"Please welcome, Lacey Jackson, and her partner, Fredrickson Grant," the announcer spoke.
I took Freddy's hand lightly ready to swipe it away if he held onto me too hard. He walked me out. Since we were in character, smiling was not allowed for the paso doble. I found my spot on the floor and glared at him as he walked away to find his spot. I was so angry I could cry!
The lights dimmed and our music started in a slower tempo. I had the solo light for a few seconds before Freddy's character was introduced. I twirled around trying to look innocent in my very revealing dress.
The light turned off on me as I stopped for a pose and watched as Freddy smiled in my direction with vampire fangs glissading in the spot light. He crept closer to me until the light held us both in it's beam.
Then the music really started. I pretended to slap him but he caught me before contact was made. I jumped into position and he took my hand gliding across the floor with me.
When Freddy and I were on the same page; we made great connection with the current mood. That's why we always seemed to win or come close to it. Most other dancers knew how to portray love and lust but Freddy and I knew how to do it all.
He stopped leaning in to take in a good inhale of my bare neck. I pretended to be in a daze like a high school girl day dreaming about her celebrity crush. Freddy took a few steps away still holding me in his grasp. I was leaning on him then. A dance move that required concentration and a good core for balance. He walked around in a circle and I was in the middle making myself a complete stone figure leaning on him.
I shot forward putting one leg around his body as he dipped me keeping his face buried in my shoulder and neck. My eyes were closed and my mouth opened as Freddy took a pretend bite of me.
I dropped to the floor below covering the spot where he bit me. Freddy picked up my hand and started dragging me across the floor. My head was down and my body was upright as my skirt let him pull me across the dance floor.
Freddy yanked on me pulling me to my feet. We were up against each other ready to twirl around a few times. This was the difficult part. We had to swirl around in a full infinity sign while still connected and twirling in the opposite direction. So the infinity sign would be made clockwise first then counter clockwise. We were turning counter clockwise the entire time. This would either give us a hell of a lot of points, or we'd lose because of this part.
Freddy started us off counterclockwise before he began the infinity sign. All I had to do was barely keep my feet on the ground and press up against him for aerodynamics. My eyes were lightly closed portraying the "love is blind" as Freddy took me on a whirlwind ride.
Once we finished, my guess was we succeeded, Freddy lifted me up over his head and threw me back down as the song came to an abrupt end.
I was totally dizzy as we held our position. Even with my eyes closed the room felt like it was moving. Freddy tapped me on the back letting me break the character. He helped me up but only because people were watching. We would get our scores later, but now we immediately headed out into the lobby for meet and greet with the audience.
"Walk slowly," I told Freddy taking his arm, "I'm dizzy."
"You think I feel any different?" Freddy asked shaking his head vigorously.
We found our sport in the lobby, the farthest down since we were the last.
"Expecting anyone?" I asked seeing the first few audience members exit the door.
"Kinda," he answered.
"How did the infinity sign go?" I asked seeing the room come to a stop.
"Oh, I totally nailed that," Freddy answered his ego returning.
"Oh, hey Freddy," a voice called out.
My eyes shot wide, I recognized that voice.
I turned my head and sure enough there they were. The Newlin's in the flesh. I quickly reassured myself that they couldn't recognize me due to the heavy make-up and the lack of lighting that night.
"Hello Ms. Newlin, reverend," Freddy greeted them both. "What brings you out so late?"
"Oh, we just had to come see you! We've heard so much of your talent," Sarah beamed.
She made me sick. Blonde, bubbly, the perfect wife for a slave to God.
Now, let me make myself clear; I'm not against religion. They just take it to a whole different level; the ultra-orthodox level or something.
"Aren't you going to introduce us to this little lady?" Reverend Newlin asked pointing at me.
I glanced up and smiled as Freddy spoke, "Oh, this is Lacey. She's been my partner for almost a year now."
Steve offered a hand and I took it.
He'll have to re-purify or re-bless that hand now, I thought smirking.
"It's nice to meet you," I said very sincerely.
"So, how did it feel playing a vampire?" Steve asked Freddy but his eyes looked me over.
Good God I wish I had more clothing on, I thought.
"It isn't something I'll wanna repeat, reverend," Freddy answered taking out his fangs.
They're talking dulled as I looked around. A few people were around our end of the lobby but one in particular stuck out like a soar thumb.
My eyes widened as he approached me. His blonde hair was still slicked back and his piercing blue eyes made my knees weak beneath me. The vampire that made my wrist throb and somehow knew Godric stopped before me.
We said nothing to each other but he knew I recognized him.
The talking beside me quieted.
"Well, we should head out," Steve said taking his wife with him as he made a swift exit.
Eric and I just stared at each other waiting for the other to speak.
"And who's this?" Freddy asked somewhat irritated.
"My name is Eric," he answered for me refusing to look away.
"Why?" I asked straining to meet his eyes. Seriously, he had to be a full foot taller than me if not more.
Eric glanced in the direction that the Newlin's made as their exit.
"I hear you weren't too pleased with playing a vampire, why is that?" Eric asked looking at the ground first then at Freddy.
"They make me sick. What they do, what they are," Freddy answered unafraid.
I think Freddy knew Eric was a vampire.
"You think your brave spouting that out when your showing off your man cleavage?" Eric asked smiling wickedly.
There was no way I was getting in this one. Maybe if they were both human but not a vampire. I didn't care how old any vampire is; I'm not picking a fight nor joining one.
"I am brave," Freddy said taking my waist and pulling me closer. "I am a Soldier of God."
Somehow I knew Eric was going to laugh at that.
"Is that really what a soldier wears? Egyptian cotton bell bottoms?" Eric laughed.
A sudden shriek was heard from outside. Eric stopped laughing and tore me away from Freddy. The windows were broken in and vampires stormed through taking hostages.
"What's going on?" I asked as Eric pulled himself off me.
"A few vampires overheard that the Newlin's would be out and about after dusk and decided to… introduce themselves," Eric said helping me to my feet but keeping a firm grip on my hand.
"My task is to get you out without anyone smelling you," Eric said looking over his shoulder at the chaos.
"Sounds easy," I replied adjusting my skirt.
"Not quite, if they're old enough, a vampire can smell what blood type they are without the human actually bleeding," Eric explained heading towards the stairway.
"What?" I asked in disbelief.
I almost had to run to keep up with him. The height difference almost meant a huge stride difference.
We nearly ran down a flight of stars to the ground level. A few vampires were taking a drink and I tried to ignore the screams of humans in pain.
"That seemed too easy," I said as Eric and I walked outside.
"Of course it was. What thrill is there for a vampire when your prey can see you in the light? With this small forest at the back the game will definitely be played," Eric noted moving right along.
It was decently cold out now. My bare back was completely exposed with my hair still up on top of my head. My arms were bare as well and the other half of my torso didn't really have heat absorbing fabric. I almost wanted to ask Eric for his jacket but decided against it.
"Lacey," Godric called me from the dark.
I jumped as usual making Eric laugh this time instead of Stan. Why was it so funny?
I smiled though seeing Godric approach us at a normal speed.
"Did you have any trouble?" Godric asked Eric.
"None, almost like they couldn't smell her," Eric answered. "Which is hard to believe."
"I'll take it from here then," Godric said.
Eric left us.
I turned back to Godric smiling. He pulled me into a cold hug. I was surprised at first but decided not to ruin the moment and hugged back.
I suddenly let out a very sexual sounding whimper. I covered my mouth in shock.
Godric pulled away looking at me with concern in the dark, "Are you hurt?"
"No," I answered shaking my head. "You're fingers are just cold on my bare back."
A shiver ran up my spine.
"I'm sorry," Godric said taking his hands off me.
"I'm alright, really!" I said feeling guilty.
"You must be freezing," Godric said looking me over.
He wasn't wearing a hoodie like he usual did. Instead, I saw a tight fitting T-shirt and long dark jeans. This was very different of him.
"I- I'll be okay for a while," I said stammering. The cold was really getting to me.
Godric wrapped his arms around me again but this time he pulled me to the ground with him. I heard something zip through the air and make contact with the stone building behind us. I was on my stomach and Godric laid over my protectively as I heard men shouting at each other.
"I think they saw me," Godric whispered in my ear.
"Were those stakes?" I asked mortified.
There footsteps grew louder in the tall grass.
"Stay here, I'll return in a flash," Godric said making a slight joke.
He was gone before I could say laugh or protest. I sat up unable to hear anything important. Only the sound of bugs was heard by my human ears.
I gasped slapping my bar thigh, "Ouch."
Stupid mosquitoes, I thought covering up my legs now.
"You're loud, and you're AB negative; I like it," a voice said mischievously.
I let out a sudden scream before he pinned me to the ground.
"Aw, there's a strap covering your neck," he whined. "No matter, I'll just drink from your breast."
And then he exploded. Vampire body parts went everywhere and my body got the most juice. I sat up alarmed seeing his clothes on the stone building behind me, his blood covering my body, and a few wooden steaks on the ground.
The dress was ruined so I didn't care anymore. I wiped the blood from my face to the dress not totally disgusted but minorly grossed out.
A flashlight beamed on my face. I covered my eyes waiting for them to adjust.
"Oh, if it isn't Lacey," reverend Steve Newlin spoke.
He walked towards me and crouched down to my level. He was nice enough to remove the light from my eyes as I put my arms back down at my sides.
"Hi," I said unsure of the words to use in this situation.
"Didn't that look amazing?" he asked snickering.
"Uh," I sounded confused.
"I blew up a fucking vampire with a wooden stake!" Steve shouted turning to his buddies behind him.
They cheered quietly. My guess was they were afraid of attracting another vampire.
Steve turned back to me with a glint in his eyes. I raised an eyebrow suspicious of his sudden plan.
"Are you really AB negative?" he asked nodding his head slowly.
"Yes, I am," I answered. No point in denying it if he heard it from that vampire.
"Stackhouse, McDonald," Steve called waving over to of his men. "I think Miss Lacey Jackson could use our help… and in return… help us," Steve explained.
One of the kids laughed behind him. The other remained silent. I couldn't see either one of them; but by his laughter, I really didn't wan to be helped and help in return.
"Now, you're coming back to the church with us. We're gunna clean you up, a little, and hopefully… you'll co-operate with us," Steve said looking down at his steak shooter then back up at me.
"What's this plan you have?" I asked as the burly boys helped me to my feet.
"We've been trying to capture a two thousand year old vampire, and with you're blood, we should be able to lure him in," Steve explained with a smirk on his face.
"A two thousand year old vampire lives in Dallas? Do you have any proof?" I asked going quietly. I didn't want to make a scene in case Godric came running. They did, after all, have steak shooters on them.
"Who needs proof? The only thing that matters is that he won't get another thousand years on him in a few days," one of the boys answered squeezing my arm as he did.
If the vampire they were talking about really was two thousand years old they more than likely knew all the t tricks in the book. How to avoid getting stakedin the heart had to be one of the first things they learned. I doubted this vampire would come just to drink my blood; especially if they could just sniff out a different AB negative.