Cryptic Cravings (15 page)

“Stop. Let me think,” Jagger said. “What if we change? We’l have to make our look be more ‘friendly.’”

“So you guys are going to be preps?” I asked.

“It’s a thought.”

“Your hair is white with blood-red tips,” I said.

“I can dye it brown.”

“And Luna—her pink hair?”

“I’m not touching my hair,” she said.

“And what about al your tats? You’re just going to scrape them off?”

“We’l cover ours up,” Jagger said. He didn’t like that I was chal enging his idea.

“No. You can’t change who you are. I’ve been this way my whole life and I’ve never changed,” I said firmly.

“And they accepted you?” Jagger charged.

They al turned to me, already knowing the answer.

“This is about business,” Jagger said. “Not about making friends.”

“But it is,” I said. “You can’t not be who you are. That’s why I love you guys. If you change, then you’l be like everyone else in town. I can’t have you do that. There’s got to be another way.”

“Then can you tel me what it is?” Jagger chal enged. “I have already invested a lot of money in this. You told me how everyone in town would come here to dance. Now you are tel ing me they aren’t. What do you suggest I do?”

There was only one person in Dul svil e who could change everyone’s mind.

“Trevor Mitchel ,” I said. “If he’s on board, then everyone in town wil be, too.”

“We’l have to do more than just show up to his soccer game,” Jagger said. “This time, we’l have to make him a partner.”

It wasn’t too long before Scarlet returned with Trevor. Apparently al it took was a few texts, several lip-locks, and the promise of even more power in Dul svil e than he already had to convince him to accept a one-on-one meeting with Jagger.

Jagger didn’t hold the meeting in his office. With its wal s adorned with cemetery sketches and a tarantula creeping in an aquarium, not to mention its location across the hal from the room fil ed with coffins, it wasn’t the ideal setting. Instead Jagger held the meeting with the blonde jock in a smal , vacant room on the top floor.

I paced outside the room while Sebastian and Alexander downed blood-fil ed glasses and the girls calmed their nerves by painting their nails black.

There wasn’t a clock in the Crypt, but it seemed like the two were holed up for ages. Final y I couldn’t bear it anymore.

“More cobwebs are going to form if they don’t hurry,” I said to the gang. “What are they talking about in there?”

Just then the door creaked open. Trevor didn’t make eye contact but just headed down the stairs.

We al had our hearts in our stomachs, waiting for the result.

“He agreed!” Jagger declared proudly. “We’re back in business.”

“Yay!” Scarlet, Onyx, and I cheered.

Scarlet raced downstairs after Trevor to take him home.

“It means your portion goes down,” Jagger said, putting his arm around Sebastian. “We al had to give a little.”

Jagger opened a Romanian wine bottle and poured thick red liquid into tiny shot glasses. Everyone but me took one. I held one fil ed with cranberry juice.

“Here’s to the Crypt,” Jagger said. “And sacrifice.”

Dul svil e High had an unusual air about it. Instead of the normal school malaise or enthusiasm about sports and upcoming dances, this Monday the hal s were fil ed with a different kind of buzzing, and the excitement couldn’t be contained in the whispers. A crowd had gathered at the end of the hal way by the gym. Becky and I pushed our way through, dying to find out what al the fuss was about. Dance music was being played.

“It’s awesome,” Trevor said, handing out flyers. “Nothing in town like it.”

“This wil be cool,” one student said. “I’l tel my friends.”

“I can’t wait until it opens.”

Nothing was cool in town without Trevor’s stamp of approval. Even a few teachers were more interested in the club than they were in shutting down Trevor’s makeshift promotional stand.

“I’m al out, people, but I’l have more tomorrow,” Trevor said.

Students dispersed with their plastic vampire teeth, stickers, and flyers.

My nemesis spotted me and his smile grew even bigger.

“So now I’m part owner of a club,” he said to me. “I’l definitely have al access. I might even be able to remove your name from the VIP guest list if you’re not too careful.”

“I don’t think that wil happen. You aren’t that powerful.”

He got up in my face. “I’m not sure you know al the terms of our agreement,” he said, his green eyes blazing through me.

“What does that mean?” I said, squaring off against him.

“The terms and conditions of me becoming part owner of said club, the Crypt. But that’s not important now, because I also heard it’s not too much longer til your birthday. Then you’l get the surprise you’ve been waiting for al your life.”

“Your funeral?”

He laughed.

It was hard for me to make direct eye contact with Trevor after I had had that lust-fil ed dream about him. I felt that somehow he knew I’d dreamed it—like it showed in my face.

As he packed up his iPod, he said, “I’m missing something, and I think that you might know where it is.”

“Geez, your brain? Intel igence? A sense of goodwil toward man? We could be here al day.”

“A certain necklace with a key. I thought you might know where it is.”

“Hey—if you need to keep your house key around your neck, then you have bigger worries. Try pinning it to your mittens next time.”

“It’s not a big deal, real y. Jagger can just make me another. Besides, it might have slipped off when I was making out with Scarlet in the woods.”

“I’m sure that’s what happened.”

He grasped my wrist. “Don’t worry, Monster Girl, you’ll get your chance when we have that one dance on opening night. Jagger promised me many things. And that was one.”

“Jagger can’t promise you anything about me!” I said, withdrawing my arm. “I’m not for sale!”

“Fine, then I’l just stop tel ing people about the club. And tel them about the ghouls who live in the Sinclair Mil instead.”

“You said you’d help!” I said, getting in his face.

“For a smal dance . . . ,” he retorted, his gaze softening.

I imagined the Crypt’s opening night. The vampires and me standing around, with rooms empty of clubsters.

Jagger, Scarlet, and Sebastian tearing down the decorations, packing up their coffins, and driving the hearse, skul Beetle, and Mustang back to Hipstervil e.

“Fine, you’l have your stupid dance,” I said through gritted teeth. “Just keep posting and handing out those flyers.”

I turned away and stormed off.

“I knew you’d come around to my way of thinking,” he cal ed after me. “You’l be begging for more.”

Just after sunset, I stormed over to the Sinclair Mil . Jagger was at the bar on his cel while the rest of the gang was hanging out.

“How could you?” I shouted.

“What’s wrong?” Alexander asked.

“He knows what’s wrong!” I said, pointing to Jagger.

“Me?” Jagger said naively.

“How could he what?” Alexander said with great concern.

“Sel me off to Trevor!” I was so upset my fists were bal ed up and my lips were quivering.

“It’s one dance,” Jagger said.

“I’m not for sale!” I said.

“What did you do, Jagger?” Alexander’s pale face flushed red with anger.

“Dude, what were you thinking?” Sebastian said.

“That’s al he asked for. I tried money, but he said he wanted one dance with Raven on opening night. I figured you wouldn’t care. It’s just one dance.”

“Are you kidding? You’ve crossed the line!” Alexander rose. “Raven is not for sale.” He was face-to-face with Jagger. Alexander was madder than I was.

“I figured Raven wouldn’t care. It was for the good of the club, and she was so happy to have it open,” Jagger said.

“But fine. I’l cal him and tel him the deal’s off.” He picked up his cel phone.

“Stop—” I said. “Don’t cal him.”

“Are you crazy?” Alexander exclaimed.

“It’s just one stupid dance. And it can be a fast dance. And you’l be right next to me,” I told Alexander.

“I’l be there, too,” Sebastian said, to the chagrin of Luna.

“And so wil I,” Jagger added firmly.

I was truly touched with my vampire bodyguard entourage.

“This sounds exciting now.” I beamed.

Scarlet was sulking. It should have been her Trevor was asking to dance with.

“It’s just to get back at me,” I said, putting my arm around her. “It’s al that boy lives for.”

A year ago today, my mom presented me with two homemade cakes, one in the shape of a one and the other in the shape of a six; Becky gave me a pewter necklace with a tiny charm of a bat; and I heard the news of a family moving into the Mansion on Benson Hil .

The year that fol owed was a dream come true. Not only did I feel one year older, I felt many years wiser. I’d met and fal en in love with a vampire. I’d been shown the Underworld, his family, his friend, his nemesis, and experienced love on a level that was truly out of this world. It only made me excited for what this next year might bring me.

But most exciting was that the Crypt would be opening tonight.

I came downstairs to the sound of “Happy Birthday” being sung at different octaves by my family.

Sweet sixteen had been received with more fanfare than not-so-sweet seventeen. But even so, my family didn’t let my birthday go unnoticed.

My dad kissed me on the cheek. My mom gave me a huge squeeze and handed me a card.

I quickly opened it to find a birthday check.

My brother slid a card to me across the table where he was eating breakfast. Enclosed was a gift card to our local coffee shop.

“Thanks, Bil y. This is an awesome gift! Real y.”

I gave my little brother a hug. He was surprised by my sudden display of affection and barely hugged me back.

“And tonight we’re going to celebrate!” my mom said. “I got reservations at Pip’s.”

Pip’s was a mom-and-pop restaurant that specialized in one-of-a-kind meals, cheesy decor, and making a big deal about birthdays.

“Pip’s? I’m seventeen, not four,” I said. “Besides, tonight I was going to go out with my friends.”

My mother sighed. “But I made reservations.”

The club was opening, and I was supposed to sit in a restaurant while al of Dul svil e High was going to be bopping to the music of the Skeletons?

“Wel , it’s your birthday. If you don’t want to celebrate it with your family . . . ,” my mom said, deflated.

“Of course I do.” I tried to hide my apathy.

“I invited Becky and Matt, too.”

“I appreciate it,” I said.

My family quickly dispersed, engrossed in upcoming meetings, work, and school. It wasn’t long before my little celebration was over and I found myself alone.

When I reached the front door, there was a bouquet of flowers with a note.

Happy Birthday.

Love,

Alexander

I didn’t have time to put them in a vase. Instead, I took them with me and hopped in Becky’s truck.

“Those are beautiful,” she said.

“He’s so sweet,” I said. “He remembered.”

“Haven’t you been talking about your birthday al the time?” she asked.

“Pretty much,” I said. We both broke into giggles.

Becky handed me a long box.

“Thanks,” I said, ripping it open. It was a black shirt with THE CRYPT written in white skeleton bone letters.

“This is the best present ever! How did you get it?”

“I have connections,” she said proudly.

When I opened my locker I expected something nefarious to jump out. Instead, a bat-shaped box of chocolates was waiting for me.

“Aww,” I said. “Look what Alexander gave me.”

“Those look delish!” Becky said, almost salivating. “If you need someone to share those with, you’ve got your girl.”

I put the chocolates in my bag, wanting Alexander’s presence to be close to me. I didn’t have the protection of the darkness. The sun was out, and so was the blonde-haired monster. I didn’t know what my nemesis had planned, so I was on edge the entire day.

By the time I got home, I was fatigued. I plopped down on my bed and opened my backpack to get out the chocolates when I found something shiny.

It was a smal present with white wrapping paper and a silver bow.

I opened the card to see what Alexander had snuck in my bag. The tiny card read, “Happy Birthday, Monster Girl.”

I pushed it aside. No tel ing what was inside. I hung out in my room, texting Becky, checking messages, and putting laundry away. But nothing could get my mind off the shiny box. Final y curiosity got the best of me.

I slowly opened the box. I knew it was going to be something dead.

It was worse. Far worse than opening the present to find an empty box. What I saw was by far more nefarious and cunning. Trevor real y got me this time.

I found a smal bracelet with RAVEN engraved in sterling silver, with two black leather bands united at a silver clasp. It was beautiful.

Warmth flooded my veins, and my heart was reluctantly but stil deeply moved. I was touched. And he knew I would be. Trevor took the time to buy something real for me. Instead of giving me a gag gift, he gave me the kind of present one gives to a best friend or true love. And it made me wonder if this was a sign of his feelings for me, especial y after that powerful dream. For some reason I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

Trevor Mitchel wanted to wrap himself around my wrist.

I put the bracelet back in the box and began to close it when, at the last second, I opened it again. No one was watching. I had to see what the bracelet looked like on. I placed it on my wrist and closed the clasp. The letters shined and the leather straps were real y cool. Trevor did have good taste. I imagined the girlfriend he’d ultimately have, him bathing her in jewels and then going out with someone else.

Trevor knew I couldn’t return it. First of al , it would have been rude—even for me. Who else could wear this gift with my unusual name on it? He wouldn’t be able to get his money back on a custom design.