Shadow Lake Vampire Society - Wendi Wilson Page 0,13

working with the kids. He’s really good with the young ones.”

Levi Kass. Somehow, the name suited him and…I really needed to stop thinking about him.

“So, we are going to be dealing with a cabin full of hormonal thirteen-year-old girls?”

True nodded. “And it’s worse because they’re old enough to realize how much life has shit all over them. They come in with huge chips on their shoulders and smart mouths to back it up.”

“Yippee,” I groaned, scrubbing a hand down my face.

“It’s not so bad after the first couple of days. The girls will start to have actual fun and realize that, while they’re here, their normal lives fade into the background. Here, they are just regular kids, making new friends and learning new skills like kayaking and rope-climbing.”

“Rope-climbing?” I repeated, unable to stop the shudder that wracked my body. “We don’t have to do that, do we?”

“Scared of heights?” she asked, grinning.

“A little. And my upper body is pretty weak. I’d only end up humiliating myself.”

“Don’t worry, Piper. The camp has designated instructors for the dangerous or difficult activities. We will be in charge of something easy, like arts and crafts or s’mores. We’ll be getting the details at orientation this afternoon.”

I slipped my phone from my back pocket and checked the time. It was nearly noon, and the first tendrils of hunger were creeping through me.

“What time is lunch?” I asked.

“You better hide that thing,” True said, and my gaze snapped up to see her eyeing my phone.

“What? Why?”

“Camp Shadow Lake has a strict, no-electronics policy. No phones, no tablets, no access to the outside world—except for occasional use of the ancient desktop in the office. The whole point is to be completely immersed. Plus, I guess they can’t have counselors checking their social media while they are supposed to be making sure the kids don’t drown in the lake or chop their hands off in woodworking.”

I nodded and tucked my phone into the bottom of my bag, underneath the yellow sundress Mom made me pack despite my assurances that I would never wear it. I shoved the bag under the bed with my foot, and True nodded in approval.

“You hungry?” she asked.

“How did you know?”

“Because you just asked me what time lunch will be served.” She laughed. “The answer is right about now. Let’s go.”

True got up and pushed through the screen door, holding it open for me to pass through. As we wandered through the camp, True played tour guide, pointing out different structures and describing their use.

One building definitely got my attention. The scent of hay mixed with manure permeated the air, and I wrinkled my nose.

True laughed, pointing to a fenced-in area near a barn. “That’s the livestock area. The camp has four cows and six pigs. The kids learn to milk the cows, as well as basic animal care. And anyone who breaks the rules gets shit-shoveling duty.”

“Gross,” I muttered.

“Well, you better get over it,” she said, shaking her head. “Because if none of the campers are being punished, it falls to the counselors to do the grunt-work.”

“Seriously?” I asked, then flinched at how whiney my voice sounded. Bubbly Piper, remember? “Okay. No problem.”

“That’s the spirit,” True replied, giving me a wink. Then she pointed across the path. “Over there is the pavilion where we gather for morning assembly and any large group activities. And this is the mess hall.”

She stopped in front of a large, wooden structure with lots of windows and a pitched roof. The front doors were propped open, and I could see row upon row of long wooden tables filling the room. The scent of hamburgers wafted from the open doors, making my stomach growl.

“Let’s eat,” True said, grabbing my hand and pulling me up the steps.

Other than a few teenagers gathered around a table in the corner, the mess hall was empty. In a few days, the place would be teeming with kids, but for now, we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

“Piper, this is Chloe, the camp chef. Chloe, this is Piper, the new counselor.”

As True introduced me to the woman behind the long counter, I couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised. She was tall and slender, with shiny brown hair cut into a wispy bob. With delicate features and bright blue eyes, she was drop-dead gorgeous.

“Fresh meat, eh?” she said, and I thought I heard a hint of a French accent.

“What?” I blurted, her words taking me by surprise. What was this, prison?

“Relax, Piper. She’s