“I understand. You want to try to keep things as normal as possible but you’ve got to be hurting. Mitch is a nice guy. My husband works with him. I just can’t stand you being alone. Everyone is worried about you, Jadee. I’m surprised you even answered your phone. I usually get your voicemail; you’re bad about returning calls ever since you got back from Alaska. It’s like you’re avoiding us.”

“I’ve had a lot on my plate. I don’t want to be a downer. You just got married four months ago and Tina is expecting her first baby.”

“We love you. Come to the barbeque. Hang out with the people who care about you. We’ll worry less.”

She’d have to smile and act as if her life hadn’t been altered in ways that could never be changed. Some guy named Mitch would be there, and Maria was about as subtle as a tank when it came to trying to play matchmaker. “I have to work,” she lied. “Sorry. Maybe another time.”

“It wouldn’t kill you to call in sick.”

“I’m just not ready to deal with everyone yet. I hate pity.”

“I know but we should talk about holding a memorial or something for your dad.”

“I don’t want to do that.”

“You plan to wait until they find his body to do it?”

Jadee was fed up and decided to be blunt. “This is why I’ve been avoiding calls. It’s too raw right now, okay?” She didn’t want to admit that she’d decided not to hold any kind of funeral. “I don’t want to discuss any of this.”

“I’m sorry. I’m being thoughtless. Will you at least have lunch with me next week? I promise I won’t bring up your dad or men in general. I just want to see your mug.”

Jadee grinned. “Only if something deep fried and greasy is involved.”

“Fried mushrooms, fries and bacon cheeseburgers?”

“Deal. I’ll call you Monday to set up a time. I’d better get back inside before Bob sends out a search party. It’s a zoo tonight.”

“Don’t go home with any drunks.”

She laughed. “Not a problem. Love you.” She ended the call and shoved her phone back inside her pocket. She pushed off the wall and almost tripped on a wooden pallet on the ground next to her. She shot it a glare and then reached for the handle of the door.

“Hello.”

The man’s voice startled her and she spun around. No one should be in the alley at that time of the night. The other shops on the strip closed at eight but it was well past ten.

The sight of the man’s pale, semi good-looking face had mental alarm bells screaming the second she looked at him. He wore a black dress shirt and slacks. They only accented his white skin.

“You’re not allowed back here.”

He tilted his head slightly. His eyes were a light color, probably a shade of blue or perhaps green. They started to glow and her heart pounded. That wasn’t natural—and she knew what he was. A fucking Vampire. Shit!

“I was out for a walk along the rooftops and spotted you.” He gave a smile. “It’s your lucky night, my dear. Tell me you’re grateful.”

He was probably trying to control her mind. She was grateful—grateful she’d seen Lavos in action and knew how to respond appropriately.

“I’m grateful,” she managed to get out. He’d kill her if he realized she was immune. It seemed safer to play along. It also meant he probably planned to bite her. Lavos said city Vamps weren’t killers, they just stole some blood from their victims and left them alive afterward. Dread pitted her stomach. She’d have to let the son of a bitch bite her without putting up a fight to fool him into believing he could make her forget what he’d done.

It was a horrible choice to make but she’d seen what Vampires could do. There were no bars separating her from the monster now. She didn’t have an assault rifle either. All she had was an ice pick tucked into the back pocket of her jeans. It was handy since their ice machine tended to let the ice melt a little bit when the door was left open for a minute or two, then freeze it solid fast, lumping it together. She also never worked in the bar without something to defend herself.

The Vampire reached down and unfastened his slacks, shoving them over his thighs until they pooled at his ankles. He wasn’t wearing underwear and he had a hard-on.

Jadee’s fear intensified. So did her anger.

“Drop to your knees,” he demanded.

He wasn’t after just her neck. It pissed her off. Does he do this to other women? Order them to blow him? What a sick pervert. Like stealing blood isn’t enough.

She lowered to her knees while slowly reaching behind her, lifting up the edge of her sweater to grip the wooden handle of the ice pick.

“Tell me my dick is big.”

She studied his dick, since it was right in front of her face. He wasn’t big, or even on the average side. It explained why he felt the need to force poor women into sexual submission. “Huge,” she murmured, glancing to both sides of her without moving her head.

“Open your mouth,” he hissed.

It wasn’t going to happen. She’d rather die than follow through with his instructions. She slid the ice pick out and fisted it tight in her hand. She had something hard for him too…and it had a sharp tip. She lifted her chin and glared at him, adjusting her hand to her hip, hiding the weapon.

“Fuck off, perv.”

She rammed the ice pick into his nuts.

He shrieked, throwing himself back. His pants around his ankles tripped him and he went down hard, frantically reaching for his injured crotch.

Jadee shot to her feet and grabbed the door, yanking it open. She saw him sit up just as she threw her body inside. The door closed and she slid the dead bolt across.

She backed up, realizing he might be able to break through it. It was reinforced to protect the bar against break-ins from humans, not super-strong Vampire freaks. He could also avoid the back and enter through the front, coming after her from that direction.

She reached for her phone, her first instinct to dial 9-1-1.

She froze. It wouldn’t work. He could just wipe the cops’ minds or freeze them in place while he killed her in front of everyone. “Fuck!”

Something hit the door and she gasped as a crack split the painted white wood near the doorjamb. A frantic search around her revealed nothing she could use to attack him with—but then the glass fire case caught her attention. An axe and a fire extinguisher were inside.