Bloodliner

Chapter 12

Chapter 12“Welcome to Bluegiller, New Mexico," said Stanza.

Mavis shivered at the bottom of the ladder as the door boomed shut and the sunlight cut off. Just like that, she was left in a twilight world underneath the deep desert, with no clear escape route in sight.

And vampires in the vicinity.

Stanza had said this was some kind of vampire town. Three vampires back at the church had been more than enough—so how could they handle a townful?

"What kind of name is 'Bluegiller' for a hidden vampire town in the desert?" said Jonah. "Doesn't look like there's a lot of fishing for bluegills around here."

"Original name's 'Blutgeliebter,'" said Stanza. "Means 'blood lover' in German."

"Oh," said Jonah, and then he fell silent.

"This way," said Stanza, starting down the tunnel that led away from the ladder. Jonah followed, and Mavis brought up the rear.

The tunnel was lit by a strand of red Christmas tree lights strung from hooks in the arched ceiling. Every other bulb was burned out, so there was little more than a dim glow to break the darkness.

Ahead of Mavis, Jonah stumbled on a rock. "They could use some more light down here," he said.

"Vampires don't need much," said Stanza. "Eyes fully dilated, remember?"

"You have a flashlight, don't you?" said Jonah.

"Might as well hang a sign on us that says, 'Food,'" said Stanza. "We need to blend in."

"They won't know we're not vampires?" said Jonah. "They can't sniff us out or something?""Not so much if we don't draw their attention," said Stanza. "The thing is, if we're here, they'll assume we belong here. This place isn't exactly public knowledge."

"Then how do you know about it?" said Jonah.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," said Stanza, her delivery as deadpan as always.

Jonah laughed, but not Mavis. Something about Stanza rubbed her the wrong way.

I guess she saved my life, but I can't help it. She gets on my nerves. So does Jonah. I'm two for two when it comes to not liking the people I'm with.

"Here we are," said Stanza. She stepped out of the tunnel into a vast open space. "The secret city of Bluegiller."

Jonah followed her out and froze. "Wow." He turned his head slowly from side to side, taking in the view.

Mavis squeezed past him, annoyed that he wouldn't make way for her. Her annoyance passed, however, as soon as she took a look around.

The three of them stood on a ledge overlooking a deep, cylindrical chasm. As far down as Mavis could see, the walls were lined with nooks and niches cut into the rock. Strands of Christmas tree lights hung everywhere, looking like constellations of dim, distant stars glowing against the inky background of the night sky.

Then, there were the vampires. Dozens of them swirled through the chasm, climbing and diving—naked bodies held aloft by huge, leathery wings. They sprang and circled and banked, sometimes flying in twos or threes, sometimes flying alone. They roosted in the nooks and niches and hung upside-down from perches jutting from the chasm walls.

The whole time, they made the most unearthly sounds, a combination of whispering, whistling, and whalesong that rippled and echoed in the chasm.

Beautiful.

I never imagined vampires could make such beautiful music.

"Well?" Stanza kept her voice low. "What do you think?"

Jonah peeked over the ledge and took a step back. "Could use a railing here." He sounded nervous.

Stanza waved at the winged figures swooping around the core of the chasm. "We don't need a railing if we're vampires, right?"

"Good point," said Jonah.

"This way." Stanza started around the ledge.

Jonah followed, looking nervous. He stuck close to the wall and kept glancing down into the darkness.

Mavis lingered at the mouth of the tunnel for a moment, watching a vampire glide gracefully around the chasm.

The scene was so strange, it hardly seemed real. Just hours ago, she hadn't known for a fact that vampires—or anything else out of the ordinary, for that matter—even existed.

Now, here I am. In the middle of fantasy land.

The gliding vampire turned as he coasted past her, and their eyes met. Mavis felt dizzy for an instant, as if it had been too long since she'd last had something to eat.

The vampire smiled and waved. Then, he rolled over, tucked his wings in tight, and plunged into the depths of the chasm.

Mavis watched him go, then realized she was too close to the edge and eased back. She frowned.

Do I know him?