"Anyway," he says, apparently wimping out and changing the subject. "You're probably wondering why I asked you here tonight. And it wasn't, unfortunately, to dance with you."

"I figured," I say. "What's wrong?"

He picks up the salt shaker and fiddles with it, not meeting my eyes. "Kristoff," he murmurs at last.

I c.o.c.k my head. "You mean your vamp friend? The one whose donors you saw in the Blood Bar yesterday?"

"Yes." Jareth nods. "I went to see him this evening. To let him know we'd spotted his donors and that he ought to let them go. I pounded on the door of his crypt, but there was no answer. I waited for a moment, then heard strange noises coming from inside. A . . . whimpering almost. So I broke down the door. I found him in bed, looking deathly ill."

Concern claws at my heart. I'm thinking, "This is very strange."

"I asked him what was wrong/He could barely speak." Jareth shakes his head, looking pained. Evidently this guy is a good friend. "He says the last few days, he's been bedridden. Can't even feed anymore. And all his vampire powers seem to somehow have left him."

"That's weird."

"Very. I've never seen anything like it."

"Do you think he could have caught some weird disease? Like, because his donors were at the Blood Bar? Maybe they were infected by some other vampire and pa.s.sed along the disease."

Jareth shrugs. "It's possible, to be sure. But unlikely. The Blood Bar is more regulated than one might think. It screens all its biters. I had to go through a rigorous blood test before I was accepted into the program."

"So you think the two things are totally separate? Unrelated?"

"I wouldn't go that far. It's too much of a coincidence. Oh, and even stranger? His donors are dead."

My mouth drops open in horror. "Dead?"

Jareth nods.

"But we just saw them two nights ago. I mean, sure they looked a bit on the pasty side, but. . . dead?" Suddenly this was getting pretty scary.

"Dead." Jareth repeats. "And no one has any idea why."

"Couldn't they do an autopsy?"

"We could, but the humans have them, obviously. I sent some of my men to do recon and they learned that the girls' parents are doing their own autopsy. And, unfortunately, they're both going to be cremated immediately afterwards. So we can't get to their bodies."

"What would you need to find out what was wrong with them?"

"A sample of blood would probably do it. We have some talented chemists in our coven."

An idea forms in my mind. "Do you know what funeral home they've been sent to? We could maybe sneak in and get the sample or something."

Jareth raises an eyebrow. "You want to do that?" he asks. "It could be dangerous."

"I laugh in the face of danger," I quip, letting out a loud fake chortle. "Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Jareth shakes his head, not able to suppress a small grin. Heh. Even he cannot resist Silly Rayne.

"Well, it's not a bad idea. I'm told the bodies are at the funeral home. But they haven't been worked on yet, so they still have their blood. We could go there before the place closes and hide out until after hours. Then we can get the blood sample."

"Sounds like a plan, Stan." ***

We leave Club Fang and head into the parking lot. Jareth suggests we take his black BMW and obviously I don't argue.

Leather seats and satellite radio set to an all-Goth, all-the-time satellite station is my preferred way to travel. We drive to the outskirts of town, to the funeral home. Neither of us say much in the car, but it's a comfortable silence as Peter Murphy croons over the airwaves.

The funeral home is still open when we arrive. Dozens of cars are parked out front. Whoever's having a wake tonight was obviously pretty popular. I wonder how many people would come to my funeral. Luckily, if I turn vamp I'll get to fake my death and see for myself.

My dad better show up or he's so dead. And when he does die, I won't attend his funeral, just to spite him. Not that he'd be expecting me to, seeing as technically I'd have been the first to die.

The vampire stuff can get confusing at times. . . .

Jareth parks the car and suggests we go around to the other side of the house. The backyard hasn't gotten the same landscaping attention the front has and we have to push through tangled briar patches to get there, totally ripping up my tights. It's worth the fishnet sacrifice, though, when we find an unlocked window and slip inside.

"Let's find a closet or something to hide out in until the place closes for the night and the funeral guys go home," Jareth suggests.

"Okay." I feel like a guest star on Six Feet Under, We tiptoe out into the hallway and try a couple doors. The first leads to a bathroom and the second to a tiny darkened chapel. (Which would have been the perfect place to hide were it not for the fact that Jareth's feet would pretty much burn off walking on hallowed ground.) Finally, on the third try, we find what we're looking for. A small broom closet filled with cleaning supplies that we'll both fit in.

Barely.

We squeeze in and Jareth pulls the door closed behind us. It's dark. There's no room to sit down and I pray that the wake is nearly over. Jareth's leg brushes against mine, sending a whole host of tingling sensations through my body. Did I happen to mention how hot he is? Half of me totally wants to jump him. Let him take me, right here, right now. I have to keep reminding myself I don't want him. I really don't want him.

"Are you okay?" Jareth whispers. "You're shaking."

Ugh. I'm shaking 'cause he's totally turning me on. But I can't exactly tell him that, now can I? At the same time, the last thing I want to do is let him think I'm scared.

"Low blood sugar," I whisper. "I only had an apple for lunch." I actually had four slices of pizza with extra cheese, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Sorry," he says. "We should have stopped at the drive-thru on the way. Sometimes I forget what it's like to be human. To have feeding needs."

"What about you? You have feeding needs, too, right? But I've never see you with your donors."

He grimaces. "I don't like the idea of donors. I get my blood by mail order."

I raise an eyebrow. Interesting. "Really? Why?"

"Would you like seeing the cow before eating your steak?"

"Uh, no. But I'm a vegetarian. No cows for this chick."

Jareth chuckles softly, the dim light catching his fangs and making them sparkle. "How are you going to become a vampire if you don't like the taste of blood?"

Good question. One I hadn't really given much thought to. "I figure I'll learn to love it," I say with a shrug. "Sunny was totally grossed out by the idea of drinking blood until she actually tasted it. Then she developed an unquenchable thirst for the stuff."

"I see. Well, then I'm sure you'll be fine," Jareth says. "So have they told you who will be your blood mate yet?"

"No. After the whole Sunny mishap, I'm back at the bottom of the waiting list. Which sucks, pardon the pun. You'd think Magnus, being the master and all, could pull in a few favors for his girlfriend's sister, but evidently not."

"Maybe it's because they haven't found you a perfect match yet," Jareth says. "Remember, your DNA has to be compatible."

"Yeah, I know. Knowing me, there will never be another vamp with compatible DNA. I'll be doomed to be a slayer for eternity."

"That's not true. They'll find you a match. Actually I think you'd make a good vamp," Jareth says shyly. "Though perhaps a very stubborn, aggravating blood mate."

"Heh." I laugh. "So what's your story? You on the prowl for a blood mate of your own?" As I ask the question, I suddenly realize I'm worried about his answer. For some reason, I really, really don't want him to say yes.

He's silent for a long moment, then says, "I don't want a blood mate. They offered me one a few years back, but I refused."

"But why?" I ask. "I thought that was every vampire's dream. To have a partner to spend eternity with."

"Eternity is a long time and it doesn't always work out that way," Jareth says, a bit bitterly. "It's worse to love someone and then lose them, then to never love at all."

"Heh. I know the feeling."

"Oh?"

I feel my face heat. I hadn't meant to be so revealing.

"Ah, nothing," I stammer. "It's just... my dad. He took off four years ago to find himself. Haven't seem him since."

"And you miss him," Jareth says softly. It's not a question. Or a judgment. Or even pity.

"Well, yeah. I mean, sure I do. Sometimes. Though sometimes I don't." I know I'm not making a lot of sense, but I'm not really used to talking about this stuff. Especially not to a hot vampire in a broom closet. "But anyway, I guess it doesn't matter now.

He's coming for our birthday this week. So I mean, I guess it's all good." I pause, feeling awkward and not knowing what to say.

"Yes. That seems very good," Jareth says, a bit distantly.

"What about you? What's your story?" I ask, so ready to change the subject. "What makes you such a bitter biter?"

"It was a long time ago. It doesn't matter now."

Hm. Stubborn. But I'll get it out of him. "It obviously does. It obviously upsets you. Maybe it'd feel good to talk about it. To a stranger."

"A stranger like you?"

"Sure. I can't say I'll be able to give wise advice, but I'd be happy to listen. And we've got time."

"But you're a slayer."

"Dude. I'm like a good slayer-"

Jareth suddenly puts a hand over my mouth. I stop talking and listen. Footsteps. Coming closer. s.h.i.t. I hope the cleaning crew doesn't need to get into the broom closet. We'll totally be caught!

I look up at Jareth questioningly, having no idea what to do. His eyes are wide and frightened.

"Follow my lead," he whispers.

And then he leans down and kisses me!!!

Uh, sorry, have to continue this later. Mom's totally yelling at me to get to bed. . . .

POSTED BY RAYNE MCDONALD @ 1 P.M.

TWO COMMENTS:

CandyGrrl says . . .

He kissed u!?!?! How can u leave us hanging like this? Tell ur mom this is more important! Gah!

Soulsearcher says . . .

Making out in a funeral home. Sooo romantic. Oh, so romantic.

SunshineBaby says . . .

You kissed Jareth? Dude, I'm your twin! How come I'm always the last to know?

17

THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 8 A.M.

Closet Kisses and a Lot of Wishes