Jane Goes Batty

A thump from the rear of the car made Jane jump. “What about her?” she asked.

“Her?” Ted said. “You mean she’s in the—”

“Yes,” Byron said. “She is. And we can’t keep her there much longer. So here’s what we’re going to do. Jane, we’ll take you and Chloe back to the set. You’ll have to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t attack anyone. Ned and I will go looking for Ted.”

“You mean Ned,” Ted said.

Byron glared at him. “We’ll go looking for your brother,” he said.

“Why do I have to watch Chloe?” Jane asked.

“Because you turned her,” said Byron.

“But you made me!” Jane objected.

Byron held up a hand. “Let me finish. Because you turned her, you have a certain bond with her that I do not. She’ll listen to you.” He paused. “Possibly. I mean, she should.”

“Wonderful,” said Jane. “Just lovely.”

“Besides,” Byron continued, “you already have a rapport with the film people.”

Jane sniffed. “Don’t even try to flatter me,” she said.

Byron smiled at her in the rearview mirror. Jane narrowed her eyes and stared at his reflection as he started the car. He looked away and Jane tried to relax. She was going to have to calm herself down if she was to have any chance of controlling Chloe on the set of the movie.

This was easier said than done. In addition to worrying about her vampire charge, she couldn’t stop thinking about her lunch with Jessica Abernathy and Posey Frost. Nor could she forget what she’d seen in Walter’s house. Beverly Shrop and Miriam knew about her and Byron. But how? And what were they planning to do? Nothing good, Jane thought as they exited the shopping center parking lot and Byron turned the car toward the film site.

Suddenly she remembered something very important. “I forgot to tell you,” Jane said to Byron. “Guess who Jessica Abernathy’s sorority sister is.”

“Someone I know?” Byron asked.

Jane nodded. “An old friend of ours,” she said. “Violet Grey.”

“How is that possible?” Byron said. “Violet must be—”

“One hundred and fifty-six,” said Jane. “Thirty-eight when she was turned.”

“That seems a bit old to pass herself off as a schoolgirl,” Byron remarked.

“Yes, it does,” Jane agreed. “I’m sure she disguised herself. She’s a wretched novelist, but she always did have a hand with the powders and paints. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’d done herself up as a goth and run about in lots of black eyeliner and pancake makeup. No one would know who was under there.”

“Violet Grey,” Ted said. “Isn’t that the name Charlo—”

“Yes,” Jane and Byron said in unison.

“We don’t say her name unless we have to,” Byron told the young man. “Like Old Nick.”

“Or Voldemort,” added Jane.

“But yes, that is the personage of whom Jane is speaking,” Byron said stiffly.

“And what has she done?” Ned asked.

“Just caused a spot of bother,” said Jane. “Again.” She looked out the window. “I really do wish we’d killed her when we had the chance,” she mused.

“There’s the bloodthirsty Jane I’ve been waiting to see,” Byron said happily.

“Shut up,” Jane said. “But it’s true. Things would be easier if we’d been more … comprehensive in our last attack.”

“We have bigger things to worry about right now,” Byron reminded her as he turned the car onto a side street and pulled over. “Stay here,” he ordered Ned as he and Jane opened their doors and got out.

Jane met him at the trunk, which he opened with a double click of the key fob. The lid rose slowly, revealing Chloe inside. She was lying on her side, her hands tied behind her, and there was a piece of duct tape across her mouth. Byron reached down and pulled the tape away in one quick movement.

“Santa’s ball hair!” Chloe yelled. “That hurt!”

“I’m sorry,” said Byron as he reached behind the girl and untied her hands. “It was for your own good.”

Chloe scrambled out of the trunk as Byron offered her his hand. When she was standing on solid ground she looked at Jane. “I know you. You’re the writer lady.”

“I’m pleased you remember,” said Jane, eyeing the girl with distaste. She hadn’t noticed before how vulgar Chloe’s outfit was. It revealed entirely too much midriff.

“Is she a vampire too?” Chloe asked, speaking to Byron.

Byron nodded as he closed the trunk. “She’s also fully capable of understanding what you’re saying, so feel free to speak directly to her.”

Chloe was peering through the car window. “Hey!” she said. “That’s the dude who bit me!” She scrabbled at the door handle, trying to get inside, but Byron locked the doors with a click of the fob. Inside the car, Ted was leaning away from the window, watching Chloe with an expression of terror on his face.

“I want to bite him!” Chloe shouted, banging on the glass with her fists. “Open the door!”

Jane looked at Byron. “I see this is going to be loads of fun,” she said.

Byron took Chloe by the wrist and pulled her away from the car. “That’s not the boy,” he told her. “It’s his brother.”

“That’s good enough for me,” Chloe snapped. “If they’re twins, I’m sure they’ll taste the same.”

Byron put his hand on her chin and turned her head so that she was looking into his eyes. “Listen to me,” he said in a low, seductive voice. “It’s very important that you remain calm. I’m going to go find Ned. You’re going to go with Jane and do what you’ve been hired to do. Do you understand?”

Chloe nodded slowly as the glamor took effect.

“Good,” Byron said, releasing her. He turned to Jane. “If she misbehaves, stake her.”

A look of horror passed over Chloe’s face as Jane nodded. “You wouldn’t really do that, would you?” the girl asked.

“In a heartbeat,” said Jane, trying to sound as if she meant it.

Byron got into the car and drove away, leaving Jane alone with her charge. “All right,” she said. “The plan is very simple. We’re going to go back to your trailer. Everyone thinks you’ve been in there resting after a fainting spell. You’re going to let them go right on thinking that. You’ll do whatever it is you’re supposed to do today, and then tonight we’ll discuss what comes next.”

“So, did I become a vampire because that guy bit me?” Chloe asked as they walked.

“Not entirely,” said Jane.

“Then how did it happen?” the girl said.

“It’s complicated,” Jane replied. “We’ll talk more about it later.”

“And I really am a vampire, right?” said Chloe. “I mean, this isn’t some kind of joke is it? Because if I’m being punked, I’m going to be really pissed off.”

“You’re not being punked,” Jane assured her. “Whatever that is. This is very serious. Although I must tell you, you’re taking it rather well.”

Chloe shrugged. “I played a vampire on High Stakes once,” she said. “You know, that show about vampires who run a casino in Vegas. I’m used to it. Besides, now I never have to worry about turning forty and not getting parts. I’ll always be young and pretty. Sounds like a win-win to me.”

“Be that as it may,” said Jane, “there are a lot of things you’re going to have to learn.”

They were approaching the film site. It was crawling with people, and Jane was hopeful that they might actually get to Chloe’s trailer without being seen. Then, to her horror, she saw approaching them the trio of Julia Baxter, Jessica Abernathy, and Shirley.

“There you are,” Julia said to Chloe. She looked at Jane. “Is she feeling better?”

“I’m fine,” Chloe told the director. “I just fainted or whatever.”

“Come with me,” said Julia, taking the girl by the hand. “We need to get you into hair and makeup. And I want to talk to you about your scene. I think you …”

Her voice trailed off, and Jane found herself faced with Shirley and Jessica. “I’m sorry I had to leave our lunch