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.As if he knew I needed reassurance, he smiled down at me, his eyes clear and focused for a change.I smiled back automatically, wondering when I had started looking people in the eye again.Peter caught my attention as if he wanted to say something but shrugged instead and led us to a decrepit looking building at the end of the street.“Doesn’t look like a bar to me,” I remarked.“It can’t, or else every human in the area would be in there, plus all the under-aged kids.Nightmare.The only ones who are welcome are vamps and their volunteers, but Becca knows me so we’ll be okay as long as we don’t start anything.”I grimaced at the term, volunteers.I might thirst after a bit of blood now and then, but the thought of regularly taking advantage of people like Carl made me feel ill.“The real entrance is down that side street,” Peter continued, pointing ahead.“Let’s go, and let me do the talking.I’m not exactly popular around here, but they’ll listen to me.Keep the giant quiet.”I took a tight hold of Carl’s arm and followed Peter around a laneway that led to what should have been the back of the so-called bar.It smelled rank and was covered in colourful graffiti.I lingered behind, full of nerves, but Peter strode ahead with confidence.I couldn’t help but watch him admiringly.I was sure he had once been charming, and I wondered what had happened to make him so cold.A short blonde exited a doorway and threw a black sack into one of the bins ahead of us.Peter headed directly to her, and I guessed she was the infamous Becca.She had the body of a teenager, but when she turned, I was shocked to see that her face hadn’t aged nearly as well.“Hey, Petey,” she squealed in a little girl’s voice.“Haven’t seen you for a while, where you been?”She hugged him tightly, fitting easily under his chin.Glancing at Carl and me, she sent a dark look my way.I tensed up—she didn’t smell entirely human.“How are you, Becca?” Peter asked.“I’m as fine as always, can’t you see?” She giggled loudly at her own joke.I gripped Carl’s arm tight, all of my instincts warning me to be cautious.Carl’s body had tensed too, which only heightened my own wariness.“Of course I can, hot stuff.Listen, I need a favour,” Peter told her.I hadn’t seen this side of Peter before and wondered how sincere he was being.“Oh, yeah? Wanna come in and have a quick one? A drink I mean,” she said, her eyelashes fluttering like mad.“Yeah, I’m thirsty as hell.Listen, this is Ava and Carl.Okay if they join us?”Becca looked us over, her mouth widening into a smile that never reached her lips.“Double date? No problem.Come on, before the cleaners get here.”We followed her through a small door that led into a huge dark room.As my sight adjusted, I saw the walls were all dark wood panelling.The air was filled with must and dust, and the faint scent of blood—cleaned up blood.I shuddered and let Carl pull me toward the bar.Becca gave Peter a shot without asking before turning to Carl and me.“What can I get you two lovebirds?”“Uh, just juice for us,” I said.“Please,” I added, trying to smile sweetly.Her quizzical look convinced me I’d failed miserably.“So,” she said as she poured a drink for me—completely ignoring Carl, as if she knew he wasn’t all there.“What can I do for you today?”“We’re looking for information on a vamp who hunts Herbert Street.You got any idea who’s over there?” Peter asked.She bit her lip and looked thoughtful.I was certain she knew exactly who he meant, but Peter waited patiently while she pretended to think really hard.“I’d say that would have to be one of Max’s boys.I think that’s his territory.What do you want with one of them?” Her tone was breezy, but her body had tensed up, which made me suspicious.Her eyes drifted to mine and narrowed briefly.“Ah, that’s complicated.I need to ask him something is all.Nothing major, no hassle.Any way I could find out who exactly I’m looking for?”“With no name? He’d have to be a regular here,” she said with a sly smile [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]