Dance With A Vampire for Chapter 25

I raced up the driveway. No lights in Henry's house were lit. I peeked into the garage, empty of his parents' cars. Henry and Billy Boy were at Math Club, so the coast was clear. I hurried past his gigantic pool and gazebo and ran through the pristinely mowed lawn. I climbed the treehouse ladder, the rungs creaking with every step of my boots. I reached the treehouse deck and inspected the door. The amulets were gone. Shortly after sunset, Alexander arrived at my house to find me pacing on the front walkway. I kissed him, bursting to tell him my news. "I went to the treehouse. The amuletsthey're gone!" I proclaimed, leading him inside. "Valentine has been back to the treehouse. " "Then we can set a trap. This time, I'll be waiting, " Alexander said. Alexander was giving me a huge squeeze when Billy Boy burst through the front door. "Look what Henry and I found at the treehouse, " my brother declared. In his smarmy little palm he held two shining amulets. My heart dropped. "Those aren't yours!" "Well, they certainly aren't yours. Finders keepers. " "Let me see those, " I said, reaching for them. "Here, " he said, holding the clasps and letting the amulets swing, as if trying to hypnotize me. "See with your eyes, not with your" I tried to grab them, but my brother pulled them away. "There were four, " I said. "How do you know?" "Uhamulets come in four; don't you know anything?" I stumbled. "Henry kept the other two. " "Well, I think they are more my style than yours. Let me have them. " "Forget it. It looks like they're filled with blood, " Billy Boy said with delight. "Henry plans to test them. " I paused. "Then what will you do with them?" "Use them for our Project Vampire. " 8 The Bat Cave That night, Billy Boy and Henry were hunkered in our family room, eagerly doing their vampire project while I was making the finishing touches to my hair. I heard the doorbell ring. "I'll get it!" I hollered. I checked myself out in the hallway mirror.