Chapter 11

Jennie tipped the bags over and watched everything she'd purchased tumble out onto the bed; then, she began to sort through the pile. Snatching the black sweater and black wool hat, she hurried to the closet and grabbed her black dress pants. She pulled them on quickly, donning the sweater, too, but stuffing the hat into a pocket. Then she hurried back to the bed to start tossing the things into her new black backpack. Once she was done, she checked her watch.

Jennie had spent the better part of the afternoon sitting in a chair next to Lisa in the YG hospitality suite, eating all the food Lisa kept shoving at her and dutifully drinking the orange juice she'd made Taehyung go out and find. It had been interminable. Jennie had started to feel better rather quickly after drinking the orange juice and eating, at least physically better, but Lisa had hovered anxiously over her. The woman had acted like a mother bird.

Lisa had also reeked of guilt, for which Jennie could have kicked her. she had nothing to feel guilty for she had practically forced her to take her blood. And, yes, it had briefly weakened her, but it hadn't harmed her in the end. Still, she did not have aspirations to be on a dinner menu. Even if being there had been mostly pleasurable, she would avoid offering herself up as another meal. So she'd fretted with the problem of how to feed her all afternoon.

Jennie had been to several conferences and had never seen the YG hospitality suite so busy. The fans had arrived en masse, filling the room to bursting, the overflow spilling out into the hall. Jimin had been clearly pleased. Jisoo, Tom and Deeana had had their hands full answering questions, and giving out little key chains with miniature book covers on them to the readers. Taehyung had been forced to leave Lisa and Jennie several times to confer with some of his own writers, but that had been all right, they'd done fine. With Lisa, the fans had been blessedly gentle. Perhaps that was because of Sana's announcement that she wasn't feeling well, or perhaps it was because, while she no longer looked like a walking corpse, Lisa was still pale and apparently fragile. Whatever the case, the fans Jennie had feared might overwhelm her had all been gracious and sweet. They had also done most of the talking, telling Lisa how much they enjoyed her work and not seeming to notice that she said little in response.

It was at the hospitality suite that Jennie had come up with her plan. It was risky and dangerous and utter madness, but it was the only thing she could think of. Knowing that Lisa would balk at it, she'd kept the plan to herself, asked Taehyung to accompany her to the cover model reunion dinner, and had slipped out to collect what they would need. Now she checked to be sure that she had everything and peered at her wristwatch again.

She had instructed Taehyung to bring Lisa back to the room directly after the dinner and skip the rest of the evening. That should be soon. Her gaze went to the hotel window. The sun had set while she'd been about her task; it was dark night outside. That was good. They would need darkness.

Laughter coming from the other room told Jennie the two had returned. Curious as to their levity, she slipped into the living area. Her eyebrows rose as she took in Lisa's chagrined expression and Taehyung's amusement.

"Had a good time?" she asked lightly. Her curiosity grew as Taehyung laughed again.

"You wouldn't believe it, Jennie," her friend exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like it. I mean, you know how the women can be, gathering around the few men in attendance like bees around a flower, but this was madness. I swear, one woman actually plopped herself in Lisa's lap and propositioned her for everyone to hear. I thought she was going to bolt." she laughed again. "Lis looked terrified."

Lisa grimaced as Taehyung went on to describing several other advances she'd had to parry. It had been madness down there. Lisa detested modern women with their aggressive behavior except for Jennie, of course, who was only aggressive in the nicest possible way. But the women she and Taehyung had just escaped dear God! Lisa hadn't been so worried since that time when she was a boy and the villagers had attacked the castle, torches and pitchforks in hand.

She gave a shudder as Taehyung recounted the tale of the woman who had leapt into the elevator after them. Despite the woman's plump flesh and prodigious breasts, Lisa hadn't had trouble refusing the generous offer. she had, however, had trouble resisting the urge for a little taste of her blood. If Taehyung hadn't been there, she very well might have tried despite the risk. The relief Jennie's donation had given her earlier had not lasted long.her body was in too much need. she was again quite literally desperate to feed. It was so bad that she had decided to retire to her room, slip through the door leading directly out into the hall, and go find herself a snack. Several snacks. Although she had to remember not to drink too deeply, as she had done with Jennie. her mother and father had taught her long ago that one did not slaughter the cows that produced one's milk.

"I'm heading back now."

Lisa turned her attention to what was going on around her. Taehyung moved toward the door.

"Willing to brave those women again?" Jennie teased.

Her friend grinned. "I have to talk to a couple of my authors. Besides, they weren't bothering me. Not with Lisa there. Maybe they will without her," she added with a wink. But as she opened the door, she was nearly run down.

Lisa gaped in horror as she suddenly found herself surrounded by a pack of excited, yammering women.

Every one of them was pushing and grabbing at her. Lisa backed away until she found herself up against a wall, but still they crowded forward, pressing against her, the sweet smell of their blood the only thing she could really concentrate on. she caught words and bits of phrases here and there, but none of it made sense.

" just love your books"

" couldn't afford to attend the conference, but live here"

" waited around the lobby"

" recognized you from your picture at the back of the book"

" followed you to your room"

" just love you!"

" please bite me. Turn me into a vampire"

" autograph my breasts?"

"Out!"

Lisa definitely heard and even understood Jennie's shout. she also heard her next strident words: "A little of your special help wouldn't hurt here, Lisa!"

Lisa smiled. she loved it when she called her Lisa. Then understanding struck her. She wanted her to use her mind control to convince the women to leave. she only hoped she could focus enough to do so. Doing her best to ignore her hunger, Lisa tried to focus. she sent the message out to the women that they wanted to leave.

Jennie and Taehyung both helped, each grabbing two women by an arm and urging them toward the door. Lisa dealt with the others by mind control, releasing their minds the moment the door was closed behind them.

"Geez," Taehyung muttered as he turned the lock. " 'Bite me?' 'Turn me into a vampire?' These women have to learn the difference between reality and fiction."

Lisa and Jennie exchanged glances, but they said nothing as Taehyung moved to the door of his bedroom.

"I guess I'll slip out the door from my room. Hopefully, the women aren't watching that one. I'll stop at the front desk and have security men sent up to remove the women from the hall."

"Okay. Thanks." Jennie waved him off. Both Lisa and she were silent as they waited for the sound ofher door opening and closing.

Jennie sighed when it came. She turned to Lisa with a determination that, even in her depleted state, she knew couldn't be good. Her first words didn't reassure her.

"I have a plan."

"What do you have in the bag?" Lisa asked with bewilderment as they left the hotel.

"Stuff," Jennie answered a tad shortly. She wasn't pleased with her at the moment, because she hadn't immediately fallen in with her plan. she'd heard her out, a disbelieving expression on her face, then had tried to talk her out of it. she had done her best to convince her to let her simply go bite a couple of conference guests, thinking it a much more sensible plan, but she seemed offended she'd even consider it.

She'd briefly wondered whether her upset might be because she didn't like the idea of her indulging with another woman the delights she did with her, but then she'd tossed that thought aside. She already knew, thanks to walking in while she was trying to feed on Taehyung, that she needn't bother with such methods. she supposed she was just generally offended on behalf of mankind itself. Humans didn't mind slaughtering baby cows for veal, but seemed testy at the idea of being food themselves.

"If it's too heavy, I'd be happy to carry it as I told you upstairs," Jennie added through gritted teeth.

Lisa felt a smile threatening at her irritation. she forced it back at once. she rarely smiled. Chalking up her desire to do so now as just a symptom of her bloodless state, she shifted her bag to her other hand. The woman hadn't given it up easily. After more than an hour of arguing, Lisa had finally given in to her plan. Mostly because she was starved, she was stubborn, and it was the only way to get out of their room. she knew darn well she would hound her until she agreed.

Having relented and agreed to try her plan to garner her a one-stop meal, however, didn't mean Lisa had given up courtesy. When she'd produced her "bag of tricks," as she referred to it, she'd immediately insisted on carrying it. Jennie seemed to see the move as some slight to her strength. She could carry her own bags, thank you very much. But she wouldn't let her.

Sheesh, Lisa thought. Modern women sure were a pain.

"Here we are," Jennie announced, leading her to a taxi. She gave the driver an address as Lisa followed her in. Apparently, she had done her research. She obviously believed in being prepared just like Jeongyeon.

Despite the pain she was suffering, Lisa felt her lips twitch with amusement. she couldn't help it; Jennie was just so delightfully cute.

It wasn't a long ride. When the taxi stopped and Lisa got out, it was to find they had been dropped in front of a restaurant, of all places. Lisa stood staring at the building in bemusement as Jennie followed her out.

"Jennie, I think we're in the wrong place," she said as the taxi pulled away. "I don't see-"

"This way." She took her arm and steered her up the street. "I didn't want the cab to drop us off in front, in case our little adventure made the papers tomorrow. The cabbie might have remembered picking us up and dropping us off there, and they would be able to trace us back to the hotel. Now, that isn't a worry." Her voice was brittle. Despite this being her idea, she seemed extremely tense.

"Ah. Good thinking," Lisa murmured. she didn't want to point out that the way they were dressed not to mention the metallic clinking of the backpack she carried would make them memorable anywhere. And being dropped off a couple of buildings down would be of little help. Still, it wouldn't be a concern. Lisa would see to that. she had no intention of endangering Jennie.

She spotted the building they sought, but Jennie grabbed her arm and led her past it. she was about to ask why, when suddenly she turned down an alley that ran along the opposite side of the building.

"I cased the place before I went shopping," she whispered as she skulked down the alley, dragging her behind her with one clawlike hand entrappingher wrist. She was walking in the most peculiar fashion; crouched over as if she thought that would reduce the chance of being seen.

Lisa eyed her behavior with some bewilderment, and wondered if her usually sensible mind had snapped. Surely she understood that walking in such a manner made her no less visible, and also made her look as if she was up to no good. Apparently not.

She sighed as the toe of her shoe hit a stone and sent it skittering, which in turn sent Jennie skittering, too. She burst into a run, dragging her along with her until they reached a dumpster a little more than halfway down the alley. She pulled her behind it, then crouched there and peered out fearfully.

"Did you hear that?" she asked in an anxious whisper. "I thought I heard something. I don't see anyone, though. Maybe it was just a cat or something."

"Or a rat," Lisa bent to whisper in her ear. she knew it was a mean thing to do, especially when she knew what she'd heard. But she simply couldn't help herself. She was so easy to tease. she hadn't had this much fun in well, centuries, she realized with surprise.

"A rat!" Jennie straightened abruptly, her head slamming into the bottom of her chin.

Lisa jerked back. Wincing, she rubbed the spot even as Jennie grabbed her head and issued a howl of pain. She cut the noise off almost at once, of course, but still, Lisa couldn't help but think that perhaps stealth was no longer possible in this endeavor. Jennie wasn't very good at this crime business.

"Shh," she said sternly, as if Lisa had been the one who'd just let out the caterwaul. Lisa let her get away with it, instead watching with interest as she pulled two woollen hats from her pocket. She donned one, tugging it onto her head and pulling it down over her face. It was a ski mask. When she had the holes adjusted so that only her eyes and lips showed, Jennie handed her the other.

"Put it on," she ordered. Taking the backpack she held, she set it on the ground with a clank.

"I am not putting this on," she said with disdain.

Jennie heaved an impatient sigh. "Put it on, Lisa. I don't want to open the papers tomorrow and find your wan face glaring back at me."

"How could"

"Security cameras," she interrupted grimly.

Lisa snorted. "They would hardly have security cameras in a"

"They have security cameras everywhere nowadays," she interrupted again. "It lowers the insurance or something."

Muttering under her breath, Lisa gave in. Donning the stupid thing, she felt like an idiot, and was grateful none of her family members were there to witness it. Seulgi in particular would have enjoyed taunting her for decades. Knowing Jennie could not see her scowl did not prevent her aiming a particularly ferocious one at her. Not that she noticed; she was quite busy sifting through whatever was in her bag. There was an awful lot of banging and clanking going on.

What the hell had she brought? she wondered irritably.

"In your years of living," she began in a strained tone, "I don't suppose you learned anything about burglary, did you?"

"A thing or two," Lisa admitted.

"Good." She sounded relieved. "Because all I know about it is what I've seen on TV."

Lisa raised an eyebrow, but since again she knew she couldn't see it, she said in a solemn tone, "One would never credit it."

"It's true," she told her earnestly. "I like cop shows, and I just went by those. I hope I got what we need. I wasn't sure I just went through the hardware store and grabbed anything that looked useful."

Ah. This explained why she hadn't attended the cover model reunion. Lisa knelt at her side and peered curiously into her bag. The first thing she saw were several long, pointed tools. They looked like screwdrivers but with sharpened ends. There were several of them, in a variety of sizes. "Scratch awls? What are those for?"

"They always use sharp, pointy things to break into places on TV," Jennie explained. "To pick locks." She paused, her expression thoughtful. "Or credit cards." She frowned briefly, then cursed. "I knew I should have brought my purse."

Lisa wasn't really paying attention; she was sorting through the bag. "A pipe wrench?" she asked, lifting the large, heavy plumber's tool.

Jennie bit her lip and shifted uncomfortably. "I thought maybe if you couldn't pick the locks, you could break a window."

Lisa arched an eyebrow, then pulled out a coil of "Rope? Rope, Jennie? What the heck did you bring rope for?"

"In case you had to climb into or out of a second-story window," she explained defensively.

"It's a one-story building," she pointed out.

"Oh, yes." She peered at the building with displeasure, as if suspecting it may have shrunk a floor while she wasn't looking.

"I thought you cased the place."

"I did. I just" She waved her hands wildly. "Okay, so you won't need to climb out a window. You might have to tie someone up, though."

"Hmm." Lisa reached for the next item. "Duct tape?" she drew out a roll of the silver tape. Even through the darkness, she could see her blush.

"Dad always said there wasn't a job where duct tape didn't come in handy," she said lamely. Then she straightened her shoulders and added, "You can tape the glass before you break it, if you have to break it. That would reduce the noise and mess. Or if we have to tie someone up, duct tape is impossible to tear."

"I thought the rope was for tying them up."

"Fine," she said irritably. "Use the rope to tie them up. You can duct tape their mouths shut to gag them."

Lisa nearly laughed aloud but managed to hold it back. She had obviously considered every eventuality. Except one. she didn't need any of this nonsense. Packing all the tools back into her bag, Lisa closed it, and stood up.

"Wait here," she ordered. Then she walked up the alley to the side door.

As usual, the woman didn't listen, but chased after her. Her voice was panicky as she asked, "What are you going to do?"

"What we came here to do," she answered. "Rob the blood bank."

She knocked at the door. Jennie could hardly believe it. She didn't believe it. Lisa's idea of breaking into the blood bank was knocking at the bloody door? she really needed to get a TV so that she could get a grip on reality. One didn't pull a break and enter by knocking.

Maybe she'd lost her mind, she thought unhappily. That thought took hold, and Jennie considered it seriously. It was definitely possible. The hunger and pain caused by her lack of blood could have pushed her over the edge. she might now be a raving lunatic, she thought. So she told her so.

"You're insane," she muttered in the silence that followedher knock. "The bloodlust has driven you over the edge. You"

She snapped her mouth closed as the side door opened. Jennie was so surprised she merely stood and gaped as a woman appeared. Sandy-haired and about her age, she wore a lab coat and a questioning expression as if it were only slightly out of the ordinary for people to be knocking at the side door after hours.

Jennie hadn't really expected anyone to answer but, if she had, the last person she would've expected was one of the blood-bank workers. They should all be at home, shouldn't they? She'd expected a security guard, or maybe a member of a cleaning crew.

Her thoughts were distracted when the fellow seemed to notice their ski masks. She was pretty sure that was the cause of the sudden panic on the woman's face. When she started to close the door, Jennie glanced at Lisa and gave her a nudge. Apparently, she needn't have bothered. In the next moment, the woman halted. Lisa was already working to control her mind.

There was silence as Lisa merely stared at the woman, whose face slowly became blank. Lisa asked pleasantly, "Are you alone?"

"Yes." The blood-bank worker's voice was dull, almost sounded drugged.

"Are their security cameras here?" Lisa asked.

Jennie felt justified in having insisted on the ski masks when the woman said yes. Lisa, though, looked less than pleased. She supposed she'd hoped to take her mask off.

"Would you be so good as to show us to your supply of blood?" Lisa asked next. Jennie rolled her eyes at her Old-World courtesy. It seemed the woman did everything that way. Even break-and-enter.

When the blood-bank worker turned and started up the hall, Lisa glanced at Jennie. "Wait here. I'll return directly."

"Yeah, right," was her answer. She hefted her bag over her shoulder and followed her inside. This had been her idea; she'd be damned if she was going to wait out in an alley, wringing her hands like some wimpy heroine in a novel.

Lisa glared at her. She glared back. Moving to follow the woman in the lab coat, she left Lisa to fall into step behind her.

She glanced around nervously as they walked up the hall. The blood bank was as silent as a tomb. Not a happy thought, she decided, but it brought to mind coffins and she wondered about them. Obviously, Lisa didn't need to sleep in one. While she had reinforced the darkness inher hotel room by hanging a blanket over the curtains, she wasn't sleeping in a coffin. She supposed that was something else Stoker had got wrong. But, then, according to Lisa, she didn't need a coffin because she wasn't dead. she was just old.

Jennie was scowling as she, Lisa and their guide entered a room with metal and glass refrigerators around it. Lisa was very old. She usually preferred to date men her own age. Lisa did not fit in that category. She could safely say she was the oldest woman she'd ever dated. Maybe she was the oldest woman anyone had ever dated.

She paused just inside the door and merely watched as Lisa walked past her to one of the refrigerators. she opened its door, revealing neat rows of the red liquid she so needed.

Jennie peered curiously at the woman in the lab coat. she looked completely out of it, a zombie at Lisa's mercy, and she felt a moment's gratitude that she had a strong mind. If not, Lisa could have put the whammy on her and gotten her to do anything she wanted. Which was a scary thought.

She turned her attention back to Lisa, then watched with interest as she selected a bag and poked her teeth into it. The procedure was pretty clean. she was apparently able to suck the blood directly up through her teeth like through straws, because she just stood there, teeth inserted as the blood drained away. It was relatively quick. Still, Jennie found herself glancing nervously up the hall as she waited for her to finish.

Lisa went through eight bags that way, one right after the other. When she had finished with the last, she started to close the refrigerator door. Jennie rushed forward and stopped her.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she opened her backpack. She began shoving bags in.

"Getting some to go. You'll need more tomorrow," she pointed out. "And I don't want to go through this again."

Lisa nodded. "Take the empty bags, too," she instructed. Then she moved to the blood-bank worker, murmuring something she couldn't hear.

"What did you say?" Jennie asked as they hurried back up the hall through which they'd entered.

"I instructed her to change the records to reflect the difference, so that the blood isn't missed."

"Oh." Jennie fell silent as she stepped outside. The cool air on her face as she removed the mask was a relief, and she felt some of her tension drain away. But she didn't relax completely, not even once they were in a cab and headed back to the hotel. She was as wound up as a clock, and had been all day. She could hardly believe it had been so easy. Knock on the door? Sheesh.

Lisa's hand closed over hers, and Jennie glanced at her in surprise. The woman was actually smiling. Sort of. At least,her usual scowl was missing. That was the equivalent of a smile with this woman, she thought, noting her cheeks were now flushed with color and the lines of pain were gone from her face. She couldn't believe how much blood she'd drunk, but it appeared to have done her good. she looked healthier than she'd ever seen her.

Her gaze dropped to her hand covering hers, and she turned hers over to clasp it. She knew she had sensed the tension still gripping her, and she was trying to tell her without words that it was all right. But she felt like a teenager holding hands with her boyfriend for the first time. She was sorry when they arrived at the hotel and she released her to pay the driver.

They were both silent as they walked inside and took the elevator to their floor, Jennie wondering if she would kiss her and thank her for her help once they got there. She hoped she would. She hoped she'd do more than that. But she knew it wasn't likely when they entered the room and heard the television playing. Taehyung was back, relaxing on the couch.

"Oh, hey! I was wondering where you two had got to. A delivery came while you were gone." she gestured to a large box on the table by the window. "It's addressed to Lisa Manoban c/o Jennie Kim. I guess your sister must have re-sent it. she must have figured everything out on her own." she frowned at her words, then shook her head. "Though, I guess the first box couldn't have got back to her yet it's only been a day." she shrugged. "She must just have sent you something else."

Jennie wasn't listening. She was gaping at the box on the table with disbelief. It had "M.B.B." stamped on its side. Manoban Blood Bank? Dear God. All that stress and anxiety had been for nothing.