Immortal Hearts Page 0,53

exciting to say the least. I felt like I was Charlie in the Chocolate Factory. The keys to the factory? The ruler of the Magic Kingdom? The Wizard in the Land of Oz?

"I can make decisions?" I asked.

"Yes."

"About the club?"

"Yes."

"And help with future decor?"

"That's what I want."

It sounded like a dream come true. "And I can come here anytime?"

It sounded like a dream come true. "And I can come here anytime?"

"Yes, you'll have your own office."

An office? I marveled. Like my dad had in our home - and the one he had at work? I only had my bedroom underneath my parents' roof. An office at the factory meant I'd have a place of my own, in the coolest place in Dullsville.

"In fact, you can sleep here, too, if you want. I think you'd fit in very well." His words were macabre music to my multipierced ears. I could only imagine how much fun it would be, sleeping in the Crypt. Hanging out all night with Scarlet and Onyx, being by their side. Maybe I could even have my own coffin bed. Jagger seemed to really get me - genuinely understand what I wanted out of life and feel that I was the one who could help him even further with the Crypt. He'd get my morbid mortal expertise, and I'd get a set of keys to the cryptic kingdom.

"So what do you think?" he asked.

"I'm so flattered! I'd love to be a partner!" I said. "For the whole Crypt?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "And for everything else." He placed his hand on mine.

"I don't know what you mean," I said.

He flashed his fangs at me. "Listen, we both want things. And why not marry them together?"

"What?" I was shocked.

"That's right, I'm talking about us."

"Us?" I asked. "There is no 'us.'"

"That's what I'm talking about. There should be an us. Only it should have happened sooner."

"But I love Alexander." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I never knew that Jagger felt that way about me, so I was surprised by his romantic suggestion.

"I know you think you do. But what are the Sterlings providing you with?" he asked. "Nothing."

"Alexander - "

He inched in closer. "The Maxwells can give you everything. Immortality. Living the life of a vampire." He drew his hand across my chin and down my neck. It sent tingles along my spine. I wanted to bat it away, but we locked gazes and I felt dizzy.

"Just look into my eyes," he said seductively. His eyes were hypnotic - the green and blue mesmerizing to me. There was a tiny part of me that wanted what he was offering - but I also knew I didn't want it with him. I wasn't sure if I could break his gaze or if I was just under his spell.

"I want this - but with Alexander," I proclaimed with all my might.

"I think you want this life so badly that you want it with me, too. Don't you? Just a little bit?" Jagger was sexy in a dangerous way. If I didn't know Alexander - had never met him - I might have liked Jagger. But loved him? How could I want to trade my mortal life for one with eternal trickery? He was hot, no doubt, and the things he was proposing were what I'd always wanted. However, they didn't come with the one I truly wanted to spend eternity with - Alexander.

Just then the back door to the Covenant opened and Luna stepped in.

"You can have a best friend," she said, "and a handsome vampire mate. And the club of your dreams."

"I already have a best friend," I said weakly. I tried to break his gaze, but all of a sudden I was melting under his spell.

For a moment we were dancing. I was in Jagger's arms. And though I felt woozy, I knew this wasn't a dream I was going to wake up from. He smelled like fire crackling over wood, and I was even more taken in by his scent.

I closed my eyes at last, breaking our gaze. All at once I felt like myself again and opened them. He smiled mischievously, and before he could lock his gaze with mine again, I pushed him away. "I don't want to. Not with you."

"It won't take long," he said. "The covenant altar is just over there. And it will feel so good. I promise." He hopped up on the stage, and I froze.

Jagger was waiting up by the