"Gah." I shouted out at Rex. "You should not be able to hold me down. I'm a newly-fed vampire."
"Come on, Noah. Do you think I've not worked out your weakness after all this time?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." I huffed.
Rex let go of my knee. "If I mention Stacey the fight goes out of you, dude. Might as well change her name to Stakey."
I scowled.
"If you want her, then why not fight for her?" He said to me quietly, which for Rex was a feat in itself.
"Because it's not that simple."
"Is love ever simple? I'm supposed to choose a wolf shifter from my pack. That's why I stay single. You seen what I have to choose from? Most men have a preference over bare or Brazilian; my lot are hairy everywhere."
That broke my pity party as I sniggered. "Fuck, Rex. I need to bleach my mind."
"You're welcome. Now, please tell me we can go to the club tonight because I need to party."
"We can go to the club tonight." I high-fived him.
"Great, just what I need, to see the boss tonight." Zak groaned.
"I'll have a word on your behalf. See if we can get this month's quota cut seeing as we need you energetic for the live rounds. If I explain about the amount of pussy that'll be available if we win, surely he'll consider a reprieve." I said.
"You think a demon is going to have some sympathy for the person whose soul he took?" Zak shook his head in disbelief. "How you've managed to survive since your turning is nothing short of a miracle."
While the others finished their food and drinks, I couldn't help but keep glancing over at Stacey. The other band members had joined them and tables had been dragged together. It was a noisy gathering, but the sounds of laughter coming from there gave me a pang that hurt more than a bloodthirst.
"Leave him." I vaguely heard a voice say. "I don't mind him spacing here, but we need to discuss what we're going to do with him long-term."
I soon came to when Stacey's gaze met mine and narrowed on me. She turned to Dray and ran her hand through his hair. He turned to her, smiled, and nuzzled her neck. Closing my eyes, I wished for something, anything, to break them apart.
"Bloody hell, what's happening over there?" Roman gasped.
My eyes opened and I watched as two police officers walked towards Stacey.
"What on earth for?" I heard her snap at them, and then with a deep sigh, she got to her feet and followed them out of the room.
"What do you reckon that's all about?" I asked the others.
"Harley said the police were here to investigate Dan's disappearance, so my guess would be that it's about Dan's disappearance." Roman said, stretching his mouth out in a grimace.
"No way Stacey had anything to do with that." I stood up. "I'm going to help."
Rex stood up next to me. I felt my jaw tense.
"Are you going to tell me it's not my business? Because if you are, we're going to have a problem."
"Nope." Rex said. "I'm here to offer my assistance. Let's follow and see if we can do anything to help." He turned to the others. "You two stay here."
We made our way outside of the canteen and began following Stacey and the policemen from a distance. I had superior hearing being a vampire and although I wasn't able to hear things from miles around, I could hear through a wall. So once Stacey had been led inside a room, I positioned myself outside and began to eavesdrop.
Stacey's bandmates had also made their way outside, but a show runner had told them that they needed to head to rehearsals as the room was booked for that hour and that Stacey could join them if she got out on time. Once more, I could thank my hearing for that.
I listened as the police told Stacey that it was only a few quick questions they wanted to ask her, that she was free to leave at any time, and could have someone with her if she wanted.
"I don't need anyone with me because I haven't done anything." I heard her say spikily. Good to see she wasn't being any less Stacey just because she was sitting with police officers.
"Could you tell us about any dealings you've had with Dan Trent." One officer asked.
"All I've seen of Dan is when they have filmed us chatting with him for the show. I don't know him at all."
"You're absolutely sure about that? You've never seen him outside of the show?"
"Most certainly not."
"Okay. Miss Williams. Part of our investigation is to look into the backgrounds of anyone connected however loosely to the missing person. Do you recall the name Jack Brooks?"
"What's that got to do with anything?" I heard her ask, her voice slightly raised.
"Well, Mr Brooks went missing shortly after spending the evening with you, didn't he?"
"That's right, and I had no part in his disappearance."
"And now another gentleman has gone missing, and once more you're around. You can see why we're asking questions can't you, Miss Williams?"
"I can see you're adding up two and two and making four hundred and twenty-six. Do I need a solicitor?"
"No. That's all for now. Thank you for talking to us. Enjoy the rest of your day." One of the male voices said.
Rex had stood there patiently while I'd listened. "She's coming out." I warned him.
As she opened the door, she huffed a large sigh as she spotted me. "Not now, Noah, please." She stalked past me. But I was hot on her heels.
"Stacey, what happened with Jack Brooks? I know he went missing, but what do they mean that you'd spent the evening with him?"
She stopped and turned around to me. "Oh, Noah. They say eavesdroppers never hear good things about themselves, or in your case things they'd rather not hear. I was the last person to see Jack Brooks when he went missing."
"He went missing after a party, right, so you were there?" I clarified.
"Oh I'd been there, at the party… and in a bedroom with him."
I felt my eyes flash red as I lost it for a brief moment.
"I gave my virginity to Jack Brooks, Noah. Not that it's any of your business."
Stacey
Oh God. If things couldn't get any worse right now. The police were suspecting me of bumping off one of the presenters and now my ex was trailing me because he'd just found out something that I knew would drive him crazy.
"You slept with Jack Brooks? How could you?"
Oh, that was completely the wrong thing to say to me, and as I whizzed back around, I think Noah realised that.
"How could I? What the actual fuck does it have to do with you who I've slept with? Who I gave my virginity to?" I snarled. It was a good job I wasn't a vampire because his jugular would be out and on the floor.
"He was the main bully of me through school. You know that." Noah had the audacity to look hurt.
I shook my head in disbelief. "You're still not getting this are you? You hurt me far more than Jack Brooks ever hurt you. And maybe I did sleep with him to get back at you in some way. I was a sixteen-year-old teenager and made teenage mistakes, but ultimately it's not your business."