Then Ivy gestured to the passage on the right. “And that one his family uses for some of their more valuable antiques.” Olivia could dimly make out an elegant chaise longue, some gleaming candelabra, and a big old wooden chest.
“But this one,” said Brendan, pointing to the middle room, “has killer acoustics.” He ducked inside and started lighting more candles. The three girls followed.
The middle room was lined with a series of life-sized bronze figures, sitting with their backs against the walls.
“Are there dead people inside those?” Olivia whispered.
Brendan shook his head with a little chuckle.
Brendan, Ivy, and Sophia each took a seat on the laps of the effigies as Olivia stood in the center of the room, looking around her in amazement and fascination. She loved the enormous tapestry of the silhouette of a huge leafless tree, which hung high up on one wall.
Finally, Olivia took a seat beside Sophia on one of the cool bronze laps. She leaned back. This is surprisingly comfortable, she thought.
Brendan opened his backpack and pulled out some plastic cups. Then he pulled out a dark bottle, uncorked it, and poured a round for himself, Sophia, and Ivy.
“Is that ...you know ...” Olivia stammered, desperately trying not to be lame. “Blood?”
“Not really,” Sophia said.
“Sophia!” Ivy exclaimed, rolling her eyes.
“It’s true!” Sophia cried. “This stuff is packed with preservatives!”
Brendan raised his cup in the air. “A toast,” he announced.
Ivy nodded. “To family,” she said, looking right at Olivia.
“To friends,” said Sophia.
“To secrets,” Olivia said, grinning.
She clinked her smoothie against her friends’ cups, and a moment later, their laughter was echoing in the crypt’s perfect acoustics.
Ivy hugged Sophia and Olivia good-bye outside the tomb. Brendan was staying behind to hang out and start working on his essay, and Olivia and Sophia had decided to walk home together, since they both lived in the same direction.
“Are you sure, Ivy?” Olivia asked. “My parents would never let me walk home alone after dark in a zillion years.”
Ivy smiled. “I’m a vampire, remember? Night’s my favorite time of day.” With a little wave, she set off across the graveyard.
Ivy stayed off the main streets, enjoying the darkness around her. She didn’t have to be home for another half hour, so she had lots of time. As she strolled, she couldn’t help thinking about how happy she felt. It was strange, because in lots of ways, it had been a terrible day: from first thing this morning, when Serena Star had tried to implicate her on national TV, to her failure to learn anything at the adoption agency. But, somehow, none of it mattered. Brendan was right: there was so much to celebrate.
He wasn’t even mad, she thought tenderly.
Chapter 10
Before she knew it, Ivy was climbing the long drive to her house. She glanced at her watch: 8:25 P.M., right on time. Her dad’s car still wasn’t back, though, so she reached into her bag for her keys. After a few seconds of rummaging, she realized she hadn’t gotten them back from Olivia.
No big deal, she thought. She would just have to climb in through her bedroom window. Ivy calmly walked around to the back of the house but was shocked to find that her window was closed. With a jolt, she remembered that she’d closed it after pushing Olivia out, so that her dad wouldn’t catch them.
Ivy scanned the back of the house, and noticed that the window of her father’s second floor office was open. She smiled to herself. I have to admit, being a vampire is pretty killer. After all . . . she thought, taking a few steps back and peering around to make sure no one was watching, ...it means I can do this.
A superhuge leap landed her feet first on the second floor window ledge. Ivy deftly swung herself inside and shut the window. She wound her way down through the house, pausing in the kitchen to grab a cookie.
She stopped at the top of the stairs that led down into her room and surveyed the damage. I didn’t think it was possible, she thought, smiling and shaking her head, but Olivia has made my room even more of a mess!
“Many think there is no deep, dark secret in Franklin Grove,” Serena Star was saying as the TV flickered to life in the family room. Olivia sank down on the couch, relieved that she hadn’t missed the morning news. After last night’s graveyard bash and then staying up late to do her homework, she’d overslept.
“They say,” Serena continued as the camera followed her down Main Street, “that the Goth culture here is no more harmful than football.” Olivia noticed that the camel suede suit Serena was wearing was the same one she’d worn yesterday. In fact, it sort of looked like she’d slept in it.
Her makeup looked a bit hurried, too.
“And perhaps they are right,” Serena Star fin
ished suddenly.
Really? Olivia perked up.
“I’d hoped to have the answers for you this
morning, America, but”—Serena’s face changed
from serious to smiling—“we were all shocked
and overjoyed by last night’s breaking news!
That’s right, I’m talking about Academy Award
winner and former Miss America Charlene
Costa’s surprise wedding to country music heartthrob Manny Shucker. Tune in this afternoon for
exclusive video footage taken by the maid of
honor, the final word on Franklin Grove, and
other hot stories on a special blockbuster edition
of The Morning Star later today!”
Serena Star flashed her trademark smile and
approached the camera. “Because the Star of
truth must shine! My name’s Serena Star. Wake
up, America!”
A smile spread across Olivia’s face as she
clicked off the TV. Finally, she thought as she
headed upstairs to get ready for school, the distraction we’ve been waiting for—Serena will probably be on the next plane to California to cover the Charlene Costa story!
Ivy was walking down the hallway on her way to her first period class when she spotted the Beasts huddled together in a corner. There was something about them that wasn’t quite right, but it took her a second to sink her fangs into what it was: none of them was laughing. They’re up to something grave, she thought.
Charlotte Brown was passing by with her clique of bunny minions. Garrick lifted his head, and Ivy noticed that he was wearing the same Interna 3 T-shirt he’d been wearing all week. “Charlotte!” he called. “Wait up!” He separated from his friends and ran over to her.