Cryptic Cravings (12 page)

“You don’t,” he said. “Please step aside. Others are waiting.”

“Don’t you need a license for something like this?”

“Let the kid have his fun,” Alexander said. “We’d like two, please.”

“That wil be ten dol ars,” he said.

Alexander kindly opened his wal et and handed the boy a ten-dol ar bil .

“I don’t know who I’m madder at now, Jagger or that Bateman kid,” I said as I stormed through the cornfield.

“Calm down. Once we see it we might know better if Jagger is behind this.”

As we drew near the middle of the field, we found Matt and Becky already gawking at the circle.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” I said.

“My dad told us al about it,” Becky said. “We had to come.”

There wasn’t much to do in Dul svil e, so the popping up of a crop circle was a big event.

“Who or what do you think did this?” I asked.

“Maybe little Pete Bateman did it,” Matt said. “He’s making a kil ing.”

“I thought so, too!” I said.

“It does seem bizarre,” Becky said, squeezing Matt’s hand. “I’m so weirded out.”

“It’s not real,” I said. “I mean that an alien made it.”

“What if it is?” Becky asked.

“I don’t think—” I began.

“Wel , you believe in vampires,” she said. “Why can’t I believe in aliens?”

“Because vampires don’t exist,” Matt said. “So you both are wrong.”

But I was real y right about vampires. So if I was right, did that mean maybe Becky was, too? This was one time it would have been better for the explanation to have been a landing extraterrestrial spaceship. At least it wouldn’t have been caused by Jagger and his nefarious plans.

We examined the markings. “Do they look like the ones Jagger built in Hipstervil e?” Alexander whispered.

“I don’t know,” I said in a hushed tone. “It was dark that night—like now.”

“Do you remember the size?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Do al crop circles look alike? Or are they like snowflakes?”

We stood in the middle of the field, dozens of townspeople mil ing about. I gazed up overhead, the stars twinkling above me. I was wondering if this was Jagger’s doing when I swore I saw a bat fly past me.

“Did you see that?” I asked Alexander.

“See what?”

“It was a bat!”

He squinted but by the time I pointed in the direction, the creature was gone.

He took my hand. “I think we’ve seen enough. We’l have to talk to Jagger now. We have to stop him from opening the Crypt.”

“Do we real y?” I asked, my breath leaving my body in frustration as Alexander led me out of the cornfield.

This was one time I didn’t want to fol ow Alexander to where he was going.

* * *

“The whole time?” Alexander pressed.

“Wel , most of the time,” she said, resigned. “He went to Javalicious to get me coffee.”

“And how long did that take?” Alexander asked.

This time Onyx didn’t answer.

“But he made one of those crop circles in a cornfield near the Coffin Club,” I said. “Now one shows up here, too? It can’t be just coincidence.”

“Yes, it can,” Jagger said.

“I real y don’t think it was him,” Onyx said.

“If she said it wasn’t, then it wasn’t,” Scarlet said, defending her friend like I would have defended Becky.

“Were you here?” I asked cautiously. I didn’t want to get into a catfight with Scarlet.

“Wel . . . no,” she admitted softly.

“You were with Trevor?” I asked. I shook my head.

Scarlet rose with a huff.

Jagger was offended. “You don’t believe me, huh?”

“And I saw a bat,” I said. “I think it was you.”

Sebastian shifted back and forth uneasily.

“That was you?” Alexander asked. “You flew over the Batemans’?”

“I wanted to see what everyone was talking about,” Sebastian said sheepishly.

Alexander turned his attention back to Jagger. “This club has to remain mortal. No ifs, ands, or buts.”

“I don’t like your tone.” Jagger folded his arms.

“I don’t like yours either,” Alexander retorted, facing his onetime foe.

I wasn’t sure if fists were going to fly.

“We can shut you down as easily as we can help you in making your club a success,” Alexander threatened.

“You think I am dependent on you to make this a success?” Jagger asked.

“Bringing in unknown vampires to this town isn’t good for anyone,” Alexander said. “Especial y you.”

Suddenly Jagger was interested. “How would it bother me?” he wondered.

“What if they draw unwanted attention to us? Al of a sudden hundreds of vampires descending on this town.

Hanging out at Hatsy’s Diner. Wandering around the cemeteries. You don’t think anyone wil notice?”

“They notice us enough as it is,” Sebastian chimed in.

“And how do you think the town wil react to this new population?” Alexander asked. “With open arms? Don’t you see how Raven is treated in this town—just for the way she dresses? You think they’l embrace al these vampires you plan to have attending your underground club? You saw how careless Sebastian was. It only takes one to spoil it for the rest. Then you’l lose it al .”

Sebastian scratched his dreadlocks awkwardly.

Jagger looked grim.

“But if it’s just a safe dance club,” Alexander went on, “that is something this town desperately needs.”

Jagger’s mood brightened. “And that’s what I’m here to provide.”

Everyone seemed skeptical of Jagger’s easy change in attitude.

“How can we count on it?” Alexander asked.

“You can have my sworn oath. In blood.” Jagger smiled.

Alexander paused as if he was trying to read Jagger for any underlying deception. When Jagger didn’t flinch, Alexander extended his hand.

Both vampires shook on the deal.

“Now someone has to fix that crop circle,” Alexander said.

“If someone flies over it—they’l be looking for your club,” I told Jagger.

“Anyone in town could have done it,” Jagger said.

“Wel , we know one person in town who is going to fix it,” Alexander responded emphatical y.

Jagger rose and picked up his keys.

It was exhilarating to be a part of the motley mobile club. Passing motorists stared at us as we drove from the factory through the winding roads that led to the Batemans’ farm. Cars were stil parked on the narrow road outside the Bateman home. We al parked a half-mile away and waited in our cars, kil ing time until the coast was clear.

“Do you real y trust Jagger?” I asked Alexander. “Do you think now he real y wil keep the club for mortals?”

“I’m not sure. He’s a sneaky guy. There is no tel ing what he’l do. Even with al the talks we’ve al had with him, he was stil planning on making this a vampire club.”

“What should we do?” I asked as several visiting cars from the farm headed home.

“I don’t think we can let our guard down,” he said. “I think we stil have to watch his every move. And if you see or hear anything, let me know.”

One by one the cars left the farm and eventual y the Batemans’ house lights went dark.

Scarlet and Onyx remained in the skul Beetle parked in a grassy hideaway, ready to honk if they spotted the lights switch back on.

I fol owed the vampire guys to the fence until Alexander stopped me.

“You stay here just in case. You can be our lookout.”

I hated not to be in the middle of the action, but I knew that I was needed at my station. I climbed up the wooden fence, and from my vantage point I saw part of the crushed crops. I waited as Jagger, Sebastian, and Alexander headed through the field. Jagger attempted to erect bent stalks, but it was a useless mission.

“Something has to be done,” I heard Alexander say.

“But what am I supposed to do?” Jagger huffed.

“Figure out something,” Sebastian charged.

“We have to stop them before they come,” Alexander said. “This has to be fixed, somehow.”

Sebastian pul ed out a few instruments he’d packed underneath his jacket.

“I have an idea,” Alexander said.

In less than an hour they’d fixed the circle by making an “X” through it. This way it would be clear to any low-flying vampires that Dul svil e wasn’t a place for them to visit.

Alexander, Sebastian, and Jagger headed back toward me. I ran ahead to tel the others. I saw Luna in the front seat of the Mustang, chomping on gum and reading a magazine.

“They’re finished,” I said.

“Great,” she said, leaning on the car door. “I can’t stand any time away from my Sebastian.”

I started off for Scarlet’s Beetle when Luna stopped me.

“Do you mind doing me a huge favor?” She batted her eyelashes at me. She held out the magazine, her bony, pale arm in sharp contrast to the darkness. “Could you stick this in the back of the hearse for me?”

Normal y I wouldn’t want to do anything she asked of me. That was one favor I was wil ing to do. I was al about hearses.

I opened the back of the hearse and placed the magazine on the flatbed when I noticed something that wasn’t a coffin—a long plank and more than a dozen feet of rope.

Jagger had made the crop circles and Luna wanted me to know it. It was clear she took pride in informing me that she and her brother were the nefarious type. Their game wasn’t total y over. We’d stil have to keep our eyes on him.

I was ready to blurt out my discovery when Alexander, Sebastian, and Jagger returned to their cars. For once they al appeared like three best friends just coming back from a night out on the town.

Not wanting to spoil their moment, I shut the hearse door.

As Sebastian gave Luna a kiss, I hugged Alexander extra hard. I was stil skeptical of the Maxwel s’ future tricks, but for now I drew comfort in knowing I had the ultimate prize—Alexander.

I shared my discovery with Alexander that evening, and we decided to keep the information between the two of us.

We were both disappointed in Jagger, like we’d been with Sebastian. Both vampires seemed to let their own needs get in the way of what was best for others. I had wanted to see the good in Jagger and wasn’t whol y convinced that he didn’t have something else up his tattered sleeve. What it was, neither Alexander nor I knew.

We just were aware that we had to be vigilant.

In the meantime I spent the fol owing day at school doodling layouts for the Crypt. My imagination was wild with images of coffins, gravestones, and neon bats.

When I arrived home, my brother was yelping about some newsworthy event on the TV and dragged me into the family room.

“You have to see this,” he said. “They struck again! Look.”

“More crop circles?” I said, almost having heart failure. This time Junior Bateman was on TV.

“There it is, a big X. It wasn’t there when we went to bed,” the boy said.

“This time we had a video camera out,” the father said.

Oh no, I thought. We were going to be in trouble now.

He showed the footage, fast-forwarded. “There isn’t anyone on the video!” the boy cried, excited and horrified at the same time. “The aliens, they are invisible!”

“That is creepy,” Bil y Boy said. “I’m sure there is an explanation; I can’t wait to meet Henry at Math Club and figure it out.”

“There’s only one explanation,” I said truthful y. “Vampires.”

My family shot me a quizzical look, and I rose and left for the mil .

I headed to the Crypt to wait for the vampires to rise. When I arrived, I saw a smal truck parked outside. I didn’t find anyone when I entered the main room. I was imagining myself dancing around on opening night when I heard hammering coming from downstairs. I tiptoed over to the Covenant door and turned the knob. It was locked. I pressed my ear to the door and I could hear more hammering. If the Covenant wasn’t going to be used for a vampire club, what was it going to be used for?

I was wiping off the Crypt’s bar when I heard the door unlock. I turned to look and a burly workman with a tool belt exited the Covenant and locked the door behind him.

He nodded and passed me by before I could say anything.

I dropped my towel on the bar and raced after him, but by the time I caught up with him he had already started his truck and was taking off down the gravel road.

When I returned, I was determined to get through the door. I stuck my boot against it and pul ed, hoping the old lock might break, but it didn’t budge. I had a bobby pin adorned with a skul stuck in my hair. I took it out and jimmied it into the lock. As much as I pried, the lock didn’t come loose.

Scarlet found me fiddling with the knob.

“I didn’t realize you guys were up,” I said, shoving the pin in my pocket.

“Yes, some of us are stil sleeping. We had a real y wild night.”

Onyx wandered out. “Good evening, Raven.”

“Hey,” I said. “I’m glad you both are awake.”

When I realized no one else was fol owing them, I returned my attention to the door. “What does this door lead to?”

I asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

“No one wil tel me,” I said.

“Maybe it doesn’t lead to anywhere,” Onyx said.

“Then why is it locked?”

“To keep us from tripping down the stairs,” Onyx said. “Duh.”

I could only imagine what it led to. But maybe it was only the unfinished, never remodeled Covenant room. Maybe the worker was only reinforcing beams to make the main floor sturdier for dancing.

“I saw someone going in there once,” Scarlet said. “Really late at night, when everyone else was done working. I saw Jagger go down there with one of the guys from the Coffin Club. When I spotted him and asked him what he was doing, he acted like I’d caught him doing something.”

“So you think he’s doing something sneaky?” Onyx said. “Why does everyone think he’s such a bad guy?”

“Would you be so into him if he wasn’t?” Scarlet teased.

I wasn’t going to tel her that it was real y Jagger who made the circles. She adored him so, and since he’d fixed the problem there was no reason to address it.