“I wondered if you’d show up,” Grace said, sipping from her drink as she sat at a table in the noisy bar, where music was playing loudly and a band was setting up in the corner. “Join us.”

Trudie’s face tightened. She made fleeting eye contact with Kristi, clearly not as thrilled to welcome her as Grace.

Marnie tossed her hair from her shoulder and said, “Yeah, have a seat.”

Kristi ignored Trudie as she settled into an empty chair, eyeing their drinks. “So what’re you having?”

“Blood red martini.” Grace lifted her glass and twirled the long stem in her fingers, the scarlet contents threatening to slosh over the rim.

“What’s in it?”

“Blood, of course.” She licked her lips, then took a long swallow. “Mmm.”

Kristi nodded. “Yeah, right, like blood from a pomegranate or cranberry or—”

“It’s human.” Grace laughed at her joke, but Trudie’s mood turned even darker. She shot her friend a “shut-the-hell-up” look, which Kristi guessed, from the glint in Grace’s eyes, she was ignoring. Grace was enjoying this.

As was Marnie. “That’s right, we’re all into it. The whole vampire thing, you know.”

Kristi decided to play along. “I’m in Grotto’s class, too. Is he, like, the greatest teacher or what?” Before waiting for an answer, she added, “I guess I’d better have one.”

She looked around just as a waitress dropped off a pitcher of beer and four frosted mugs at a nearby table. Once finished, the girl, a slight brunette with a streak of fuchsia in her hair, turned around and Kristi thought she looked familiar, as if she’d seen her on campus. “You’re in some of my classes…?” she asked her.

“Yep. Bethany,” she said. “What can I get you?”

Kristi pointed at Trudie’s drink. “I’ll have one of those.”

“Good choice.” She nodded her approval. “My personal favorite.”

“Really?”

“Blood red martini.”

“Made with?”

“Gin, vermouth, cranberry juice, and just a hint of grape juice.”

“No real blood?” Kristi asked.

“Sorry,” Bethany said, one side of her mouth lifting. “The board of health frowns on that.”

“I imagine.”

She glanced at Trudie and Grace. “Refills?”

Trudie shook her head. “I’ve got to get to the theater before Father Mathias has a heart attack.”

“You’re in the production, right?” Kristi asked.

“Trudie’s character is Death,” Grace said, and Marnie nearly choked on a sip of her drink.

“Fitting, isn’t it?” she joked.

“Whatever.” Trudie finished her drink in one swallow and grabbed her purse.

Bethany was still waiting, and Grace said, “Why not? And make mine a double.”

“Are you crazy?” Trudie said, horrified. “You have to go to the play!”

“I know, but I already saw it.” Both Grace and Marnie seemed amused by Trudie’s concern, as if they had already swilled down several drinks. “I know the whole gloomy plot.”