Before I knew it, Sebastian was crouched down next to Becky. He took her leg and placed her sandaled foot on his knee. Her pink toes sparkled against his black pants like tiny stars. It was like Prince Charming trying to fit the glass slipper—only this Prince Charming was a vampire.
Becky giggled awkwardly, her leg in Sebastian’s grasp.
“I’m all right,” Becky said. “It’s just a scratch.”
Sebastian examined her wound as a jeweler would a diamond ring.
“Why are you two making such a fuss?” Becky asked. Before I could do anything, Sebastian took his index finger and wiped her wound.
“Oooh…that’s gross!” Becky screeched, closing her eyes.
Droplets hung on his finger like red wine.
His fangs flashed. He reached his finger to his mouth.
I knew what he was about to do next, and though I wanted to see it for myself—a firsthand account of a vampire following his instincts—I knew if Becky saw it we could never undo the damage that would incur.
His finger was about to pass his lips.
“No—!” I exclaimed.
I pushed Sebastian as hard as I could away from Becky, and the two of us tumbled to the ground.
“Raven—what are you doing?” Becky asked.
Sebastian and I lay on the grass, for a moment disoriented. I regained my bearings and rose to my feet to find
Sebastian already standing. His pale face was cherry red. I grabbed his hand and held it toward the light. The blood on his finger was gone.
He gazed at me with childish horror, like a toddler who has broken into a candy jar.
Becky took out a crumbled tissue from her pocket and dabbed it on her wound. Then she showed me. “See?
The blood is gone.”
Alexander and Matt suddenly were standing behind us.
“What’s going on?” Matt asked, concerned.
I shot Alexander a stern glare.
“Nothing really. I tripped and skinned my knee,” Becky said. “Sebastian was very brave and wiped the blood off with his fingers.”
Matt led Becky into her truck while Alexander’s contentment slowly turned to anger.
Alexander’s best friend was leaning against his car. A wicked grin overcame him as he licked his pale blue lips.
As Sebastian drove toward my house, I tried to mask the severity of the situation by chatting about the upcoming weather forecast. I didn’t want to snitch on Sebastian—to condone or deny what had just taken place —if only not to spoil Alexander’s evening. My boyfriend had been so happy to be out of the Mansion with his best friend by his side—a fellow vampire, a childhood playmate, his next-door neighbor. A guy with whom
Alexander could be his true self—no longer having to wear the disguise of a rebellious mortal but instead that of a sensitive vampire. But Alexander was keen to Sebastian’s ill conduct. The two friends rode in silence.
When we finally parked in front of my house, Sebastian, along with Alexander and I, got out of the car.
Alexander didn’t bother to shut his door. He avoided Sebastian altogether and started for my driveway.
Sebastian tapped his boot against his tire in disgust.
“He didn’t mean to do it,” I defended.
Alexander chewed on his lip.
“Alexander—” Sebastian said bravely, confronting his best friend. “I don’t know what happened. I’m truly
—”
Alexander faced his friend. “You crossed the line,” he said in a tone that couldn’t hide his disappointment.
“I didn’t plan on it. It wasn’t like I hurt her. I couldn’t help myself; I’m not restrained—like you,” he said sincerely.
“You can’t stay here,” Alexander said firmly. His voice was strong, but it couldn’t mask how it pained him to say it.
“I’m sorry, Alexander. I won’t go near her again.”
“Becky didn’t see anything,” I said. I wasn’t sure why I was defending Sebastian. Perhaps it was because the hapless vampire, like me, seemed to get in trouble just by breathing.
“Tomorrow night,” Alexander started, “when you wake up, Jameson will have your things packed.”
Sebastian slunk back into the Mustang, and Alexander silently escorted me to my front steps.
“I’m sure he—” I began, but Alexander wasn’t listening. Instead, he gave me a quick kiss on the lips. I opened the front door and reluctantly entered my house. I heard the sound of a car door slamming and a
Mustang peeling away from the curb.
I struggled as usual to sleep. The only time I’d seen Alexander this upset was when we went to the SnowBall last winter and Trevor told him the only reason I liked him was that I thought he was a vampire. Instead of hanging out in bed, I sat on my desk and stared out my window.
I hoped I’d find Alexander resting against our tree or sitting on the swings. All I saw was a lonely maple and an empty swing set.
I replayed Sebastian’s obsession with Becky over in my mind. I imagined what would happen if Alexander and I were placed in a similar position.
Alexander was chasing me through the tombstones. The grass was wet with fresh rain, and the air filled with a gentle mist. I dodged a grave marker and then jumped over another as Alexander drew close. Fatigued yet exhilarated, I sprang over a third headstone. It caught the heel of my Mary Janes, I lost my balance, and I tumbled to the ground with a thud.
I felt a little stupefied. I sat up to find a sharp pain emanating from my right arm.
Alexander leaped to my aide. I raised my elbow. He held it softly.
“Is it broken?”
“Just bruised.”
He blew off the dirt and gently picked the wet blades of grass from my skin and examined it closely. A large gash, the size of a pencil, raced up my forearm. We both watched as blood began to fill the slender wound.
“We are on sacred ground,” I said, raising my wound toward his mouth.
Two fangs pierced through the break in his lips. He tried to cover them with the back of his hand.
“You need me as much as I need you,” I said, pulling his hand away. “It’s okay. You don’t have to fight it anymore. You don’t have to be strong.”
I could see in his eyes that Alexander struggled, wondering what it would be like to finally taste my blood, as
Sebastian had tasted Becky’s.
“I’d still have to bite you. To turn you, like me.”
“Perhaps it’s time. We’d finally be together. Like I’ve always wanted. I’ve always needed you, Alexander.”
“I need you too, Raven.”
He took my arm and drew it up to his mouth. He closed his eyes, and I watched as he licked his lips and opened his mouth.
Suddenly, Nightmare jumped in front of the window and I was so startled, I was lucky I didn’t fall off my desk and really bust my arm.
I wanted the reassurance that Alexander needed me just as much as I needed him. That he craved me, as
Sebastian craved Becky. But I knew Alexander wasn’t about to make that decision lightly. And did I want it, after all? I’d put so much of my thought into this magical and darkened world when right before me I was seeing vampires struggle with their lifestyle, as I struggled with mine.
At this point, I could only imagine Alexander biting me and taking me into his world. The fantasy of it thrilled me. I could only hope the reality, should it ever show itself, would be as good.
8
Friend and Feuds
The hours ticked away painfully slowly during school. I was tormented as Becky raved incessantly about our previous evening at Hooligans. She went on about how she and Matt had a blast hanging out with the three of us, how we all could be “best buds,” and what a shame it was Sebastian was going to leave. She had no idea the evening had ended with a nightmare—one caused by Sebastian. I was in a fog all day. I couldn’t get my mind off of Alexander and Sebastian’s falling-out. Did they make amends? Had Sebastian left Dullsville? I begged for the sun to set as fast as it could, but it seemed to toy with me as it hung over the trees. When it lowered below the rooftops, I jumped on my bike and took off. I had no idea what I might find when I reached the