Becky wiped off a few leaves and raised up her skirt just above her knee to expose a small wound. There was blood.
I shielded her knee and gazed up at Sebastian. He stood, frozen as if now he was the one in a trance.
“It’s nothing,” Becky said. Then she noticed Sebastian’s odd behavior. “It’s just a scratch. I hope you aren’t the kind to faint around blood.”
“I don’t think he’s going to faint,” I said, watching Sebastian.
“Do you have a Band-Aid?” she asked me.
I wasn’t sure what was in my Corpse Bride bag. I kept my gaze on Sebastian at the same time feeling my way through my purse—I recognized a pen, lip gloss, mascara, and loose change. Finally, I pulled out a piece of paper. “We can cover it with this.” It was an old detention slip.
“That’s not sterile. Do you mind checking with the hostess inside?”
Sebastian was still fixated on Becky’s wound.
“I’m not leaving you here.” I tried to block her from Sebastian’s sight line. “We need a tourniquet.
Immediately.” I took off my Olivia Outcast hoodie and attempted to tie it around her knee.
“Raven—it’s hardly even a cut!”
Before I knew it, Sebastian was crouched down next to Becky. He took her leg and placed her sandaled foot on his knee. Her pink toes sparkled against his black pants like tiny stars. It was like Prince Charming trying to fit the glass slipper—only this Prince Charming was a vampire.
Becky giggled awkwardly, her leg in Sebastian’s grasp.
“I’m all right,” Becky said. “It’s just a scratch.”
Sebastian examined her wound as a jeweler would a diamond ring.
“Why are you two making such a fuss?” Becky asked. Before I could do anything, Sebastian took his index finger and wiped her wound.
“Oooh…that’s gross!” Becky screeched, closing her eyes.
Droplets hung on his finger like red wine.
His fangs flashed. He reached his finger to his mouth.
I knew what he was about to do next, and though I wanted to see it for myself—a firsthand account of a vampire following his instincts—I knew if Becky saw it we could never undo the damage that would incur.
His finger was about to pass his lips.
“No—!” I exclaimed.
I pushed Sebastian as hard as I could away from Becky, and the two of us tumbled to the ground.
“Raven—what are you doing?” Becky asked.
Sebastian and I lay on the grass, for a moment disoriented. I regained my bearings and rose to my feet to find
Sebastian already standing. His pale face was cherry red. I grabbed his hand and held it toward the light. The blood on his finger was gone.
He gazed at me with childish horror, like a toddler who has broken into a candy jar.
Becky took out a crumbled tissue from her pocket and dabbed it on her wound. Then she showed me. “See?
The blood is gone.”
Alexander and Matt suddenly were standing behind us.
“What’s going on?” Matt asked, concerned.
I shot Alexander a stern glare.
“Nothing really. I tripped and skinned my knee,” Becky said. “Sebastian was very brave and wiped the blood off with his fingers.”
Matt led Becky into her truck while Alexander’s contentment slowly turned to anger.
Alexander’s best friend was leaning against his car. A wicked grin overcame him as he licked his pale blue lips.
As Sebastian drove toward my house, I tried to mask the severity of the situation by chatting about the upcoming weather forecast. I didn’t want to snitch on Sebastian—to condone or deny what had just taken place —if only not to spoil Alexander’s evening. My boyfriend had been so happy to be out of the Mansion with his best friend by his side—a fellow vampire, a childhood playmate, his next-door neighbor. A guy with whom
Alexander could be his true self—no longer having to wear the disguise of a rebellious mortal but instead that of a sensitive vampire. But Alexander was keen to Sebastian’s ill conduct. The two friends rode in silence.
When we finally parked in front of my house, Sebastian, along with Alexander and I, got out of the car.
Alexander didn’t bother to shut his door. He avoided Sebastian altogether and started for my driveway.
Sebastian tapped his boot against his tire in disgust.
“He didn’t mean to do it,” I defended.
Alexander chewed on his lip.
“Alexander—” Sebastian said bravely, confronting his best friend. “I don’t know what happened. I’m truly
—”
Alexander faced his friend. “You crossed the line,” he said in a tone that couldn’t hide his disappointment.
“I didn’t plan on it. It wasn’t like I hurt her. I couldn’t help myself; I’m not restrained—like you,” he said sincerely.
“You can’t stay here,” Alexander said firmly. His voice was strong, but it couldn’t mask how it pained him to say it.
“I’m sorry, Alexander. I won’t go near her again.”
“Becky didn’t see anything,” I said. I wasn’t sure why I was defending Sebastian. Perhaps it was because the hapless vampire, like me, seemed to get in trouble just by breathing.