Chapter Four: Good Boys
Back at Richie's apartment, I put on the outfit that I had chosen for tonight: black pants, knee-high black boots, and a black, backless and billowy halter top. I left my bedroom and joined Jasper and Edward in the living room. The both of them had also "snazzed up" their drab looks for this evening's outing.
"We'll go to the club separately," I told them. "That way, no one will see us together."
"And, we're going to this club because Demetri's contact is going to be there," Jasper clarified.
"Exactly," I confirmed. The Volturri always offered some sort of payment when a human or a vampire helped them; something like money, immortality, or something else that the Volturri deemed appropriate.
"This guy," Jasper continued, "sets up Demetri in New York, and he asks for a ticket to a new nightclub?"
"Humans are very one-dimensional," I said. "He's probably hoping for a little excitement, which works to our advantage." I bent at the waist to tuck a cell phone in my boot. Jasper's eyes escaped to the ceiling. Edward's, on the other hand, remained coolly fixed on mine as I straightened and smiled.
"Aren't you going to get cold?" Edward asked, as he gestured to my barely-there outfit, without a hint of unease. This one was hard to crack.
"I may look human," I said, "but I'm just as cold-blooded as you are." I winked at him.
"Speaking of which," Jasper's eyes now found mine again as he spoke, "This guy knows vampires. Once he spots us, he's going to run."
"That's why you two will be hanging back, while I find him," I explained.
"Oh," Jasper said as he understood.
"You're beginning to see why I'm so valuable to the Volturi," I said.
"How are you going to find him?" Edward asked. "You don't know what he looks like."
"It won't be hard," I answered. "Trust me," I said as I smirked, "I do this for a living."
Edward and Jasper took Richie's convertible, while I hopped onto my bike. The night air felt amazing as I zipped down the streets of Manhattan; it was charged with excitement and possibility.
When I arrived at the club, I parked my bike in the alley behind the building, and then circled around to the front. The guard at the door gave me a once-over as he checked my ticket and let me through. After I entered the club, I spotted Jasper and Edward standing near the bar, where I had told them to wait. I looked at Edward and let him hear me as I thought, "Have some fun Eddie. Get a drink. Meet some girls." I caught the sarcastic smile at the corner of his mouth. I had to hand it to Bella; as much as I didn't like her, she had found herself a dedicated guy.
I turned my attention to the human partiers and scanned the dance floor and the surrounding tables. The music was loud, but the pounding of each individual heartbeat rose above the din. One man approached me. "Hey honey, let's dance," he said.
I looked at him with an intense gaze and said, "I don't think so." He seemed unnerved by my stare and scurried away quickly. I then returned to my purpose; if I were a loner, turned vampire's minion, turned even bigger loner, where would I be? Then I spotted him.
About five meters in front of me and a little to the left, sat a twenty-something boy, alone at a table, looking disappointed. Obviously, this wasn't the night he had expected. But, oops, no refunds or exchanges with the Volturi. Though, I thought I could make his night a little better, or at least make him think so.
I sat down across from him. "Hi there," I said in a soft and slow voice.
His demeanor changed instantly as he shamelessly studied his sudden stroke of good fortune. He smiled back and attempted to appear cool and in control—like he owned the place. "Buy you a drink?" he asked me. You don't even know my name yet, you dweeb, I thought to myself. He was making this far too easy; I already had him hook, line and sinker. But, moving fast worked for me; I was pressed for time anyway.
I maintained my sultry expression and said, "I saw you from across the room." I laughed inwardly as I noticed that he couldn't stop a grin from touching his face. "I was thinking that I'd like to get to know you." He continued to try to appear macho and coolly in control. If men only knew how easy their psychology was to hack! "My ride's out back," I told him. He didn't argue.
I got up and made my way to the back door with him following behind me like a golden retriever. I led him into the alleyway behind the club. He spied my motorcycle. "Is this your ride?" he asked. I nodded and he grinned. "Hey," he said, "I like your style…"
I had him by the throat with his back against the brick wall before he could finish. "Holy sh…" I squeezed his neck in my hand tighter. "Damn," he swore, "Demetri told me to…"
"Demetri told you to watch out for a beautiful blond that looks human," I finished for him and chuckled. "You predictable idiot." I put my mouth to his ear and he flinched. "You'll think a little more with your head from now on," I whispered.
"You rang?" came Jasper's voice as he and Edward joined me in the alleyway. I had signaled Edward with my thoughts to meet me out here.
"Come join the party," I told them, and then turned my attention back to the worm that I had pinned up against the wall. I shoved him against the wall again for emphasis. "Where is Demetri hiding?" I asked him.
"I'm not going to tell you," he replied.
"I figured a night at the club wasn't all that you were promised," I said. "But do you really think Demetri intends to keep his promise?"
Edward stepped up beside me. "He has my daughter," he implored of the worm, "I can pay you anything you ask. Just tell me where Demetri is keeping her."
The worm answered by spitting in Edward's face. In one fluid motion, I removed a retractable blade from my boot and sliced into the worm's wrist. He cried out in pain. "Tell me where Demetri is," I told him, "or your throat is next."
He looked at me with genuine fear in his eyes. I raised the knife to his neck. "The docks!" he yelped. "He's at an old warehouse by the docks."
"That's very good," I purred as I swiped the flat side of the blade across his cheek. He tried to pull away from it, but I held him still. "You did right by telling me," I said to him, "so I'll make this quick." I moved the knife back to his throat as his eyes widened with surprise.
"Stop!" Edward shouted at me. "He told us where Demetri is. Now let him go."
I stayed the blade long enough to glance sideways at Eddie-Do-Good. "Are you that thick?" I asked him loudly. "As soon as I let him go, he'll run to tell Demetri!"
"He won't if we make him promise," Edward answered, his voice becoming quiet. He turned to our prisoner. "What do you say?" Edward asked him. "Your life in exchange for a promise that you not tell Demetri what you told us?"
As expected, the worm nodded the affirmative eagerly. "Edward," I said, exasperated, "you can't take his word for it."
"I think we can trust him," he said.
I shook my head in disbelief. "I didn't think that I'd have to save you from yourself," I told Edward, and raised the blade with purpose to the human's throat.
Before I could stop him, Edward grabbed me and wrenched the knife out of my hand. The prisoner ran out of the alleyway and never looked back.
After Edward let me go, I stood there, incredulous, looking at him as he looked back at me. "I hope that was worth it to you!" I finally shouted at him. "Saving one poor excuse for a human in exchange for your daughter!" I ran my hand though my hair roughly in frustration. "There are hard decisions that have to made," I said more quietly. "But maybe, you're incapable of making them."
I turned and started to walk away. "You're wrong," Edward called after me. I stopped and looked back at him. "That decision I just made was a hard one," he said. "I just hope it was the right one."
I shook my head, got on my motorcycle and sped off into the night. Supposed righteousness didn't get you anywhere in this world. Sooner or later, Edward would have to learn that good boys never win.