Blood Ties

by Mari Mancusi

  We enter a tiny bedroom containing nothing more than a low platform bed, covered in a crimson bedspread. The floor is made up of the same kind of tatami mats the ryokan had, and two red lanterns hang from the ceiling. Amaya walks to the far side of the room and yanks on a string extending from one of the lanterns. A moment later, the bed slides up, into the wall. She pulls aside a mat, revealing a secret trap door, embedded in the floor.

  I glance over at Jayden and my sister, who both look equally impressed. Secret passages are so cool.

  “Most Japanese homes are built with no basements,” Amaya explains as she pulls open the trapdoor, revealing a dark passage below. “But underneath the streets there is an intricate tunnel system, dug out thousands of years ago. Some of them have collapsed, due to earthquakes. And others were incorporated into the subway system. But many have survived and we use them to get around the city during daylight hours.” She gestures to the trapdoor. “After you,” she says.

  I look down into the darkness, not loving what she just said about earthquakes. I’ve never been a big fan of dark, closed-in spaces, to be honest. It’s one of the reasons I’d have made a lousy vampire. The coffin thing would just never fly.

  “It’s okay,” she adds. “It’s perfectly safe.”

  Oh, what the hell. I gingerly take a step down the ladder and into the tunnel below. Once on the ground, my eyes adjust to the dim lighting, made up of a set of little Japanese lanterns strung along the concrete walls. Behind me, Jayden and Rayne follow suit, with Amaya coming in last, pulling the trapdoor shut behind her and pressing a button on the wall, which, I assume, replaces the bed over the trapdoor. Pretty cool, I must admit, though losing the light from above is making the claustrophobia kick in big-time. I shudder and try to get a grip.

  “Follow me,” Amaya instructs, taking the lead down the underground corridor. My sister falls in line behind her, not a care in the world. I take a furtive glance at the ceiling to judge its stability before taking a few hesitant steps. This is going to be a long, scary trip. I squeeze my eyes shut, then force them open, trying to rouse some courage.

  A moment later, I feel a fluttering at my fingers and realize Jayden has reached out to take my hand in his, squeezing it tightly. I look over and catch his sympathetic eyes shining in the darkness. He can tell I’m freaked-out without me even saying so. I squeeze his hand thankfully in return and offer him a small smile, feeling a little better from the camaraderie. Of course, Rayne picks that moment to turn around to locate us and I can see her suspicious glance at our hands. But I shrug her off. After all, there’s nothing that says friends can’t hold hands, right?

  Though, truth be told, friends probably shouldn’t intertwine their thumbs together as they weave through the darkness...

  Finally, after what seems an eternity of dark walking, we reach a metal ladder climbing up into the darkness. Amaya presses another magical button and a trapdoor in the ceiling slides open, letting in very welcome rays of light.

  Relieved beyond belief, I rush up the ladder and into what appears to be some kind of dressing room. Dozens of young Japanese vampires are milling about, checking their makeup in mirrors, brushing their long black hair, or straightening their very Gothed-out clothing.

  “Now, this is more like it!” Rayne exclaims as she pokes her head up. “Finally a vampire coven with a sense of style.” She pops out of the hole and nods her head as she takes in all of the outfits. “I so need to know where you guys shop.”

  Amaya giggles as she climbs through the trap door and helps Jayden up behind her. “Sorry to disappoint you, Rayne, but those are just their costumes. In real life, they dress much differently.” She points to a girl in jean shorts and high heels walking out of the bathroom. “That is more like what they normally wear.”

  Rayne sighs. She will never find her true Gothy coven, will she? “Why costumes?” I repeat questioningly.

  “The patrons at Bite Club like their vampires to look like vampires,” Suki, the girl from the night before, steps up to us and explains with a small smile. “Or at least what they assume vampires should look like. And since they pay good money, we don’t like to disappoint them.”

  “Oh,” I realize. “So these are the biters?” I look around at the scurrying teenagers, suddenly feeling like I’m backstage at a strip club or something. I try to remember what Rayne has told me about Blood Bars. “People hire them to suck their blood?”

  “Yes, this is one of three licensed Blood Bars in Tokyo,” Amaya agrees. “Where vampires are allowed to take blood from humans. The humans pay a lot of money to be drunk from. It feels very good to them.”

  My first instinct is to recoil in disgust. But then I flash back to the ryokan last night. Jayden’s mouth on my neck. The ecstasy of the blood draining from me. The horrible withdrawal feeling when he pulled away. I shudder. Maybe I’m just as bad as the rest of them. Though, of course, I was acting on a noble purpose—trying to save someone’s life. They’re just here for kicks.

  “Do a lot of humans come here?” Jayden asks. Suki nods. “More than you would think.

  Businessmen, tourists. Vampire fanatics from around the world. Many countries have made Blood Bars illegal so if you wanted to try it, you’d have to come here.”

  “You make it sound like a brothel,” I say, unable to hide the disgust in my voice.

  Amaya shoots me a sharp look. “These workers are honorable vampires. They do not have... relations... with humans. They serve them dinner and suck their blood. And that is all. The vampires are paid a decent wage for their services. And they are no longer hungry, which cuts down on random blood crime on the streets of Tokyo.”

  I suppose she’s got a point there. But still, I can’t help think the whole operation is more than a bit sleazy. Maybe it’s the way the vampires are dressed. Or the sultry makeup on their faces. Suddenly this whole thing seems like a bad idea. Jayden, sinking his teeth into some disgusting weird European businessman who’s looking to get his rocks off...

  “Jayden, if you don’t want to do this—” I start.

  But Rayne cuts me off. “Sunny, can I talk to you for a moment?” she asks. Then adds, “Alone?”

  I reluctantly follow her over to an empty corner of the room. She turns to me, her face grave. “Look, you need to chill,” she says. “I’ve done my research on this place. It’s all normal and legal and sanctioned by Japanese Slayer Inc. The humans are all blood tested before they are allowed club membership and there are guards inside to make sure nothing gets out of hand.” She pauses, then adds, “Don’t ruin Jayden’s chance for a decent meal because you’re jealous of the chick he’s going to chow down on.”

  I hang my head. Am I that obvious? “I’m not—” “What? Jealous? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

  Rayne demands. “Please. I see the way you look at that guy. I know you still have feelings for him, even if you won’t admit it to yourself. I mean, you were just holding hands, for God’s sake!”

  “I was afraid of the dark!”

  Rayne rolls her eyes. “What would Magnus do if he saw you just now?”

  “Magnus can go to hell. He wanted to have Jayden killed.”

  “You don’t know that for sure,” Rayne reminds me. “And if he did, I’m sure he had a very good reason.” She shakes her head. “And here they say I’m the one with the trust issues.”

  I gnaw at my lower lip, hating that she’s making sense. Since when did my crazy sister become the voice of reason in the family? “Fine,” I relent. “Take Jayden into Bite Club. But don’t let him leave your sight, okay? We’ve come all this way. I don’t want anything to happen to him.”

  My sister nods resolutely. “Done and done,” she says, reaching over to give me a quick hug. Then we rejoin our group.

  “Sunny, I’ll show you to the café outside,” Amaya says. “You can wait for them there.”

  Of course I’m not allowed inside. Typical.

  “Don’t worry, Sun,” Rayne adds. “We’ll be
back before you know it. And Jayden will be feeling a heck of a lot better.”

  And so we part. Amaya leads me out through a door on the right into a small, cheery café, as promised. After she leaves, I order myself a bubble tea, and try to keep my mind from imagining sweet Jayden morphing into a monster and gulping down a stranger’s blood.

  It’s just dinner, I try to remind myself. Not sex.

  Not that I should care if it was sex. Jayden isn’t my boyfriend. And the more I try to cling to our sort-of half relationship, half friendship, the more unfair it is for him. He should be trying to make new friends, find true love. But every time he makes a move to do so, like with Elizabeth, I end up freaking out like a jealous girlfriend, reeling him back in. Then, every time he does come back to me, telling me he loves me, I push him away.

  I need to stop leading him on. To let him go and find his own happiness instead of dragging him down into my misery. I have a boyfriend. Leader of the Blood Coven. Powerful, majestic, beautiful...

  And, quite possibly, completely untrustworthy.

  An hour goes by and I glumly order another tea. How long do these things usually take? I should have asked Amaya.

  Suddenly, I see a flash of movement out of the corner of my eyes. Then a high-pitched scream.

  “Where is it? Tell us now!” shouts an angry male voice.

  I look up, my eyes widening in horror. A group of red-cloaked individuals have just entered the restaurant, armed to the teeth. One of them has my waiter up against the wall, knife to his throat.

  Oh my God. The Alphas are here!?

  17

  Horrified, I duck under the table. Could it really be? The Alphas? Invading the Bite Club? Now, of all times? Is this some kind of massive coincidence? Or did someone from the Cosplay Coven sell us out?

  I peek above the table, my heart pounding as the scene unfolds. The Alphas are masked, but I’d recognize those red cloaks anywhere. Not to mention their arrogant swaggers as they surround a helpless waiter who I’m guessing is pleading for his life in a stream of frightened Japanese.

  “Where’s the door?” demands a familiar-sounding voice. I start, realizing it’s Leanna—Corbin’s friend and fellow Alpha slayer—one of the core crew back at Riverdale Slay School. She’s mixed up in this, too? “Where’s the door to this... Bite Club?”

  The poor waiter continues babbling in Japanese, gesturing wildly with his hands, his eyes bulging from their sockets. To Leanna’s right, a shorter, stockier male figure—Peter, I guess—slides a sleek katana from its sheath and raises it to the waiter’s throat.

  “Does this help jog your memory?” he asks with a sick grin. Geez, when did the Alphas become so bloodthirsty? Back at Riverdale they seemed okay, with the exception of jerky Corbin. And even he was just like your typical bratty bad boy. Not a serial killer going after innocent druids and restaurant employees.

  I turn back to the scene. It’s probably lucky the waiter is wearing a black suit, because my guess is he’s peeing himself right about now. Not that I blame him. I’m semi-safe under a table and I’m still freaking out. At the back end of the café, his coworkers, mostly a group of teen girls, huddle fearfully, probably praying they won’t end up next. The rest of the place has completely cleared out.

  “Good God, Peter, put that stupid thing away,” cuts in a third voice, this one haughty and definitely male. “Let the poor man go. He obviously doesn’t know anything.”

  I watch as a tall, lanky figure strolls over to his friend and shoves him aside with such force that Peter goes sprawling to the ground with a surprised yelp. Yup, vampire Corbin—the gang’s all here.

  As the waiter dives out of the line of fire, blubbering in relief, Corbin pulls down his hood, revealing a shock of black hair as he starts sniffing the room. I remember Rayne telling me his parents were killed by a vampire at a Blood Bar and wonder if all of this is just his way of getting revenge. Maybe it’s nothing to do with the Blood Coven and the Alphas. Maybe he’s just on a personal vendetta and we’re a lousy coincidence.

  Not that any of this will help my sister if he discovers her inside, however. After what she did to him, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t consider her his BFF by any means and probably has his stake set to kill. I have to get in there and warn her! But how? They’re practically standing right next to the secret door I came through, though they don’t know it yet. And the only other entrance I know of is all the way back at that Harajuku house.

  “Are you sure we’re in the right place, hon?” Leanna asks, putting a gloved hand on Corbin’s arm. He shrugs her off.

  “Yes, yes, of course we are,” he says impatiently. He sniffs the air again, then places a hand on the red-painted wall. Even from my distance, I can see his eyes shining with excitement. “This is it,” he announces. “It’s behind this false wall.”

  His three companions walk over to the wall, feeling for the secret door. But Corbin stops them. “Don’t waste your time,” he instructs. “Just bust it down. Vampires don’t deserve the courtesy of knocking.”

  And so they do, hacking away at the drywall with seriouslooking machetes. It doesn’t take long for the wall to cave in and red light to spill into the café.

  Corbin rips out a particularly large piece of drywall, letting me know for certain that he managed to score superstrength as one of his vampire powers. My sister would be so jealous. “Come on,” he says, stepping through the opening. “Let’s do this.”

  The others follow and soon we’re Alpha-free again. The waiters and waitresses run toward the front door, whispering to one another in terrified tones. They’re the lucky ones and they know it. From beyond the hole in the wall, I can hear the sounds of gunshots, followed by piercing screams.

  I slip out of the booth, my whole body shaking like a leaf with fear and indecision. What should I do? Should I call the Blood Coven? But they’d never get here in time! No, it’s up to me now. Sunny McDonald—the non-kick-ass twin—to save the day. But what can I do? I don’t have Corbin’s superstrength, that’s for sure. I probably can’t even fight a mortal Alpha.

  Though... I could... look like one...

  Inspiration striking, I close my eyes and concentrate with all my might, visualizing their crimson red cloaks solidly in my mind. And a moment later, thanks to my fairy powers, I’m wearing one. Along with a mask, just like their own. Of course, I’m sadly not able to conjure up any actual weapons, but since I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to use them, even if I did, I guess it’s for the best anyway.

  I leap out of the booth and into the hole in the wall, ready to face whatever’s on the other side. It takes my eyes a minute to adjust to the darkness, and once they do, I kind of wish they hadn’t. The place is a disaster area. A complete massacre of epic proportions. Everywhere I look, mortals lie bleeding on the ground, pleading for their lives, while clouds of dust from staked vampires waft through the air. I accidentally breathe some in through my nose and immediately start choking, praying this isn’t all that’s left of my sister or Jayden.

  But I don’t panic; instead, I force myself to take a deep breath before gingerly making my way down the hallway and into the changing room we started in. What once was a room full of giggling teens is now just a big pile of dust. My stomach roils and it’s all I can do not to throw up. I try to tell myself that I’d know, somehow, if my sister were dead—twin intuition and all that— but somehow I’m not so sure. And what about Jayden? My heart lurches as I imagine never being able to talk to him again.

  A bright spotlight suddenly shines into the room and I leap back in surprise. A lone figure in a short skirt and big boots is silhouetted in the doorway, gripping a knife in her hands.

  “Prepare to die,” she spits, before she lunges at me.

  18

  “Wait! Rayne! It’s me! Sunny!” I cry as my sister dives on top of me, ready to strike. I fumble at my hood, thankful I didn’t go for a full metamorphosis this time around. She shines her light down at my face, blinding
me for a moment.

  “Sunny?” she cries, her voice thankfully full of recognition. “What are you doing in here? And why are you wearing one of their cloaks?”

  “I’m trying to rescue you, you dummy.”

  She rolls off of me and scrambles to her feet. “I don’t need rescuing,” she replies cockily. Then she catches my expression and smiles. “Though, of course, I do appreciate the effort.”

  I brush the dust off my clothes, trying not to remind myself they came from a vaporized vampire’s skin. “What about Jayden?” I ask, my heart in my throat as I await her answer.

  “He’s hiding in Bite Room C,” she informs me. “Don’t worry, I made sure he was safe, just as I promised I would. I had no idea we were in for such a massacre of epic proportion when I made that promise or I might have asked for hazard pay.”

  “It was Corbin,” I inform her. “Him and the rest of the Alphas. They came in through the café.” My voice breaks. “I thought they were going to kill you.”

  “I’m not that easy to kill,” Rayne scoffs in her regular toughgirl way, but, at the same time, I can tell she’s visibly shaken by the idea that Corbin’s behind all of this. “I wonder how he found us,” she muses.

  “It seems like wherever we go, they’re one step ahead of us,” I say. “First the Holy Grail. Now the Blood Bar...”

  Rayne sheaths her knife and brings out her stake. “Go find Jayden,” she instructs. “I’m going to go have a little talk with Corbin and see what’s up. And by talk, I mean, I’m going to stake that bastard through the heart if he gives me half the chance.”

  “I’m sure he’s thinking the same thing about you.” “Probably. But I’m better than him,” she says with a smirk. Then she sobers. “Sunny, give me a little credit here. I’m not going to go out, stakes blazing. I’m just going to do a little recon is all. The Consortium needs to know what the Alphas are up to.” She pauses, then adds, “Why don’t you go find Jayden, get him out of here, and meet me back at the ryokan? We’ll regroup and figure out our next strategy there.”