Free Cryptic Cravings by Ellen Schreiber Page B

bar would be. While the vampires slept, I swept, removed empty cardboard boxes, and cleared away any debris that would get in the way of the quick renovations. By the time the sun set and the vampires awoke, I was exhausted.
    Alexander greeted me with a kiss and Javalicious coffee, and I sat on a box sipping it and watching as Onyx and Scarlet and the vampires worked. Scarlet drank her own piping hot latte. But instead of cocoa beans, hers was brewed with blood.

    I rested my weary head against Alexander’s shoulder. In this environment, unlike any other in Dul svil e, I was accepted as one of the “in” crowd—and I was in my element—hanging out with vampires and helping decorate a nocturnal dance club. I looked on as a truck backed into a loading dock and a few guys that looked more dead than alive loaded chairs, lighting equipment, and a pool table into the factory.
    Alexander kept a watchful eye on the incoming boxes, making sure that there were no nefarious items or clues about whether Jagger stil planned on opening the Covenant. Sebastian did his best to help, but Luna clung to him, keeping his hands busy. He often got caught up in talking to Alexander and had to be nudged back to work by Jagger.
    As the evening wore on, it was clear that there was only one person who didn’t contribute to the transformation: Luna. The wispy fairy girl draped herself on a chair like a princess and, when breaks were taken, canoodled with Sebastian or asked him to fetch her bloody lattes. Several times I caught her fingering Sebastian’s dreadlocks but staring at Alexander. I felt she was up to something, but what, I wasn’t sure.
    The fol owing day at school, Becky and I were having lunch by the flagpole while waiting for Matt to join us. She was biting into a sandwich and I was picking at my organic peanut butter one.
    “Have you heard any more about that club?” Becky asked out of the blue. “I hear rumblings al the time, but no one has any concrete information. I was wondering where it’s going to be and when it’s going to open.”
    I had to tel Becky what I knew about the club—leaving out, of course, the vampire element. The rumors about the club echoed off the wal s of Dul svil e High, and it wasn’t right to keep her in the dark any longer.
    “You have to swear to secrecy.”
    “Of course. You know something?”
    “I know a lot.”
    Becky put her sandwich aside. “Tel me everything.”
    “It’s Jagger—he’s going to open a club here. And it’s going to be in the vacant Sinclair Mil .”
    “Wow—that sounds cool.”
    “But you can’t tel anyone because Alexander and I have to find out a bit more about it.”
    “Like what?”
    “Like who he’s opening it to.”
    “I thought I heard it was for everyone.”
    “Yes. But I want to confirm it first. And I have bigger news,” I said, bursting to tel her more.
    “What’s bigger than that?”
    “He told me I can help him!”
    “That is awesome!”
    “I went there yesterday and helped clean up.”
    “I’d love to help, too,” Becky said.
    I hadn’t anticipated her reaction and wil ingness to be involved. I couldn’t imagine Becky being on the inside of the factory, setting up the club with the vampires. It was one thing for me to be there—it was another for her.
    “I’m not sure you’d enjoy it. It’s real y messy work.”

    “And working on a farm isn’t?”
    She had a point. “It’s just that—”
    “I usual y have al my homework done by the end of the day,” she said. “So I could use the time after school to help you guys.”
    “Wel , they real y don’t start working until the evening. And they go al night, since they don’t have school.”
    “I can help then, too. Matt is so busy with his scrimmages. It would be good for me to have something to do besides always waiting on the sidelines.” Becky flashed her soft baby face and sweet pleading eyes.
    “Fine,” I said. “But this is our secret. I’m going over there