Benjamin paused before adding, “Not that it would stop the people in Briar Creek from trying to drink their blood. Just knowing that they are related to us would make them try to drink from them, so we make sure that no one can find out that they are Hunters. So, we pretend that there is no connection between us. I keep trying to persuade Darlene to move out of Briar Creek, but she doesn’t want to leave her mother. And her mother is too stubborn to leave and doesn’t understand the situation because she doesn’t know about us.”
By ‘us’, Lexi knew he was talking about vampires.
“They told me that their mother said I was going to save a lot of people’s lives,” Lexi murmured, remembering one of the conversations she’d had with the children at the pool. She glanced over at her father. “Why does Darlene have pictures of me?”
“I wanted her to know what you looked like in case you ever needed her help,” Ben replied. “As it is, she is offering you a place to stay if you don’t want to live at Huntington.”
She hesitated before saying, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Darlene really wants to meet you, Lexi,” her father insisted. “She wants to do all that she can to help out. More than anything, though, she wants you to get to know Erica and Connor. They are your half-siblings, you know.”
Lexi sighed. “Look at what happened the last time I tried to get close to one of my half-siblings.”
“Erica and Connor are different, though,” Benjamin replied, running a hand over his blonde hair. “They’re still so young and innocent. Connor understands the situation a little, but Erica is completely clueless as to what’s going on.”
Thinking back to their conversations, Lexi smiled. Her half-siblings actually were kind of cute as far as little kids went. And it wouldn’t hurt for her to get to know them. The thing that she wanted more than anything now that her mom was gone was a family. Sure, she had Austin, but he was so involved with Anna lately that it didn’t leave much time for her.
Finally, she admitted, “I wouldn’t mind getting to know them. I don’t want to live with them and their mother, though. That would just be awkward for all of us, I think. And I’m fine with living here . . . I like it here.”
Benjamin flashed her a toothy grin. “I’m glad that you’re agreeing to this, Alexandria. It will mean a lot to them.”
Lexi smiled back. “It means a lot to me, too.” Really, it meant a lot to her to know that she wasn’t disappointing her father for once.
Chapter 7
“Vampires always know where their offspring are. Also, the more frequently a vampire sees his or her offspring, the more in touch they become with their whereabouts,” Veronica Hart said, her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she paced in front of the Vampire Geography and Tracking class she was teaching. She glared at Lexi. “Right now, for example, I could tell you where one of the vampires I’ve turned is and what he is doing.”
Lexi rolled her eyes. They were doing a review for their upcoming quiz, but it seemed like the only information Veronica wanted to review was to remind Lexi that she had created Gabe. What Veronica didn’t realize was that she didn’t get under Lexi’s skin anymore, but that was probably because she’d barely had time to think about Gabe’s creator lately.
She knew, just from looking into his eyes, that Gabe still loved her. No matter what happened or didn’t happen between him and Veronica, somewhere deep down, he still had feelings for Lexi. But she wasn’t sure if that was enough.
Even though she knew that he still loved her, Gabe had been acting really distant lately. It almost felt like he was hiding something from her, but she wasn’t sure what it was exactly. It may have been that he had cheated on her with Veronica like she thought, even though he had denied that it had ever happened. But she got the feeling that it was something else—something even more complicated than that, if that was possible.
Gabe hadn’t even told her that he was going to find his mother. Why wouldn’t he tell her that? Was he afraid that she would be upset with him for leaving when she needed him to be at Huntington the most, or did he just not want to risk the possibility that she would want to go with him? Or maybe he was upset that she was spending so much time and energy trying to bring Dan back. Gabe had never liked Dan, even though they were technically supposed to be on the same side as each other.
Just thinking about Dan made Lexi’s stomach twist into knots; she hated to think about where he was or what he was doing right now. Even if he was alive, he could be lying hurt on the cold ground somewhere. If the sun was shining, he might be getting badly burnt again. There wouldn’t be anyone there to help soothe his burns. . . .
She tried to shake the thought away. Maybe once she took the potion and had Belinda’s powers, she would be able to figure out some sort of way to get back inside of the book—or a way to get Dan out of the book safely.
The new smartphone that Austin had given her that morning vibrated and, glancing up at Veronica, whose back was turned, she pulled it out of her pocket. There was a new text message from Anna.
Lexi, we’re going to go to the grocery store. I told Austin we shouldn’t, but he really wants caramel. Like he needs it, LOL! It shouldn’t be that risky, though, do you want to come with us?
Lexi hesitated. On the one hand, it would be nice to get away from Huntington for just a few hours, but even with her bat pendant on, she felt like she would be too exposed out in public. As much as she didn’t want to be afraid of Greg Lawrence, Mary-Kate’s father and the mayor of Briar Creek who had murdered her mother, or Aunt Violet and Uncle Tommy, she had to admit that she was scared of them.
No thanks. I actually have something I need to do here, Lexi texted back before sliding her phone back into her pocket.
When Lexi glanced back up at the blackboard, Veronica’s cat green eyes pierced through hers. Her red lipstick-covered lips were twisted into a smirk.
*
The library at Huntington was filled with some of the strangest books Lexi had ever seen. There were books about werewolves, ghouls, goblins, trolls, and even fairies (who knew that faeries really existed?) in addition to the shelves of vampire books. It took her a while to find the two books that she was looking for, but they glared at her from the shelf that they were resting on, side by side, as though they were just waiting for her to pick them up.
She plopped down on one of the cushioned chairs that sat around a round table and began flipping through the pages of the first book, which was titled: Witchcraft: Then and Now.
The beginning of the book reminded her of one of the history books that she’d had at her old high school in New Jersey. There was a long section about the history of witchcraft, as well as an overview of the Salem witch trials. Once she got further into the book, there was information about the incantations that witches practiced.
Her eyes lingered on one of the incantations; it was an incantation to keep vampires away, and it consisted of many of the same ingredients that she’d heard Belinda mention when she’d used an incantation to create the bat pendant that Lexi now wore around her neck. Grabbing her notebook from her bag, she scribbled the incantation down, just in case she didn’t remember it once she did drink the potion. Although Belinda had mentioned that she wouldn’t need spells at all once she possessed her powers, she figured it was better to be on the safe side.
Lexi continued flipping through the book, making note of any interesting spells that she might later deem useful. Many of the spells were love potions, though, and she knew she would never use something like that. It just didn’t seem ethical to force someone to fall in love with you and if Belinda was right, she’d never have to worry about it, anyway. She had a vampire soul mate; she just didn’t know who he was or if she had even met him yet.
“Hey there, stranger.”
Lexi glanced up just as Craig sat down across from her. Motioning to the pile of books in front of her, he asked, “Find any interesting books to read?”
She smiled. “I gu
ess you could say that. Just doing some research.” She pushed the books to the side, hoping that he wouldn’t ask her any questions about what the books were about. “What’s up?”
“I was wondering if you might want to hang out sometime later,” Craig said. His eyes were filled with a look of hopefulness that made her stomach drop because she knew that what she was about to say next was necessary.
“Craig, if you want to hang out, we can. But you should know that I’m not looking for a relationship with you. I just want to be on my own right now,” Lexi told him. At least she was partially telling the truth. A relationship wasn’t on the top of her to-do list; finding Dan was.
Craig’s face fell, which made Lexi feel guilty. She probably had been sending him all sorts of mixed signals, but then again, she was confused herself. The last time she’d spent any time with him before she’d traveled back in time, she’d thought that he could have been the one for her.
Now, she wasn’t really sure who fate was going to land her with, but she was fairly certain it wasn’t him.
“I understand,” Craig replied coolly, shrugging his broad shoulders. “I just thought we could hang out as just friends. Maybe watch a movie and have some popcorn. Would that be innocent enough for you?”
Lexi laughed. “Yes, it would be innocent enough for me.” She paused before adding, “I’ll be at your dorm room around eight?”
“Sounds good,” Craig replied, standing up and eyeing the books on the table. “I hope you find out all you need through your research.”
“Thanks,” Lexi muttered. She watched as he exited the library, glancing over his shoulder at her as he strolled out of the open door, before she opened the second book that she had lying on the table. This one was called Immortal: An Exploration of Life and Death.
The first page explained the concept of immortality—nothing that Lexi didn’t already know. It gave an overview of all of the scientific studies for and against an immortal lifespan, pointing out why many mortals are skeptical of the idea that one could survive until the end of time.
When she got to the second page, Lexi found exactly what she was looking for. Signs of Immortality. It was all there in a numbered list:
1. The inability to die. Immortals often find themselves in situations that should lead to death, but don’t. One immortal, John Chisholm VI, survived being hit by an oncoming train that should have killed him. Another immortal (name unknown) was able to survive while trapped in a car with no food or water for nearly four months in Canada.
2. An unchanging physical appearance. Since immortals do not die from natural causes, such as old age, they do not have any changes in their physical appearance over time. If an immortal is born that way, they will reach the age of eighteen before the aging process stops. Immortals who become that way later in life, such as through a spell, curse, or incantation, will not change in appearance past the age in which they were changed. If they are forty-five years old at the time in which they are changed, their appearance will never change past the age of forty-five, for example.
3. A lack of pulse. The heart stops beating when a person assumes a life of immortality. An immortal will be unable to find a pulse or heartbeat immediately after becoming an Immortal one.
Lexi breathed a sigh of relief; she had the answer she was looking for now. She had been wondering if she would feel any different once she drank the potion that would make her an immortal, or if she would simply have to wait to see if she would die to know for sure that she was no longer a mortal. It was relieving to know that there was a way to check for sure, though.
Now there was a decision she had to make that she wasn’t truly prepared for: when should she drink the potion?
Chapter 8
As Lexi knocked on the door of Craig’s dorm room that night, she glanced around the empty hallway nervously, hoping that no one would walk by and see her. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been in his dorm room before. The last time, it had been on a more intimate level, too. But it still felt wrong—probably because he was her professor. Was this against the school’s rules? All of her anxieties were taken away when Craig flung open the door.
“Lexi!” Craig smiled warmly at her. “Come on in.”
She went inside his room and glanced around; it looked the same exact way it had the last time she’d been inside. Nothing had changed . . . except for her feelings for him.
“Do you want to watch Jurassic Park or Mrs. Doubtfire?” Craig asked, holding up two DVDs for her to choose from.
Lexi raised her eyebrows. “How very old school of you,” she laughed.
Craig shrugged. “They were my two favorite movies when I was a kid. So, pick one.”
Opting for Mrs. Doubtfire, Lexi sat down on his bed and waited for him to turn the DVD on.
Once the previews were rolling on the flat screen TV, Craig turned to her. “So, what’s going on with this Dan guy?”
“He’s stuck back in the 1800s,” Lexi replied with a sigh. “I don’t know what to do to get him back. I’m hoping that once I drink the potion and I have my powers, I’ll be able to save him.”
“Powers?” Craig raised a bushy eyebrow at her.
Realizing that she had said too much, Lexi cupped her mouth with her hand. She hesitated. “I haven’t told many anyone yet, so promise you won’t say anything to anyone?” That wasn’t completely true—she had told Anna and Austin, but what Craig didn’t know, wouldn’t hurt him. She wasn’t even sure if Belinda would have approved of her telling her friends, but she trusted Craig.
“Of course not,” Craig replied, shaking his head. “I’m your friend, Lexi. You can trust me with anything, no matter what it is.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, Belinda—the witch—is giving me her powers. Once I become an immortal, I’ll also be a witch.”
“I see.” Craig’s face clouded over with a look that Lexi couldn’t identify. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do?”
Lexi nodded. “I-I don’t think I have much of a choice. It’s that or let the whole town of Briar Creek stalk me down for the rest of my life. I definitely don’t want that.”
Craig stared at her intently for a moment before looking away. “As long as you feel that you’re doing what’s best for you.”
“I do,” Lexi replied quietly, trying not to sound like she was snapping at him. “Let’s watch the movie.”
As Craig darkened the lights and they each stared into the television screen, she couldn’t help but notice the strange tension that had crept in the room. Deciding to ignore it, she focused her attention on the movie, which only made her wish that she could have a normal, human life. It was only going to be less human than it already was soon.
*
When she got back to her own dorm room that night, Lexi was fully prepared to go to sleep. She and Craig had watched the movie in complete awkward silence, and now she just wanted to curl up under her covers. Once she was in the hallway outside of Anna’s dorm room, though, she knew that wasn’t going to be a possibility.
Anna’s high-pitched giggling drifted into the hallway, and Austin laughed loudly—and obnoxiously. Lexi rolled her eyes as she opened the door.
Once she was inside, their laughter didn’t stop. In fact, it escalated after they glanced over at her and Austin went back to tickling Anna.
“Guys, I don’t think now’s the right time—” Lexi started to say, but she trailed off when both Austin and Anna ignored her. It was as though they were the only ones in the room; it made her feel annoyed that she was being ignored.
How could they even continue to laugh and have fun at a time like this? That was the only thing Lexi could think of as she climbed into bed. Pulling her comforter over her head, she wished that Dan would come back home.
She sighed when nothing happened. Not that she had been expecting anything more.
Lexi decided that it was time. First thing tomorrow morning, she was going to drink the potion. It might be the only way she coul
d save Dan—if it was even possible, at this point.
*
The water flowed fluidly around Lexi and Dan, as he moved in closer to her. She could feel his breath against her neck, and he kept his eyes locked on her lips.
Inching closer to him, Lexi tilted her chin. The butterflies swarmed around inside her stomach, and a shiver ran down her spine. Her lips came down on his, just as he pulled away from her.
“Lexi, wake up,” he told her.
“What?” Lexi asked, her mind feeling sort of foggy. She figured that it was just because she was captivated by him.
“Wake up,” he said again.
This time, Lexi cracked open one of her eyes.
Anna was standing next to her, shaking her arm roughly.
“What’s going on?” Lexi asked groggily, rubbing her eyes. It took her a moment to realize that she had only been dreaming about being in the river alongside Belinda’s house with Dan. He hadn’t actually found his way back from the past yet.
“We need to hide,” Anna whispered.
Bringing herself to a conscious level of being awake, Lexi realized the fire alarm was blaring in the hallway.
“What’s going on?” she asked, bolting up in bed, her heart rapidly pounding inside her chest.
“They’re here,” Anna told her quietly. She didn’t even have to say who ‘they’ were because Lexi already knew; Greg Lawrence, Aunt Violet, Uncle Tommy, and possibly other vampires from Briar Creek were at Huntington High. That meant that they probably had found out that Lexi was here, too.
Holy shit, she thought, as she climbed out of bed and followed Anna, who was climbing into the walk-in closet.
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