ENJOY!
Raven's POV:
From what I could tell, we were in deep trouble.
Mom and dad pulled in the chairs from the kitchen and Aunt Libby and them sat across from us. I felt my limbs turn to moosh. Mom, as always, was the first to speak. "I undertstand that the idea that the only cute guy you've met in town so far has been Trevor but that gives you no excuse to get into a fight with my daughter over him Ella. It seems like you went way too far about something very small. And Raven, I can tell by the mark on her face you seriously fought back. You know I taught you never to fight. I don't know who raised you Ella but something tells me they'd be upset if they found out."
Dad had to jump in and be the peacemaker as always. "Now I want you both to apoligize and pronounce this over. I don't want this to put a damper on my sister's visit." He smiled to Aunt Libby.
"Now. Is there anything you'd like to add at this point?" Mom asked.
"I'm sorry this whole thing got started Raven. I just wish you understood I was only joking. I would have never hit you if I didn't hear from someone at the club that you were bad mouthing me. It must have been a lie of course. I mean this person who told me that also said you were a dyke and that can't be true right?"
"Of course not Ella. No harm done. All you did was hit on my boyfriend and backhand me. I can't be mad about something so small. I'm above that. I Raven Madison completely a totally forgive Ella Sterling for all that happened at the club." I smild widely to everyone. That'll get the conversation off me and onto her.
Even Libby looked at Ella funny. "I didn't know your last name was Sterling. Shows how much I pay attention." She laughed.
Mom looked confused. "Wait. Are you related to Alexander Sterling?"
She blushed and looked away. I answered for her. "I'm sure she's just got the same last name. I was telling her all about my ex when we went to 'powder our noses' at the Cricket Club and she said she knew him. More than knew him, had a crush on him back in Romania." I announciated the last word.
"Yes it is the same Alexander. And I was only six. You can't tell me you never had a crush on a cousin. We were only related by marriage."
"Aww. That's so cute." Aunt Libby gushed.
Ella smiled, ready to turn the conversation in my favor. "He was an adorable little boy. He always carried around a stuffed bear until he was nine."
"I would've liked to see that. Did Alexander ever tell you about Ella Raven?" Mom said.
"No. He failed to mention her. I mean, he did move all over the world with his parents since he was ten. He must of...forgot all about her. Half the time, I can't even remember the names of all my cousins." I smiled with warm hatred at her.
"Of course he couldn't of totally forgot all about me. We did write eachother the entire time he was here. It's funny. I don't believe he mentioned you. Oh wait. He did. I believe his words were, "Ya. I met this hot gothic chick who has a crush on me. I think I'll humor her for a while'. I loved all the stories he sent about you. I expecially loved the one where you were busted by the butler. He caught you two making out in Alexander's room like a couple of animals. Isn't that why Alexander's parents forced him to move back to Romania?"
"Wow Ella! What a story!" Dad said, trying to make peace. She wasn't even close to finishing.
She smiled at me with this stupid faux grin. "I remember his parents saying something along the lines of, 'I heard he almost got her pregnant. Maybe it's time to move him back here before we're grandparents.' I believe that's what they said."
Dad and mom both looked as pale as ghosts. I turned away from Ella to stare at them with blank seriousness. "You can get me tested if that will make you feel better. You won't get very far when the doctor says, 'Oh I'm sorry. I can only run tests on someone who actually slept with someone'."
"I wanna know who's lying." Mom said blackly.
"I'm your daughter. If you don't believe me, I'm leaving and I won't come back. I swear on Grandma Regina's grave that I'm as pure as the snow outside." We all looked outside at the dirty snow that lined the streets where cars had drove on. "Well I'm pure. Maybe not like that snow outside. That would be an insult." I could tell everyone, including Trevor who looked humiliated to be sitting in the middle of this, believed me.
Aunt Libby whispered something to dad who whispered it to mom. "I think we should all go to bed right now. We'll talk about this in the morning before Libby and Ella leave."
Ella looked stunned. "I thought we were staying for the whole weekend." She looked at Trevor in panic.
"With what just happened, I think it would be best if we left. I really wish you'd stop telling lies about my family Ella. Come one. It's time for bed."
"I'm going to take a shower first." She started to stand up.
"I'm your elder Ella and this is my brother's house. I said I wanted you to go to bed. If you have a problem with that, we can always leave tonight." She stood in a flash of anger and stomped to the guest room before slamming the door shut. Aunt Libby smiled apologetically to everyone. "I am so sorry about all this. I wish I had more to say on the matter."
Mom looked like she'd die of humiliation with the incident. She looked like she wished she had made Trevor leave when she had the chance instead of forcing him to listen to all this. Mom gave Trevor a hug. "I am so sorrry for all this. Teenage girls. What're ya gonna do with them."
I was relieved when he genuinely laughed. "It's okay. I'm just glad all rumors are gone. I'd hate for you to believe lies about Raven. I actually take pride in her reputation at school for being innocent."
Mom looked like she would swell with satisfaction. "Alright. Your father and I are going to go to bed Raven. I don't care if you and Trevor watch a movie. Just make sure he's home by curfew."
"No, that's okay. I need to get home because my mother wants my room clean before bedtime." He shook my dad's hand and waited till they were in their room before he swooped me into a big hug. "I love you beautiful. I wish Ella hadn't done that." He pulled me away real quick and gave me a meaningful look. "The way things had been with Alexander, I assumed you had done something for a while."
"I love you too. When did you stop thinking I had done it?"
"I knew that day Alexander had attacked you by the graveyard. I didn't base my actions on the fact he was on top of you. Before that, I thought you have already done it. I based it on how scared you sounded. If you weren't a virgin, you wouldn't have freaked out like that."
I blushed at the memory. I had tried, since I started dating Trevor, to forget Alexander was a vampire and just imagine what everyone else would think he had tried to do. It made it easier to face the fact I would never be a vampire. I even now realize that it has nothing to do with not being ready to become a vampire. I just don't want to be one anymore. It made me wander if Ella knows about the Sterling's secrets. If she's known them since she was a small child, it would mean that she either knew, or they were really careful not to give anything away.
"I love you." I mumbled into his chest as his held me and stroked my hair. I saw Ella piering around the corner, staring at us.
"I love you too." He pulled my face up to face him. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I just wish we could spend the rest of this break away from everyone else. Just you and me."
"Don't worry. Everything will work out fine. We'll find plenty of time for just us."
It took me a moment to get up the courage to broach this subject. "You don't...like Ella do you?" He put his hand on his chin like he was thinking about it and stuck his finger in his mouth and pretended to hurl. I laughed. "Okay, okay. Just checking."
I walked him to the door and after one quick kiss, he was gone. When I was sure he was safely in his car and down the road, I locked up the door. Before I was safely out of the living room, Ella was standing there. "Happy? You blew my cover goth girl."
"Cover?"
"No one can know I'm related to the Sterlings. If news gets back, I'm toast."
"Wait...Are you that family member they've been hiding from?" She gave me a look like it should be obvious. "It was you?" I whispered. "You tried to kill Mr. Sterling? Your own uncle?"
"I have good reasons. He was stealing my spotlight. No one would buy my art. He also said I had too evil of a heart to be turned into a vampire so no one would turn me. I'm not evil. I'm just a teenage girl."
"A teenage girl who's in love with your cousin, who tried to seduce my boyfriend, and who tried to murdur your uncle." I stated flatly. She gritted her teeth and grabbed my neck before lifting me to her eye level. I fought with all my might trying to get free.
"No one can know I'm here. I have to find them before they find me. Simple. I bet you know where they are. No one can find them. I'd go to Romania myself to look but they're closing the Romanian border to everyone who doesn't own a residence there. I bet you could tell me if he's in there. Or maybe he's still in America. What do you know?"
I was starting to turn blue so she lowered me to the ground and loosened her grip. "I don't know. I havn't talked to Alexander in four months."
"What did he tell you when you did talk to him?"
"That he agreed to marry Luna. That's all."
"Did he say anything else. Where the wedding will take place? Who's invited?"
"No. Nothing else. I'm not lying."
She sighed in frustration. "Did you tell him about me?"
"No."
"Not that I wanted you to but why not?" She asked, tightening her grip.
"I'm sorry that my aunt's next door neighbor didn't come up while we were ending the relationship. What was I supposed to say? 'I hate you. I never want to see you again. I met someone named Ella today. I hate you.'?"
"Okay." She hissed and let go of my neck but grabbed onto my arms. "You better not breath a word to them about me if you ever see them again."
"Why do you want to find them."
"To finish what I started. I'll murdur his mother and father and hold a sword over his head until he agrees to change me. It won't be hard. My blood is completely irresistable. An Italian vampire told me that once."
"He'll take death gladly first. Sorry to break it to you honey but the reason he didn't choose me is because he's terrified of turning someone immortal. And he's in love with Luna but that's beside the point."
She threw me to the ground and leaned over me. "No one will know we talked. I'll kill you and Trevor if you breath a word. In fact, maybe I should just kill you anyway. I did tell you all about the big secret." I looked at her in fear. "But I think I might not do that. If I kill you, news might reach Alexander about your funeral. It'd be on CNN. 'Eighteen year old Raven Madison killed in her own home." She began in an announcer voice. "Found with kitchen knife stabbed in her heart on the front steps of her home. Prime suspect being her boyfriend at the time, Trevor Mitchell, the last person to ever see her alive'."
She laughed and walked out of the room. As soon as I heard the guest room door quietly shut, I walked numbly towards my room and collapsed on my bed. I ripped off my shoes and stripped down to my bra and underwear before crawling into the blanket. I cried softly for the longest time, too terrified to sleep. I worried about the fact Ella might kill me and run off with Trevor. But most importantly, I was worried she might kill Trevor too. I couldn't live if anything ever happened to him. I needed to run away from here with Trevor. I needed to come back only when it was safe for us to be here. But where would we go?
I stared out the window in terror for a long while. As midnight, I saw something flicker in the window. I cringed and kept my eyes firmly on the window. This is the end. She's gonna kill me and no one will suspect her of being capable of going so far. Unless mom thinks she'd kill me to get Trevor. Wait! How can that be her? If she wanted to kill me she'd just come through my room door and do it. Not go into theatrics by sneaking out of the house and getting in my window.
I saw two things move out of the window now. Two? Who is out there? It was then that I saw Trevor's terrified face and the dark eyes of a bat staring at me. I knew those eyes. I ran to the window and ripped it open. "Trevor..." I helped him climb in and he collapsed on the ground, trying to catch his breath. "What are you doing here?" I asked, leaning over the bed.
"This isn't gonna work." He mumbled. The bat suddenly poofed and Alexander was there.
"Relax. It will. You believed me about everything didn't you?"
"Only after you bit the head off a bird and showed me your fangs."
"You told him?" I almost screamed at Alexander.
"It was time he knew. This concerns him too doesn't it?"
"What's going on?" I sat upright as Trevor got off the ground and went to stand by Alexander.
Both boys were suddenly stunned. "Wow." Trevor whispered.
"Nice." Alexander almost smiled.
I looked down at the black bra with corset strings in the front I was wearing with the matching underwear. "Crap." I mumbled, pulling my sheet over me. "Just get to the point you pervs."
"Ella is here right?" Alexander said straight away.
"How'd you know?" I asked, touching my neck where she had strangled me till I turned blue.
Alexander touched the marks on my throat. "Lucky guess..." Trevor smacked Alexander's hand away from me. I smiled.
"Ya she's here. Why do you want to know?" Trevor asked defensively, looking like he wanted to kill Alexander for even breathing.
"My family has been tracking her. I'm sorry you were both brought in this. She's going to need to leave by tomarrow. Your family needs to convince her."
"Already done. She hit on Trevor so I got in a cat fight with her so Aunt Libby and her are returning home tomarrow morning."
Alexander looked at Trevor in concentration. "We have to hurry and get you both somewhere. I'm guessing we got till sundown tomarrow."
"Why?"
"She'll kill you both. She's trying to use Trevor as some kind of human sacrifice. It's why she'd been seducing him. She knows I won't turn her. I'm guessing you know what she wants right?"
"Yes..." I whispered, wanting to latch onto Trevor but remembering I was in underwear.
"She'll kill Trevor and offer his blood to Madame Ezral in return for immortality. She has a small operation going in Romania. If you kill a mortal who is completely willing and bring the blood to her in a vial, she'll turn you immortal." Alexander said blackly. You could tell he didn't like the woman by the way he said her name.
"Why do they have to be willing?" Trevor asked the question I was thinking.
"It's to keep fear out of the blood. Fear taints the blood and makes it grow weak faster after it's been spilled. The stronger the blood, the more effect it'll have for Madame Ezral in her spells. She's a wicken vampire. Men are more willing to die when they think they're getting something out of it."
"Sex?" Trevor asked with wide eyes. The picture of innocence.
"No Trevor, a tea party. What man wouldn't give his life for a slice of cake?" I said sarcastically.
He looked offended but kept his mouth shut. Alexander looked impatient to be the one talking again. "Listen you two. I need you focused...how do you both feel about a littel fieldtrip?"
"A fieldtrip?" We both asked at the same time.
"Trevor Mitchell and Raven Madison, congradulations to you both. You have just won Dullsville High School's (We both shared a smile at the name we have for the town) annual Winter Holidy trip to Europe. You will be escorted first class to Romania where you'll learn all about it's herritage and you'll stay with a host family for the time being. The Sterlings have agreed to take you in and you'll remain until school starts again in a few weeks."
"Great plan..." I couldn't help but marval at the genious of it. It would get us out of town and away from Ella. Ella couldn't get us because she didn't own property in Romania. The Sterlings did. I looked at Trevor who was seriously contemplating this. "Are you okay with that Trevor?"
"Taking a trip to Europe with you and seeing the sights? Oh ya." He wooped quietly.
"Alexander. Ella told me she can't get into Romania because they blocked the borders for anyone who doesn't own property. She doesn't own property there does she?"
"No. But not all the borders are blocked. She could find a way in if she tried hard enough. I'm going to get my mother to dress as a supervisor from your school and tell both your parents about the trip and settle things. Your family has never met my parents."
"She's here?" I asked.
"Both my parents are. I'm sorry I lied about them wanting me to leave because of you. I did that to protect you. You couldn't know about Ella or she might think you knew something and come after you."
"You mean they approve of me after all?"
"Not in the least. They don't hate you at all. In fact, they're looking forward to meeting you. They just don't want me marrying you. If I married Luna, it would tie a bond between the Maxwells and the Sterlings. It has to be done this way."
"Admit it. You're in love with her too." I murmered with a smile. It was nice to be able to joke about and not feel pain.
He smiled as his eyes went far away. Four thousand miles away to Romania to be exact. I noticed that he was still wearing the crystal engagement necklace. He touched it subconciously. He came back to reality and got to business. "I had to tell Trevor because I knew it'd be difficult keeping the secret for three weeks while you guys hid. I thought i'd be simpler if we kept with the truth. I told him all about the past with Ella on the way here. We've got a busy day ahead of us. Raven, get some sleep. I'll take you home Trevor. You need sleep too."
Alexander ghosted out the window and gave Trevor and I a chance to say good bye. Now that Alexander was not in sight, I dropped the sheet and wrapped my arms around his waist. He lifted me into a real hug by the arms. I couldn't even explain logically how I felt when he was near me. It was like my heart was being electrocuted as my body formed to him. He traced his fingers and and down my back and pulled away before he could get carried away.
"I love you." I whispered.
"I love you too." He kissed me deeply and crawled out the window.
Alexander poked his head back in for a second. "When you wake up tomarrow. Start telling your mom about how you signed up for the Europe trip contest before winter break started and you'll be getting a response today if you win."
"Right." I whispered. I began to feel selfconcious as his eyes raked over me. He poofed into a bat and flew into the night with Trevor running under him. New rule; NEVER go to bed in only underwear again.