The Dead of Night

Decisions

Chapter Eight: Decisions

** During dinner service both of the bite marks ached terribly, but, I had to hide them beneath a shawl for the managers wanted to watch us work, for some reason. I overheard them speaking with Chef Pippino. "So, what do you think of Mademoiselle June? Is she good?" Moncharmin asked; Chef Pippino grinned.

"Good? Oh, monsieur, you do her a great injustice to say that she is just 'good'! I've never seen someone make a crepe of such amazing quality so fast!" He cried; I smiled a little, but, did not stop working. I was then aware that all three of them were smiling at me; now, Moncharmin spoke again.

"Chef, do you know why she's wearing a shawl in the kitchen? It's awfully hot in here, you know." Moncharmin asked, Chef shrugged.

"Perhaps she gets cold easily, she can wear what she wants as long as her quality and speed stay as they are now." Chef Pippino said; the three of them approached me and Moncharmin addressed me with the same question.

"I'm a little cold, monsieur, it's just something that runs through my family." I lied, smiling and finishing another dish, placing it on the counter top and ringing the bell for a waiter/waitress to come get it and bring it to the diner. Moncharmin nodded and the three of them left the kitchen, however, through the swinging door came someone I did not expect: Donna! However, she only sat on the couch and watched me work. Jack seemed like he had to be in twenty different places at once!

Jack was needed almost everywhere! He ran over to me, his body ragged and his face looking even more so. "Change of plans, Junie, stay with me after dinner service, do not leave my side, okay?" He asked; my brows furrowed as I flipped a crepe.

"Why?" 

"He...he knows" Jack answered in a hushed tone.

"Wouldn't he know now too?" I asked quieter, he shrugged, shaking his head.

"I dunno, Junie! I can't read the man's mind!" He cried, I nodded in surrender and he sighed.

"Perhaps it would be better if you were to leave...ya know, when mom and dad come?"

"No!" I yelled, whipping around with a hot pan in my hand. "No, Jack...this is the best job I've ever gotten! I'm not catcalled, Jack, things aren't thrown at me, and, I don't have to deal with many drunkards--"

Yeah, but, Junie, you're being fed off of, you're food!" Jack hissed, rubbing his eyes; I sighed and put another plate on the counter, ringing the bell.

"Minor detail" I said softly.

"Minor detail...minor detail?!" Jack cried, rubbing his face; he sighed in frustration. "Junie" he hissed. "I'm losing my mind for you, Junie, I have to worry about you, the cooks, the kitchen, the diners, the Vampire--"

"Well, then...don't!" I cried, sighing. "Don't worry about me anymore, Jack, okay? You don't have to, I swear you don't; sure he feeds off of me every once and a while, but that's it. I'll have him bite me in less conspicuous place next time--"

"No, Junie, there will not be a 'next time'. Either you leave, he leaves you alone, or he dies." Jack hissed. "Those are the three choices" he added; now, Chef Pippino yelled to Jack.

"Eh, Jack! Stop talkin' with our star chef, eh? She needs to work, we've got a full house out there!" Chef Pippino cried, laughing; Jack smiled and nodded to Chef Pippino, he leaned close to me.

"It's your choice, June" he whispered, he knocked on the counter with his knuckles and walked away to join Chef Pippino, Moncharmin and Firmin. I sighed, I really didn't want to leave such a wonderfully lavish place as this! Besides, the pay was good too, even for a sous chef such as I! I glanced up, away from the food I cooked to see a man sitting in the dinning room, clad in a black tuxedo with a black cloak and a black hat; his fingernails were long and, he looked up to me a smiled a fanged smile, tipping his hat. The Vampire?

Why was he here?

Then, as the door opened again, I saw the waiter bring him a crepe I had just finished making; he was...he was trying my food! I watched him as he cut up the chicken, lettuce, tomato, provolone cheese, mushroom, and olive crepe drizzled with turkey gravy; he winked to me after he took his first bite. I shook my head and got back to cooking, the managers, Jack and Chef Pippino were all staring at me now, since I had paused; so, I kicked it up a notch and cooked faster, and, not a single dish was sent back to us!

** After dinner service I did as Jack said and followed him around, helping him clean up the kitchen a little and turn out the lights. He lead me to us room and shut the door afterwards, locking all of the locks. "By no means leave this room, alright? The Vampire shouldn't be able to get in since I haven't invited him in, so, we should be fine." He said, I nodded and he gave a tired smile, enveloping me in a hug again.

"I know I've been cranky lately, and I'm sorry for that, Junie, I'll make it up to 'ya, I promise." He said, kissing the top of my head and sighing. I smiled and hugged him tight.

"I know how you could make it up to me!" I cried, smiling happily up to him.

"How?"

"Ice cream and your legendary brownies!" I said, grinning to him; he chuckled.

"Tomorrow, okay? I'll make you that for breakfast" he assured; I giggled and hugged him tighter, I was getting ice cream! A little while later I slipped into my nightgown as Jack made us dinner, for Jack wanted me to get to 'saftey' as fast as he could! Dinner was calm and he and I relaxed in the living area, just speaking to each other, until nine o'clock, that's when it struck me, what ever happened to Donna? I grasped Jack's arm and told him what happened.

"Eh, she probably went to her room, don't worry about her." He replied, but, I most certainly was worrying about her! I laid down in Jack's room at nine thirty, biting my lip in nervousness as time inched closer to ten o'clock. The clock struck ten and I glanced around the room, nothing seemed different; I waited for a few moments and then relaxed, laying back down and closing my eyes. However, seconds away from sleep, I heard a scratching noise and opened my eyes to see the Vampire's fiery eyes staring back at me.

"Good evening, Mademoiselle June" The Vampire said in a hushed tone.

"But...but Jack said--"

"Jack was wrong, as he often is." The Vampire replied, stepping into the moonlight. "I've come to give you a choice, mademoiselle" the Vampire continued. "I have your little friend Donna with me at the moment, she offered herself up to me in your stead!" The Vampire said with a quiet laugh; my eyes narrowed.

"How am I to believe you?" I asked, he grinned and lifted his cloak up to reveal little Donna standing so bravely beside him.

"I haven't laid a finger on her, as is our deal. I don't touch her until you say the word. Anyways, the deal for you goes as follows: if you would fancy me to leave you alone, Donna will take your stead as my personal blood bag, though she's nearly as tasty and is far too young for my taste, I'll take it. If you don't want little Donna to end up with bite marks on her, then you regain your title as my blood bag, but, you must come with me...if only for a little while." He said, he was grinning, he knew I made my decision.

"Where are we going?" I asked and Donna nearly screamed in horror! I had to rush forwards and hush her, placing my hand over her mouth and shushing her, petting her hair. "It's okay, Donna, it's okay, I won't get hurt, I promise, besides, it doesn't hurt when he bites me I just get a little dizzy is all." I answered in a whisper; I kissed her forehead and pulled her close.

"Don't speak of this to Jack, okay? I beg of you, he'd never forgive me." Said I, Donna only hugged me tighter.

"Off you go, mademoiselle." The Vampire said, pushing Donna gently away from me; he offered his hand to me and I took it. Donna whimpered quietly behind us as the Vampire lead me out of Jack's room, to the kitchen, down the wine cellar, and into the cellars.

(A/N)

Sorry that this is a short chapter, yesterday I got back from the Triangle Rising Star Awards where the musical I was in won Best Musical for the 2013-2014 year! We also got special recognition for Best Orchestra and Best Costumes! Again, I apologize for the short chapter!