Read Online Little Vampire Women by Lynn Messina - Free Book Online

I haven’t.”
    “You know where it is, then!”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “That’s a fib!” cried Jo, taking her by the shoulders, and looking fierce enough to frighten a much braver child than Amy.
    “It isn’t. I haven’t got it, don’t know where it is now, and don’t care.”
    “You know something about it, and you’d better tell at once, or I’ll make you.” And Jo gave her a shake.
    “Scold as much as you like, you’ll never see your silly old book again,” cried Amy, getting excited in her turn.
    “Why not?”
    “I burned it up.”
    “What! My little book in which for years I’ve been keeping detailed notes about all my slayer-hunting activities? Have you really burned it?” said Jo, her eyes kindling as her hands clutched Amy’s throat.
    “Yes, I did! I told you I’d make you pay for being so cross yesterday, and I have, so…”
    Amy got no farther, for Jo’s hot temper mastered her, and she shook Amy by the neck till her teeth chattered in her head, crying in a passion of grief and anger…
    “You wicked, wicked girl! I never can write it again, and I’ll never forgive you as long as I live.”
    Meg flew to rescue Amy, who did not need air to breathe so was no worse off for being deprived of it, and Beth to pacify Jo, but Jo was quite beside herself, and with a parting box on her sister’s ear, which ejected an upper right molar, she rushed out of the room up to the old sofa in the garret and finished her fight alone, beating up several dozen training figures.
    The storm cleared up below, for Mrs. March came home, and, having heard the story, soon brought Amy to a sense of the wrong she had done her sister. Jo’s notebook was the pride of her heart, and she was regarded by her family as a vampire defender of great promise. It was only half a dozen little chapters of tactical fighting schemes she’d invented and hoped to implement one day, but Jo had worked over them patiently, recording every detail and thought she’d ever had. She had just copied them with great care, and had destroyed the old notes, so that Amy’s bonfire had consumed the loving work of several years. It seemed a small loss to others, but to Jo it was a dreadful calamity, and she felt that it never could be made up to her. Beth mourned as for a kitten that ran away before she could eat it, and Meg refused to defendAmy. Mrs. March looked grave and grieved, and Amy felt that no one would love her till she had asked pardon for the act which she now regretted more than any of them.
    When the supper bell rang, Jo appeared, looking so grim and unapproachable that it took all Amy’s courage to say meekly…
    “Please forgive me, Jo. I’m very, very sorry.”
    “I never shall forgive you,” was Jo’s stern answer, and from that moment she ignored Amy entirely.
    As Jo received her kiss before sleep, Mrs. March whispered gently, “My dear, don’t let the sun come up upon your anger. Forgive each other, help each other, and begin again tonight.”
    She shook her head, and said gruffly because Amy was listening, “It was an abominable thing, and she doesn’t deserve to be forgiven.”
    With that she marched off to her coffin, and there was no merry or confidential gossip that morning.
    That evening, still feeling detestably angry, Jo asked Laurie to go skating with her. He was always kind and jolly and would put her to rights.
    Amy heard the clash of skates, and looked out with an impatient exclamation, then, after a flurry to get ready, ran after her friends, who were just disappearing over the hill.
    It was not far to the river, but both were ready before Amy reached them. Jo saw her coming, and turned her back. Laurie did not see, for he was carefully skating along the shore, sounding the ice, for awarm spell had preceded the cold snap.
    “I’ll go on to the first bend, and see if it’s all right before we begin to race,” Amy heard him say, as he shot away, looking like a young Russian in his fur-trimmed coat