Page 16 of Kiss of the Vampire

Caitlin took a deep breath. “We’ve had a long day.”

Lynne shook her head. “I’m going to find some friends who aren’t going to bed before it’s even midnight.” She stormed off.

“There’s a band playing in the lounge downstairs. Do you want to listen to them?” Ruric asked Caitlin and Levka.

“I better go back to the room if Alicia’s going,” Caitlin said.

“Alicia,” Stasio said, “you’d like to see the band, wouldn’t you?”

Levka rolled his eyes. Caitlin was no dummy and would soon, if she hadn’t already, realize what Stasio was doing.

Alicia nodded.

“We’ll go down for about a half hour,” Levka said, “but then I need to get some rest.”

Arman’s eyes widened. “Are you all right, Levka?”

“Yes, quit worrying about me.” Arman’s fussing over Levka was bad enough when they were alone but in front of Caitlin it made him feel more than inadequate.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Caitlin asked, her voice concerned. “You do look tired.”

“He’s fine.” Ruric wheeled Levka the rest of the way into the dimly-lit lounge.

A band played a medley of instruments including pipe whistles and stringed instruments in one corner, and passengers seated on the low-backed cushiony chairs sipped drinks. Behind the band, colorful fish swam in a tank of saltwater.

“New Age music.” Ruric smiled. “The stuff of the future.”

They sat down on big zebra-striped lounge chairs and ordered sodas. Caitlin watched the fish in the tank, and Levka wondered what she was thinking. Everyone remained quiet as they listened to the musicians for a quarter of an hour, until Alicia began to snore.

Caitlin laughed. “I guess she was really tired.”

“We’ll walk you to your room,” Stasio offered.

“Maybe you should take Levka back to his room first.”

“No,” Levka said. “We’ll take you back to yours.” He couldn’t help but worry Dylan or some of his friends might try to bother the girls. Even if Levka felt he was mostly useless, he wanted to be there to see them tucked safely inside.

After Stasio guided Alicia into their room, he said, “Sleep well and pleasant dreams.”

“We’ll have breakfast together in the morning,” Ruric said to Caitlin.

Looking at Levka, she waited for his approval. He bowed his head. “Tomorrow.”

She gave him one of her radiant smiles. “All right. Yes. All right. In the morning. Good night.” She shut the door.

Levka scowled at Ruric, who grinned back at him.

When they were safely back in their suite, Levka asked Stasio, “What was with you using mind control so much on Alicia? The others were too self-absorbed to notice, but Caitlin’s very observant.”

“Sorry. Caitlin seemed scared of the water. I wanted to help her out.”

Levka couldn’t deny he felt the same way, only they had to be careful how they dealt with Alicia and the rest of her friends. “How’d Dylan end up getting sick on the fish?”

His friends all smiled, but no one said a word.

Levka shook his head. “I thought I could get by without more blood tonight, but I’m not quite there. Can someone get me a bottle?”

Stasio looked at Ruric, then back at Levka.