Call of the Vampire Read Free Page B

go.”
    “I insist,” the young man said. Then, giving his brother a very steady look, he added, “I really think leaving now would be a mistake. Don’t you, Jessie?”
    “Please stay and enjoy yourselves,” Jessie said, giving me a thin smile before releasing my hand. His hands were cool against mine, but there was a lingering tingling with heat behind it from where he’d touched my skin.
    “She’s not Colette,” Daniel said in a harsh whisper as the two of them walked off.
    “I know, but that doesn’t mean...”
    Daniel cut his brother off with, “They’re here now. You need to let it go.”
    “He. Is. Gorgeous.” Blossom sighed, downing the contents of her coupe glass and eyeing the departing Jessie.
    “We should leave,” I whispered, blinking rapidly.
    “Don’t be stupid,” she told me. “Now that we’re officially invited and everything, we should definitely enjoy ourselves.”
    I just stood there, unable to move. My heart was racing, and for some reason, I had the sudden impulse to cry.
    “Aurora?” Blossom goosed me in the side.
    “What?” I broke out of my reverie, forcing back my tears.
    “I said we should enjoy ourselves. Let’s get more champagne.”
    I don’t know what it is about an open bar, but it makes people go a little crazy. The crowd that had been so elegant and reserved when the party started was growing increasingly noisy and boisterous. Blossom was swilling down champagne like it was water. I, on the other hand, decided to stop drinking. I wasn’t all that interested in getting drunk, even when I was at a party where I knew lots of people. Getting smashed in a room full of strangers didn’t sound like a bright thing to do.
    “Hello, beautiful girls.” A handsome man somewhere in his thirties approached us. He was dressed impeccably, with a purple flower in the lapel of his jacket. His blond hair was slicked back like Errol Flynn’s. “You’re drinking champagne, I see.” He was casually holding a goblet of red wine. His words had the hint of a European accent, like a lot of the guests at the party.
    “You bet we are.” Blossom clinked her glass against his. “Cheers! This is such an awesome party!” She polished off her drink and then scanned the room for a waiter.
    “You’re glass is empty,” he observed. “Let me get you another one.”
    “No, thank you,” I said. “I think we’ve had enough.” I knew I sounded uptight, but I didn’t like the way the guy was leering at Blossom like she was a big slice of cake.
    “One more won’t kill you,” he said, waving away my rejection and laughing a little to himself. “Oh, I just don’t see a waiter right now. Too bad.”
    “Loosen up,” Blossom growled at me. “It’s a party.”
    “You should take your friend’s advice,” the stranger told me. “Who are you two here with, by the way?”
    “Jessie invited us,” Blossom slurred.
    “Well, Jessie has good taste.” He leaned in, confidentially, “Are you his particular friends?”
    “Not really,” Blossom snorted. “We really only just met.”
    “How delightful,” he said, his lips curling into a closed-mouth smile, making his already handsome face even more attractive but also a bit sleek like a snake. “I would very much like to get to know you better. But first, let me see if I can get you more champagne.”
    “He’s so cute,” Blossom said in a loud whisper, leaning on me slightly as our new friend disappeared in the crowd. “There are so many hot guys here.”
    “I don’t know. There’s something kind of creepy about him,” was my assessment.
    “Yeah, I hate good-looking men that flirt with me and bring me alcohol,” she sneered.
    But something wasn’t right. I mean, we were both obviously in high school. Guys in their thirties don’t get teenage girls alcohol unless they’re looking to lower the girls’ inhibitions. My mom was a therapist, and she specialized in helping girls who had been through trauma. The nature of her