Page 94

The black building of The Heart and Rose came into view. Alice maneuvered to approach the building from behind to begin her descent. She snapped her fingers to darken the area as much as possible, so she could land undetected on the roof. She stuck out her feet and met the roof below.

She flung her leg over the broomstick and stepped onto the roof. “You did good, Gwennie. You did really good,” Alice said in a low voice as she rubbed the top of the handle.

She swung the bag around and flipped the satchel open. She removed a homemade device.

She swung the bag around and flipped the satchel open. She removed a homemade device—a newly carved wooden stake, very similar to the one from her vampire hunting kit, with two metal rings around it. She slid the rings over the front of Guinevere and snapped her fingers. The bolts tightened, but not tight enough to crush the broomstick.

“Bayonet secured,” Alice whispered. “Follow me.”

Alice jogged over to the fireplace chimney jetting out of the roof with Guinevere trailing behind. With a snap of her fingers, the metal safety guard slid off the chimney, allowing her to peek in.

The chimney was far too small for her to jump through, but large enough for her broomstick. The chimney was mostly for show, and as expected, no fire raged down below. The thundering, dark synthwave beats echoed up through the brick chimney, as well as the sounds of people partying inside.

“Head inside and wait for my signal. Then exit the chimney and get into position. Come get me if we need to abort the plan. Ready?” Alice asked.

The broomstick bobbed up and down.

“All right. I’ll see on you the inside.” She tapped the brown leather seat.

The broomstick rose and descended into the fireplace chimney.

Alice flung open her black bag. It contained another homemade stake, a few vials of her blue potion, a small pouch of spell components, and a metal flask—all instruments used to fight vampires. She said a few words of the arcane language and snapped her fingers. A dark cloud appeared inside the bag, obscuring the contents. To the uninitiated eye, the bag appeared empty.

Alice pulled out the metal flask. She twisted off the top and drank the entire contents. Alice moved to the side of the roof and placed her hands on the ledge. She searched her surroundings. No one was paying attention to her. Various inebriated people yelled to eachother as they hopped from bar to bar along the busy street out front. Others ran as the rain drenched the street.

The building on the other side was dark and unoccupied. The side street below was empty, perfect to make an unseen entrance. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and leapt over the side. She stepped down, as if descending invisible stairs, to the ground below. Alice scanned up and down the side street, making sure no one was coming for her. Satisfied, she made her way around the corner.

She pulled her hat low, hiding her face and eyes from any onlookers. A few people left The Heart and Rose bar, stumbling as they ventured down the sidewalk. Alice grabbed the closing door. She pulled the door back and was met with the overwhelming beats of the rhythmic music from within. It was dark inside; flashing lasers and pulsating lights cast minimal light onto the dance floor. Alice took a deep breath and entered.

“Five dollars,” the doorman yelled over the sounds.

Alice raised her head to look him in the eyes. “I believe your boss is expecting me.”

The doorman pinched the microphone clipped to his shirt. “She’s here,” he said into it.

There was a pause. The music blared, pulsed, and echoed through the building.

“Let me see inside the bag,” he continued.

Alice opened and presented it to him, hoping he found an empty bag. Alice took in a sharp breath as her heart beat faster. His hands hovered over the opening for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat.

The doorman lowered his hands to his sides and nodded his head as if he was satisfied with the contents. “Please enter. Mrs. Savino has been expecting you.”

Alice exhaled. She closed the bag and entered deeper into the nightclub. She maneuvered around the dancing bodies—obstacles put on the black and white checkerboard dance floor to keep her from her intended target. Alice scanned the room, constantly checking for any signs of trouble. The thick crimson curtains coveredthe windows. Lights from the bar provided little relief from the darkness. The mixed crowd of various ages and genders focused their eyes on her as she weaved her way through.

They didn’t stop. Each one smiled as they spotted Alice, taking great glee in seeing her. A few showed their fangs as they moved their hips and bodies back and forth to the rhythm of the pulsating music.

Some made eye contact with Alice and then bit down on the neck of their human dancing partners, indulging themselves. The vampires released themselves from their sanguine kisses, their mouths dripping with blood. Two streaks of crimson red flowed down their dancing partners’ necks like tears. Their enthralled eyes glazed over as they swayed with the beats of the music.

Alice stayed on her toes, putting all her weight forward to keep herself ready for action. Her body tightened, and her breath shortened the deeper she entered the nightclub. Alice constantly swiveled her head around to keep an eye out for any vampire brave enough to be the first to attack. She thrust her hand into her bag, wrapping her fingers around the makeshift wooden stake.

Alice was surrounded by vampires and humans under the vampires’ mind control.

The crowd formed a circle around her, entrapping her. Alice stopped and twirled around. Her path to the front door was blocked off. The vampires kept their distance as if ordered to hold back.

The back of Alice’s right heel twitched, sending small reverberations up her leg. She exhaled to steady herself, but the leg continued to twitch. The hair on her arms stood up. A chill ran down her spine. A small bead of sweat rolled down the back of her neck. She was losing her cool.

Focus. Alice went to her one source of peace, the one thought to calm her nerves and give her the strength to continue—Hugo. She exhaled slowly.