Royal Blood (Vampire Kisses 6)
"Do you want me to take you down now? Or do it in front of the class?"
"Calm down. What is your favorite outfit?"
"Hmm.My corset prom dress."
"When you close your eyes, who do you dream about?"
"Alexander."
"If you had one guy in school to kiss, who would that be?" he asked, leaning toward me.
"This isn't on the sheet. None of these questions are, bonehead!"
With Trevor, sometimes it was difficult to keep straight who was kidding who.
"I was just making sure you were paying attention.Fve finished the interview portion. Now I can just write the essay."
"So- we don't have to meet again?"
"I've finished my part," he said coyly, and gave me the completed interview sheet. "Now it's time to finish your questions about me."
Trevor's interview sheet was blank. I quickly jotted down some answers to the questions and handed it to him.
"You won't get an A for handwriting," he said.
Trevor and I rose and dusted the dirt off our jeans. "Our next date will be in front of class," he said.
I couldn't help but feel a twinge of kindness toward him, as he had inadvertently helped Alexander remain in the Mansion.
"I'm off to meet my father," he said as he got into hisCamaro . "Did you hear? My dad might buy the Mansion."
I stopped dead in my tracks.
"What did you say?"
Hegrinned a wicked grin. "I was waiting to tell you until after I got my interview portion completed... We were talking about the Mansion at dinner last night and how word around town is no one will buy it because it's a hideous money pit. My dad said that the land upon which it sits is valuable property in its own right. It will be cheaper to hire a wrecking ball and bulldozer. Just thought you'd want to know. It'll make a great strip mall."
I was floored. I had no idea my own plan would turn against me. And of course, Trevor was just the person to do it.
"No- you can't buy it!" I said,my body filled with rage. "You can't buy it-and you can't tear it down."
"I know I can't, Monster Girl. But my dad can."
Trevor's father owned half the town ofDullsville . I wouldn't ever want Benson Hill to fall into that half.
"I'll tell my dad to save a few bricks when he tears it down. You can have them as a souvenir. I won't charge you very much, since they're worthless," he said, and rolled up his window and sped off.
Chapter 26 Plan B
I waited impatiently outside the Mansion's gate. "I need to speak with Alexander," I told Jameson as soon as he opened the front door.
"He's still sleeping, Miss Raven."
I guess Alexander, like me, was finally having a good night's-or in his case, day's-slumber.
"This can't wait." I spoke with authority and urgency.
"I'll see what I can do. Wait in the study."
I paced in the old, dusty, book-filled room. It was several minutes later when Alexander appeared in jeans and a T- shirt.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Everything!"I rushed over to him. "But we have to talk privately."
"The gazebo?" he suggested.a place where no one on earth can hear us."
***
Alexander parked the Mercedes in front of the cemetery's entrance. We hurried toward his grandmother's monument. The only sound we heard were a few crickets chirping.
"There is a buyer for the Mansion," I blurted out when we reached the monument.
"You are kidding!"
"No, and it gets worse. It's Trevor Mitchell's father." "This is awful. I thought our plan was working." "I did, too. He plans to tear down the house and built I a strip mall,"
"Tear it down?" Alexander's warm brown eves turned fiery red.
"I know. It's horrible. We did such a great job of convincing people that the Mansion was a money pit that no one wanted to buy it. Now they just want to tear it down.messed everything up, Alexander. I ruinedeverything "
I sat down on a cemetery bench and covered my face with my hands.
"This isn't your fault, Raven," Alexander said, comforting me. His dark mood brightened. "He hasn't bough I the house yet. There is still time."
"If we tell your parents, maybe they won't sell?"
"My father is set on selling. I've even faced him with that possibility. He says the new owner is entitled to do with the house as they wish. But how did you find thisMy father hasn't said anyone has expressed interest."
"I heard it straight from the horse's mouth: Trevor."
"There has to be something we can do. I don't want to move, and the Mansion is not worthless."
I turned toward his grandmother's monument and wished for an answer.
"We have to stop him. His father can't buy it. No one can. That house is your home.Our home.And most especially-your grandmother's." I got up and walked over to the monument. "Your grandmotherSterling built that house with love.For her-and her family."
"I know," he said, "It breaks my heart for so many reasons."
Alexander joined me at the monument. "It is my grandmother's house... and always will be."
"You're the only one who's taking care of it. I know your grandmother would be devastated if it were sold-or destroyed. There is no other buyer that that house means more to than you and her."
Then he turned to me. "You say the smartest things!"
"What do you mean?"
"I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner." Alexander was exuberant. He gave me a huge kiss and swung me around.
"What's going on?"
"The Mansion is forsale " he said with a grin. "And I know someone who is just dying to buy it."
I had no idea who Alexander had in mind to buy the Mansion. Whoever it was had to be rich and someone Alexander didn't mind hanging out in his grandmother's house. And how would that help him stay in Dullsville? My boyfriend promised me he'd let me in on his plan as soon as we met again.
The following sunset I met him at the boxcar.
"I couldn't sleep at all," I said impatiently as I snuck inside.
He took my hand and held me close.
"So tell me-who can you find to buy the Mansion?" I asked with a bit of hope in my voice.
"I turn eighteen in a few months," Alexander began. "And when I do, I'll be entitled to my inheritance. My grandmother was a very generous woman. So I figured it out-I'll be able to pay for the Mansion's upkeep."
I was wide-eyed.
"I'll buy the Mansion," he said proudly.