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Chapter 1 Ghoulish Guest

It was a deadly kissthe kind of kiss that stole my breath, forced my heart into overdrive, leftfor more The kind of kiss where I felt as if Id die if it ever ended I, Raven Madison, was in terminal bliss

Alexander, ether in the dusty depths of the Mansions base to each other like a broken spider-web Id transforhastly haunt as a present for him I wanted him to have an alternativein his attic room

After Alexanders parents returned to Roive the Mansion a fee in the base Id never seen before Behind the staircase and toward the north wing of the house I found an arched wooden door secured with a heavy wooden beam I had no idea what lay on the other side, and since Alexander was upstairs creating a masterpiece, I didnt want to disturb hi whether to wait until he was finished My iured a quick peek wouldnt hurt anyone

It took all th to pry open the beam, but less to open the rusty door What lay on the other side was a dark, dusty, and chilly room I estruck The floor wasand narroalls of gray bricks Centuries-old Romanian and other European bottles were evenly stacked on dozens of wooden racks On closer inspection, some of the bottles appeared different fro on the three-tiered metal rack in the Madison family kitchen

Curious, I lifted one of the Sterlings bottles from the shelf to inspect it further when I felt an icy shadow behind me

I gasped

Slowly, I turned around to find Alexander standing in the doorway I held out the bottle, which was shaking in my hand He nodded his head, and it was then I knewthese bottles werent filled ine They were filled with blood

And now, a month later, the wineor, rather, bloodcellar also housed votives, a portable DVD player, and an aled mortal and vampire As the candelabras dripped bloodred wax, my body melted around Alexanders He, in turn, held , pale arms The cool air of the cellar only added to the chills dancing up and down ers His deep, dark eyes stared boldly intomy neck For a moment, I was tempted to pull him into meso hard he would be forced to sink his teeth into my flesh

Then Id be a vampire Forever For eternity

But as I stared back at him, I knew that that wouldnt be fair The quiet and reclusive Alexander had already shared so much with mehis family, his nemesis, his home He had to be ready to take me completely into his world just as much as I was ready to be taken

While I contee into the Underworld, three hard knocks ca and echoed off thebasement staircase walls I wasnt about to end our embrace, but Alexander pulled away

It was critical that nothing separate usnot time, homework, or an unwanted visitor

I fingered his ently drew him back toward me He leaned in for another kiss and I closed my eyes As I waited for his lips to touch ain I openedat the door instead of me

Ja a late-night flick with his girlfriend, Ruby White It couldnt have been him It was too late for deliveries, and no Dullsvillian in his or her right Ivy Leagueschooled mind would dare venture out to the old lonely Mansion and up its spooky driveway in the ht

Perhaps its a ghost, I teased Begging for souls

For a few minutes, there was silence I was relieved

Then, suddenly, a louder bang

Ill only be a

And leave ued

You arent afraid, are you? I thought you felt like the Mansion was your home

The cellar was certainly spooky, dark, and foreboding, and I was far more co I could do alone, and since Alexander and I were destined to be separated by the sunlight, our darkened ether were priceless