I laugh. "No, I have a room at Appleby Manor." "Can you not see your own reflection?"

"Do you think my hair would look this good if I couldn't?"

"What about crosses? Do they burn you like fire?"

"Totally. And I'm really grossed out by garlic. But I never liked that before my conversion either, so no big loss."

"Do you die if someone stakes you through the heart?"

I groan. "Jeez, guys, give it a rest. I'm a vampire, not a freak show. And besides, you guys are werewolves. Do silver bullets work? Do you howl at the moon? Is the American Werewolf in London based on any of your kin?"

They laugh and slap me on the back. "Touche, vampire la.s.s," one says. "Touche."

"So one more question," says Lupine. "Why is a Yank vampire like you looking for Lycans in our humble bar?"

"Well, I'm glad you asked," I say. "Do you remember a group of American girls coming this way last summer? They would have been here for some cheerleading compet.i.tion."

The men groan in sync. "Can't forget them," says one. "Me ears were ringin' from the blasted noise they made for near three weeks after they left."

I laugh. "Yup, that would be them," I say. "Well, they're now back in Ma.s.sachusetts, of course, but they've. . . changed."

"What do you mean?"

"Um, simply put, I think they're werewolves."

The men erupt in concerned murmurs. I wait patiently, lighting another cigarette.

Finally Lupine speaks. "That's impossible," he says.

I shrug. "Impossible or not, I'm telling you the truth. And this is the one place where they could have become infected."

"But we haven't turned a wolf in more than five hundred years," Lupine says. "Bringing in new mouths to feed would be counterproductive. It would destroy the pack. The only way you can enter the Order of the Gray Wolf is to be born into it."

I scratch my head. That doesn't make any sense. If they don't turn people into werewolves, how was the squad infected?

"Is there any way there could be someone outside your pack who could have done an unauthorized bite or something?"

The men talk amongst themselves again. "What about the Lone Wolf?" I hear one ask.

"The what?"

"There was a boy who challenged Lupine, our alpha," the man explains. "He had delusions of grandeur. Decided he wanted to take over the pack. Of course he was defeated." The men all look gratefully at Lupine, who I imagine was the one who kicked this guy's a.s.s. "And sent away, tail between his legs."

"But as he left, he vowed revenge. Said he would start his own pack and eventually destroy us."

"Perhaps he found your girls and decided to make them his mates."

Lupine squeezes his hands into fists. "I knew I should not have let him leave alive."

I'm beginning to get a sick, excited feeling in my stomach. "That's got to be it. He must have somehow bitten all the cheerleaders while they were here for their tournament."

"Kiss 'em is all he'd have to do," explains a bearded guy in the front. "Lycanthropy is spread through saliva."

I remember Shantel talking about the party they all went to. How they got so drunk they didn't remember how they got home.

"But why wouldn't he keep them here in England? Why let them go back to America?"

"He's weak. Not born to be an alpha. He may have not been able to stop them. But you can be sure he's sending them telepathic messages. And once he gains more strength, he will call to them. And they will come."

"The situation is grave indeed," says Lupine, his yellowish eyes squinting in worry. "Untrained wolves running around. They could cause serious problems when the moon is full."

"Yeah, they already are. That's why I'm here. We have to figure out a way to cure them. Is there one?" I cross my fingers, praying for an affirmative answer.

Luckily Lupine nods. "There is an antidote," he says. "When our cubs reach maturity we give them the choice. Stay with the pack or live the rest of their days as a human. Those who choose humanity are doused with antidote and sent out into the world, never to return."

Hope sparks inside me. "Great! I was hoping you'd say that!" I exclaim. "Do you have any to spare that I can take back to America?"

"We can make some up for you, not a problem. Just takes a little of the old secret ingredient," Lupine says. The men all chuckle and I wonder what joke I'm missing out on.

"Secret ingredient?"

"Alpha wolf p.i.s.s," explains Lupine.

I stare at him. "Urn, ew?"

The men laugh.

"Don't worry, luv," says Lupine. "We distill it and by the time it's in antidote form it's only one part of a million. You won't even be able to smell it."

"Oh-kay. I trust you," I say. Actually it's a bit amusing to imagine feeding the cheerleaders wolf p.i.s.s. "So how's it ad- ministered?"

"Topically. Just let it seep through the skin."

"That sounds easy enough."

"Not really. You see, it can only be applied when they're in wolf form."

"Oh." Yes, I can see where that would be a bit more challenging. What am I supposed to do? Wait 'til homecoming and then try to trap them all in the same room? Get out the old Super Soaker and blast them all with it once they start growing claws and teeth? If it doesn't work right away I'll have some pretty angry, deadly wolves on my a.s.s.

I shake my head. I'll think of something. The important thing now is to get the antidote.

"So when can you have it made?" I ask, "Give us 'til tomorrow morning," says Lupine. "We'll have it for you by then."

"Great!" I exclaim. "Thank you, guys. You're really helpful."

"Not a problem. We're sorry this happened to your friends. When we find Lone Wolf we will definitely take him out so this does not happen again."

"One more question," I say. "A few of our football players have been missing since the whole incident. Do you think it's possible they were . . . eaten?"

The men look at one another, then shake their heads. "Unlikely," they say. "Are these boys attractive to the b.i.t.c.hes?"

I know he means female dogs, but I kinda like the innuendo. "Sure. In fact, one of them is the boyfriend of the cheerleader."

"Then it's doubtful they ate them. More likely they're presenting them as a gift to Lone Wolf, their alpha. Subservient males to put under his control. A rogue wolf like him would like weak, human males because it will not challenge his dominance."

"I see," I say. Hmm, I wonder how I can find out where they stashed the boys. "Thanks, guys. You were really helpful. I'll come back in the a.m. to get the antidote."

"Not a problem, vampire," says Lupine. "Perhaps someday our kinds will meet again. You are always welcome to howl with us."

I grin. I'm so not going to turn away from this chance. "Arrroooooo!"

19

Back at our hotel room, I fill Jareth in on all I've learned from the Lycans.

"So all we have to do is wait 'til tomorrow morning and we'll have our antidote," I inform him. "Of course I have no idea how we're going to douse them with the stuff, seeing as they have to be in wolf form for it to work. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I guess, right? In any case, I did good, huh? Mission accomplished. And I didn't even p.i.s.s them off. Not a single wolf raised his hackles at me. You'd have been so proud."

I pause for breath, hoping to get at least some sort of kudos for all my hard work. I look over at Jareth. He's staring at a hotel painting on the wall, so intently that if I didn't know better I'd say it had the secrets of the universe embedded between brushstrokes.

"Jareth?"

He shakes his head and turns to face me. "You did well," he says. "I'm sure Slayer Inc. will be very pleased with your work."

I sigh. Who gives a care about Slayer Inc.? I want him to say he's pleased with my work. Geez, the guy can really hold a grudge.

I square my shoulders, determined to break him from his bad mood. I've done it before. In fact, it's my specialty. The Get Jareth in a Good Mood and Make Him Forget He's Mad at Me twelve-step program. I've done it so many times I should be giving seminars at this point. Though, of course, I seem to be the only one able to p.i.s.s him off frequently enough to warrant a training session.

"So we should celebrate, don't you think? Maybe go out on the town, tonight? I mean, sure it isn't much of a town, but it could be fun to join the wolves in the pub. Howl at the moon, all that jazz. Or maybe there's someplace nearby that has dancing.

Remember how we used to always go dancing? How it relieved all of our problems?"

Before we became blood mates, when I was severely depressed, Jareth took me out to Club Fang, promising me that a night of music and dance would be just the ticket to cheer me up. And he was right, too. There's something about the power of dance that lifts a bad mood. If only I can get him to agree to go.

But he only shakes his head. "Sorry, Rayne," he says. "I think our problems are a little more serious than the kind that can be cured by a song and dance." They are? Since when? This is getting a bit worrisome.

"Why are you so down, Jareth?" I ask, walking over to him, searching his face for answers. "I mean, we're going to accomplish our mission. Save the day once again. You should be happy."

He stares back at me blankly and I can't tell what he's thinking at all. Geez. Back in America I couldn't get him to stop smiling for five seconds. Yet now that I'm happy, he's total Emo boy again. Why can't we just get mood-synced for once?

I put my arms around his waist, trying to pull him close. But his body is stiff and unyielding. He grabs my hands and pulls them away, then pushes by me and walks over to the bed and sits down.

"Jareth, what's wrong?" I ask, a scared tickle creeping through my insides. I s.h.i.+ver, hugging my arms to my chest. The room's suddenly as cold as Christmas and I have the horrible feeling there's no Santa Claus on his way.

Jareth draws in a deep breath, folding his hands in his lap. "Rayne, we need to talk," he says at last. His voice sounds a bit hoa.r.s.e.

I freeze. A talk? A talk? But that's relations.h.i.+p code for . . .

Oh my G.o.d. He's going to break up with me.

I lean against the wall and slump down to a sitting position, hugging my knees to my chest, fighting off the panicky feeling inside-the icy electricity thrumming through my veins, my heart pounding like mad against my chest.

I've finally done it. I've managed to scare him off. My boyfriend. My blood mate. The one who promised to live with me for all time. Problem is, when he made that promise he had no idea what living with me would actually be like. Stupid, pig-headed, angry-at-the-world me.

"Please don't leave me," I whisper. It's an effort to even speak, what with the apple-sized lump in my throat and all. "I love you."

He bows his head, placing it in his hands, and then scrubs his face. When he looks up I realize he may be holding back tears of his own. "I'm sorry, Rayne," he says. "But I just can't do this anymore."

"But we're . . . we're blood mates. We're bound together for eternity!" I protest, not willing to give in without a fight. "You can't just leave me. It's . . . it's like in my contract, right?"

"Contracts can be voided. Of course I'll make sure you have everything you need to live out your days in comfort. The coven does have strict rules about blood mate alimony and of course I will adhere to them."

My stomach twists in knots. I feel like I'm going to be sick. He's really doing it. Really and truly breaking up with me.

"Jareth, please!" I beg. "Don't leave me. I want to be with you. Forever."

"Do you?" He suddenly looks over at me, his eyes sharp and piercing. "Because I don't get that vibe from you."

I swallow hard. "Uh, what do you mean?" I ask, wanting, yet not wanting to hear all the details of why I suck.

"Oh, I don't know," Jareth retorts. "Maybe it's because when I'm nice to you you're a total b.i.t.c.h back to me. When I worry about you, you accuse me of smothering you. When I'm happy and having fun you get annoyed. You're only sweet to me when you want something or it suits your mood."

I stare at my feet, wanting to protest, wanting to defend myself, but having no idea how to do it. Because, I realize, every last thing he says is true. Why would he want me as a blood mate? I don't think I'd want myself.

"Look," he continues. "I just don't think this is going to work out. We gave it the old college try, but it's not happening.

When we get back from England I'll pet.i.tion the council to release us from our bounds."

"But... but ..." But I can't come up with any more arguments.

"Don't worry, Rayne," Jareth says, his voice softening. "They won't cast you out. They'll try to set you up with a new blood mate. One you'll be more compatible with."

"But I don't want a new blood mate," I sob. "Please, Jareth. I don't want to lose you."

"Don't you get it, Rayne?" he asks, tears in his beautiful blue eyes. "You already have."