After lunch the next day, the school was buzzing with whispers and news. Something big had happened, but before I could hear what it was, the teacher distracted the class or told everyone to quit talking. I wasn't getting frustrated, I had gotten the wind that two people had broken up but I had no idea who. Deuce said that he wasn't getting involved in the gossip when I asked him, and went back to mixing the recipe. Abbey had not paid attention to the gossiping in her previous class, and wasn't in the mood to help me listen in on others conversations. She told me just to ask someone directly, that was the best way apparently to get gossip.

I disagreed, what was the fun in that?

As I put my things into my locker after school, my locker door slammed shut suddenly. I jumped backwards, but Clawdeen grabbed my hands. She was grinning from ear to ear. "Have you heard?"

Ooo! Was it the gossip? I shook my head and listened eagerly.

"Clawd and Cleo broke up!"

My mouth dropped, that was not was I expecting. I blinked a few times, and was ashamed that my first thought was 'So, he's single?'. Clawdeen squeezed my hands and sighed happily.

"How? Why?" I asked finally, ready to get all the juicy parts of the gossip, as well as figure out who broke up with whom.

"From the rumors," Clawdeen let go of my hands and leaned against the locker beside mine. "Cleo broke up with Clawd, and apparently he is now super broken hearted."

"Then why are you happy?" I asked, frowning at her, "That's awful."

"I doubt my brother cared that much about her," Clawdeen insisted waving her hand, she waited until I finished collecting everything from my locker before dragging me along behind her. "If he did, then he'd bring her by the house more and not talk about how eventually he's going to find his mate."

I sighed, "That's good then, and everyone gets what they want then? Clawd is able to find his mate, you don't have to hate your brother's girlfriend, and Cleo can…" I trailed off I didn't know that much about Cleo anyways. "Can do whatever she does, I suppose."

"We should celebrate, what are you doing after school?"

"I was thinking of just sitting outside and reading," I shrugged, and then grinned at her, "but if you have a better idea I'm totes up for it."

"Oh, shoot! I totally forgot I promised my mom and dad that I'd help at the B&B for an hour or so after school," she grumbled, "Well, have fun tanning while I deal with stuck up business men complaining about the lack of service."

I felt the need to apologize, but she waved me off. Her father picked her up outside the school and I walked home with Frankie, as Blue had swimming practice. Frankie was super stoked and nervous about a test that was coming up in her History class, and I promised her I'd help her study for it before she crossed the street to her house.

When I got inside, I jogged up the stairs and got into a pair of shorts and a tank top, it was my equivalent to tanning, except the sun couldn't touch my skin. I could just feel the warmth from outside of the shady area. I grabbed a few books and my phone before heading downstairs; I added an umbrella to my pile of objects and stepped outside. The other day, Samantha had set up a spot to tan in the backyard, and I headed over to it. I set up the umbrella before settling down for a couple hours of tanning...

Someone shook me and I jumped slightly, I must have fallen asleep because it was much, much brighter and Clawdeen was grinning down at me.

"Hey, girl, mind if I join you? I'm done my mandatory service for my parents, and I'm ready to get my tan on," she exclaimed, and after a look at her already naturally tan skin. I shook my head.

"Go ahead, I don't mind," I smiled back at her as she set up her own beach chair beside me and stretched out on it. "What's new?"

"Not much, my parents told me to say 'thank you' for the Ahmendane or whatever it was called. It was really good by the way," she said and placed sunglasses on her nose. I nodded and stretched until my back popped comfortably and I sighed. She added, "Also, Clawd had to help out tonight, but he ducked out due to practice, even though I swore he said the other day that there was no practice tonight."

"Maybe he really is heartbroken? Or maybe there is something else wrong?" I questioned, not knowing much about werewolves, except that they made fierce friends once you gain their friendship. Oh, and that they got moody during full moons.

"My mother thinks he is just feeling the effects of the full moon that's coming up soon, but I think it's because he's thinking too much about a lot of important things," she replied with a sigh, "What about you?"

"What I think about Clawd, or what's up?" I asked glancing over at her; squinting from how bright everything was, compared to staring at the umbrella.

"Both?" she asked with a slight confused look.

"I don't know much about Clawd, but I guess he's feeling that way because of the moon. As for what is up, a lot of things. For one, my uncle thinks Samantha is using my father for something. He even compared her to Van Helsing," I explained looking at her with an amused look.

"Van Helsing? Like as in that guy in Van Helsing? Ya'know that movie with Hugh Jackman?" Clawdeen asked, glancing at me "Wasn't he a werewolf or something?"

"No. Not at all. In Bram Stokers novel," I lifted up the book I had been reading before I fell asleep, "he was more for killing Dracula, but in real life, he did not discriminate. He killed all kinds of monsters. Though hated vampires the worst. He was a very, very knowledgeable person, who knew everything about vampires. How to kill them, how to get close to them without them noticing ill intentions. Everything. This novel is pretty accurate; we rented out our castle in Transylvania to this completely bozo who ended up being murdered by Van Helsing. He also almost killed my father," I said, and then realized I was saying this very nonchalantly. "It happened long time ago, and the Van Helsing's have mostly been wiped out. Which is why I think it's very odd that my uncle is comparing her to him."

"Whoa..." Clawdeen let her sunglasses fall down her nose as she stared at me, "I liked his depiction in Van Helsing. He seemed like he was the good guy."

"Which is what Bram Stoker also made him out to be, the good guy who kills Dracula who is basically a murderer in the books," I explained lifting the book and passing it between my hands. "Anyways, I'm sure you'd love to hear more," I said sarcastically with a smile, "but I'm done with school for today."

She laughed, "Same here! Now, let's talk about something more interesting. How is that vampire boyfriend?"

I handed her my phone to see the nine unread texts from him. Her eyebrows rose. "Why are you ignoring him?"

"It's about vampire stuff," I added, she nodded and shifted so she was facing me more. "This may take a while though..." I attempted to stall but she shook her head.

"The sun hasn't set yet, we've got awhile," she smiled fondly at me,

I told her everything, about how I and Valentine first met. At a ball in my grandmother's honour – she had been turning three thousand years old – and how we danced all night long after Bram had introduced us. I told her about how we courted, and how during the Vampire-Werewolf war we were separated for the entire time because the Monster Council wouldn't allow vampires to travel between the New World and Europe. I told her how vampires mated similarly to werewolves, they chose one mate. However, vampire society expected a male vampire to take more than one wife to increase chances of having a pureblood vampire child. She looked disgusted by this but kept silent. Then I told her Valentine claimed me as a mate.

"Does he love you?" she asked, "I mean, the guy named a holiday in honour of you after himself. Did he even try to get back to you during the war or did he just sit in the New World twiddling his thumbs until it was over? God that makes me so angry! My parents fought in the war, and they got separated from nearly their entire pack when they were sent to the New World. They fought tooth and nails to get back to their pack before they settled here."

"I was too focused on surviving to ask him," I admitted and then sighed, "It doesn't matter. I'm trying to ignore him and hope he either realizes that he's got to say he loves me and that he'll only ever love me before I ever accept that he's my mate. Besides, my father doesn't even know yet."

"Is that a bad thing?" Clawdeen asked, "Your father seems to be a control freak."

I shrugged, staring at the trees that backed our houses. "I don't know. He's tried to become more and more liberal with his views, but I think there are some things that he can't change his views on."

Clawdeen's father exited their back door and waved at us before firing up the barbeque. She glanced at me, "Are you going to be okay if he's cooking meat?"

"I should probably go inside, see you at school tomorrow?"

"I'll see if I can rope Clawd into driving us again," Clawdeen promised, "Want me to help you carry things inside?"

"No, I've got it, thanks though!"

She waved and headed over to her house, kissing her father's cheek as she passed him to get into the house. I gathered up my books and the umbrella before heading up the back steps. I tried the door, but it was locked. I frowned; I hadn't locked the door when I left earlier. Neither Uncle Vlad nor my father would've locked the door.

Above, one of the windows opened. I glanced up, and saw Samantha looking out over the woods. She turned around, but stayed within view of the backyard. "I'm telling you, Vlad," her voice carried down, "She's hiding something."

I shrunk slightly against the door. I wanted to hear this.

"No, she's not. I know her," my father responded, his voice quieter. Samantha let out a soft laugh.

"I overheard her talking about her…what, boyfriend?" Samantha asked, and ran a hand through her hair. "Sounds like it's getting quite serious."

"I know of her relationship with…Val," I heard my father hesitate; Valentine was not a common name anymore. "They are working with what has happened, I'm sure that they're relationship will prove stronger through this endeavour."

"Val?" Samantha asked, "Who's that?"

"Her boyfriend, he lives in Romania," my father added, as if in afterthought. Samantha made a surprised noise.

"I wasn't talking about him."

What? What other boyfriend did I have?

"My daughter wouldn't date more than one person at a time," my father defended me, "Don't question her honour."

"Then I won't tell you what I saw," Samantha said, turning to face the window again. I pressed my back against the wall. I could see Clawdeen's father watching me out of the corner of his eye. Subtly he glanced up towards the window. He could hear everything they were saying as well.

"What did you see?" my father asked, "Don't lie to me, Samantha."

"The other day, when she ran out into the rain. She came home escorted by that boy from next door, and she kissed him," Samantha explained, "I don't think American life is good for her. Just look at the clothing she's wearing? She was so conservative before-"

My uncle opened the door, yawning. I burst past him into the house. I didn't want to think about what Mr. Wolf would've thought about Samantha's accusation, and I didn't want to be caught by my father once the words processed either.

I ran up the stairs and burst into my bedroom. Closing the door and locking it. How could Samantha just say that sort of thing! What was my father going to think? He might've developed a more lenient attitude towards different Monsters over the past couple decades, but that doesn't mean he was ready for me to kiss a werewolf! Especially if I was dating a vampire.

Oh my ghoul, he was totally going to kill me.

No, even worse, he was going to ground me.