could use a little harmless,” Morgan muttered darkly.
“What?”
“It’s a story for some other time,” Morgan told me, her mouth set in a worried line.
“I can’t believe this is the same old student lounge!” Keagan enthused, clearly trying to elevate the suddenly dour mood. “You did such a great job. Everybody’s saying so. It’s just like going to a real club! Except there’s no one carding at the door.”
“Because there’s no booze,” Morgan told her. She added cheerfully, “But hey, you can’t have everything.”
“I wouldn’t say there’s no booze,” Keagan argued. “I saw a few guys passing around bottles.”
“We need to find them,” Morgan cried, before she spotted my irritated expression. “Are you going to have to report that to Tina?”
I rolled my eyes ever so slightly. “No. I’m not liable for anything that happens at the party. I am only responsible for organizing. Maintaining the school’s alcohol policy is on her.”
“That is a solid rationalization, and I admire your belief that you can pull it off,” Morgan told me.
“So we have a plan,” Keagan informed me. “Dear John. Our room on Friday. It’s BYOB—bring your own blood. But we will provide hilarious commentary and supportive back pillows.”
“Yet another movie in the Nicholas Sparks ‘Oh, I’m sorry, did you form an emotional attachment to that character, because now they’re dead’ oeuvre?” I asked.
“Don’t knock the Sparks,” Morgan warned me. “And you get to watch Channing Tatum for two hours, so don’t complain.”
“I do enjoy Channing Tatum,” I conceded. “He would make a terrible vampire, but I would be willing to turn him just to see what happened.”
I was proud that I didn’t immediately think about Jamie’s schedule. I was going to enjoy myself. There would be other Friday nights, for eternity. And if Jamie wanted to secure my company for the evening, he would have to do so before I made plans with my girlfriends.
Huh. Girlfriends. I had girlfriends, my own budding circle of benevolent weirdos.
What did that mean, exactly? Would we take vacations together? Get matching tattoos? Challenge other social circles to fights?
Probably not.
Across the room, I watched as a pouting Brianna slipped behind the DJ booth and commenced yanking on the plug that powered the speaker system. I narrowed my eyes and concentrated on the flow of energy from all of the electrical devices in the room—the lights, the refrigeration systems, the cell phones. I pictured a series of bridges, each carrying a little bit of electricity to the speakers, so that when Brianna finally yanked the plug, the music continued without skipping a beat.
I’d been practicing with my new gift and was pleased with the progress I was making, manipulating the electrical energy around me. I didn’t know my limits yet or all of the ways I could use my talent, but I was having a lot of fun experimenting. Brianna’s expression as she stared stupidly at the unplugged extension cord in her hands was worth the centuries I’d spent without a gift. Apparently, my former roommate had tired of hearing how well my plans had turned out and wanted to throw a wrench into the works.
She turned, eyes darting around the room, as if she could spot some alternative form of power for the speakers. I caught her eye and smiled, letting my fangs show. She immediately shoved the plug back into the outlet. She and her tacky black lace disappeared into the crowd.
Laughing, I watched Morgan and Keagan wander onto the dance floor, where Ben and Meagan were still bobbing along together. Jamie slid his arms around my waist and kissed my cheek. “Great party, babe.”
I smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss. “Thank you.”
“See what you can do when you use your powers for good instead of evil?”
Grinning, I tucked my head against his shoulder. Maybe I didn’t need the Council. What had I been chasing all these years? Power? Vampires rarely listened to those appointed to lead them, at least not with respect. They grudgingly obeyed until they could figure out a way around the Council’s rules. Position? Being the most important vampire in western Kentucky was like being the smartest ape at the zoo, not exactly an enviable spot. Money? OK, the money was nice, but I had enough of it squirreled away that I didn’t need to work as a bureaucrat any longer. Georgie and I would be comfortable for centuries to come.
Maybe I should relax. Have some fun for a change. Not the hurtful, violent kind of fun I