Life After Dark: Book Two of the Dark Series

Chapter 13

"Are you okay in there?" Lucky asked, standing outside the bathroom door.

"I'm getting there," Dawn called. She had just lost another battle to nausea, and she was making herself presentable before she left the bathroom to join Lucky.

"Is there anything I can do?" Lucky asked, as he paced in the hallway. At first, he thought her constant queasy stomach was due to nerves about performing, but now he wasn't so sure. What if something serious was wrong with her, he wondered. "Maybe I should call my Aunt Bobbie."

"No, on both counts," Dawn said, opening the door. "Since Mama and I moved in here, she and your aunt have become quite chummy. I don't want her to call my mom and worry her. She has enough to think about."

"But will you be okay here alone?" Lucky asked, a worried frown, marring his face. "Maybe I should just sit with you for a little while, just in case."

"I'll be fine. Trust me," Dawn said with a smile. She moved past him down the hallway and called over her shoulder, "Come on. I have a surprise for you."

Lucky followed Dawn into the kitchen. She handed him the Jensen cookie jar which was filled with his favorite, Carrie-made chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. A huge grin covered his face, and he reached in to greedily grab several cookies.

Before closing the lid on the jar, he said, "Want one?"

Dawn grabbed her stomach and shook her head. "No thanks."

"Sorry. I forgot," Lucky said, placing the jar back on the counter.

"That's okay," she said, taking a seat at the counter. "If you want some milk, you know where everything is."

Lucky placed a napkin on the counter and set his cookies on it. He went to the cabinet and pulled out a glass. Pouring himself a glass of milk, he said, "You know, I really don't feel right about just leaving you alone. You've been sick off and on all day. If you don't want me to stay with you, at least let me go back and get Elizabeth."

"No way. She's setting up her deal with Jasper. Don't you even think about dragging her away. Believe me, Lucky, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. All I need is a little rest, that's all. I think once all of the excitement from tonight wears down, I'll be just fine," she said, trying to convince herself, as well as her friend.

"I believe you, but I still feel weird about just leaving you," Lucky said, sitting on a stool at the counter.

"At least somebody does," Dawn mumbled to herself. She didn't want to think about it, but she was upset that Nikolas just took off without telling her. He'd never done that before, and she wondered if something was going on that she should know about.

"Want me to kick his ass the next time he shows his ugly face around here?" Lucky asked, half teasing and half serious. He hadn't mentioned Nikolas since they left Jacks, but secretly, he was fuming. Nikolas was stupid to just leave Dawn. She could be a handful sometimes, but she didn't deserve to be stood up.

Dawn laughed for the first time in hours. She shook her head. "That's okay. I'll kick his ass myself."

"Whoa! Prince Nikky had better watch himself around you," Lucky said with a laugh.

"You got that right," Dawn replied. She watched Lucky wolf down his remaining cookies and when he was done, he stood.

"The way you're staring at me, I guess you're ready for me to go," he said, smiling.

"I can't get anything past you, Spencer," she laughed. "Yeah, I am kinda tired. But I don't want you to think I don't appreciate you bringing me home because I do."