I started to wake the next morning, before I opened my eyes I realised how much my head was killing. I started to remember the night before; the bar, the guy, the Aztecs, the vodkas, talking to Eric and then the room bluring and me passing out. Had I been drugged? I heard someone else in the room. I sat up quickly and moved into a defensive position ready to take out whoever the fuck it was.
"Woah!"
It was the same guy from the bar last night, James; he had dropped the glass he was holding.
"Jesus! Joan, its me James, from the bar last night? You remember?"
"Yeah I remember, I also remember passing out last night. You do something to my drink?"
"No, God no I promise. It was those three guys last night, it must have been. I didn't see them come in, when I got back from the bathroom they were just sitting there in the corner, they must have spiked our drinks."
"Our?"
"When I got to my room last night, I started to feel strange, tired, I just put it down to normal feeling tired, but when I woke this morning all my stuff in the room was gone."
"What?"
I looked around my room, sure enough by bag was gone. Shit. That had everything in it; my phone charger, my money, clothes, fucking everything. Wait a sec, not my bike! Not my baby.
"No no no!"
I ran out of the room and looked at the place my bike was kept, it was gone.
"Shit!"
I came back into my room and ran my fingers through my hair and sat on the bed.
"Fuck."
"After I realised everything was gone and it must have been those guys, I came to find your room as soon as I could, make sure you were ok. I got here five minutes ago, the door was forced open, just like mine was."
"How come you didn't pass out as much as I did or feel as shitty this morning?"
"Believe me I feel shitty, but I didn't finish my beer, you finished all your vodka and whatever they put in our drinks, yours was more concentrated."
"Well that would make sense."
Even my phone was gone from the table. I reached into my pocket and found twenty dollars.
"Well thats something."
"yeah. Only good thing is I still have my car; my keys weren't taken out my pocket."
"My keys were on the table with my phone. Thats two bikes I've lost now."
"You ride bikes?"
"Yup."
This sucked. I couldn't go back now, and my only choice was to run to Colma, I would have to wait till night to do it though.
"Hey, you didn't even tell me where you were heading."
"Colma."
I didn't even mean to tell him, I was just stressing out and it just slipped out.
"Really? Well how about this. We use that twenty to put gas in my car and i'll drive us to Colma. Its only a days drive away."
"No its ok."
"Really? How else are you going to get there?"
I can't exactly say I have super natural powers and can run can I. I tried to think of something convincing to say but nothing was coming up.
"My thoughts exactly. Come on, you'll be doing me a favour. I don't think I have quite enough gas to get me there."
"What are you going to do when you get there and have no money or clothes?"
"Its no problem; I have friends on the dig, they can help me. What about you?"
"Family in Colma."
Complete lie but I wasn't about to tell him I plan to rob some rich unsuspecting people and some clothes stores.
"Well, thats good. So are you going to let me drive you there?"
"Yeah, that would be good. Thanks."
An hour had been spent in silence in the car, mostly because I had been trying to sleep off the headache without actually falling asleep in a strangers car. James suddenly started talking, but I was grumpy and tired and not really in the mood.
"So, bikes?"
"MTT Turbine Superbike."
"Wow. Thats a pretty impressive bike."
"It was."
I suddenly realised I was being incredibly rude and since this guy was kinda helping me out, I should be nicer.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound rude. Its just the bike was a present."
"You have some pretty generous friends."
"Yeah."
Boyfriend, just tell him your boyfriend bought it. Why are you not saying you have a boyfriend? Perfect opportunity.
"So where in Colma do you want dropped?"
Damn it, missed opportunity.
"Urm, anywhere. Whatever is easiest for you."
"You sure? I mean its no trouble."
"Its none for me either."
"Well if your sure."
"Yep."
Silence once more. Just how I like it.
We stopped off to get some water with the four dollars we had left. The sun had just set and I went over to the pay phone.
"Operator can I get a reverse charge call to Fangtasia club, Louisiana."
"One moment please."
"Fangtasia."
Not the voice I really wanted to hear – Ginger.
"Hey Ginger, its Violet."
"Violet! Oh my God! How are you? Haven't seen you in a while, whatcha been up to?"
"Oh you know, average stuff. Is Eric there?"
"No he's not in yet. "
Great.
"I can give him a message though?"
"Yeah, tell him, not to panic if he can't get me on my mobile, its not working and everything is fine."
"Sure thing V."
James reappeared from the store.
"I better go now."
"Take care darlin'"
"Bye Ginger."
I hung up the phone and took the bottle of water out of James' hand.
"Ginger? Interesting name."
"Interesting girl."
"She a family member?"
"Just a friend."
Why didn't you say he worked for your boyfriend?
"We should get back on the road, its only like an hours drive."
I nodded in agreement.
"So where in America are you from?"
"LA. You?"
First place that came into my head.
"What a coincidence, so am I.
Shit.
"So did you hear about all those suspicious vampire disappearances?"
"Yeah something like that."
"Yeah massive whohar."
"I wouldn't know."
"I would be amazed if you did."
"How do you know about it?"
"Well, archaeology doesn't pay that much and its more of a hobby than anything. I'm also a government liaison between the American Vampire League and Fellowship of the Sun. I sort of keep the peace or try."
"Interesting job. You a warrior of the sun?"
"God no. I mean I would consider myself a Christian, I guess I don't go to church as often as I should, but vampire hating extremest group?"
"So why do you do the job?"
"I guess I'm good at negotiating and when I negotiate something big it gives me a sort of rush."
"And whats a bigger negotiation than between a vampire hating extremest group and a bunch of vampires."
"Exactly."
I really didn't know what to make of this guy but we were ten minutes away from Colma and then I can just not see him ever again.
We got to into Colma.
"Hey just pull over here will be good."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
He pulled over and I took off my seat belt.
"Well it was nice to meet you James and good luck with your dig."
"You to Joan, I hope you get to your family safely."
"Its not to far from here."
"I don't think my dig is to far either."
"Well, Good bye."
I started to get out the car.
"Hey wait a sec. Do you want to go out for dinner sometime?"
"Got no way on contacting you have I."
"No but-"
He got a piece of paper and a pen out of the glove pocket.
"This is the place of the dig, and these are the days and times I will be there. Just ask for James Travers."
Travers? A guy who is interested in vampires and happens to have the same sir name as Quentin? I was never a strong believer in coincidence and possible relation of the chairman of an organisation who think they have killed me; what are the odds that we just happened to stumble across each other then me get rendered contactless and weaponless.
I didn't like this, but there was something about this guy; I really don't think he knows who I am but with the even stronger possibility that the Council are knocking around somewhere, I had to be more on guard then ever. I smiled and took the piece of paper from him.
"Thanks. Well maybe see you some time."
"I look forward to it, Joan."
I got out the car and walked off down into a side street while I heard the sound of his car pull away and the feeling of fear setting into my bones.