Chapter 30

Richie was sitting with the boys, well Tic, Obie and Jon, that is, nursing a whisky on the rocks. David was still not up to hanging out and spent his last few days of rest taking it easy and sleeping for hours on end.

Twirling his glass between his long fingers, he thought how happy he would feel right now if he could give himself a shiner, just for forgetting to ask Ksenia for her number. The pain would have eased the guilt chewing at his intestines.

Her sad, green eyes and pixie face refused to let him be. His nights were pure hell and his dreams were filled with her warm touch until the dark evil face of the professor invades the peace, ripping her away from him. All he could hear is her screams, her pleads for mercy. That’s when he usually wakes up in cold sweat.

Jon stared at the glass in his hands, Richie thoughts as clear as day in his mind. He had noticed Richie’s somber mood these last couple of days, felt his restlessness. He would talk to him tonight, no more fucking around.

It was past midnight when Obie and Tico called it a night. By the look of Jon he wasn’t ready to go anywhere so their said their goodnights and grabbed a taxi.

Jon flicked a look Richie’s way. Richie wasn’t as sober as he would like him to be but tonight was the night to convince him to take him to see the crazy professor.

“You haven’t said much about the trip other than the old man is nutters. Who is this Ksenia? Is she the reason why you are in such a pissy mood?”

Richie’s dark eyes seemed stormy, Jon had touched a raw nerve.

“Don’t fuck with me Jon. Not in the mood.”

“No fucking, I promise, but tell me what makes this chick so special? No offend Richie but you fuck ‘em and drop ‘em. That’s how I know you. That’s the way it has always been.”

Richie chewed on the thought for a moment. Jon was right, somehow that tiny thing had his mind screwed.

“Maybe I feel sorry for her, shit, I dunno! She had a tough life and well the life she leads now is just plain fucked up! Did you know that she is a donor? She keeps those ..things alive.”

The word “thing” scraped Jon’s nerves.

“I found her while she was feeding the fucker. Thanks to him the professor knows that I saw his lab, if you can call it that. What scared the living shit outta me is, not knowing what the hell happened to her. What if he hurt her? Killed her? I will never forgive me for this shit! Never!”

A tick in Jon’s jaw caught his eyes.

“Why don’t we go and get her.”

Richie’s heart leaped in his chest but his mind wasn’t fooled.

“You want me to lead you to him, don’t you?”

“That and saving the girl. Is that so wrong? I need to get that potion, I need it Rich.”

Richie looked deep into the glass, hoping to find the answer there.

“What if you get sick? What if you suffer?”

A silence fell between them and the earth seemed to stands still.

“That’s what you will be there for. If this doesn’t work out, you kill me.”

His gasp slashed through the rowdy bar.

“You want me to kill you, if this shit doesn’t work? Are you drunk bro’? Do you even realize what you are asking of me?”

“Yes, I do. Look at it this way. I’m a ticking bomb, I’m out of control, I don’t know if my next feed will end in death. Look what I did to you the other night, its crazy man! This guy is my only chance, give me that chance Richie. I will have your back, nothing will happen to you and this girl. All I’m asking is, you have mine, no matter what happens.”

Richie was silent for so long but his thoughts were racing, fighting a battle with itself until he sighed and nodded.

~~

The day after the show, the guys said their goodbyes. It was a grave goodbye and no one knew what this trip would bring. Death? A better life? The end of Bon Jovi?

The trip was long and emotionally tiring. They reached the hotel a few hours before daybreak. While Richie got some shut eye for a few hours, Jon went in search for a feed. To Richie’s biggest surprise Jon was back within the hour, his eyes glowing, a satisfied look on his face. Apparently the hunt went down well from, strange how one can get used to odd things like a friend being a vampire!

Too tired to do anything else they settled, although it would be daybreak soon, they wouldn’t be able to go to the professor until sunset…

Blue eyes cracked open, the sun was setting. Richie was standing on the patio, staring at the white sheet covering the world beneath him. His shoulders felt stiff and he had this nagging stab between his shoulder blades. Rolling his shoulders a few times he grimaced.

“Are you ready?”

Richie jumped at the voice behind him.

“Fuck! Don’t creep up on me man! Yeah I’m ready.”

The leatherjacket creaked as he turned towards Jon. His eyes were huge in his face and his face an ashen color.

Jon felt the same restlessness, only his was stained with anticipation and aggression.

The trip took quite a while and when the taxi finally came to a standstill, the moon was gleaming high up in the cloudless sky.

The scent of death and fellow vampires lay thick in the air and Jon felt nausea swirling in his stomach. The place reeked of evil and suffering. Jumbled thoughts of pain and agony slammed into Jon and he stumbled.

A strong hand reached out and steadied him.

“You ok bro’?”

“This place…its fucking evil man!”

Two pairs of boots creaked simultaneously on the first step.

The bell sounded like a death call. Within moments, the door swung open and there he stood. An old, wrinkled, nothing of a man. Jon could kill him with one fell swoop but he wouldn’t this could be his salvation out of the world of darkness.

The surprise on his face as he recognized Richie was almost comical, it was his turn to pale.

“Richie. What a surprise, never thought you’ll be coming back.”

Richie felt the urge to crush the outstretched hand, but he managed to plaster a smile on his face and took the hand.

“I’m a man of my word professor. My friend needs help and you are the only one that can help.”

He introduced Jon and the men shook hands.

“Welcome to my house Jon.”

“Thank you for having me.”

The door swung away and they stepped inside. They were led to the study, when offered a drink, they declined.

Resting a leg onto his knee, Jon leaned forward, his eyes penetrating the older blue ones.

“I’m not going to beat around the bush. You know why I’m here and I want your help but as you know Richie had found out about your setup and I won’t have it. You can poke and prod all you want but I won’t be locked up in a cage like an animal. I will not stay here. I’ll stay at a hotel. I have a week at my disposal; can you get what you need within a week? I will pay you for your time and the potion, of course but let me make this clear, should this turn out a fuckup, I wont die in your hands. I’ll die… my way and if it should work, you will get what you’ve been searching for.”

The smile on the man’s face grew with every word Jon uttered.

“I like you Jon. You don’t play games. Everything sounds fine to me but how am I assured that you won’t jeopardize my project?”

“Oh c’mon! I’m a vampire, I don’t think I want the world to know I’m a bloodsucking maniac so I’m giving me your word, that should be enough. I’m not really in the mood to sell my friends out either. If that is not enough of a reason, remember I have enough money to make you rich man.”

His greedy little eyes squinted. Revulsion boiled inside Jon. Reaching out his hand towards Jon he paused, waiting. Jon took it for the second time that night.

“Deal.”

Jon had just made a deal with the devil. Richie wanted to jump up and drag Jon’s ass out of there but it was done. Jon’s salvation or death was staring them in the face, no turning back…and where the hell was Ksenia?

Don’t mention her Rich. She is somewhere in the house, I picked up on her scent and yeah she is still alive.

For Richie’s peace of mind he didn’t dare reveal the state she was in, he would have a roaring beast on his hands if he did. She was alive for now, that was enough.

Jon dropped his hand and brushed a quick look Richie’s way.

The nod was slight but the acknowledgement clear.

Let the battle begins.