about, not sure how to respond.
“Definitely not!” Carmen protested, quickly stepping into the void created by Lula’s gaffe. “You’re much prettier than her! Most models would kill for your looks!” As Kristof continued to snap pictures, Lilith thought about how her wealth and popularity were not of her own making, but of her father’s. She was like the moon, which has no light of its own but merely reflects the light of the sun. Up until now, she had been content to remain within her father’s orbit, echoing his glory. But now that she knew she was not his only child, things no longer seemed as certain as they had before.
Perhaps it was time she started shining on her own.
16
Chapter Two
Rest Haven was one of the few remaining private graveyards in Williamsburg. Behind its ancient brick wall sat an acre of quiet greenery and sun-bleached marble monuments. At night the wrought iron gate was secured against those who would pro-fane the eternal slumber of its permanent residents.
Of course, that is not to say the dead who made Rest Haven their final home did not receive callers now and then. Indeed, over the last few weeks the old cemetery had been paid frequent visits by a certain pair of young lovers seeking shelter from the outside world.
As Cally wound her way through the tombstones, she took a deep breath, savoring the smell of the autumn leaves. A fingernail moon hung in the clear October sky, signaling the end of what had been, despite the 17
brief run-in with Lilith Todd, an excellent day. She glanced down at the single lavender Bergdorf’s bag she was carrying. Inside it was a matching La Perla Red Carpet bra-and-thong set that cost her almost $350.
When she’d paid for the lingerie, she had done so with cash, handing over a fistful of twenties and tens to the saleslady. From the looks on Melinda’s and the twins’
faces it was clear they had never paid for anything without using plastic.
Still, despite the vast differences in their lifestyles, Cally really liked Melinda and the twins. And they seemed to genuinely like her as well. So it kind of bothered her that she’d spent the whole day lying to them.
Nobody likes getting lied to, but sometimes there’s no way around it, especially if you want to stay alive.
Lying about being invited to the Grand Ball didn’t fall into the survival category. But the biggest lie of them all was actually more a secret : her boyfriend was a vampire hunter. And not just any vampire hunter, an actual Van Helsing. Peter, to be exact.
Yeah, being attracted to a man whose family was sworn to eradicate her race from the earth was beyond cliché, not to mention seriously unhealthy. But the moment she had seen Peter in the subway, she’d realized there was something between them. She wasn’t sure what it was, but the bond was as undeniable as it was forbidden. And it wasn’t just one way, either: Peter felt the same immediate attraction, going so far as to 18
track her down after that first meeting in order to tell her how he felt. It was like there were magnets in their hearts that kept drawing them together, no matter how hard they fought against the pull. Whatever it was that drew them together—chemistry, destiny, lust, or fate—
all Cally knew was that she couldn’t resist.
Being half vampire and half human, she had spent her entire life torn between two worlds, never truly belonging to either one. All those public service announcements telling kids to “just be yourself ” made it sound so damned easy. But what if being “yourself” gets you beat up, or even killed, what then ? Finally, with Peter, she had found someone with whom she didn’t have to pretend she was something she wasn’t.
Sneaking off to be with Peter was like taking a vacation from her real life. When she was with him, she was free to talk about all kinds of things she never could before, like her curiosity about the true identity of her father and the mixture of
“Definitely not!” Carmen protested, quickly stepping into the void created by Lula’s gaffe. “You’re much prettier than her! Most models would kill for your looks!” As Kristof continued to snap pictures, Lilith thought about how her wealth and popularity were not of her own making, but of her father’s. She was like the moon, which has no light of its own but merely reflects the light of the sun. Up until now, she had been content to remain within her father’s orbit, echoing his glory. But now that she knew she was not his only child, things no longer seemed as certain as they had before.
Perhaps it was time she started shining on her own.
16
Chapter Two
Rest Haven was one of the few remaining private graveyards in Williamsburg. Behind its ancient brick wall sat an acre of quiet greenery and sun-bleached marble monuments. At night the wrought iron gate was secured against those who would pro-fane the eternal slumber of its permanent residents.
Of course, that is not to say the dead who made Rest Haven their final home did not receive callers now and then. Indeed, over the last few weeks the old cemetery had been paid frequent visits by a certain pair of young lovers seeking shelter from the outside world.
As Cally wound her way through the tombstones, she took a deep breath, savoring the smell of the autumn leaves. A fingernail moon hung in the clear October sky, signaling the end of what had been, despite the 17
brief run-in with Lilith Todd, an excellent day. She glanced down at the single lavender Bergdorf’s bag she was carrying. Inside it was a matching La Perla Red Carpet bra-and-thong set that cost her almost $350.
When she’d paid for the lingerie, she had done so with cash, handing over a fistful of twenties and tens to the saleslady. From the looks on Melinda’s and the twins’
faces it was clear they had never paid for anything without using plastic.
Still, despite the vast differences in their lifestyles, Cally really liked Melinda and the twins. And they seemed to genuinely like her as well. So it kind of bothered her that she’d spent the whole day lying to them.
Nobody likes getting lied to, but sometimes there’s no way around it, especially if you want to stay alive.
Lying about being invited to the Grand Ball didn’t fall into the survival category. But the biggest lie of them all was actually more a secret : her boyfriend was a vampire hunter. And not just any vampire hunter, an actual Van Helsing. Peter, to be exact.
Yeah, being attracted to a man whose family was sworn to eradicate her race from the earth was beyond cliché, not to mention seriously unhealthy. But the moment she had seen Peter in the subway, she’d realized there was something between them. She wasn’t sure what it was, but the bond was as undeniable as it was forbidden. And it wasn’t just one way, either: Peter felt the same immediate attraction, going so far as to 18
track her down after that first meeting in order to tell her how he felt. It was like there were magnets in their hearts that kept drawing them together, no matter how hard they fought against the pull. Whatever it was that drew them together—chemistry, destiny, lust, or fate—
all Cally knew was that she couldn’t resist.
Being half vampire and half human, she had spent her entire life torn between two worlds, never truly belonging to either one. All those public service announcements telling kids to “just be yourself ” made it sound so damned easy. But what if being “yourself” gets you beat up, or even killed, what then ? Finally, with Peter, she had found someone with whom she didn’t have to pretend she was something she wasn’t.
Sneaking off to be with Peter was like taking a vacation from her real life. When she was with him, she was free to talk about all kinds of things she never could before, like her curiosity about the true identity of her father and the mixture of
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