Free A Field Guide to Vampires by Craig Batty Alyxandra Harvey

see even from several feet away. His gaze was touching me all over, like rain. He looked awed. That would have been disconcerting enough, never mind that he was wearing brown leather pants and some kind of gold-embroidered tunic. There was even a sword hanging from his belt. He looked like he belonged under torchlight, not streetlight.
    And, did I mention? He totally kneeled on the dirty pavement, right at my feet.
    “My lady Eloise,” he said in a voice just made for long summer nights and acoustic guitars. “Finally, you are undressed to our eyes.”
    “Whoa.” I took a big step backward. “What?”
    Jo was trying so hard not to laugh at the look on my face that I thought ice cream was going to come out of her nose, which would serve her right. Everyone around us turned to watch. Some of the girls even edged closer, especially Bianca. She loved nothing more than watching me squirm, all because two years ago Graham defended me when she laughed at me for getting a volleyball to the face in phys ed. She loved Graham. She hated me. Since she’d been the one to throw the volleyball, I wasn’t too fond of her either.
    “Come,” he said to me with polite formality at odds withthe scars on his hands. He didn’t even glance at Jo. “We must away, before the others find you.”
    I knew I was blushing that special shade of red that makes me look like a boiled beet. Nothing like being a pale, freckled girl who embarrasses easily. “Get
up
.”
    He got to his feet, graceful as water. His hair was dark blond, catching the light. His eyes blazed.
    I took another step back. “Um, okay.”
    Devin scowled at him. “What’s with the outfit?”
    “Is it some sort of theater thing?” Jo asked. “Extra credit for drama? Who are you supposed to be, King Arthur?”
    He didn’t glance away from me, not even for a moment. I squirmed. Everyone was still looking at us. The whispers crested, like ocean waves. “You must come with me,” he said urgently. “Please. If I have found you, the others will as well.”
    I nearly snorted. “Yeah, I don’t think so.” Why do people always assume that if you’re quiet, you’re also naive? Or downright stupid?
    “You are in danger.”
    Devin shifted so he was standing closer to us. “Dude, not cool.”
    “I’ll go with you, handsome,” Bianca purred. She was wearing a tight tank top and some kind of glitter gel on her cleavage. Jo actually bared her teeth. She was a little territorial, not just about me, but about cute guys too. Each and every one of them belonged to her. In fact, for all that she teasedDevin, she was notorious for cornering girls in the locker room if she thought they weren’t being nice enough to him.
    “Let’s get out of here.” I grabbed Jo’s arm. “Devin, come on.”
    The guy finally looked away from me, noticing all the curious faces looking him over. “Another time, then.”
    He bowed. He actually bowed. I could feel Jo fluttering beside me—she loved that sort of quasi-medieval thing. She was probably forcing herself not to curtsy back.
    “Soon,” he added.
    I honestly didn’t know if I should take that as a promise or a threat.
    We circled the picnic table to get to Devin’s car. Jo let me have the front seat, a definite indication that I must have looked as uncomfortable as I felt. She never let me have the front; she considered it her personal territory, to be defended at all costs, like Ian Somerhalder and chocolate macaroons. The guy watched us as we drove away, looking determined.
    “Cute,” she said as Devin squealed out of the lot. “But what a wanker.”

Chapter 1
Eloise
    Friday evening
    We went to Rowanwood Park the next night. There were parties every weekend since the weather refused to turn cold. There was a bonfire, but it was mostly for light. No one stood next to it; it was way too humid for that, even at night. The air was thick, that kind of sweaty moisture that chills even as it swelters.
    The last thing I wanted to be