Tempting Raven (Curse of the Vampire Queen #1)(7)

Effie: Yo, yo, yo, yo, Sleeping Beauty, get your ass out of bed!

I smile as I sit up, wiping the sweat from my forehead and noting that the buzzing is still present in my body. Strange. I thought it would've worn off by now.

Making a mental note to ask my mom about it, I type back a message to Effie.

Me: How'd you know I was sleeping? Are you stalking me again?

Effie: Whatever. I so only stalked you once, and that was to find out where on earth you took off after school every day, because I knew you were lying to me.

Me: Yeah, I know. I still feel bad about that. I just hate telling people that my mom owns Liquid Red & Blood Magic. People usually get all weird and try to use me to get in.

Effie: Except for me.

Me: That's because you're awesome.

Effie: Sure am, but I'm kind of worried you might change your mind after what I'm about to ask you.

Me: What's up? You didn't kill one of the council's bats again, did you? Because my dad's been super suspicious since the last time one turned up dead, and I had to lie and say it wasn't you.

Effie: No, I didn't. And FYI, the last time was totally accidental. How was I supposed to know it'd fly into the window after I shut it?

Me: They do that sometimes, especially when they're high off blood.

Effie: I know that now. But can I just say that the council has serious attachment issues to their bats. I swear, it's like they think they're children or something.

Me: Nah. They're just pets.

Effie: Pets they love a little too much, if you ask me. I've even seen them talking to them. And one time I saw one wearing a little purple dress and bow. Seriously, it's like those people who dress up their dogs.

I chuckle.

Me: Yeah, I know it's pretty weird  …  But, if you didn't kill a bat, then what favor do you need?

Effie: I need to get into your mom's club tonight.

I try not to worry over whether she's using me. I've been friends with Effie for almost a year and she's done nothing but be super nice to me and has never asked me for anything.

Before I can answer, another text pings through.

Effie: Before you start to worry, I want you to know that the only reason I want to go is because I think Austin is cheating on me. And supposedly, at least according to a little gossiping bat, he's supposed to be at your mom's club with his skanky lover.

Me: Oh, my God! I'm so sorry, Effie. What an asshat.

Effie: No worries. It's not like I'm in love with Austin. But he has potential, and I don't want to throw all that potential away until I know for sure.

Me: Wait? Who's the little gossiping bat that told you this?

Effie: Well, that's the weird part. I got an anonymous letter, via magical mail. It said I needed to go to Liquid Red & Blood Magic tonight because Austin was going to be there with another girl.

Me: And you don't know who sent the letter?

Effie: Nope. I tried to find out, but you know how hard it is to track magical mail.

Me: True  …  It seems weird, though.

Effie: I'm honestly kind of wondering if the skanky lover sent it. Maybe she wants Austin all to herself, but he won't break up with me. So, she figures if I find out, I'll dump his cheating ass. Which I totally will.



       
         
       
        

Me: Well, I'm here for you, whatever you need. Even if it's going to my mom's club. Honestly, I kind of want to get out of the house, anyway.

Effie: Fuck. What happened?

Me: Kingsley and Rhyland are coming home early. They're supposed to be here tonight.

Effie: What the shit? Did they get kicked out of the training program or something?

Me: Nope. Graduated early.

Effie: Yeah right. Probably because they cheated.

Me: Can you do that in the program?

Effie: I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past Kingsley and Rhyland to find a way. They used to cheat off my tests all the time back when we were kind of friends.

Yep, once upon a time, Effie used to be popular, until around senior year when, according to her, she stopped giving a shit about what other vampires thought. She said it was too tiring and she didn't like the person she'd become. So, she chopped off her blonde hair, dyed it purple, and pierced her lip, nose, and brow. She looked-and still does-like a badass vampire punk goddess.

When she first gave herself the makeover, Nadine and her friends tormented her. That's kind of how we became friends-by bonding over how we were both bullied.

Luckily, for the sake of our friendship ever developing, Effie never treated me like shit during her pre-rebellion popularity years. It was actually pretty easy to become friends with her. We have a lot in common, from our choice in clothes and rock music to our quirky weirdness. I asked her once how she was ever friends with Nadine, Kingsley, and Rhyland, and she told me she had no idea.