She couldn’t throw any accusations or theories around until she had absolute proof that she was right, and the only way to get that proof was to attend tonight’s meeting in the graveyard – no matter how dangerous it might be. Her relationship with Olivia – the most important in her life – might just depend on it.
An hour later, Olivia sat alone at the Meat and Greet, feeling not just lonely but exposed in her booth by the window. For once, the restaurant was almost completely empty. The only other customers there were a few regular humans, who looked baffled by the deserted booths surrounding them. Olivia knew the local vamps were staying away because of the blog. Too many pale-faced people in a meat-lover’s restaurant – wearing dark clothes and eating very rare burgers – would definitely look suspicious. But she felt bad for the staff here, who looked nervous and unsettled by the sudden lack of business.
But then, Olivia thought, when haven’t I felt bad lately ? In fact, she realised that right now she felt completely miserable. Not only was the atmosphere in Franklin Grove crackling with tension, but she and Ivy hadn’t stopped bickering ever since Ivy had returned from Transylvania.
The bell on the door jingled, and Olivia sighed with relief as she saw Brendan come in, dressed in a button-down shirt and chinos. She’d only sent the text to him five minutes ago – even at vampire speed, he’d gotten here earlier than she’d expected. He must have been worried too.
‘Don’t you dare laugh at what I’m wearing,’ he warned as he slid into the booth across from her. In his stiff button-down shirt, he looked as awkward as a little boy wearing his father’s clothes.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Olivia just smiled.
‘I know, I look ridiculous.’ Brendan sighed, took a quick glance around the nearly empty restaurant, then let his head drop on to the tabletop, mussing up his side parting. ‘I just can’t wait for all this weirdness to be over, so we can have our nice, normal town back. Well . . . as normal as our town ever is. It’s never been particularly “normal” in the normal sense, has it?’ Then he shook his head and straightened, grinning. ‘OK, how many “normals” was that? Am I over-using it?’
‘Well, if you really want people to think that you’re normal . . .’ Olivia teased.
Before she could continue, though, Brendan’s face drew into a frown. Peering past her shoulder, out the window, he said, ‘Don’t look now, but there’s this really strange older couple outside. I saw them earlier, and –’
‘Let me guess,’ Olivia interrupted. ‘An elderly gentleman in a tracksuit and a woman wearing a baseball cap? And were they staring suspiciously at everyone who walked past them, like really bad undercover detectives?’
‘Yes!’ Brendan looked stunned. ‘How did you know? Did you notice them earlier?’
‘You could say that.’ Olivia gave him a rueful smile. ‘They’re my grandparents.’
‘What?’ Brendan shook his head. ‘The Count and Countess? But Ivy said they’re always so elegant and traditional.’
‘They’re trying to be incognito,’ Olivia explained, ‘so they can catch the mystery vampire-blogger . . . although to be honest, the Countess doesn’t really understand what or who a blogger is.’ She lowered her voice to a whisper, but she couldn’t hold back a guilty giggle. ‘She can’t even pronounce the word. She keeps talking about the “blagger”!’
‘The what ?’ Brendan laughed too, relaxing in his seat. ‘Well, at least that might confuse the blogger if he overhears them.’
‘They’re not the ones who are in danger from him,’ Olivia said grimly. ‘At least, not tonight.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Brendan sat forwards, leaning his elbows on the table. ‘All you said in your text was that Ivy was in trouble.’
‘She’s made an appointment with the blogger,’ Olivia whispered. The booths all around them were empty, but she couldn’t bear to say the horrible words any louder. ‘They’re going to meet in the graveyard tonight, at midnight.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘I wish I wasn’t.’ Olivia knotted her fingers together. ‘It’s so dangerous, but she won’t see that – you know Ivy, she thinks she can take on anybody! I thought . . . well, maybe . . .’
‘I’ll go with Ivy,’ Brendan said, before she could even ask him. ‘Of course I will. I’ll keep an eye on her, and on that blogger too. He won’t lay a finger on her.’
Olivia’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Oh, Brendan, thank you so much.’ Grabbing a tissue from her bag, she rubbed at her eyes. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me.’ She choked back a sob. ‘I just don’t know how things got so bad between me and Ivy.’
‘Hey.’ Brendan reached out a tentative hand, stopping just short of patting her arm. ‘Don’t worry too much. First Ivy had to go to boarding school, then she hotfooted it back here. It’s been crazy!’
‘But she wanted to be here with us,’ Olivia said. ‘So why are things so different now?’
Brendan shrugged, but his expression was sympathetic. ‘Face it, this time was never going to be easy for either of you. You just have to be patient with each other.’
‘I guess so.’ Olivia sniffed hard and took a deep breath, wiping away the last of her tears.
‘Speak of the devil.’ Brendan half-smiled and pointed at the window.
When Olivia turned around, she saw Holly outsite the window, waving madly. Forcing a smile, Olivia shoved her tissue back into her bag and waved back.
‘Hey, you!’ Holly was standing by their booth a moment later, a whirlwind of energy. ‘Why are you wearing a frowny face? Can I buy you a muffin to make you feel better?’
‘Oh, I don’t really need . . .’ Olivia began.
But before she could even finish her sentence, Holly was at the counter pointing towards the biggest, fattest muffin with double cream-cheese icing.
Brendan laughed. ‘It looks like you have someone to look after you for the rest of the afternoon. I’ll leave you to it, OK? I’m not really hungry anyway.’
‘Aren’t you?’ Olivia frowned. ‘Ivy thinks you’re still not eating enough since your illness. Maybe you should –’