Wanderlust (7 page)

We danced non-stop for the next hour and a half--when the DJ finally shut down for the night and announced the party was officially over. I did a little dance on the inside. As much fun as I was having with Addie and Eli, deep down a pity party was taking place in my heart. Part of me wanted to cry out to Chaseyn--to summon him here to London. Guilt for leaving him behind was beginning to outweigh the excitement. At this point, the pain I felt in my chest was so real that it was almost excruciating, and as much as I tried to focus on having fun, it felt like a part of me was missing. Had I made the right choice--sending him away?

In truth, I knew I had. I needed this time with Addie--and Eli--to consider my options and think about my future. The past few months with Chaseyn, I had become one of
those
girls that I despised--the kind whose entire world revolves around her boyfriend. With Chaseyn, it was so easy to forget about everything else, to close off the rest of the world and cocoon ourselves in a universe of our own making. Nothing mattered more to me than pleasing Chaseyn. From wearing his favorite colors to watching the classic movies he had enjoyed seeing in theaters as a kid, I was so focused on his wants and needs that I forgot about myself.

But, it wasn’t because Chaseyn wanted it that way. In fact, quite the opposite. He encouraged me to continue doing the things I liked, but they all seemed so shallow compared to his refined pursuits. How could he enjoy going to punk rock concerts and playing video games when he was used to attending operas and art shows? I felt like I was gaining a cultural experience from outings to the places that interested him, while I was certain he was only gaining a headache from mine. So, after a while, I stopped making suggestions.

Sure, Addie and I would still go out on weekends and eat lunch together at school, but any time I spent without Chaseyn felt like filler. I was forever counting down the minutes until I would be back in his arms. And, what fine arms they were. I could almost feel the long, lean muscles wrapping around me now.

But, of course, they weren’t. And so, here I was, wandering the streets of London with my best friend and some guy. Some guy I barely knew but who shared my secret about Chaseyn’s true identity and maybe something more--something like an undeniable physical connection.

“Where to next?” Eli asked as we followed the crowd off of the dance floor and into the street. I was so absorbed by my thoughts that I hadn’t even realized the lights had come on and we were being ushered out.

“You guys go have fun,” I said, shooing them down the street while I took a step backward. “I need a little downtime to rejuvenate before tomorrow. We have a lot to see and not a lot of time.”

“Oh, I don’t think you’re getting off that easily, Miss Jameson,” Addie sang. “I know the telltale signs of depression, and I fear you’re slipping into it. I’ve made it my personal mission on this trip not to let that happen.”

“I’m fine, really. I’m just a bit tired.”

“What’s she got to be depressed about?” Eli asked, genuinely clueless.

Ignoring him, Addie grabbed my left arm and pulled me tight to her side. Eli mimicked her actions on my right side, and they dragged me along to their next destination--wherever that might be. I rolled my eyes and reluctantly moved my feet in time with theirs. I had to choose my battles, and this was one I was sure I would lose. No point making a fuss just for the sake of it. I’d save that card for another game.

***

It was late, and my feet ached. I longed for respite from the cobblestone roads that repeatedly gripped the narrow heels of the designer shoes I had borrowed from Addie. More than once, I had—literally—tripped over my own feet following the loss of one shoe or the other. Why hadn’t I just worn the ballerina flats like I had planned to?

“Guys, can we stop? Please.”

According to Addie and Eli, the night was young. It was just after 3 a.m., and they were wide awake and ready to party. I think they were still holding onto the hope that they could find someone who would serve them something more than Shirley Temples. But, I was drained from feeling sorry for myself, and I needed to recharge before taking even one more step.

“How about this place?” Addie asked, smiling big and pointing to a run-down café on the corner of a dimly lit street. Clearly, she was pleased with herself for acknowledging my needs. Though the establishment looked a little shady, something inside me said that it was just what the doctor ordered.

We had been wandering the streets of Soho for the past hour trying to find an after-hours club that the bouncer at the Hippodrome had recommended. It was only when we had turned down a side street and, inevitably, become lost that I temporarily abandoned hope of ever finding the place. That, and I feared I would not survive the blistering pain that was engulfing the soles of my feet.

Inside, the shack with the shabby exterior was more chic than shabby. To our surprise, an eclectic mob of seemingly twenty-somethings lingered in groups around the room, which seemed more club-like than café as the exterior had suggested. A blues singer sat atop a tall stool on a makeshift stage. With a raspy voice, he bellowed out folksy tunes and thrummed a guitar—eyes closed, focused completely on the music, and the music alone.

“This place is great,” Eli said, eagerly edging his way through a crowd of fashionable blonds to an open table in the back. The lustful eyes of several sultry women followed his every move. After all, Eli was undeniably gorgeous. More than once throughout the evening, he had caught the eye of adoring admirers, but he paid them no attention. Instead, Eli continually reminded me of his mission to conquer my heart.

Secretly, I wasn’t sure I wanted him to be with another woman, despite the fact that he would never achieve his goal with me. Still, I felt possessive of him. In the short time I had known Eli, we had shared so many extraordinary experiences. The thought of him with someone else made me angry. I felt guilty about that, too. Why keep him from finding happiness if I knew I would never give him what he wanted? Not to mention, how could I betray my feelings for Chaseyn like that? Ugh.

“Something about this place seems so familiar,” I said aloud. “Did we read about it on one of those touristy sites we were surfing before we left?”

“I don’t think so,” Addie replied. “I would have remembered this.”

We had mutually agreed that this place was better than any other we might find on the main roads, and we were settling in when it suddenly occurred to me why it seemed so familiar. My suspicions were confirmed when a tall, flaxen-haired woman gently brushed my arm as she walked past. The cold chill of her touch sent shivers down my spine, and I jumped to alertness, spilling my pop in Addie’s lap as I did.

“Oh, no,” I screeched, not because I had made a mess but because I had come to a startling realization. “Oh, Addie. I’m sorry. You’re soaked.”

“Don’t worry,” she said, dashing off to the bathroom.

I was glad for the time alone with Eli. There was something I needed to share that only he would understand.

“Eli,” I called out in a loud whisper, trying to tear his attention from a group of girls who were waving at him from across the room and giggling. “We should go.”

“What? This place is great. Why would we leave?” he asked, waving back at the girls.

“Eli, you don’t understand. I know why it seems so familiar,” I explained. “Did Chaseyn ever tell you about his childhood?”

I knew for certain that Chaseyn hadn’t revealed anything more than the absolute basics of his history to Eli, but I still hoped he might know more.

“Not really. Bonding wasn’t exactly our strong suit. Why?”

I quickly told him about the Soho tavern where Mina had worked decades earlier. Clearly, it had changed a bit since her days as a barmaid there, but there was no mistaking that this was the place. I had managed to convey only a few details when Addie returned.

“We should go get you some dry clothes,” Eli said to Addie before she could take a seat. He was wrapping her sweater around her shoulders with one hand and holding her purse in the other. “Then, we can try to find that other club.”

Winking at me, Eli put his free hand on Addie’s back and guided her in the direction of the door.

“But, I thought we liked
this
place,” she said, doe-eyed and confused.

As we walked through the dense crowd hovering between our table and the exit, someone grabbed my hand, jolting me to a halt. Without a word, he placed an envelope in my hand before releasing his grip. I looked at him for clues, but he turned swiftly and dashed behind a curtain.

“Go ahead,” I motioned to Eli to keep moving. “I think I forgot my sunglasses at the table. I’ll be right behind you.”

Sunglasses? At night? I was carrying a tiny clutch that barely contained the items I actually required for a night on the town. Like there was any room for extras, let alone sunglasses. Eli looked perplexed. He knew I was lying, but thankfully, he didn’t question it. With a nod and a smile that suggested he had clued in to my game plan, he kept moving Addie toward the exit.

When I was certain Eli and Addie had moved far enough away that they could no longer see me through the crowd, I tore open the tiny envelope. Inside was a small, red note card. Four words were written in a near-perfect black script across the center of the card.

Meet me out back.

Trying to keep calm, and wanting to look nonchalant, I pressed by back against the nearest table and slowly surveyed my surroundings. No one seemed to be watching me. In fact, everyone seemed oblivious to my existence. That in mind, I looked around again for the backdoor exit, and briskly made my way in that direction. I knew that if I didn’t act now, my feet would remain frozen in place until Eli came back inside in search of me. And, if I didn’t get back to him soon, he would be finding a way to beckon Chaseyn. The last thing I wanted to do was play the role of damsel in distress, especially on our first day abroad. I could handle myself, and this was the perfect time to prove it.

The alley out back was dark and dirty. The only light was that of the moon, which reflected off trash cans and puddles of sludge that oozed from dumpsters and garbage bags. I held the door slightly ajar and fidgeted nervously for a minute. It was a bad idea for me to be waiting around in alleys alone, and I thought twice about my decision to be here. Turning to head back inside, I slammed smack into what appeared to be a brick wall--if walls wore button-down plaid shirts.

Slowly, I shifted my gaze upward and was greeted by a menacing glare from one of the most foreboding, yet ridiculously attractive, men I had ever laid eyes upon. I knew instantly what he was--no human could aspire to such rugged perfection--and a desperate desire to be anyplace else shot through my body. Paralyzed by an all-consuming fear, however, I was unable to move even a single step.

Finally, I felt the subtle pressure of his cool hands weighted on my hips as he shifted me slightly, gently, to the side. He stepped past me into the lane, closing and locking the door behind him with a brassy skeleton key. Suddenly, I was frozen--both literally and figuratively. My arms were covered in goose bumps, and I was too terrified to move a muscle.

“Name’s Balthazar, but everyone calls me Balty,” he said in a smooth baritone that would make Barry White jealous.

I stood in silence staring at the mountain of a man standing before me. He was well over six feet tall--at least 6 feet 5 inches if I were to wager a guess. And, his jet-black hair was shaggy and overgrown, curling up at the nape of his neck and brushing past his eyebrows into his eyes. A slight growth of dark hair--just a tad thicker than a five-o’clock shadow--covered his chiseled jaw. I guessed him to be in his mid-thirties, and he was utterly stunning in a rugged and unkempt way. He must get really good tips as a server--women would love him.

Like, Mina, Chaseyn’s mother, Balthazar was a full vampire. I’m not sure how I knew, but I did. The knowledge terrified me, and the throbbing of my pulse drowned out all other sound. Running would be useless. Balthazar would have the gift of extreme speed--all vampires did. Screaming was out of the question--my voice was stifled in my throat. This was it, I thought. This is how I was going to die.

Chapter 8 - A New Twist

He looked at me with eyes the color of cold coffee. Their intensity was unmatched by anyone I had ever met before. We stood there for what felt like forever, though I knew no more than I few seconds had passed.

“Is everything alright, Lia?”

“You…you know my name,” I managed to utter in a shaky voice that sounded much too young to be my own. I hoped he couldn’t sense my fear, though I suspected he could.

“Of course I do,” he said, taking a small step forward. His movements were slow and calculated.

“H-how?”

“
I
’ve…no,
we
’ve
been waiting for you,” he said, and before I could blink, he was standing so close I could feel his breath as he spoke.

It took a moment for my mind to register a reaction. Fight or flight? That sounded right. While neither option seemed like a viable candidate given my situation, I knew I had to at least make a concerted effort to escape. I found my voice and attempted to scream, but his hand was wrapped tight across my mouth before I could so much as squeal a single note. I bit down hard on his calloused hand, so hard I drew blood, but he only laughed. Tears stung my eyes as I prepared for the worst. My fate. He was going to fulfill my prophecy--the one Frost had failed to accomplish just a few short months ago.