And so, as much as it sucks, I force myself to pull away. He stares at me dully for a moment, as if in a daze, then frowns. “What’s wrong?” he asks in a wounded voice that breaks my heart.
“Nothing,” I say briskly, scrambling to my feet. I cross my arms over my chest. “So let’s get back to business.”
“But—” The hurt on his face is unmistakable and I feel like a monster. Still, even though he’s a vampire, he’s also a guy. And guys can get like that after they’ve been denied sex. In fact, I’d be willing to bet he doesn’t care one lick about me as a person. He just wants to jump me. Just like everyone else. And I’m so not interested.
“You said you got the blood test results back. What did you learn?”
He sighs deeply and then rises to his feet, running a hand through his dirty blond hair. He stares into the mirror. Unlike in the movies and TV shows, vamps DO have reflections and his, I notice, is not one of a happy vampire. But that can’t be helped, I guess.
I feel bad, but I tell myself that in the long run, it’s better this way. After all, this can’t go anywhere. It can’t become anything. So just rip off the Band-Aid and move on to the next scene.
“Well, that’s the strange thing,” he says at last, evidently resigning himself to the fact that he’s not getting any more nookie from this chick. “It’s definitely contaminated with some kind of blood-borne virus, but we’re not exactly sure what. Whatever it is, our scientists believe it’s the same virus that’s affected Kristoff. Obviously vampires don’t die like humans, but somehow the virus has been able to weaken him and take away his powers.”
“How is Kristoff, anyway?”
“About the same. Not sick. Not exactly. Just weak. And powerless. It’s the strangest thing.”
“Poor guy.”
“Indeed. And he’s not the only one. Several of the coven’s top leaders have come down with a very similar illness. And all their donors are dead.”
“Wow. That’s terrible. So do you think it’s being spread through the donors? Remember, we saw Kristoff ’s donors at the Blood Bar. Could it be possible that Maverick is behind this?”
“I do. In fact, I’d say it’s quite probable,” Jareth says, nodding. “It’s my theory that this is the way Maverick hopes to overthrow Magnus’s rule. By crippling Magnus’s strong supporters, he can weaken his command, and then stage a coup.”
“Actually, that’s exactly what the Slayer Inc. guy, Teifert, says,” I tell him. “He suggested we go back to the Blood Bar and see if we can find a sample of the original virus itself. Maybe they have a room where they store it all. Maybe they even have some kind of antidote there.” I jump up from my seat, eager to be out of these closed quarters, lest I do something stupid like jump his vampire bones again. “We should go now. Time is a-wasting.”
Jareth shakes his head. “I should go now. Not we. You will stay home.”
“What? No way! I’m so not staying home.”
“This could be dangerous.”
“But I’m Raynie the Vampire Slayer,” I say, grabbing the stake off my computer table and raising it in the air.
Jareth chuckles. “Oh, yes. I forgot. Very scary.”
“Come on,” I whine. “Please? It’s, like, my destiny and stuff, remember? Just let me come. I need an adventure. I can’t keep sitting around moping in my room.”
“Okay, fine. But you have to listen to me. Do as I say. No heroics here,” he insists. “You may have a stake, but I’d bet my fangs you don’t know how to use it.”
“Not true. I got some Slayer Training this weekend. I’m now the stake mastah!”
“Ah. Impressive.” Jareth smiles. “Can’t wait to see you in action.”
“So should we head over now?”
“Hm.” Jareth looks at his watch. “Actually it’s only eight. The Blood Bar will be open ’til two A.M. and we want to hit them closer to closing time.”
“Oh, okay.” A bit disappointed, I set the stake back down on the desk. So much for immediate distraction. “Uh, I guess just come pick me up when you’re ready to leave?” Hopefully by then Mom will be in bed. I doubt she’d be cool with me leaving the house at one thirty on a school night.
“Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to . . . do something with me first,” Jareth says, sounding a bit shy all of a sudden.
I look up, surprised. “Uh, what?”
“Go dancing.”
“Dancing? Now?” Wow. That is so not what I expected him to say. Though I don’t know what I did expect. A shiver of delight makes its way up my backbone. Dancing. With Jareth. Mmm.
Jareth shrugs. “Yes. Why not?”
Bleh. I know I should say no. Keep ripping off the Band-Aid.
Not put myself in a position where the two of us could easily hook up. Dancing is powerful and dangerous and if I want to stay at arm’s length it’s the last thing I should agree to.
“I don’t know. No reason, I guess. It’s just—” Just that I’m not strong enough not to melt when you take me into your arms.
“Remember what we talked about at Club Fang the other night? About losing oneself in the music? Seeking peace inside the dance?” He smiles at me. “I think someone’s in need of a little of that right about now.”