by Rose Pressey
Then I saw his face staring back at me. Jack’s driver's license was right there in the front. It was his wallet. His credit cards and money were still intact. Apparently that meant he hadn’t been the victim of a pickpocket, but it did mean that he'd been there. But how long ago? It couldn't have been long or someone would have already found the wallet. I glanced around to see if I could spot him. The place was full of people milling around, going about their daily business. I’d never pick out his face in the crowd. I reached out and twisted the knob on the door in front of me. It didn’t budge. I tried it again, rattling it to see if it was just stuck. I’d have to find another way in. as I stepped forward, my phone rang in my pocket. I quickly fished it out. Samson’s number was displayed on the screen.
“Rylie, I’m glad you answered. I have some interesting information for you.”
“It had better be interesting because I am about to be captured like a stray with a one-way ticket to the pound.” Did they call it the pound anymore? The animal shelter? Whatever. Even my thoughts were a blubbering mess.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“I’m at the French Market.”
“What are you doing there?”
“That’s what I’m asking myself. The vampires are hot on my trail,” I whispered. Why was I trying to be quiet? The noise around me would certainly drown out my conversation. “I think they have my boyfriend here and I have to find him.”
“Do you need any help?” His voice let me know he was genuinely concerned.
“No, no, I’ll be fine… or killed, but whatever. What have you got for me?” I asked. Please let it be good news. I could really use some right now.
“I got some info on why ninety-nine percent of the half-vampires aren’t turned completely. Apparently, in most cases, a person is half turned because their blood is toxic to vampires. But not everyone has this type of blood. The vampires stop because they’ll be killed if they drink more. Just like poison… no way around it.”
“That’s odd. If it’s like poison, wouldn’t a small taste kill them?”
“No, no. They have to drink a certain amount. No more or no less.”
“A certain amount of blood? And they know what this certain amount is how?” I glanced over my shoulder again. I needed to hurry.
“As soon as they taste it in the blood, they stop drinking. Like a built-in sensor or something.”
My eyebrows shot up. This sounded crazy. “What exactly are they tasting? An aftertaste? A flavor? How is it different from regular ol’ blood?”
“You’re just full of questions, aren’t you? How should I know? I just discovered this information and I’m a vampire. If they don’t tell me, then it must be some kind of information they try to keep quiet.”
“How did you figure out all of this info? If you don’t know what the blood is like, then how did you know whom to ask?”
“I have my ways. All you have to do is ask, baby.”
I chuckled. It felt good to laugh for a second. Elevate the somber mood, even if for only a moment. “Thank you, Samson. I owe you.” Another matchup on the house, maybe?
“Are you positive you don’t need some help? These vampires aren’t known for their sparkling personalities. They won’t bake you cupcakes, or in your case, beef jerky.”
The crack in his voice made it sound as if he didn’t really want to volunteer to get involved. More like he was offering to be polite. No matter what warning he’d just given me.
“Yeah, but thanks for the offer. I’ll be fine. I’m tougher than you think. Gotta go.” I clipped off the phone and stuffed it back in my pocket.
Picking up my pace again, I made my way down the aisle, when I noticed a security officer watching me. I had to be acting suspicious with my running through the market. It wasn’t every day they had someone training for a marathon from vampires through the place. He eyed me. I tried to slow down so he wouldn’t stop me and ask me what the heck I was doing. I didn’t need any more of my time consumed. I’d wasted too much time at Isabella’s, Sophie’s, and Quinton’s place.
When I neared another shop, maybe I’d step inside and he’d leave me along thinking I was just doing a little shopping, but then again, maybe he’d think I was doing a little bit of shoplifting instead. That wouldn’t be good. When I came to the next shop, I stopped and stepped just inside. I picked up a postcard, and began examining it as if it was the most interesting thing I’d ever seen. He approached.
Just as I had known he would. Our eyes met. I waited for him to grab me by the arm and yank me away for questioning, but before he had a chance to speak, a man in jeans and a light blue T-shirt with sandy-blond hair approached. “There you are. We’ve been looking everywhere for you.” He scolded.
The man looked at the security officer. “Thank you for leading her to us, sir. We’re really late to get started,” the stranger said.
I must have had the most confused look on my face. Probably it matched the expression the officer had. I was as clueless as he was. But I’d go along with this guy just to get away from the officer. Whatever he had to say had to be better than what the officer wanted.
The security officer nodded and said, “You’re welcome.”
The same confused expression I felt on my face was displayed on his face. As he turned around and left the store, that’s when a panic set in. I didn’t know the man standing in front of me. He was probably one of Sophie’s vampires. How stupid could I be? They must share a good laugh every time they realize how dumb I am. And I thought I could find Jack. I’d just played right into their little game. Obviously, I wasn’t smart enough to outwit them.
The man looked at me. “They’re waiting for us on stage.” He grabbed my hand and yanked me away.
“What are you talking about?” I asked. My voice grew louder.
He didn’t answer my question specifically, but continued scolding me. “I can’t believe how late you are. And you look like hell, too. It’s not as if that extra time was spent on hair and makeup.” He looked me up and down disapprovingly.
Hey, strange man, you try looking good when you’re on the run from vampires. He was just lucky I wasn’t in werewolf form.
“You look as if you’ve been rolling around in a graveyard with dead bodies.”
Well… now that he mentioned it. But what was this guy talking about? What did he think I was late for? And what the heck did he mean by stage? If he thought I was going out onto some stage, then he really was bonkers. Never in a million years would I agree to something so crazy. He yanked my hand, and pulled me out through a door. The next thing I knew, I stood in the middle of a small stage with a rather large-sized audience staring at me expectantly.
The man thrust a microphone in my hand and said, “We’re doing Blue Suede Shoes first.”
I literally couldn’t feel my tongue. It was numb. And now that I thought about it, I couldn’t feel my hands or feet, either. What the hell? I was definitely in panic mode. What if I started to sprout hair in front of all these people? It would scare the hell out of them, although my singing would probably scare them even more. I wasn’t sure which would be worse.
“You have got to be kidding me. I’m afraid you have mistaken me for someone else.”
The music started. He nodded and smiled, not listening to a word I said. What would happen if I peed my pants right there in the middle of the stage? I supposed at least then I would have an excuse to leave. The audience was packed with men and women, some standing, and others who’d obviously brought their own chairs. Tents surrounded the area where vendors were selling their wares.
The temperature must have risen thirty degrees because sweat had broken out on my forehead. My clothing felt instantly constricting. The air had grown stifling. The river was near. Maybe I could jump in to escape this mess. Normally, the smell of the food traveling through the air would have made me hungry, but now it made my stomach turn. People were smiling, chatting, and waiting on me. No pressure. No pressure,
at all.
I held the microphone up to my lips, trying to remember the words to the song. What was wrong with me? Had I lost the last little bit of sense I had? Yes, I had completely lost it.
“Well, it’s one for the money. Um, two for the show. Three to get ready. Now go, cat, go,” I croaked out.
I may have heard a few gasps and groans from the audience, but I wasn’t sure which were the noises coming from them, and which were the God-awful noises coming from me.
My cheeks burned and my stomach churned. I knew I had to get out of there. The only thing to do was throw the microphone down and run. So that’s exactly what I did. No one would believe me if I told them. This guy had obviously mistaken me for someone else. A doppelganger perhaps? They say that everyone has one. Too bad for mine I was a lousy singer. I think I actually heard some dogs howling in the distance. How apropos. The music grinded to a stop as I ran off stage. I hoped those people got their money back for their tickets. At the very least, I hoped I wasn’t the main act. If only I could get out of there now without the officer seeing me.
I rounded the corner at warp speed. When I thought I’d put enough distance between me and the stunned audience, I slowed down. My ears picked up echoes of what sounded like footsteps nearing the alley. Someone was following me and they weren’t far behind, at all. One misstep on my part and they’d catch me. I glanced over my shoulder, but with so many people moving down the aisle, how could I know if someone was truly following me? I didn’t want to stick around and find out.
When I turned the corner, I spotted Quinton up ahead. He stopped and I jumped to my left, hiding behind a sign on the sidewalk. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn’t turn around and spot me. He paused for a moment, but never turned around to see me. He turned to his left, then walked into a building. I let out a deep breath and made my way to the building.
He moved with purpose down the aisle and I was hot on his trail. Did he sense me? Did he know I was following him? The old warehouse looked as if it hadn’t been occupied for some time. Why was Quinton going into an abandoned building? Since I had no idea where I was headed, or what fate lie in wait for me, I figured it was my only choice but follow him. Better I follow him than he follow me. My amulet was putting off more vibes. Something evil was in the vicinity.
When he was inside, I slipped over to the door and eased it open. Despite my trying to be delicate, a large clang announced my arrival. So much for staying under the radar. Luckily, no one seemed to notice. Graffiti marked the walls. The space was dim and gloomy, kind of like my mood. I spotted Quinton up ahead. He walked with a mission as if he knew exactly where he was headed.
I tracked him through the long corridors as he made twists and turns. Since I had to stay back in order to not be noticed, it didn’t take long until I lost him. There I was in a huge building that was probably full of vampires. I was vulnerable and they could attack at any time.
When I reached a doorway, I heard a slight moan. I froze on the spot. What would I do? Where was the noise coming from? I eased closer to the door, unsure of what to do next. No other sound came from the space. I inched forward a little more until I saw a legs seated in a chair. When I peeped inside, I held my gasp.
“Oh my God, Uncle Ernie, they got you.” I rushed over to him. Both of his eyes were blackened, and he had a cut on his forehead. “Are you all right?”
He shifted his cowboy-boot-clad feet, trying to adjust in the seat. The restraints around his wrists wouldn’t allow much movement. His graying ponytail looked grayer than it had just a couple weeks ago and his face was lined from stress.
Relief swept over me the instant I saw him, but I was angry at the same time. Ernie’s hi-jinks had gone on too long. Uncle Ernie had found himself in trouble again. He needed to deal with his affairs and leave all of us out of it.
“I’m fine. The vampires roughed me up a little bit. I guess I owe them a little bit of money.”
“You think? A little bit? I heard it was somewhere along the lines of twenty thousand. Unless you’re Donald Trump, and by your lack of comb-over, I know you’re not, then in my book that’s more than a little bit.”
Okay, so it was no time for lame jokes, but if I didn’t keep my humor, I’d for sure weep a bucket of tears. I’d be a blubbering mess. How was I going to deal with Uncle Ernie and find Jack at the same time? This was too much. My head might explode from the stress.
“You’re right. It’s a lot of money, but I can pay it back. I’ll have the money for them in a few days.”
“I don’t think they’re willing to give you a few days.”
“They mostly want the other item,” he mumbled.
I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one had discovered us yet. “I heard about the other item, too,” I whispered. “But we need to get you out of here before they kill you.”
Despite my shaking hands, I pulled on the ropes fastened around his wrists until I finally got them loosened. “So what is this item you have of theirs? Apparently it’s pretty darn important.”
“It’s a sculpture. A small one.” He moved his wrist, shaking it while I untied the other hand.
“As if it being small made it any less bad that you took it? Why are you stealing from vampires? Wait. Why are you stealing from anyone, period?”
“The gambling debt they claimed I owed wasn’t true, so I figured they owed me.”
“How could they owe you when you haven’t paid them anything yet?”
“It was a preemptive measure. I took it when I had the chance because I knew I’d have to pay them the money even though I didn’t really owe it.”
Ernie had a convoluted way of looking at things. As if stealing from vampires would make matters any better.
“You shouldn’t be gambling with these guys. Look what kind of trouble you’ve gotten us all in. I don’t even want to know how you’re getting the twenty thousand to repay them in a couple of days like you claim. I have too bad of a headache to even listen to that little story right now.”
“So how did you know to find me here? I should have known I could count on my little Rylie to save me.”
“Save the sweet talk, Uncle Ernie. I’m glad I found you, but I didn’t come here for you.”
“Then why are you here?” he asked.
“The other day when the vampires came to my parents’ house looking for you, my boyfriend was bitten by a vampire and half-turned. Ever since, they’ve wanted him and now they have him. I followed them here and I intend on getting him back.”
“How do you know he’s here?”
“I don’t for sure, but if they have you here, then it’s a good bet that he’s here too.” Ugh. Bet. No more talk about bets. That was what got us into this mess in the first place.
I finally broke free his other hand from the rope. “Come on.” I grabbed his hand. “Let’s get you out of here. Be very quiet. If they find us, we’ll be toast.”
I eased out from the room, looking to my left and then to my right. It was eerily silent. No movement. No noise. It was the calm before the storm and I knew it. For all I knew they were hiding and watching our every move, waiting for the right moment to pounce. They’d wait until we thought we were safe, then attack.
“I have to get you out of here so I can find Jack. Don’t look back, just run.”
He shook his head. “I’m going to call the pack police.”
“No. Don’t do that. It’ll just make matters worse right now. Let me get Jack and then we can call them. Remember, don’t look back, and don’t tell the pack police yet. And whatever you do, don’t get my parents involved. They’ve been through enough already. Go get the sculpture and bring it to my apartment. Don’t do anything else? Okay.”
“Okay. Thanks, Rylie. You’re a real special girl.”
“Uh-huh. Save that for later when you fix this mess. Now scoot.”
After he slipped out the door, I made my way back inside the building. I’d never seen so many twists and turns in one buildi
ng. Navigating the maze of corridors was like trying to navigate the maze of thoughts in my mind. Virtually impossible. Where did I even start to look for Jack?
I tried to ease my steps so they wouldn’t echo throughout the space and let every vampire in the place know I was there. Were there more vampires there? Sure, there had to be. I might as well ring a bell announcing my arrival. I eased past a few doors, stopping just before I approached each one to make sure no one was in the room. When I moved past the third one, I spotted something on the concrete floor. The room was otherwise empty, so I was curious as to what this item was. Was it something that belonged to Jack? After all, I’d found his wallet. A clue to let me know where he might be? I eased into the space, making sure no one was actually hiding in there.
A silk bag set in the middle of the room. I was drawn to it as if it was a big juicy steak and I hadn’t eaten in days. What was inside? I reached down and picked up the silk bag. I eased back over to the door to see if anyone approached. I just had to know what was inside the bag.
With shaking hands, I pulled back the drawstring and peered inside. It was too dark to make out exactly what was in there. Just then, a bang sounded from somewhere close by. I stepped behind the door and held my breath, praying that no one would come by and catch me. My heart hammered in my chest.
After a minute, or what seemed like forever, I reached inside the bag to pull out the contents. I hoped that it wasn’t full of bugs or something even more ghastly. My hand met with something small and cool. I pulled out the object. In my hand I held a gold ring. In the middle of the ring was a black symbol outlined with a black scrolled line. No diamonds or any other gems, just the black, which I realized might be onyx. It was a man’s ring. But I had no clue who it belonged to. Maybe something else in the bag would tell me who was the owner. I reached in, but all I found was a piece of paper. At first glance, it looked strangely familiar when I pulled it out and looked at it. I unfolded the sheet. It was a map of the French Market. That’s when I realized it was exactly like the note that Isabella had given me. Was this her bag? Was this her ring? Had she really had something to do with Jack’s disappearance?
