Dancers in the Dark Read Online Free PDF Page B

force.”
    â€œAnd then you wouldn’t have a partner, would you?”
    That was a stumper. No, she wouldn’t. And since vampires who wanted to dance for a living were scarce, she wouldn’t be able to find another partner for a good long while. And that meant she wouldn’t be working. And if she wasn’t working...
    â€œSo you’re blackmailing me,” she said.
    â€œCall it what you choose,” he said. “I am walking you home.” His sharp nose rose in the air as he nodded in the right direction.
    Frustrated and defeated, Rue shouldered her bag again. He caught the bus with her, and got off with her, and arrived at her building with her, without them exchanging a word the whole way. When Rue went up the steps to the door, he waited until she’d unlocked it and gone inside. He could see her start up the inner stairs, and he retreated to the shadows until he saw a light come on in the second-floor front apartment.
    After that, he openly walked her home every night, in silence. On the fourth night, he asked her how her classes were going. She told him about the test she’d had that day in geology. The next night, when he told her to have sweet dreams, he smiled. The M of his mouth turned up at the corners, and his smile made him look like a boy.
    On the sixth night, a woman hailed Sean just as he and Rue got off the bus. As the woman crossed the street, Rue recognized Hallie, a Black Moon employee. Rue had met all the Black Moon people, but she did her best to steer clear of them all, both vampire and human. Rue could accept the other Blue Moon dancers as comrades. But the Black Moon performers made her shrink inside herself.
    â€œHey, what are you two up to?” Hallie said. She was in her late twenties, with curly brown hair and a sweet oval face. It was impossible not to respond to her good cheer; even Sean gave her one of his rare smiles.
    â€œWe just left practice,” Sean said when Rue stayed silent.
    â€œI just visited my mother,” Hallie said. “She seems to be a little better.”
    Rue knew she had to speak, or she would seem like the most insufferable snob. Maybe I am a snob, she thought unhappily. “Is your mom in the hospital?”
    â€œNo, she’s in Van Diver Home, two blocks down.”
    Rue had walked past there a couple of times, and thought what a grim place it was, especially for an old folks’ home. “I’m sorry,” she said.
    â€œShe’s in the Alzheimer’s wing.” Hallie’s hand was already waving off Rue’s expression of sympathy. “If I didn’t work for Sylvia, I don’t know how I could pay the bills.”
    â€œYou have another day job, too?”
    â€œOh, yes. Every day, and nights I don’t work for Sylvia, I’m a cocktail waitress. In fact, I’m due back at work. I ran down to see Mom on my break. Good to see both of you.”
    And off Hallie hurried, her high heels clicking on the pavement. She turned into a bar on the next block, Bissonet’s.
    Rue and Sean resumed the short walk to Rue’s building.
    â€œShe’s no saint, but it’s not as simple as you thought,” Sean said when they’d reached her building.
    â€œNo, I see that.” On an impulse, she gave him a quick hug, then quickly mounted the steps without looking back.
    Two weeks later, Blue Moon’s three male vampires and three human women were dressing in a remote and barren room in the Jaslow mansion. Connie Jaslow had no consideration for dancers’ modesty, since she’d provided one room for both sexes. To an extent, Mrs. Jaslow was correct. Dancers know bodies; bodies were their business, their tools. At least there was an adjacent bathroom, and the women took turns going in to put on their costumes and straighten the black wigs, but the men managed without leaving.
    Rick and Phil, the two vampires who ordinarily worked together at “specialty”