The Coffin Club(32)

He`s your type, huh? Onyx continued. Hot, mysterious, and dangerous?

No--I have a boyfriend. It just seems he`s always hiding in the shadows and watching me.

I haven`t gotten the scoop on him yet. But I`d stay away, Scarlet warned.

Yeah, he`s always having meetings with really gnarly types, Onyx confirmed. Maybe he`s the one--

The bartender approached our table with a tray of three red martinis.

We didn`t order these, Scarlet said.

They are from the two guys sitting in the corner, the waiter stated.

The two guys who`d let me in the Dungeon a few nights before raised their goblets to us.

Two dudes for three girls? How obnoxious, Scarlet remarked.

It`s okay. I have a boyfriend, I said.

But it`s the point, she charged. They don`t know that.

I`ve heard if you accept a stranger`s drink, then it`s an invitation to your table, I whispered to the girls. Thanks anyway, I said to the bartender, declining the martini.

I never refuse a free drink, Onyx said. The two girls laughed and gladly accepted the bloody drinks.

But I wasn`t interested in freebies. I wanted the scoop about the inner workings of the club.

So will the club close? I asked.

We hope not! Onyx began, drawing near. We`ve met so many fabulous people here.

And where else could we hang out and be ourselves? A coffee shop?

They certainly don`t sell AB-negative lattes. Both girls laughed. Scarlet scooted close. Do you know Jagger Maxwell?

I nodded. He`s legendary. What about him?

Since he opened this club a few months ago, he created a safe haven for us to be ourselves and party, Scarlet said in a whisper.

He even gave all the out-of-town members a place to crash here, said Onyx.

But now that`s not good enough for some, Scarlet added. So the buzz is that Jagger has another plan.

He doesn`t want us to be a secret, Onyx said.

But that will blow the whole purpose of the Dungeon, Scarlet continued.

To be visible--but only to us immortals.

Jagger and his crew think that it`s a vampire`s true nature to lurk among the mortals.

So many of us believe just the opposite. It`s best to keep our blood pure and separate from mortals.

If we reveal our true identity, Scarlet warned, then we obviously pose as much of a threat to mortals as they do to us.

Jagger is on a power trip. He wasn`t happy enough being the leader of the Dungeon. He doesn`t have our best interest in mind. He has his own.

What do you believe? What kind of vampire are you? Onyx asked with conviction.