Vampire Kisses - The Coffin Club Part 13

?What do you mean??

I was ready to tell Alexander everything about the underground club when Aunt Libby interrupted. ?You have to see this painting,? she said, grabbing my arm. ?You won't believe it!?

Unrelentingly she dragged me through the crowd, weaving in and out of festival-goers until we finally stopped at a booth in front of the firehouse.

On an easel, beside a painting of a vase full of flowers, was a picture of me. Dressed in my scarlet and black corset prom dress, wearing lace gloves, and carrying a black parasol, I was standing outside the Mansion. Three bats hovered around me-one with green eyes, a smaller one with blue eyes, and one with one blue and one green. Up behind me at the attic window, the curtain was slightly pulled back and a silhouetted figure watched over me.

In the corner of the painting was a big blue ribbon.

?This looks exactly like you!? Aunt Libby remarked.

Devon examined it, then me. ?It certainly does.?

?It is me!? I exclaimed.

?Who painted this?? Aunt Libby asked the festival volunteer. ?We have to find this person.?

?There was no information on the artist. Usually they attach a picture, website, and bio.

But the artist must have wanted anonymity.?

?It looks flawless, like a photograph,? my aunt observed.

?We've been getting inquiries and requests to buy it all day.?

?You can't sell it,? my aunt began, ?until we find out more about it.?

?It does bear an uncanny resemblance to you,? the volunteer commented. ?Do you know any artists??

Devon, my aunt, and the volunteer searched the painting for a signature. I stood in awe while Alexander hung back.

?Here it is!? my aunt exclaimed, like she'd just spotted an egg on an Easter hunt. In the corner, embedded in a spider's web, was the name ?Sterling.?

?Sterling...That's you-,? my aunt announced to Alexander.

Devon and the volunteer turned to Alexander.

?This is why you stayed in town?? I asked Alexander.

?Jameson insisted I enter,? he said self-consciously.

?That's my niece,? my aunt declared proudly. ?And her boyfriend is the artist.?

?It is sure nice to meet you,? the volunteer said as if she were meeting a celebrity.

?Here's my card. I know that the curator of a gallery was interested in this piece. If you have others, I'm sure he'd love to see them, too.?

?This is why you stayed so long in Hipsterville. You were preparing to show your artwork in this fair.?

Alexander didn't respond.

?Why didn't you tell me?? I asked, squeezing his hand.

?I'm sure there are a lot of things you don't tell me,? he said, pointing to the bat stamp on my hand.

A few hours later the annual art festival was coming to a close. Sellers were packing up and booths were being dismantled. The four of us sat at the rim of the fountain, our bellies full of food and our feet tired from walking.

Aunt Libby and Devon sauntered over to a festival exit a few yards away to say good night while Alexander and I cuddled by the waterfall.

?I'll pick you up tomorrow night,? Alexander said, his arm around my shoulder. ?And I'll have a surprise for you.?

?I can't wait. I'll be counting the minutes!?

His face lit up like the moon s.h.i.+ning above him.

Alexander leaned into me and gave me a slow kiss. His lips tasted like soda and caramel apples.

He watched me from the fountain as I headed over to my aunt and her boyfriend, who were now holding hands and getting lost in each other's eyes. At any minute, Devon could lean over to her and sink his fangs into her neck-if he had any. But if he did, would he really do it in front of the whole town?

Knowing my aunt Libby, a carefree otherworldly old soul, she might wish to become a vampire. Just my luck, I'd have to visit my aunt in the Underworld while I remained an outsider mortal in Dullsville.

?It was great meeting you, Raven,? Devon said when I finally caught up to them.

?Thanks for the cotton candy,? I replied. ?Hope to see you soon.?

I turned away so the new couple would have a private moment before their departure.

More important, I had to confirm Devon's true ident.i.ty.

I got my compact out of my purse, opened it, and angled it behind me. I took a breath when my aunt tapped me on the shoulder. When I glanced into the reflection, Devon had already disappeared.

Aunt Libby and I spent the midnight hours curled up in our pajamas on the futon, as if at a slumber party, surrounded by rose-scented votives and lavender incense and talking incessantly about our gorgeous guys.

My aunt was giddy as she replayed every girlie thought and feeling she had.

?So where will you have your wedding?? I asked as we sipped on chamomile tea.

?I think it's too early to scout locations,? she said with a laugh. ?But I've always wanted to get married outside.?

Then I posed a perfect sleepover-type question. ?How far would you go, to show your love for him??

?Like would I move?? she asked.

That wasn't what I had in mind. ?Sure,? I said, playing along.

She shrugged her shoulders. ?Would I have to work??

?Uh...no,? I answered. My aunt was getting further away from the point of my playful interrogation.

?Would I be able to perform full-time?? she asked seriously.

?If that's what you want.?

?Then I'd have to say yes!?

?Well, that doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice,? I said. I thought for a moment, and then my eyes caught her TV. It reminded me of the local news report on crop circles I'd seen the other day. ?What if he lived on another planet??

?Like an alien?? she asked, then grinned.

?Yes,? I said. ?Would you still go??

Aunt Libby paused, really contemplating my question. I was growing weary as I waited for her answer.

?Is the planet environmentally sound?? she asked.

?This is a game, Aunt Libby!?

?I want to give truthful answers.?

?The planet is environmentally sound and it is illegal to eat meat.?

?Then I'd have to say, =I'm there.'?

?Now,? I said, building up steam to my point, ?what if he was a vampire? Would you let him turn you??

She paused. ?Sure, why not??

?That's it? No thoughts? No asking about the Underworld? You'd have to drink blood and sleep in a coffin.?

?You told me not to a.n.a.lyze it. Besides, it's just a game, remember? Now your turn,? she said, turning the tables on me. ?How far would you go to prove your love to Alexander? Would you move??

?Out of Dullsville? In a heartbeat. Besides, my mom wouldn't be able to nag me to clean up my room.?

?Would you move to another planet for him??

?Sure,? I began. ?Then I really wouldn't have to clean my room at all. My clothes would just float in s.p.a.ce and I'd never have to pick them up.?

We both cracked up.

Then my aunt became serious. ?If he was a vampire-would you let him turn you??

The truth was Alexander was a vampire. This question was the most difficult to answer because I thought about it every day. There was no doubt I wanted to be bonded to Alexander for all eternity. But did I want everything else that went with it? If Alexander already rejected the world I'd be entering, how would we live in it together?

?Well, would you?? my aunt pressed.

I placed my tea mug on the coffee table next to the burning incense. ?This was supposed to be about you and Devon!? I said. I sat back, cross-legged. ?Have you been to his house??

?Not yet. He says he's not a good housekeeper.?

Hmmm, I thought. He could be covering up the fact he sleeps in a coffin.

?Is he a carnivore??

?I just remembered-? She got up and returned with her hobo-style purse and fished inside it. ?You'd asked if I had a picture of Devon,? she said, pulling out a digital camera.

She fiddled with a few b.u.t.tons on the back. ?I took this today,? she said, and showed me the picture display. It was a picture of Devon, handsomely grinning, outside the blown-gla.s.s figurine booth. ?I would have taken more, but he hates to have his picture taken.?

I was surprised. I'd been so totally caught up in proving that Devon was a vampire, I'd stopped leaving room for any other conclusion.

?Here you are in the background,? she said, pointing. I appeared to be talking to myself.

?Funny, Alexander got cut off. He was standing right next to you.?

Aunt Libby blew out all the candles, gave me a good-night squeeze, and headed off for bed.

Now that it was confirmed Devon was a normal mortal, I'd be able to sleep soundly, knowing the worst fate my aunt could suffer was a broken heart.

11.

The Crop Circle The following day Aunt Libby insisted I keep my evening date with Alexander, not only because ?he is so handsome,? as she put it, but because she was overdue for a yoga workout.

While my aunt was going to stretch her body and mind, I was going to spend the evening glued to Alexander. But I still had ages before sunset and I could either hang out in Aunt Libby's apartment or go to Hipsterville's library. I chose neither and opted for a little adventure.

A few miles across town lay a mysterious crop circle that needed to be investigated.

Phoenix would be confronting Jagger there at sunset and I might get a hint of their conversation and be back in time for Alexander's and my date.

At the very least, I was intrigued by the crop circles and had to know who or what was making them. Were they really signals for vampires? Why did Jagger have all the hoax material stashed in his apartment? I wondered what the circle looked like up close.

According to the directions I got online, the same number seven bus that had previously taken me to the manor house made its way even farther through town and stopped a mile away from Mr. Sears's farm.

The RBI-Raven Bureau of Investigation-was back in business and on the hunt. Just in case of dangerous situations before me, I geared up with garlic powder, mace, and a flashlight borrowed from underneath Aunt Libby's sink.