Chapter 5

“Obie I TOLD you I’ll do the interview tonight!!” Jon was pacing, his hands clamping wildly.

Richie shot him a warning glare. He could hear Richie’s accusing, I told you so.

“Jon I don’t have time for your shit right now. It’s  tomorrow morning or not at all.”

Jon roared like a caged animal, his back to them. Richie knew that growl and what it brought along with it.

“Then fucking cancel it I don’t give a damn!”

Obie threw his hands hopelessly into the air, Tico and David stuck their heads through the door.

“What’s all the commotion about guys? I could hear Jon hollering few stories down!” Dave’s curious blue eyes rested on Jon’s back. He was so testy these days!

“What’s up Jon?” Tico’s low drawl drifted towards Jon’s heaving body.

“I want our interview rescheduled and OBIE here is playing hard ass.” He waved in the general direction of where Obie was.

It’s time you tell him bro’.

No.

Why not?

Cause I damn well say so.

They have to know Jon they are into this too! You’re making this tour difficult for all of us.

Jon didn’t answer back.

Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, suppressing the wildness inside his soul.

Turning around he scanned the room.

“Guys I have to tell you something. Tic, close the door, will ya? I think lock it.”

Worried stares flew across the room towards Jon.

This was serious!

Jon leaned with his back against the window, folding his arms in a protective gesture.

“What I’m about to tell you is gonna scare the shit out of you all. You might think I’m crazy and lord knows sometimes I wish I was, but this is as real as it  gets and I think it’s time you guys know the truth, you deserve it.”

Jon was sure everyone stopped breathing, the tension in the air was unforgiving. All eyes were trained on his face and he gulped.

“Just tell them Jon, there’s no other way.” Richie’s soft rumble broke the silence.

Taking a deep breath he let it roll from his tongue.

“I’m a vampire.”

A pattern of utter stupidity filled each man’s eyes.

Obie threw his head back and roared, Tico and David followed right after.

Three bodies doubled over in laughter, tears streaming down their faces.

“Oooh fuck! Jon ….hahahahaha…you are price…..hahaha…priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!” Obie managed.

“Ok you can stop now.” Jon’s eyes were flashing dangerously.

Richie sat down, he was about to laugh his ass off.  He wished he had a camcorder with him!

“ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!”

There was the lisp again!

The laughter came to a screeching halt.

Jon was right before them, elongated teeth displayed in full view, eyes glittering an arctic blue.

“Madre de Dios!” Tico took a few hurried steps backwards.

“JON?!” Obie rocked dangerously on his feet.

One look at Jon’s face, David sped towards the door, curls bouncing in all directions.

“Na a a. Where are you going Joker?” The smile gave them an even better view to his sparkly white fangs.

Jon’s hand was resting on the doorknob. David dug his heels into the carpet, his eyes enormous, his face as pale as death.

“I..I… How …you…you…” David’s was stuttering like an idiot, his eyes flew from where Jon was standing a minute ago to where he was standing now , his shaky finger pointing to Jon’s mouth.

Richie’s laugh threatened to burst out of his tummy.

Tico’s cigar was burning a huge hole in the carpet, Obie’s jaw almost hit the tip of his toes and David..well good ole Joker was taking it the worse of them all. He was close to tears, the shock turning him into a brainless, hum and haw fool.

“Well? Whaddya think? Do I look good with them or what?” Jon’s evil taunting had them shivering, backing up in fear as he stepped closer.

The three men came together in a disorderly circle, tramping on each other’s toes; there were nowhere else to go.

Jon’s fangs inched a bit higher, the comic relief of the moment dispelled some of his rage.

The action tickled David’s natural curiosity and he dipped his head closer.

“Well I’ll be damned….” He breathed in wonder, his finger inching closer.

All of a sudden Jon felt pressure against his fangs, taken by surprise he let out a snarl.

“Ok that’s not right!” David shrieked

“This is not touchy, feely time asshole!” ,Jon’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Had he just been poked by David?!

“Get your damn finger outta his mouth! You want him to bite it off?!” Tico called out, horrified at the reveal and his friend’s utter stupidity.

“I’m not a rabid dog Tic.”

“Well fuck, you could have fooled me with all the growling and shit!”

Obie was still frozen to the spot, blinking.

“You’re gonna wear out your eyelids.” Richie gurgled.

“Sooo, Obie, tell me are we gonna change the interview or what?” Jon was his charming self.

“Yeah…yeah I think so. You can’t go out in the sunlight can you?” His brain went into motion again and a slight tinge in his cheeks affirmed he was still alive.

“Don’t know and not ready to find out.” He shrugged.

Hitting his butt on the couch next to Richie, he held his head in his hands.

“Ok…ok..so this is real. Fuck! Why did I accept this job?” Obie bemoaned his situation loudly.

“Cause I pay you a shitload of money?” Jon grinned. The fangs were gone.

“No offense Jon, but you don’t pay nearly enough for this shit!”

Jon advanced closer, evil written in his eyes.

Richie stood up.

“Now..bro’ give the man some space. He is still in shock, don’t be rash now.”

Obie knifed from the couch.

“Was he going to fucking bite me?!”

“Obie…Obie calm down man, sit down. I’m not going to catch you if you keel over. SIT.”

Obie obeyed but kept a wary eye on Jon.

Jon waved the stunned band members closer.

“Guys sit down. Let’s talk.”

Five butts hit the couch.

“Question?” David had found his tongue again.

“Shoot.” Jon laid back, feet stretched out.

He didn’t look that dangerous anymore.

“How much blood do you need to survive?”

“I’m not sure. I feed sometimes twice a day, depends on my energy expenditure.”

“In other words shows…”

“Yeah..shows.”

Tico unconsciously rubbed his neck.

“Why haven’t you ….uummm…well…”

“Fed from you guys? I might be a vampire but I’m still Jon. I will never jeopardize my family or your lives and you guys should know that and never think otherwise. I feed from total strangers.”

Tico stared at Jon through the hazy smoke of his cigar.

“Have you ever killed?”

The world silenced as everyone waited for the answer.

Jon stiffened slightly.

“Yes…yes I have.”

“Oh my God!” Obie was hyperventilating.

“What do you do with the bodies?  Are they fans? Women, men, does it even matter?”

Questions charged from his mouth a mile a second.

“I get rid of them and that’s all you need to know about it and no I only feed on woman cause I’m not gay and I usually feed when I have sex. I guess if I can’t find a woman and I get desperate I’ll feed on a man, but I love the pleasure it brings when I’m feeding and…..”

“I’ve heard enough!” David got paler by the second.

“Are they all fans? “ Obie wasn’t sure if he wanted to know, this might be the beginning of the end for Bon Jovi.

“Sometimes.” Jon knew what the concern was.

“So if you kill all our fans, then what?” David demanded.

“It’s gonna take more than two feedings a day to kill ‘em all don’t you think?”  Jon winked playfully.