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Chapter Thirteen
The next day Anna waited in anticipation for his call. She received several texts from Austin, a call from her father who checked in with her about once a week, but nothing from Jake. She kicked herself for not asking for his number, patience was not a virtue she possessed.
She decided against telling Jenna about it for now. She needed to talk to him some more and she had a feeling her friend wouldn't let her go off alone with him if she knew. Not that she would isolate herself, she fully intended to meet him in a public place. Still, he had some kind of unnatural ability to disguise things from the general populace, and who knew how deep that went. Could he kidnap her in the middle of a crowded room and make it appear she was willing? Quite possibly. But at this point her need to understand overrode her caution sensors. Sometimes you had to take a risk.
On Friday they went with the guys, Brent, Kip, and Les, on a tour of London. All day Anna was filled with a sense of anxiety and anticipation. They were going out to Legend that night, and since Jake had been the one to recommend the place there was at least some chance he’d be there. Jenna was too preoccupied to notice Anna's state of mind so she was spared the grill.
But he didn't show. She spun a tale in her mind that involved him being badly injured in a supernatural battle, painting him the big hero. She searched the place for signs of other vampires, but if they were there she didn't see them. By the time they left for the hotel she was enormously disheartened.
The next night they went to yet another club, and it was more of the same. Anna couldn't enjoy herself. She tried, really tried, but found herself on constant alert for signs of strange activity. She was beginning to think she had imagined it all, that she really had ingested some kind of hallucinogen at that meeting.
By Sunday evening she was almost convinced that was the case.
When Wednesday rolled around again she talked them all into going to the Frat House. Lena, the Elizabeth Hurley look alike, had said that everyone from around there knew Jake. She could ask around, someone had to know something. By the time they reached the strip she was giddy with excitement. Even the girls noticed her drastic mood change.
"You want to see Jake, don't you?" Marina teased.
"Oooh, yeah, that's why she's so bouncy today!" Macey laughed and waggled her eyebrows.
"You should've given him your number," Jenna told her, "instead of pining away over him all week long, maybe he could have hung out with all of us."
She bit her tongue. She had left out the fact that she had given him her number. Which was probably a good thing, they would have just insisted he was a bum who wasn't worth her time.
"Yeah, but I felt guilty doing that," she lied, "because of Austin."
"Yet you were hoping to see him on Friday and are hoping to see him tonight," Jenna pointed out.
"I know, I know."
Their guy friends met them at the front of the club and Anna immediately put her plan in action. She made her way up to the bar, scanning the place as she went.
The bartender acknowledged her with a slight lift of his head.
"Porter draft," she told him.
He brought the drink over and quoted the price.
"I was hoping you could help me find someone," she smiled sweetly as she handed him her money.
"Who would that be?"
"His name is Jake, he's about 6'2", brown hair, hazel eyes, he comes in here a lot. He has a friend named Lena...
The guy was nodding so she stopped. "Yeah, I know him, haven't seen him tonight, but it's still early."
"Can you tell me his last name, or point me to someone who might know more? It's important." She put on an earnest face figuring with her pixie looks she would come across harmless.
"I don't know his last name, I only know who you mean because you mentioned Lena. Haven't seen her yet either." He looked around the bar and pointed to a couple of women standing at the left corner of it. "Might try them, friends of Lena's."
She thanked him and gave him a big tip. He acknowledged it and added, "If I see him I'll let you know."
She started in the direction of the women, then slowed a bit and studied them. They were wearing a great deal of make-up and sporting bad hair dye jobs, one bleached blonde, one the color of a strawberry. They were in their mid-twenties and dressed like street walkers. Lena had definitely been classier despite her skimpy clothing.
"Excuse me," she said as she approached, "I was wondering if you could help me."
The women looked her up and down. "With what?" The bleached blonde asked.
She repeated the questions she'd ask the bartender, adding that he'd pointed her their way.
Strawberry spoke. "I know Jake, but he doesn't do last names. In fact when a girl he wants to shag is the type who needs a last name, he makes one up. All his buddies are like that. Great lay though, have you done him?"
Anna blushed and shook her head.
"Oh, you're one of those innocent types he likes. It's some kind of game for him to seduce girls like you." She smiled and flashed a set of crooked teeth. "Haven't seen him around tonight, but if I do I'll be sure to say you're looking for him."
"What about Lena?"
"What about her?"
"Have you seen her around?"
The woman snorted. "Even if I had, the chances she'd know where he is are pretty slim. She likes to pretend she's tight with those guys, but she doesn't know any more than the rest of us. So unless she's just seen him, I'm afraid you’re S.O.L."
Anna thanked them and walked away, her heart sinking in defeat. She had been so certain she would find out something useful. Damn it! She only had six more days before they were on their way back to the states. She couldn't stand the thought that she would go home without answers, without knowing for certain what she'd seen was real.
Jenna tapped her shoulder. "Find him?"
Anna shook her head.
"Were you asking those girls about him?"
She nodded, "The bartender said they might know him."
"And?"
"They do, but not where he is, or his last name, or where he lives, so yeah, they know him about as well as I do....aside from the fact that they've apparently slept with him." She winced, immediately wishing she could take that last back.
Jenna wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, Anna, I'm thinking that maybe it's a good thing you're not finding him. Those bimbos look like disease on legs."
"It's not like I was going to have sex with him!"
"I know that...look, I don't want to crush you, but I'm thinking he might've bailed because he knew he wasn't getting laid. I liked him, he was definitely handsome and charming, but face it, he's a player, and he must've decided that with you he'd lose."
Anna blew out air in frustration.
"What was that?" Jenna raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, I just…well you have a guy to hang out with, and please don't think I'm trying to make you feel guilty because I'm really glad that you do, it's just.....
Jenna looked at her sympathetically, "I understand. So why not try and meet someone else, we still have six more days."
"Austin," Anna mumbled.
"Forget him."
Anna jerked in surprise.
"No, I don't mean forget him, I just mean don't let him stop you from having a good time when he's not even here."
She nodded and smiled at her friend. "Okay, you're right. Gotta use the ladies' then I'll try to relax." She took off towards the restroom letting her smile slip. If only it really was about any of that, oh what a carefree life she'd have. She was once again struck by a feeling of alone-ness. Not loneliness, just alone-ness.
For the next few days they explored London thoroughly. One one of their excursions the guys brought along a friend-Andy. He was cute and nice and Anna decided he was a perfect addition to the crew.
She was once again resigned to the idea that she had questions without answers.
It was the day before they were supposed to return home when she saw them again. Not Jake, but others like him. She was walking down the sidewalk near the Frat House with her friends when they walked by, flashing their fangs and strange eyes.
She grabbed onto Andy's arm, startling him.
"Did you trip?" he smiled.
"Um, yeah, clumsy me." She took a breath and looked over her shoulder and one of them looked back and met her eyes.
"Uhh, do you know that guy?" Andy asked.
She tore her gaze away. "Um, I thought I recognized him. I was wrong." She smiled benignly, and they resumed walking down the street in the opposite direction.
They went into Fresno’s and had just ordered a pitcher of beer and nachos when her phone rang, the number coming up unlisted. She stared at it for a second, then excused herself and went outside to answer it.
"Hello?" her voice quavered.
"Anna."
Oh God. When it rains it pours.
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