Morganville (Justin Bieber)

Chapter 74

And ... it really would burn Monica if I looked hot. (I'd never be hotter than Monica, that was a fantasy, but still.) Imagining the expression on Monica's face, I slowly stroked my fingers down the soft leather of the skirt. No. I can't.

And then I imagined Justin's face when he saw me.

Well. Maybe I could, after all.

I hadn't gotten his expression quite right in my imagination, because the stunned, vacant expression on Justin's face when I started down the stairs was even better than fantasy. His mouth actually dropped open. Next to him, Michael turned around, and although I hadn't counted on it, there was a warm fuzzy to making a hot golden-angel vampire blink and give me a quick, involuntary once-over.

I stopped on the steps above them and did a tentative hip-shimmy. "Okay?" I asked. Justin's mouth shut with a snap, and Michael actually cleared his throat.

"Fine," Michael said.

"Fine?" That was Eve, coming down the stairs behind me. She moved around the roadblock and punched Michael in the arm. "She looks amazing. I'm not half gay and I think she's hot."

Justin wasn't saying anything. I felt warm and a little dizzy, the way he was looking at me. I resisted the urge to check to see if my skirt was straight -- I'd done it a dozen times already --and forced myself to meet his gaze and smile.

"You sure this is smart?" Justin asked, which was not what I'd expected, not at all. "You look fantastic."

"Thanks -- "

He interrupted me. "Fantastic in this town pops you to the top of the take-out menu."

I held up my left hand and pointed to my wrist. The gold bracelet was clearly visible. "I'll be okay," I said. "The vamps won't bother me."

"Not even talking about the vamps. You're going to be drawing every guy there who's looking to get off."

Eve rolled her eyes. "Oh, God, Justin, buzzkill? She looks great, and you don't have to get all jealous and overprotective about it! She'll be with us, we'll all look out for her. And you've got to admit, girlfriend looks good all cleaned up. I did her hair, too. Smokin', right?" The hair, I felt, was just almost over the top. It was mostly gel and sprays and stuff, but it did have that carefully tousled look that models always seemed to wear.

Eve wasn't exactly wallflower quality tonight, either; she was wearing a dramatic black floor-sweeping dress that left her pale arms bare, plunged a neckline halfway to China, and had a slit in the side that went all the way to her hip. Fishnet hose, even. It was outrageously sexy, and if Michael had noticed my transformation, he was completely focused on Eve now.

Eve winked at him and spun around to show him the back. Of which there wasn't any. It was just her skin, and a crimson rose tattoo at the small of her back.

"Man," Justin said. "That's just -- yeah."

It wasn't until I'd gotten past their reactions -- which were pretty fun -- that I realized that Eve must have done a number on the boys, too ... because they looked amazingly fine. Michael was wearing black pants and a black leather coat, and a dark blue silk shirt. It made him just ... blaze, like white gold against velvet.

Justin looked good enough to drag back to my room. Eve must have forced him to get the worst of his shag evened up, which brought out his strong cheekbones and chin. He was wearing black, too, with a white button up shirt. I had never seen him in a jacket. I decided he needed to never take it off. Not ever.

Michael shook his head and offered Eve his arm. She took it, smiling with her red, red lips, and winked at me. I winked back, suddenly feeling very wicked, and slid my arm through Justin's.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Justin said.

This was going to be fun.

I hadn't forgotten the address, even though I'd given away the invitation, and Michael knew Morganville like the back of -- Eve's back, the way he kept looking at her exposed skin, especially the tattoo. And besides, if you were within a couple of blocks of the party, you couldn't possibly miss it. Between the glow of the lights and the low-pitched rumble of the music, there was no sleeping through it if you lived nearby.

Michael cruised around the block, looking for parking, and finally located a narrow few feet of curb. As he pulled in, he said, "Ground rules. We don't split up. Eve and Ana, you two especially. It's not just because of the vampires, it's because of Jason. Got it?"

We nodded.

"Besides," Justin said, and playfully tugged at my hair, "I want to see Monica's face when she catches sight of the two of you. Kodak moment."

Eve fumbled in her tiny little coffin-shaped purse and held up a brand new cell phone, with camera. "I'm ready."

"Me too," I said, and pulled out the fancy phone that Amelie had given me. I felt a blast of shame as Justin glanced at it, but controlled it. I couldn't be ashamed all the time, and besides, it wasn't so bad, right? What I was doing? It wasn't any worse than having a day job. Just ... different.

"Be careful what you eat and drink," Michael continued. "Monica's party is probably roofie heaven. I can smell what they put in the drinks, you guys can't. And if you get into any trouble, step back, let me handle it. If you're going to have a freak vamp friend, you might as well get your money's worth out of it."

Justin didn't answer, but I could see there was some smart-ass remark burning a hole in his tongue. I was glad he didn't let it loose. It was nice to feel like four friends again, instead of four people all about to spin apart in different directions.

"Anything else, Dad?" Eve asked. Michael kissed her, very lightly, sparing her lipstick.

"Yeah," he said. "You look good enough to eat. Promise me you'll remember that."

I was caught between a smile and a shiver, and saw that Eve was, too.

The Morrell home looked like Tara from Gone With The Wind, post Sherman's march. I watched, blinking, as a mob of drunken frat boys stumbled down the walk, roaring something I couldn't make out, carrying a couch.

Which they deposited in the giant European-style fountain in front of the house. Apparently they were relocating most of the living room out there. Some partiers were already sitting in chairs, soaking in the fountain's spray, and now three or four of them piled giggling onto the wet couch.

"Now this," Justin said with respect, "is out of bounds. I like it."

It was totally out of control. The four of us stood together by Michael's shiny vampire-tinted car, watching in admiration. The house was blazing with lights, there were lit tiki torches tilting drunkenly all over the lawn, and partiers were everywhere. Making out under the trees, in full glare of the security lights. Doing shots on the big, white-columned front steps. A girl ran by dressed in half a bikini. The top half.

"Damn," Michael said. "Monica does know how to throw it."

No kidding. I watched as a big bobtail truck inched its way through a knot of people toward the back of the house. It had the logo of BOB'S FINE LIQUORS. Apparently, Monica had called in liquid reinforcements already, and the night was young.

"Well?" Eve said. "Are we standing out here all night? Because I'm ready to knock somebody dead."