Tempting Raven (Curse of the Vampire Queen #1)(5)

       
         
       
        

"If you become one," my dad mumbles almost absentmindedly.

I arch my brows at him in question, but he only offers me the same forced smile my mom did in the kitchen, leaving me to wonder if they're both blood drunk or something.

"That's not very nice, Daddy." Nadine blasts him with a dirty look.

"Sorry," he apologizes. "I just don't want you getting too excited until it actually happens."

"You're such a vampire downer." She grimaces, while my dad simply shrugs then wanders off down the hallway, seeming distracted.

Strange. I wonder what's going on.

The moment he disappears into his room, Nadine shoots a wicked grin in my direction. "Soon, all will be right in the world again. Say goodbye to the year break you had, because hell is about to return."

As anger simmers inside my chest, the buzzing sensation amplifies, slithering under my skin and rushing to my brain, giving me a blood buzz brain freeze.

Whoa, head rush.

I give Nadine a smile that completely throws her off, which is kind of the point. Let her be confused.

What she doesn't realize is she won't have as easy of a time making me miserable, even with Kingsley and Rhyland here. I'm not the girl I used to be when we were in high school. I'm in my first year of college and am excelling at a lot of my classes, which has been a huge boost of confidence for me. I also made friends with Effie and Anders, so I'm not completely alone anymore.

I've also grown up. I'm not that scared little girl who wanted people to like her and invite her to parties. I've accepted what life is and who I'll be. That I'm Raven, the vampire with raven black hair and eyes, skin as pale as snow, and legs that are longer than a lot of guys but move surprisingly slow-well, in vampire terms, anyway. And I'm becoming okay with that.

Still smiling like I'm a badass vampire goddess, I swing past my sister, go into my bedroom, and flop down onto my bed.

The buzzing under my skin continues to electrically crackle. I've never had a blood buzz before, but I've heard rumors of vampires getting them when they drink too much powerful blood. What I don't understand is why my mom served such powerful blood at dinner. It's not her normal vampire MO. And no one else seems to be struggling with a power surge. Then again, their bodies are probably used to intense power, unlike mine.

The longer the buzzing goes on, the more exhaustion blankets over me. So weird. Extra power should mean extra energy, right?

But the moment my eyelids lower, I fall asleep, sinking into nightmares I thought long forgotten.





2

 



Nadine is having a party tonight and has invited the entire senior high school class. I'm more than stoked to be invited. And surprised as hell.

To say I was shocked when an invite had flown out of my ceiling and smacked me in the forehead, arriving via magical mail, was definitely an understatement. I never got invited to parties; didn't have any friends. When I saw my sister had invited me, my shock doubled. And my worry. But, after talking to her, she assured me she was just trying to make up for all the times she'd been mean to me, calling it a "peace offering." Part of me was still apprehensive, but I wanted to go.

So, after spending the day going through my closet, trying to figure out what to wear, I decide to put on a simple, dark blue dress that contrasted well with my raven black hair and eyes. I'd been told that my legs were too long and gangly to wear a dress-by Nadine-but that was back in my freshman year. I'd filled out a little since then. Well, at least I thought so.

After braiding my hair, putting on some lip gloss, and slipping on a pair of clunky boots-I don't own any heels-I grab the invitation and hurry up to the attic where the party was taking place.

The attic is a fairly spacious room that my dad uses as his vampire cave/office. He rarely let Nadine and I go up there, but since him and my mom are gone on a vacation, I guess Nadine decided to break the rules. I'm okay with that. I'm just glad to be invited to the party.

As I wind up the spiral staircase that leads to the attic, I smooth my hands down the front of my dress, feeling nervous and restless. I'm worried that Nadine's friends, particularly Rhyland and Kinsley, won't want me there and will treat me like they always do-like a diseased bat. But Nadine assured me that they'd be nice, and if they weren't, she'd make them. She even blood swore on it, which is a big deal in the vampire world. Breaking a blood oath is basically like shattering a relationship. It's something you just don't do to family or close friends.

When I reach the top of the stairs and step into the attic, I start to grow a little bit worried. No drinks are laid out. No blood kegs are set up. Not a single person is in sight.