Influenced

Chapter 10 -- Duchess' Date

Mohammad was right, it took Mrs. Costas two days to fully recover from the vampire's spell. During those two days, Jenner managed to patch the ceiling and board up the broken window, but she completely forgot what she'd done and when she reverted back to herself she was quite curious about the state she was in. Jenner told her she'd fallen down the stairs and he had been taking care of her; he could tell she didn't quite believe him but she seemed eager to accept his story as the truth.

He spoke to Mohammad about going home, and he was hesitant about the idea. He said they still hadn't cleared Matilda and Duchess as suspects yet and that it wouldn't be a good idea to expose himself to them, there was no telling what might happen. So, Jenner told his mother he was staying for her benefit, that he was worried about her well being. She was so excited about having company she didn't even try to protest but Jenner felt bad for lying to her.

One evening, as Jenner was sitting down after dinner to watch the news with his mother, an interesting story came on. "And the search for Jasmine Lamont has come to a sad conclusion with the discovery of her body at Point Pleasant Park this morning. Police say that the state of Ms. Lamont's body was similar to another body discovered in a back alley in the North End of town, though they are hesitant to suggest this may be a pattern."

Only moments after the story aired, Jenner got a text message from Duchess.

"Where rrrr u? I miss u, and the pigz were sniffin around 4 u."

"Why?" Jenner responded.

"Cuz u haven't been home in dayz! I should be able to c u all the time!"

"No, not 'why do you miss me,' 'why were the cops looking for me.'"

"O, somethin about a body in the park."

Jenner gulped, he couldn't imagine how anyone would know he was there, having sex right beside the dead girl. He told Duchess that he was coming over to discuss what the police wanted, then told his mother he was going out and she smiled up at him.

"It's about time Carlos, I love that you've been here with me but you haven't left the house in days! I'll be fine don't worry."

It took Jenner an hour to get home by bus, the whole time he tried telling himself that it would be okay, Mohammad would understand...but would he? He decided not to think about it.

"Duchess?" Jenner called out when he got into his apartment, moving so quickly he forgot to lock the door. "Duchess are you home?"

"Jenner!" Duchess grinned and threw herself into his arms. "I can't believe you left me home alone for this long!"

"You weren't alone, you had Matilda."

"Don't fucking get me started on that pathetic bitch! I think she missed you more than I did, every damn day she just sat around whining about how you weren't home. I think she has a crush on you."

"Someone could probably say the same thing about you Duch."

"Not anybody who knows anything about me, I clearly have better taste than that."

"Not that there's been any proof of that lately." Jenner forced Duchess out of his arms and tried not to make eye contact with her.

"Well actually, since you've been away I met someone."

"What's he like?" Jenner asked as he started packing a bag.

"Actually...it's a she." Duchess smiled and Jenner stared back at her.

"Excuse me? Since when are you into chicks?"

"I'm not...I don't think, this one just seemed special is all." Duchess smiled and clasped her chest as she day dreamed about her lady friend. "She's so little and sassy, and her hair is gorgeous!"