Read Online Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend by Katie Maxwell - Free Book Online Page A

Absinthe’s boy toy, but I have a hard time believing that. It isn’t that Absinthe is ugly, but her spiky pink hair doesn’t quite go with the hard jaw and mean little eyes.
    Her German accent was a lot heavier than Peter’s and Soren’s, but even so, when she turned her washed-out pale-blue eyes on you, you got her meaning. She was also a mind reader, a fact that made me really nervous around her. Much as I disliked Ben marching in and rifling through my mind, at least I trusted him. To a certain extent. Absinthe I didn’t trust farther than I could spit. “Um . . . actually, I don’t think I will tell you. Mom didn’t say that was part of the bargain.”
    â€œBargain?” Absinthe spun around and narrowed her eyes at me. It was late morning, and she’d just returned from her trip to Germany to find a replacement band. Most of the Faire people were just waking up, but I figured I’d get a start on my new role as detective, and fire up the investigation . . . such as it was. “Vat bargain is this?”
    â€œThe bargain that says I get to keep my horse if I help you. I figured the first thing I need to do is talk to you about the thefts, and maybe see the safe and stuff like that.”
    She gave me another narrow-eyed look, then turned and entered the trailer. I assumed I was supposed to follow, and climbed up after her. I figured the inside of the trailer would look like the outside (pink and green, remember?)—in other words, garish—but it was surprisingly uncluttered. There was an awful lot of that shade of tan called taupe, but the little couch, two chairs, and tiny table that made up the main part of the trailer were actually pretty tasteful. Absinthe set her overnight bag down on the table and waved at the curved bank of the couch.
    â€œThis is the safe. As you can see, it is a good safe, very reliable, ja ? In the morning ven I come awake, I open the safe to take out the money for food, but there was no money, only newspaper. It was that Josef, in the band, you know? Verdammter Schweinehund! He is trying to ruin us!”
    I squatted down in front of the safe. It was big, about two feet high, made of white-painted metal, with the usual spin dial thingy on the front, a metal handle to open it, and not a lot else. I prodded it with my toe. It probably weighed a couple of hundred pounds.
    â€œWho has the combination to the safe?”
    â€œPeter and I do.” She shook out her linen jacket and hung it up in a tiny closet.
    â€œNo one else?”
    â€œOf course not; do you take us for the fools?”
    I tried to think of what I would do if I wanted to break into the safe. “Um . . . when do you normally open it?”
    She grabbed her bag and brushed past me, opening the door behind me to her bedroom. “In the morning, to pay out such money as ve need to Elvis and Kurt for purchasing food and anything ve need for the shows.”
    Kurt was Karl’s brother. Another boy toy, or so Imogen said.
    â€œAnd you put money into it at night?”
    â€œI do it, ja . I put it in a bag like this, you see?” She held up an empty black money bag, the kind with a zipper and a lock on the end. “The money goes in once ven I count up the ticket sales, and also after the fair closes, ven all the money comes from the employees.”
    The Faire contract called for all the performers to split their takes with Peter and Absinthe. In return they had their travel expenses paid, and were guaranteed a minimum amount each month.
    â€œVen I look in the morning, fffft! The money is gone, and the bag is filled vith newspaper.”
    I chewed on my lip as I watched Absinthe unzip her travel bag. I didn’t want her to see me touching the safe—if she knew about my little curse, she’d demand I be put to work as the resident Teen Freak. With my back to her, I peeled off the gloves from my right hand and reached for the safe handle. With