Dance With a Vampire Read Free Page B

school. Though my nemesis didn’t know the Maxwells’ true intent, he did know that for the last several days I had been warning him about the nefarious duo. Still, Trevor couldn’t resist egging me on. His repartee was only slightly less biting than it used to be. Trevor and I’d been caustic to each other since kindergarten—it was the only way we knew how to communicate. Without that, we’d have no relationship. And that, I knew for sure, Trevor wasn’t ready to give up.
    “Is Alexander asking your father for your hand in marriage?”
    “Don’t be lame—”
    “Not even to prom? It’s next week. You’ll miss watching me be crowned Prom King. Too bad they don’t have a place for Prom Freak. They surely would have a tiara waiting for you.”
    I snarled at my nemesis and glanced over at Alexander, who was politely engaged in conversation with my parents.
    Prom? I hadn’t even thought about prom since Jagger, Luna, and now Valentine had arrived in town. Dullsville High was so small, all grades were invited to attend. Finally, I, Raven Madison, queen of the outcasts, had a potential date with the most gorgeous guy in all of Dullsville to the most important dance of the year, and I hadn’t even had the time to daydream about it.
    My best friend, Becky, was so busy with her boyfriend, Matt, that she and I hadn’t had a chance to dish about the prom. Of course, she’d be attending the ball with Matt, and Trevor would arrive with some gorgeous blond varsity cheerleader. And I would be escorted by Alexander Sterling. But would he even go after the fiasco at the Snow Ball several months ago where Trevor challenged him, forcing him to retreat to the Mansion?
    And would there even be a prom if the town of Dullsville knew that a preteen vampire was lurking somewhere in town?
    “Don’t forget to vote for me,” my nemesis said, disappearing into the crowd of patrons.
    I ducked into the ladies’ room, washed my hands in the white porcelain sink, and reapplied bloodred eyeliner to the corners of my eyes and snow-colored powder to my nervous brow.
    How would I manage to get us to the library in the middle of dinner with my parents, while the curious Mitchells sat at an adjacent table, without making a scene?
    It would take a miracle—or at least a ghost white lie.
    “I think Billy Boy should be with us,” I said when I returned to our table.
    My parents looked at me skeptically.

    “He’s at a Math Club party. I told you that,” my mom reminded me. “They’re providing dinner.”
    “You know how much he loves eating here. He’s crazy about the Cricket burgers. Now I feel bad, eating at one of his favorite restaurants without him—”
    “We can bring something home for him,” my dad offered. “Why the sudden interest in your brother?”
    Clearly my father wasn’t making this easy.
    “He loves the big-screen TVs. He whines enough as it is. I’ll have to hear about it for weeks.”
    “You don’t need your little brother as a buffer, do you?” my mom asked. “Paul, I think we’re embarrassing her. We’ll stop asking so many questions.”
    “No, you guys are great,” I assured my parents. “I just think he’d be upset to know we were so close and didn’t include him. How about Alexander and I just run over and pick him up?” I suggested. “It’s only a few blocks away. We’ll be back before our dinner arrives.”
    “He’s having his own party,” my dad said. “Right now they are probably exchanging prime numbers.”
    “Well, if that’s what you really want, Paul,” Mom said.
    “All right, I’ll get him,” my dad said resignedly, putting his napkin on the table.
    “No—I want to,” I said, standing up before my father could. “Alexander’s never been to the library.”
    My dad looked at me suspiciously. “Are you sure you’re not sneaking off to a rave?”
    “In this town? No, but if I find out about one, you’ll know where we are,” I said with a wink.

3 Dead Tree