Immortal Hearts (Vampire Kisses 9)

"You think?" she asked.

"I know."

Becky modeled a pink-and-purple butterfly costume. "I think it's adorable," she squealed.

"I think you should wear this," I said to Onyx as I held up a Cleopatra wig and costume. "It seems fitting. Marc Antony or Julius Caesar?"

"Yes," she said. "I love it!"

"I can't find a thing," Stormy said as she tore through the costumes.

"I think I found what I want to wear!" I pulled it over to find Scarlet holding the same outfit. It was a preppy school uniform.

"I wanted to embrace the lighter side," she said. "And I thought Trevor would love it," she said. "I guess you had the same idea?"

"Not the Trevor part," I said. "But I usually go preppy on Halloween.

"Really?" she asked, surprised. "I bet no one in town recognized you."

"It's fun to dress up differently for the night," I said.

"Why don't you wear it?" she suggested. "I'm sure Alexander is dying to see you all prepped up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said, spotting another costume. She held up a red-and-white soccer uniform. "This one is perfect for me. I'll have Trevor really drooling." I examined my preppy uniform. Though it wasn't me, it really was quite pretty. I couldn't wait to get all decked out.

"I can't find anything!" Stormy's temper began to flare.

"It's okay," I said. "There are tons of costumes here. We're bound to find you one." She tore back into the aisles. "I found it," she said, holding up a Princess Leia outfit. "I know Billy and Henry will love it!"

"Yes," I said. "It will be their dream come true!"

Chapter 12 Haunted Happenings

It had been a year since I'd trick-or-treated at the Mansion, Trevor had tried to graffiti the outside walls, and I had seen a dark figure standing in the attic window. And a year later, I was dating that mysterious shadow - a handsome vampire - and he was taking me to the Haunted Happening at the Crypt.

I waited for Alexander and Stormy at my house. I was dolled up in a short plaid pleated skirt, white socks and loafers, and a white Oxford. I topped it off with a blue headband. I caught myself in the mirror and actually liked the way I looked. I found my brother and his nerdmate in the family room. Henry was a Jedi Knight and stared at me as if I were the girl of his dreams.

"Raven?" Billy asked, dressed as Luke Skywalker. "Is that you?"

"What do you think?" I asked.

"I think now you might actually have a chance of getting into college," he said.

The doorbell rang, and I was met by Stormy dressed as Princess Leia and Alexander dressed as Jack Sparrow. Alexander looked gorgeous in his swashbuckling outfit, and Stormy was the perfect Star Wars princess.

When Stormy entered the hallway, Billy Boy's and Henry's eyes almost popped out of their heads.

"I'm ready to go!" she exclaimed.

The boys grabbed their bags and headed out of the house.

Alexander and I watched as the threesome walked down the street. Stormy quickly waved good-bye to us as she slipped into the night with her friends. She didn't even bother looking back. The Star Wars gang laughed and talked as they headed up a neighbor's driveway and rang the bell, ready to load up on candy and a full evening of treats.

Alexander and I got in the Mercedes, and he drove extra cautiously as we passed several werewolves, ghosts, and witches.

This night was another dream come true for me. I'd been to our local radio station - sponsored haunted house when I was a little girl, but I hadn't been spooked by any of the adults trying to act ghoulish.

We met Matt, as Superman, and Becky, dressed in her butterfly outfit, at the gravel road by the abandoned factory. There was already a long line of screaming girls with guys trying to be their haunted-house heroes. I wasn't sure what was so scary, but I was excited to find out.

As we approached the club, the scene was as frightening as it could be. There were several bodies lying on the gravel road that led to the Crypt, and body parts poked out of the ground.

"Gross!" Becky said, freaking out. "I'm so scared."

"This is really cool!" I said. "Jagger spared no expense!"

There was no way to enter the Crypt without stepping over a few fallen bodies. This obviously was part of the plan. Would they awaken from the dead and grab our legs? It was so dark, it was hard to tell which ones were real and which were fake.

I held my breath and stepped over.

"It's all right," I said, trying to coax Becky. "They're just props."

My best friend was frozen with fear. She wasn't about to move - even to flee the gruesome scene.

"It's okay," I encouraged. "I did it. It's not real."

She closed her eyes and took a shaky step forward. When her foot landed, she opened her eyes and moved to bring her other foot to the doorway. As it made its way over the body, an arm crept up and grabbed her ankle.

She shrieked so loudly, I thought she'd have a heart attack. She tried to wrangle her foot away, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud. The zombie sat up and

{ie no laughed a monstrous laugh and released her. She raced into Matt's arms. Then we all laughed hysterically - even Becky.

We walked up the rickety bloodstained stairs to the Haunted Happening. We gave a bouncer our tickets and headed inside.

We walked down a long hallway that resembled an ancient tomb.

"Have we gone the right way?" I asked when we hadn't seen any hauntings.

Then, all of a sudden, out of the darkness popped a dismembered head, which hung from a rope in front of us. Becky and I screamed. Even Matt was startled. It swung back and forth. When it began to speak, we screamed again.

"Welcome to the Haunted Happening," it said.

We turned the corner and discovered a monstrous school setting. The teachers were zombies, and the students were passed out.

The zombie teachers came out to the edge of the setting where a rope separated the attraction from the visitors. They leaned over and tried to grab us.

Becky hid behind me and Matt.

The next room was the Chainsaw Massacre. We could hear the sound of the chainsaw but only saw the bodies and a bloody girl who was strapped to a chair, begging for our help.

When the serial killer raced in with his chainsaw, Becky screamed and clung on to Matt.

But I waved the frightful guy over.

"Do you need a hug?" I asked.

He was very startled and taken aback by my question. Several Prada-bees yelled around us.