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Authors: Ellen Schreiber
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noticed I had a text from Alexander.
Where are you? What’s taking you so long?
I texted back, Meet me at your front door.
The front door slowly creaked open.
Alexander looked surprised to see Sebastian standing next to me.
“Dude—” Sebastian said. “It’s time I final y . . .” he began.
He waited for Alexander to say something—anything—but my boyfriend remained silent.
“How about another game of Medieval Knights?” Sebastian said. “You can get even with me in the virtual world.
The best two out of three wins.”
A huge smile came over Alexander’s face. He pul ed the front door wide open and Sebastian sauntered inside. I gladly fol owed the two upstairs to the Mansion’s TV room.
That was it—no groveling or tearful reunions. No hugs or major blowouts. Just a face-to-face, over-in-a-minute reconciliation between two childhood best friends.
I sketched my ideas for the Crypt while two vampires battled out their angst against each other with computer-generated swords.
Chapter 8
Interior Decorator
There were a few things I felt good at: sneaking into mansions, getting in the face of brazen bul ies, and decorating in the style of the macabre.
I wanted to share my ideas with Jagger because I was sure that I could help out with the opening of the club. I could design, decorate, or even clean. I didn’t care. I’d sweep floors if I had to. When I worked at Armstrong Travel, there wasn’t anything I wanted to do—and I was being paid. However, for a chance to be part of the Crypt, I’d be wil ing to do anything—wel , almost anything—for free.
The next night, before I headed to the Mansion to spend time with Alexander, I raced to the factory to plead my case for joining the Crypt’s crew.
I found Jagger in one of the main factory rooms pacing and talking on the phone. When he caught sight of me, he quickly ended his cal .
“I guess Sebastian told you we were here?” he asked.
“I figured it out on my own,” I said triumphantly. “I want to talk to you about something.”
“Yes?” Jagger seemed pleased. He dusted off an old chair and offered it to me. “Please sit down.”
I obliged and took a seat.
“What can I do for you?” he asked intently. If Jagger wasn’t so nefarious and creepy and Alexander’s onetime enemy, he would actual y have been sexy. His white hair was jagged and edgy, and his mismatched eyes were intense and mesmerizing. And there was something attractive about the word “Possess” that was emblazoned across his upper arm.
“I’d like to help you with your club.”
“Real y . . . ,” he said in a tone that revealed he was clearly as surprised as he was suspicious.
“I’m great at decorating. I can help find fun things around town.”
I realized I might be treading on his ego. After al , he did run the Coffin Club. Who was I to tel him he needed help to design a successful club?
“Of course, I know you are real y good at it, too,” I continued.
Jagger sized me up. “I could use an extra hand,” he final y said. “But what about your boyfriend?”
“I’m not sure he’l want to help.”
“Yes, I guessed that. But wil he mind us working so closely together?” Jagger whisked back his white locks confidently. “What if you wind up preferring my company?” He grinned, his fangs catching the light of the flickering candelabra and his blue and green eyes piercing through me.
But I wasn’t interested in his romantic inferences. “I don’t think that wil happen, and he’s not the jealous type.”
“I imagine he knows about the Crypt?”
“Uh . . . yes.”
“And what does he think of the idea? He didn’t seem keen on it when I brought it up to him and Sebastian at his party.”
“I don’t think he likes it any more now than he did then.”
“But you do?”
“I love the Coffin Club,” I gushed. “And I want a place where I can hang out here in Dul svil e.”
Jagger beamed. His pale skin radiated with the glow of my
Where are you? What’s taking you so long?
I texted back, Meet me at your front door.
The front door slowly creaked open.
Alexander looked surprised to see Sebastian standing next to me.
“Dude—” Sebastian said. “It’s time I final y . . .” he began.
He waited for Alexander to say something—anything—but my boyfriend remained silent.
“How about another game of Medieval Knights?” Sebastian said. “You can get even with me in the virtual world.
The best two out of three wins.”
A huge smile came over Alexander’s face. He pul ed the front door wide open and Sebastian sauntered inside. I gladly fol owed the two upstairs to the Mansion’s TV room.
That was it—no groveling or tearful reunions. No hugs or major blowouts. Just a face-to-face, over-in-a-minute reconciliation between two childhood best friends.
I sketched my ideas for the Crypt while two vampires battled out their angst against each other with computer-generated swords.
Chapter 8
Interior Decorator
There were a few things I felt good at: sneaking into mansions, getting in the face of brazen bul ies, and decorating in the style of the macabre.
I wanted to share my ideas with Jagger because I was sure that I could help out with the opening of the club. I could design, decorate, or even clean. I didn’t care. I’d sweep floors if I had to. When I worked at Armstrong Travel, there wasn’t anything I wanted to do—and I was being paid. However, for a chance to be part of the Crypt, I’d be wil ing to do anything—wel , almost anything—for free.
The next night, before I headed to the Mansion to spend time with Alexander, I raced to the factory to plead my case for joining the Crypt’s crew.
I found Jagger in one of the main factory rooms pacing and talking on the phone. When he caught sight of me, he quickly ended his cal .
“I guess Sebastian told you we were here?” he asked.
“I figured it out on my own,” I said triumphantly. “I want to talk to you about something.”
“Yes?” Jagger seemed pleased. He dusted off an old chair and offered it to me. “Please sit down.”
I obliged and took a seat.
“What can I do for you?” he asked intently. If Jagger wasn’t so nefarious and creepy and Alexander’s onetime enemy, he would actual y have been sexy. His white hair was jagged and edgy, and his mismatched eyes were intense and mesmerizing. And there was something attractive about the word “Possess” that was emblazoned across his upper arm.
“I’d like to help you with your club.”
“Real y . . . ,” he said in a tone that revealed he was clearly as surprised as he was suspicious.
“I’m great at decorating. I can help find fun things around town.”
I realized I might be treading on his ego. After al , he did run the Coffin Club. Who was I to tel him he needed help to design a successful club?
“Of course, I know you are real y good at it, too,” I continued.
Jagger sized me up. “I could use an extra hand,” he final y said. “But what about your boyfriend?”
“I’m not sure he’l want to help.”
“Yes, I guessed that. But wil he mind us working so closely together?” Jagger whisked back his white locks confidently. “What if you wind up preferring my company?” He grinned, his fangs catching the light of the flickering candelabra and his blue and green eyes piercing through me.
But I wasn’t interested in his romantic inferences. “I don’t think that wil happen, and he’s not the jealous type.”
“I imagine he knows about the Crypt?”
“Uh . . . yes.”
“And what does he think of the idea? He didn’t seem keen on it when I brought it up to him and Sebastian at his party.”
“I don’t think he likes it any more now than he did then.”
“But you do?”
“I love the Coffin Club,” I gushed. “And I want a place where I can hang out here in Dul svil e.”
Jagger beamed. His pale skin radiated with the glow of my
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