“Hey Janice,” Marsha said, surprising me. “Love the shirt. You look great, gal.”
She appeared stunning as well.
“So let’s go out and enjoy the party.”
“Wait,” I said. “Do you all think that I walk kind of funny?”
Kate laughed. “Don’t worry about how you walk. Just enjoy yourself.”
I explained to them how I was drawing stares all the time. I wanted an honest answer.
“Well,” Marsha said. “All vamps twist their hips slightly when they walk. Sometimes I see that you look a little stiff.”
Kate set off in front of me, slightly swaying her hips and appearing relaxed. I tagged on behind her.
“Looking good, looking good,” she said, glancing back. “You’ll have hot guys drooling all over you. Now let’s go have some fun.”
I tried to remain relaxed and loose while following Marsha and Kate into the crowd. There was still no sign of April yet, even though this was her crib.
I didn’t see any other girl vamps wearing their hair straight down, and received a plethora of dirty looks from those not otherwise occupied in sucking fangs or peeping at some guy's showy tattoos.
Then I did spot April. She turned away and concentrated on the hunk vampire she was dancing with. I knew she'd seen me because our eyes had met. Why hadn't she said hello? Hmmmmm…just like at the recreation center. I had the feeling back then that she didn’t like me.
I tried not to think about April because I was already being grabbed and groped like a piece of bloody meat. I backed off momentarily before continuing my search for a decent guy in this kennel of vamp horndogs.
Just when things seemed to be going from bad to worse, I at last spotted Brett. He was dancing with a dashingly tall, tattoo-covered vamp with amazing hair; in other words, someone who didn’t look anything like me.
I looked away, even though I didn’t want to. Although there were tons of attractive guys around me, I walked off the dance floor and sat at a bar where blood was being served. I was thirsty. Not only for blood, but for Brett.
While waiting to get served, I began feeling weak and knew that I really needed some of the red stuff. Then someone brushed up behind me. I turned around, and suddenly the weakness was gone. I was energized simply by gazing into the gorgeous eyes of Brett.
“Janice!” he said. “How are you?”
“Fine,” I replied, but in truth as nervous as hell.
“Glad you could make it. Are you having a good time? You’re shaking.”
Damn. I was blowing it.
“Oh yeah….just kind of cold, that’s all.”
Damn he was so beautiful. With his flawless ivory skin, muscular body and long black hair, it was no wonder I appeared messed up.
“Well hey, I was just wondering if you want to enjoy a drink with me.”
“Sure,” I said.
We were both given a tall glass of blood with dark fruit sticking out of it. Brett squeezed his fruit into the blood.
“It’s laquisha,” he said. “Try some. It makes the blood taste tangy and really good.”
I did as he suggested and took a sip through the large straw. “Hmm, delicious,” I said.
We walked through the crowd and found two chairs where we could sit facing each other. My heart pounded as I looked at him. Sure, this might not have been the most romantic or private place in Vampire World, but I didn’t care. Right now, I liked where I was.
“You played awesomely at fireball the other night,” he told me. “Especially seeing as how it was your first time.”
“Thanks,” I replied, though it was hard to talk much with all the commotion going on around us. But as I continued to admire Brett, words become worthless anyway. I wondered if he knew about my accident. Had Kate told him?
“Hey, you wanna go dance?” he asked.
“Yeah, I'd like to,” I said.
We made our way to the floor and danced very closely. His porcelain skin felt smooth; in a strange way pleasurably both cold and hot at the same time. Everything around me became a meaningless blur as I held him tightly. Feeling safe in his protective arms, I was in another world.
After several dances like this, things became more casual when we were joined on the floor by Marsha, April and Kate, along with some other guys I didn’t know.
We sat down as a group. When Brett went to get more blood, Kate gave me a look.
“So I see you and Brett are getting a little close there.”
I blushed.
“Well, I got good news for you, girl,” she said. “He’s single!”
After that, Marsha introduced me to her boyfriend, Curtis. He was dark and handsome with thick chains around his wrists, shoulders and neck. Each chain locket had an individual fang attached to it.
April said hello to me but little else. She spent most of the time chatting to her boyfriend, Marsha and Curtis. Again, I sensed that she had a problem with me.
Later, I danced again with Brett, this time even closer than before if that was possible. As the party started to wind down, I realized I just couldn’t get enough of him.
“Hey, I really don’t want to go home just yet,” he said. “I was wondering if you’d like to hang out somewhere tonight.” An awkward look appeared on his face. “I understand if you don't want to. I know you don’t know me very well, but...”
“Sure,” I fired back before he changed his mind.
“Well, I don’t get paid until next week, so I can’t take you any place fancy,” he said. “I only have about ten Carns to my name right now. Isn’t that pathetic?”
I burst out laughing. “So do I,” I told him.
“Well, looks like we have a lot in common already. So where will you feel safe with a stranger like me?”
I thought about this quickly. Didn’t want to blow it.
“Bitemore Cemetery,” I said.
He grinned. “Never thought you would have said that. You got good taste.”
I never thought I would had said that either. But with a guy this gorgeous, I didn’t care about my secret messenger telling me to go search for the secret alone.
BITEMORE CEMETERY
After saying goodbye to all the others, Brett and I snuck out of the house.
I drove along behind his black car. It wasn’t fancy; in some ways it was actually quite similar to Mr. FreeCut’s. After many winding turns, we finally made it to Bitemore Cemetery. We stopped and parked at the tall fence dividing the graveyard from the outside.
“Here we are,” Brett said.
“Isn’t this where Dracula’s gravesite is?” I asked.
“Yes. In fact, it’s one of the best graves here. I'll show it to you.”
I thought about the secret that was supposed to be behind the grave. But only for a moment.
We walked through the gate and entered a mysterious land. The soil under the graves looked as if it was soaked in blood. The gravesites came in many different shapes and sizes, but most of them were black in color. Some of the larger ones had intimidating statues of gargoyles and other freakish creatures perched on top. A few were actually as big as houses, with skulls and jewelry decorating them. Others were simply plain and flat, like drab squares rotting in the ground.
“So what do you think?” Brett asked. “Pretty cool place, huh?”
I tripped on a small grave shaped like a pyramid. Just before I fell, Brett grabbed my hand and steadied me. Damn, his smooth touch felt great.
“So, onto Dracula’s grave,” I said, trying not to show how perfect it felt holding his hand. I didn’t want to make it too obvious.
“There it is,” Brett said, pointing to a colossal pyramid draped in bright rubies. It was by far the largest and most impressive grave in the cemetery, its magnificence lending it the appearance of a grand mansion incongruously set in a town of otherwise hastily built shacks. A huge, fearsome looking gargoyle statue with gold talons was perched on the very tip of the pyramid.
A simple epitaph rea
d: 'Here lies Dracula. The greatest vampire that ever lived'.
“It’s so cool,” I said.
“I learned in school that Dracula gave freedom to our country,” Brett said. “He really did a lot of good.”
“Yes he did. But I wonder what happened to him? I mean, why did they never find his body?”
He peered at me funny. His eyes were perfection. “So you mean his body is not here? I never knew that.”
“Well that’s what my dad…I mean my caretaker….told me,” I replied.
He asked me what had happened to my real parents. I decided to tell him everything.
“That makes you different,” he said after I finished. I didn’t know if I should take this as a compliment or an insult.
“There are so many bitchy, stuck-up vamp girls that are all the same,” he continued. “It’s nice to know someone like you exists. And you look so good with your hair down.”
Oh, he must have been lying.
“Thanks,” I said. “But I want to look better. I want to be able to afford things. I hate being poor.”
He wanted to know more about Mr. FreeCut. I told him that my caretaker didn’t have much money, but that he loved and cared for me.
“Well, that’s good,” Brett said. “A good relationship with parents can mean the world to any vampire, even if other stuff is not going their way.”
I told him about my possible job. He said I must have a good chance of getting it. He was so sweet - almost too sweet. But after the way I had been treated by Rob, I needed someone who was genuinely nice and sincere.
Brett said little about himself or his parents, which was a touch disappointing. I was interested to know about his family and background.
He took my hand again. “Hey, let me show you some more amazing graves.”
He tugged on me gently, and I wanted to be pulled by him into his magnificent world. But as I gazed at Dracula’s grave, I remembered the secret clue. I had to discover it. NOW.
“Hey,” I said, pulling him back. “I know this may sound kinda crazy and stupid, but….”
“What?”
“I’ve always wanted to play hide and seek in an amazing graveyard like this.”
How stupid and immature of me. He was gonna think I was a little girl.
“Sure,” he laughed. “But I’m warning you, if I catch you, I might have to pick you up and eat you for dinner.”
I chuckled as he turned around and began counting, then dashed behind Dracula’s grave as fast as I could to search for the secret.
It didn't take me long. Buried in the lifeless grass behind the grave was an envelope. Looking closer, it had my name written on it. I quickly shoved it deep into the pocket of my pants so Brett wouldn’t see it.
Hearing footsteps, I turned around and peered in the direction they were coming from. Nothing. But as I swung back the other way I crashed smack dab into Brett's juicy body. He jokingly picked me up, then set me down gently on the muddy ground.
“When I was younger,” he said, “I used to be a pro at hide and seek. Sorry, you can’t hide from me.”
We moved on, passing more fascinating graves in the shapes of Gothic castles, swords, and even metal stakes. Next, we came to a section of low, flat graves that seemed to stretch forever.
“Looks like we’ve come to the end,” he said. “From here, it’s like this all the way to the fence.”
Something distracted me from Brett’s magnetic attraction. I spotted a couple standing beside one of the flat graves; they were holding hands. The young guy then took off his shirt, revealing a chest filled with moving, 3-D tats. Next, the attractive girl laid down on her back right over the grave. The boy got on top of her and they started kissing passionately.
“Oh my god!” I said. “Are they having sex there?”
Brett laughed. “No. They're just doing something very romantic. A kiss on a grave is the way vampires officially become boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“But on a grave? Isn’t that disrespectful to the dead?!”
“Wow, you really don’t remember anything,” Brett said.
Wow. What a jackass. Right away, he could tell I was offended.
“Sorry,” he said.
I forgave him. How could I not?
“Anyway, it’s not at all disrespectful,” Brett continued. “Vampires hold a great respect for the dead, and we believe that those departed are overjoyed when a couple kiss on their grave.”
In spite of his words, it still felt so unnatural and disrespectful to me. I couldn’t explain why. It just did.
After a lengthy kiss, the blissful couple left the grave, smiling and with their arms around one another. I couldn’t help but feel glad for them, even if they had just done something weird. They were so happy together.
“Aw, isn’t love the best?” Brett laughed. “Just wait 'til they go through the Separation Ceremony.”
“What is that?” I asked.
“It’s the most important part of any romantic relationship.”
I could not stop staring at Brett. I wanted to look at him forever, especially when he mentioned anything to do with romance.
“That ceremony occurs when the couple agree to leave their parents and live together. It’s a beautiful thing, though it can also be difficult because vampires have a specially close relationship with their parents.”
I explained to him how my relationship with Mr. FreeCut was growing.
“It will continue to get better as long as you both love each other,” he said. “I have a really good relationship with my parents, and I love it. They are the most meaningful people in my life right now, together with you of course.”
We chatted throughout the lovely night. We discussed fireball. Brett said there was a major annual contest coming up soon.
“The winner receives ten thousand Carns. But it’s tough. You have to practice a lot, and you have to be the best.”
“You should do it,” I said. “You kicked my ass. You can kick anyone’s ass.”
We laughed together. Our hands locked tightly, then he put his arm around my back. His cold and warm touch was a pleasant surprise, like a soothing, blood soaked lotion.
“So why don’t you have tattoos and piercings like everyone else?” I whispered.
“I choose to be different. And I don’t care. Besides, I like to show my skin off. Can’t do that if it’s covered in tattoos.”
“It’s sexy,” I said, rubbing my hand on his left thigh.
“You’re sexy,” he returned.
We put our arms around each other. I didn’t want to ever let go; it felt like I was holding a slice of heaven.
I looked into his eyes one more time and couldn’t contain it any longer. We kissed, deep and hard. Our tongues and fangs intertwined into the hottest freakin kiss of my life. I felt a slightly painful poke, but didn’t care because it also felt wonderful.
Truly, magically wonderful.
FIRST DAY AT A DREAM JOB
Finally it stopped.
“Whoa, that was nice,” Brett said.
I couldn’t help it. We kissed again. Except this time, as I kissed him, I was able to think. And the only thing I could think about was going to the grave with him. There was nothing else I wanted more than to be his girlfriend and lover. He was fantastic.
I clutched his hand and pulled him forcefully down to the nearest flat grave. At first he went willingly, but then hesitated.
“Wait Janice,” he said. “I know what you want to do, and I want to as well. You’re incredible. I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. But I still think we should wait.”
“Really?” I said. Obviously, I felt let down.
“It’s a very big commitment. And there's something I need to tell you before we go through with it.”
“So tell me then,” I said, forgetting how bossy I could sound sometimes.
“I'd rather tell you on our next date. It’s really important.”
I asked why he wouldn’t tell
me now. He assured me he was not with another girl or anything like that. But he would not say any more.
Eventually, I was forced to accept the situation. Anyhow, the good news was that I had another date with him.
We exchanged numbers, then kissed goodnight. I wanted to carry on kissing him forever, but that wasn't possible of course. He told me he’d call tomorrow to set up the date.
On the way home, my hands wouldn't stop shaking as I tried to hold the steering wheel. I’d never felt happier in my life. Even though I couldn’t remember anything before the accident, I guaranteed myself that this was true.
My phone rang while I was waiting at a traffic light. I opened it carefully so as not to slice my fingers on the protruding teeth. Let me guess….Brett is checking to make sure I got home safely. How sweet is that?
But it was not Brett. It was Mrs. FangCut from the Vampire Clothes Supermarket, calling to tell me that I'd got the job. Wow! Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, they had.
At home, I waited to tell Mr. FreeCut all the good news.
“You look happy,” he said, while fixing me a late night snack of blood-soaked crackers.
I told him everything. He was overjoyed, which made me feel on top of the world. It was almost like we were connected. When he got happy, I got happy. Freakin weird!
Alone in my room, I was at last able to read my next 'clue'. I grabbed the envelope and unfolded the paper inside. In the middle of the page was a transparent circle with wispy patches of white on it. I frowned at this for a moment. Then I remembered that this was only the second part of the puzzle to reveal my first secret. It needed to go together with the first clue I'd found at the library for it to start making sense.
I put the two circles together, and they fitted perfectly. Now I was gazing at a blue circle with patches of white covering portions of it. What was this? I still had no idea.
Frustrated, I read a message below.
'Very good, Janice. You determination to discover the truth is impressive. You’re about to discover the first of three major secrets, just as long as you do one more thing. Take the first two clues you now have in your possession to Bloodmore Observatory. Directly behind the colossal telescope is a bookshelf with star charts on it. To the left of the bookshelf is a hidden passageway leading to the secret. To open it, press firmly up against the wall. Good Luck.'
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