Almost to Die For

by Hallaway, Tate

  The onslaught of questions apparently made Nikolai laugh. “One at a time,” he said with a chuckle. “Vampires hunt naked, like animals. It’s part of the ritual. Some people say they do that because they can transform into wolves, but I don’t buy it. It violates the law of conservation of mass.”

  “True enough,” I said. “Plus that would be magic and they can’t do magic.”

  “Mostly,” Nikolai agreed. He slowed down to stop at one of those lonely stop signs on the prairie where you could see the empty traffic lanes going on for miles in all directions.

  Mostly? I considered that and then said, “There’s the blood magic. Plus, they seem awfully comfortable in the woods. They must be okay with nature magic.”

  I thought about my own skill in the garden. Was that from my dad’s side, as it were?

  “I don’t really know,” Nikolai said with a shrug. “Most of my experience is theoretical, you know. Tonight was the first time I’d seen one—more than one—so close.”

  We accelerated back up to speed as Nikolai manually shifted gears, the engine gunning like a race car the whole time. We’d gotten to the US highway, and things quickly started to feel like city again. Nikolai’s car merged into a stream of vehicles. Billboards bathed in harsh electric light rose up over rooftops and noise barriers.

  “They’re a little spooky,” I admitted, thinking of the way they’d circled us and laughed like a pack of ravenous hyenas.

  “The entire coven was totally freaked. I thought we were going to die.”

  “Do they hate witches or something?”

  Nikolai glanced at me. “Just a little,” he said, but his tone was sarcastic.

  Well, if Mom’s reaction to Ramses was any indication, the feeling was mutual. It seemed a bit more than some kind of longstanding feud, like the Montagues and Capulets of Romeo and Juliet. So much for the hope that Mom and Ramses were romantic star-crossed lovers.

  “You’re thinking pretty hard about something,” Nik said. “It’s funny. Everyone thinks you’re so quiet, but I can tell—you’ve just got a lot going on inside. It’s something I’ve always liked about you.”

  Was that a compliment? Did he just call me smart? Was smart sexy? And “always”? Did that mean he’d noticed me before tonight? “Uh. I guess.”

  “No, no, it’s a good thing. Trust me,” Nikolai said, his eyes flicking between me and the now heavy traffic. “You don’t just say whatever comes into your head like some girls. And you don’t waste a lot of time with small, meaningless talk. When you finally make up your mind to speak, it’s usually something different and interesting.”

  Now he was calling me weird? But he liked it?

  “Like with my tattoo, everybody always asks, ‘Did it hurt?’ like, what, they thought I went to some brand-new pain-free artist? I mean, how dumb are most people?”

  Yet it was one of the first things I’d said. “But it looks so raw, it only makes sense people would ask.”

  He shook his head. “You’re being too kind. It’s not that they say, ‘It looks like it still hurts,’ like you did. They just say whatever dumb crap flies through their head. No thought at all to how it might come off.”

  I hadn’t really considered all that, but I was just as happy to be done with vampires for the time being. Minneapolis’s downtown skyline rose in front of us, a collection of tightly grouped skyscrapers and several smaller, beautiful churches. The basilica, in particular, always impressed me with its carved white marble walls and copper-domed roof, green with oxidation, illuminated in the bright spotlight.

  When I looked back, Nikolai was smiling. “You know what else I like about you?”

  I was afraid to ask, since so far he seemed to appreciate my dorkiness, not one of my usual top-ten awesome things about myself.

  “You’re not afraid of silence. So many girls just chatter to fill the void. Like your friend Beatrice. Does she ever stop talking to think?”

  “That’s not fair,” I said quickly in defense of my best friend. “Bea is very outgoing. She’s very smart about people and funny too. I think she likes you, you know.”

  The highway curved and pretty soon the bulk of downtown was in the rearview.

  “I know,” Nikolai said with a snort of disgust. “It’s pretty obvious. Not a subtle bone in her body, is there?”

  Well, it was one of Bea’s shortcomings, I had to admit. “No, not really.”

  “I was wondering,” Nikolai said, sneaking another glance at me. “You want to get coffee sometime or something?”

  Oh God. He was asking me out on a date.

  Ten

  As my heart pounded clean out of my chest, he continued. “It’s just that a couple of friends of mine like to go bowling at this really funky alley. I think you’d appreciate it. It’s quirky, but a lot of fun. You get these goofy shoes, and the whole place smells of popcorn and alley grease. Anyway, I’d love to take you. You know, if you want to come sometime?”

  Bowling with his friends? That actually sounded kind of cool. “Yeah, I’d like that,” I agreed.

  “Great. So, can I call you?”

  “Of course. Uh, where’s your phone?”

  He pointed to the cup holder that held his cell. I opened it up and, after a few seconds, figured out how to save my number in his directory. It was kind of a big step. I’d never given my number to a boy before.

  Oh, what was Bea going to say? I’d just totally stolen Bea’s boyfriend, even if he clearly didn’t think he was. As if she didn’t have enough reasons to hate me right now.

  We crossed the Mississippi River, a ribbon of darkness in the electric glimmer of the city, and soon Nikolai had exited on Dale and headed into my neighborhood. Thanks to Mom’s superpowered wards, we actually drove past my own house. Twice.

  “That’s weird,” Nikolai said, peering up at the darkened Victorian, as I unbuckled myself. “What’s up with the cloaking device?”

  “Dad, remember? Mom freaked out when he came by, and, like, disappeared us. Bea almost couldn’t find us either and she’s been over a million times.”

  “Wow,” Nikolai said.

  I hesitated with my hand on the door latch. I thought I should probably just go, but he had my number now and I wondered if, maybe, he might try to kiss me. Should I let him?

  I looked at him hopefully for a few seconds. When he shifted slightly in his seat, I completely chickened out. I flung open the door and nearly jumped onto the sidewalk. “Thanks for the ride. I had a great time.”

  “Me too,” he said, his elbow leaning on the steering wheel. He picked up his cell. “I’ll call you about bowling, okay?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “I’d really like that.”

  I managed to say good-bye without being too much more of an idiot, and he waited at the curb like a gentleman until I turned the key in the lock and stepped inside.

  Well, I thought, clutching my keys and Nik’s CD to my chest in excitement. At least tonight wasn’t a total loss.

  IT WAS ALWAYS STRANGE COMING into the house when it was empty. Naturally dark and cavernous, it seemed doubly so at night when no one was around.

  “Mom?” I called into the house, and then, just to make sure, “Dad?”

  No answer from either. Since I hadn’t seen Mom’s car out front, I was expecting the house to be quiet, but it always paid to be certain. Quickly locking the door behind me, I kicked off my shoes next to the parson’s bench. I scurried upstairs to the safety and comfort of my own room. I didn’t want to be exposed when Mom came home. Who even knew what kind of mood she’d be in, but I couldn’t face any more talk of vampires or Initiations. I just wanted to be normal.

  To that end, I started to strip out of the clothes I’d chosen. Realizing I still had Nikolai’s CD, I set it next to my laptop on my desk. Then I chucked the halter and jeans into the growing pile in the hamper in the bottom of the closet. I stood for a second in my underwear and bra trying to decide what to wear—and what Nikolai saw in me.

  My
figure was pathetic. You could count my ribs, and I didn’t have enough on the top or the rear for my tastes. Still, Nikolai sure had found plenty to stare at. I guessed my legs were pretty nice, but . . . well, maybe some guys liked the stick-skinny thing? I did look a bit otherworldly with my ultrapale skin and mismatched eyes.

  Of course, turns out, I actually was a vampire princess. Jeez. With a sigh, I shrugged into my comfiest pair of jeans and my old, tattered Sailor Moon T-shirt. I smiled at the cartoonish figures on my chest, thinking of Taylor, remembering our obsession with the show way back when. I should probably try to mend fences. I needed all the friends I could get now.

  Flipping open my phone, I sent Taylor a quick text, just saying hi. And then two seconds later another that said, “Sorry.”

  While I waited for a response, I went over to my desk and sat down in front of my laptop. I switched on the lamp and inspected the CD more closely. It was clear he made it just for me. Another personal gift. I felt really honored.

  I looked at the picture of the band again. It was hard to believe that was Nikolai. He looked so grown-up and, uh, well, superhot.

  Nikolai was always cute, but he’d clearly gotten all glammed up for the cover shoot, and the look he gave the camera was downright smoldering.

  My phone tweedled. It was Taylor. Apparently, she was over at some friend’s house gaming. The usual.

  What did Taylor know about Nikolai? She knew about his band, but what about him? He’d graduated, what, last year, but I thought she might know some of the people he hung around with. Wasn’t one of the guys in his band in our class? I texted a bunch of quick questions, and then set the phone down on the desktop.

  I carefully removed the CD from its case and slid it into the laptop. It took only a second for the player to launch, and suddenly the room was filled with the pounding of speed-metal guitar.

  Not my usual taste—I mostly went for the more funky, edgy alternative sound of Animal Collective—but I listened carefully, fascinated to hear Nikolai’s singing voice.

  I almost didn’t hear the phone beep. I checked. It was Taylor; she did remember Nik and thought he was wicked hot. Did I know he was in a band?

  I had to laugh. Hadn’t she told me six times today at school? I wrote back that I was listening to his CD right now.

  Through the computer speakers, Nikolai’s voice resonated. It was much stronger and richer than I would have expected. He was good. I was very impressed.

  Taylor sent back a “squee,” and wanted to know how I’d scored a copy so soon. There was supposed to be some kind of unofficial release party at Nikolai’s apartment next week. It was a house-party type thing to help promote their self-produced album. Taylor implied it was even hard to get tickets to that.

  Before answering, I picked up the CD again. Nikolai was certainly a dark horse. Even though we saw each other at witchy events, he’d never mentioned all this band stuff. Maybe he didn’t want to seem like he was bragging? Of course, Bea had known. Bea stuck to Nikolai’s side like glue whenever he showed up at events. I tended to leave her to her flirting, and found other people to hang with when she was going all batty-eyelashes at him. I was sort of embarrassed on her behalf and, anyway, no one likes to be a third wheel.

  I texted Taylor a simple question: “Will B. be jealous?”

  It was hardly less than ten seconds before Taylor replied. “Oh hell, yeah.”

  I closed the phone with a snap. I didn’t want to come between Bea and the object of her fantasies, but I was really starting to like Nikolai . . . and it wasn’t my fault he asked me out, was it?

  I let my head fall against the back of the chair, and I shut my eyes in frustration.

  Just then there was a knock on my window.

  My window? I was two stories up!

  Eleven

  Nervously, I glanced in the direction of the window. It was open, the screen letting in the cool evening air. Squinting to see past the light of my room into the darkened tree branches, I thought I saw a sleek figure crouching among the branches.

  Vampire!

  But was it Elias? Ramses?

  “Anastasija? ”

  It had to be Ramses. No one else called me by my full first name, or with such a poetic lilt. I turned off my desk lamp and used my stocking feet to roll the chair closer to the window.

  With the light off, I could see Ramses much clearer. He, thank the Goddess, wore regular clothes—well, with the exception of shoes. Apparently, vampires needed bare feet to climb trees.

  Otherwise, he had on dark jeans and a plain dark blue shirt. If it was possible, he almost looked more ridiculous fully dressed sitting in the tree like some overgrown boy.

  “Hey, Dad,” I said with a little awkward wave. “Sorry Mom, you know, kicked your ass before. Um, are you okay?”

  Over the metal song, I heard my phone ring with the receipt of another text. I ignored it for now. Besides, what would I write? “Sorry, brb, dad in tree”?

  Ramses touched his side tentatively, but nodded. “Fortunately for me, my captain of the guard doesn’t take orders well. It seems that I was rescued from my own stupidity by insubordination.”

  He seemed to think that was funny, so I smiled along like I had a clue what he was talking about. “As for the ass kicking . . .” Ramses gave a little self-deprecating chuckle. “Let’s just say I really hate magic.”

  “Yeah, so I’ve heard.”

  I stared at the man half hidden in the long, gnarled branches of the pine tree, thinking that the butt of his jeans must be completely covered with pitch by now. Maybe that’s why vampires preferred to do their tree hopping naked. Less laundry.

  “I don’t think we were ever properly introduced,” he said, inclining his head as though to apologize for a breach of courtly etiquette. “I am Alexander Ramses, high prince of the dark realms and protectorate of the territories of the New World.”

  He seemed to be waiting for a response, so I said, “Uh, so, I’m Anastasija Ramses Parker, queen of the high school losers.”

  He didn’t laugh at my lame joke or even crack much of a smile. I must have inherited my sense of humor from Mom. Now, there was a scary thought.

  “She gave you my name, at least.”

  We sat in silence for a moment considering that. Then, cautiously, he added, “How’d the Initiation go?”

  I snorted a laugh. “It pretty much sucked. I failed out, and then your buddies showed up and now everyone knows I’m a damp- thin gy .”

  “Dhampyr,” he corrected kindly. “It’s an ugly term, half-breed. You don’t have to accept it when you live among your people.”

  “What, in the trees? Dad, I have to go to school. I can’t exactly run away to the circus. Besides, Nikolai says you’re a bloodsucker. And everyone thinks you’re bad juju.”

  Ramses listened to the barrage of insults calmly. He nodded his head as though in acknowledgment. “But what do you think?”

  I bit my lip. Of course, I wasn’t certain, but it was bizarre as heck to be chatting up a dad I never knew while he was casually sitting on a tree branch like it was a regular piece of furniture. “I think Mom will be pissed if she finds out you came to talk to me.”

  Conveniently, my phone buzzed again, this time with a call. The caller ID said it was Mom.

  “Speak of the devil,” I said as I got up to shut the window. “I have to go. That’s my phone.”

  The window slid down before he could finish saying what sounded suspiciously like, “I love you.”

  Okay, now, that was something I definitely couldn’t cope with right now. Love? From a vampire stranger? No. Maybe later, thank you. I turned away from the weirdness in the tree and grabbed my phone. I got it before the last ring. Of course, I had to turn down the volume on the player to hear.

  I’d hardly even said hello before the shouting started. “I’m sorry,” I said after the tirade had quieted. “I thought you’d check the phone here first. I left a message that I got a ride home with Nikolai.”
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  “So you’re home? Alone?”

  Yeah, like I’d invite Nikolai in? What did Mom think? Or did she suspect Dad was hiding out in the tree? I switched on the light with a sigh.

  “Alone,” I agreed. Of course, I didn’t exactly mention Ramses sitting in the branches, but, you know, it wasn’t like he was in the house or anything.

  “Well, I’m just turning onto Fairview now. I’ll be home in ten minutes,” Mom said with the strong implication that there would be more to this conversation then.

  “Great,” I said, trying not to sound as deeply disappointed as I was.

  After we’d said our good-byes, I checked my in-box on the phone. Taylor had left a message, or, really, a big question: “R U and Nik . . . ????”

  I turned up the music and thought about how to respond to Taylor’s text. It was only a car ride and a conversation, after all. But he had given me his music, and I’d given him my phone number. Plus, he said he would call. But didn’t older guys say that all the time? He’d asked me out . . . but bowling. With his friends. It wasn’t like it was dinner and a movie, just the two of us.

  “Not exactly,” I wrote back, but then added, “Ask me @ school.”

  Maybe I’d have it figured out by then.

  I MANAGED TO AVOID FURTHER conversation with Mom that night by switching off my light and pretending to already be asleep. It was a cheap cop-out, okay, but I just couldn’t deal. When I didn’t respond to her shouts from downstairs, Mom poked her head in the door. Through my closed eyes, I sensed her standing in the doorway for a long time, saying nothing. Finally, Mom sneaked in and gave me a light kiss on the forehead like she used to when I was a little girl.

  Miraculously, not long after, I fell asleep. For real.

  When I woke to the sound of my alarm beeping, I had the sensation of having dreamed about vampires and stakes and maybe even Buffy the Vampire Slayer, only it was Nikolai or his dad . . . or the president?

  Dreams, who could figure them?

  Sleepy fingers fumbled the switch of the alarm, and I rubbed my head trying to banish the last jumbled bits of the dream. I stumbled blearily out of bed. Looking down at my rumpled shirt, I realized I forgot to change into pajamas last night. Well, at least getting dressed would be easy this morning.