other side of the room. Jagger was standing at the apartment‘s main entrance. ―Raven is an old friend. And I‘ve known her boyfriend for an eternity.‖
Both vampires were blocking the exits—the one that led back to the club and the one that led to a hallway. (I‘d remembered coming down the dimly lit corridor when I first visited Jagger‘s apartment.) The room was windowless and there were no other exits. I had no way to escape.
I didn‘t know which vampire to side with. I wasn‘t fast enough to whisk by them or strong enough to bulldoze through them. Either one could easily tear into my flesh with a single bite.
I did something I never thought I‘d do. I tore off and hid behind Jagger Maxwell.
I chose the company of the nefarious but familiar Jagger to the foreign leather-clad stranger.
―She has such good taste,‖ he said brazenly to Phoenix. And with that Jagger shut the door to his apartment and to Phoenix.
I wasn‘t sure why Jagger was being nice to me. Perhaps he felt he had an obligation to Alexander since he‘d returned his sibling safely to him. But ultimately Jagger was untrustworthy.
It was only a matter of time before Jagger flashed his fangs or verbally threatened me as I followed him down the dimly lit corridor to a freight elevator. But instead of challenging me, Jagger calmly led me through the desolate hallway, without incident, like a knight guarding its queen. I was shocked. He was honoring his truce with Alexander. Apparently their reconciliation was as meaningful to him as it had been to my boyfriend. I was almost disappointed when I got inside the elevator, alone, without having been confronted. I guess I had made the right choice after all. Still standing in the hallway, Jagger began to shut the rickety door. As it creaked closed, something swooped underneath and fluttered so close above my head, I had to duck.
When I recovered, I noticed a bat hanging upside down from the ceiling. Its beady black eyes were looking dead straight at me.
A single bulb illuminated the elevator like a B horror flick. I quickly pressed a button marked ―C.C.‖
Jagger glared back at me with his mismatched mesmerizing eyes. ―I hope you enjoyed your visit. You never know. You may want to join forever,‖ he said with a wicked grin.
The elevator screeched as it slowly ascended from the depths of the Dungeon to club level and then ground to a stop.
I quickly opened the heavy elevator door and spotted the indoor entrance to the Coffin Club. I made my way inside just as the bat flew off overhead.
Safely back at Aunt Libby‘s apartment, I sat up on her futon and scribbled in my journal, the streetlight casting a glow on my comforter. My aunt was fast asleep, but I felt like I‘d just guzzled an extra-tall chocolate toffee latte.
I had so many quandaries buzzing through my mind. I wasn‘t sure why I was pulled toward Phoenix, just as I‘d been to Trevor and Jagger. It wasn‘t the same way I‘d been attracted to Alexander, but Phoenix sparked my curiosity, and I was intrigued to know why he was similarly drawn to me. I was also worried about the situation of the club. If Phoenix took over, what would that mean for my new friends? The girls might have a secure place for all eternity—
safe and free from the possible persecution of mortals. With Jagger in charge, would it mean that Hipsterville would have a known vampire presence? It irked me that Jagger was so power hungry that he would risk the welfare of his own kind. His actions went against everything Alexander believed in. Alexander wanted to blend in the mortal world as mortal, while Jagger wanted to be feared by others—to gain popularity and notoriety. I understood Jagger‘s yearning to be known. It wasn‘t in my nature to remain hidden in the shadows—but there was one big difference—I wasn‘t a vampire. I wasn‘t a danger to anyone. And since I was beginning to immerse myself in a community of vampires—the life I‘d always
Both vampires were blocking the exits—the one that led back to the club and the one that led to a hallway. (I‘d remembered coming down the dimly lit corridor when I first visited Jagger‘s apartment.) The room was windowless and there were no other exits. I had no way to escape.
I didn‘t know which vampire to side with. I wasn‘t fast enough to whisk by them or strong enough to bulldoze through them. Either one could easily tear into my flesh with a single bite.
I did something I never thought I‘d do. I tore off and hid behind Jagger Maxwell.
I chose the company of the nefarious but familiar Jagger to the foreign leather-clad stranger.
―She has such good taste,‖ he said brazenly to Phoenix. And with that Jagger shut the door to his apartment and to Phoenix.
I wasn‘t sure why Jagger was being nice to me. Perhaps he felt he had an obligation to Alexander since he‘d returned his sibling safely to him. But ultimately Jagger was untrustworthy.
It was only a matter of time before Jagger flashed his fangs or verbally threatened me as I followed him down the dimly lit corridor to a freight elevator. But instead of challenging me, Jagger calmly led me through the desolate hallway, without incident, like a knight guarding its queen. I was shocked. He was honoring his truce with Alexander. Apparently their reconciliation was as meaningful to him as it had been to my boyfriend. I was almost disappointed when I got inside the elevator, alone, without having been confronted. I guess I had made the right choice after all. Still standing in the hallway, Jagger began to shut the rickety door. As it creaked closed, something swooped underneath and fluttered so close above my head, I had to duck.
When I recovered, I noticed a bat hanging upside down from the ceiling. Its beady black eyes were looking dead straight at me.
A single bulb illuminated the elevator like a B horror flick. I quickly pressed a button marked ―C.C.‖
Jagger glared back at me with his mismatched mesmerizing eyes. ―I hope you enjoyed your visit. You never know. You may want to join forever,‖ he said with a wicked grin.
The elevator screeched as it slowly ascended from the depths of the Dungeon to club level and then ground to a stop.
I quickly opened the heavy elevator door and spotted the indoor entrance to the Coffin Club. I made my way inside just as the bat flew off overhead.
Safely back at Aunt Libby‘s apartment, I sat up on her futon and scribbled in my journal, the streetlight casting a glow on my comforter. My aunt was fast asleep, but I felt like I‘d just guzzled an extra-tall chocolate toffee latte.
I had so many quandaries buzzing through my mind. I wasn‘t sure why I was pulled toward Phoenix, just as I‘d been to Trevor and Jagger. It wasn‘t the same way I‘d been attracted to Alexander, but Phoenix sparked my curiosity, and I was intrigued to know why he was similarly drawn to me. I was also worried about the situation of the club. If Phoenix took over, what would that mean for my new friends? The girls might have a secure place for all eternity—
safe and free from the possible persecution of mortals. With Jagger in charge, would it mean that Hipsterville would have a known vampire presence? It irked me that Jagger was so power hungry that he would risk the welfare of his own kind. His actions went against everything Alexander believed in. Alexander wanted to blend in the mortal world as mortal, while Jagger wanted to be feared by others—to gain popularity and notoriety. I understood Jagger‘s yearning to be known. It wasn‘t in my nature to remain hidden in the shadows—but there was one big difference—I wasn‘t a vampire. I wasn‘t a danger to anyone. And since I was beginning to immerse myself in a community of vampires—the life I‘d always
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