“Well, we can’t sit around here worrying all night. I have to do something. ” “Why don’t you call up another vampire hunter for tea?” he suggested drily.”

“Nice dress. Can you breathe in that thing?”I smoothed the front of my dress. “It would be much more fun to wear if it wasn’t what I was going to be buried in.”“You are not going to be buried.” He paused, lifted the clothes up suspiciously.“Vampires don’t bury their victims,” he added distractedly.“Hey, looking for comfort here.”

“I’m here to take you on a date.”I blinked. “A date?” I repeated as if it was a foreign word I’d never heard before.“You know, where we go out, hold hands, cast longing glances at each other? It’s tradition. You might have heard of it.”“But I have class.”“Class?” Now he was looking at me as if I was speaking a different language. “But it’s ten o’clock at night.”“We have classes until midnight.” I smiled pointedly. “The thing about vampires is that they kind of like the night. It’s tradition. You might have heard of it?”“Oh, smart mouth.” He grinned back. “Sexy.”

“Okay, listen up, people,” Kieran raised his voice so that it was all gravelly and impressive. I wasn’t particularly impressed since we’d grown up together and I’d force-fed him mud pies when we were little, but it seemed to work on everyone else. Lia actually sighed.Only a thirteen-year-old vampire hunter would get a crush in the middle of a vampire attack.I was a little bit proud of her actually.----------------------His grin widened and he nudged my shoulder companionably. “I like you, kid.” (Quinn)I tried not to groan out loud. I was as bad as Lia.I had totally developed a crush during a vampire raid.”

“So you did get it?” I asked, suddenly babbling. “I wasn’t sure. I mean, sometimes we don’t get very good reception at school. But I guess you know that, living on a farm and all.” Shut up, shut up, shut up .He smiled slowly. “Hunter, are you nervous?”“Shut up.”“Are you going to ask me to prom?” he teased.“Shut up,” I repeated, choking on a horrified laugh.He grinned. “I look pretty good in a tux.”I rolled my eyes, suddenly comfortable again. “And you’re so refreshingly modest.”

“I nodded. “Where’s your hunter?” She flinched. “He went home. We thought it would be best.” Her eyes went from worried to warning. “He’s under Drake protection.” “So am I, or so I’ve been led to understand.”“Of course you are,” Lucy said, her nose pressed to the window. “Misunderstanding. No big deal.”Solange quirked a half smile. “You might try complete sentences, Lucy.”“Can’t. Busy.” I was curious despite myself. “What are you doing?” “Drooling,” Solange explained fondly.”

“Hey, get off my sister,” Kieran barked from the other side.“Get lost, Black,” I called out. “And she’s not your sister.”“May as well be.”“Well, you stop kissing Solange and I’ll stop kissing Hunter.”Silence.""Chapter 24”