Dance with a Vampire (Vampire Kisses 4)

"Where's Billy!" I demanded.

"More important, where are my siblings?"

"I don't know. I already explained before that I thought they went back to Romania." "Well, they didn't. Something--or someone--kept them from returning," he said accusingly.

"Is that why you were reading Billy's, Trevor's, and my thoughts? To find Jagger and Luna?"

"Yes, but I read a lot more than I imagined."

"What do you mean?"

Valentine inched closer.

"When I read Trevor's blood, I saw a covenant by the graveyard with Grim Reapers all around. A girl in a tattered prom dress walked up the aisle. But when she lifted her veil, instead of seeing my sister's face--I saw yours."

"You are talking about the Graveyard Gala--Trevor's party at the cemetery. That's not how it happened."

"I know, but that's how Trevor wanted it to happen. He never wanted my sister; he settled for her because she reminded him of you."

"I don't believe it."

"My family has been shamed ever since Alexander ditched my sister in Romania. Jagger came here to seek his revenge on that cowardly vampire. Then he called for my sister. Only they never called for me--because they think I'm a kid."

"That's normal. Billy feels left out all the time," I tried to assure him.

"But now that I'm here, I see that you are the cause of them being shamed again," Valentine said, advancing toward me. "Now they won't ever return to me and my family. Neither Trevor nor Alexander wanted my sister. They both want you--and they still do." "I don't know what you mean. Why would Alexander 'still' want me--he already has me."

"Not completely. Remember...Alexander is a vampire, after all," Valentine said, and flashed his fangs.

I paused.

"I've read his blood. He's hungered for your flesh, blood, and soul since he laid eyes on you."

"I don't care what you say; you are just trying to destroy our relationship. But you can't!"

"Or can I? How long can you two be together when one craves the blood of the other? How long will you torment him? For eternity?"

"Maybe I'm the one who's tormented. I want to be in Alexander's world and he wants to protect me from it-- and vampires like you!"

"Valentine--you've said enough!" I heard a familiar voice say.

I turned around. Alexander was standing behind me.

I gazed up at Alexander's dark eyes. Were Valentine's words about my boyfriend correct? Alexander backed away from me.

"Valentine--you have to leave this cave and this town now," I demanded.

"I won't leave until I've gotten what I came here for. And since I can't find my brother, I'll have to take yours."

Out of the darkness, Billy Boy traipsed toward me, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

Valentine grabbed my brother's puny arm and lifted his wrist to his mouth. "What are you doing?" Billy Boy asked.

Valentine smiled a wicked grin and flashed his fangs.

"No!" I cried.

Valentine opened his mouth wide and began to bear down on my brother's wrist.

I shined the flashlight on Valentine's face. His green eyes turned crystal white, then bloodred.

Valentine let out a horrible yell and withdrew his grip from my brother's wrist. He covered his face from the light and recoiled into the shadows.

Chapter 17 Project Vampire

Valentine lay in the cave, appearing more ghastly than ever, his lips blue and his skin paler than a corpse's.

"Valentine's not moving," I said. "I think I..."

Alexander scooped the limp vampire up in his arms. Billy Boy was visibly shaken. I held his trembling hand and led him back through the cave.

When we reached the entrance, Billy grabbed his bike while Alexander and I put Valentine in the car.

As Alexander laid the weary Valentine on the backseat, the preteen vampire struggled to open his eyes. "I tried," Valentine whispered to Alexander, "but I couldn't do it."

"Try to save your breath," Alexander warned.

Valentine clutched my boyfriend's arm. "When I spent the night at Billy's and read his blood in search of my siblings, I found out something else instead. Billy was peacefully dreaming about his family; his mother, father, and Raven. I couldn't take him away from that. Jagger and Luna were right to exclude me. I am not like them after all."

Alexander placed a warm blanket around the boy and I sat with him as he laid down, his breathing labored.

Billy Boy disassembled the front wheel from his bike, and Alexander helped place it in the trunk. I joined my brother in the passenger seat of the Mercedes.

"I got you this," Billy Boy said, handing me a bat-shaped rock he'd found in the cave. "I thought you'd think it was cool."

Mortal or vampire, Valentine and Billy Boy were just like any other boys their age--desperately fighting to be seen by their older siblings as anything but a child.

When Alexander, Billy Boy, Valentine, and I arrived back at Benson Hill, Henry was waiting for us on the uneven steps of the Mansion.

As if on cue, Jameson opened the heavy Mansion door. Alexander carried Valentine up the grand staircase as the nerd-mates and I followed into the foyer.

"Wow! This place is huge!" Henry exclaimed. "And spooky. There must be dozens of ghosts in here," my brother added.

Jameson directed Henry, Billy Boy, and me to wait in the parlor while the creepy man busied himself in the kitchen.

The parlor was the same as always--a simple desk, a shelf of dusty books, and a few antique Victorian chairs.

"There isn't much to look at in here besides dust," Henry observed. "I'd love to take a tour of the Mansion."

"That isn't possible right now."

My brother plopped in a chair while Henry opened a few ancient books that didn't appear to have been touched since the Mansion had been built.

"Why isn't Alexander taking him to a doctor?" Billy Boy asked.

"It's hard to explain," I answered.

"Henry and I are members of the chess, math, and astronomy clubs. I think if it's a concept you understand, we can comprehend it too."

I groaned. "Alexander can help Valentine out more than a doctor can. It's something about being from Romania."

Jameson, carrying a tray of bottles filled with red liquid, hurried up the grand staircase.

The boys looked at each other incredulously.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Billy Boy asked Henry.

"I'm surprised we didn't figure it out sooner," the nerd-mate replied.

"We were looking at the wrong subject!" Billy Boy said. "Now it all makes sense." "Not only will we get an A," Henry concluded, "but we may get a scholarship to MIT."