by Lana Melyan
I changed into my pajamas and got into bed.
To make Nathan speak, I had to push the right buttons. And to find those little suckers and get under his skin, I had to know him better.
He didn’t have family. Why? What happened? That was a place to start.
God, I’m evil. I pulled the covers over my head.
10
It was lunch break. Mrs. Donovan let us out five minutes early, and when Connie and I walked into the cafeteria, it was nearly empty and unusually quiet. As we sat eating, we watched the room fill up with students and get noisier with every minute.
I chewed my salad and watched Leia, who stood in the middle of the now long line.
“Did you ask him why he was spying on you?” asked Connie. I had told her about Nathan being around much longer than we knew.
“Nope.”
“I can’t believe we never noticed him.”
“Maybe he’s been using a cloaking spell?” Why hadn’t I thought of that before? “And if he is, where else did he watch us? Oh my God, Connie, can you imagine?”
“What? Nooo.” Connie waved her hands before her face. “No imagining. You think he would do that? Use a cloaking spell, I mean?”
“Oh, he would totally do that. How else could he see me burning that branch?”
“Nicky, we were standing between trees, he could have just been hiding ––
“Who’s hiding?” Leia kicked the vacant chair aside with her foot and put her plastic tray on the table. “By the way,” she said, sitting down, “who was that guy with you yesterday at the Grill?” She beamed at me.
“He’s nobody.” I squeezed the fork in my hand.
I answered too quickly, what made Leia’s smile even wider.
“That is one very hot nobody,” she said, digging into her spaghetti.
“Leia.” I shook my head as I looked at her. “It’s nothing like that.”
“So he wouldn’t be coming to the party with you?”
“No. Of course not.” I frowned at her. “What party?”
“There’s a party?” Connie asked.
“Yep.”
“Who’s throwing it?”
“Jess. It’s like an, I’m fine, everything’s fine, let’s get together and have fun kinda party.”
“Well, that’s nice,” I said, raising my eyebrows. “But I don’t think I should be coming at all. I haven’t been invited.”
“It’s because he decided it just now, and nobody knows yet.”
“When?” Connie asked.
“Tomorrow. At the Misty Grove lake.”
Connie and I exchanged a glance. We’d talked about the man from the newspaper who died from blood loss, and I knew what she was thinking. But we couldn’t speak about it to others, so there was nothing we could do to make them at least change the location.
The invitation message from Jess came before we even finished lunch.
“Nicky, what should we do? It’s dangerous. What if there are more vampires in town?” asked Connie when we walked outside after classes. “Maybe you should talk to your dad?”
“Sure,” I said sarcastically. “Then I’ll call Jess. Hi Jess, Thanks for inviting me to the party. Is it okay if I bring my mom and dad?”
“Right,” Connie sighed. “Well, you could ask Nathan if he knows anything.”
“I haven’t seen him today.” I stopped next to my car and looked around the parking lot. “But he might show up tomorrow.”
On my way home I stopped by Gran’s bookstore. I was eager to gather some information about Nathan, and I hoped Gran would be more easily persuaded than Dad. This guy knew everything about me, and I couldn’t even google him because I didn’t even know his last name.
The bell tinkled above my head as I pushed open the door. It was too quiet, and Gran was nowhere to be seen. I moved forward and was about to call her name when I heard voices coming from the back room. One of them was male, and I recognized it at once. Mr. Lancaster.
“You could’ve warned me, Alan.”
“I’m sorry, Bree, but I didn’t know. He doesn’t tell me much. I promise, if I find out anything that might help, I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you. You know how watchful we should be.”
“I do,” said Mr. Lancaster.
“God, everything is so messed up right now.”
“Let’s hope for the best.” I heard the sound of moving chairs. “I should go. They’ll be arriving soon.”
“I just need to check on a customer, then I’ll close up.”
I drew back to the counter, opened the book lying next to the cash register, and pretended I was reading.
“Nicky?” Gran stared at me as they came out of the room.
“Hi,” I said, looking from one to the other.
“Hi, Nicky,” said Mr. Lancaster, heading to the door. “See you later, Bree.”
“Are you going somewhere?” I asked Gran the moment the door closed behind him.
“Yes,” she said, walking behind the counter. “We’re having a meeting at his mansion.”
Mr. Lancaster had a small circle of people who shared his interest in ancient books. Gran was one of them, and from time to time they got together to discuss their latest acquisitions.
“How are you, honey?” Gran asked, pulling the car keys out of her purse. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. I just wanted to ask you something, but you can’t tell Mom and Dad about it.”
“Let me guess. You asked them, they refused to answer, and you came to take your chance with me.”
“You always understood me better,” I mumbled.
Gran laughed. “Exactly.” She leaned on the counter and narrowed her eyes. “So stop flattering me and tell me what it is you want.”
“It’s about Nathan.”
“What about him?”
“It seems he and Dad hate each other. Why?”
“Different views on magic. Some disagreements. Anything else?”
“Dad said he doesn’t have a family? Why? What happened to his parents?”
“Died. Long time ago. Is that it?”
“Stop it,” I burst out angrily. “This is serious.”
“Oh, believe me, I know how serious this is.” Gran straightened up. “That’s why you should listen to your father and be careful.”
“Dad said Nathan knows all about us. He’s been watching me for God knows how long, and it pisses me off that I don’t know anything about him. I don’t even know his full name.”
“Nathan Cain.” She grabbed her purse, picked up her phone from the counter, and headed to the door. “Let’s go.”
That conversation hadn’t gone as I expected. Irritated, I followed her outside.
The moment Gran locked the store door, her phone rang.
“Vincent?” she said, pressing the phone to her ear. “What is it?” As she listened to Dad, her serious face grew darker. “She’s here.” She threw a sideways look at me, then said, “Okay,” and hung up. “Your dad and mom are leaving.”
“Again?” I stared at her. “They just got back.”
“I know, honey. But they have to. It’s only for a few days. Go home so you can see them before they leave. I’ll be right behind you.”
When I arrived home, Mom and Dad were still packing.
“Seriously, people, you’re freaking me out,” I said, looking at them as they darted back and forth, collecting magical items and throwing them into the suitcase above their clothes. “What’s going on?”
Mom stopped and gave me a warm smile. “Whatever it is, honey, we might finally be able to solve this problem. And then, we promise, we’ll get back to our normal life.”
“Great. But first you’ll have to remind me what normal life is, and when exactly did we have it before.”
Dad locked the suitcase and dragged it outside. Mom and I stood on the porch and watched him put it in the trunk of his car. Then he walked back to us, took me by the arms, and kissed me on the
forehead.
“I’m sorry, Nicky, but we have to go.” He hugged me. “I love you, honey.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
Gran’s car drove into the front yard. She got out and approached Dad.
“Bye, Mom.” He hugged her too.
“Drive safe.” Gran slapped him on the back.
“I love you, Nicky,” Mom said, locking her arms around me.
“I love you too, Mom.”
Then she hugged Gran.
“Bye, Bree.”
“Good luck, Nathalie.”
The car drove away. Standing next to each other on the porch, Gran and I watched the yellow back lights shimmer in the darkness until they vanished.
“Shouldn’t you be at Lancaster’s mansion?” I glanced at Gran.
She put her arm around my back and lead me inside.
“It’s okay. He can fill me in tomorrow.”
11
Connie and I couldn’t worry more about the upcoming party. Nathan was the only one who could help us to find a solution, but he was nowhere to be seen. I stared out the window during classes, hoping for him to show up at the school grounds. My parents were out of town, and I thought he might come to check on me.
“If he’s really using a cloaking spell,” I said to Connie after school, “it means he could still be here. Somewhere close. We just can’t see him.”
I stopped at the middle of the school yard and ran my eyes all over the place.
“See you at the party.” Jess smiled as he and Dave passed us on their way to the parking lot.
We smiled back and nodded. But the moment they turned away, I grabbed Connie’s hand and tugged her toward the trees.
“What are you doing?” she grunted.
“It was here.” I stopped, eyeing the spot. “And he saw us when I burned that branch.”
“So?” Connie shrugged.
I glanced around to make sure no one could see us, then, staring into nowhere, shouted, “Nathan, get your arrogant ass here. Now! It’s urgent.”
Connie stared at the woods for a moment, then said, “He isn’t here.”
“Or he’s here, but he’s being a jerk.”
“No. He isn’t. Because you look like a mental patient, and if he was here, he would be laughing his ass off.”
There was still one more place to check. We drove to the Grill. But after spending two hours staring at the entrance, I said, “You know what? We don’t need him. If a vampire shows up, we’ll take care of him ourselves. All we need is a sharp piece of wood.”
“Right,” muttered Connie. “And a gun, so I can shoot myself if that vampire decides to bring a dozen friends with him to the dinner party.”
When I came home, Gran was sitting at the kitchen table, putting together a grocery list.
“Are you going to the store?” I asked, getting a bottle of water from the fridge.
“No. It’s for tomorrow.” She got up and opened the cupboard. She scanned the shelves, sat back down, and added a few more things to the list. “Tonight I have to go out for a couple of hours.” She folded the paper and put it in her purse. “I need to see Alan.”
I remembered her conversation with Mr. Lancaster in the bookstore’s back room, and something told me this meeting had nothing to do with books.
“Sorry, honey, but I didn’t have time to cook,” she added, grabbing her purse and heading to the hallway. “So maybe you should order pizza.”
“Don’t worry, Gran, I can take care of myself. Besides, I’m going out too.”
She stopped. “Out? Where are you going?”
“Jess is throwing a party. At the lake.”
She walked back. “Nicky, I don’t think you should go,” she said, looking worried. “You were attacked only a few days ago.”
“Gran, that doesn’t mean I should be afraid to go out for the rest of my life.”
“No. But there might still be vampires in town, and I promised your dad I’d keep you safe.”
“I’ll be fine. And just in case, I have Connie,” I spread my hands cheerfully, “who, unlike me, has magic.”
“Connie’s magic isn’t enough.” Eyes fixed on the water bottle in my hand, she stood thinking for a moment, then asked, “When are you leaving?”
“In a few minutes. I just need to change.”
“Be at the bookstore in fifteen,” she said, and hurried away.
I picked up Connie, and we drove to Gran’s bookstore.
“I’m here,” she called from the back room as we walked through the door.
The back room was filled with the smell of herbs mixed with the aroma of woodsy essential oil. There was a small bowl on the table with yellowish liquid, several pouches with different kind of herbs, and two small, empty vodka bottles, the ones you get on a plane.
Gran crouched before the cupboard and opened a chest. She pulled two stakes out of it and got up.
“Here,” she said, handing one to each of us. “Put them in your bags.” Then she grabbed a funnel from the shelves and picked up the bowl with the liquid. “Open them,” she said to me, nodding at the vodka bottles. “And hold them steady.”
She filled both little bottles with the yellow liquid and handed one to each of us.
“If you see a vampire, drink it. This potion will make your blood useless to them. It will repel them at once.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Callahan,” said Connie, putting the bottle in her bag.
“Be careful.”
“Thanks, Gran. We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
12
To our huge relief, the Misty Grove wasn’t misty that night. We turned off the main road onto a dirt passage running between trees and drove to the sound of thundering music.
I hit the brakes as we came out to the lakeshore and glanced around, looking for a spot to squeeze in my Ford.
“Let’s just leave it here,” said Connie, pointing at a niche at the side of the road.
Divided into small groups and couples, drinking and laughing, dozens of students were scattered all over the shore. The pleasant smell of the burning wood hit my nose. The two of us headed toward the blazing bonfire lit across from the small dock.
On one side of the bonfire stood a beer barrel and on the other side was parked a pickup loaded with beer crates.
“That was fast,” grumbled Connie, looking toward the lake.
I followed her gaze and saw Neil and Suzy kissing a few feet away.
“Connie, believe me, you deserve much better.”
“Much Better is a cool name,” chortled Connie. “MB. I like it. Let me know if you see that guy.”
I looked at the three familiar silhouettes on the dock. One of them turned around, waved his hand, and started toward us.
“Hi,” said Jess, meeting me and Connie next to the bonfire. “I’m glad you came.”
He walked passed us to the pickup and came back with two bottles of beer. He handed one to each of us.
“Thanks,” said Connie. “I’ll go say hi to Leia and Dave.”
“You’re not drinking?” I asked Jess, noticing that he didn’t bring a beer for himself.
“I already had one. Since I’m driving, I think that’s enough for today.” We started walking in the opposite direction of the dock. “After what happened . . . I don’t want to put my parents through that again.”
“That’s very thoughtful,” I said, nodding. I looked at the scar above his eyebrows, and the guilt shot through me again.
“Nicky, I’m fine,” said Jess, reading my feelings. He was always good at that.
As we passed the pickup, I stuck the beer bottle back in the crate.
“I’m driving too.” I smiled. “Today is Connie’s turn to drink.”
We sat on the long log under the trees.
“So, how was your trip?” I asked. “Did you like Europe?”
“It was nice. I liked Italy. There’s a lot to see there.”
“Did you see the Colosseum?”
“
Yeah, but to be honest, it didn’t look like I expected. Did you know the arena floor was made of wood?”
“No way. I always thought it was earth.”
“Me too.” He smiled.
I was glad that after everything that happened, we could still talk to each other, laugh together like we did before. But every time his green eyes focused on mine, I looked away.
“How are you?” he asked. “Is there anything new in your life?” He leaned his arms on his knees and nervously rubbed his hands.
It was obvious that when he said anything, he actually meant someone.
“You mean if I have a new guy?”
“I know it’s not my business anymore.” He looked down at his interlocked fingers. “But if we’re gonna be friends, we have to learn to talk about all kinds of things, right?”
“The guy you saw me with . . . he knows my dad. There’s nothing romantic between us.” As I said it, I realized that I’d forgotten all about the vampires, that there was a stake and potion in my bag, and that I had to be careful.
I looked at the dock where Connie stood talking to Leia and Dave. Then I glanced back and ran my eyes along the trees, peering into the darkness behind them. I noticed a handsome guy standing alone at the edge of the crowd, gazing in the same directions. Like he was looking with me. His glance landed on me, and I turned away.
“Nicky? What is it?” asked Jess, marking my sudden anxiety.
“It’s nothing.” I forced a smile. “I just need to talk to Connie.”
We got up and headed to the dock, and as Connie saw me and Jess coming, she started toward us.
“Talk to you later,” Jess said, walking away.
“Come here,” I said to Connie, pulling her away from the crowd. “Do you see that guy at the edge of the woods?” I stopped facing the lake and nodded backward, to the side Jess and I just came from. “Does he look suspicious to you?”
Connie’s eyes scanned the area, then stopped.
“You found MB? I like him.” she beamed.
“Connie.” I shot her an angry look. “Concentrate.”
“What do you want me to say? He looks normal.”
“What is he doing?”