Alicia laughed and squeezed her shoulder. “Child, you look like you could use a few more pies in your life. Is our Jenna not feeding you enough?” She gave me a playful smile. “Growing girls gotta eat.”
“Oh, she eats just fine.” I smirked at Mandy’s flushed face. She wasn’t used to being fussed over or talked about like an average teenager. She wasn’t an average teenager at all, but Alicia couldn’t know that. We were both playing that awkward game called normal tonight.
Serena gave Mandy a sly grin, almost as if she was glad someone else her age was present to share the burden of being a teenager suffering the company of adults. Usually, a look like that from me would have prompted Mandy to roll her eyes or stick out her tongue, but not with Serena. She returned the girl’s smile with a toothy one of her own. I realized I’d never seen her interact with someone her own age and chalked her odd behavior up to that.
“I thought you were on the K9 unit,” Serena said, casting a wide glance around the yard. “I haven’t seen your dog all night.”
Mandy blanched at the comment and straightened in her chair.
“She’s at the doggie spa,” I said, giving Mandy another teasing grin. “I’ll pick her up tomorrow after they buff her toenails and brush her teeth.”
Laura had actually taken Duncan to some fancy doggie spa for the night. We were worried he wouldn’t keep quiet through dinner, and if the Bankses spotted him, it wouldn’t be hard to figure out that Laura was visiting, and then the ruse would be compromised. So, doggie spa it was.
I refrained from saying much more about work. I knew I probably should have shared that I was no longer with the department, and it was only a matter of time before word would get back to Alicia. Still, I didn’t want to spoil the night by bringing it up. I hadn’t even told Vin yet. I already knew what he’d have to say, and I didn’t want to argue with him tonight.
Serena picked up her fork and pushed around the sliver of pie crust on her plate. “Did you graduate from around here?” she asked Mandy.
“Uh…no.” Mandy’s wide eyes turned to me. It was such a normal question, but she was panicking. She wanted to impress Serena. That was obvious enough.
“School records got mixed up with all the moving around she’s done,” I said, coming to her rescue. “We’re still researching GED options.”
Mandy sighed, but I could tell she wasn’t thrilled with the idea. It was one I’d pitched to her a few times before. If she wanted a better occupation than odd neighborhood jobs, she would have to give getting a GED some serious thought.
I had no doubt she could pull it off. She’d done just fine going through the K9 manual. If it were a matter of motivation, the embarrassed glance she gave Serena seemed like a spark I could throw some kindling on.
“Do you know what you want to do after you get your GED?” Serena asked.
Mandy shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go into law enforcement like Jenna. I like helping people.”
Alicia cleared her throat, and her eyes glassed over. “There are lots of ways to help people. Lots of safer ways, too.”
“I know,” Mandy said with a nod. “But the safe ways don’t protect kids like me from predators on the streets.”
“You’ll need more than a GED to go into law enforcement,” Vin said. “And you have to be at least twenty-one to graduate from the police academy.”
“One thing at a time.” I squeezed his hand. “GED first. We’ll worry about the rest when the time comes.”
Mandy gave me an appreciative smile and turned back to Serena. “I already know a lot about the K9 unit. I helped train Star,” she boasted. I didn’t correct her. It was truer than either of us could actually admit.
“It’s getting late.” Alicia held up her hand to look at the watch on her wrist. The crystal cuff had been a birthday gift from Will. I’d had dinner at their house the night he gave it to her. I’d helped Serena make two dozen cupcakes—far more than the four of us had any business eating—all topped with an obnoxious amount of rainbow sprinkles.
Alicia eased her chair back and stood. “Thank you for the lovely meal. We should do it again soon. Maybe over Labor Day weekend. Serena will be home for a few days.”
I stood, too, and hugged her. “That sounds nice.” I couldn’t tell her that would never happen, but I didn’t know what else to say. So I postponed the disappointment.
Mandy, Vin, and I walked Alicia and Serena through the house and out the front door. I was about to call the evening a win and pat myself on the back, but then I spotted Collins’ cruiser parked between Vin’s green Beetle and Alicia’s blue Honda. He was in uniform, likely on break.
“Max.” Alicia beamed and offered him a hug as he met her in the driveway. “Always good to see your handsome face.” She patted him on the arm and then turned to wave goodbye again.
Serena was already at the car, waiting eagerly at the driver’s door. Alicia shook her head, but she climbed in on the passenger’s side, relenting and turning over the keys to her daughter. I imagined she wanted to get in as much driving time as possible before taking off for Columbia, if she were still planning to take the Honda with her.
Collins at least waited for them to pull away from the curb before he turned his attention back to me. He nodded to Vin and blinked at Mandy. I’d never properly introduced them—not while Mandy was in human form anyway.
“Don’t tell me you’re being called into work again,” Vin said, his voice thick with disappointment.
Collins overheard him. He paused in front of the porch steps and scoffed. “Not by me,” he said. “Not by the county PD ever again either.”
I winced at Vin’s shocked face. “I didn’t want to say anything while the Bankses were here, but I turned in my resignation last night.”
“That’s not all you did,” Collins injected. “How long have you been a snitch for the FBI? Was it just since you’ve been in the K9 unit, or longer?”
Vin snorted as if Collins accusation were a joke.
“Just since the K9 unit,” I said under my breath.
Vin’s mouth dropped open. I grabbed his shoulder and steered him back toward the front door before he could say anything too damning. This wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have out in the open, and I would have really preferred to go over the details with Vin before having to lie my ass off to Collins.
“You owe me an explanation,” Collins shouted as we retreated back into the house. “We’ve been friends since the sixth grade. You don’t get to shut me out of your life for no good reason.”
“You want an explanation?” I hissed. “Then you’re going to have to come inside for it.”
“Fine.” He stomped up the stairs and into the living room behind Vin and Mandy. I followed and closed the front door behind me.
Chapter Ten
I’d never considered my mother’s house tiny before, but with the four of us crowding the stretch of space just inside the front door and behind the sofa, I was suddenly claustrophobic.
“You don’t need me for this. I think I’ll head to my room,” Mandy said, dismissing herself.
“Room?” Collins gave me a strange look. “Since when do you have a kid living with you?”
“Foster kid, and a few months now,” I answered. Vin knew this shtick. He nodded his head in confirmation when Collins frowned at him, though he still looked bothered by the most recent reveal.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me something like that?” Collins gave me a crushed frown.
What could I say to him? My solution to the discomfort I felt at having to lie was to avoid sharing those lies as much as possible. Which wasn’t a great solution, but it was the best I could do.
“I’ve had a lot going on, Collins.” I ran a hand through my hair and tried to use the small truth to soothe my shame. “Obviously, I couldn’t share with you or anyone else that I was working for the FBI.”
“But a kid?” He pointed his hand toward the hallway Mandy had disappeared down.
“Shit,” she said through clenched teeth as she forced a smile at Collins. “Max! How are you?”
“Laura?” He blinked at her and then turned his incredulous eyes back to me. “And you definitely didn’t tell me that your sister was visiting—or that she’s a blonde again.” He gasped, and I thought he might keel over. “You!” He pointed at her. “You’ve been running with Laz and me. I knew something was off! Jenna would never eyeball my husband’s ass as brazenly as you do.”
“Hey!” Laura and I said at the same time—her at him, and me at her.
“Some actress you are,” I snapped.
She dropped the laundry basket and folded her arms. “I thought it would be ruder to not acknowledge his effort. And you never said I couldn’t look.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Collins shook his head. “Why is your sister running with us and not you? You’re an FBI snitch. You’ve got a kid. Your sister has taken over your workout routine. What the hell is going on around here?”
The doorbell rang, and my anxiety went into overdrive, washing my vision with red.
“They’re early. Fuuuck,” I groaned and clenched my fists in frustration.
“Who’s early?” Vin asked, peeking through the front blinds.
“The FBI.” I swatted his hand away from the window. “I do actually have to work tonight. I just haven’t had a chance to tell you.”
Collins scratched his head and huffed. “I’m here as a personal friend, not to hinder an FBI investigation. Unless, of course, you’ve been undercover since the sixth grade.”
“I told you it was just the K9 unit,” I said, clasping my hands together to draw everyone’s attention. “I have top secret work to do with the FBI tonight, so all of this”—I circled a finger in the air—“is going to have to wait.”
The doorbell rang a second time, and I answered it before anyone could say another word.
Roman and Vanessa stood side by side under the yellow glow of the porch light. Even in plain clothes, they gave off an ominous vibe.
Vanessa’s hair hung in a slick ponytail high on the crown of her head. Her black blouse was sleeveless, showing off taut arms. Charcoal slacks hugged her athletic legs. She was a few inches taller than I recalled, but she wore heels tonight—open-toed, black stilettos that I would have no doubt broken my neck in.
Roman was the matching Ken to her gothic Barbie guise. He wore black slacks and a gray, satin dress shirt. A giant duffle bag was slung over his shoulder that I guessed contained whatever Vanessa required to prepare me for the assignment.
“Are we interrupting?” Vanessa asked, her brows drawing together as she shot a quick glance around the room. Vin, Collins, and Laura gaped back at her.
“This is official FBI business, Jenna,” Roman said, sounding none too pleased.
“You said ten.” I looked across the room at the clock on the living room wall. “You’re half an hour early.”
“This was a mistake, Roman,” Vanessa said, taking a step back from the door.
“No! It’s fine,” I insisted. “Please, come in. I was just seeing everyone else out.” I waved my hand at Collins and Vin while Laura scooped up the abandoned hamper and headed off for the laundry room. She gave Vanessa an appreciative once-over as she went. I guessed she didn’t see many women like that outside of Hollywood.
I ushered Vin and Collins out onto the porch and down the front steps. Collins stalked off toward his cruiser, not waiting to hear anything else I had to say. Vin was less pissy, but not by much.
“We really need to talk,” he whispered, eyeballing Roman and Vanessa over my shoulder. “Soon.”
I nodded and kissed his cheek. “Soon, but not right now,” I said. “I’ll call you in the morning.”
Vin blinked a few times before wandering off to his car. As he opened the driver’s door, he paused and gave me a tight, humorless smile. I had a feeling our pending phone conversation wasn’t going to be a fun one.
I felt bad about not being able to properly break all the news to him, but there were only so many hours in the night. I was hoping that would improve as the days grew shorter. Maybe we could have something that more closely resembled a real relationship.
I returned Vin’s smile, hoping he could see how sincerely sorry I was. He loaded into his car and headed off, leaving behind only Roman’s SUV parked in the driveway. It looked less menacing there, almost as if it could belong in my quiet little neighborhood. The tinted windows hid the elaborate police package that spanned the entire dash within, and the four puck antennas spaced across the top of the vehicle were hardly noticeable against the solid black paint job. I wondered if I’d get a similar ride upon joining Blood Vice.
“She’s too young, Roman. I don’t know about this,” Vanessa said under her breath as I turned around. Roman’s lips pressed together in a tense frown as if he might agree with her.
“Vanessa, wasn’t it?” I said, forcing a smile as I climbed the porch steps to join them. “You were at the barn raid. And the scene last night, of course. We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Jenna.” I held my hand out to her.
“I know who you are,” she said.
For a second, I thought she might not take my hand. But then her cool fingers clamped around mine, and she gave a textbook shake. A tremor rocked my shoulders, and I blew out the breath I’d been holding as she pulled away. This was my first encounter with another vampire that didn’t end with them biting me. The look on her face told me we were far from friends, but I still considered it a vast improvement.
Roman’s expression relaxed after the exchange. I wondered if he, too, thought the greeting might end in bloodshed. I also wondered just how much he’d told Vanessa about me. There were too many secrets and lies going around to keep track of.
“Let’s take this inside,” Roman said, stepping through the front door I’d left open.
I waited for Vanessa, attempting to be polite, but when her green eyes widened, and she cocked her head toward Roman, I went ahead of her without hesitation.
Don’t mess this up, I silently begged myself. I was sure it would be my mantra for the night. Vanessa had the sort of dry, abrasive personality that didn’t take long to rub me raw. Kinda like Roman.
Potential sire, indeed.
Chapter Eleven
Roman had made it perfectly clear that I would be playing bait. What he’d conveniently forgotten to tell me up front was that I’d be playing bait in a vampire night club. Bleeders. I don’t know what I’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been this.
Strobe lights and disco balls spun over the dance floor, casting a blanket of starlight over the mass of bodies gyrating to some funky beat that I didn’t actually mind. I bobbed my head in time with the song as I wandered through the crowd, making my way toward the bar area in back.
Mirrors stretched over every wall, making the warehouse room appear far larger than it actually was and scattering the dizzying light show. It also made my gawking less obvious as I gathered my bearings and took in the show.
There was a general techno-goth look to most of the patrons, but every now and then I spotted a little something else. A Cleopatra in a toga dress. A manic pixie dream girl in bubblegum pink rubber boots and glittery hair extensions. A lumberjack with a gnarly beard and an unbuttoned shirt, showing off a ripped chest. The vampires were less obvious and flashy, and I found myself seeking them out more than anything. Were they all as intense as the few I’d encountered? Was there anyone here as lost and confused about this whole undead business as I was?
There were far more humans than vampires in the club. I could tell from the different colored admission bracelets. In the lobby, next to a poster displaying the dress code and rules, another poster outlined what the colors meant. The vampires in the club were given black bracelets, but the humans were divided into three categories.
Red was for pro
fessional donors open to solicitation. White marked those who were part of a blood harem and not to be approached. And yellow meant they were amateur donors and only available to experienced vampires who were less likely to overindulge and cause a problem.
As I made my way through the club, I noticed that many of the patrons dressed to match the color standards. Vanessa had made sure I matched, too. I fingered the black bracelet on my own wrist and squinted in the flashing lights to read the club motto printed on the paper. Succumb to your dark desires and bleed the night away. It seemed hokey, but apparently not cheesy enough to scare away too many humans, as evidenced by the hundreds of living bodies pressed in around me.
A few hungry eyes glanced at my wrist as I struggled through the crowd. I felt the urge to cover the bracelet, but Roman had said I was welcome to eat while I was here—as long as I stuck to someone with a red bracelet. It would help solidify my cover. He avoided talking about my bagged blood habit in front of Vanessa, for which I was grateful.
“Try one of the older women near the bar.” Roman’s voice buzzed through the tiny earpiece tucked down in my left ear. “Offer to buy her a juice first, and don’t forget to ask if she has a preference for where you bite.” I couldn’t picture him frequenting this place on his days off, but I refrained from asking how he knew all of this.
Sweat coated my palms, and my stomach rolled. My fangs felt heavy in my gums, swelling with anticipation. What if I started drinking from someone and couldn’t stop? Maybe this was a bad idea, but I didn’t want to give Vanessa any more reason to question my competence, and I wasn’t supposed to talk back to Roman’s instructions for fear it would blow my cover.
The earpiece was already crammed deeper into my ear canal than I was comfortable with, but Vanessa had said it was necessary to prevent anyone with extra acute senses from overhearing. Apparently, that was a thing with certain vampires, especially the older, more experienced ones.
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