by Parker Blue
I pulled my motorcycle jacket from the closet and tried it on over the bustier. “Not bad,” Ivy said. “Let’s go with that. Do you have black boots?”
Now, those I had. While I added boots to my ensemble, Ivy dressed in the leather pants and strategically-ripped fishnet blouse, wearing a black bra underneath. With her spiky hair, multiple piercings, and the addition of a couple of wide black leather studded bracelets, she looked like a real badass Goth.
Me, not so much. “I look like a wannabe,” I complained.
“Wait—I’m not done with you,” Ivy said. “We haven’t put the makeup on yet.”
“Makeup? I’m not real good with that.”
“That’s okay, I am.” She pulled out a makeup kit and went to work on me, then painted my nails black. She glanced at me and nodded in satisfaction. “One more thing. Hold on, and don’t look at yourself yet.”
As I waved my hands to help the polish dry, she ran into the other room and came back with a wig. “Don’t screw up your nail polish. Let me do this for you.” She pinned my unruly hair ruthlessly on top of my head, then snugged the wig down over it and stepped back to admire her handiwork. “There. I defy even your family to recognize you now.”
Doubtfully, I turned to look in the mirror. Holy crap—she was right. With white foundation, red and black eye shadow lined in the blackest liner, dark lipstick, and a midnight-blue wig cut in a bob with severe bangs straight across my forehead, even I didn’t recognize me.
“You like?” Ivy asked.
I wouldn’t say “like” precisely—it wasn’t a look I’d wear often. “It’s effective,” I managed.
IT’S BANGING, Fang exclaimed. I WANNA DRESS UP, TOO.
Ivy grinned. “I can do that. Hold on.” She ran to her room again and came back with a black leather collar with silver spikes. “Here. This is adjustable.” She put it on Fang, and he immediately ran to the full-length mirror.
WOO-HOO. I LOOK BADASS.
Ivy laughed. “Yes, you do. Let me do my own makeup, then we’ll be ready to go.” She glanced at me, still grinning. “You look uncomfortable. Why don’t you walk around in that for a while, get comfortable, so you don’t feel like an imposter?”
Good idea. I wandered around the townhouse, picking things up, putting them down, feeling stupid, and watched Fang as he pranced around joyfully in his new collar.
When she was finished, Ivy just looked like an edgier version of herself, unlike the total transformation I’d gone through. I felt somehow as if things had spun out of my control, but I knew one way of getting them back. “You know, arriving in your bumblebee might give us away. How about we take my motorcycle? It’s more in keeping with the look, don’t you think?”
“I guess,” Ivy said doubtfully. “But will all three of us fit?”
SURE, Fang said. I’M SMALL AND DON’T TAKE UP MUCH ROOM. WE CAN MAKE IT WORK. LET’S GO.
We arrived at the college a few minutes before the starting time. Unfortunately, black showed reddish-blond dog hair only too well, and with Fang sandwiched between us on the Valkyrie, we were both covered in it. “No problem,” I told Ivy when she glanced down at herself in dismay. “I’ve learned to carry a lint roller.”
HEY, I CAN’T HELP IT, Fang said defensively.
“It’s okay,” Ivy assured him as she ran the lint roller over my back. “I just didn’t want our disguise to be compromised.”
Once we were relatively dog hair-free, we headed to the lecture hall, Fang staying outside in the bushes where he wouldn’t be seen but could still reach us mentally. It was a large room, but there were only about a dozen people scattered around in the stadium-style seats—all guys. Most of them looked a lot like the three Cs, but a couple of them were dressed like us. Thank goodness, or I would’ve really felt out of place.
“Remember,” I murmured. “We don’t want to tip our hand.”
The seminar “leader” arrived fashionably late and burst into the lecture area with his arms held wide. “Welcome, welcome!” He spoke as if the hall were full of adoring fans. The few people here probably would be soon. He could’ve been the dictionary definition of tall, dark, and handsome, with artfully rumpled hair and a sexy beard stubble. He did look a bit like Liam Hemsworth, only shorter and thinner. No wonder they used him to recruit—women would want to be with him, and men would want to be him.
“I am Alexander,” he said dramatically. “My friends call me Alexander the Great. And do you know why?”
“No,” everyone murmured, including Ivy.
“Because I am! And you can be too!”
What the heck? Ivy looked totally enthralled. Duh. She probably was—they all were, by him. Another reason to use Alexander to recruit, if he was that good at mind control. He almost had me doing it as well.
Talk to Ivy, I told Fang. Break this thrall.
YOU GOT IT, BABE.
Ivy jerked and gave me a wide-eyed look, then mouthed, “Thanks.”
I nodded, and she fingered one of the gemstone studs in her left ear with a frown. Maybe she had her own way of blocking the thrall now that she knew what was going on.
I tuned back in to what Alexander “the Great” was saying. He was touting the benefits of becoming a vampire, not making any pretense at being anything else. I frowned. I half expected some of the audience members to leave in disbelief, but he had them right where he wanted them and wasn’t about to let them go.
Why was he being so forthcoming? Probably because he was planning to wipe their minds clear of the memories if they didn’t agree to convert.
OR WORSE, Fang suggested.
Maybe, though I didn’t see how killing everyone who elected not to join could possibly help their recruiting efforts. It was bound to be noticed by campus authorities. I made a mental note to have the SCU contact them and shut down any future seminars.
After about half an hour of talking at us and expounding the numerous benefits of becoming a fangbanger, Alexander the Great finally said, “Let’s take a break. Come on down and have some refreshments, mingle, ask me questions.”
He gestured at a table loaded with tempting snacks.
“He—” Ivy started to say, but I interrupted her.
“He’s fabulous, isn’t he?” Silently, I asked Fang to relay messages between us and remind her that vampires had incredibly good hearing.
YOU GOT IT. After a moment, he added, IVY WANTS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HE’S TONED DOWN THE THRALL, PROBABLY BECAUSE HE WANTS TO SEE REAL REACTIONS.
Ivy nodded at me meaningfully. “Yes, he is wonderful. Let’s go meet him.”
As the students descended on the bounty like locusts, Ivy and I made our way down to talk to Alexander.
“Wow, you are such a good speaker,” Ivy gushed as he held her hand and gazed down at her with a smarmy smile.
LAYING IT ON A BIT THICK, AREN’T YOU? Fang said.
Not from the way Alexander reacted—he expected adoration and apparently forced it when it wasn’t freely given.
“We love what you had to say about the benefits,” I said.
His attention turned to me. Or rather, to the flesh bulging above the bustier. Just as well—that way he couldn’t see the disgust in my eyes.
“But there is one particular benefit we’re really interested in,” I said, forcing a smile I hoped was enticing and seductive.
“What’s that?”
“Well, there are these two hot guys we met—blond twins. Do you think you could possibly tell us how to find them?”
GOOD PLAY, Fang said approvingly.
Alexander’s smile turned brittle. “If you join us, you’ll meet them, no problem.”
I exchanged a disappointed glance with Ivy. “But we were hoping to meet them tonight.” Feeling like an idiot, I ran a finger across my cleav
age and pouted. “Can’t you tell us where to find them?”
His eyes narrowed. “No.”
Fang cracked up. WOW, I NEVER THOUGHT I’D SEE THE DAY WHEN VAL SHAPIRO TRIED TO ACT SEXY. EPIC FAIL.
Shut up. This was embarrassing enough as it was without his commentary.
Alexander’s face hardened. “I’m sorry, but you two ladies are not what we’re looking for. We want to build an army, not a harem.”
Asshole.
“Wait over there, please,” he said and pointed to a corner of the lecture hall, reinforcing it with a nudge from his mind power that even I felt.
Ivy and I obediently went to the corner while he went to talk to the others.
IVY WANTS TO KNOW WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO NOW, Fang said.
Crap. I don’t know. It doesn’t look like we can get the information out of him without using Lola.
THEN LOLA HIM ALREADY.
I don’t know. Maybe we can follow him, find their base of operations.
YOU REALLY THINK THAT’LL WORK? AS IVY POINTED OUT, YOU’RE NOT EXACTLY INCONSPICUOUS, AND HE KNOWS YOU TWO NOW.
I chewed my lip indecisively as I watched Alexander talk to each person separately. He sent a few more culls to join us in the corner and left the rest at the table full of food. “Congratulations,” he told the chosen ones. “You will join us tonight.” He glanced at those of us in the corner. “As for the rest of you, you won’t remember a thing . . . and you won’t ever return.”
He stalked toward us, the smile fading from his lips as he looked like the predator he was. His fangs elongated, and I saw him eye my cleavage lasciviously. Realization dawned. Crap. He was going to feed on the culls before wiping our memories, then force the chosen ones into becoming vampires tonight—without giving them a choice as to whether they wanted it or not. That’s undoubtedly what had happened to all the new recruits, and he’d altered their memories to make them believe they’d asked for it.
Well, I wasn’t going to let that happen again tonight. Forget the down low. I was going in up high. Totally pissed, I let Lola loose and slammed her into his chakras. “Stop,” I ordered.
He paused in midstep, looking surprised that he was doing my bidding. Crap, this was not going at all like I’d planned. “Tell every man here to forget what happened this evening, then release your mind control.”
From the puzzled expressions on the guys’ faces, I gathered he’d done as I ordered. Unfortunately, I’d forgotten to have him to tell them to leave. No problem. Since Lola had topped off with Austin, I had plenty of mojo to control them, too. Sliding Lola into each and every one of them, I said, “Nothing to see here. Go home.” And, looking confused, they left.
Turning my attention back to Alexander, I said, “What have you done with Alejandro?”
“Nothing.”
“Someone in your organization knows something about what happened. Who?”
“Ike and Mike were sent to kill him.”
“Did they succeed?”
“No.”
Relieved but frustrated, I asked, “What happened?”
“I don’t know. You’d have to ask them.”
Okay, back to square one. “Where can I find them now?”
“I don’t know.”
Ivy nudged me. “He may be taking you too literally. Ask him where they hang out, where they live.”
I did, and Alexander answered, “They are in a different cell, so I don’t know where they live. You can probably find them at Club Gothick most nights, when they’re not working.”
“Thank you,” I said, then felt silly for thanking the murderous bloodsucker.
NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH HIM? Fang asked.
“Good question,” Ivy murmured. “Can you force him to forget this conversation?”
“I could if I still had the amulet,” I answered. But I didn’t. Maybe I could take him to the prison cells under Club Purgatory, let Austin and Micah figure out what to with him.
“Are any more vampires going to show up here tonight?” I asked him.
“No. Except for the one who just arrived.”
What?
WATCH OUT, Fang yelled.
Ivy screamed, and a vamp slammed into my side as Fang came charging in.
It surprised me so much that I let Lola slip, and I suddenly had two vamps on top of me on the floor, snarling and slavering for my blood. Not that it would do them any good.
Unfortunately, the vamp who’d tagged in was female, and Lola wouldn’t work on her. I mustered my strength and threw them off. Wow—that worked better than I expected, even with the strength spell still in place. I scrambled to my feet and instinctively grabbed the two stakes from the back of my waistband. As they came at me, I was perfectly positioned to slam both stakes into their black hearts.
Bam—down they went, well and truly dead.
WELL, THAT WAS IMPRESSIVE, Fang said, staring down at the bodies.
Yeah, but not exactly low-key as I’d planned.
Ivy looked a little shell-shocked. “Are you all right?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said slowly. “But how are we going to get rid of their bodies?”
Fang laughed. OH, YEAH. SHE’LL DO.
Chapter Fourteen
Val
AFTER THE SPECIAL Crimes Unit picked up the dead undead in their “ambulance,” I told Ivy, “I’ve been to Club Gothick once before on an investigation. We’re actually dressed for it. It’s getting kind of late, but want to see if the bar is still open so we can find Ike and Mike?”
Ivy glanced at me. “Sure. Your makeup isn’t even messed up.”
No doubt—I just hoped the Kabuki crap would come off when I wanted it to. But I was kind of surprised by her wanting to go along with us.
SHE BELIEVES YOU NOW WHEN YOU SAY YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF A COUPLE OF VAMPS, Fang confided.
It wasn’t long before I brought the Valkyrie to a stop outside Club Gothick. Ivy glanced up at the over-the-top bar sign—a horror movie font dripping with fake blood. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Subtle, they’re not,” I said, shaking my head. “Fang should probably stay out here.”
NO PROBLEM, he said, flopping down under a window and curling up with his head on his paws. I DOUBT YOU’LL FIND THEM INSIDE ANYWAY.
“Real vampires hang out here?” Ivy asked. “Isn’t it a bit on the nose?”
I grinned. “Last time I was here, it was all fakers and wannabes, but maybe the candy twins figure they’ll blend in better or gather groupies.”
“Maybe even do some recruiting among people who are predisposed to like the lifestyle,” Ivy suggested.
“Exactly. You ready?”
At Ivy’s nod, I entered the door where the band was playing some creepy, dirge-like music. There were a few Goth-type characters sitting around and drinking, but I didn’t see Ike and Mike. Then again, if they put on makeup and Goth clothes, I’m not sure I would recognize them.
I walked up to the bartender, who looked almost normal in a black ripped wifebeater showing off his muscles and tats. “We’re looking for Mike and Ike. Do you know them?”
“Yeah,” he said, sounding bored.
“Know where they are?”
He nodded to a doorway. “They were in the party room earlier. Don’t know if they’re still there.”
I nodded my thanks, and Ivy ordered a couple of glasses of club soda. “We’ll blend in more if we have something in our hands,” she explained as the bartender squirted soda into two glasses.
True. And we weren’t old enough to drink anything stronger, yet.
We took our drinks to the party door, and I opened it, trying to look as if I belonged. One chick who looked like Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas loo
ked us up and down. “Who are you?”
Until now, I’d felt pretty rocked-out Goth, but the proliferation of facial studs, partially shaved heads, and metal overload in the room made me feel like the faker I was. I hesitated for a moment, but Ivy, who fit in much better, intervened. “Mike and Ike invited us.”
The girl rolled her eyes but let us in, then completely ignored us, strolling away with complete indifference.
“Wow, I really feel welcomed,” I muttered.
“Try to look bored or depressed,” Ivy suggested. “You’ll fit in better.”
Trying to look as though I were about to commit suicide, I glanced around the dark room, illuminated by sullen red lighting in isolated spots around the room. Couples of indeterminate gender made out in the dark corners or sucked on each other’s necks.
I headed toward one small round table where a guy sat alone, looking more approachable in a romantic Goth look with lots of frothy lace at his neck and wrists under a dark jacket. At least, I thought it was a guy. With his/her/its long black hair and more stark makeup than I wore, it was hard to tell. Ivy followed, but I let her take the lead when we reached the table.
“Hi,” Ivy said. “I’m Ivory. This is . . . Valentina. Can we join you?”
I heard Fang’s mental snort from outside. SO, YOU HAVE GOTH NAMES NOW.
Yeah, I’m sure she’ll give you one, too, if you ask nicely.
MINE’S ALREADY GOTH ENOUGH.
True.
“Sure. I’m Dante.” Judging by the name, the low voice, and the way Dante was checking out my cleavage, I was going with “guy.” When Lola reacted to his proximity, I knew for sure he was really a he.
We plunked our butts down on the uncomfortable metal bar stools and looked around.
“I haven’t seen you two here before,” Dante said, sipping his blood red wine and trying to look sexy. Doing a pretty good job of it, too.
“New in town,” Ivy explained. “Just looking for some guys we met before who told us to look them up.”
