Vampire 01 - Daughter of Darkness

about him, that rush to score and then move on to another female target that I had seen in other young men. Maybe that was why I had singled him out at Dante’s Inferno. Maybe he saw something sincere in me as well, and that was why he was so attracted to me. Surely, Ava wasn’t right. Not every single young man outthere was out for one thing only and couldn’t care less about you as a person. I was convinced that she thought that way to justify what she had to do. It helped insulate her conscience, if she had a conscience. I couldn’t recall either Ava or Brianna demonstrating even the slightest regret or guilt.
    I put the slip of paper with Buddy’s phone number on it back into my purse and tried to forget about it. I succeeded in keeping all the ugly visions out of my mind and thought maybe I was past it. He would soon drift out of my life as quickly as he had drifted into it. But when I returned from school the following day, Ava was waiting for me in my room. I almost jumped out of my skin when I opened the door and saw her sitting on my bed, wearing one of her angriest looks.
    “What are you doing here? What’s wrong?”
    “Just close the door and lock it,” she said, speaking through clenched teeth. “Do it quickly, before Marla decides to burst in on us.”
    I did as she asked. “What is it?”
    “How could you be so stupid? After all the time I’ve spent with you, the things we’ve discussed, the confidences I took you into, and what’s happened here recently, you do this?”
    “Do what, Ava?” I asked, trying to appear undaunted. “Or am I supposed to guess?”
    “You don’t have to guess. You know. You went and told that Buddy blue-eyes your real name?”
    “Oh,” I said, and put my books on my desk.
    “Why, Lorelei? Tell me why you did that.”
    I sat at my desk. “I just…”
    “Just what? What?” she screamed.
    “I just felt like having one normal relationship. A real friendship,” I quickly corrected, avoiding her eyes. “And the only way to do that was to be honest.”
    “Honest? What does that mean, Lorelei? Honest about what? Everything?”
    “No, not everything. It’s not important to tell someone everything, is it?”
    “I’ll tell you what’s important. What’s important is to tell someone outside of this family, someone who is not our kind of people, nothing. How could you not know that? You’ve grown up following the rules, being careful. What is more astounding is that you do this after what almost happened to you, almost happened to all of us here.” She leaped to her feet.
    “I know all that, but you told me that you were positive he wasn’t a renegade,” I said.
    “So? What does that mean? That gives you permission to get involved with anyone else? You’ll bring him around, maybe? Invite him to dinner, to spend time with your family?” she asked, wagging her head.
    “Daddy brings women here who aren’t one of us,” I said.
    “That’s Daddy. You’re comparing yourself to Daddy now? You and your seventeen years compare to his decades, centuries, of experience?”
    “I’m not saying that, Ava.”
    “Then what are you saying, Lorelei?”
    “Didn’t you ever just want…” The words were stuck in my throat. It was as if my whole body was rebelling against my tongue.
    Ava sighed deeply and shook her head. “Want what, Lorelei? Spit it out or swallow it.”
    “Want to have a real relationship with a man, maybe fall in love? I see the way you look at couples on the street or in the mall when they’re holding hands or embracing. I see the look in your eyes. I know that look, because I see it in myself when I look in the mirror.”
    She stared at me for a few moments, her eyes softening. “I thought we had this conversation once,” she said in a calmer tone.
    “I know, but I liked him. He was different, Ava. Maybe he’s someone I could love and who could love me.”
    “Never.”
    “Is that really impossible, Ava?”
    “Of course it is. I told you that love was poison for us,” she said.
    “I remember, but I didn’t think you meant it. Or at least meant that it was true forever.”
    “Why not?”
    “You’ve never been in love, never had that feeling?”
    “Been in love?” Ava said, laughing. Then she grew serious, even angry. “Of course not. Think, think, Lorelei,” she said, poking her temple with her right forefinger so hard I thought she’d drill a hole. “How can we fall in love? What, do you dream of Daddy giving you