned and left, looking completely unsure of himself. If Davin knew he left me alone, I was almost sure there would be hell to pay. Oh well, at least now I was free to go back to my rainbows and lollipops without my bodyguard/chaperone dampening all the fun.
Back at the couches Gretchen was kissing all over Andy, and thoroughly welcoming his wandering hands, while Sarah continued to dance with her new grungy friend. Robbie was leaning over the bar talking to who I assumed to be Butch the Bartender; so, here I was left all by my lonesome to drink my…fizzy drink?
I picked up my glass of red liquid watching the little tiny bubbles fizzle then pop once they reached the top. Was my drink carbonated? I hadn’t paid much attention when Gretchen handed it to me. I took a sip of it, noticing it tasted the same way it did before I had set it down only for a moment to talk to Sully, so I continued to drink it. If I was going to be stuck in this rank club all night, I was going to hopefully drink myself into oblivion to at least pass the time.
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