"So when are you coming to the Crypt?" Scarlet asked.
"It's not openyet," I said.
"I know, but we're starting to decorate tomorrow night."
"Then I'll be there!" I said with a wicked grin.
* * *
When I arrived at the Mansion, I found a familiar car parked in the driveway and an even more familiar guy sitting on the steps.
"Alexander won't let youin?" I asked Sebastian.
"Ihaven't had the courage to knock yet. I'm not sure what I'm going to say."
"All youhave to do is saysomething."
"I tried--last night," he said. "But you already knew that." He shot me a look that reminded me of the moment he caught us sneaking around the mill.
"What you did last night--that made a huge difference," I said. "Alexander knows you have his back."
"What did you hear?" Sebastian asked.
"That there is going to be a new club," I said.
"Yes . . ."
"It's going to be inthe factory," I added.
"Uh-huh," he acknowledged.
"And that it's opento mortals and vampires," I told him.
"Oh." Sebastianbit his black fingernail.
"Are you seriously game for that?" I asked.
"Well, since I'm a vampire, I guess that's fine for me." His dreadlocks shook as he laughed.
"You know what I mean."
Sebastiansighed. "Of course, I don't think it's a great idea for this particular town. But Jagger is so convincing and Luna is hypnotic. I'll do anything she asks."
"Do youknow anything specific about the underground club? What it's called?" Ihinted, wanting to see if Sebastian had any goods on the plans for the Covenant.
"No," he said. "I just know he wants to make this club like the CoffinClub."
"Youknow that it's a reallybad idea to openit to outside vampires."
"I can see it would be a problem."
"And you need to know,Alexander is against it."
"He is?"
"Yes! He has lived in peace in this townsince he arrived.And it isn't just about him. He'd never sacrifice the good of all for what's good for him. That's not inhis nature. But he loves myfamilyand his new friends here. He doesn't want to put them inharm's way."
"And you?"
"I agree. It could be a catastrophe. If the Dullsvillians runyouall out of town, you don't lose anything. But me and Alexander? We lose everything. And what if a vampire comes here and does what you did to Luna to some unsuspecting mortal girl?And what if everyone sees it? How do you think this town would respond?"
"It is reallycomplicated, isn't it?" he asked.
"No, it's quite simple. The Crypt should be a mortals-onlyclub. Theneveryone could be safe--and you and Onyx and Scarlet could live here, too. Really close to your best friend."
"That would be cool," he said witha smile.
"Jagger wants money and he wants power. He isn't seeing what is already here.A small town with a close-knit,albeit boring, community. But for you,Alexander, and the girls, it's a great haven."
"Yes, otherwise we could make this town be like anyother."
I was happy that Sebastian seemed to be on the same page as Alexander and me. Because of Sebastian's laid-back nature, I had figured he might be swayed by the crowd he hung around with at a given moment. Although I had a feeling he would ultimately be in favor of a safe and mortal club, just like his best friend.
"What were yougoing to saytoAlexander whenyoucame to the Mansionlast night?" I asked.
"That I messed up again. Last time I crossed the line with Becky, and now, I made him mad by biting Luna. But I just couldn't help myself. I was caught up in the moment. I'm not the kind of vampire Alexander is."
But some things weren't so different between them now. I could have told him that Alexander had taken my blood,shared his coffin with me. That the vampire things Alexander and I shared were very meaningful. But it wasn't my business to tell our secrets to Alexander's best friend.
"And I want to convince him that myfeelings for Luna are different," Sebastian added.
Oh boy, I thought. That was not what I wanted to hear.
"A girl wants to be special," Sebastian said. "It end to like a lot of girls. First Becky. Now Luna. If we'd been dating,you would have become a vampire a long time ago."
The idea penetrated me. If I'd beenwitha different vampire, Imight alreadybe one bynow.
But that wasn't what I wanted--to be turned bya vampire's desire alone. I wanted it to be special, permanent, and romantic.And I wasn't the kind of girl to settle, either. Especiallysince I'd falleninlove with Alexander.
"Alexander's looking for the right girl. Other vampires would bite a girl and never see her again."
That did sound horrible. To be changed and then abandoned. "Have you done that?" I asked.
"No, but I've been close."
I hung on his words.
"Alexander changed his life for you," he said. "He didn't return to Romania when he could have. He fought to buy his house so he could continue living here to be close to you."
Hearing Sebastian say how much Alexander cared meant the world to me. I'd always wanted to do the changing,but Alexander had changed for me.
"I just know with Luna, this time it's for real," he said.
"How can you be so sure?"
"She's amazing. She's beautiful and sexy. I can't take my eyes off of her."
I didn't care to hear how wonderful Luna Max well was. "Would you change your life for her?" I challenged. "Never travel to all those cities without her?"
Sebastian thought. "Yes. I think I would."
"ThenIthink youlove her," Isaid throughgritted teeth.
Although I wasn't crazy about Alexander's best friend falling for the one vampire I couldn't trust, it was better than him turning his affections toward Becky again. I would have preferred for him to fall for Scarlet or Onyx, but no amount of my morbid matchmaking seemed to make that happen.
My cell phone beeped and I noticed I had a text from Alexander.
Where are you? What's taking you so long?
I texted back, Meet me at your front door.
The front door slowly creaked open.
Alexander looked surprised to see Sebastian standing next to me.
"Dude--" Sebastiansaid. "It's time Ifinally. . ." he began.
He waited forAlexander to saysomething--anything--but myboyfriend remained silent.
"How about another game of Medieval Knights?" Sebastiansaid. "Youcanget evenwithme inthe virtual world.