Read Online Fangtastic! by Sienna Mercer - Free Book Online Page B

chair, today wearing a camel-colored
skintight suede suit. Behind her stood a dental assistant in pink scrubs,
smiling awkwardly. Serena sat up. “Good morning, America. I’m Serena Star.
    “Welcome
back to my ongoing investigative report on Franklin Grove, where this past
Sunday, a thirteen-year-old boy named Garrick Stephens climbed out of a coffin
during a funeral. Since then, an alarming portrait of this town has come to
light—and it’s filled with darkness.” Serena raised her eyebrows meaningfully. “There’s
only one word to describe today’s story: FANGTASTIC!” The word appeared in huge
letters beside her head, and Ivy rolled her eyes.
    “This
is Monica Messler, a dental hygienist here in Franklin Grove. Why don’t you
tell America, Miss Messler, what you just told me about Garrick Stephens?”
    Monica
Messler cleared her throat nervously. “He was in here last week,” she said, “inquiring
about getting a set of fake vampire fangs.”
    “Shocking!”
cried Serena Star, her eyes wide. “Did he say what he wanted these vampire
fangs for?”
    Monica
Messler shook her head. “I guess he’s seen too many horror movies.”
    “Or
perhaps,” Serena said, looking into the camera meaningfully, “he’s obsessed
with vampires. And it appears he’s not the only one in Franklin Grove.” She
turned back to her subject. “Miss Messler, have any other strange young people—commonly
known as Goths—been in here making unusual requests?”
    “I don’t
think so,” Monica Messler replied.
    “Are
you sure?” pushed Serena Star. “Not even a girl named Ivy Vega?”
    At the
mention of her own name, Ivy dropped her spoon. Serena Star was checking up on
her on national TV!
    “Well,”
said Serena knowingly, after Monica shook her head, “I’m sure it’s only a
matter of time.”
    Serena
stood up from the dental chair and stepped toward the camera. “America, I,
Serena Star, have uncovered a secret society of mysterious families in this
sleepy town. They wear black clothes and heavy makeup. They keep themselves to
themselves, rarely mixing with normal people. Why? Because they hide a truly
menacing secret, and fake vampire fangs barely scratch the surface!
    “But I
won’t rest until I find out everything this vampiric cult is hiding.” She
leaned forward. “Because the Star of truth must sh—”
    Ivy
flipped off the TV set and stormed into the kitchen. She was clearing away her
breakfast bowl, when her dad walked in with the newspaper.
    “Good
morning,” he said.
    “As
if!” Ivy snapped.
    Her
father put his newspaper down on the counter. “You appear to be upset,” he
said.
    “Serena
Star said my name on TV!” Ivy exclaimed.
    Her
dad raised an eyebrow. “Why would she do that?”
    “Because,”
Ivy huffed, “I’m a Goth member of a vampiric cult hiding a terrible secret!”
    “Oh,”
said her father. “Is that all?”
    “Dad!”
Ivy cried. “Serena Star’s not going to let the story rest until she has every
one of us staked and boxed!”
    “Ivy,
you worry too much.” Her father sighed. “The vampire community is aware that
Serena Star is digging. I promise you, she won’t find anything.”
    “Aren’t
you the least bit upset that she’s investigating your own daughter?” Ivy
demanded.
    “Well,”
he began, a smile creeping across his face, “I would prefer the journalist
in question to have a bit more gravitas than Serena Star, admittedly.”
    Ivy
threw a dishcloth at her father’s head, but he caught it.
    “Honestly,
Ivy,” he said with a short laugh. “Vampires have been hiding from the world
since long before you were born. Coffin chasers like Serena Star come and go.”
    The
mention of her birth reminded Ivy about her conversation with Olivia. “Maybe
that’s why my parents gave me up,” she remarked testily.
    “What?”
her father said, suddenly turning serious.
    Ivy
looked at her father carefully. “Maybe my real parents gave me up because
someone was on