fangs go down. "We are so dealing with this loser."
"I was clueless. The punch was spiked, I should have noticed when I couldn't grip the cup anymore. And when he dragged me out to the parking lot to make out, I mean" - Penny flushed - "did I really think he was going to kiss me?" She covered her face with her hands. "I'm a total idiot," she mumbled into her palms.
"Stop it! No, you're not." I was up and put my arm around her. "He's a jackass. The guy needs to know he can't get away with this."
Penny looked up, her face splotchy with embarrassment. "No, I deserved what I got. I threw up next to his car. He was disgusted. I didn't blame him." She took a shaky breath. "So I got in the car and shut my eyes. Never asked where we were going, just assumed he was taking me home."
"But he didn't." I patted her shoulder.
"No, he drove to a hilltop and stopped the car. It was quiet, creepy, but he went around, opened my car door and helped me out. I was dumb enough to just go along, thinking maybe there was a romantic view or something. Then he just jumped back in the car and drove off. He never even looked back." Penny shuddered. "I would like to teach him a lesson."
"Now you're talking. We won't kill him. Just scare the little prick and let him know he can't get away with treating women like that." I was imagining all kinds of scenarios that would make this frat boy have nightmares for years.
"Sounds like fun." Penny finally smiled but it didn't last. "Anyway." She shook her head. "I sat there, on the grass, too sick to move until I heard something. A man walked out of the woods and stared at me. I wanted to run, but I was paralyzed. When he got closer, he smiled and I saw these gigantic fangs." She took a shaky breath. "That did it. I screamed, then blacked out. When I finally woke up, I heard him talking to me but nothing made sense and there were those fangs. I just conked out again."
"Yes, I can see that it would freak you out." An older vampire's fangs are huge. On top of that, Penny had been drunk, traumatized . . . My heart went out to her.
"When I woke up enough to look around, I realized I was in a shack, no idea where. But I had the most agonizing thirst." She glanced at me. "And it wasn't for water."
I squeezed her shoulders. "Two assholes in one night. How lucky can you get?"
"I did get lucky. I staggered outside and another vampire smelled me." Penny made a face. "I know that sounds gross. I do bathe, you know. But that's what she said. She was flying over and got a whiff of a new vampire and headed down to check it out. She's the one who took me to Damian."
"You'll soon learn to be able to identify other paranormals by their smells." Jerry might be gone and I ached from my head to my heart, but I had Penny here and a real mission. It was a distraction I needed. "I'm getting dressed and we're going to deal with that dickhead who started this. Are you with me?"
"Sure. But I have a question first." Penny was on her feet, following me to my bedroom.
"Ask me anything. If I think it's too personal, I'll tell you to mind your own business."
"Fair enough." Penny glanced at the door. "Look at me. Look at you. Not that you're not cute and all, but you're no size zero and I'm just the same as when that guy sank his fangs into me." She sighed. "Yet every male vampire I meet is drop-dead gorgeous and has the body to match. Even the creep who turned me was easy on the eyes once you looked past those fangs. What's up with that?"
"Life isn't fair?" I laughed at her expression. "Oh, come on. I'm kidding, even if it is true. When we're turned, we're stuck however we are at that moment." It was my turn to sigh. "Oh, our hair still grows" - I grimaced - "everywhere. And our nails. But the rest of us? Doesn't change. Not a pound, not an ounce."
"You're kidding me." Penny collapsed on my bed. "No hope then for this?" She grabbed a handful of excess flab at her waist.