~x~x~Chapter 01~x~x~

I sat staring at my reflection in my floor length mirror, sitting up against my bed. Before a couple of days ago, I had been just an average Goth girl with a massive blonde and black mane of Scene hair, pale skin, and apparently a really pretty face. My eyes were brown and were always coated in thickly-applied black eyeliner and coal black eye shadow (occasionally pastel pink, or red, or even some other color, depending on what I was wearing), and my lips glossed with blood red lipstick. My ears bore multiple piercings; way too many to count. I lost track after I had gotten my silver barbells in both of my cartilages.

I hadn't changed appearances. I mean, I still looked the same. However, I didn't feel the same. I felt no where near the same as I had a couple of days ago.

I sat still staring at my reflection in my floor length mirror, knowing that I should also be staring at not only me, but someone else's reflection as well.

Only he was special. His body didn't reflect back.

Because he, Jagger Maxwell, was a vampire.

Before a couple of days ago, I had been just an average Goth girl. But on a cool, dark night, in the middle of a cemetery, my Gothic prince had revealed his true nature, his true identity.

Now, I am no longer an average Goth girl.

I am a Goth girl with a vampire boyfriend.

Now, I had always had some suspicion about Jagger being a vampire. In fact, ever since I met him in the parking lot of the Coffin Club, I had been suspicious. After my father had left me in my new bedroom of darkness, I had spotted a vampire bat hanging outside my window on a tree branch with glowing eyes: one green, one blue.

The night I first met Jagger, I immediately found why his captivating eyes were so familiar, and knowing that the only creatures who could shape shift into a vampire bat, were none other than vampires, I instantly suspected him of being one. But this assumption was incredibly silly, knowing that vampires (unfortunately) did not exist and were merely mythical.

But during that night out in the graveyard, Jagger had revealed that he really was one of those mythical creatures. He was a vampire.

I will admit, I was utterly shocked and actually kind of afraid. Before, I'd had a dream—no, actually nightmare—that Jagger had revealed he was a vampire, by almost biting me on the neck. I had woken up before I was actually punctured. I can't tell you how much that was a relief. I couldn't ever look at Jagger the same way again. Sure, there were times where it would sort of drift away and I'd forget about it for maybe a split second or so, but it'd come back. After I had agreed to date Jagger, I wondered if he really was a vampire, would he really bite me? Would I want to be bitten, so I could stay with him for the rest of eternity? As a little girl, I'd always dreamt of being the bride of a handsome and magnificent vampire. But, I was a little girl and I was naïve.

However, Jagger became more open with me. I actually wasn't angry with him keeping this vampire thing a secret from me, because if I were in his shoes, I totally would have done the same thing. At first, I actually sort of wished he hadn't told me, only because I was now afraid of him. But—and this totally sounds sappy, I know—he told me he would only protect me and promised to never ever hurt me. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened in his coffin (which makes so much more sense now).

Jagger's arms wrapped around my waist and I felt his hair touch the nape of my neck. It sort of startled me, he being so close to my vulnerable spot. My body became very tense, and I knew Jagger noticed. Jagger noticed everything. I think it's a vampire thing.

"Emmy, you know I'd never—" Jagger started, but I cut him off.

"I know, Jagger," I said. "I know."

I sighed. I didn't want it to be hard to trust Jagger. I loved him, with all of my heart, vampire or not. But, that was it; Jagger was a vampire. How could you trust a vampire? They could turn their back on you for bloodlust at any moment. And I knew Jagger said he would never do that, but those were just words.

I mentally shook my head of those thoughts. I wanted to trust Jagger. I really, really did. I just didn't know how to trust a vampire.

"You're so quiet," Jagger mused, squeezing his arms tighter. My room was dark, the only light on was my Edward Scissorhands lamp. This was because Jagger couldn't be around too many lights, or it would blind him, just like your typical vampire.

"I wish I could look at you," I replied, indicating his reflection. Jagger chuckled and sighed.

"Well, you can, love. Just turn around."

I did. I totally did. How could I ever pass up a moment to see his gorgeous Goth face?

I twisted my body and sat down on my knees between his legs, which were folded up so that his knees were bent.

He was so gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. One of his elbows were now perched on his knee, his head resting on a folded fist with black fingernails. His other arm was still around my waist.

Jagger looked at me with those intoxicating mismatched eyes, one a luscious green and the other an ocean blue. His head was topped with shaggy white hair, the ends hanging in his face dyed blood red. A pewter skeleton hung from one of his ears. Today his amazingly sexy, pale body (I would know) was dressed in a black Alice Cooper shirt, black skinny jeans, and combat boots.

"There, is that better?" he asked, chuckling again. I liked his chuckle. No, I actually loved his chuckle—his laugh. It was so wonderful, uplifting, cool. It sounded like music to my ears, despite how played out that expression was.

"Yes," I said with a wide smile, which made Jagger smile even wider. One of the things I loved doing was making Jagger smile. It brought butterflies to my stomach. Happy butterflies fluttering around with happy faces cheering, "I made Jagger smile! I made Jagger smile!". Seeing that I had made my extraordinary handsome boyfriend (who I had just recently found out was a vampire) smile was probably the best feeling in the whole world.

Actually, I take that back. Because as soon as Jagger smile, he pulled me into this amazing kiss, and kissing Jagger was the best feeling in the whole world. Actually, kissing Jagger was the best feeling in the whole entire universe. Jagger's kisses were something from another world (it was probably because he was a vampire, or he's just a natural born kisser), because they made me feel all hot inside, and jumpy, and excited. His kisses were sometimes soft, and smooth, and tender, but other times they were fast, hot, passionate, and hard. Those kisses sent shock waves through my body like electricity and they made me go out of control, which would result as to what had happened in his coffin. But lately I'd been able to control myself. I haven't taken my clothes off for him ever since. Yay Emily!

Right now, Jagger's kiss was soft and tender. It was slow, but I could feel it building up soon.

But suddenly, there was a knock, and—incredibly quick—Jagger gently pushed me off of him and made it look like we were just lounging, because my father was outside my door. I widened my eyes and Jagger shot me a look that said to act casual.

"Em? Jagger? Emily, I've told you to keep your door open when there's a boy in there," my dad said and opened the door. He saw us sitting down in the dark, appropriately apart from each other.

"Sorry Dad," I shrugged. "It's not like we were doing anything."

My dad made a face, which I stifled a laugh from.

"You better not be doing anything," he said sternly, still with his weird expression.

"Don't worry Mr. Payne, I'll make sure Emmy stays cool," Jagger said, being as such a suck-up as ever. He's usually like that towards my dad because he knows that my dad is very strict with me when it comes to boys. But when Jagger first met my dad, he made him a promise that he would never put me in any danger, never beat me, knock me up, et cetera. Of course, being the gullible guy he is, my dad bought it. Little did he know, me being anywhere near ten feet of Jagger put me in oodles of danger, considering he was a vampire.

Wow, my dad and I must look like total losers with our fake vampire fangs while Jagger has is own.

Anyway, my dad smiled at Jagger (I think he likes him more than me, not that my dad doesn't love me, because he does) and nodded. "I know I can trust you to keep her under control, Jagger," he said. I arched an eyebrow at my dad and rolled my eyes. Jeez. Jagger was so good at winning my dad over. I needed to learn from his master skills.

"Okay well, I'm going out for McDonald's. Want anything?" he asked us.

"Yeah, I'll have my usual sixteen Chicken McNuggets, Diet Coke, and fries," I said.

"I'm fine," Jagger replied. My dad looked at him for a bit.

"Are you sure, son? It's not a problem, really," Dad said.

Jagger grinned. "I'm good, Mr. Payne. Thanks."

Dad shrugged and looked back at me. "Okay Em. I'm buying the Cup o' Fries for everyone. What size Coke?"

"Large," I said with a shrug. Dad nodded and said he'd be back in about fifteen minutes, if the lines weren't long. Even though it was around nine o'clock, there were a lot of people in Downtown that went out for fast food really late (like us, for example).

"Do you have something to eat?" I asked after my dad had left the apartment, knowing that Jagger only ate raw meat (if not blood) and he couldn't ask my dad to order something from a fast food restaurant raw.

"Yeah," Jagger replied. He pulled out a string of vials from his pocket of his skinny jeans and held them up to me. In them were a glistening red liquid substance. I didn't need to look harder to see what that was.

"Oh," I said faintly, as Jagger put the vials of blood back into his pocket. Jagger looked at me and sighed.

"I'm sorry, babe. This is my nature. This is what I eat…or drink if you rather," he said with a half-smile. I nodded and scratched the back of my head.

"I know. I know. It's…fine. I respect that," I said, though I wasn't sure I one hundred percent respected the fact that my boyfriend drank human blood.

However, I couldn't really help that. He was a vampire.

Jagger would always be a vampire.

~x~x~Chapter 02~x~x~

My dad dropped me off at Horace Valen High the next morning, where I walked over to my crowd of Gothic teenagers. The six of them were hanging out by the large oak tree by the side of the large school building. It had been a long weekend for me, and I was glad to see my friends again.

"Hey Emmy!" cried Ava Burton, a cute and petite girl who had short, spiky, pastel pink hair and always dressed like a Lolita doll. She flung her thin arms around me for a hug, which I graciously accepted.

"Sup, Em," said Rex Tyler, a really tall (and extremely hot) Goth with pale skin, multicolored Mohawk, and size zero plugs, a bullring, and eyebrow ring. Rex was my first friend here at Horace, and, as it turned out, he thought of me as something a bit more than a friend. The day we all decided to meet at the Coffin Club so I could introduce them to Jagger, Rex had told me in private that he had feelings for me. Of course, I couldn't just dump Jagger for Rex because I loved Jagger way more than I did Rex. Sure, Rex was sweet, kind, and really funny, but he was nothing more to me than a friend. Okay, I'll admit it; a really hot friend.

Rex smiled at me and after I finished hugging Ava, I hugged Rex.

"Hey Rex, how was your weekend?" I asked. Rex shrugged.

"Nothing new. Went over to Ava's to play with her brother's Xbox 360," he said with a grin. Ava narrowed her eyebrows and crossed her skinny arms.

"Yeah, he'll go over to my house and hang out with my brother, but neglect to hang out with me when I plan stuff," Ava grumbled. Rex chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"Hey, I have a life too. Why in the world would I want to spend it with my best friend when I can just play with her brother's Xbox?" he joked. Ava growled and rolled her eyes again.

"Give her a break, will you, Rex?" sighed Helena. Helena Monroe—unlike Rex, Ava, and I who were juniors—was a senior with a ballerina figure, long black hair, and amazing grey eyes. She was like the older sister I never had because she always stuck up for me and always backed me up. She and Ava were also like sisters as well, except they acted more like sisters than Helena and I did. Helena and Ava were always bickering over something really stupid, but they usually made up really quick. I don't think they've ever been in a fight that lasted longer than twenty minutes.

"Well I'm sorry Gary's Xbox is so much fun," Rex said sheepishly.

"Yeah, but it'd be nice to spend time with me every once in a while," replied Ava.

I sighed. This argument wasn't going to last long. While the three of them continued to quarrel over nothing, I walked over to my other three friends: Rafael Prynce, Seving (Sevvy) Gordon, and Nathaniel (Nate) Karson. Rafael and Sevvy were seniors, while Nate was a junior like me.

"Hel-lo Emmy," mused Nate, as always when he saw me. I grinned and wiggled my fingers. Nate had copper skin and long brown dreads. His arms were covered in tattoos of killer clowns and almost-naked vamp chicks. He, too, had double zero plugs and a bullring, but he also had incredibly gorgeous green eyes.

"Hi Nate. Hey Raf. Sevvy," I waved. Rafael nodded his head and Sevvy smiled and waved back.

"Hi Em," she said softly. Sevvy was the shy one of the Goth gang, and she also has a huge crush on Rafael, or so what Helena and Ava. I had to admit, I always had a feeling that Sevvy felt something for Rafael that was more than friendship.

"What about you, Em? How was your weekend?" asked Rafael, leaning against the oak tree, folding his beefy arms. Rafael was a bit on the heavy side, but he was really awesome.

I thought about what had happened over my weekend. Well, Jagger had told me he was a vampire and he'd spent the weekend at my house. Of course, I couldn't tell my vampire-crazed friends that my boyfriend was actually a vampire. I mean, I hadn't even told them what I had done with him in his coffin.

"Okay…" I said. Just when Nate was about to ask what happened, the bell rang and the subject dropped. We walked up the stone steps and went our separate ways.

My heels of my elevator boots echoed down the halls as I followed the crowd of jocks, cheerleaders, and Goths towards my homeroom class with Mr. Crammer, who we all call Mr. Crapper, since he is full of crap.

I was totally not looking forward to homeroom for two reasons: one, I didn't want to have to look at Mr. Crapper's disgusted face every time his eyes landed on me. I swear, that guy has a stick up his butt.

Two, I sat next to my arch nemesis, Brian Farson, the most popular guy in the entire school. Brian Farson was grade A jock and king of the football field. He was really cute, too. With baby blue eyes and a delicate face, he could win absolutely any girl's heart.

Any girl but mine.

And that wasn't because I was already taken, but because Brian Farson was also a grade A jerk.

He didn't seem that way at first. Yeah, he was perverted and kind of annoying by staring at my boobs while we exchanged words, but later on, when I socked him in the face and kneed him in the balls, nothing came out but rude remarks. And perverted motions, like trying to slap my ass when I wasn't looking. Little did that pea brain know was that I practically had eyes in the back of my head. Brian Farson could never get away with anything.

So today as I walked into Mr. Crapper's classroom in a red plaid school-girl mini-dress, black stockings, black long-sleeve blouse underneath the dress, and combat boots, Mr. Crapper (as usual) gave me his "why-the-hell-do-you-even-exist?" look and Brian Farson looked like he wanted to spit on my face. Of course, I wanted to barf on both of their heads, but I didn't. I completely ignored the both of them as I sat down at my desk.

"Oh look; the Gothic Slut has finally arrived. Were you finished giving T-Rex a blowjob?" sneered Brian. His nickname for Rex was T-Rex, although I think he's too dumb to know the whole name of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. He also doesn't know that that is actually a really cool name too. I mean, come on; who doesn't like dinosaurs?

I ignored Brian's remark and pulled out my latest edition of Shojo Beat. I needed to finish the segment they had on Vampire Knight, which is a bit ironic if you think about it a little bit. I mean, here I am reading a manga about vampires and also dating one.

Though it kind of seemed scary at first and I wasn't sure whether I could trust my dark white knight, knowing that he's a vampire, but I couldn't help but be even the slightest excited. I mean, of all creatures, I'm dating a vampire, the creatures I had fallen in love with ever since I was introduced to Bram Stoker's Dracula. Who would've guessed?

"Hello? Goth Slut? Are you listening to me? I just insulted you and your boyfriend," Brian said, breaking me from my concentration, which agitated me of course.

I sighed heavily and turned my head, my ponytail slapping the side of my face.

"No, Fartson, I'm not listening to you," I spat back. Brian widened his eyes at my little nickname for him. Before he could say anything else, I continued. "Why in my right mind would I want to listen to you? You are so not even worth listening to! And by the way, Rex isn't my boyfriend. I've already got one who could kick your ass in a millisecond and send you home crying to your mommy and daddy and even your princess sister."

Brian glared hard at me, as if that were supposed to startle me. I shrugged with an innocent face and turned back to my manga.

Ah, it was nice to tell people I strongly hate off.

Hey, if anyone messes with me, I'll put them in their place. Believe me. I mean, I've already humiliated the most popular boy in the entire school in front of all his friends and even some passers-by. That's what you get for trying to hump me from behind.

And it was totally true about Jagger. I mean, who do you think would win in a death match? A high school football star or a full blood vampire?

I think we all know the answer to that one.

~x~x~Chapter 03~x~x~

I was so done with the week already, and it was only Monday. Luckily, it was already lunch and I would only have to endure two more classes.

However, fourth period P.E. and fifth period history didn't go so well. Well, that's only because Brian Fartson was in my class, again. He tried the tormenting thing again, which was becoming extremely annoying. I really wanted to shove that basketball he was playing with into his face in P.E. and stab him continuously in the eye with his stupid mechanical pencil. I mean, seriously, does he really have to torment me? There are other Goths.

Okay, I didn't really mean that he should torment other Goths instead of me. That was not playing cool with my fellow vamp lovers. But just the way he thought tripping me while I jogged or scribbling all over my papers was hilarious made me want to put that boy in the hospital.

I kept my cool though. One thing I couldn't do was let Brian think I was vulnerable, and letting my temper get out of control was exactly what he wanted. I couldn't let Brian have his way, even if he was practically the king of the school.

So today during lunch, as Brian and his buddies were walking past my table in their football uniforms (they were getting pulled out of sixth and seventh period for extra football practice for the upcoming game against the Wilson Gators on Friday), I completely ignored him when he called me a vampire ho.

"Get lost, Farson," Nate sneered. I looked over at him from across the table and cocked my head.

"Farson? My, my Nate. You must hallucinating. There is no one here by the name of Farson at this school," I said sweetly. I overheard Helena whispering to Ava, "Yeah cuz they only enrolled twins here by the name of Brian and Bailey Fartson." Ava giggled hysterically.

Brian scoffed, not hearing what Helena had said. "Just watch, guys," he said to his friends. "She'll be crawling back to me moaning, 'Oh Brian! I'm so horny! Please shag me! Please squeeze my freakishly huge tits!'" He and his gang of dorks barked into a hideous laughter.

My table, however, did not. Especially not me.

My face steamed with anger, red as a tomato. I was so pissed. Had he really just said that in front of me? Oh, boy was he sorry!

I stood up from my seat and stood in front of Brian, wearing the most sweetest and innocent face I could conjure.

"Oh Brian, you are so silly!" I giggled and then, with the tip of my finger, I lifted the end of his lunch tray that was closest to me, and tipped it over, spilling his pepperoni pizza, Diet Dr. Pepper, and chocolate pudding all over his football jersey.

My friends broke into an incredibly loud laughter that echoed throughout the whole cafeteria, while others also laughed and pointed. Brian looked down at me, his baby blue eyes not so cute anymore, but deadly. Of course, this did not startle me one bit, because I smiled even wider and, with wide puppy-dog eyes, said, "Oops!"

Brian was so pissed, it was actually really funny. I tried to hold my face and not laugh so that I could extend the moment.

"You Goth bitch, you are going to be so fu—" he started, but I covered his mouth with my hand.

"Uh-oh. Somebody has a potty mouth. I think we need to wash that out," I said. I grabbed a spoonful of chocolate pudding from Brian's best friend, Lyle Howard's (who I sit next to in pre-cal), tray and shoved it into Brian's mouth as fast as I could while quickly removing my hand. I stuck the spoon in his mouth and added, "Oh, and Brian? I would never come to you for a shag. For all I know, your thingy down there is probably smaller than my thumb." I wiggled my thumb in his face, taunting him, while my table laughed even harder.

I could tell Brian was about to spit the spoon out of his mouth and spout more profanities, but all of a sudden, he stopped himself. I looked at him curiously and saw that he was growing a nasty smile. Not the kind of smile one would make after a girl had publicly humiliated him.

He nodded his head and I turned around and gulped.

Standing before me was Vice-Principal Brody.

And let me tell you, he did not look happy. No sireebob.

So, just wonderful, I got detention.

For a whole week!

Honestly, I have better things to do than go to detention. I mean, I actually have a life! And a pretty awesome one too. I mean, how many kids have rock star dads and vampire boyfriends? Anyone? I mean, yeah, my life may not be perfect with the crack head school I go to with crack head jocks and crack head cheerleaders.

So getting detention did not put a cherry on top of my day. In fact, not only did it not put a cherry on top of my week, but it melted my ice-cream sundae for the week.

Dad was upset when he found out I had gotten detention, but he was still proud of me for sticking up for myself when the jerk-butt told me those highly disgusting and inappropriate things. However, I was still grounded for going out with Jagger until my detention was over. He wasn't too pleased when I had to tell him that, but he was outraged that Brian had said that about me. Jagger already knew Fartson was bad news and he already hated his guts, but you should have read his text messages and heard his voice over the phone. I'd never heard so much disgust in someone's voice before. It even scared me! I was just afraid Jagger was going to hunt Brian down and suck him clean of his blood. Even though that seemed great at the moment, in reality that was horrifying, especially if it was my vampire boyfriend who did the job.

I was in my room when I hung up with Jagger on my Blackberry. I sat up from lying on my belly on my bed and ruffled my hair. I glanced at the clock: Nine-fifty eight p.m. I sighed and changed into my pajamas: a worn out Linkin Park band tee and black plaid pajama bottoms.

After I changed, I caught a glimpse of myself in the floor length mirror

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 09.04.2011
ISBN: 978-3-86479-940-2

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