When we got down to the tunnel in the basement, I set him down and grabbed his hand to lead him through. To go to the club, we’d turn off to our right, but I didn’t want to go to the club, so I kept walking. Violet got confused and asked if I knew where I was going, but I’d done this a hundred times before.

Eventually, after weaving through the basement labyrinth, we reached the elevator in the center. The elevator was lit by fluorescent bulbs, making both Violet and I squint, but Bobby was relieved to be able to see again.

“So, are your eyes really purple?” Bobby asked as we rode up to Olivia’s suite. “Or is that a vampire thing?”

“No, it’s a me thing,” Violet sighed. “One in like a million people have violet eyes. My name was going to be Mischa, but when my mom saw my eyes, she changed it.”

“Oh,” he nodded.

“Elizabeth Taylor has violet eyes, I guess,” Violet said.

The elevator ride to the top of the building was rather long, and the awkward silence settled over us. Bobby started humming along with “The Girl From Ipanema” music that played through the speakers, and Violet stared up at the ceiling.

When the doors opened, I stepped out into Olivia’s luxurious penthouse. Bobby had been up here with me a few times before, but this was obviously all new to Violet. She whistled loudly and stepped over to the window to admire the view.

“This is a really nice place,” Violet commented, sounding awed.

“It’s nicer when it’s clean,” I said.

Olivia had a maid come up and clean twice a week, and today was clearly not her day. Pillows were all over, and one of them had been torn open, so white puffballs of stuffing littered the furniture. A few wine bottles were tossed about, meaning the party had been mostly the human persuasion, but that was just the way Olivia liked it.

Two of her party guests were still passed out, sprawled out on her overstuffed furniture. One of them was a very pretty girl wearing only a black bra and leggings with blood dried on her neck. The other was a vampire with very high cheek bones. He reminded me of Daniel Johns from Silverchair when he’d been anorexic.

“Olivia!” I said loudly, kicking an empty wine bottle.

The vampire lifted his head a bit, squinting in the light. All the windows were tinted to keep out UV rays, but they didn’t have any shades, and the sun hit the building straight on. I don’t know why the vampire hadn’t gone back to one of the rooms to sleep, but I didn’t really care either.

“Olivia owns the club?” Violet asked, sounding shocked.

She knew Olivia, as did most people, but Olivia kept her status under wraps. She didn’t want anybody to know what power she still held. She liked staying under the radar.

“Yep.” I walked over to Olivia’s bedroom door and knocked it. “Olivia, wake up.”

“She doesn’t like me very much,” Violet said.

“You’re hot. She likes you,” Bobby said, sitting down on the couch. He picked up a bottle of wine by his feet and swooshed it around. It still had some in, so he took a swig.

“Bobby, it’s nine in the morning! Do you really need to drink?” I asked.

“It’s red wine and I had one drink,” he scoffed. “It’s not like I’m blitzed.”

“Who the hell are you people and why are you here?” the Daniel Johns vampire asked.

“We’re not here. It’s just a dream. Go back to sleep,” Bobby said.

“Olivia!” I pounded on her door again, and when she didn’t get up, I pushed it open. “Olivia!”

“What?” Olivia grumbled, her face buried in a pillow.

She lay in a massive bed, curled up in silk sheets. A beautiful, topless girl lay in bed next to her. I’d seen her a few times before, so she was a semi-regular of Olivia’s, but I never learned her name. I didn’t want to. It made it easier to let Olivia feed on people if I didn’t actually think of them as people.

“I need you to come out here for a minute,” I said. I stood in the doorway, because if I walked away, she’d just fall back to sleep.

As Olivia got up, she mumbled something under her breath and pulled on a satin housecoat. It was so weird seeing her wear things that weren’t leather, but she did exclusively wear black. Her long hair shimmered down her back, completely smooth and silky, even though she’d just woken up.

“It’s too bright out there.” Olivia paused in the doorway and refused to step out further. “What do you need from me? I just went to bed.”

“I brought you a present.” I stepped back and gestured to Violet, who stood to the side.

“Hi.” Violet forced a smile and wiggled her fingers meekly.

“Didn’t that girl try to kill you?” Olivia arched her eyebrow at me.

“I say let bygones be bygones,” I shrugged. “But she doesn’t have a place to stay. So she’s gonna stay with you for a while.”

“Fine, fine.” Olivia yawned and waved her hand at me. “The second bedroom is open.” She pointed at the room next to hers. “She can stay there. Just be quiet when I’m sleeping.”

“Thank you,” Violet said, but Olivia didn’t acknowledge her.

“Thanks,” I echoed, and Olivia nodded.

“Next time wait until later in the day.” She started shutting the door, then stopped. “Are you coming over tonight to train?”

“Sure.”

“Alright. See you tonight then.” Olivia yawned again and shut the door.

“There you go,” I told Violet and stepped away from the room. Olivia’s sleepiness was contagious, and I yawned myself.

“Thanks.” Violet looked unsure about everything, but I didn’t really want to reassure her. She’d be fine here, and I’d done my part. Now the lack of sleep and stress of the day started to hit me.

“No problem,” I said and walked over to the elevator.

Violet just stood off to the side, almost as if she was afraid to move. When the elevator doors opened, I stepped inside, and I had to hold them open for Bobby.

“Why are you helping me?” Violet asked as Bobby stepped in.

“I don’t know,” I said honestly, and the doors slid shut.

“I thought of something,” Bobby said. “After we met Violet, but I didn’t say something when she was around.”