In Plain Sight (A Hunted Rose)

Chapter Eight

That night, I ran to the closest city that had a club in it.  This town did, but it was really small, and people would recognize me.  With my getup, it might be kind of hard, but the hair is pretty noticeable.  The city was only forty miles away, so I ran.  It did not make sense to drive and waste gas when I could run in less than half the time it would take to drive.  When I got there I listened for the booming of music that was a telltale sign of a club. 

 When I reached the club, I hung around outside for a few minutes before I snuck inside while the bouncer was not looking.  When inside, I found it looked just like the club I was attacked at, but smaller and more lit up.  I went to the bar and ordered a water, ignoring the guys offering to buy me a drink.  When I spotted someone I thought was a good target, I slowly made my way over to him.  He looked like the classic player, and he was talking to a girl who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but next to him.  When I got over there, I smiled at him and gave a little wave. 

 “Hi,” I said. 

 “Hey,” he gave me a dimpled smile that he probably thought worked with all the ladies.  It most likely worked on about half.  Poor guy.  “Are you here with someone?”

 “Nope,” I smiled again.  “Wanna come somewhere with me?”

 The guy smiled like Christmas had come early.  He thought he was going to get lucky.  Boy was he in for a rude awakening.  He nodded and I grabbed his hand and led him out the backdoor of the club.  When we got into the alley behind the club, he pressed me against the wall and started kissing my neck.  I tried to keep from grimacing; I had to keep up the charade.  I pushed him back a bit and pressed my mouth to his neck, feeling his pulse underneath my lips.  I opened my mouth and quickly bit down, blood rushing into my mouth and making me groan at the flavor.

 “What are you…” the guy started to ask before he stopped due to the bite.  Vampires, depending on the way they bite, can make it painful, or pleasurable.  I took several gulps and filled myself before he lost too much blood.  As I pulled my mouth away from his neck I cut my tongue on one of my fangs and licked over the wound, my blood closing it up.  I pulled away and looked the guy over.  Aside from being a little woozy from blood loss, he didn’t look bad.

 “Oh my god,” the guy started to say until I captured his gaze with my own.

 “Nothing happened tonight, and you don’t remember me.  You saw a pretty girl and followed her into the alley, but she wasn’t interested.  Now, you will go home and sleep off all the alcohol you drank tonight.” I said in a soothing voice in order to compel him.

 “I’ll go home,” he said and started to turn away.

 “Wait,” I said and he turned back to me.  “Get a cab,” I said as I handed him a few bucks.  I knew he had a wallet on him, but with the blood loss and alcohol, he probably didn’t remember that.  I turned and walked away without looking back. 

That night when I got home, I washed my face of the shimmery powder I had put on.  I took off my shoes and threw them into the closet and pulled off my dress, draping it over the half wall in my bathroom that separated the tub from the toilet.  When that was finished, I threw on an old oversized t-shirt and collapsed on my bed.

 I got about two hours of sleep before I woke up.  I checked my math homework as I watched the sun rise, and made a pot of coffee.  I loved starting the school day with the smell of coffee.  I also checked over my science assignment and packed a quick lunch before I left to go to school for the day. 

¥¥¥¥

The next week and a half were calm and quiet.  We did things in the textbook everyday in English, and had some quizzes in History, but that was about it.  But, on Tuesday I was ambushed.

The day passed by great until lunch.  I didn’t have any altercations with Ryder, and no one bothered me.  Amanda appeared to have given up on revenge, but I wasn’t holding my breath.  She seemed like the type who didn’t let things go easily, although, we were still in the ‘giving the evil eye’ stage.  Anyway, things were good until lunch.

 “Rose,” Cameron said as he plopped down across from me.  “We,” he motioned to the table, “are going to a club on Friday.  You,” he pointed at me, “are coming with us.”

 I opened my mouth to respond, “No, I couldn’t.  Trust me; I’m not the club type.”

 “Please?” he asked, and then did the unthinkable.  Right there, in the cafeteria, Cameron gave me puppy dog eyes and pouted.  “Pretty please with… whatever it is you like on top?”

 “But, I really don’t want to,” I said.

 “We need to celebrate!” he said with such excitement I felt myself cracking.

 “You know that if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to,” River whispered in my ear.  I looked at him and saw the concern brimming in his polka dot eyes.  Of course, he was thinking about the attack I told him about.  “But if you do come, I promise we won’t leave your side.”

 I turned away from him and looked back at Cameron, “So what do we need to celebrate?”

 “Why, you moving here of course!” he looked horrified that I hadn’t put that together by myself, but I knew he was just joking.

 “Oh, I’m sorry, forgive my lack of excitement,” I said to him.  “I don’t like clubs.  I haven’t had the best experiences at them before.”

 “What do you mean?” Seth interrupted before Cameron could ask what was probably going to be the same question.

 “I got attacked and injured at a club I went to with some friends in New York.  They were drinking, and I didn’t want to so I left.  I got attacked and I was left bleeding in the street.  Someone found me and helped me, so I’m fine now.  I’m surprised River didn’t tell you.”

 “You knew?” They turned their shocked eyes toward River, who had a light pink color rising in his cheeks.

 “She told me a little while ago,” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

 “I’m sorry,” Cameron said.  “You don’t have to go…”

“No, its fine,” I interrupted him.  “But thank you for being concerned.  I would be happy to go.  Just, no drinking please.”

“Not that we were going to in the first place, but we promise,” Jason said, breaking his usual silence.  There were various yeses or nods around the table as everyone accepted my request and agreed with Jason.  It made me smile.  I took a sip from my water bottle, which was filled with normal water due to the meal I had the night before, and gave my thanks.

 “So.  Friday,” Cameron said.  “Who are you going to ride with?”

 “I can drive myself,” I said with a small chuckle.

 “Nonsense, it’s like a thirty minute drive,” he said.  “You know what; you can ride with me and Seth.  I think you’ll like his car.”

 “And what is his car?” I asked, trying to hide my smile at his antics and the fact that I knew exactly what car he drove.

 “Not telling,” he said in a teasing voice.  “But I think you’ll like it.”

 “Cam,” Jason said, “You’re acting like it’s your car.”

 “It feels kind of like it,” he said.  “I ride with Seth every day to school.”

 “That’s the first time I’ve heard someone call you Cam,” I said, ignoring my lie.  “Is it a nickname?”

 “Not really,” he said.  “Once in a while they just shorten my name because it is easier.”

 “Ahh,” I said quietly.  After that we had small talk and made plans about Friday.  They forced me to give them my phone number, and then they all gave me theirs.  They made me promise to put it in my phone and text them after school.  After many puppy dog eye looks and pleas from Cameron, I agreed.