by B. N. Toler
“Is there something else?” I watch him so I can gauge his reaction to my question.
“No,” he states plainly and doesn’t make eye contact with me. Something about him is off, but I can’t put my finger on it. He’s changed. Is it time that did this to him? I remember the day I went to his house after he ignored me for days because I tried to force myself upon him. He let me leave that day heart broken. Yet he came back later, confessing his love for me. I close my eyes, and my world seems to be crashing down around me. Pain rips through my head, and I hear the sound of something splitting, like the sound ice makes as it cracks from pressure under your feet. The pain finally passes, and I look over at Thomas who is staring wide eyed at me.
“What?”
“Nothing.” His gaze shifts forward. I follow his stare and see a large crack spread across the length of the windshield.
“Where did that come from?”
He shakes his head, ignoring my question. “You need to go home.”
If he won’t come with me, what more can I do? I left my child for five years to be raised by my brothers, justifying it with the thought of bringing Thomas back with me. It’s time for me to go back. Do I tell him he has a child? Would it matter? My face heats, as anger washes over me. “So once again, you make me the fool.” I nod at the cruel truth of it. Five years I’ve been lonely and scared. Scared he was dead. Scared I’d get killed before I would ever find him. I shove the roll of cash into my jacket pocket and open the car door. “You beg me to run away with you, leave my family to be with you, and then disappear. Was it all bullshit?” I cry.
“Aldo,” he calls out, disbelief in his voice.
I slam the door, before he can say anything else and run towards the entrance of the bus depot.
“Aldo!”
I ignore him. Looking back would be too painful. I can only go forward now. It’s time to find my family and move on. Protect my child. Thomas is no good for me. He could come with me if he wanted to. He could help protect me. We could protect each other. I continue my slow jog through the parking lot towards the front of the bus depot. I never got the end of his story, but it doesn’t matter.
I know Thomas will wait to make sure I get on the bus, so I buy a ticket to Atlanta, but I have other plans. I have to make sure I shake anyone watching me, which includes Thomas. As I sit, I try to think of my next move.
A woman wearing a green hat sitting a row away stands up, distracting me from my thoughts. She’s about my size and height, so I follow her into the bathroom and wait for her to come out of the stall.
I stand at the sink next to her, washing my hands, watching her in the reflection of the mirror. Her hair is a tad lighter than mine, but she could pass for me from a distance. “I need your outfit.”
She looks up at me in the mirror and her brows furrow. “Excuse me?”
“I’ll pay you two hundred dollars to switch outfits with me?” I pull a paper towel from the dispenser to my left.
She runs her eyes up and down me. “I get the boots too?”
Son of a bitch, my boots. I love my red boots, but they stick out like a sore thumb. “Yes, the boots, too,” I agree morosely.
“Where’s the cash?” She crosses her arms and leans her hip against the sink.
I pull the roll of money from my pocket and count out two hundred dollars.
“Someone after you?” she asks casually.
“An ex. He’s not dangerous, he won’t hurt you. I just want to get out of here. I think he’s following me.”
“No worries, girl. We’ve all dealt with the crazy ex before.” She takes the money and shoves it in her purse. She starts to undress in front of me and I turn, embarrassed, and then snap up. I’m a stripper for God’s sake, why do I care if she undresses in front of me?
I undress and we switch clothes quickly. I instruct her to keep her purse under the jacket I’ve just given her.
“Here’s a hair tie. Pull your hair up into a pony tail.” I hand her the tie from my hair.
She pulls her hair up into a sloppy pony tail, but from a distance you wouldn’t be able to tell.
“Keep your face to the back of the building. Don’t turn towards the doors.”
“I got it. Good luck.” She nods goodbye and as she leaves I bid a silent farewell to my boots.
I wait a few minutes before exiting the restroom, eyeing my new outfit in the mirror. No one could accuse this lady of being fashionable. Her green sweatshirt and khaki pants hang loose on me, but I’m grateful she agreed to switch. I pull my hair through the green hat she gave me and check myself one last time. From a distance, Thomas won’t be able to tell it’s me. He’ll be so focused on my imposter; I’ll slip right by him.
Taxis were lined up at the entrance when I came in, so if I can get to one fast, I can probably be long gone before he’ll realize what happened. I will go home. I have to. My child needs me and has always needed me, but I left to find Thomas. I’ve been gone too long, but I have to see Alina before I go home. I can save Ella, if Alina really wants me to. Screw the rules. There has to be some kind of loophole—like a mother willing to sacrifice her own life for her child. That has to be okay. I don’t want to kill Alina, but if my child was dying and someone could trade my life for theirs, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Alina would, too.
I make my way out of the bathroom, wishing that the woman I had paid to switch clothing with me had worn some deodorant as her clothes smell like body odor and feet. I clutch my leather satchel to my side hoping if Thomas is watching intently, he won’t pick up on my purse.
The new owner of my outfit and kick ass red cowboy boots, sits facing away from the doors as I instructed, with her face buried in a magazine. Damn, I’ll miss those boots. With my head down, I make it to the front door and just as I’m about to walk out the door opens. Thomas stands just outside, holding the door for me..
My heart does a triple back flip into my throat. I pause and remember to control my panic because he’ll sense it.
“After you.” He stands on the outside holding the door, offering to let me through. He’s speaking to me, but his eyes are fixed on something else.
Shit! He doesn’t realize it’s me. He’s watching the person he thinks is me.
I keep my eyes down and walk out, giving a slight nod indicating thank you, which he doesn’t notice because he’s focused on my body double. After passing him, he enters the door leaving me behind. I flee to the first taxi I come to and climb in.
“Forty-seventh and Broad,” I whisper as if Thomas can hear me. Through the door, I see Thomas standing about sixty feet away from my imposter. I knew he was watching me to make sure I got on the bus.
“You said Forty-seventh?” the cabbie confirms the address as he enters it in his GPS.
“Yes.”
Suddenly Thomas moves towards the woman wearing my outfit. My heart drops. Shit!! He approaches her, but walks more to the side, trying not to be seen. In a flash, he walks up behind her and grabs her shoulder. The last thing I see is Thomas running towards the exit, mad as hell.
On the ride to the club, I time my plan of action. I figure Thomas will come to the club, but it’s no matter now. He made his choice, and I will no longer be ruled by him or the idea of being with him. I lean my head against the window, fighting the urge to cry. I refuse to let myself cry. No more tears. I’ll help my friend with this one last thing and then I’ll go home to my own child. Realizing Thomas will not come with me, makes me feel like a failure. I have missed my child’s entire life thus far because of this idea I would return home with two parents. My brothers have sacrificed so much for me to pursue this. I take a deep breath in an attempt to steady my nerves, but the truth runs cold in my blood. I failed.
I can help Alina though, but it will come at a very high cost. One I’m sure she’s willing to pay. Her life for her daughter’s. Lucy warned we were never to interfere with those halfway to the afterlife. She said it was not what we were meant to do. I figure after
tonight and finding out she was a lie, it was all a lie, I can break one rule.
I pay the driver and quickly climb out. The club is busy tonight, and I nod hellos to some of the regulars as I make a beeline for the back. I almost reach the dressing room without an eye rape from Rick, but he steps in front of me. He must have a sensor or something that goes off when I’m near the dressing room. Luckily, his eye grope is short as I am fully dressed wearing an outfit that looks like I picked it out of the dollar bin at the Salvation Army, and I smell like an arm pit.
In the dressing room, I quickly peel off my clothes and chuck them in the trash can, then change into my favorite costume, the Peacock. I call it the peacock because of the various dark rich colors it has. I smile at the thought of never having to strip again and returning home to my family, but my heart aches knowing I didn’t have my happy ending with Thomas. It’s no matter now; I have to go home, with or without him. I will save Ella, and if Thomas does show up, I will let him send me off afterwards. My heart sinks at the thought. How will I move on?
I finish situating my black wig and tie my mask on when I see Alina enter the room in the reflection of my mirror. I turn around and face her, noting her morose demeanor. I hug her without speaking.
“She’s dying. They can’t save her.” I feel her tears on my shoulder and hold her tighter. I start to tear up because I realize how horrible it would feel to lose a child. I know she would do anything to save her daughter, any good parent would.
“It’s okay, Alina. Sit down for a minute.” I gently lead her to a chair against the wall facing our mirrors, grab a tissue off of my bureau, and dab her cheeks.
She takes it and wipes under her eyes to stop her mascara from spreading. I grab my robe from the hook beside my mirror and help her slip it on.
“Alina, your girl is something else.” How can I explain what I can do to help her?
“I know.” She smiles through her tears. “She’s an old soul.”
“Alina, there is something I need to tell you.” I glance around to see if anyone is listening.
“I’m sorry, Aldo, I’ve been blubbering away.”
“No, hun, you’re fine. I just have something to explain to you.” Alina dabs her eyes one more time and leans forward to listen to me. “Alina, I have a gift, you might call it and—”
“Aldo, you got a request,” Esther wheezes through the curtain.
“Okay,” I yell back. “Look, let’s have a drink after we get off, okay?”
“Okay. Thanks for letting me cry on your shoulder.” She smiles softly. “You’re a great friend. “
“Lap dance. Yay!” I try to joke to make her laugh, which she does, mostly to be polite from what I can tell.
“Go get him, girl.”
I quickly finish my makeup and head towards the fantasy rooms. That’s what Rick likes to call them.
“Room four,” Esther manages through her coughing. Geesh, that lady needs to lighten up on the cigarettes.
Room four sits in the very back and is probably the worst lit room we have, but Rick very rarely does any upkeep, so we have to deal with it. The lights from the club room help, and there is a red light from the ceiling. The other rooms have a disco ball light that spins with several colors flashing. I focus, controlling my heart beat as I near room four. I know it’s Thomas; probably ready to rip me a new one for the stunt at the bus station. I roll my eyes at the thought, still hurt and angry. I’m going to torture him. I will put on the best performance of my life.
I slowly insert my leg through the beaded curtain and slide myself in. My eyes adjust slowly to the poor lighting as I begin rolling my body in rhythm with the music and make my way towards Thomas, who sits still as a statue on the far side of the black velvet couch. I keep my eyes focused on his hands because I’m afraid he might laugh or he could have no reaction, which might be worse.
I bend down in front of him, my backside to his face and slowly roll my way up. Adrenaline pulses through me as I repeat this move several times. I turn and put my right foot on the arm of the sofa, extend my leg over his body, and roll in and out. I slip my bra off and roll my chest in his face as I grip the back of the sofa on either side of his body. I didn’t wear any pasties tonight, but I figure Thomas has seen everything I have anyway. Minutes pass with no reaction, but suddenly he speaks.
“I thought you didn’t get naked?” His voice is deep. All of the blood drains from my face. I stand up quickly, stumbling back.
It’s the asshole from last night.
“How did you get back in here?” My heart races like a thoroughbred at the Kentucky Derby.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
I bend over, pick up my bra, and fumble trying to get it back on. My legs feel weak as I try to focus on the unfamiliar man in the red light. Then I realize, this isn’t the man from last night. “How do you know I don’t get naked?”
“You never do. I’ve seen you on stage before.” He smiles sideways. His eyes are dark, but I can’t tell if it’s because of the lighting.
I stare at him a moment, wondering if he’s a regular. “Who are you?”
“A friend.”
I feel off by him. Alarms ring in my head, screaming danger. “I think your time is up.” I turn to leave the room, desperate to escape.
“No. I paid for two dances.” His voice is smooth and casual.
“Well, I’ll get another dancer for you.”
“I paid for you.” He pats the space next to him. “Come and sit. I’d rather talk.”
“I’m a dancer, not a talker.” I cross my arms.
“Perhaps you can multitask and do both.” His demeanor is confident, like one who’s used to getting his way, and his gaze seems to warn me not to argue.
I stare at him a moment, trying to listen for his energy, but I hear none. Fear seizes me, and I’m paralyzed. I wanted to be found, but only for the sake of finding Thomas. I’m such an idiot! Thomas wasn’t even with vampires. I walk towards the vampire who smiles at me as if we’re old friends, and plop down on the other side of the sofa, crossing my legs away from him. I don’t bother controlling my heart beat, there’s no point.
“You’re afraid?” He leans back, watching me.
“No,” I lie. I’m terrified.
He eyes me. “Your heartbeat says otherwise.”
“I don’t know what you mean?” I try to play dumb.
“Let’s not pretend that we don’t know certain things about each other, shall we?” He shifts to face me.
“Okay.” I swallow hard and try to calm myself down. I have to keep my wits about me.
“I’m sure you have heard the stories, or old wives tales, some might call them.”
“About your kind?”
“What is my kind?” he quips, his mouth curved slightly as if fighting a smile.
“Vampires,” I whisper, almost too scared to say the word.
“Hmm,” he leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “It may surprise you, Aldo, but I am of healer blood.” I gape at him for a brief moment. He’s a blood healer?
“So, what do you want with me?” I come straight to the point.
“I want to show you a world where all of your worries disappear.” He smiles, and his gaze holds mine. His eyes are dark, but calming. Relief washes over me.
What sounds like a tray of glasses crashes to the ground at the bar, and it snaps me back to reality.
“Are you trying to hypnotize me?”
He laughs and leans back. “No, Aldo. I’m not.”
“How do you know my name?”
“I know everything about you.”
“How did you find me?” I point at him, anger building inside of me.
“Technically, you found us.”
“How?” I cross my arms again.
“The gas station.” He snickers. “You were so obvious.”
“The pale-faced lady?” My arms drop. I knew something was off about her.
“Sarah,” he n
ods.
“That’s her name?”
“Yes.” He nods again.
“So what do you want?” I become more aware of where this conversation is leading.
“I would like you to come with me. Your gift would be an asset.”
“And if I say no?” I cross my arms again.
“I would be forced to persuade you otherwise.”
“And how would you do that?” I glare at him, heat flaming my face.
“Take a peek through the beads.”
I approach the beaded curtain.
“I believe that is your friend sitting at the end of the bar. Thomas, is it?”
Thomas is perched on a stool at the end of the bar, sipping on some sort of highball. He glances over his shoulder, no doubt looking for me. My heart drops to my stomach. Why didn’t I just get on that damn bus? I turn to face the blood healer, rage burning within me.
“If you touch him I swear—”
“What?” he interrupts and stands; his body taking up every ounce of space in the room, making me feel as small as a church mouse. “What can you do to save him?” He steps towards me, and I stumble back, still stunned by his size. All I see is a massive chest and broad shoulders towering over me. “You see the two fellows sitting at the table directly behind him?” He nods towards the main room.
I swallow hard and turn on shaky legs to peek through the beads. Two large men, one black, one white, sit at a table directly behind Thomas.
As I watch Thomas, I feel the blood healer directly behind me. “One word from me, and your precious Thomas will be taken and fed to the local nest.” His voice loses its softness, and his breath brushes my ear.
My breath hitches with his words. Local nest? What is that? My knowledge of the vampire world is very limited. I’ve never heard of a nest. I know only what Lucy and Thomas told me. I was so young they barely told me anything in an effort to protect me. At least I thought that was why.
