Immortal Hearts Page 0,12

dreamed up by a living, breathing vampire. And not being in on the idea from the beginning made the news really sting, especially when Trevor knew before me.

"Now what's this about Luna and Stormy?" Alexander went on.

"Luna is shoving it in my face that she and Stormy are like sisters. And I haven't even met her." I folded my arms like a child.

"Stormy's not here yet," Alexander said. "Why are you worrying about this now?"

"Luna seems to think she gets to bring Stormy to the Crypt, not us. Not me."

I felt like I was in first grade. I was getting all wound up over something Luna might or might not do. But just the thought and her goading me was enough to make steam rise from my multipierced ears.

"How about this?" Alexander said. "Stormy's my sister, and I'll bring her here. And since you are my girlfriend, you'll be coming with us. Luna will see her in due time. I want you and Stormy to get a chance to hang out. And I know Stormy will want that as well."

"Thank you!" I flung my arms around Alexander. I wanted to be a part of his family, and I didn't want anyone to come between us - especially someone as wicked as Luna Maxwell.

For the rest of the night I was buzzing. When I wasn't dancing with Alexander, I was hanging with Becky and my vampire ghoul friends. It was interesting to see Luna and Romeo together, whether it was for spite or if she truly found him irresistible. Sebastian seemed to be in heaven dancing with Onyx, and I was happy to find him having such a good time.

Jagger finally came up from his office downstairs and noticed Sebastian and Onyx on the dance floor together. His ashen face flushed as blood-red as the dyed tips of his white hair. Jagger immediately stormed over to Sebastian and wedged himself between the two.

"What's up, dude?" Sebastian asked, surprised.

"Can't find your own date, dude?" Jagger charged.

Sebastian wasn't deterred. He wasn't a menacing figure, but he wasn't one to be pushed around, either.

"Yes I can, and she's right here," he replied, continuing to dance.

"I can have you removed from the club," Jagger said, snapping his black-fingernailed fingers, "like that." The tension was mounting, and I worried it was going to break out into a fight.

Scarlet must have overheard the commotion because she bravely stepped in.

"I think Onyx can choose for herself," she said to Jagger defiantly.

Onyx looked at all of us and got flustered. For a moment she stood speechless, then fled the dance floor.

Scarlet hurried after her. Alexander came to Sebastian's side and pulled him away from Jagger and off toward the bar, diffusing the tension between the two vampires.

Jagger put his hands on his hips, shook his head, then disappeared the other way. I grabbed Becky and we found Scarlet and Onyx talking in the restroom.

"I'm not sure what to do," Onyx said, patting her face with a paper towel. "I really like Jagger." There was only one mirror on the wall for the mortal attendees. The vampire girls were standing on the other side of the room so as not to raise suspicions about any absent reflections.

"But I think Sebastian is cool, too. I love his dreadlocks," Onyx continued, "and he is so laid back and kind where Jagger seems..."

"Dangerous?" I prompted.

"Yes." Onyx turned to me, surprised by my answer.

"He is," I said. But wasn't that why Jagger was appealing? He did ooze sex appeal and power, and that tinge of danger was just the right kind of edginess that made him attractive.

"But Sebastian is so fun," Onyx went on. "He's really sweet, and I like that he loves to just hang out."

"Yes, Matt is really laid back, too," Becky said. "That makes it really nice."

I thought about Alexander, who was so exciting to be with, too, no matter what we did.

"Well, I love the danger," Scarlet chimed in. "Trevor seems so clean cut, but he does have this dark edge. He's so conservative, but it's really like he should be wearing chains and studded earrings."

"So you like his dark side?" Becky asked. "I don't like that side of him."

But I knew what Scarlet was referring to. She found the side of Trevor that was conniving and menacing attractive.

"Yes," Scarlet wailed. "And that he is mega-hot!" They all giggled, but I rolled my eyes.

"That's why I'm confused," Onyx said. "I like that Sebastian is spontaneous, but I also like that