Chapter Six
"Annie?" George called from the bar.
"Yes?" I answered back. I was making more tea.
"Don't wait for me, I'm about to get dressed."
"It's your own toast!" Hal shouted. "We're waiting for you."
Nina approved. "Yes, then Annie and I are going out."
"Where?" I looked at Nina.
"A club." She winked at me. I grinned. A girls' night out! The last night out hadn't ended so well.
Mitchell was sitting at the bar, watching me. "Need help?"
I shook my head. "I got it." I put the tea in the fridge to cool. I took off my apron and watered the small pot of flowers on the table. I looked at Nina. "Is George ready yet? We still have to change."
George came clomping down the stairs. "Jeez, Annie. I'm here now."
Hal walked in the kitchen from the living room. He found the wine glasses and vodka. "No one is having soft stuff, it's liquor time, ladies and gentlemen."
Tom smiled. "Amen."
We all sat in the living room. I was sitting between Mitchell and Tom. Nina was sitting between Hal and George. I looked around. "Who will be watching Eve tonight?"
Mitchell glanced at me with his hazel eyes. "The guys are having a night out as well. Eve will be with the sitter again."
"You guys don't pay her enough." I scowled. "Who is the sitter anyways?"
"Daphne." Tom said. "I met her at school a while back. She stayed here instead of moving out of state to go to college. She loves Eve."
Hal passed me a glass full of liquor. I blinked. "I don't want to be drunk before I leave the house, Hal."
Hal and Nina grinned. Hal passed out the other glasses and then we held up our cups.
Tom did the honors. "To Nina, George, Mitchell, and to Annie!"
I felt my skin flush but held up my glass. We clinked glasses and we downed our liquor.
I shivered. "Whoa!" I stood up; the taste was bittersweet and warm. It made my stomach feel hot.
Nina looked at me. "Annie, are you drunk already?"
I walked toward the stairs. "Maybe a little tipsy. I haven't had vodka in years."
"Are you changing?" Tom asked me, raising his voice.
"Yes, I'll be down soon." I walked around the hall to my room. I closed the door behind me and went to my closet. My eyesight wasn't wobbling nor was my balance. I would be fine. I had only gotten drunk once, and that was at a baby shower. The wine had been in the blue punch. I still had no idea why someone would bring wine to my cousin's baby shower. I had only prayed that she hadn't drunk it.
I opened my closet. I sifted through the few dresses Kate had given me. I had a red velvet dress with a sweetheart neckline, a deep green dress with a rather low neckline. I also had a strapless beige dress with a white shawl that I could wear. I had the matching shoes, and a beige gemstone bracelet. The beige dress had a neckline that dove toward halfway to my hips. The shawl could help me feel more covered.
I pulled on the beige dress and the shoes after I had oiled my skin. I straightened my hair a bit more, making it more wavy than curly. The dress clung to my hips and made me have an hourglass form. I winced as I wrapped the shawl on my correctly. I applied pink lipstick and small hoop earrings. I hoped I didn't look like a monkey or something. I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling the sleepy feeling come back.
I opened the door and bumped into Nina. She was wearing a stunning deep red dress with black heeled boots that came up to just under her knees. Her hair was straightened and it flowed down just over the end of her shoulder blades. She had on diamond earrings and a necklace that must have come with the earrings. She looked at me. "Annie, you look fantastic!"
I smiled. "You look better than I do. I love the earrings."
She smiled back then looked at the neckline on my dress. "You need a necklace." She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward her and George's room.
"I do?"
"Yes," she went through the drawers. "So the men won't stare at your chest."
I looked down at the neckline. "They'd do that anyways, won't they?"
She nodded. "But the necklace will be more in the way. And you can use it as an excuse if you find their eyes on your skin."
I nodded. "Okay."
Nina pulled out a long silver necklace. She pressed it to my skin and looked at it. "That beige is a beautiful color on you, the necklace makes it work." She turned me around to put it on me.
"Thanks, Nina." I wrapped her in a hug.
"You're welcome." We began to walk toward the stairs. I followed her down.
The men whistled when they saw us. Hal was grinning, "You guys will knock 'em dead."
"Good thing I already am." Mitchell breathed when he looked at the dress. Nina and George shared a kiss. I heard him murmur to Nina, "You look good enough to eat."
Mitchell gave me a hug. "Hurry back."
I smiled and pulled away. "We'll be back soon."
"Before three o' clock." Nina specified. I nodded and felt a small bud of nervousness fold over me.
I looked at the guys who weren't dressed yet. "Have a good time."
The guys bid us goodbye and I followed Nina into her car. I sat in the passenger seat. She grinned at me. "Let's have a good time, huh?"
I smiled. "Let's do."
It was nearing dusk when Nina found the club. We walked in for free. It was a lady's night. Nina must have planned this.
"Wait," I pulled her to a stop before the lights of the dance floor reached us, "do we act like we're dating someone or that we're horny and single?"
"You can act horny and single." She eyed me. "Any progress with Mitchell?"
"Depends on your definition of progress." I murmured. Nina looked at my dress then stifled a smile.
"We'll act horny and single then. Act naughty, Annie." She winked at me.
"Naughty?" I blinked.
"Make a list." She mouthed the words at me. I followed her into the crowd.
The club was alive with dancing bodies and lights. There was a rather large bar section and several bar tenders were busy despite the small amount of empty seats. The dance floor took up most the space, but there were small tables around the dance floor. A disco ball was illuminating the otherwise very dark club. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
"Nina?" She turned around.
"Did Mitchell and George say where they were going?" I was almost on her heels.
She shook her head. "No one mentioned a thing."
I nodded and then beckoned her to keep walking. She disappeared into the crowd of dancers and I wandered off the bar.
A familiar face was staring at me when I sat down. "Annie?" I gasped.
"Jonas?"
Jonas grinned. "Wow! You're at a bar so soon?"
"It's a girls' night out." I looked around. "Is Kate here?"
Jonas shook his head. "She's working. I'll tell her you missed her at the club. She comes here every Friday with Dale."
I smiled. "Well, hit me up."
"What would you like?" His tone turned seductive.
I glanced at the menu behind him. "Vodka." I grinned. "A scoop of vanilla ice cream with vodka as syrup and a cherry on top."
Jonas smacked me a high five. "You're a bit outgoing today."
"The mood is catching."
Jonas laughed and headed to shelves of bottles and boxes. There was a small fridge on each side of the bar. I waited patiently, looking at the dancers for Nina. Where was she?
"Here you are." Jonas placed a small bowl of ice cream in front of me with a small silver spoon.
"Thank you." I smiled at him while I put a spoonful in my mouth. "This is great," I mumbled. The vodka was hot in my stomach while the ice cream made it calm down to a fierce simmer. It was great.
I looked around for Nina again while Jonas tended to other customers. I saved the cherry for last, eating it with my spoon. I was smiling wildly when I finished. Jonas was doing his rounds of checking on each customer when he passed me. I called him back and handed him a credit card that had seventy five dollars on it. "How much was the ice cream?"
"About five bucks." Jonas peered at me with dark blue eyes. "Want another?"
"Two please," I hoped Nina was coming back, "for my friend Nina. She's here somewhere."
"I'll wait for you to come back then. I can't leave you with two of those bowls, the vodka is intense."
"I'll be back then." I stood up, wobbling just a bit. Now I was tipsy. I pushed my way through the crowd, looking for Nina's red dress to stand out in the crowd. I found her at the back, sitting at a table with a stranger.
"Nina!" I said, my voice was louder than intended. "I got you some ice cream at the front!"
She looked up from her chat. "Oh, great!" She gestured me to the stranger. "Collin, this is Annie. Annie, this is Collin."
Collin was wearing all black. I could smell a very spicy cologne wafting from him. I could see that he had gray eyes and dark brown hair. "Hey there, Annie." He winked at me.
I felt myself grin. "Hey, Collin."
Nina stood up. "I'll have that ice cream then. Bye Collin."
Collin stood up as well. "I planned to stay for a while, and now I have another incentive since two beautiful women are here."
Nina and I flushed. "Thank you," I said shyly.
Nina followed me to the bar. I looked at Jonas who had the ice cream ready. He smiled at me and Nina. "You found her."
"Hi," Nina smiled, "I'm Nina."
Jonas shook her hand. "I'm Jonas, pleased to meet you. My sister Kate and I helped Annie out."
Nina smiled wider. "Thanks for helping her."
Jonas nodded. "No problem." He gestured to the ice cream. "For you two." He pulled up an empty seat next to me where Nina and I could sit at the same booth. "Enjoy." He began to do his rounds again.
Nina and I began to eat our ice cream. "Are you having a good time?"
I nodded. "Collin seems to like you, Nina." I nudged her.
Nina pushed her hair from her face. "He is a nice fellow, but I think he likes you better, Annie."
I was caught up in the vodka of the ice cream. "Hm," was all I managed. Nina ate her ice cream more quickly.
"This ice cream is awesome!" She grinned, her skin flushing.
"Isn't it?" I ate the cherry. "I've had two of these now."
When Jonas came back, Nina ordered us both a light beer float. I was buzzing with warmth when we finished them.
Nina stood up, swaying a bit. "Let's go dance."
I nodded and got up. I lead the way to the dance floor. A song came on that made everyone start grinding. I lost Nina in the movement of the dancers. I smelled a familiar smell and realized that Collin was behind me.
He grabbed at my hips and pulled me closer to him. Collin breathed heavily in my ear and I felt myself gasp. I started feeling hot the more the song went on. Collin's hand groped at my thigh and I felt myself begin to sweat. The song changed to a faster beat. Collin grinded heavy against me, his hands moving up to my hips. I was gasping when everyone pressed against us. His spicy cologne filled my mind and I could feel myself beginning to move back against him.
"Hold me tighter." I felt myself breathe out. I instantly felt disgusted with the thought but the feeling of the warm vodka pulsing through my hot body made me unable to concentrate.
"It's hot." Collin breathed in my ear. "Let's go find a room."
"A room?" I couldn't keep up.
Collin grinded against me harder. "Yes, a room." His voice was heavily seductive.
"What a-about Nina?" I gasped.
"She's right behind me, having her own fun." Collin wrapped his arm around my waist. I could hear Nina behind us. I turned for a moment to make sure it was her. A tall dark haired man had his hands on her hips. He looked up at me and I thought I saw his eyes flicker. I smiled uncertainly at him, not really concentrating. Collin whispered something in his ear and then we were all going out of the bar door.
Collin and the man were pushing us in a car. The man started the car and I heard them start talking.
"Good thing Jonas got them a bit drunk." The man mused.
"Jonas had no idea this would happen, Keith." Collin said. "Now, be quiet. I have to feed soon."
I grimaced in the back seat. "Where are we going?" The words were slurred.
Collin's voice went velvet soft. "We're finding a room to party, Annie."
Nina spoke next, her words slurred more than mine, "I thought we already partied?"
"Oh no," Keith said, "the party is just starting."
The car stopped after a few long moments. It felt like we were in the car for hours but it must have been only for a few minutes. Collin pulled me gently out the car, helping me to my feet. Keith did the same for Nina, but carried her bridal style into the motel room. His lips were on Nina's when I blinked my eyes open.
Collin helped me into the room as well but then his lips were crashing on mine. Nina and Keith were falling down onto one of the beds. I couldn't look around to see what Collin and I crashed into as we made our way to the other bed.
Collin's body was pressing against mine and his lips were moving toward the crease of my neck. We fell onto the bed, with him on top of me. He was moaning as his lips wandered from to my neck to my face. My hands were tangling in his shaggy hair. I could still feel the vodka moving rapidly through my veins.
Collin groaned as he began to try to yank the dress over my head. He eventually succeeded and began to roam his hands all over my body. Our bodies pressed against each other. My body was powerless as he pushed at me, molding me into the bed, and then into his frame. Our bodies kept twisting and folding into each other. I gasped when I felt his lips become sharper. His teeth were scratching the crease of my neck –where Dale had bitten me- when pain suddenly went through me.
I began to scream, hardly conscious of what I was doing. I was trying to push him off me, still screaming. He hit the floor with a loud thud.
Keith yelled, "This woman isn't human!" He must have meant Nina. "Her blood burns my mouth."
Collin was struggling to get to his feet. "This one is human. Feed off of her. She'll keep you going. I want them alive."
"Why?" Keith was already on my bed, his teeth fitting into Collin's bite. I felt my blood began to flow out of my body.
It felt like hours when Keith finally finished. He pushed me away gently back onto the bed. Collin went quiet afterwards. I think they left.
"Nina?" My voice was weak and hoarse.
"Annie?" Nina was close by. "Are you okay?"
I tried to nod. "I'm all right, I think. What about you?"
"I'm fine as well." I heard a thud. "Ow! I fell."
I opened my eyes to see Nina crawling toward the bed. "Annie!" She gasped, horrified.
"Hm?" I was struggling to stay conscious.
"They bit you." Nina pulled herself onto the bed.
I blinked to keep my eyes open. "Yeah. It hurt."
"I need to call the house." Nina was slurring less than before. They must have drained some of the vodka away.
"Call Tom or George." I could hardly speak.
"The police, maybe?"
"No, not them." Talking to Nina was hard, but it kept me awake.
Nina dialed a number after she helped me back into my dress. "Hello? George?"
George must have answered the phone because then she added, "We've been attacked. Annie's been bitten, she's bleeding. . . No, we weren't on our guard. We were drunk when they got us, George. . . A motel room."
Nina hung up the phone. "We're in trouble."
I struggled to make my mouth form the words. "No doubt about that. Mitchell's going to kill me."
Nina stroked my cheek, wiping away tears. "We'll be okay." Nina swallowed nervously. "I just hope I'm somber enough if they come back."
"They?"
"Keith and Collin." Nina pulled my head onto her lap. She gently touched my neck. "You're going to be okay, Annie." Her voice was thin.
I tried to stay conscious as Nina stroked my hair.
