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better than I could in the dark depths of the factory.
    We descended the rickety staircase and I led the way down the narrow, dark, and dank hal way until we reached the last two opposing doors.

    “It’s this one,” I said. I reached for the doorknob, but like the last time, it fel off in my hand.
    Alexander’s face grew serious. “Hurry!”
    My hand shook as I stuck the knob back in its groove and tried to wind it so the latch would catch.
    Alexander anxiously tapped his monster boots on the cement floor. The sound echoed, causing me to be more nervous than I already was. Final y, the knob caught the latch and we were inside Jagger’s office.
    I raced to the desk. The rol ed-up blueprints were in the same position I’d left them. I quickly took off the rubber band and unrol ed them.
    “Here.” I showed Alexander the second set.
    Alexander peered at the plans. These drawings weren’t as big as the Crypt’s blueprints were.
    “It looks like another club,” I said, using what I’d learned by examining the Crypt’s plans with Alexander.
    “Yes . . .” he said. “Here’s a smal bar, a main stage, and a game room.”
    “The Covenant . . .” I said. “This room has to be the one Jagger’s planning as the vampire club. It’s underground and secluded, just like the Dungeon is at the Coffin Club. He said it himself— mortals above, vampires below.”
    Alexander shook his head, frustrated by what we’d just discovered.
    “What’s this?” I asked. I pointed to a smal unmarked box drawn opposite the main stage.
    Alexander and I froze when we heard noises coming from upstairs.
    I could barely breathe.
    “We’ve got to go,” he said, replacing the Crypt blueprints on top of the ones for the Covenant. While Alexander headed for the doorway, I rol ed them back up, being careful not to damage them in any way. I bound them with the rubber band and set them back into their original position.
    Now that we’d accomplished the sneaking in part, we’d have to accomplish the harder part—sneaking out.
    Alexander hung by the doorway as I grabbed my backpack and fumbled with my flashlight.
    I could hear noises above us getting closer, and I did my best not to panic.
    I tried to recover and tiptoed to the door, trying to avoid flashing the beam in Alexander’s face. The light shook as I made my way between the desk and the filing cabinets. Suddenly my face banged hard into something.
    “Are you okay?” Alexander whispered.
    I felt the large metal object in front of me. It was cool to the touch and felt smooth. I’d walked into one of the filing cabinets.
    “Are you okay?” Alexander asked again.
    I was too embarrassed and shocked to feel any pain. I shined the beam on the floor as I continued toward the doorway.
    “What’s that?” Alexander whispered.
    “What’s what?” I wondered. “I didn’t hear anything.”
    “That scent . . .”

    “I’m sure it’s just mold. This place hasn’t been cleaned in years.”
    “It’s not a bad smel . . . it’s the scent of—”
    It was then I felt the dewy drops on the side of my cheek. I must have broken open my wound when I ran into the cabinet.
    I stepped into the moonlight. Alexander’s eyes lit up, then he backed away.
    Alexander didn’t know what to do. If he got any closer to me, he might be attracted to my mouth, with lust and thirst.
    We didn’t have time for a romantic vampire moment between us.
    We heard the scuffling of footsteps coming down the staircase at the end of the hal way.
    “They won’t—” I said. “It’s not enough and they are too far away.”
    Alexander put his finger to his lips to direct me to be silent as they came down the corridor.
    “You must wipe it away. Before—”
    My cut was smal , but the scent of blood would be ripe on a breezy night in an empty factory. If the vampires were close, it wouldn’t take long until they’d know a mortal was near.
    “Do you smel that?” I heard someone say. I couldn’t see them,