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Right, which was why Caitlin wanted to do what she wanted to do with her free time. “But I—”
“I insist,” Thomas said. “Alicia has a suite, so the two of you girls should have plenty of room. It has a balcony, too.”
“But—”
“We know you’re not fond of water, honey, but we talked to your psychiatrist, and he says this is an excellent way for you to overcome your anxiety about it. You know, he says facing your fear is the only way for you to get rid of it,” Mildred said.
And that was settled, as far as they were concerned.
Caitlin stared out at the palm fronds blowing in the hot Florida breeze. Two days to prepare for the worst spring break ever, a tiny ship traversing miles of open sea, and one stuck-up foster sister who was sure to make her life miserable, along with dozens of others, just like her.
And no way to even cast a spell on any of them to improve the trip one bit.
***
Arman passed another stolen bottle of hospital blood to Levka, while they watched the latest news on television.
The reporter stood in the Dallas factory district in an area cordoned off by police. Dozens of vehicles sat nearby, their lights swirling blue and red like a disco club.
“In the latest rash of gang-related incidents, four seventeen-year-old males from one gang fought four from another, an altercation that apparently started when two girls were attacked after leaving a club in the area. Police report that one male was stabbed in the lung and is currently in serious condition at Mercy Hospital. Another fell and broke his arm and is being held for further questioning. A third hasn’t been located. Police are holding the fourth gang member after he allegedly shot one of the opposing gang members three times at point blank range. Blood was found at the scene, but the teen who was shot and his friends disappeared. The gunshot victim has not been seen at any local hospitals or clinics and is feared dead. If anyone has news of the teens’ whereabouts, please call—”
Arman clicked to another channel. “No news is good news, my mother always said.” He leaned back in an old plush fur chair. “In other news though, the league has men looking for us as we speak. They’ve never found our club house before, but I’m afraid this time they’re really pissed.” He shook his head. “I knew we shouldn’t have gotten involved. We need to leave the city for a while as soon as Levka’s feeling up to it. I don’t think he’s ever looked this bad.”
“Hmpf, what about the Battle at Gettysburg? He’d been skewered six or seven times before we could come to his rescue. He looked pretty bad that time, too,” Stasio said.
“Yeah, there was that time,” Arman said. “But getting blood to him was a little more difficult.”
The door opened and Ruric stood in the entryway, blending in with the black night, though with his night vision, Levka could see him perfectly, and the look on his face, one of pleasure, made him close his eyes. When Ruric had a plan, it was always far out.
Ruric closed the door behind him. “He doesn’t look a whole lot better,” Ruric said frowning. “Are you giving him the best blood you can?”
“Yeah, what’s up, Ruric? Did you locate somewhere else we can hide away for the time being?” Arman asked.
Ruric pulled a brochure out of his back pocket and handed it to Arman. “Spring break starts day after tomorrow. We’re going on the cruise ship, the Sea Wanderer. This one caters especially to teens. Until Levka gets back to his ornery self, we’ll have a safe place to stay that no league member will ever think of. Best of all, we can have plenty of fun.”
Arman shook his head and handed the brochure to Stasio. “Looks too risky to me. We’re able to keep our identities secret in the city, but we would be surrounded by ocean for miles around. Nowhere to go if anything goes wrong.”
“What will go wrong? We’ll dance, kiss the girls, take a little blood, wipe their minds. We have nothing to lose.” Ruric turned to Levka. “What do you say, old man?”
Thinking his friend with his wild, curly red hair and affinity for exploration was indeed a descendent of the Viking explorer, Eric the Red—as Levka had always alleged—he flipped through the cruise brochure.
“We have to go.” Ruric folded his arms. “I ran into one of our snitches, and he warned me that the league has people watching for us at the hospitals and clinics, Red Cross, anywhere we might go to get blood. We have to leave. They’re sure to catch up to us before long. Until you’re well enough, we’ll bring the cutest girls to your room every night.”
Levka made a face.
“Jeez, Levka, you’ve been moping about Cassandra for a hundred years. And you say Stasio lives in the past. It’s time for you to have some fun before you become an even older man and make us the same way.”
“All right,” Levka said, his voice weary. “But no girls.”
“Boys then,” Ruric teased.
Levka made a face. “Bring bottled blood.”
Ruric pulled tickets out of his other back pocket. “Good, we’re all set to go. I just had to make some changes in the room arrangements. Some of those rich kids had their own staterooms. Now they have to buddy up a bit so we can have one of the rooms. Otherwise, the cruise was booked. Lots of mortals to feed off.”
“Reminds me of the time we traveled with the shipload of passengers colonizing America.” Stasio shrugged when Arman shook his head at him.
“Hey, maybe if you’re feeling well enough later, Levka, you can go on a nighttime snorkeling trip,” Ruric joked.
