CLUB NUMBER FIVE (Immortal Blood) (11 page)

Worse than turning me into a vampire, I thought dryly, but didn't want to say it aloud. Dane looked guilty enough.

“There's something you have to remember,”
h
e said tiredly. “You can't trust anyone, okay?”

“Okay,” I nodded slowly.

“I mean it.” He turned my face to him and locked his eyes onto mine. “Vampires can be bribed, too.” My eyes widened and he let go of my face. “Or blackmailed, or even fooled.”
H
e seemed to be talking to himself.

“Dane,” I whispered, and he turned his eyes back
to
me. “You really think they were after me, don't you?”

He
stayed quiet, but I could read the answer
in
his eyes. He put his hands on my shoulders and stared at me steadily.

I let the moment
stretch until finally my brain was
capable of handling the truth. “They were in the alley when you kissed me,” I whispered in horror. “They were the ones that Will warned me about.” Dane nodded slowly. “They've been hunting me from the start and that's why you wanted me to stay inside.”
Dane nodded again. I pushed him away
harshly
. He tried to pull me back, but I couldn't let him. I saw my little sister's innocent eyes in my mind and felt the terror gripping my heart. “Melissa,” I whispered, and put my hand on my trembling lips. “Dane, we have to go back. I left my family with them.”

“Sam, we can't go back,”
h
e said gently, and I saw sadness in his eyes. “They might be waiting.”

“But she's only ten,” I cried. “What kind of a monster am I if I leave her behind?”

“She'll be fine.”
H
e smiled dryly. “They don't hunt humans.”

“They don't?” I asked, stupefied.

“No.”

“But why?”

Dane shrugged. “Bec
ause they're humans, too.”

I stared at him and tried to process the knowledge he'd just shared with me,
but something just didn't fit
. I mean, sure, I understood that there might be some humans who hunted vampires. There always had been and always would be some people who hunted for fun, and what could be more fun than hunting and killing vampires? Still, something didn't feel right.

“You're not telling me everything.” I lifted my eyes and met his.

“No, I'm not,” Dane sighed.

“Well, maybe you should.” I looked at him and narrowed my eyes. I was sure I wasn't going to like what he might say, but I wanted to hear it anyway.

“They don't hunt all vampires.” Dane looked away and I could've sworn he was blushing. “They only hunt the newborns,” he continued quietly.

“What!” I yelled.

Dane swallowed and nodded slowly. I wanted to kill him. He had turned me and then left me alone. He'd told me nothing and let me wander in the dark alleys, happily unaware of the danger that lurked around the corner. And not only that, he'd had plenty of opportunities to tell me about the hunters, but instead he had remained silent and let them come to my home. My home, which, by the way, I couldn't go to anymore because they might be waiting for me. I was so furious that for once I couldn't even speak.

“Sam?” Dane asked
in concern
.

“Go to hell!” I snapped and jumped up. I started to run, but didn't know where to go. The park was like a hidden cage, a cage that had its door open, but I was too afraid to leave. My world had turned around and everything I had known before had changed. I didn't feel safe anymore, and I hated it. The new world where Dane had thrown me was scary and full of unpleasant surprises, like hunters and blood drinking. I still didn't get why he had changed me. Yes, Jonathan had said Dane loved me, but how could he? He'd been around for what, hundreds of years, maybe even more, and I was just a girl. I was sure he'd met prettier girls before. So why me? And why now? I didn't want to be a vampire. I wanted my old life back.

I
look
ed at Dane and it could've been funny to see a hot guy like him cowering on the bench like he was afraid of my rage, but right now I didn't see any fun in it.

“I want to see Jonathan,” I said
,
and tried to prevent my voice from shaking.

Dane flinched but nodded. “Okay. Let's go then.”
             

We went to that old stone house where I'd first gone to look for Jonathan, and when the same old man who had claimed he'd never heard of him opened the door, I looked at him furiously. He was wise enough to look guilty. I followed Dane to the high-ceilinged living room and barely noticed some people lying on the loungers. They lifted their heads questioningly, but Dane just shook his head. He glanced quickly around, and when he didn't find the one he was looking for, he started to climb the wide marble stairs. I glanced at the people behind us once more and started to climb, too. He stopped and waited for me, but I wasn't moved by his gentlemanly behavior.

When we reached the top of the stairs he hesitated. “Maybe I should go first.”

“And tell him what he can or cannot tell me? I don't think so.” I gave him a face and he shrugged.

He knocked on the dark wooden door once before opening it.

Jonathan was lying on the bed wearing only a pair of tight black boxers, which hid nothing. When he saw us, he got up and leaped next to me. “Sam, are you all right?” He hugged me, and I let him press me against his godlike body. What? A girl should have some fun sometimes.

Dane revealed his fangs and hissed, but Jonathan didn't let go of me. I pressed myself tighter against him and sniffed his masculine smell. He kissed my hair gently and looked suspiciously at Dane. “What did you do to her?”

“Nothing,” Dane snapped. “The hunters found her.”

“So?” Jonathan raised his brow. “Did you kill them?”

I stepped back and stared at him. Had he just asked if Dane had killed the hunters? The hunters that were human? Dane shook his head
in warning
, but it was too late. I was the only one who saw it.

“You should've,” Jonathan continued. “They’ll try to hunt her like maniacs and you can't protect her alone.”

“
I know,” Dane sighed. “I was kind of hoping you could help.”

“This is your mess.” Jonathan's voice was steely. “And I don't want any part of it.”

“Come on.” Dane grinned. “It's only a couple of days. Her powers are waking up already, and when they do, the hunters will leave her alone.”

“What powers?” I interrupted, but they ignored me.

Jonathan stroked his hair and glanced at me quickly. “How many days are we talking about?”

“Six.” Dane smiled. “We can manage six days, right?”

Jonathan sighed and sank o
n
to the bed. I couldn't help but glance at his trained chest and muscular arms, and then my eyes saw the tattoo. I didn't say anything, but I was sure that the tattoo had a bigger meaning, and I was almost positive that if I looked at Dane's left wrist, I'd see a tattoo exactly like Jonathan's on it.

“Where are you going to hide her for six days?” Jonathan asked
,
defeated
.

“Here.” Dane flashed a victorious smile. “What could be a better place to hide her baby scent than a house full of grown-up vampires?”

My mouth dropped open. “Hello! I'm here. Don't talk like I don't exist.” They didn't even glance at me. I punched Dane. “Dane!”

“What?” he snapped and grabbed my wrist.

“I'm not staying.”

“Yes, you are,” Jonathan's low voice interrupted. “You have to, if you want to live.”

I opened my mouth but closed it quickly. What could I say? I didn't want to become grilled in a bonfire, but I didn't want to stay here either. I growled and turned my back on them. “I hate you both.”

I didn't know how they would explain to my parents that I wouldn't come home for a week, or how they would convince the headmaster that I shouldn't go to school for the next week, but somehow they managed to deal with every protest I came up with, and finally I had no choice but to stay at their house. The first days were easy, as everyone in the house wanted to please me. I was their new toy and for a while I didn't mind as long as it served us both. I perked up their ever-so-boring eternity and they shared some of their darkest secrets with me. I played cards with the men with high stakes. The winner got to ask whatever she or he wanted and the loser had to answer no matter what the question was. And believe me, I won a lot. I learned a great deal about my new powers, and when I got bored with the games I cooked with the women, who taught me some basic stuff about being a vampire that I wasn't so sure I wanted to know.

First of all, vampires could eat solid food, but it tasted like crap. So goodbye chips and candy and welcome blood sausages and raw meat. Yeah, I know it sounds disgusting. But after a couple of days I got used to them. Secondly, my powers were growing. Fast. The guys in the house liked to test me and they gave me a lot to do during the days. I bent some iron bars, threw dar
ts blindfolded, and played hide-and-
seek in the cellar. It was really fun at first, but no matter what the others did, I still felt like a prisoner.

I tried to count the vampires in the house but it wasn't easy. They came and went as they pleased and I could never be sure if I'd seen them before or not. I didn't see Dane or Jonathan, but I could sense that at least one of them was in the house all the time. I know I should've been happy; well, if not happy, pleased, as long as I knew they were all protecting me, and most of them treated me like their equal. Yes, everyone was really nice to me and the more I got to know them, the more I got confused.

They all seemed to think I was in love with Dane. So not true. And that we had some twisted love triangle between me, Dane, and Jonathan. Not true either. And the more they told me, the more annoyed I became. Each one of them had chosen a life as a vampire. A friend, relative, or a lover had changed them, and they'd chosen to stay with their creators for eternity. But I hadn't chosen this. No one had asked
if I wanted to be a vampire. Oh
no. I was a victim. A toy in a horny vampire boy's love fantasy, but it was no use explaining it to them. They all loved their vampire lives. So on day three
,
I started to plan my escape, and on day four I put it into practice.

I waited until midnight, and when I was sure the living room was empty, I sneaked into the kitchen. I texted Kate and knew she'd be out waiting for me in a minute. I listened carefully, but nothing indicated that someone had discovered my devious plan. The house was silent as a tomb. I heard Kate's scooter long before she stopped it and ran quietly outside. We didn't speak; we didn't have to. I'd explained everything to her in my text messages and she was as pissed as I was. I got behind her and she zoomed away. I knew I was being a bit stupid, but I didn't care. My powers would be at their utmost in only two days and the hunters wouldn't bother me anymore. They couldn't, because they wouldn't stand a chance. I would sense them from miles away and could sneak next to them unnoticed, snapping their fragile human ne
cks like dry branches. Two days
and I'd be free again.

I glanced back once but I couldn't go back. Not when I knew those days would be the longest days of my life and that the itch for freedom would make me crazy. Not when just the thought of my comfortable prison made me want to scream. So I breathed in the chilly air and laughed. I was free.

Kate parked behind the school and I jumped off.

“Did you bring it?” I asked, and she smiled.

Sh
e dug out a plastic bag from her backpack and tossed it to me. I peeked inside and winced.

“Ew.” I wrinkled my nose. “It's perfect.”

I opened the bag and took out a big smelly fish. Kate made a face, too, and backed away. I took my clothes off and started to rub the stinky fish
all
over me. Kate shook her head but didn't say a thing. I wasn't sure how the hunters had found me, so there was nothing I could do to distract them, but I knew how the vampires worked, and I didn't want them to track me down by my scent. Besides, it was a small trifle if I smelled like a rotten corpse for the next couple of days. I didn't care as long as I got to choose where I'd spend them. I used all of the fish and in the end only had some shreds in my hand. I put them back in the plastic bag and Kate took it, wincing.

I stretched my smelly body and smiled. “So, what do we do next?”

“I'm not doing anything with you,” Kate said, putting her hand to her mouth. “You make me want to puke.”

“Good. That's the plan.” I smiled and sat on the stairs that led to the locker rooms.

Kate sat next to me, well, not exactly next to me, but close anyway. I
look
ed at her and she returned my gaze, giggling. I shook my head but couldn't help a small giggle burst
ing
through my lips.

“So, are you going to sit here for the next two and a half days?” Kate blurted
out
.