The Vampire's Assistant

Chapter Eighteen

The New Orleans Nightlife Association, or "NONA", was a coalition of the small club owners of the French Quarter. Three times a year, the clubs took turns hosting a gathering for the Association. Originally meant to be a meeting to discuss the issues affecting the local industry, it ultimately manifested as a party, rotating between the NONA members, with each trying to outdo the last.

Naturally, in my seventh month of pregnancy, it was The New Orleans Jazz Company's turn to host. Though my job primarily consisted of bookkeeping, Philip had started to utilize me as more of an assistant and so called on me to help make the arrangements for the NONA party. That, of course, meant I was also requested to attend. I could not imagine a less appealing prospect than squeezing my swollen belly into a cocktail dress and standing around a party at which I couldn't drink or dance. I resolved to stay only as long as necessary to be polite and respectful to my boss, then high tail it out of there. Surely, no one would begrudge the pregnant lady an early night.

The night of the party, I scurried around the club taking care of all my preparatory duties, finishing just in time to slip into my office to dress. I emerged somewhat presentable just as the guests started to filter into the club. It was late, at least for me, and I was utterly exhausted and feeling weak. The bass of the band on the stage throbbed in my ears and the trumpets seared through my brain. I needed blood. I could feel the baby moving restlessly inside me, hungry, and I rubbed circles over my belly.

"Shh," I whispered, "patience." I would have to call Pam. She hadn't said whether she'd planned on stopping by the house tonight, but she was definitely going to have to now.

"Hey, why don't you sit down?" a familiar voice sounded beside me. I looked to find Josh and Matthew, hovering on either side of me with dual looks of concern. I let them lead me to an empty table on the mezzanine, overlooking the band.

"Are you OK?" Josh asked.

"Shit, do I look that bad?" I tried to chuckle, but it was thin. "I'm fine, really. Just very, very tired."

Matthew flagged down a waiter and asked for a glass of ice water. I gave him a grateful smile, though I knew the water wouldn't help.

Josh tsked at me. "You need to be taking better care of yourself, mama." He planted a loving hand on the rise of my stomach.

"I've just been so busy with the party..." I began, but my voice drifted as I spotted a familiar head of blonde hair. Relief poured through me as Pam looked up at me from the first floor, a knowing expression on her face.

Moments later she was next to the table. "Evening, gentlemen," she drawled, "Mind if I steal my friend for a bit?"

Josh and Matthew looked at me questioningly, but I gave them a nod to say everything was alright, and followed Pam toward the restrooms in the back. She wasn't moving at vampire speed, but her pace was still hurried. In my drained and tired state, I fought to keep up without tripping or slipping into vampire speed myself.

"Geez, Pam, think you could slow down a bit?"

She glanced back over her shoulder, but her eyes didn't meet mine. "Sorry," she said unapologetically. "You look like hell and I know you feel like it, too."

We ducked into the restroom and Pam checked each stall before bolting the door behind us. When she offered her bitten wrist to me, I latched onto it like a starving person and drank until the wounds closed, then licked them clean.

"Fucking hell," Pam said, wiping my saliva from her arm with disgust, "That bad, huh?"

I nodded, panting with relief as her blood coursed through my system. I felt infinitely better than I had minutes before. "Thank God you got here when you did." I stopped, realization dawning on me. "Why are you here, exactly?"