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Chapter One

Ae

The druuitarist flung out some picks Then, with a final bow they were done—this was the final stop on the tour When A flew up and hit her in the forehead, knocking her back in a daze She shook her head to clear it and noticed a Frisbee on the floor by her feet Kicking it, she staggered off the stage with a ringing headache and a desperate need for a drink

The rest of the band pushed people aside so A roo in the cra a trickle of blood falling from her brow to her lip

Haunted topped the charts Being the lead singer in a rock band, especially a feer, meant paparazzi parked outside your home and everywhere else you went Which, in turn, led to nonstop rumors, a continuous strea that looked like a date was followed by questions about her getting married or—God forbid she put on a few pounds—whether she was pregnant If she ate her favorite dish of jelly and sardines it immediately reported that she’d been hypnotized by aliens

Hell, she couldn’t even buy a vibrator to scratch her personal itch

The two-hour gig, co but she still did her best for the fans who had been there fro filmed for a live CD and DVD to be released later in the year called Haunted Alive

For one briefbut her and the relative quiet of her dressing room

Bang, bang, bang

Her momentary sanctuary evaporated

“Coet to after the show Hurry the fuck up in there!” Her h the door, “Cos to do”

The dressing rooust of wind in walked a well-dressed, extremely hyped-up man

“Martin—not now”

As the band’s er, Martin took pride in his musicians and credit for oal to put A sure she was always in the news, at any cost “Ami, we talked about this You have coazine”

“I told you, I’ nude for some dumb publicity stunt”

“Don’t worry Just show a little skin Look, this is a done deal You sing I’ll do the rest Did you look over those other songs I sent?”

Alass and squinted Her headache was getting worse “Yeah, those aren’t for us, Martin We write all our own songs You kno the guys and I work, we’ve been writing together for eight years We will cover a few tunes every now and then, but—”

“You people work too slow Just listen to theuys what to record I knowstance as he stared at her

“This is no time to be a diva, Ami This is the time to strike Just do what I say, and I’ll s to do, people to see” He frowned “Oh shit, there’s a cut on your forehead Put some cover-up on it and clean yourself up”

Fuck you I’m already rich, asshole