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“Do not make that face, Masie Kicklighter. There are worse things in this world than becoming a vampire.”
I clenched my eyes shut. How had this happened? Why Jimmie?
After a few moments, I opened my eyes and stared at Jimmie. “He’s still breathin’.” That was good. It meant Jimmie still had a chance to heal.
I looked up at Stark, praying for a sprinkle of hope.
“Now we wait,” he said, hovering over us. “And do not forget, Masie. You made a promise, and I expect you to keep it no matter the outcome. In the meantime, you should tend to your customers. I will stay here with your uncle. If he rises a vampire, it will happen within the hour, and I will need to restrain him.”
Dear Lord.I dropped my hands. “What about the other…wanderers?”
“I killed two. The third one is down in that hole. But do not worry. I will keep my word and end him. Just as long as you do not double-cross me, Masie.” He bent over slowly. “I want my night with you. Tomorrow.”
That made one of us.
I nodded and got to my feet. “Be forewarned, I’ll be armed. I still don’t trust you.”
“Would not have it any other way.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I tried to tell myself I could embrace Uncle Jimmie as a vampire, that it was better than losing him forever, but as I served the guests and tried to keep a friendly smile on my face, my mind was playing through the reality of that outcome.
Hewouldnotbe okay with it.
Jimmie was a hardworking man, dedicated to this community and to living life a certain way. Yes, mostly he lived to work instead of the other way around, but he prided himself on being an honorable, self-made person who gave more than he took.
He donated books and supplies to the school. He opened a teen center so the local kids would have a place to hang, do homework, and stay out of trouble. “Small towns are a breeding ground for boredom and mischief,” he’d say. He hired more help than he needed in summer, just so the older teens in town could make a little money and feel the pride of earning a paycheck. Yeah, he made them work their butts off—cleaning, painting, doing inventory, or sterilizing equipment—but I never saw any of those young people, including myself, stirring up trouble.
In short, Uncle Jimmie was a weighty thread that flowed through the fabric of Leiper’s Fork, and becoming someone—or something—other than who he was would not sit well with the man. He would be lost. Angry and bitter, too.
Which was why I felt so guilty. I didn’t care if he woke up healed or a vampire. Any outcome aside from death was fine by me.
I just…need him.It wasn’t only because of my lack of preparedness to run his businesses. Uncle Jimmie was the closest thing to a father I’d had these past ten years. I looked up to him.
“Hey, I can close up, if you want,” Joe said, catching me as I shuffled by with a case of our Screaming Rooster, Double Hot Whiskey to restock the bar. It was the kind that knocked your socks off. Even came with a picture of Big Barney shooting fire from his beak.
“Why?” I asked Joe.
“You look like you’re coming down with something—red and sweaty. Or maybe all the stress? You’ve been workin’ yourself to the bone lately.”
He was partially right. I had been working way too hard, but right now, that wasn’t the reason my stomach felt like I’d scarfed on nachos from Al’s gas station.
I set the heavy box on the bar, glanced at my watch, and took a deep breath. Stark had said we’d know the outcome in an hour. That was ten minutes ago.
“You sure you guys can handle it?” I said.
“Sure. The kitchen closes in an hour.” Which meant business would start winding down soon.
“Call if anything comes up, okay?” I pointed over my shoulder. “I’m gonna find Jimmie in the warehouse and say good night. See you tomorrow.” Everyone assumed he was knee-deep in mash or mechanical parts since that was usually the case. He rarely hovered over us while we worked unless we were shorthanded.
“Night, Masie.”
“Night, Joe.” I made my way toward the warehouse, my feet feeling like they were weighed down by concrete blocks. I had no idea what I was going to find.
Earlier, we’d moved him to a room just off the main warehouse, where we stored the more expensive scotch. I approached slowly, listening for any signs of…vampire? Human? Would there be a difference?
I crept toward the door, looking over my shoulder. I still wasn’t sure if that third vampire was hiding out in the hole.
