Free Vampire Addiction by Eva Pohler Page A

lot of people here,” Gertie whispered.
    “That’s just because all three schools are combined, I think,” Nikita replied. “The classes aren’t that big.”
    “I get why you and your brother and sister are starting here, but why Hector?” Gertie asked.
    “Mamá and Babá talked him into it,” Nikita said. “He’s sort of our protector.”
    “Protector?” This made no sense to Gertie.
    “Don’t ask. It’s a long story.”
    After the school-wide assembly, the elementary and middle grades were led out of the theater, with only the high school students left behind. Nikita had been right. There were less than two hundred high school students, and only about fifty juniors. Gertie sighed with relief.
    Hector, Klaus, Nikita, and Gertie were then taken on a tour, with three other new students, led by two seniors, both tall and lanky—Dimos and Joy.
    They were shown the main office, the library, the cafeteria, the gymnasium, the sports fields, and the band and orchestra halls. As they stopped for Dimos to point out the journalism room—he was the editor of the school newspaper—Gertie heard Hector’s voice softly behind her.
    “So your mind could accept flying across the city with a vampire, but not across the sea with me?”
    She gasped without looking back at him. Was he suggesting that they really had flown across the sea in the claws of a bird?
    Saying nothing in reply (what could she say?), she followed the group back to the main office, where a counselor gave them each a schedule. Before the group parted ways, they all compared classes. Gertie’s schedule was
    Beginning Photography
    English III AP
    Algebra II AP
    Chemistry AP
    Lunch
    World History AP
    PE
    Journalism
    Gertie was glad that she and Nikita shared most of their classes. The only periods they didn’t have together were first and last. Last period, Nikita, Klaus, and Hector had choir, while Gertie had journalism. First period, Nikita and Klaus had art. Gertie was caught off guard to see that Hector had photography with her.
    Nikita hugged her goodbye and followed Klaus in the opposite direction, leaving Gertie and Hector alone. The silence between them was awkward as they walked side by side down the hall.
    Finally, Hector said, “What made you choose photography?”
    Gertie shrugged. “I guess I like being an observer. I’ve never taken any pictures, though—except with my phone. I hope I won’t suck at it.”
    Hector grinned. “I highly doubt you would suck at anything.”
    So he wasn’t angry with her. She met his smile with her own. “Why did you pick it?”
    “I already know how to do everything else,” he said.
    “Aren’t you modest?” she teased.
    The class was in progress when the two entered. The teacher welcomed them and invited them to take a seat. They sat at a back table together near a window. After the lecture, the students filled out a paper assessing their experiences with photography. Hector and Gertie laughed as they both repeatedly checked “none.” Once the papers were handed back, the students were allowed to talk quietly among themselves.
    “So how did you know about my flight with Jeno?” Gertie whispered, sure he would say Nikita or Klaus had told him all about her trouble in Omonoia Square.
    His brows furled. “What do you mean? I was there last night. Don’t you remember?”
    Gertie looked back at him in shock.
    The bell rang. Gertie was glad. Maybe before the end of the day, she would recall what had happened.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Thirteen: Hector
     
    Dimos walked with Gertie from her last period to the front of the elementary school building, where Nikita, Klaus, and Hector were already waiting. Hector wore Phoebe on his back like a backpack, her legs dangling from his waist. She was smiling.
    Hector looked stinking adorable.
    “Good first day?” Gertie asked Phoebe.
    Phoebe buried her face in Hector’s back.
    “I think it was,” Hector answered for her. “She seems in a good