Read Online The New Night Novels (Book 1): Rippers: A New Night Novel by Ashlei D. Hawley - Free Book Online Page A

name’s Vanity Flores. How about you?”
         Leland cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak, but Jameson put a hand on the kid’s shoulder. Names weren’t necessary. They were ready to leave.
         “Well, Vanity, you’re welcome to whatever’s here except our bags,” Jameson told her. “We were just heading out.”
         “Wait,” Leland protested. He directed an inquiry to Vanity, “Do you know anything about what’s going on? Do you know what’s wrong with the crazy people?”
         Vanity shrugged as she snagged a pack of unfiltered reds and a candy bar from the counter display. She stood and liberated one of the lighters from a nearby rack. She flicked it with her thumb once, then twice before it lit for her.
         Vanity smacked the pack of cigs against her open palm a few times and then tore it open with her long magenta nails. The glittery gems glued to the surfaces sparkled in the dim light of the store.
         “Dunno,” she said. Her pout had come back to those heavily-painted lips. “Shit’s gone whack, right? It’s all fucked up.” She slid one of the cigarettes between her lips and stained it red.
         “We’ll figure it out on our own,” Jameson told Leland in a low voice. “Come on.”
         Vanity clattered over to them in her heels as they waved to her and began to exit the store.
         “Wait,” she whined.
         Jameson shook his head at the door she’d forgotten to lock. He pushed it open and warned, “You’re going to want to keep this locked if you’re going to stay here for a while.”
         “Fuck, I just wanted some smokes,” Vanity mewled as she dangled the pack of reds and shook them in Jameson’s direction.
         “Can I go with you?” she pleaded. “I need to find my boyfriend, Camden. He called me from work a little bit ago. He works at some shithole like this, too, ya know? But I don’t want to go find him alone. You guys could use the company, right?”
         She moved between the two of them and played her long nails around the collar of Jameson’s shirt. The stench of her perfume made him feel as though he was about to vomit in her face.
         “Come on, I can be good company,” Vanity insisted. “Cam doesn’t mind when I’m good company for other cool guys like you.”
         Jameson removed Vanity’s hands from his shirt and tried not to grimace at the touch. She was so unattractive to him he didn’t even want to feed from her.
         “Miss, you don’t know us from the crazy people out there,” he explained to her in the same tone he would use for a child. “For all you know, we could turn on you at any minute. I think you’re safer trying to get to Camden on your own.”
         “You could turn on me,” Vanity agreed as she leaned closer to Jameson. “Or you could take turns on me,” she whispered in what Jameson supposed passed for her attempt at a seductive voice. The woman really didn’t quit.
         “Not interested.” Jameson squeezed Vanity’s wrists with more force than he needed to as he pushed her away. His strength was still something he had to work on getting used to.
         Vanity cried out as he pushed her. She acted as though he’d ripped her arms off instead of giving her an innocent little display of strength to make her back off.
         Jameson grabbed Leland and hauled him out of the door. The boy still felt some negative effects of his ill-advised drinking, he was sure, but they needed to move. Vanity was an inconvenience he didn’t want hanging around his neck or any other body part.
         “You fucking asshole!” Vanity screeched as she stumbled out into the parking lot after them. “I hope one of them fuckers finds you and beats the shit out of you!” She bent down to scoop up a rock in her manicured hand and flung it at them.
         Jameson pulled Leland slightly to the right to avoid the hit. Vanity wouldn’t be