Dance With A Vampire for Chapter 31

Madge had sold hundreds of dresses in her time at Jack's, but by the way she forced her smile, I don't think she'd ever rung up a Halloween outfit for prom. However, the old woman did her best to mask her shock and dismay. "You can be confident that no one else will be wearing this dress, " she proclaimed. Between my mother and me, we finally compromised on a dress that suited her budget and wasn't one I'd have to change out of as soon as I got to prom. That evening, Alexander was waiting for me outside the Mansion door, the serpent knocker eyeing me like an old friend. My vampire boyfriend was sporting tight black drill jeans with black buckles running down the side, a Crow T-shirt, and his backpack slung over one shoulder. He gave me a sweet hello kiss. "Are we going back to the treehouse? Or going camping?" I asked coyly. "Last night I returned to the treehouse to retrieve Jagger's gravestone etchings. They were gone. " "Valentine?" I asked. "I assume so. Valentine won't be back to the treehouse for a while. It would be too risky for him. " "Then how will we ever find him?" "We'll have to lead him to us. Remember the box of blood-filled amulets that Jagger received from the Coffin Club that I found in the cemetery? Jagger used them to sustain himself so he'd go unnoticed here in Dullsville. I've got some in here, " Alexander said, patting his backpack. "We can leave a few for Valentine at a couple locations. That way we can tell where he's been. " We tied several amulets to one of the limbs of the treehouse before heading off in the Mercedes to Dullsville's cemetery. "Valentine has to be hiding out somewhere, " Alexander stated as he parked the car beside the cemetery. Alexander held my hand as we headed up the sidewalk to the graveyard's entrance. "I shouldn't be on sacred ground, should I?" I asked when we reached the iron gates. "If he did bite me, not only would he turn me into a vampire, but I'd be bonded to him for eternity. " Alexander paused. "I guess you're right, " he agreed. "I forget that Valentine is aIt's best you stay behind. " "Stay behind?"