Free Fatal Bargain by Caroline B. Cooney Page A

Roxanne out of whatever pit she had slid into.
    Their fingers met, and Roxanne’s were surprisingly warm and calm.
    Roxanne was rather proud of herself. She was actually lying in the dreadful cavity of the vampire’s hibernation, and yet she was no longer afraid. For several fine moments she congratulated herself on her courage; awarded herself prizes for being the bravest on earth. Then she realized that the vampire had disappeared. Her own bravery — or lack of it — had nothing to do with the situation. There was no longer anything to be afraid of. The vampire had left.
    But where? thought Roxanne. Where does he go when he’s not here? He can’t get into this nest. I’m in it. And if he were here, visible or invisible, I would know.
    So where is he?
    “He’s gone!” repeated Sherree cheerfully. Sherree did a little dance. She tapped both toes and heels in a happy pattern on the wooden floor of the tower. She rocked a little, swayed a little, giggled a little. “Let’s get a move on, guys! Time to roll. Time to close the curtain on this little show.” Sherree headed for the door.
    But Lacey frowned. She preferred to have an understanding of events. “What could have made him leave?” said Lacey. She was suspicious. What was going on here?
    “Roxanne invaded his nest,” said Zach. “I think he had to flee.”
    Zach, Bobby, Randy, and Lacey stared down into the ghastly little coffinlike space between the floors.
    Sherree stomped her feet. “What is with you idiots?” she shouted. “Stop worrying about the vampire’s housing situation!”
    Lacey and Roxanne giggled in spite of themselves.
    Sherree said, “Come on, you guys. The night is still young. We can party some place intelligent instead of this dump.”
    Roxanne said, “You know, Sherree, I’m starting to like you.” Lacey, Roxanne, and Sherree giggled together, not quite sure what was funny, but finding themselves together in some girlish emotion.
    Roxanne started to get out.
    “Stop!” shouted Randy. He actually pushed her back in.
    “What am I supposed to do?” Roxanne shouted right back. “Set up housekeeping? Of course I’m getting out of here. Help me.” She stuck out one hand to Randy and Zach took the other.
    “Listen to me!” said Randy fiercely. “Zach is right. The vampire left because you invaded his nest. And that means,” said Randy, “he’ll come back the minute you’re out of it.”
    Roxanne shook Randy’s hand free. Then feeling stronger still, she shook Zach’s off, also. She was very pleased with herself, getting out of the opening with help from nobody. I’m tough, she thought. I’m strong. I’m proud. “You are such a loser, Randy,” she said.
    Lacey tested the open doorway.
    There was nothing in the door space but air.
    The vampire no longer possessed the door. Nothing at all possessed the door. It was just a door.
    “We can leave,” she said briefly. “Come on, everybody. There’s no time to waste.”
    Sherree giggled again, and danced her way over the floor. “Wow, Randy, I mean — like — you told us this would be a night to remember. How did you do it? Did you hire an actor or something?” The vampire had been gone only minutes, and yet he was sliding from Sherree’s mind. Already she wondered if this was some weird combination of hologram and costume. Sherree caught Randy’s rejected hand and swung it happily. Randy had indeed given them a night to remember. In Sherree’s mind, Randy had gained points.
    Roxanne discovered that she had physical proof of the vampire’s existence. The vampire’s leavings clung to her skin. It was as if she’d coated herself with suntan lotion: Vampire oil was all over her flesh.
    While Lacey, ever cautious, crept toward the tower opening, and Sherree danced, and Randy worried, and Zach and Bobby gathered momentum and courage, Roxanne was forced to look down at her very own body, which had lain in a vampire’s nest.
    Roxanne came very close to throwing