Free 12 Stake Out - My Sister the Vampire by Sienna Mercer Page A

trench coat. ‘Will this book really reveal the “secrets of the shadows”?’
    ‘I’m sorry?’ S. K. Reardon looked bewildered. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about!’
    Hmm , Olivia thought. Maybe she was just being naïve, but she believed him. He looked as stunned by the sudden attention as if a truck had just ploughed into him. He certainly didn’t look prepared for any of the questions being shouted at him.
    ‘I don’t – I mean, I don’t know where you heard any of that, but –’
    ‘Oh! Of course. You mean we shouldn’t be talking about it here in public.’ One of the men who’d been shouting questions stopped and looked over his shoulder anxiously, scanning the room. He dropped his voice to a stage whisper. ‘You’re right, we have to be careful. After all, they could be anywhere!’
    He threw Ivy a quick glance, taking in her sweatpants and sneakers. Then he shrugged, turning back with an embarrassed look. ‘Or, well, you know, maybe the threat isn’t so immediate. But still! They could be in one of the other stores.’
    Ha   ! Olivia had to cover her mouth to hold back her laughter, even as S. K. Reardon shook his head in open disbelief.
    The author looked as if he thought everyone around him had gone crazy, but Olivia was thrilled by the VIT’s reaction. Ivy’s disguise was certainly working – no one would take her for a vamp in a million years! Right now, Olivia’s twin looked like nothing more than a regular tomboy. She wasn’t in danger of discovery at the moment . . . but the mystery was getting more complicated than ever.
    ‘What are all these people doing here?’ Ivy muttered, as they shifted back to accommodate the last few VITs crowding into the store. Despite her perfume shield, her cheeks were starting to turn slightly green from the intensity of the garlic stench trapped in the store. ‘I thought they were all busy trying to track down vampires with their ropes of garlic? Why should they care about an author signing?’
    ‘It is odd that so many of them turned up at the same time,’ Olivia agreed.
    ‘Obviously they’ve all been reading the blagger,’ said the Countess, gazing speculatively at the circle of trench coats. ‘So maybe that scoundrel is behind this too.’
    ‘I guess it is a nice coincidence for this author that a load of vampire fanatics happen to be in town when he’s here promoting his novel.’ Olivia shrugged. ‘Do you think the two events are linked?’
    Ivy was frowning hard now. ‘Could be . . . It would certainly help explain why this mystery blogger highlighted the mall.’ She turned to Olivia. ‘Perhaps there’s more to this than meets the eye.’
    Olivia stood on tiptoes to peer through the crowd. S. K. Reardon was surrounded by VITs, but she couldn’t see any sign of the biggest fan she knew: Holly. Maybe she still hadn’t gotten the text. I need to try again , Olivia thought. If Holly could infiltrate the queue of VITs, she might be able to overhear something. Of course, Olivia couldn’t share the vampire secret with Holly, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask a few innocent questions about anything her friend might have picked up from the crowd of book-buyers. You never know. It might work .
    ‘I’ll be right back,’ Olivia said. Ivy nodded, but neither of their grandparents bothered to reply. The Countess was busy watching the VITs with a raptor’s predatory gaze, while the Count was re-reading Bare Throats at Sunset and happily murmuring to himself as he read.
    Olivia just caught the words, ‘Now what I’d do if that happened . . .’ as she slipped past him on her way out of the store.
    At least S. K. had gained one real vampire fan!
    Once Olivia was outside the mall again, with a working signal, a beep sounded on her phone almost immediately. It was a text from Holly, sent only a minute earlier:
    Oooh, I might be too shy. I’ll think about it . . .
    She’d obviously received Olivia’s text about the signing. But,