Tangled

120 Ava: Vampire’s Call

120 Ava: Vampire’s Call

“If you ever need me, child, simply light a candle and call my name. I’ll find you.”

My eyes snap open in the middle of a deep sleep, and my heart races, a thunderous pounding in my chest that shakes my entire body.

The dream was too real, too close to memory. Selene’s ears perk up as she lifts her head from the foot of the bed. What’s wrong, Ava?

I shake my head, eyes darting to the door. Kellan’s somewhere in the apartment, ever present, always listening. I think I know how to contact Sister Miriam. The maybe–vampire lady.

Selene’s blue eyes widen. How? She sits up, her full

attention on me.

When she visited me before the ceremony, she said if I needed her, I should light a candle and call her name.

That she’d find me.

1

Tell me everything, Selene says, her voice gentle in my mind. Every detail.

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120 Ava: Vampire’s Call

I recount the memory, the cloying scent of incense, the invasive way she touched me, her cryptic words. The dread and intrigue she instilled in my mother.

Your mother fears her, Selene muses. As she should. Vampires are not to be trifled with.

But she might have answers. About what I am. What’s happening to me. She seemed to know.

Selene is quiet for a long moment. Vampires are ancient, powerful creatures with their own agendas. She may help you, but there will be a price. There always is, with their kind.

I swallow hard, a shiver running through me. I’ll be careful. I promise.

Try to sleep, Selene says, curling back up. We’ll talk

more tomorrow.

I nod, sinking back against the pillows. But sleep is elusive, my mind spinning with possibilities and fears.

Sister Miriam’s red eyes follow me into my dreams, her silken voice a whispered promise. “I’ll find you.”

I toss and turn, the sheets twisting around my legs. Power pulses under my skin, a restless itch I can’t

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120 Ava: Vampire’s Call

scratch.

What if she’s the key? What if she can unlock the

mystery inside me, teach me to wield the elements like weapons?

lingers, a cold weight in

price. With

the ceiling, indifferent to my struggles. Outside, the moon is bright, almost full. Its call sings in

* * *

pass in

and goes between

don’t know the details, but

parents–and

no closer to finding them.

they’ve been so silent,

has everyone nervous.

still runs me and Lisa ra

changed. I’m strong

ery day, but

and he’s

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Ava: Vampire’s Call

self–defense. Mainly, falling.

into my field of vision like one of those winding pop–up

from the

“Fall?”

the exposed brick walls of the gym, bouncing back and smacking me in the face. It’s raining outside, and he’s decided to show us a little mercy by letting us do all of

lip curls. “Yes, Ava. Falling.”

I thought we were going to learn actual fighting

think you’re going to learn that

point, I think. No, I know

admit he does, so I cross my arms

scowl at him.

how

you now?”

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Vampire’s Call

from weathered and unimpressed to having my

the mat.

rushes out of my lungs in the

millisecond.

of a

takes time to re–learn how to breathe after the

shock.

up,” he

an effort, my tailbone throbbing with

hit the ground like a sack of potatoes. Bend your

me shit before throwing me down. He’d just laugh. So I grit

me again, and I try to remember what he said. Bend the knees, tuck the chin, slap the-

mat, and I

“Again,” Jericho orders.

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Ava: Vampire’s Call

my feet. Each time,

and the mat becomes a nightmare I’m never going to forget. For being something

my eye, I catch a glimpse of Lisa. She’s with Kellan, who’s putting her through some kind of calisthenics routine. Pushups, sit–ups, lunges, weird walking crab–like movements. It looks exhausting, but at least she’s not getting thrown around like a child’s playtoy.

to trade places right now and

is coming at me

focus.

to anticipate the

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Vampire’s Call

of course. The mat slaps the air straight out of my lungs

your

can feel the sweat dripping down my face. My shirt is stuck to my body, positively soaked, and I think I popped a stitch in the crotch

I grumble