hair, opposite of the way I felt when I was a child and my mom ran a fine-toothed comb through my tangles. "Alexander's so dreamy. His eyes are like milk chocolates. His attic room is filled with portraits he's painted of me and his family," I rattled on like a drippy girl, then changed my tone. "But it's hard sometimes," I confessed. "I want to share our reflections. I want to have a photo of us on my night stand." �Yes, it does have its drawbacks. But it's a small price to pay for an eternity together.� Luna pulled my hair off my shoulder and began to braid it. "Where is the wound from Alexander's bite?" she asked curiously�I quickly covered my neck with my hand. She released my hair and raised her white, luxurious locks, exposing two round purple marks on her skinny pale neck. "They say it takes a year to go away," she said. "I hope it stays there forever." "Uh�it's not on my neck," I teased. "You are wicked!" she said with a smile, but then turned serious. "I could have sworn Jagger said he saw Alexander bite you on your neck." "I really have to go," I said, getting up. "Alexander will be worried." I climbed offstage. "Wanna hang out again tomorrow?" she asked, following me. "We can meet at sunset." "I have plans with Alexander," I said, walking up the aisle. "Then the next night?" "I'll see," I said, grabbing my bike. "Why do you need to ride here when you could fly?" "I have to keep up appearances." "Good thinking," she said with a wink. "I'll see you later." I hopped on my bike. "Later!" I pedaled off. When I turned back to wave, the amphitheater was empty. 12 Guest Who? I had to admit�I loved being a vampire. Luna not only believed I was part of the Underworld but wanted me as a friend. I felt like I was flying as I raced my bike through downtown and toward my house. I wondered where I would live. Perhaps my understanding parents could remodel our finished basement�board up the windows, remove the white carpeting, and dirty the cement floors with a few bugs and cobwebs. I could sleep in a black coffin with purple seams and silver studs. Or better yet, Alexander and I could live together in the factory with a super-deluxe two-person gothedelic coffin. Plenty of pillows and comfy blankets, with a built-in flat-screen TV in the lid and stereo speakers on the sides. I pulled into my driveway and found Alexander waiting for me on the front steps, looking as dreamy as ever in black vinyl pants and a ripped black long-sleeve shirt. "Where were you?" he asked, concerned. "I got your note about meeting you at the cemetery, but you never showed." "I got a note, too," I said, showing him the red envelope. "To meet you at the park." "But I didn't write a note." "I know. Neither did I." "Then who did?" he asked. "Your spurned lover." "Luna? She was never my lover." "I know. I was just teasing." "How did you know it was her?" "She told me. When I showed up at the park." "Did she hurt you?" he asked. "She wanted to. It was all a plan to confront me about Trevor. She wants me to stay away from him." "This is getting out of hand," he said. "I'll talk to her." "No, she thinks I'm a vampire," I said proudly, placing my hand on his. "Can you believe it? We chatted forever. Like we were best friends." "Jagger and Luna don't have best friends. We really have to be careful. There's no predicting what they'll do." "But she really liked me," I insisted. "I'm sure she did," he said with a smile. "We still can't trust them." "Well, she trusts me." "Because you are trustworthy. I know their family, Raven. They're not like you. They are vampires, remember. Real ones." "She accepts me as a vampire. And Jagger is convinced I am one, too." I paused and looked up at my vampire boyfriend. "And I like it. Why can't you accept me as one?" Alexander's smile turned into a frown. "I accept you as you are. I always have." He turned away from me. "I didn't mean to upset you," I said, reaching out to him. I gave him a squeeze with all my might.
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