Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods 1)

"Are you okay?" Bliss Llewellyn asked.

"I don't know," Schuyler said, still in shock. She tried to regain her balance, leaning heavily on Bliss's shoulder, her legs still shaking.

"Easy," Bliss soothed.

Beauty was still barking, with loud, angry howls, and growling at Bliss.

"Heel, Beauty, heel, that's Bliss, she's my friend," Schuyler said, putting an arm out to soothe the trembling dog. But the dog wouldn't stop. Beauty ran around Bliss, nipping her ankles.

"Ouch!"

"Beauty, that's enough!" Schuyler said, taking Beauty's collar roughly. Where had she come from? How had she known? Schuyler looked into the dog's intelligent black eyes. You saved me, she thought.

"What happened?" Bliss asked again.

"I don't know. I was just walking when something attacked me from behind..."

"I heard you," Bliss said, her voice shaking. "I was waiting over there, outside the studio, for my car, when I heard you screaming down the block, so I ran over to help."

Schuyler nodded, still dazed from the experience. Her bag and its contents were scattered around her - her books open and soaking in the puddles, her prized new jeans crumpled in a heap.

"What do you think it was?" Bliss asked, helping Schuyler gather her things and putting them back in her leather bag.

"I don't know... it seemed... unreal," Schuyler stammered. She zipped up her bag and shouldered it roughly. She was still a bit unsteady on her feet, but holding Beauty's leash made her feel better somehow. She felt stronger around the bloodhound, more substantial.

Already, the memory of the attack was staring to fade - a dark mass, with shining red eyes and silver pupils - and teeth, teeth sharp enough to puncture skin - fangs - just like hers - but when her fingers touched the side of her neck, there was nothing there anymore. Not a wound. Not even a scratch.

Catherine Carver's Diary

23rd of December, 1620

Plymouth, Massachusetts

Alas! Alas! Everyone from Roanoke is disappeared. Myles and the men found nothing of the colony. The shelters had been dismantled, the animals nowhere in sight. There was nothing but a bare patch of field. Nothing remained of the settlement except for a lone sign nailed to a tree. John showed it to me.

CROATAN

It chilled my blood to see it. Alas! Alas! It is true. We are cursed! They are here. All is lost! We weep for our kindred. But we must protect the children. We are not safe!

CHAPTER 26

Ridiculous. It was one of Mimi's favorite words.

Her python Birkin? Ridiculous! Her father's new G-5 jet? Ridiculous! Bliss Llwellyn's house party? OTT, baby. Ridiculous to the max. There was nothing like a party to get her blood flowing. Mimi surveyed the crowded room. Almost everyone from The Committee was there, and a great selection of delicious-looking Red Bloods. She was glad she'd convinced Bliss to throw the party.

Things had been way too serious around school - what with midterms just around the corner, the seniors stressing about applications, the lingering sadness from Aggie's funeral - and they all needed to relax. Bliss had been hesitant at first - badgering Mimi with a thousand petty concerns like, Will anyone show? What about food? Who's going to buy the beer? What about the furniture? What if something happens to it? Some of it is really expensive! She had almost driven Mimi mad with all her angsting. "Leave it all in my capable hands," Mimi finally told her friend.

So, in quick succession, Mimi commandeered an army of publicists and event planners to transform the Llewellyns' triplex penthouse apartment into a bacchanalian haven - complete with a sponsored open bar (as if alcohol had any effect on them anyway), a crew of models holding serving trays bearing bite-size edibles (potatoes stuffed with caviar, lobster timbale, and shrimp cocktail), and slew of brightly colored goodie bags stuffed with a full line of luxurious bath products. Mimi had even hired a crew of reflexologists, aromatherapists, and Swedish masseurs to give foot, hand, and back massages to the guests. The white-clad "pamper police" were busy at work kneading, chopping, and relieving the stressed-out muscles of the private school elite.

Bliss arrived home to find all the furniture on the downstairs floor replaced with zebra-pint couches, shag rugs, and Aero lamps. A DJ was setting up in front of the fireplace.

"Don't freak, okay?" Mimi said, holding up a hand in front of Bliss's face.

"What the f - ?" Bliss asked, looking around at the total transformation of her parents' home into a groovy 60s-style nightclub.

Mimi explained she'd had all of Bliss's parents' things secured and transferred to a storage location, and that everything would be put back tomorrow morning before they got home. She'd gotten the idea from one of the design magazines, suggesting an empty house was the perfect place for a party.

"Am I a genius or what? This way, you don't have to worry about anything being stolen or broken," Mimi assured. "Where have you been, anyway? You're late!"