CLUB NUMBER FIVE (Immortal Blood) (12 page)

“I guess so.” I shrugged. “Unless you have a better plan?”

“Nope,” she answered quickly. “But do I have to sit here, too?”

“Why?” I narrowed my eyes dangerously. I knew I had pushed our friendship over the limit, but I couldn't believe she would actually leave me here alone.

“Well, it's just that I might know a better place to sit.” She smiled.

I froze. I couldn't move from here, or could I? It was way too dangerous, and besides, what could possibly be a better place to hide than school? In the daytime it was full of people, and well, who would want to go to school at night?

“We could put you in our garage,” Kate suggested. “No one ever goes there, and besides, it's much warmer than here.”

I jumped up. “No! No way! I can't put your family in any kind of danger. Thanks for the offer, but no.”

“Why not?” Kate silenced me with her hand. “Like I said, no one ever goes there. It's full of some greasy junk, and you said yourself that those hunters won't hurt humans.”

“No,” I mumbled and pushed her hand away. “But vampires do. So drop it, will you?”

“As you wish.”
Sh
e sank back onto the stairs, looking a bit sulky. “So what shall we do?”

“Nothing,” I snapped. “We do nothing, okay?”

“Okay.” Kate lapsed into silence.

I eyed her suspiciously. She looked like a five-year-old kid whose candy had been stolen. These would be the longest two days I'd ever experienced. I glanced at the sky. Morning was close and the dark night sky had some shades of light in it.

Kate sighed dramatically. “You want to bite me?”

“No!” I cried and cursed silently.

Kate offered me her wrist and I felt my mouth getting wet. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” I hissed. “Can't we just sit here?”

Sh
e shrugged and started to draw circles in the sand with her shoe. I wanted to scream. How hard could it be to sit still? Apparently too hard. After half an hour, Kate started to make weird noises. Long sighs, deep breaths, and aahs and oohs. I knew I should've been stronger, but finally, I was so pissed I could've strangled her.

“Fine, you can go.”

“Not without you,”
sh
e chirped cheerfully.

“Arggh! I hate you!” I growled and got up.

“I know.”
Sh
e punched me lightly. “Let's go.”

“But don't blame me if a pack of vampires eat
s
your family,” I snapped, hoping she would be at least a bit scared, but she just gave me a halfshrug and smiled smugly.

I walked to her scooter, but Kate screamed before I could touch it. “No!” I glanced at her, surprised. She looked horrified. “You're so not going to ride with me. You'll walk.” I rolled my eyes and sniffed my bare arm. I didn't stink that bad. “No!” Kate yelled when I looked at her pleadingly.

I shrugged and started to walk. “Maybe if I…” I started.

“No!” Kate was inflexible.

“I wasn't going to ask for a ride.” I laughed at her horrified face. “I was going to say that I'll run and meet you at your house. It's a bit weird to walk halfnaked.”

She nodded, relieved, and I dashed away.

We arrived at her house at the same time. The lights were still out and every house on the street was dark. I followed Kate to her garage and almost got buried in stuff when she opened the door. She hadn't exaggerated. The place was full from floor to ceiling. We stared at the pile of stuff and I gulped. Two days. This place was supposed to be my shelter for two long days. A picture of Jonathan and Dane's big, cozy home flashed in my mind, but I pushed it away. I didn't need them. Not in the way they wanted, anyway. And besides, after two days I could go back to them and live happily ever after with the other vampires with no fear of bloodthirsty hunters or getting locked inside against my will.

I glanced at Kate. She had started to clear some space for me, which wasn't an easy task, so I grabbed the nearest box and piled it on top of another box.

When there was enough room for me to live, I sat down, panting hard. The pile of boxes looked threatening and I knew it would fall on me if I made any reckless moves. Kate had managed to clean a small window with her sleeve and it made me feel a bit unsure. Yes, it was nice to see what was happening outside, but if I could look out, someone could also look in, and I didn't want anyone to know where I was hiding.

Kate disappeared into the house and left me alone with my paranoid thoughts. I opened my cell and put it away quickly. Nine calls from an unknown number and twenty-seven messages. I didn't have to guess who the mysterious caller was. And I didn't have to be a genius to figure out that Dane and Jonathan were really pissed at me.

A distant slam made me jump up and get ready to fight. I heard footsteps and sighs and let myself relax again. Kate pushed herself in through the door and dropped a heavy bag at my feet.

“Books and games.” She shrugged. “Som
e clothes, too.” She grinned wi
d
e
ly. “Don't get me wrong, I really like your lacy underwear, but you might want to put something more on.”

I glanced at myself and grinned, too. I was a sight all right. And clean clothes would only be of little help. My skin looked muddy, which of course it wasn't. It was something worse. The rotten fish I'd rubbed around my body had dried and small bits of fish sagged on my skin. The smell was unmentionable, and if it was hard for me to stay conscious around myself, I could only imagine what it must be like for Kate with her human nose. I nodded at Kate and she giggled nervously.

“Okay, I'll cover myself so you don't have to drool.” I sighed dramatically, and Kate got serious.

“I should leave.”

I swallowed. “Yes, you should.”

“I hate to leave you, but I really should go to sleep.”
Sh
e shrugged apologetically. “I can barely keep my eyes open, and I have only two hours before I have to go to school.”

“Right.” I tried to make the lump in my throat disappear. I hated the idea of being left alone and I wanted to beg her to ditch, but I couldn't. She'd done so much for me that I had no right to ask anything more.

Kate stared at her feet and moved uneasily. “Or I could stay, if you want,” she mumbled.

“No.” I managed to smile. “You should go.”

“Okay.” She sighed with relief and turned.

“And, Kate,” I whispered, “if anyone asks, you have no idea where I am.”

She turned and nodded, and in a minute I was alone.

I made a small nest for myself with my jacket and curled up in it, feeling a bit of self-pity. I thought I could sleep, but
things kept whirling in my mind
and instead of sleeping, I windmilled in my temporary bed, feeling worried and restless. After an hour I gave in and opened the bag Kate had left me. I found a pair of gray sweatpants and a matching gray hoodie. Not my style, but I'd manage. I pulled the pants on and it felt kind of stupid. My skin was so dirty that clean clothes would be clean for something like ten seconds, but Kate was right. It was nice to be clothed instead of hanging around in my lacies. I raked my hair with my fingers and made a loose braid. Then I emptied the bag onto the floor. I should have guessed. Kate's taste in books was so lame.

I picked one old Harlequin book and let myself sink into it. It took about an hour and twenty minutes to read it. I tossed it onto the floor and picked another book. I opened it in frustration and started to read. I froze before I finished the first sentence. I was sure I'd heard something. I tried to be very still and hold my breath, but all I could hear was Kate's mom yelling at Kate's three-year-old twin brothers. I started to read again and tried to relax, but found it impossible. I eased my breath and let myself open up to my surroundings. Still nothing unusual. How strange, I thought, and was just going to lie down when my eyes caught a shadow behind the window. I pressed myself against the boxes and waited. A shadow passed the window again, and this time I knew it wasn't just my imagination. My heart beat like crazy and I was sure whoever was outside the garage would hear it.

Minutes went by and I waited, holding my breath, but I didn't see anything again. I wasn't sure how much time had passed and I was getting restless. My feet hurt and, to be honest, I needed to pee and suddenly couldn't wait anymore. I inched myself closer to the window and carefully peeked outside. The yard was empty, but across the street stood a group of people. I inhaled sharply
as
I
saw Dane and Jonathan. Dane was clearly giving orders to the others and, after a while, they paired up and started to search the area. Though no one was coming in my direction, I knew it was just a matter of time before Dane could feel me. I backed away from the window and weighed up my options, which weren't many. I couldn't go home. The hunters might still be around and, if not, it was the one place where vampires would go to look for me. I thought about going to Jonathan's house and hiding there, but I didn't know the house well enough, and if I could feel Dane from afar, I could just imagine what he might feel when he was close to me.

I rubbed my face and felt trapped. Someone screamed. I didn't recognize it at first, but when I did, cold sweat s
tarted to run down my spine. Oh
God! Kate's mom was in trouble. I wanted to run to her and help but I couldn't get my legs moving. Yes, I know I was being a coward, as I knew that the moment the other vampires saw me they'd throw me in Dane's car and lock me inside the vampire house. I moved quietly to the door, hesitating to open it. I still hadn't figured out where I could go. Kate's mom screamed again and this time I heard the twins crying out loud near her. Something someone had said to me about the hunters nagged at my brain. Hunters do not hunt humans.

I let the thought sink in. That one single sentence kept whirling in my mind over and over again when it finally hit me. Hunters do not hunt humans, but vampires do. I pressed my hand onto my mouth and fought against the gross feeling inside of me. I couldn't hide anymore. I couldn't let them hurt Kate's family. Panting hard, I opened the door and ran.

I felt the world stop. Jonathan was standing at the front door and saw me running from the garage. He shouted at me, but I didn't listen. I kept running and tried to ignore the fact that I was being hunted. I glanced behind and saw the vampires leaving the house and zooming after me. My brain worked like a maniac. Where could I go, where could I go? If the smell of rotten fish hadn't fooled them, what would? My feet
thump
ed the ground violently and people turned to look at me in surprise. I knew my pace was way faster than a human's, but I couldn't stop. My eyes scanned the parks and buildings, but I knew there was no hope of hiding there. The vampires after me were much older, much faster, and much stronger than m
e, and no matter how fast I ran
they would eventually catch me. I glanced behind me again. The vamps were jumping over the dumpsters and showing off their super skills while chasing me, and I knew it was just a matter of minutes before th
ey'd catch me. My mind screamed
move! But somewhere deep inside me I knew it was hopeless. This was their game and I should just stop and surrender. And just like that I found myself slowing down to a stop. I turned, ready to explain, but the road behind me was empty. I glanced around me but couldn't see a glimpse of the others. That was not a good sign. For a nanosecond I was lost and my feet stumbled. I couldn't understand what had happened. Not before I recognized the neighborhood and cursed. I was so stupid! My feet had unconsciously brought me near the school.

I could see it looming in front of me and I knew if I went further I'd be ambushed. Think, I ordered myself, and almost felt the big wheel click in my head as the answer popped up clearly. If vampires could smell me no matter what I rubbed onto my skin, they could be fooled if I didn't smell like myself but like another vampire, right? Okay, I knew I was desperate, but that was my only chance. I turned and started to run as fast as I could, since I knew everything depended on the surprise effect. If they got a hint of what I was doing they'd stop me from the beginning.

I ran like the wind. I didn't touch anything but the ground, not wanting to leave the slightest scent of me behind, and finally got to the familiar door. I hit
it with
my knuckles and banged like crazy. A girl about my age opened it and I rushed in, closing the door behind me. We stared at each other, she curiously and I in surprised. This wasn't a part of my plan. I had expected to see the stunning woman I'd seen here before and beg for her help, but I
had no idea who this beautiful but yet so average school
girl was. I eyed her clothes and laughed nervously. She was wearing tight skinny jeans and a loose t
ee
shirt with a peace logo on it. Her blonde hair was skillfully braided and she wore no make-up. I tried to remember what was on the card the woman I saw here before had given me. I shouldn't have left it on the ground, but it was too late to cry about that now.

“Hi,” I sighed and smiled.

“Hi.” The girl gave me a curious look.

“Is Amelia here
?” I asked. She raised her brow
and shook her head. “Amanda?”
I tried.
She shook her head again. “Anna? Adele? Arlene?” I was getting desperate.