Vampire (6 page)

“What is it about vampires”—she gave an involuntary shudder—“that makes them so … so dangerous … yet so fascinating at the same time?”

Kyle stared at the players onstage … at Brandon bowing low over his intended victim. “I never knew that much about vampires … but Brandon's getting to be a real authority. They're just make-believe. I don't understand getting that much into something that's not real.” He shrugged apologetically.

“What do you like getting into?” Darcy asked, loving the way his eyes crinkled up when he smiled.

“My bike. Going ninety miles an hour out on the road when there's nobody around.”

“Kyle,” she scolded, “don't you know how dangerous that is? You could kill yourself!”

The grin widened. “Come on, Darcy, there're easier ways to die.”

They hadn't heard Brandon approaching, but now he plopped into the seat in front of them, furrowing his brow, making his voice low and deep.

“Then allow me to help you, my friend,” he hissed. “I can show you how
verrrry
easy it is to die.”

“That's terrible.” Kyle drew back. “What kind of an accent is
that?
”

Brandon faked a hurt look. “My best Transylvanian—don't you like it? And how did you get in here anyway? Rehearsals are closed to the general public.”

“I just told them I was your coach.” Kyle grinned. “And that I was here to make sure you got lots—and
lots
—of practice.”

“He
is
my coach.” Brandon nodded at Darcy. “A coach and a traitor. We practiced lines together, and then he abandoned me. I'm starved.” He smiled, leaning forward. “Hi, Darcy, how about a bite?” He flung an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, baring his teeth. “Right … about here.”

With a little squeal Darcy jerked away while Kyle and Brandon started laughing.

“Mmmm … a ticklish neck.” Brandon winked. “I'll have to remember that.”

“Well, then, as
usual
, I guess it's up to me to protect the girl.” Kyle stood up, pulling Darcy to her feet.

“Yeah?” Brandon followed them out into the lobby. “And who's going to protect the girl from
you?
”

Squeezing Darcy between them, they headed down the street, arguing about dinner, finally deciding on a sidewalk cafe. Brandon and Kyle spent the whole meal trying to top each other's jokes, and Darcy could hardly eat for laughing so hard. As she finally finished, she leaned back in her chair, watching the sun sink behind the rooftops, closing her eyes lazily, then opening them again. On either side of her Brandon and Kyle were involved in another animated discussion, and neither noticed at first as she stiffened and rose halfway from her chair.

“Hey, you leaving?” Kyle was the first to reach out for her arm, forcing her back into her seat.

“It's Elliott.” Darcy tried to get up again, her gaze going back and forth over the passers-by on the sidewalk and the street beyond.

“Elliott?” Brandon leaned forward, his smile fading a little at the look on her face.

“Yes. I saw him. Right over there.” Darcy got up again, pointing. “I'm sure it was him.”

“It couldn't have been.” Kyle reached over, stealing a french fry from Brandon's plate. “He's at work now.”

“Work? But I thought—”

“Oh, that's just his day job at the Dungeon,” Kyle explained. “He works nights part-time at a gas station over on Second Street.”

Darcy turned back around, conscious of their eyes on her. “Well, it had to be him. His face is—I mean—” She stopped, flustered.

“Unique?” Kyle finished helpfully.

Brandon nodded. “Yeah. That's kind of you. Unique.”

“I only meant,” Darcy started defensively, then realized they were teasing her. “Well, it
looked
like him.”

“Where was he?” Kyle asked.

“Right over there in that alley,” Darcy pointed. “He was just standing there like he was staring.”

“At us?” Kyle stood up, squinting. “Was he staring at
us?
”

“It couldn't have been Elliott.” Brandon slapped Kyle's hand as it casually reached for another fry.

“I guess not,” Darcy said uneasily. “But it sure looked like him.”

“Yeah, are you two getting along okay?” Kyle scooted back, stretching out his long legs.

“I really don't see much of him,” Darcy said. “He mostly stays back in the Dungeon.”

“Yeah, Elliott likes the dark.” Brandon nodded, then placed one finger above his cheek. “It's his eyes. They're really sensitive to any kind of light, so he tries to stay out of it as much as he can.”

“Can he really tell the future?” Darcy burst out.

Brandon and Kyle stared at her, then at each other.

“Are you serious?” Brandon shook his head, a smile playing over his mouth.

“He told me today that someone else might have been murdered.”

For a moment there was silence, and then Brandon groaned softly.

“Well, there's bound to be
someone
who's been murdered lately
somewhere
in the universe.”

“No, he was serious. He meant the Vampire. That's what he told me.”

“Elliott lives in a fantasy world,” Kyle said, not unkindly. “He likes to make things up. He still swears a UFO hit his bike and caused his wreck.”

Kyle looked so solemn saying it that Darcy stared at him, her eyes narrowed.

“You're joking.”

“He's not.” Brandon shook his head, smiling sadly. “I swear he's not. Poor Elliott.” He looked at Kyle, then at Darcy, and without warning the three of them erupted into laughter.

“You guys, that's not
funny!
” Darcy protested, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

“I know it's not.” Kyle sank back in his chair, holding his stomach. “But, God, I mean …” His voice trailed off as he glanced at his watch, then bolted upright. “Man, I've got to run! I didn't know it was so late!”

Brandon checked his own watch and got up. “Me, too. It's not smart to be late for rehearsals. What are your plans, Darcy?”

“My laundry,” Darcy remembered. “I just hope no one's stolen it by now.”

“Wow.” Kyle whistled. “You mean Jake's got you doing his dirty work already?”

“Not exactly.” Darcy made a face as they headed out onto the street. “His cat left a present for me in my bed last night. A dead rat.” She saw their disgusted faces, then added, “Without its head.”

Brandon gave an exaggerated shudder and looked over at Kyle. “But I thought Jake didn't have his cat anymore.”

“He doesn't,” Kyle answered. “It died last spring sometime.”

Darcy slowed down, frowning. “But that can't be. He said his cat did it. He called it by name … Lester, I think.”

“Yeah, that's right, Lester.” Brandon nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. “He was always carrying in dead stuff, I remember that. But Lester died.”

“Wait a minute,” Darcy insisted. “Then if Lester's dead—”

“Relax.” Brandon patted her shoulder. “Jake's always taking in strays, and he probably started calling one of them Lester.”

“That sounds like Jake.” Kyle grinned. “Rather than go to all the trouble of thinking up a brand-new name. Well, here's where I leave you. See you guys later.”

“Right.” Brandon gave a wave, then steered Darcy over to the opposite corner. “Think you can find your way back?”

Darcy shrugged noncommittally, her mind still on Jake's cat. “Thanks for dinner—and good luck with rehearsals.”

“Yeah, I'll need it.” He bared his teeth and then chuckled. “So what do you think? Can you see me with fangs?”

“A definite improvement,” Darcy said, and he seemed to find it uproariously funny.

Hurrying back toward the laundry, Darcy's thoughts went in circles—Jake's cat … Elliott and his wild imagination … Elliott's prediction … Elliott's face. She could still
see
that face, even now, those scary dark glasses watching her from that alleyway.

Darcy stopped in midstride and glanced nervously behind her.
Come on, Darcy, why would Elliott be watching you? He hardly even knows you, and besides that, he's working at some gas station clear across town
. She was glad to see other people in the laundry. She waited restlessly for her clothes to dry, then hurried to get home.

She wasn't sure when she first suspected someone following her. And it was strange, she thought later, that even through all the noise on the streets, she could almost hear a certain pair of footsteps behind her, mocking her progress, step by step.

She didn't really know why she started running or why she was so frightened, knocking people out of her way as she searched frantically for a place to hide. Nothing looked familiar anymore.… She couldn't find the Dungeon—couldn't find Jake's club—and it was so dark now, on some strange street, and
Where did the people go, they were here just a second ago, I'm all alone—

She saw an alley between two condemned buildings, and it looked so dangerous, so scary, but not nearly as scary as whatever was behind her, stalking her, knowing that she was too terrified now to turn around and look at it—

She flung herself into the narrow space, flattened herself into the shadows, heart screaming, exploding in her chest.

The night was full of footsteps that never came.

As minutes passed Darcy's head began to clear. She fought off a wave of dizziness and realized she'd been holding her breath. Around her, shadows began to take shape and form—a brick wall … trash bags … a pile of old clothes …

She bent her head down to keep from fainting and saw a pale sliver of light angling in from some distant street lamp … slicing across the pile of old clothes.…

Only Darcy could see now that the clothes weren't old …

She could see that someone was still wearing them.

Someone … in a blood-soaked blouse … with blood-stained hair …

A girl … with a gaping slash across her throat.

8

H
ere,” Jake said. “Drink this.”

Through blurry eyes Darcy saw a cup of coffee being shoved at her, but when she tried to take it, it spilled onto the table.

“She's still shaking.” Jake's hand came into view, but another hand gently pried the cup from her fingers.

“That's okay, Darcy,” Kyle said. “I've got it.”

Around her the noises of the Club seemed strangely dreamlike. “I told them everything I know,” Darcy mumbled. “Everything I saw.”

“The cops are gone now.” Jake leaned forward, peering anxiously into her face. “You might as well go home.”

“Can't I stay here with you?” Her voice rose.

“Well, sure.” Jake nodded. “Whatever you want.”

“I could take her home,” Kyle suggested.

“You get onstage,” Jake said. “You're already late starting. And you guys quit arguing up there—it looks bad.”

“Darcy”—Kyle patted her arm—“are you going to be okay?”

“Of course she is.” Jake nudged him. “Go on, now.”

Darcy reached for her coffee and tried another sip.

“So,” Jake said, “someone was following you.”

“No … I mean—I don't know. I guess not.”

Jake threw up his hands. “So which is it?”

“I thought someone was. But they weren't. Or maybe they went away.”

“But you didn't see anyone, right? No one you recognized?” He leaned forward, his voice urgent.

“No.”

“What were you doing way over on that block anyway? It's not even near the apartment—”

“I got lost, okay?” Darcy's voice trembled, threatening to break. “I didn't know where I was! Everything looks different at night! I've only been here one day!”

“Yeah, you're right,” Jake said matter-of-factly. “So don't cry.”

Darcy turned away from him, her heart sinking as she saw Liz making her way over to their table.

“I heard what happened,” Liz announced, and Darcy had the instant impression of being blamed for the whole horrible incident. “What'd she look like?”

“Dead,” Darcy retorted before she could help herself, and shuddered at the memory.

“That was really stupid of you to be out wandering around alone,” Liz said, sitting down in Kyle's vacated chair.

“I was getting my laundry.” Darcy tried to compose herself. “Before that I wasn't alone. I was with Brandon and Kyle.”

“Really.” Liz's tone went icy, and Darcy stood up, looking appealingly at Jake.

“Could we please go home now?”

“I'm surprised you even remembered where I was,” Jake said, “considering the state you were in.”

“I didn't. I told the policeman I was your niece, and he knew where to find you.”

“My cousin Tony.” Liz nodded. “He said you were really freaking out.”

Darcy turned away and felt Jake's hand on her elbow.

“I can't get away right now, Darcy. I've got someone waiting in my office, but I'll be done in about an hour.”

“I'll go home with her,” Liz said.

“I can wait,” Darcy said firmly. “I'll just sit here till Jake's through.”

“Brandon's picking me up here,” Liz said, and Darcy could hear the smugness in her voice.

“Go on with Liz,” Jake said. “No sense waiting around this place—”

“We can dump her on our way”—Liz raised an eyebrow—“unless, of course, she needs a babysitter at the apartment.”

“That won't be necessary.” Darcy's smile was stiff, and she followed Liz out onto the street. Brandon pulled up almost immediately, and Liz jumped in beside him while Darcy collapsed in the backseat. As Liz filled Brandon in on the latest murder, Darcy could see his worried glances in the rearview mirror.