Fangs And Fame

by Heather Jensen

  “I know.” I sighed. “But I can’t cancel if we want to get them back.”

  “You’re really going to tell the world about vampires, starting with our fans?” Jonas said, doubtfully.

  “No way. He just has to believe I am.”

  “What are you going to do?” Jonas pressed.

  “I don’t know yet,” I admitted. “But I know none of it will matter if I can’t block my thoughts from him. We’re having a ritual now so I can do just that,” I explained. “Will you two be okay in here for now?” They both shrugged and nodded. “Do me a favor?” I said. “Stay in the room tonight. It’s bad enough he has O’Shea and Kacie, we don’t need him abducting more of us.”

  “I was going to make a snack and drink run,” Chase muttered.

  “Order room service,” I suggested. “On me.”

  “Okay,” Chase agreed. I bumped him on the shoulder and he grinned at me.

  “I’m going to get them back,” I said. “I’ll figure it out.” They both nodded without hesitation. “Get some sleep sometime tonight,” I suggested. “I’m going to need your A game tomorrow, whatever comes.”

  Aurora had brought up some blood from our stash on the bus, and she was pouring it into coffee mugs she’d found in the room when I walked in. “How’d they take the news?” she asked.

  “They’re optimistic,” I said, accepting a cup as she held it out to me.

  “It’s time,” Mark announced from the balcony. Aurora and I joined Tytus and Mark by stepping out onto the private balcony. The city, which might have looked clear and beautiful on any other night, seemed more ominous than anything.

  “Why don’t you go first?” Aurora said to me. I tightened my grip on the coffee cup slightly as I pulled my focus in. The full moon filled my view, and I closed my eyes, holding on to the image in my mind. This ritual was different in so many ways. I didn’t have time to second-guess myself. Getting it wrong wasn’t an option. O’Shea and Kacie were counting on me. The pure confidence O’Shea had shown in me before I’d left him behind was something I’d never forget. For that reason, I found it easier to focus on my goal. I channeled all of my frustration, my anxiety, and my determination to get my friends back safely and repeated a singular thought over and over in my mind.

  Grant me the ability to block my thoughts from others.

  I’d never been so certain that my request had been granted. I knew it almost instantly, and I imagined a barrier around my mind, locking everything safely inside, like an impenetrable bank vault. I relished the security of it, and after feeling so vulnerable and helpless tonight, I could understand the appeal of the sheer privacy that came with it.

  We were still cleaning up from the ritual when a knock sounded on the door. There were two human heartbeats in the hallway, and we didn’t have to wonder who they belonged to. Tytus offered to answer the door, and Chase and Jonas walked in with looks on their faces that let me know they’d spent the last few minutes scheming.

  “No,” I said simply.

  Chase snorted innocently. “No what?”

  “No to whatever plan you’ve concocted,” I clarified, unnecessarily.

  “You haven’t even heard us out yet,” Jonas complained.

  “It doesn’t matter,” I said. “You’re not getting involved.”

  “We’re already involved,” Jonas insisted. “O’Shea and Kacie are our family, too. Besides, we can get them back.”

  “Yeah, we were just about to figure out a plan for that,” I said.

  “No, I mean Chase and I,” Jonas added.

  “It’s worse than I thought,” I said, letting out a humorless laugh. “You two obviously have a death wish.”

  “Think about it,” Chase said enthusiastically. “Humans going in for the rescue? It’s the last thing they’ll expect.”

  Mark cleared his throat, but I ignored him. “They might have a point,” he finally said.

  “No way,” I argued. “We’re not going to put anyone else in danger.” I glanced at Aurora, looking for her to back me up, but her thoughts were a mystery to me once again, and I couldn’t read her expression.

  “We’re their best shot,” Chase said, stepping closer to me so I would look at him.

  “I could go with them,” Tytus said. “They’ll need my tracking skills, anyway.”

  Chase glanced at Tytus, and I saw him take a deep breath and puff his chest out a bit. “Yeah, I guess the tracking thing could come in handy.”

  “This is crazy.” My jaw clenched as my mind raced, desperate to come up with a plan that was better than this.

  “You said yourself that you’re not going to do what this Stan guy wants,” Jonas added. “Don’t you think that’s going to make him mad? Do you really want O’Shea and Kacie anywhere near him and his guys when that happens?”

  My heart clenched at the thought. O’Shea and Kacie’s deaths would be the first thing Stanislav would follow through with. We had to get them away before I could do anything else. I shook my head and rubbed my face with my hands, wishing I had an alternative plan – any other plan – that didn’t pull more of my friends toward the ticking time bomb Stanislav Vidic had become.

  “I hate this,” I stated.

  “You don’t have to like it,” Jonas said. “You just have to say yes.”

  Chapter 54

  Trey

  TO HIS CREDIT, NEON only gave me a hook-in-the-eyebrow look when I handed him a list of the names I needed added to the VIP list for the show.

  “Stanislav Vidic?” he read aloud, glancing at the list. “What is that, like a Viking name or something?”

  “Or something,” I said, forcing a smile and shrugging. “Just don’t mention that to him.” Neon laughed that carefree chuckle that only Neon has. “I need someone to let the Viking and his friends back here to the lounge when they arrive.”

  “I think I can manage that,” Neon said with a nod.

  “You’re a good man,” I called after him as he headed down the hallway.

  “Yeah, yeah,” he said, waving a dismissive hand back in my direction.

  I stood there in the hallway, listening to the sounds of Crosstalk’s music blaring from the stage. The fans seemed to be enjoying it, if the cheering was any indication. I wished with my whole heart that tonight could be like any other night on this tour. I would have given anything to wake up and find out that this entire thing was an exceptionally cruel nightmare. I was seriously contemplating pinching myself when Aurora caught up to me.

  “What did Antonio have to say?” I asked her.

  She sighed and said, “He’s somewhere in-between thinking we’ve lost our minds and wishing he was here to get in on the action. This entire thing is just crazy.

  “You can say that again.”

  “Are we good to go?”

  I nodded. “I hope so.” We couldn’t speak of our plan now. We could only hope that Tytus and Chase and Jonas were ready on their end. We headed inside the lounge and awaited the arrival of the Synod Elder I had once trusted with Aurora’s life. It seemed another lifetime ago when I thought about it now.

  Stanislav didn’t keep us waiting long, but I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not as he sauntered into the lounge sporting a cocky grin. “Trey, Aurora, so good to see you again,” he said, nodding at each of us in turn. Aurora didn’t get up from her seat on the couch, and I remained standing nearby, unable to sit still. “I see you’ve chosen to keep your thoughts from me,” Stanislav said as soon as the two vampires who were with him had come inside and closed the door. I’d felt the surge of his power reaching out to me, but my wall was holding steady, much to his disappointment. “That’s an interesting choice. I might have thought the ability to communicate silently on a momentous night such as this would have been preferable.”

  I crossed my arms and met his gaze evenly. “Anything I have to say to you, I’ll say to your face,” I stated.

  “Very well.” Stanislav’s smile was unsettling, but I wasn’t about
to let him know that. “I’m glad you came alone. Your band mates obviously couldn’t be trusted with something so momentous, so you’ll be addressing the crowd alone tonight.”

  “I figured,” I said. “We’re one guitar player short, anyway.”

  Stanislav ignored my reference to O’Shea, and, I have to say, his poker face was impressive. Not so much as an eyebrow twitch. Aurora was watching him as well, and I wondered if she was having any better luck at reading him. “Your fans will not be expecting this solo appearance,” he continued. I narrowed my eyes at him, and he rambled on in explanation. “I’ve had my men attending your shows on and off during the entire tour, as I’m sure you’re aware,” he added. “I know how things are usually done.” I refrained from shaking my head. I couldn’t give him any reason to suspect that things weren’t going to go smoothly for him tonight. “I know you, Trey,” he said, turning on his expensive leather heel to smile in my direction. “You’ll have no trouble at all breaking the ice with your fans. They adore you, after all. Then, when the moment is right – and it is essential to the plan that your timing is perfect – you’ll reveal yourself to your people.”

  “My people?” I asked. “You’re giving me a little too much credit, Stan. I’m not royalty.”

  “No,” Stanislav said, looking me up and down, his eyes lingering on my shoes with distaste. “That’s why this is going to work. Somehow you manage to make these people believe that you’re still one of them, even though you clearly weren’t – even as a human. Your talents and determination set you far above the rest, even then. Now, well, you’ve obviously joined the winning side of evolution, and you’ll still manage to convince them that you’re the same old Trey they fell in love with. The same Trey who’s face adorns their lockers, or dorm-room walls.”

  “I am,” I said. “What I am might be different, but it would take a lot more than a liquid diet to change who I am.”

  Stanislav smiled victoriously and put a hand on my shoulder in a fatherly way that was just plain creepy. “Atta boy,” he said. “You know, you really might consider adding acting to your repertoire. It seems to come naturally. I knew this would be easy for you, but the way you talk you’ve almost convinced me that you believe everything you’re saying. The humans don’t stand a chance with you.”

  “What about you?” I asked him, eager to change the subject and get to the heart of his plan. “As much as you like to pretend this is about me, it’s really not about me ... is it?” I watched as Aurora stretched out her legs and slouched into the cushions of the sofa she was sitting on. It was a good play at looking defeated.

  “When – and only when – your people are comfortable with the image of you as a vampire, you’ll invite me out to share the stage with you,” Stanislav continued.

  “Assuming they buy it.”

  “They will,” he interjected. “You’ll be certain they do. Your friends are counting on you, after all. Then comes the crucial moment when you’ll introduce me as your mentor, as the one who saved your beloved Aurora when her life was on the brink.”

  Aurora gave an impatient sigh just then. She was good. “Catalyst was supposed to take the stage five minutes ago,” she offered. “The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can see O’Shea and Kacie.”

  “No worries, dear,” Stanislav said. He walked over to her, taking her chin in his hand gently so that she had to look up at him. “Your friends are being looked after.” There was certainly a snide remark on her tongue in response to that, but she bit it back, hiding it well. Stanislav released her face and turned to face me, rubbing his hands together in what was obvious excitement. “Show time.”

  Stanislav followed Aurora and I to the side of the stage where the crowd was waiting for a Catalyst show they wouldn’t get. The house lights went down and the crowd roared in anticipation.

  “How do I look?” I asked Aurora, trying to focus on the things I could control.

  She put on her best smile for me, and her green eyes even managed to sparkle a little. It was the best anyone could do under the circumstances. “You look great.”

  “My human self would be a hot mess at this point,” I added. “I just need enough time with the fans to get them to believe me.”

  She nodded encouragingly, and we both glanced at Stanislav, who was looking quite smug. “You can do this,” Aurora assured me. “I know you can.”

  I met her gaze, hoping I looked more confident than I felt. If ever I needed the fans to be with me, the time was now. I glanced at Stanislav briefly, and I saw what could only be described as maniacal joy in his eyes. I felt my resolve deepen, and I kissed Aurora’s forehead and started the long walk across the stage.

  Chapter 55

  Trey

  THE CROWD ERRUPTED AT the sight of me, and I heard exclamations of surprise and wonder. This wasn’t how we usually did things. They knew something was up, but they couldn’t imagine what. I could see the fans, but the stage was dark except for the single spotlight that lit my path as I went, leading me like a shadow. I paused, front and center, raising my hand to acknowledge the cheering.

  “Did Crosstalk put on a great set tonight for you guys, or what?” I said, throwing my hands up in the air to encourage the cheers. “They’re a talented bunch of guys,” I added. “We’re lucky to have them on the tour with us.” I paused and took a breath, and the fans quieted down with anticipation. “First of all, the guys I want to thank each and every one of you for coming out tonight,” I said. “It’s no small thing to us that you spend your hard-earned cash on tickets for this show, and take time out of your busy lives to come and see us play. So for that, thank you.” The crowd cheered, and I added, “How many of you have the new record?” I cast my eyes out over the sea of people, enjoying their enthusiastic reaction to my question. Moments like this would never get old, and I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. “I know this isn’t normally how we do things, but I wanted to come out here and have a little heart-to-heart with you guys....” I waved at a girl a few rows back who was desperately trying to get my attention.

  “I love you!” she called out.

  “I love you, too,” I said, smiling at her. I let the screaming go on for another minute, knowing they needed a chance to get some energy out of their systems before I made the bottom drop out. “You know what?” I said, knowing exactly what to do for the first time tonight. “Before we do anything else, would it be okay if I play you guys a new song?” The sound of unanimous approval chorused back at me, and I nodded. “Thanks for rolling with me on this,” I said as I grabbed a stool and set it down front and center on the stage. I picked up my guitar, adjusted the mic on the stand in front of me, and strummed a few chords to check the tuning. “This is a new song I wrote,” I explained. “You’re actually the first ones – aside from Aurora and the guys – to hear it. The song is called “Rainy Day.” I hope you like it.” My fingers picked out the melody and I took a breath and began to sing the first verse.

  “Pretending I don’t see

  All the questions in your eyes.

  Its paper thin but all I have

  Is my defense and this disguise.

  “The fault is mine

  If only you understood

  Life would be so easy then

  I’d give anything if you could.

  “Still somehow

  Selfishly I want to share.

  You’ll go on believing

  The lies that I’m bleeding.

  I’ll pretend that I don’t care

  But for now

  I’ll let the chips falls where they may.

  I’ll live in the shadows

  Trust in my nature

  Save the truth for another rainy day.

  “Feels like I’m betraying your trust

  Day after day

  I’m full of excuses

  But really I’m just afraid.

  “My nights will never be the same

  I can live with that, but could you?<
br />
  There I go again believing

  I can save you from myself.

  “Still somehow

  Selfishly I want to share.

  You’ll go on believing

  The lies that I’m bleeding.

  I’ll pretend that I don’t care

  But for now

  I’ll let the chips falls where they may.

  I’ll live in the shadows

  Trust in my nature

  Save the truth for another rainy day.

  “My confidence is as much a lie

  As all the many reasons why

  I hide this.

  I’ll make it up to you – I swear it

  I couldn’t stand to have you see

  Or look at me differently.

  So I’ll keep it locked deep inside

  The echoes of this heart of mine

  Just like this.

  “Still somehow

  Selfishly I want to share.

  You’ll go on believing

  The lies that I’m bleeding.

  I’ll pretend that I don’t care

  But for now

  I’ll let the chips falls where they may.

  I’ll live in the shadows

  Trust in my nature

  Save the truth for another rainy day.

  I could feel the emotion coming back at me from the fans in tangible waves. My moon-given talent hadn’t faltered tonight, but I hoped it was enough to make the crowd really hear me as I made my big announcement.

  “Thanks,” I told them, getting to my feet and setting my guitar aside. “You’re probably wondering what I’m doing out here by myself like this. Thanks for being patient with me. I’m going to set the record straight for you.” This was followed by a lot of nodding and expectant gazes. “Basically, I have good news and bad news,” I said, drawing a mixed reaction from the crowd. “I’ll hit you with the bad news first.” The fans were quieter than I’ve ever seen them, which at least let me now that they were listening. “I think you all know my buddy O’Shea. He’s usually the one up here shredding like a maniac.” There was visible excitement at the mention of O’Shea’s name, but the cheers were brief as everyone remembered I’d said this was bad news. I nodded and said, “He, uh ... he can’t play tonight....” The fans muttered and gave each other questioning glances before the now deafening silence returned, and they looked to me for answers. “He’s not feeling too hot right now,” I said. “He’s actually got a violent case of the stomach flu, or maybe a bout of food poisoning. I’m not sure which, but I promise he’ll be back on his feet soon.... We have a friend who is a doctor, and he’s going to take good care of him.” I paused, giving everyone a moment to soak in the news.