“I’m sorry — I didn’t mean that about you. I meant nefarious vampires,” I said in an apologetic tone.
“I know. .” she said.
“But truthfully,” I went on, “we don’t have a club here. The Crypt could be that club, and you could be there, too. But other vampires? That’s the part that won’t work.”
Onyx and Scarlet thought for a moment.
“Well, I can’t tell him what to do,” Scarlet admitted. “But maybe Onyx can.”
“Me?” She made a sheepish face. It was evident she adored Jagger far too much to be able to stand up to him.
“What about Trevor?” Scarlet asked.
“He can’t know about any of this. Not vampires. Not Alexander. Not you,” I said. “We must make a pact,” I said, “that we all will do our best to persuade Jagger to open the Crypt to mortals only — and VIVs — Very Important Vampires. You guys, Sebastian, Luna, and of course, Alexander.”
We all put our pale hands out, one on top of the other, our wicked nail polish disappearing in the darkness. “We promise,” we said in unison. Then we released our hands.
“And maybe, someday — you’ll come in as a mortal and leave as a vampire?” Scarlet teased.
“That would be awesome!” I beamed. I had a few more minutes before I was to meet Alexander, so I could talk with the girls before I headed to the Mansion.
“So what’s it like living at the factory?” I asked them.
“It’s fun,” Scarlet said. “We miss the Coffin Club because there were more vampires to hang out with. But we were hoping that this one. .” She paused. “But now that you told us,” she continued, “I see your point.”
“And Scarlet likes being close to Trevor,” Onyx blurted out.
“Does he know that you’re a vampire?” I asked.
“No!” she said. “I don’t kiss and tell.”
Scarlet kissing Trevor. The thought was too much for my stomach to take. I knew that Trevor was going to be unfaithful to my friend. I didn’t want her to be used like so many of his girls.
“He’s not all that you think he is,” I said.
“Hot? Gorgeous? Athletic? Rich?” Her face lit up like she was surrounded by candlelight.
“He’s trouble,” I said.
“I’m all about trouble.” Scarlet laughed.
“We wish you were a vampire like us so you could hang out at the Crypt full time,” Onyx said.
“I do, too,” I agreed dreamily. “And what’s the scoop on Sebastian and Luna?” I asked. “Does he really like her?”
They nodded in unison.
“And does she really like him?” I asked.
“She acts like she does,” Scarlet began. “Always fawning over him and flashing her pink eyelashes. She gets on my nerves.” Then she looked at Onyx. “But she could be your future sister-in-law, Onyx Maxwell!” Scarlet teased.
Onyx blushed.
“Well, I always felt something odd about her,” Scarlet said seriously. “Like I can’t trust her.”
“Me too,” I said.
Scarlet and I had a common bond. She was feisty and strong and didn’t let the average person — or vampire — get in her way. If she wanted something, she went for it, and any obstacles in her way were just a minor inconvenience.
And I knew she was honest and good-hearted. I was just unhappy that her romantic affections were for Trevor. If her heart was set on it, convincing her not to go after Trevor would be like convincing Jagger not to open the Crypt.
“We gotta run,” Onyx said. “We have to get back to Jagger.”
“So when are you coming to the Crypt?” Scarlet asked.
“It’s not open yet,” I said.
“I know, but we’re starting to decorate tomorrow night.”
“Then I’ll be there!” I said with a wicked grin.
* * * When I arrived at the Mansion, I found a familiar car parked in the driveway and an even more familiar guy sitting on the steps.
“Alexander won’t let you in?” I asked Sebastian.
“I haven’t had the courage to knock yet. I’m not sure what I’m going to say.”
“All you have to do is say something.”
“I tried — last night,” he said. “But you already knew that.” He shot me a look that reminded me of the moment he caught us sneaking around the mill.
“What you did last night — that made a huge difference,” I said. “Alexander knows you have his back.”
“What did you hear?” Sebastian asked.
“That there is going to be a new club,” I said.
“Yes. .”
“It’s going to be in the factory,” I added.
“Uh-huh,” he acknowledged.
“And that it’s open to mortals and vampires,” I told him.
“Oh.” Sebastian bit his black fingernail.
“Are you seriously game for that?” I asked.
“Well, since I’m a vampire, I guess that’s fine for me.” His dreadlocks shook as he laughed.
“You know what I mean.”
Sebastian sighed. “Of course, I don’t think it’s a great idea for this particular town. But Jagger is so convincing and Luna is hypnotic. I’ll do anything she asks.”
“Do you know anything specific about the underground club? What it’s called?” I hinted, wanting to see if Sebastian had any goods on the plans for the Covenant.
“No,” he said. “I just know he wants to make this club like the Coffin Club.”
“You know that it’s a really bad idea to open it to outside vampires.”
“I can see it would be a problem.”
“And you need to know, Alexander is against it.”
“He is?”
“Yes! He has lived in peace in this town since he arrived. And it isn’t just about him. He’d never sacrifice the good of all for what’s good for him. That’s not in his nature. But he loves my family and his new friends here. He doesn’t want to put them in harm’s way.”
“And you?”
“I agree. It could be a catastrophe. If the Dullsvillians run you all out of town, you don’t lose anything. But me and Alexander? We lose everything. And what if a vampire comes here and does what you did to Luna to some unsuspecting mortal girl? And what if everyone sees it? How do you think this town would respond?”
“It is really complicated, isn’t it?” he asked.
“No, it’s quite simple. The Crypt should be a mortals-only club. Then everyone could be safe — and you and Onyx and Scarlet could live here, too. Really close to your best friend.”
“That would be cool,” he said with a smile.
“Jagger wants money and he wants power. He isn’t seeing what is already here. A small town with a close- knit, albeit boring, community. But for you, Alexander, and the girls, it’s a great haven.”
“Yes, otherwise we could make this town be like any other.”
I was happy that Sebastian seemed to be on the same page as Alexander and me. Because of Sebastian’s laidback nature, I had figured he might be swayed by the crowd he hung around with at a given moment. Although I had a feeling he would ultimately be in favor of a safe and mortal club, just like his best friend.
“What were you going to say to Alexander when you came to the Mansion last night?” I asked.
“That I messed up again. Last time I crossed the line with Becky, and now, I made him mad by biting Luna. But I just couldn’t help myself. I was caught up in the moment. I’m not the kind of vampire Alexander is.”
But some things weren’t so different between them now. I could have told him that Alexander had taken my
