Free 7 Love Bites by Ellen Schreiber Page A

to bite you. To turn you, like me.� �Perhaps it�s time. We�d finally be together. Like I�ve always wanted. I�ve always needed you, Alexander.� �I need you too, Raven.� He took my arm and drew it up to his mouth. He closed his eyes, and I watched as he licked his lips and opened his mouth. Suddenly, Nightmare jumped in front of the window and I was so startled, I was lucky I didn�t fall off my desk and really bust my arm. I wanted the reassurance that Alexander needed me just as much as I needed him. That he craved me, as Sebastian craved Becky. But I knew Alexander wasn�t about to make that decision lightly. And did I want it, after all? I�d put so much of my thought into this magical and darkened world when right before me I was seeing vampires struggle with their lifestyle, as I struggled with mine. At this point, I could only imagine Alexander biting me and taking me into his world. The fantasy of it thrilled me. I could only hope the reality, should it ever show itself, would be as good.8 Friend and Feuds The hours ticked away painfully slowly during school. I was tormented as Becky raved incessantly about our previous evening at Hooligans. She went on about how she and Matt had a blast hanging out with the three of us, how we all could be �best buds,� and what a shame it was Sebastian was going to leave. She had no idea the evening had ended with a nightmare�one caused by Sebastian. I was in a fog all day. I couldn�t get my mind off of Alexander and Sebastian�s falling-out. Did they make amends? Had Sebastian left Dullsville? I begged for the sun to set as fast as it could, but it seemed to toy with me as it hung over the trees. When it lowered below the rooftops, I jumped on my bike and took off. I had no idea what I might find when I reached the Mansion. The Mustang was still in the driveway, but the front door of the Mansion was open. �Jameson? Alexander?� I called. But no one answered. The house was eerily quiet. I scaled the main staircase and passed a half dozen rooms until I came to Sebastian�s. I tapped the door and it squeaked open. The room was spotless. There were no signs that Alexander�s best friend had even visited the Mansion. No coffin. No iPod, boxer shorts, or wallet. Not even a trace of Romanian dirt remained. I felt as hollow as the empty room. I ran throughout the Mansion. �Alexander!� No response. �Jameson?� I called. The Creepy Man was nowhere in sight. I entered the kitchen and found Alexander�s best friend sitting alone at a rustic dinette, staring vapidly at a tiny plastic sword in his hand. His hair was unkempt, his eyelids droopy. I stood for a moment. Sebastian wasn�t talking. He didn�t even acknowledge my presence. I approached him tentatively. �I�m sorry you�re leaving,� I finally said. �Apart from the fact that you want to break up my best friend and her boyfriend, we actually got along pretty well.� �Are you really?� he asked, gazing up at me. �Sure. You brought light to the Mansion�literally,� I teased. But Sebastian didn�t even smirk. �Raven�what have I done? How could I have been so reckless�so selfish? A girl should never come between friends. I�m sorry things didn�t turn out better than this.� �Alexander�s still mad at you? I was hoping�� �Not only didn�t I find true love, I lost my best friend.� It pained me to see Sebastian hurting. He wasn�t as controlled as Alexander, or as menacing as Jagger. But like all the vampires I�d met, he struggled with his place in the mortal world�just as I struggled. �I�ll talk to Alexander. I�m sure you�ll be able to repair things�with some time. When are you heading back to Romania?� �I�m not sure�. I can�t return like this. What do I say to my parents? To his? I thought I might stay nearby for a few more days.� �Then you�re not leaving town?� I was happy at the thought. �I�m not sure. I might just take a few