“You picked the place, I brought a friend. Let’s just get this over with. Do you have it?”
“Maybe.”
I felt uneasy about being there so I just stood off to the side and tried to blend into the old art deco surroundings like a theatrical chameleon.
Janie beckoned to him. “Why don’t you hand it over and we can make this nice and easy?”
The man laughed at that. “Janie, you don’t make anything easy. I have a message for your boss.”
“And what’s that?”
“This is it. My last job. I’m quitting.”
She shrugged. “It’s got nothing to do with me, but I’ll be sure to tell him. Do you have a note you want me to give him or should I just paraphrase?”
His coat parted and he pointed a big gun at Janie’s face. “I figure your dead body should get my point across.”
“Janie . . . ” I managed, panic immediately welling up in my chest.
“Shut up,” Fedora-guy said. “You’re a vampire, aren’t you? I can smell it from here. Why don’t you go turn into dust somewhere?”
I swallowed hard and took a step back. “It’s goo.”
“Whatever. Even a vampire’s too good to hang out with Miss Parker here. She’s a liar and a cheat.
She’ll steal your soul and then laugh all the way to her boss’s with a song in her cold, black heart.”
Janie glanced at me and shrugged a shoulder. “My charm doesn’t win every man over.”
The guy laughed. “Janie, you’re getting rusty. Never thought I’d get the upper hand so easily.”
“Did you plan this?”
“Last-minute decision.”
“So you didn’t bring the merchandise?”
He hesitated. “No, I didn’t.”
“Liar. I’m willing to bet you have it on you. Somewhere. So I’ll give you one last chance. Hand it over right now or I’m going to have to kill you.”
“Brave girl with a gun in your face. And you’re trying to make me believe that you’d let me walk out of here? I’m not that stupid.”
Janie turned her head. “Yeah, Lenny. We’re over here.”
Fedora-guy looked over and Janie kneed him sharply in the groin. She tried to swing around and grab him but he slipped out of her grasp and started running away, thrusting open the doors that led down to the theater and slamming them behind him.
“Come on!” she yelled at me and took off after him.
Was she kidding? I wasn’t following. Forget it.
My cell phone rang. I yanked it out of my purse to see that it was Thierry’s number. My heart clenched.
I was about to answer it just as an arm went around my neck.
“Hey,” Fedora-guy said.
I dropped the phone to grab at his arms. The phone hit the floor and broke. Shit. Where had he come from?
“You don’t mind if I use you as a hostage to get the hell out of here, do you?” he asked.
My heart thudded painfully against my ribs. “Actually, I’d really rather you didn’t.”
He chuckled. “So what’s your story, morning glory? Hanging out with a bitch like Janie Parker? You feel too soft and cuddly for that kind of trouble.”
“Are you calling me fat?”
“No, just right, actually. For a vampire. I’d do you.”
“Gee, I’m incredibly flattered. I guess you’re not aware of the whole vampire super-strength deal. I could break your arms like twigs right now if I wanted to,” I lied.
He shifted and put the gun to my head. “And I could blow your brains out.”
“So you’re saying you would do me. Would you like to set up a time and place? Because you’re way hot. I have a thing for dark, tortured murderers.”
“I’m not a murderer. I just want to get the hell out of here in one piece. I never should have come here.
She can’t have it. Not today. Not ever.”
He grabbed my arm and began pulling me after him, farther into the shadows of the theater. He found a dirty window and broke it with kick. Sunlight streamed in and hit my face.
He glanced at me. “I thought vampires couldn’t go out during the day.”
I squinted out at the brightness. Good opportunity to try to save my skin. His lack of knowledge was my gain. “That’s because I’m a special vampire. Have you heard about the Slayer of Slayers?”
He froze. “That’s you?”
I nodded, trying to remain as calm as possible. “I’m very dangerous. I’m also a woman on the edge. So
I would suggest you let me go before you get in any deeper than you already are.”
“Janie and you are friends?”
“More like acquaintances.”
He licked his lips. “Don’t trust her. She’s no good.”