"You don't care at all? I thought you changed, at least a little. What if that was Tiffany?"
"Now that's a question I'll never have to answer. You see, Tiffany is actually smart. She won't ever be in a position where two men can spike her drink and take advantage of her."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Stay down here and watch the show. I'll be right back."
Victoria walked up the stairs. Jack took a deep breath before following her.
"Let's go be Girl Scouts," he said.
They rounded the stairwell and saw two men guarding the closed door at the top. One man held out his hand as they approached.
"Sorry, this is a private room. If you're looking for a place to screw, you'll have to look somewhere else."
"We saw two men carry a woman up here," Victoria said. "She didn't look to be in the best of shape. We just want to make sure she's okay."
"I guess you both didn't hear me. I said this is a private room. Now, leave, or we won't be responsible for your hospital bill."
Jack leaned close to Victoria. "Maybe we should throw more words at them? Words work wonders."
"Please," she said. "Step aside. We're just gonna check on the young lady, and we'll be gone."
The two men laughed, and one stepped forward. "Look, Red, I'm trying to be nice."
He tried to grab Victoria's shoulder, but his hand stopped two inches from touching her. He looked down to see Victoria gripping his wrist. His face twisted in agony as she slowly crushed it. His partner rushed forward to help, but they were no match for the vampire's speed. She grabbed the second man by the throat, lifting him from the ground. She flung one man down the stairs while choking the other into unconsciousness.
"And when the words fail," Jack said. "Good old-fashioned violence comes through to save the day."
Victoria tried the door, only to find it locked. She pushed the door open with one hand, splintering the frame.
There were six beds, three on each side of the room. The two men and young woman were in the bed closest to the door. She lay nearly unconscious as one man removed her jeans and his friend fiddled with a camera.
"What the fuck are you doing up here?!" one of them shouted. "Get the hell out—!"
Jack leaned in the doorway as Victoria went to work, not even letting the thug complete his sentence. Victoria, for all her complaints of how Jack went about his business, was as brutally efficient as he was. One strike to the temple knocked one man out. The camera flew across the room. She fed from the second man, not spilling a precious drop on the stirring woman beneath them. She kept her fangs buried in his neck until he went limp, and Jack could see the wet spot on his jeans.
"Nice, Victoria."
He approached the woman on the bed and pulled her panties back up, before lightly slapping her. She tried to push him away, weakly flailing her arms.
"Cute underwear," he said, admiring the yellow polka dots before pulling her jeans up. "Wake up, Princess. Do you know where you are, what your name is?"
"I'm dancing," she said, a huge grin on her face. "My name's Amy."
"How's she doing?" Victoria said, licking blood from her fangs.
"She'll be fine. Maybe she'll drink tea from now on. Hey Amy, while you're down there waking up, would you be interested in buying some Girl Scout cookies?"
"Knock it off. We should take her to the hospital—"
"Oh my God!"
They spun to see the same woman that led them to Darren, the one who wanted to jump in bed with Jack and Victoria. She opened her mouth to scream, but Victoria was already on her, dragging her inside the room with a hand clamped over her mouth. She pulled her to Amy and Jack gestured to the giggling woman.
"Do you know her?"
Victoria released her grip, and the dancer didn't scream. She looked down in horror at Amy, and then looked at the two unconscious men.
"No, but the guys are Mike and Patrick, two friends of the owner. What…were they doing up here?"
Jack smiled. "They weren't playing strip chess, that's for sure."
"Oh, no," she said. "I've heard stories, but I never believed…."
"What's your name?" Jack asked.
"Destiny."
"No," he said, shaking his head. "Not your stage-humping name. Your real name."
"Karen."
"Okay, Karen." Jack always found mortals paid more attention when using their name. "You should probably call the cops, maybe an ambulance."
"What the hell is going on?" a new voice said.
They looked at the doorway to see two large bouncers. They didn't say another word, didn't ask any questions. Victoria grabbed Karen and pulled her back a few feet, for safety. The two bouncers marched straight to Jack, balling their fists. He was the only conscious man in the room, the only threat in their eyes. The fact that he was laughing at the ridiculous tattoo on one of their necks also didn't help his case.
Jack didn't have the raw strength Victoria had. He couldn't knock out someone with a simple slap, like she could. But mortals were still so easy to deal with. He read their movements, knew what they would do before they did. He knew where to strike, and had one more advantage over Victoria.
He didn't care about mortals.
The lead bouncer threw a wild punch, which Jack ducked easily. Jack struck him in the throat, and then kicked him in the back of the knee, dropping him to the floor. He saw the second bouncer's shoulder twitch, and sidestepped a right hand. A kick to the groin doubled the bouncer over, and Jack grabbed a wooden chair next to one of the beds. He slammed it over the bouncer's back. The two men moaned in pain on the floor. To top the short fight off, Jack turned a bed over on them.
"I just love strip clubs."
He noticed Victoria giving him a nasty glare. Karen stared in awe, while Amy was sitting up and leaning against Victoria.
"What?" Jack said.
"Let's go," Victoria said. She slung Amy over her shoulder. "Before you attract the attention of every meat-head in the city."
"What's the plan?"
"Taking Amy to a hospital."
"Why? She has two legs, and they work. I'll bet she wraps them around men all the time."
She said nothing as she led the way to the door. Jack followed, shaking his head, and raised an eyebrow as Karen was a step behind him.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm going with you. I want to make sure she's okay, and I'll tell the police about Mike and Patrick."
"Girl Scout number three. Welcome to the club."
They left the room only to see more bouncers stopping at the foot of the steps. Two of them checked on the man Victoria tossed away earlier, while the others looked up at Jack.
"This will be fun," he said, glancing at Victoria. "You always know how to have a good time."
Victoria slammed the locked door next to them, nearly sending it off the hinges. "We're not gonna destroy the place."
"Why not? They've got insurance."
Victoria stepped through the door to a small roof. The strip club must have used the area in nicer weather, as there was a couch, along with a table and a few chairs scattered about. The full roof to the building was above them. She grabbed Karen around the waist and jumped straight up, landing nimbly on the edge over the doorway. Karen let out a small shout of surprise.
"That's fine," Jack said, smiling at the open door back into the club. "Escape with the women. I'll handle everything."
He heard a group of men running up the stairs, anger in their voices.
Victoria reached down and grabbed him by the back of his coat, pulling him easily up with one hand.
"Hey! Don't rip the coat!"
Karen was holding Amy on her feet, her arm around her neck. Victoria tossed Amy over her shoulder one more time and walked across the roof calmly. They could hear the men on the lower roof, frantically searching for them. The vampire headed for the back of the building, not stopping at all. She shifted Amy so she was in her arms, and not over her shoulde
r.
"What's she doing?" Karen whispered, walking next to Jack. "Is she gonna stop?"
Jack sighed, and scooped Karen into his arms. "Don't think I'm trying to get all romantic here. Do me a favor, and don't scream on the way down."
"What?"
Victoria stepped off the roof. Jack was right behind her, falling the two stories to the alley below. Karen didn't scream, but gripped Jack tighter. He bent his knees when he hit the ground, nearly touching the ground with his ass. Setting Karen on her feet, he looked to his right to see Victoria walking deeper down the alley into the darkness, Amy still in her arms.
"Hey, Grumpy-Fangs," he called. "You want to slow down over there?"
She paused just long enough to turn and face Jack. "You are calling me grumpy?"
"We'd better hurry," Jack told Karen. "Before she starts crying."
*****
Jack leaned against the brick wall in the darkness with his arms crossed. Victoria, along with the two mortal women, sat on a dumpster not far away. He alternated between watching them and the Baltimore nightlife just beyond the mouth of the alley. They waited patiently for the cab Victoria called.
Amy was finally coherent, and cried like a baby. He couldn't read their lips very well, due to the darkness and the angle. But he knew Victoria was giving her words of encouragement, being the kind supernatural creature he'd known for the past two centuries.
Karen pushed herself away from the dumpster and shivered. She still wore a sparkling top and shorts that might as well have been underwear. She looked ready for a day at the beach, and not the chilly Baltimore night.
"Jack," Victoria said. "Give her your coat."
"This is my coat. I bought it. It's mine."
"You've got five just like it hanging in your closet."
"Yeah. All mine. I bought those, too."
"Jack…."
"Okay, okay. Fine." He shrugged out of his coat.
"No, it's okay," Karen said. "I'm not cold."
"Just shut up and take it."
Karen leaned next to Jack while Victoria wrapped an arm around Amy's shoulders.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"No one you need to remember."
"Is this what you do? Go around helping people?"
"She does. I'm just along for the ride."
"The way you handled everything, and jumped off the roof…."
Jack said nothing. She waited, seeing what Jack would offer up. He would offer nothing.
"You're not human, are you?" she asked.
He smiled. "I guess stripping your way through college pays off."
"Stop talking down to me," she said. "You don't know anything about me. And it looks like I'm out of a job, anyway, especially after I go to the police."
He studied her. "You're really going to the police?"
"Yeah. I'll go with Amy to the hospital and call them from there. Don't worry, I won't mention you or her."
"It doesn't matter. No one would believe you, anyway." He was quiet a moment. "Why go to the police?"
She shrugged. "Because it's the right thing to do."
A small smile touched his lips. Karen had a subtle strength hidden in that stripper body. She reminded him of Victoria.
"Do you want a job? A job where you don't have to show men your measurements?" He dug into his wallet before she could respond and fished out a business card. "You call this guy here. He works for me, has a few offices in the city. Just tell him Jack told you to call."
Anger flashed through her eyes. "I don't need your—"
"I know. You don't need my help, or anything like that. You're strong, tough, independent, whatever. Just take the card."
Her features softened as she accepted it. "Thank you."
The cab finally stopped at the mouth of the alley. Victoria stepped forward to wave at the driver, and then escorted Amy to the back. Karen tried to remove Jack's coat, but he stopped her.
"No, you keep it," he said. "You've probably got glitter all over it anyway."
She smiled at him, and then approached Victoria to hug her. The two quickly embraced before Karen climbed in the back of the cab. She waved at both Victoria and Jack as it drove away.
"Ah, I feel all warm and cozy inside," he said. "So, when do we get our badges?"
She said nothing as she passed Jack and paced in the darkness. He was quiet as he watched her. He had many more jokes and sarcastic comments, but held them in check.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
She stopped and looked at him. "What did we just do?"
"Well, we just radically changed the lives of two mortals. Now, I don't really care, but you live for this crap."
"Two mortals. Anatol is out there, and I'm saving two women."
She sat on the dumpster once again. Jack joined her.
"You're gonna have to accept that you might not see Anatol for years, maybe decades, if you ever see him again."
"I know, Jack. I know how it works. That doesn't mean I have to like it. I just have this feeling. Anatol isn't gonna poison a water supply and make a bunch of ghouls. He's got something bigger in mind."
"I'm sure you're right. And when we find out where he is, we'll kill him. But until then, we have to live our lives. And what is this shit? This sounds like garbage you're supposed to be telling me."
She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're right."
"Of course I'm right. That's why tomorrow I'm flying to Paris."
"To see Tiffany?"
"Yeah. I miss the little munchkin. You'll be okay without me for a week or so, right?"
"I'm sure I'll find some way to survive without you. I've got Alex and Kevin, after all."
"Ah. You're screwed."
She laughed and jumped off the dumpster. "Let's go. You said something about a steak and an attractive waiter."
"Finally. Now we're talking."
CHAPTER 16
Alex honked the horn as he rolled to a stop in front of Alicia's apartment. Cindy was poking at her cell phone, answering various work emails. They waited two minutes before he honked the horn again.
"What is taking her so long?" he asked.
Cindy smiled and shrugged. "She's Leese."
He nodded. That was all the explanation necessary.
Cindy's phone chimed, and she laughed as she read a text message.
"What's up?" Alex asked.
"It's Leese. She says stop honking, you can't rush beauty."
He put a hand to his head to fight off the headache he knew was coming. "Oh dear God."
"Let me go see what's going on. I'll be right back."
"Baby, wait, I'm not sure that's such—"
Too late. Cindy was already out of the car and gone, moving across the sidewalk into the apartment building.
Alex sighed as he found a nearby parking spot and reclined the seat back. When Cindy or Alicia needed to look good, and they teamed up, time seemed to change. He thought about calling Victoria and telling her they'd be a little late, but decided against it. It wasn't like Victoria had to worry about the sun anymore.
Twenty minutes passed before Cindy and Alicia emerged from the apartment, talking and giggling. His sister wore a tight pair of jeans, her favorite pair of boots, and a purple blouse with a wide neck, no doubt to show off some skin. She had on minimal makeup, and let her bangs hang free, a new look for her. She looked good, as always, but Alex couldn't imagine the outfit took more than thirty seconds to pick out. He was sure Alicia and Cindy debated on the tightness level of the jeans, which top complimented the look best, which panties to put on. They probably debated on how to walk into Victoria's house.
He rolled his eyes. All the effort went to making Kevin smile. As far as Alex could see, Kevin already smiled whenever Alicia was simply nearby. So the effort was useless.
"What the hell took so long in there?" Alex asked as Alicia slipped into the back seat.
"Hey. I have to look good."
"We're going to Victoria's house to wat
ch movies. Not the opera."
"Looking good takes time. And I have to look good. Get over it."
Cindy laughed and reached over to squeeze Alex's hand. "You weren't complaining earlier when I was modeling clothes for you."
"Oh, man," Alicia said. "Just drive, please."
They shared a laugh as they left the apartment complex.
"So, Alicia," Alex asked, looking at his sister in the rear-view mirror. "You and Kevin, you two are getting along okay?"
She smiled mischievously. "You could say that."
"It's just that it's been a while since I've seen you struggling to find clothes to wear." He acted irritated, but the truth was he couldn't have been happier. Alicia had been floating on a cloud for the past week. She didn't date often, and her past few relationships didn't end well.
"Kevin is…wow," she said. "It's like he put a spell on me."
Alex laughed, but then gave his wife a serious look. "Do you think he could do that?"
"Kevin didn't put a spell on me, Alex," Alicia said. "He just happens to be hot, and sweet, and funny, and he can freakin' float. And he's a great kisser—"
"Stop," Alex said. "Before I throw up. Seriously, though, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about him, about what he was."
"It's okay. I had fun finding out for myself."
"Uhh," Alex groaned. "Look, you two want to feel each other up, do it in a closet. Alright?"
"Yeah, right," Alicia said. "You and Cindy have been sticking your tongues down each other's throats in front of me for the past two years. You can dish it out, but can't take it? But a closet…that sounds fun."
Cindy shook her head. "This is gonna be a fun night."
*****
Kevin stepped out of the bathroom, holding a towel around his waist. He shouted and nearly lost his grip when he saw Victoria leaning against the wall.
"You scared the hell out of me."
Victoria only laughed, doubling over and holding her knees. Kevin walked behind one of her many racks, trying not to smile at the vampire. It was good to know that after so many centuries someone could find something to laugh about, even if it was at his expense.
"I see now why Leese has been talking my ear off every night about you."
He turned red, but hid his face behind some clothes. Dropping his towel to the carpet, he quickly dressed, and then stepped out for Victoria to see.
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