Love Bites (Vampire Kisses 7)

You just did it yourself. You both were making fun of it. How will he feelwith some reporters comments published throughout town?

For once I had silenced my parents.

See our problem? I asked.

Your father and I were just kidding. Youre rightwe really shouldnt have said those things.

But the townthey wont be fooling around. Theyll mean it. You see how Ive been treated for years.

Thats what I dont understand, my dad said. I thought you were all about being yourselfno matter what.

I am.

Then I figured Alexander would be, too.

Of course he is, I said emphatically.

There is no reason, then, my mom said, that Alexander should change who he isor where he lives.

She had a point.

So where is our nonconforming daughter? my dad asked. What has happened to you?

We dont want the whole town to know my boyfriends a vampire. That he sleeps in a coffin and has a cellar filled with bottles of blood, okay? I wanted to say.

I was on trial in front of my parents. They waited for the accused to speakto declare if I was guilty of trading in my own belief system. I was asking them to understand why I was changing my whole character in order to impress the very town from which Id been an outcast my entire life.

They were correct. Under normal circumstances, Id never go along with Alexander trying to change who he was. But if the town knew he was a vampire, hed be the one in danger.

Maybe Alexander doesnt want the town to see his real image, I began.

Why? my mom asked.

Its an invasion of his space.

How do you figure that?

The Mansion is his studio, his home, his family. Hes already shared his soul in his paintingsdoes he have to share it in a newspaper, too?

My parents agreed. I was beginning to get through to them.

Besides, its not my decision, I said. Its Alexanders. And he wants the Mansion to appear like any other home in Dullsville.

My mothers bewilderment turned to joy. Then I guess Im forced to help you shop.

Jameson and I are going to pick up the furniture after school. I just dont know where to begin, and I thought youd be great in giving me some ideas.

Come into my private stash. I followed my mom into her bedroom.

Where a man might have stashed Playboys, my mom had hidden her Pottery Barns. She reached underneath her bed and pulled out a large plastic container.

I have every issue from every home store.

We hunkered down on her bed like two girls at a sleepover. We spread out the catalogs and pored over the slick pages.

Rugs are a great accent. Framed pictures can make a statement. Clocks can really be striking. She noted pages with Post-its, and with a thick black marker I circled items that reminded me of Trevors home.

I was hoping for a day like this since you were a little girl, she said, for decorating your roombut Ill settle for decorating Alexanders.

Jameson and I were armed with catalogs and a credit card. We had to go to the one place Id never imagined the Creepy Man would ever escort me tothe mall.

It was an understatement to say that we were an odd pair. Elderly mall walkers, tweens with cell phones and Vera Bradley backpacks, kissing couples, and families filled the food court. There was only one bald butler and morbidly dressed girl.

We entered a home store Id only been in when I was being dragged by my mother and the mall benches were already occupied.

We were immediately confronted by a friendly woman with a rock star headset. Do you need help? she asked sincerely.

You could say that, I said. Wed like to purchase a few things for the home.

Her forehead wrinkled as she tried to assess the couple who stood before her. Uncle and niece? Father and daughter? Boyfriend and young girlfriend?

By the expression on her face, I think she settled for Creepy Man and Monster Girl.

Its not for my home, I reassured her. Its for his home.

All right, then. The saleswoman did her best to hide her discomfort.

Miss? Jameson asked.

Lauren.

Miss Lauren, he began in a soft and velvety Romanian accent, I am so delighted that you will be helping us. I can tell you have impeccable taste.

Lauren was immediately captured by the Creepy Mans compliment. Thank you, she gushed.

And, Miss Lauren, we need to have these delivered quickly, Jameson told her.

If its in stock, we can have it delivered the next day.

Then lead me to those items, he said.

Lauren guided us around the store like a docent in a fine arts museum.

We picked out a few rugs, a desk and hutch, and furniture covers. She showed us a dozen lamps and pushed one long hanging rug after another until Jameson found one he liked.

I had a blast shopping with the Creepy Man. My mom usually took ages to decide between two varieties of the same item, then, after deciding on the most perfect one, went to another store, only to finally come back to the original and buy it, while Jameson instantaneously picked out furniture, rugs, and accessories.

Lauren rang up our purchases and Jameson handed over his credit card and signed his name.

We left the store with oversized shopping bags like any other normal Dullsvillian.

Now all we needed was a cleaning company.

Alexander wouldnt let me inside until the Mansions makeover was complete. I heard bustling and tried to peek into the window, but the dirt blocked my view.

I was seated on the stoop when I received a text.

Hey Hottie, What are you doing?

The sender was from an unavailable number. I dismissed the call, and as I waited on the stoop, the Mansions door finally creaked open.

Alexander stood as Id never seen him before. He was wearing pressed jeans and an oxford shirt, a brown leather belt and shiny loafers. He was unbearably handsome.

Where is Alexander? I asked.

What do you think? he asked, nervous about my response.

You are gorgeous! Id never imagined you as an insider, I said, checking him out. You look like you belong in a prep school.

Good, thats the look were going for.

The Mansion had been transformed into a spread from Homes & Gardens. Everything seemed completely wrong. With the new slipcovers, the couches appeared brand new and the room clean, sweet-smelling, and free of any unwanted eight-legged insects. Hurricane lamps and framed flowers lined the mantel. Bright yellow and white pillows popped out against white linen-covered chairs.

It looks like someone else lives here, I said.

You think so? Sebastian asked, pleased with the results. Alexander will be like any other person living in townonly hell have a butler instead of a few parents. That will accentuate his trust-fund status, he said, thinking out loud.

Youve covered all your bases, I said, noticing that a floor-length candelabra had been replaced with a silver floor lamp. Giles Lunken wont have anything to say, except Hes one of our own.