The Allies of Old; Book Two Renewal: Chapter Fifty Seven "Hell Hath No Fury..."

Book Cover created in acrylic by the extremely talented @therealpaul

If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn

Table of Contents for Fifty Two chapters of Renewal, created by @bashadow

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Jess stood frozen near a table in a classy nightclub staring numbly across the room at the stage where a band called Castor Troy was playing alternative rock. She could scarcely hear the music over the roaring in her ears. Her attention was riveted on the drummer who had sweat pouring down his face as he slammed his sticks and twirled them, his face holding an expression bordering on ecstasy. She would know, she’d seen that look on his face numerous times before.

Nate, she groaned inwardly, of all people, why did it have to be him? She wanted to leap over the bodies that separated them and punch him in his perspiring face. Asshole, she thought angrily. Bastard!

She probably wouldn’t hate him so much if he had only been honest and told her he didn’t want an exclusive relationship. But no, he’d led her to believe he loved her, that she was important to him. He’d talked about finishing college and getting married, painted a picture of a future for them. Then when she’d caught him with another girl in his lap at a party he’d acted like she was some obsessed ex-girlfriend who didn’t get the hint. Just thinking about that awful night made her burn with anger and embarrassment.

She continued to watch and gradually the roaring subsided and the music filtered through. She pulled her gaze from the cheating son of a bitch and forced herself to listen to the song. Grudgingly she admitted it was really good. The singer’s voice was like an instrument by itself.

“She takes more than she knows, she takes more than she can grow, in a day. She breeds families in her garden….Mary of…the Roses.”

The song ended to loud applause and her gaze shifted back to the Asshole. He leaned down to take a drink from his water bottle and wiped the sweat from his eyes with a towel by his feet. When he glanced up she thought his eyes fell on her for a moment and her heart tripped before she realized he wouldn’t be able to see her from there, not with all the lights.

They started another song but she couldn’t stand to watch him anymore, so she made her way to the restroom. Once inside the brightly lit space she stared into the mirror. Beautiful, she thought. You are beautiful. His loss, not yours.

With a start she realized if it weren’t for him she wouldn’t be here. She wouldn’t have become a vampire. If he’d been faithful she would never have went to Europe with her aunt and Jenna. She wasn’t sure if she should curse him or thank him for that.

Either way he was a jerk….a jerk she could so get back at! She clenched the edge of the sink and broke into a gleeful smile as a stirring of excitement welled up in her. A plan began to form in her mind and she smiled wider and started for the door, then stopped abruptly. She couldn’t carry it out while she was with her friends. She’d have to tell them she wasn’t feeling well then go outside and find a place to “dim” herself….she fished her phone out of her bag and made a quick call to Caroline then strode from the bathroom careful to avoid being seen.

Fifteen minutes later she re-entered the bar in dim mode and waited a half an hour before the band played their final song and started packing up. She followed them silently, watching as they loaded their equipment into a van and laughed amongst themselves, congratulating one another for a job well done. She snorted inwardly and followed them back inside and up to the bar, stopping just a few feet to the side of Nate. It was surreal to be standing right there and not be seen, as if she were a spirit.

It was over an hour before she worked up the nerve to put her plan in motion. The brothers had taught her not only to dim, but to dim-and undim- specifically, so that she could be seen or not seen by certain persons. Once again a flash of excitement bubbled as she moved into a position where he would have a perfect line of sight to her. She undimmed to him only and stood there holding her breath until he saw her and blinked in startled recognition.

She beckoned him over and watched him hesitate before excusing himself from his current companions. As soon as he started towards her she turned and threaded her way to the entrance of the club, looking over her shoulder to make sure he was following.

She stepped outside and walked towards the corner of the building, then stopped and watched as he came through the door searching for her.

“Nate,” she called softly.

He turned towards her and she waved at him to follow before disappearing around the side into an alleyway between the club and the business next door.
She grinned as he appeared around the corner.

“Jess…?”

She blurred, stopping directly in front of him and he fell backward a step in alarm, then blinked and cleared his throat, “Jess, what the hell…”

“Shhh,” she admonished, then wrapped her arms around him in a hug and leapt into the air.

She landed them on the roof of the adjacent building and let out a peal of laughter at the expression of shock on his face. He blinked rapidly several times, his throat working but no sound emerging. She decided not to wait for him to speak, wrapping her arms around him once more.
This time she leapt from building to building until she found a nice wide ledge to perch him on. It was twenty stories in the air with no way up or down, and she decided it was an excellent place to leave him.

She dimmed completely and hopped onto the roof of the shorter building across the way, placing herself about level with him. She watched in delighted amusement as he looked over the side then backed up and flattened himself against the wall. His eyes were wild and his face was completely devoid of color. She wondered how long it would take before he started shouting for help.

Then another idea struck her and she decided she didn’t want him to shout for help, because if he had proof he’d been there he wouldn’t think he’d gone crazy, which was so much more appealing.

She reappeared beside him, startling him enough to nearly send him over the edge. She pushed him back roughly and he flattened himself against the building once more, his face even whiter than before.

She regarded him with a slightly cruel smile as she waited for him to say something.

“I’m dreaming,” he finally squeaked out.

“Oh really?” she asked. “Then all you have to do is jump and you’ll wake up.”

He stared at her then looked down. “I don’t wanna die,” he croaked.

“You can’t die in dreams silly,” she scolded playfully.

“But-”

Her smile slipped. “You’re a jackass. A rotten bastard. It would serve you right if I left you up here, let you scream yourself hoarse.”

Instantly his expression changed to one of guilt, color returning to his cheeks. “You’re right. It would, and I am. I have no excuse for the way I treated you…” he looked over the side again and then shook his head. “This is a dream, not real, you’re not real.” He pressed his lips together.

“You’re certain of that?” she raised an eyebrow.

“What the hell else could it be? You’ve somehow turned into some sort of batwoman? Like that movie with what’s her name, “My ex-girlfriend the superhero”?” He let out a shaky laugh, tinged with hysteria.

“What hotel are you staying in?” she asked, ignoring his comments.

“Huh? The Ramada,” he said absently as he took another glance down.

“Okay, I’ll take you back.” She grabbed him once more and minutes later they were blurring through the lobby of his hotel. “What floor, what room,” she whispered in his ear.

“F..ff.fifth, ff..five ohh one,” he stuttered and his ashen face spoke of a need to regurgitate so she hastened them up the emergency stairwell. Once outside his room he just stood there in a daze so she dug in his pockets and located the entry card. She pushed him inside at the same moment his cell phone began to ring. She fished it out of his pocket and hit the ignore button before tossing it on a table.

“Now,” she whispered,” you will go to your room and lay down.”

Without even glancing at her he obeyed, his steps wobbly and disjointed. She looked around the suite and wondered how many others were staying there. She dearly hoped she would get some time alone with him the following day.

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