Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer Page A

my journal back now, Mr. Otis?”
    â€œBut this isn’t your journal, Vladimir, not really.” Mr. Otis’s voice softened further, until it was almost a whisper. He caressed the pages of the journal lovingly before handing it to Vlad. “You should be careful what you believe, Mr. Tod. The world is full of monsters with friendly faces.”
    Vlad snatched the journal and swung his backpack over his shoulder. His blood was sizzling. Without surprise, Vlad could feel his fangs scraping the inside of his lip. When he reached the door, he paused and turned back, careful to keep his fangs hidden. “Thanks for the advice, Mr. Otis. But I know more about monsters than you can even imagine.”
    Mr. Otis merely nodded.
    As Vlad opened his locker, he looked around for Henry, but didn’t see him anywhere. He did, however, see Meredith. She smiled and bounded over to him. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Vlad.”
    Vlad cleared his throat. He was still angry at her for flirting with his best friend, but getting mad at pretty girls is easy; staying mad at them is another story altogether. “Yeah, you too.”
    â€œI didn’t see you after English, so I left a valentine I made for you with Henry.” She raised her hand and twirled one of her perfect brown ringlets around her finger.
    Vlad melted into the floor. “Oh . . . I . . . I forgot yours at home.”
    A slight blush tinged her cheeks pink. “It’s okay. You don’t have to get me anything.”
    â€œI already did. It’s . . . it’s really nice.” The hallway was becoming quickly less populated, which meant there wasn’t much time before the bell rang. Vlad managed a smile without blushing too much. “Well, I’d better hurry or I’ll be late for math.”
    Meredith groaned. “Isn’t Mr. Harold the worst? I have him fourth period.”
    Vlad nodded. “Yeah, he’s pretty bad.”
    â€œSee you later, Vlad.”
    â€œYeah.” Vlad closed his locker and floated down the hall to Mr. Harold’s second-period math class.
    Â 
    Vlad finished reading the journal for the night and marked the page with a paper clip before closing it. Despite Henry’s objections, he had been learning a lot from his dad’s entries lately. He stood and moved his lawn chair closer to one of the belfry’s arched windows. The town of Bathory was eerily silent, and the air was charged with a particularly uncomfortable vibe. Even the goth kids had neglected their place on the high school’s steps for the evening.
    Vlad extinguished the candles and stepped out onto the ledge. He looked over the town, feeling more than just literally above it. In his journal, Tomas had spoken of an entire world populated by vampires. Tomas ranted about a vampire who he thought would come for him and his family, because Tomas had committed the horrendous crime of loving a human and deserting vampirekind. The idea of other vampires sent a chilling thrill through Vlad’s veins. It was both terrifying and undeniably exciting. And the journal gave Vlad all the proof he needed to believe his parents had been murdered.
    A low, muffled sound that might have been shouting reached Vlad’s ear. He turned his head toward the parking lot of the junior high school two blocks over. Two men were arguing loudly. Vlad tucked the journal in his inside jacket pocket and floated down to a nearby oak. Willing his body forward, he bounced gingerly from tree to tree until he stood in the crook of another large oak tree, over the heads of the two arguing men.
    Mr. Otis opened the door to his car. His usual smile had been replaced with a sneer. He dropped his bag in the front seat and turned back to the man dressed in black. “This conversation is over.”
    â€œDon’t speak to me like I’m one of your students, Otis.” The man slanted his dark eyes. His words were fog in the cool air.