Chapter 41
FORTY-ONE
Flyers for Connor’s show were plastered all over Lakeview, stapled to lamp posts, and tucked into newspapers at cafés. I took one to bring home to Vail. She returned late last night, brimming with excitement about the local plant book that finally arrived.
Vail had left town for a few days after Sam’s revelation to Connor in the kitchen.
It made her anxious, and she used it as an excuse to get away.
Despite my efforts to persuade her to stay in the warded house, she was determined to leave, convinced she was on the verge of uncovering the origins of the drug or finding a potential antidote.
“Are you coming to the show tonight?” I asked Vail as she flipped through the book.
“Do I have to?” she asked, not looking up. “I’m very busy with reading this, and I’d like to stay in, to do more research.”
“Well, I’m going, so you can join me if you want,” I said, settling down beside her.
She closed her book, her finger marking her spot, and looked at me incredulously. “You’re really planning to go alone into the woods to a party with Vampire Slayers?”
“Yes, I trust Connor,” I told her, though I wasn't entirely convinced myself.
“I can’t believe you said that. You cannot trust Connor,” she said firmly.
“He wouldn’t hurt me.”
“But he might hurt me. He’s the one who thinks that I am a Vampire. So, I don’t feel safe going with you tonight.”
I placed the flyer on her lap. “Well, this is the information in case you change your mind.”
Vail took it from me, examining it, then her face changed into an exuberant expression. “You know what? Suddenly, I feel like I wouldn't miss this show for the world!”
“Really? You’re not nervous?” I asked, shocked at how quickly she changed her mind.
“Why would I be nervous? It will be fun,” she said with a huge grin spreading across her face.
Excitement bubbled within me when we received the text a few hours before the show, revealing the location: a gravel pit deep in the woods, near an old logging area.
Any trepidation Vail and I had felt earlier quickly vanished.
We spent the rest of the night getting ready, our anticipation growing with every moment.
We arrived early, and I quickly spotted Connor among the scattered crowd.
A twist of nervousness knotted in my gut at the sight of him.
String lights twinkled between the trees, and kegs were set up along the logs around the stage, casting a warm, amber glow that created an intimate atmosphere.
The cool, crisp night air added to the enchantment of the scene.
I made my way over to Connor, and he leaned down as if to kiss me, but hesitated, perhaps recalling our conversation from the other day. “Sorry,” he said softly, pulling back.
“It’s okay,” I said, then wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him gently. Just because I had turned down being his girlfriend didn’t mean I didn’t crave his physical affection.
Connor looked over my shoulder, scanning the crowd as more people began to gather.
“Who are you looking for?” I asked. I glanced at Vail; she was chatting with someone I recognized from around town. I thought it was wise of her to keep her distance from the Slayers for now, staying low-key while the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation.
“Jet, he said he would come, and I sent him a text message.” Connor showed me his phone, displaying the lengthy message he had sent.
“Do you think maybe I scared him off with it, though? It took me forever to write, and I almost didn’t press send.
I thought, you know what? Screw it, what's the worst that could happen?”
“It’s a good message; it shows that you care.” I touched his arm reassuringly. “Also, does it matter if he doesn’t come, since you told me that Sam doesn’t want to tour anyway?”
“I still want Jet to show up. I thought that maybe I could talk to him about joining the tour as a solo act. This could be my big break, Rose,” he said, holding me close.
“Why are you guys still doing this show if Sam said he doesn’t want to be in the band anymore?” I asked him.
“I didn’t ask, but he was insistent all week that we make this show happen. He and Ivy were up all night making and putting up the posters,” he explained, spinning me to face him. “I’m really glad you’re here,” he added with a warm smile.
“Me too. You should go get ready with everyone,” I said. “Don’t worry about Jet; I’ll keep an eye out for him.”
Earlier, I had mentioned to Vail that she might need to show Connor some magic after the show to convince him she’s a witch.
To my surprise, she was thrilled about it.
During the drive over, she had been reading from her spell book, practising small spells, trying to decide which one to show him first. Sparks danced from her fingertips, and she levitated small items, her excitement contagious.
I kissed Connor again, wishing him luck, and he made his way over to the others by his van to set up their gear. I scanned the crowd and quickly spotted Vail, who was now surrounded by more people than a few moments ago.
She looked up when I approached her, concern spreading across her face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
“I think there are a lot of Vampires here,” she whispered.
I whipped my head around and scanned the crowd. “How can you tell?”
“Listen. There are quite a few people here with no heartbeats,” Vail explained quietly. She looked at me, and a small grin spread across her face. “Also, I saw a Vampire feeding from someone behind a truck next to the beer kegs.”
I chuckled at her observation, but a strange feeling nagged at me—the sense that they were here for a reason. Listening closer, I realized she was right; more than half the crowd appeared to be Vampires.
“Do you think something’s going to happen?” I asked Vail in a low voice, conscious of the supernatural ears around us.
“I think it would be a good idea to be vigilant, and not just because Sam is here,” Vail replied cautiously.
“I wonder why there are so many Vampires here?”
Vail gave me a look. “Rosie, the old you would have loved this. A party far into the woods full of drunk humans. You would have made it your own personal buffet. I think these Vampires probably all have a similar idea.”
The sound of tapping on a microphone interrupted our conversation, and we turned our attention to the stage.
Diana stood there, confidently gripping the mic, her big platform boots adding to her height.
The long, cobalt blue dress she wore looked stunning against her skin, making her stand out even more.
“I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight. We are so grateful for all of you to be here. I want to hear you scream if you’re excited!” Diana roared. The crowd erupted into hoots, hollers, and applause, the sound of their excitement spreading like the roar of thunder around us.
“All right, are you fucking ready?” Diana's voice boomed over the crowd, eliciting screams of excitement. “I can’t hear you!” she shouted again, inciting even louder cheers from the audience.
As the drums started and the guitars picked up, I joined the crowd in the rhythmic movement of our bodies, dancing along to the music pouring out of the speakers.
Familiar with the song they played, having heard it numerous times over the past couple of weeks, I found myself singing along with Diana to the words.
I looked over at Connor, his eyes closed in concentration, his expression transformed by the music.
He moved as if the notes weren’t just coming from his guitar but flowing out of him.
Around the edge of the crowd, close to the stage, a whirlpool of bodies danced, a mosh pit growing bigger at each rotation.
I grabbed Vail’s hands and moved her to sway with me.
I looked at her as she shook her head in time with the beat.
Her halo of blonde hair cascaded around her face, illuminated by the soft amber lights and the full silver moon above.
She looked breathtaking in that moment, her features highlighted by the gentle glow.
And as I watched her dance, lost in the rhythm and beauty of the moment, the lights abruptly shut off, plunging us into darkness.
My eyes quickly adjusted, and I saw Vampires prowling around the edges of the crowd, searching for unsuspecting humans. Panic spread as some people screamed, but then the lights quickly turned back on.
“Sorry, the generator restarted on us,” Diana said into the mic, her voice cutting through the commotion.
Then, Sam’s voice boomed over the speakers as he pushed Diana away from the mic. “Let the fun commence!”
Sam pulled a silver cross necklace from beneath his shirt, raising it high for the crowd to see.
A ripple of unease swept through the front row as some Vampires recoiled, instinctively sensing the threat.
My instincts flared, every sense sharpening to a razor’s edge.
Donovan sprang from behind the drum set, his movements fluid and decisive.
Grabbing sharpened drumsticks, he hurled them with lethal accuracy, aiming straight for the two Vampires at the front.
Donovan’s aim was perfect. The sharpened ends pierced their hearts, causing them to drop to their knees instantly.
Dark blood exploded from their chests, pooling onto the ground as the crowd erupted into chaos.
I whirled around, and Vail grabbed me. “We need to get out of here. Now,” she said, pulling me to the edge of the crowd.
My feet pushed into the dirt, stopping her momentum. “Wait, I want to find Connor.”
Vail looked at me like I was crazy. “Do you even hear what’s coming out of your mouth right now?” She motioned to the stage. “I think Connor’s going to be fine.”
I turned in time to see Connor lift his guitar high above his head. With a fierce swing, he brought it crashing down, shattering it on the ground. As the pieces splintered apart, a hidden stash of sharpened stakes of various sizes tumbled out.