Star, Starland Vamp Series, Book 1 (14 page)

“Hey!” I teased, following him down the hallway toward the door. “You even said I was the best! I’ll remember that for later!”

“See if I’m nice to you anymore!” Rick yelled down the hall at me, a bit miffed. “I was worried …”

“Who’s the best?” a familiar voice said as she came through the front door without knocking. It was Annie.

“Don’t you knock?” Rick said, slipping into a leather jacket.

“Rick!” Annie countered, ignoring what he said. “I haven’t seen you in so long? How’ve you been?”

“Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you Annie?” I said, smiling.

“No,” Annie said with an innocent grin. “Not in the slightest.”

“It’s good to see you, Annie,” Rick said politely. “Are you going with us?”

“That’s why I’m here,” Annie replied, smiling, then looked at Rick seductively. “Haven’t had any action for a while!”

Rick rolled his eyes. “Here we go!”

I laughed, then said to Rick. “She hasn’t changed a bit, has she?”

“Don’t remind me,” Rick replied as Annie gave me a wink. I think a lot of it was for show, but if Rick ever took her up on it …

“Star,” Rick interrupted my meanderings. “Go get ready. We have to go.”

“Yeah, I have a lot of shopping to do, too!” I said, bolting for the stairs.

“Oh, goodie!” Annie clapped her hands, doing another happy dance. Annie is the original shopaholic.

“We won’t have time for a lot of shopping!” Rick said loud enough for me to hear upstairs. “We’re going to The Mirage, remember?”

“I hear you!” I yelled down the stairs. In my room, I quickly stripped off my school uniform, and crossed the room at vamp speed in my lacy white bra and underwear, then grabbed the duffle bag with my clothes. “You forgot to pack my black leather pants!” I yelled down the stairs.

“What is it with you and leather?” Rick yelled back. “Get some later! Let’s go!”

So I settled for a pair of black skinny jeans, still wearing just my white bra. Looking through the bag of clothes, I knew I was going to have to do some serious shopping later. I quickly pulled on my leather boots with a low heel, then reached for one of the huge black cases, quickly plopping one onto the bed and unzipped it. Inside were many of my old friends, weapons of which I was very familiar.
My
babies. Searching for what I wanted, I lifted a hidden panel and pulled out a military issue Ballistics knife in a black leather case, illegal, but who would know? I expertly tied it just above my right ankle with a black leather strap. Searching again, I found my Glock 9mm handgun and shoved it into my tight jeans in the small of my back. Then I slipped into a clean white T-shirt and covered it all with a waist-length black leather jacket. At least Rick packed that. Then I grabbed a few extra clips for the Glock just in case and shoved them into my pants pockets. Then for good measure, I pulled on one of my favorite belts with throwing stars for the buckle, but that was mainly a toy.

“You need any weapons, Annie?” I called down the stairs.

“No,” she replied. “I’m all geared up!”

“Good,” I replied, darting at vamp speed down the stairs. “You never know what we might need.”

Rick rolled his eyes, familiar with my passion for toys. “Let’s go, ladies!” he bellowed as he darted out the door, and we followed.

“Now, who did you say was good?” Annie asked mischievously, getting into the back seat of Rick’s Mercedes SUV, as I slipped into the front passenger’s seat.

Rick rolled his eyes again. “Never mind …”

I laughed, clearly enjoying Rick’s discomfort. “Rick, here, was just telling me what a great CIA agent I am!”

“Oh?” Annie asked, her eyebrows lifting, eying Rick.

Rick gave me a look that said to watch it. “You’re going to pay for this,” Rick said, looking at me. Between Annie and me, he didn’t stand a chance.

“Sorry, Rick,” I said, laughing. “I just couldn’t help myself.”

Then Rick gave me a look that said he was happy to see me laughing again.

The three of us bantered back and forth as we drove all the way to the city. We probably would have gotten there quicker running, but Rick thought it was a good idea to take the van if I was going to shop. He was probably right.

We drove for a while, then noticed shoots of pink and purple mixed with deep blue across the sky, signaling the end of the day. On the ride, my thoughts wondered to Zac. In my mind’s eye, I could see his beautiful cerulean almond eyes, his sun-streaked blonde hair … then I looked out the window, watching the scenery go by as Annie rambled on in the backseat.  I tuned her out and let my thoughts drift to Zac. The way he held me so tenderly, like glass, his sense of chivalry … he was a gentleman through and through, with a caring, open heart …

I glanced at Rick and he was watching me. He silently raised an eyebrow with concern, silently asking me if I was alright.

I nodded seriously, then smiled. “Thanks,” I mouthed.

Rick returned the smile. “You’re welcome,” he mouthed in reply, then turned his attention back to the road, letting me have a moment with Zac … at least, in my mind.

It was pitch black outside as we turned onto 178
th
Street in New York City, then made a left onto Canal Street, on our way to Broadway. It seemed like we just left Cooperstown, and now we were here. I went immediately into agent mode, knowing The Mirage would be right around the corner.

“Rick, it’s still early yet,” I said. “I need a car. Pull into a car lot.”

“What kind you want?” Rick asked. Looking for a car dealership in the city would be difficult.

“Surprise me,” I said, looking at Rick, smiling.

“Okay,” Rick smiled mischievously. “Hummer, here we come!”

I sighed and shook my head, still smiling. “Low profile, Rick.” Then I thought for a minute and said, “I know! Let’s go to Manhattan.”  In the back seat, Annie gave a little squeal and clapped her hands.

“Low profile, Star?” Rick said, raising an eyebrow.

“Leave me alone,” I said, teasing. “That’s where all the good car dealerships are.”

So we drove 20 minutes to Manhattan. Rick actually spoiled me, pretty much giving me what I wanted. As we entered Manhattan, I felt excited to be back again. It had been a while since I’d made trip to the city.

“What are you looking for?” Rick asked as we passed a few dealerships.

Then I saw exactly what I wanted. “Pull in here, Rick.”

“A Camaro?” Rick asked, pulling into the dealership. “What happened to low profile?”

“Hey, a Camaro’s not that bad,” I countered. “A high school student could have one.”

“Yeah,” Rick added, parking the car. “If Daddy’s rich.”

I laughed. “Okay! So you’re rich!”

Rick rolled his eyes.

“Actually,” I added, thinking of something. “You’re into law enforcement.”

“Oh?” Rick said, rolling his eyes. “Doing what?” Rick knew I was talking about his cover.

“Don’t know. You tell me,” I said, spotting exactly what I wanted as Annie ran her hand along a red Camaro, probably thinking of buying one, too.

“This is it!” I said, crossing to a black 45
th
Anniversary Edition Camaro. I knew it was modeled after the 1967 edition. I’d know it anywhere. It was a very good year for cars. “There’s nothing like the classics.”

“Star …” Rick said, warning. 

“What?” I asked, feigning innocence. And for me, this was low profile. I had a Mercedes SLS worth $183,000 in storage.

“May I help you?” a man dressed in a cheap black suit crossed the parking lot to us.

“Yes. I’d like to take this one,” I said, pointing to the sleek black anniversary edition Camaro.

The man held his nose in the air and looked me over, seeing a teenager, then promptly replied, “Honey, you can’t afford this. It’s a 45
th
Anniversary Edition Camaro. Now we have some other selections over here …”

“I can’t
afford
it?” I asked this rude man, as Rick shot me a warning glance. “I want this one. Wrap it up.”

The man turned and laughed, still seeing a teenager before him. “Miss, that car is $45,000.”

“Here,” I said, looking him directly in the eye, crossing to him. “Put it on my bill.” Actually, I could use mind control on him, but I’m not into stealing cars. This guy had no idea who he was playing with. “Here’s my card,” I said, handing it to him, my eyes flaring.

“I think you’d better do as the lady says,” Rick said, as one side of his mouth curled into a smile.

“You’re putting a car on a credit card?” the idiot smirked, almost losing out on a sale.

“Actually, it’s my ATM card,” I said, smiling sweetly, then my eyes flared again. “Run it.”

“Uh … yes, Miss … right away, Miss …” Cheap Suit stammered, realizing how close he came to losing out on probably his biggest sale of the day. I was paying cash and I hadn’t even quibbled about the price. Every salesman’s dream.

After he ran the card and I signed the paperwork, the car was mine. When he ran the card, it went through with no problem.

“Here you are, Miss,” Cheap Suit said, handing me the keys to my new car. “And if there is anything else we can do for you …”

“Yeah, yeah,” I said, taking the keys and slipping them into my pocket. “Just don’t be so quick to judge a book by its cover next time, bud.” The man nodded sheepishly, realizing again the sale his assumption almost cost him. “Also, we’re going out for a bit. I’m leaving the car here and we’ll pick it up later. Okay?”

“No problem, Miss.” He was very accommodating now. “It will be here for you when you’re ready.”

I nodded, then Rick, Annie, and I climbed back into Rick’s Mercedes SUV. 

“Can you believe that guy?” I asked rhetorically, out of Cheap Suit’s earshot, as we headed back to New York City.

“Hey,” Annie said from the back seat. “Take it as a compliment! You look like a teenager! Enjoy it!”

“Yeah, a 230 year old teenager,” I said under my breath.

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Rick said, as we neared Broadway. “Let’s get some work done. Keep a look out.”

So we all started looking for The Mirage, the new vamp club where the rogue vamp I killed in the bathroom at school said to bring Zac. Shivers ran down my spine just thinking of it.

“So, who am I going in as?” I asked Rick, looking for the club.

“Who do you want to go in as?” Rick countered.

I smiled broadly. “Arnold!”

Rick laughed. He could just imagine us going into a vamp club with me looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not a way to keep a low profile. Too bad I didn’t have his body print. I got close once, but not close enough to touch him. But that’s another story.

He shook his head. “You can go in as yourself, if you want.”

“Go in as someone sexy!” Annie chimed in excitedly.

“Okay, Annie,’ I said, exasperated. “Now you’re officially weird.”

“I’m just saying …” Annie replied, feigning innocence.

The Mirage was on the right side of the street. We had to drive slowly as we passed, as there were many humans waiting to go in, all being turned away. They only let the vamps in, saying it was an “exclusive” club. Well, in New York the only thing you had to do to ensure a long line out the door is to call it exclusive, then the humans were clamoring to get in. Believe me, this is one club the humans shouldn’t want any part of.

“Pull around the back,” I told Rick. All of us were on alert. Whoever it was that wanted Zac was dangerous, even for us. Rick turned down a dark alley, leading to the back of the club. Usually, a human would never want to be alone in the shadows anywhere in New York at night.

But we weren’t human.

Rick slowly pulled into the dark and dingy parking lot in the back of the club, only lit by the reflection of the bright green neon lights reflecting off the sign that simply stated The Mirage. A digital image of blood dripping down the sign over the lettering was an indicator to other vamps that it was a vamp club. In New York, if a sign had blood on it, even a drop, it was a signal to other vamps that they were welcome. Occasionally, a human would show up in a dumpster near a vamp club, but that was very rare, and true of all clubs. But, for the most part, vamps today were smart, staying away from the humans, not inviting them in. No killing was allowed in these clubs, but that wasn’t saying anything for outside. But vamps today—the smart ones anyway—were careful not to attract the attention of the humans.

Annie and I got out of the SUV, followed by Rick. There were a few vamp punks near the back of the club smoking a join, when Rick approached them, offering them $100 bucks each to watch his Mercedes. There were four of them. Obviously, Rick didn’t want to have his Mercedes stripped or defiled in any way before we came out.

“Sure, man,” the head vamp replied, his mouth watering. “Whatever you say!”

“Listen up because I’m only going to say this once,” Rick said, his eyes flaring. He was another vamp you didn’t want to anger. “I can trust you, right? Because if I come out here and find one scratch on it or if I find out you’ve been out joy riding, I’ll burn you myself … alive. Got it?”