20 Dollar Nose Bleed

My job? To sit in the middle of the park, on a bench, looking vulnerable and lost at 1 o'clock in the morning. Basically to be bait for all the big bad nippers. But it wasn't like I was going to be unarmed, oh no, I was loaded with three stakes and five knives, each tipped with silver nitrate which, as soon as it comes in contact with vampire skin, burns. Oh and of course there was the ever so helpful silver nitrate grenade hidden in my coat pocket. But the only problem with that is hitting Pete, him being a vampire and all.

So that's what I did. I sat there. I cried. I looked around. I whimpered. I did all this for about thirty minutes to no prevail. Then I started to get bored. So I got up and went to the swings. Now I know this wasn't part of the plan and Patrick probably wouldn't be very happy but I was bored and a bored hunter isn't a very alert hunter. So I played. I was quite happy just swinging gently too but that was soon interrupted as someone pushed me rather hard, sending me up high and letting me fall back down with a jolt.

"Hey, you jerk, what do you think you're-" I looked up from the ground rubbing my arm only to find Brendon stood there looking smug.

"Brendon?! What the hell dude?!" I exclaimed.

He just grinned and held out his hand to me. I took it and let him pull me up. Dusting myself down, I eyed him warily.

"So... what are you doing out here so late?" I asked casually.

"I could ask you the same question." he replied lamely.

"I asked you first." I replied like a child.

"Fine. I'm hunting. What about you?"

"I'm lost." I said and crossed my arms over my chest.

"You're lost? Ha! How?" he laughed.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"It can happen! I've never been here before. I was here with a friend but she went off with some lad and left me to find my own way back." I said and stuck my tongue out at him.

He stuck his hands in his pockets and cocked his head to the side.

"So that's why you haven't been at home?" he asked.

"Yeah." I said simply.

"Then why didn't you tell me?" he said a little more harshly.

"I'm not exactly going to tell some lad I just met that I'm at my friends out because we're having a party weekend am I?" I said patronisingly.

"But when I tried calling back you're phone didn't even ring." he said and looked at the floor.

"Yeah that's cause I dropped my phone in the road and a car ran over it before I could grab it. I was a bit tipsy." I said shrugging hoping it was believable.

Apparently it was.

"Oh right. That makes sense. So do you remember anything of our conversation?" he asked eyeing me warily.

I remember you knowing where I lived even though I didn't tell you. I remember you saying you were going to kill me. I remember you screaming down the phone at me. I remember you trying to find out where I was. But I can't exactly tell you any of that can I because you'll try and kill me before the plan unfolds.

"Not much. I just remember you asking if I was in and asking where I was when I said no." I lied desperately hoping it'd work.

It did. He grinned.

"Yeah you basically got most of it. Anyway. About you being lost. Why don't you come back to my place?" he asked and held out an arm.

I looked at it and stayed where I was. This wasn't part of the plan.

"Don't you live with William?" I asked desperately trying to think of how to get out of this.

"Yeah but he wont mind. I have my own place that I don't use if you'd rather go there?" he asked and raised an eyebrow at me suggestively. Douche.

"Haha. No I'm alright thanks. Can't you just help me find my friends house?" I tried to laugh it off.

He frowned and lowered his arm.

"Don't you trust me?"

No.

"Yes."

"Then why won't you come back? At this time the chances of me being able to find the right street and the right house is very slim. We could look for it in the morning. I wont try anything or bite you I promise."

"It's just she's going to be expecting me and she'll worry if I'm not back." I tried desperately suddenly very aware that I was alone.

"But didn't you say she went off with some lad? I'm sure she's already preoccupied. You've probably slipped her mind." he said and held out his hand again. I sighed and took it seeing no other option and he led me down the street.

I looked at the house the guys were hiding in desperately as we walked passed it hoping they could see me and would follow. Knowing my luck I was looking at completely the wrong house or they hadn't seen me. But I couldn't dwell on that so instead I faced forward and carried on walking with Brendon a couple of steps ahead. It was silent for most of it but I soon had to break that.

"Where are we going?" I asked casually.

"Well we're not going straight back. We've got to find Beckett first and, as I said before, I've got to hunt. Haven't fed in a couple of days and if I'm going to keep my promise not to bite you I need to go feed. But I won't make you watch. You can stay with the guys." he called over his shoulder.

"The guys?"

"Yeah there's a big group of us. Most of us have our own place but we like to stay at Beckett's mansion. There's loads of room there and it's kind of easier for when we want to hunt or when we're planning something." he said.

I was honestly stunned that he was telling me all of this when a couple of days ago he was saying he wanted to kill me.

"What are you? Some kind of gang?" I asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Something like that. We're the Dandies. The most feared and the most powerful vampire gang in Chicago. We're awesome basically." he laughed as we turned a corner.

"Oh right. So you're all vampires?" I asked beginning to get slightly worried.

"Yep. But don't worry. They won't touch you as long as they know you're mine."

"I'm not worried." I lied.

"Yeah you are. I can hear your heart beating. So either you're worried or in love cause it's beating a hell of a lot quicker than before." he laughed and looked at me, still walking.

"Okay fine maybe I'm a little worried." I smiled.

"Well don't be. Just stay close. We're here."

We rounded a corner and I suddenly found myself facing a group of about fifty Dandies. All dressed in suits. All looking dangerous. Oh crap. I suddenly found myself desperately wishing the guys were here or that I at least knew they could see me. I felt my heart beat even quicker and my body get very warm.

"Shh. You're okay. Don't worry." Brendon said into my ear.

That calmed me slightly. Well until William saw us that was.

"Ah Urie. So nice of you to join us. And I see you have a friend. Wednesday was it?" he said in a tone that suggested power. I didn't like it.

"Yeah it's Wednesday. She's lost so she's going to stay with us for tonight and I'll return her tomorrow. If that's okay, Sir."

Sir? Sir! Oh crap William Beckett's the leader of the group. Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap.

"Yes that is fine. Will you be wiping her memory after?"

They were talking as if I wasn't there.

"No. She already has previous knowledge of vampires. Wiping that much time from someone's memory isn't going to go by unnoticed Sir." Brendon replied calmly.

"Okay then. I trust your choices. Do you still need to hunt?" William asked checking a hand.

"Yes, Sir."

"Me too. Leave the girl with these and let's go."

"Yes, Sir." Brendon said and walked me over to the guys.

"Stay here, Okay? You should be fine."

"Okay then. Although the word "should" doesn't fill me with confidence." I said honestly.

He laughed and let go of me.

"Urie. Hurry up. We're losing moonlight." William called from behind.

"Yes sir."

Brendon looked over his shoulder at William and then back to me. Then he kissed me. Like a proper kiss. Not just a peck. It took me by surprise and I didn't have time to react before it was over. I narrowed my eyes at him as he grinned at me. Then he leaned towards my ear.

"Now they know you're mine and won't touch you. Have fun. Be back soon." he whispered and then turned to leave with Beckett.

This left me alone with, the now 59, Dandies all of whom were looking at me as if I'd just taken off all my clothes and done a stupid dance. Time to get killing I guess.