Boys That Bite

by Mari Mancusi

  So why doesn’t the vampire look very happy?

  24

  Thanks for the Memories

  The trip back to the good old U. S. of A. is uneventful. In fact, I sleep most of the time, waking only as the plane touches down. I’d have probably even slept longer if Magnus hadn’t roused me and urged me to hurry.

  “There was some stormy weather over the Atlantic,” he explains. “Which made the trip longer than usual. We have little time before the sun comes up to get home.”

  I nod as I rub the sleep out of my eyes. “Okay,” I agree.

  Magnus hands me a squeeze bottle. “Breakfast,” he says. “For here or to go.”

  I accept the bottle with a laugh. “You forgot to ask if I’d like fries with that.”

  He smiles and motions for me to follow him out of the plane. I do and soon we’re in his deluxe Jag, zooming through the predawn streets towards my house.

  He’s quiet during the drive. I feel like I should say something, but I’m not sure what.

  “Thanks for helping me get the Grail blood,” I say at last. I’ve already thanked him like a million times, but I am truly grateful for his help, so I guess once more can’t hurt. I certainly couldn’t have done it without him. Getting to England would have been difficult enough. Coughing up nearly two mil to offer to a football- and beer-loving druid would have been utterly impossible.

  “Not a problem,” he replies, concentrating on the road in front of him instead of me. I notice his hands are gripping the steering wheel just a tad too tightly and I wonder what’s up. But before I can ask, he pulls up in front of my house.

  “So, um, I’m supposed to drink this tomorrow?” I ask, rummaging through my jacket pocket for the vial. I turn it over in my hands, admiring the way the crystal catches the Jag’s dashboard lights and sparkles.

  Magnus nods. “I can meet you somewhere, if you want. To be with you when you drink,” he adds. “It’s probably going to be a bit . . . disconcerting to change back. I could help you through the discomfort.”

  “Sure,” I say immediately. That’s so nice of him to offer. Then I remember. “Oh wait.” Damn it. “I’m actually going to be . . . at the prom,” I finish lamely.

  Magnus raises an eyebrow. “You’re still planning on going to the prom?”

  “Well, yeah.” I shrug. “I mean, I can always drink the blood in the bathroom or something. Or maybe spike my cup of punch?”

  “I just figured . . .” Magnus starts then trails off.

  “What?”

  “Well, it being your last night as a vampire and all . . .”

  My heart aches as I realize what he’s implying. He wanted to hang out. Spend one last night with me. But while I’d love nothing more, I have to stay strong. Break this off now. Get back to my real life as a human. Go on my date with real-life Jake Wilder and forget my vampire blood mate ever existed.

  “Sorry, Mag,” I say, trying to sound like I don’t care at all, even though nothing is further from the truth. Still, I figure it’ll be easier for him to deal with that way. “I’ve got a date and I can’t break it. It’s with Jake Wilder, this guy I’ve had a crush on for like a millennium. One of the most popular boys in school. I can’t exactly back out now. It’d be social suicide.”

  Magnus’s face falls. He looks absolutely crushed. I’m a bit surprised. I mean, I knew we shared time together and a hot kiss, but could he really be that attached to me? Could he really feel as strongly about me as I do about him? I remember suddenly that he had wanted to talk and I’d never given him a chance to say what he wanted to say.

  I shake my head. Too late now. It doesn’t matter. Very soon, I’m going to be a human again. And once I’m a human, there’s no point in continuing a romance with a thousand-year-old vampire. I must sever ties now, once and for all, and get on with my human life. A life that will hopefully include hooking up with the luscious Jake Wilder.

  So why do I feel so reluctant to do this? Why does my heart suddenly feel like it’s being squeezed in a vise?

  “Look, Mag,” I say firmly, pushing all the doubts out of my head. “I really do appreciate all the help you’ve given me this last week. But it’s time for me to move on. I’ve got a life. A human life. I can’t be chilling with the undead once I get back to normal. Let’s be realistic here. We both know this will probably be the last time I ever see you. So thanks for the memories and I wish you well with getting a new blood mate and all.”

  Ugh. I sound so cold. So mean. So not me. But what else can I say? Oh, Magnus, I love you so much and my heart is breaking inside? No. Because then he might ask me to stay. To remain a vampire forever. And I can’t make that choice.

  “The . . . sun’s coming out,” he says at last, his face hardening into a mask of indifference. “I’ve got to go. So, if you don’t mind exiting the vehicle . . . ?”

  “Oh.” Pain stabs at my heart. Was I secretly wishing he wouldn’t buy my words? That he’d say, “No Sunny, I can read your mind and I know you really love me and therefore I refuse to let you go.” That’s ridiculous. I don’t want him to say that. I want him to let me go. Right?

  I can feel the tears well up behind my eyes. A dam ready to burst. So without another word, I open the door and get out of the car. I don’t turn back to look at him. I don’t say good-bye. Because if I did, I know I’d never be able to walk away.

  Instead, I run into the house like a coward, not turning around until I’m safely inside. Peering out the window, I watch his car peel out of the driveway and speed off into the dawn.

  Then I burst into tears.

  25

  Twin Sisters Suck

  “ So did you get it?” I whirl around, my heart jumping to my throat at the sound of the voice behind me. I’d been so wrapped up in my tortured thoughts and tears that I hadn’t heard Rayne approach.

  “Sunny?” she says, looking concerned. “Are you okay?”

  I nod, unable to speak without choking on the sobs stuck in my throat.

  “You didn’t get the Grail, did you?” Rayne concludes. “Oh, Sunny, I’m so sorry. I know how much you were counting on that.” She approaches me, arms outstretched, inviting me into a sisterly hug. “But really, being a vampire won’t be as bad as you think. And I’ll help you every step of the way.”

  I shake my head. “You . . . don’t understand,” I manage to say. “I got the blood from the Grail.”

  Rayne drops her arms and looks at me quizzically. “You did?” she asks. “You really got it?”

  I pull the vial from my pocket and hold it up for her observation. “I really got it.”

  “That’s great! I’m so happy for you! You must be thrilled.” She studies my face. “Though you don’t look thrilled. You look, I don’t know, like you’ve lost your best friend or something.”

  I shrug. “I’m fine.”

  “And you’re crying.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Sunny, you’re a vampire. You cry blood tears. Not exactly subtle.”

  I put a hand to my face and then look at it. Sure enough, it’s stained red. Ew.

  “Okay, so I’m crying. Tears of joy, probably.”

  “Yeah, right. You think I just fell off the naive truck? I’m your twin sister, remember? Psychic connection and all that. So come on, spill. What’s wrong?”

  “You’re going to think I’m being really, really stupid.”

  “That’s never stopped you from telling me stuff before,” Rayne quips. I glare at her. “Sorry. Come on, try me. I promise I won’t think you’re being stupid.”

  “Well . . .” I glance out the window again, at the empty driveway where Magnus’s car had sat just moments before. “Don’t get me wrong. I do want to turn back into a human . . .”

  “But?” Rayne prompts.

  “But . . .” I start, then burst into another set of tears.

  “But you’re in love with Magnus,” Rayne says somberly.

  I stare at her. “How did you . . . ?”

&n
bsp; “Call it intuition, I guess. Or that psychic twin link thing I mentioned. Or maybe it’s just that you’re so freaking obvious about it. In fact, I think even a trained monkey could pick up on your heartbreak vibes right about now. Maybe even an untrained one.”

  “Oh, Rayne, it’s terrible,” I cry, ready to let it all out. “I love him. I really do. He’s sweet and nice and chivalrous and sexy and funny and I just love him to death.” I sniff back my sobs. “Um, no pun intended.”

  “None taken.” Rayne nods. “And all true. So what’s the problem?”

  “That he’s a vampire, duh. And after tomorrow night I’ll be a human.” I rub my eyes with my fists, wishing I had some tissues.

  “Sunny, don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but . . .” Rayne pauses for a moment, as if carefully choosing her words. “Did you ever consider . . . not going through with the change? Remaining a vampire so you can be with Magnus?”

  “No. No way. I don’t want to be a vampire.”

  Even if it means spending eternity with the guy you’re in love with? a voice in my head asks. I shake it away.

  “Are you sure?” Rayne presses. Unfortunately, unlike the voices in my head, I can’t shut her up as easily.

  “Yes. I am sure. Very sure.”

  I’m not sure at all.

  “There are lots of benefits to being a vampire, you know,” Rayne says, continuing her pitch, undeterred by my halfhearted assurance. For a moment I wonder why she cares so much. I mean, since when did it matter to her whether I’m undead or alive? Rayne usually cares about nothing but herself. And I know she wants Magnus as a blood mate, so what does it benefit her that we stay together? Weird.

  “Riches beyond belief . . .” she drones on.

  Maybe she figures if I stay a vampire then she’ll have this “in” in the vamp world. Especially since my blood mate is the new king and all. Maybe she figures she’ll be able to cut in line, get on the short list to be assigned a new blood mate. That has to be it. There’s no other reason she’d be trying to talk me into staying a vampire.

  Anger wells up in the pit of my stomach and starts traveling up my throat. She’s so selfish. She cares nothing about me and my wants. My dreams and hopes and fears and future. She is simply thinking of herself and what would most benefit her.

  “Magical powers . . .” she adds to her list of Top Ten Reasons Sunny Should Stay a Vamp.

  Bitch.

  Total bitch.

  “Freedom to travel anywhere you like. Even Australia . . .”

  I can’t take it. Not now. Not like this. Next thing you know she’s going to bring up her blog again. So help me if she brings up her blog again and the fact that I haven’t read it . . .

  “If you’d read my blog you’d know that—”

  GAH!

  “Screw your damn blog, Rayne!” I explode, too furious to worry about waking Mom anymore. “And you know what? Screw you, too. You have no idea what I’m going through. You have some warped notion that this is all fun and games. Well, it’s not.”

  “Sunny—” Rayne tries to interject.

  But I’m on a roll and I find I can’t stop shouting. “It’s not fun to be a vampire. You don’t get to see the sun. You don’t get to eat garlic-and-chicken pizza. Your mom grounds you because she thinks you’re on drugs and you’re made to feel bad beyond belief if you have some crazy desire to get your old life back. Well, I refuse to feel guilty for wanting to be a human. For liking the human me and not wanting to sacrifice everything I am to be transformed into some crazy immortal all-powerful being.”

  I’m raging now. I know I should shut up, but I can’t. “Look, Rayne. I want to be a human. I want to have a normal life. I want to go to the prom with Jake Wilder and have a great time with him! I want to dance the night away like a regular high school student and forget this whole mess ever happened.

  “I’m sorry if my wishes for my life don’t coincide with yours. I’m sorry if my turning back into a human inconveniences you. But you know what? That’s tough luck. This is my life and I’ll do whatever the hell I please. So why don’t you just eff off and leave me alone!”

  Rayne stares at me for a moment, as if she can’t believe I just exploded on her. Not surprising since I can’t believe it myself. I so didn’t mean to go off like that. It just . . . happened.

  “Do you have any idea what I’ve been through, trying to cover for you while you’ve been gone?” she asks in a tight voice. “Mom practically called out the National Guard when I didn’t come home from Spider’s for three days. But did I confess? No. I kept up the charade till the bitter end. Now I’m the one who’s grounded.” She turns to stomp off, still muttering under her breath. “Last time I try to help you out, you ungrateful little witch.”

  Guilt washes over me like a tidal wave. Talk about misplaced aggression. I just completely chewed her out for no reason whatsoever. ’Cause I’m not mad at her, I realize suddenly. I’m mad at myself. And all the stupid decisions I’ve made.

  “Rayne. I’m sorry—” I try.

  She whirls around, shooting me daggers with her eyes. “Don’t be,” she says, her voice cold and venomous. “I’m not.” She turns back and starts up the stairs. “Oh and one more thing,” she adds, pausing halfway up. “Seeing as you’ve decided not to stay blood mates with Magnus, you don’t mind if I have a go, do you? After all, he was mine first.”

  My heart sinks to my toes. Could this get any worse? “Sure,” I mumble, staring at the ground. “Whatever.” What else can I say? I’ve decided to sever ties with Magnus but I don’t want anyone else to date him either? That would be completely unfair. And, as she said, she did have him first.

  “Excellent,” Rayne says in a triumphant voice as she continues up the stairs. “Thanks, Sun. I can’t wait to tell him the good news. I’d call him now, but I think it’d be much, much better to meet up face to face. Get him alone and . . . mmmm. De-lish.” She grins evilly as she turns the corner and disappears from my line of sight.

  I slump into a nearby armchair, sobbing. I try to think about how great it’s going to be to return to normal life. How wonderful the prom will be, intimately dancing with Sex God Jake Wilder. Maybe he’ll ask me up to his hotel room. Maybe I can shed my Sunny the Innocent cloak once and for all. Maybe he’ll fall in love with me and we’ll get married and have babies and live happily ever after.

  But the fantasy is bittersweet. Because no matter how hard I try, I can’t shake the new visions dancing in my head. Rayne hooking up with Magnus. Him kissing her all over and whispering how much he loves her. And for millennia afterward they’ll hang out together, drinking blood and talking about the old days. Once in a while they’ll bring up that week long ago when he accidentally bit her pathetic twin sister by mistake. Of course, by then I’ll be long dead. Worms chewing on my decomposing body.

  Oh, what am I going to do?

  26

  Prom Preparations

  “I ’m so glad you’re feeling better, sweetie,” Mom says, as she fusses over the waffles she’s made for me Saturday morning. “I was getting worried about you. But the last few days you seem just like your old self again.”

  I cringe with guilt. Rayne did such a great job pretending to be me that she got in trouble herself. And what did I do? Rip her a new one because she tried to help. Nice, Sunny.

  “Yeah, I feel much better,” I say. “Must have gotten over whatever bug I had.”

  It’s true. For some reason, I’ve suddenly seemed to have lost the creature-of-the-dead crackhead look I started out with and now have this porcelain-doll-of-perfection thing going on. Yup, for the first time in my life, I have absolutely flawless skin. Even my annoying freckles have seemingly faded overnight. Hallelujah! That’s almost worth remaining a vamp for, in and of itself.

  “I’m so glad,” Mom says, bringing over a plate of waffles and setting them in front of me. Yuck! Do I have to pretend to eat? I tentatively pick up a fork and pick at the spongy texture. “I didn’t want
you to miss the prom.”

  Ah, the prom. I can’t believe it’s tonight! I don’t even have anything to wear! I’ll have to hit the mall ASAP.

  “Yeah, I can’t wait,” I say, taking a bite. Bleh. It tastes like cardboard. “Jake’s picking me up in a limo.”

  “Ooh, that’s so cool,” Mom squeals. Turns out even hippy-dippy save-the-world moms get excited over these silly high school milestones. “You must be really excited.”

  I nod, trying to look excited, which shouldn’t be as hard as it is. After all, going to the prom with the hottest, most popular guy in school is a dream come true, right?

  So why am I dreading it so much?

  That afternoon I surf the clothing racks at a fancy mall department store, looking for something appropriate for my dream date with Jake. It’s funny. A week ago, I’d have told you this was the highlight of my life. Going to the prom. More importantly, going to the prom with a Sex God. But instead, I can barely muster up the enthusiasm to try on a gown. And every time I pick one that I think looks halfway decent, I can’t help but wonder what Magnus would think of it.

  Stop thinking about Magnus, I scold myself for the umpteenth time. It’s over. I’m never going to see him again. Well, unless Rayne starts dating him, that is. Then I guess he’ll be hanging around a lot. Which is completely fine and doesn’t bug me in the least.

  Yeah, right.

  I finally settle on a pricey black number. Something sexy and slinky and very anti-Sunny. After all, girls who have dates with Sex Gods should look the part. And, a nagging voice in the back of my brain reminds me, on the not-so-remote chance that Jake has only been influenced by my Vampire Scent, once I turn back into a human I’m going to need to impress him. This outfit should do the trick.

  I hope.

  I bring the dress up to the counter and try to pay the clerk, but he refuses to take my money.

  “No, sweetie,” he says, handing me back my debit card. “This one’s on me.”

  I should have picked Armani. Taken advantage of the Vampire Scent while I’ve still got it. If I could keep one vampire power once I turn back, that would be it. So very useful.