Dark Days (The Childe Series, #2) (28 page)

Ryan watched from a nearby tree as Cat and her friends walked toward the Three Penny Brit. He snickered at Amanda’s outfit. It was a cross between Elvira Mistress of the Dark and a punk rocker. Her tall and bushy black hair made him laugh harder.
Seriously, Amanda, a punk vampire?
Homing in on Cat,
you know she’d be really pissed off at you for spying on her,
he
thought, hoping the three girls wouldn’t be making an appearance.

As Cat entered the store, Ryan scanned the windows and saw a large cardboard cut-out of Bartholomew Drake, famed vampire of Robert Craven’s
Dark Shadow
series.
It amazes me she’s still a fan of his novels, even now after knowing what she is. I wonder if she’s figured out all of his books are based on our kind’s history.

Cat looked around the trendy book café. The store resembled a highly polished British pub with rows of bookshelves. The walls had a dark wood finish, as did the floor. It was definitely one of the coolest places in downtown Astoria.

“Oi! Over here, guys!” Duffie called out, standing next to a display of Robert Craven’s new book,
The Cleansing
, and waving to the group. She wore a layered maroon cocktail dress and knee-high black boots. Her beautiful, wavy, black hair was set back with a maroon hair clip.

Matt wolf whistled, “Duffster, you clean up nice!”

“Oh grow up, Matt,” Amanda chastised as Duffie just laughed off his comment, shaking her head.

“Great costume,” Duffie said while looking Amanda up and down.

“You really think so?”

“Yeah! Punk rock vampire, right?” Duffie replied.

“Wow, finally, someone who gets me!” Amanda exclaimed as she grabbed Duffie in a bear hug. Duffie gently patted Amanda’s back while smiling awkwardly. Over Duffie’s shoulder, a concert stage in the back corner of the café caught Amanda’s eye. A sign next to the stage read:

Playing Tonight:

The Damianic Bombshells

“The Damianic Bombshells are playing here tonight? They’re like easily the best thing that’s come out of our school, ever! They’re awesome!” Amanda announced eagerly, releasing her grip on Duffie.

“Yeah, my dad heard they had a darker feel to them. Plus they’ll blend well with our theme tonight. Their lead singer is intense, though. She’s nice, but just a tad eccentric,” Duffie said with a laugh.

“But Bridgette’s soooo hot! She can be all the eccentric she wants to be! Just as long as she wears those skimpy outfits, and sings the way she does,” Matt commented with an impish grin.

Amanda smacked him across the chest. “Matthew Ian Thomas, could you please keep your hormones in check for like two seconds?!” she asked glaring at him.

Matt rubbed his chest, “I guess that’s my signal to head on over to the refreshments,” he joked.

“They’re just over there,” Duffie said, pointing to the coffee bar where her father Gerard was setting up samples of his signature café drink. Gerard waved to the group. “He’s so silly sometimes. It’s interesting how into all of this he gets. He kind of gets a little geeky. But he’s my dad, so I’ve got to love ’em,” she chuckled.

Matt rejoined the group with a plate piled high with food. “Hey Duffster, what’s this I’m eating?” Matt asked, holding a pastry up to her.

“It’s a sausage roll,” she replied.

“Man, its delicio-” Matt stopped, his mouth gaped wide open, and his eyes fixed on the store’s entrance. The bit of food that was in his mouth rolled out onto the floor. “Is that Elle?” he asked, pointing with his fork. Elle walked toward the group, her arm linked with Brandon Esham’s, the captain of the football team’s younger brother.

“Hi guys,” Elle said shyly.

“When did this happen?” Amanda asked bluntly. Elle giggled at Amanda’s costume, and found it hard to answer her seriously. Matt was too stunned to say anything. Elle looked beautiful. Realizing Elle and Brandon were there together, Matt glared at him, pointing his plastic fork in his direction.

“You!” was all Matt could get out.

Pulling Matt’s hand down, “Sorry, Brandon, Matt gets a little overprotective sometimes,” Cat explained.

“He’s really harmless,” Amanda quipped, ignoring Matt’s glare.

“Am not!” Matt defended himself.

“Anyway, Brandon, how’s practice going? My brother isn’t being too hard on you is he?” Cat asked, trying to ease the awkwardness.

“Don’t change the subject, Cat. We’ve got a right to know what’s going on here!” Matt declared, puffing out his chest.

“We’re just out on a date, okay?” Elle replied, feeling embarrassed.

“Next thing you know he’ll be asking what Brandon’s intentions are,” Amanda mocked.

“What
are
your intentions?” Matt asked, raising his fork to Brandon again.

“My intentions are to go get some drinks, Matt. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll talk,” Brandon said, and then winked at Cat.

“Alright, but I’ll be watching you,” Matt murmured, following Brandon toward the refreshments.

Waiting until the boys were out of earshot, Duffie, Amanda, and Cat all turned to Elle. “Well?” Amanda asked eyeing her.

“What?” Elle responded evasively.

“The boy!” Amanda replied.

“Your date,” Cat added.

“Spill the tea,” Duffie chimed in.

“Well, what can I say? He likes the panther,” she stated plastering a huge smile on her face. All four girls squealed while jumping up and down and holding hands.    

A loud guitar rift sounded as The Damianic Bombshells took the stage. Bridgette, the lead singer, raised her hand into the air as she looked out at the crowd gathering before her. Slowly bringing down her hand, she put her finger to her lips, signaling for the crowd to quiet. As silence fell, Bridgette motioned for the drums, tapping her foot along with the thunderous hypnotic beat while looking menacingly out at the crowd. Cracking a smile, she began to sing their song,
Complicated
.

Amanda had run to the front of the stage when she heard the band starting up. Matt joined her, gawking at Bridgette’s chest in her torn black shirt held together by safety pins. Brandon returned to what was left of the group alone, juggling refreshments for the remaining three girls.

“Everything alright, Brandon?” Cat asked.

“Yeah, everything’s copacetic,” he replied, passing out the drinks.

“Oh good, glad to hear all’s fine in boy world,” she joked.

“Hey, where’s Julie and Ryan?” Duffie asked loudly, trying to talk over the music.

“Well Julie said she had to do something with her parentals tonight. And Ryan was busy too,” Cat replied.

“It looks like the band has a few crazy groupies,” Elle commented, pointing at Amanda and Matt who stood mesmerized in the front row. All four of them laughed at the pair.

“Is that Mrs. Rosenbaum in the crowd over there?!” Cat asked in a shocked tone.

“Where?” Elle asked.

“You can’t miss her, she’s the only adult over there,” Cat said loudly.

“It is!” Duffie yelled back. “She did say she was a huge fan of Craven’s.”

“And with that outfit, she’s not leaving much to the imagination,” Cat commented, looking disgusted. “You know, I don’t get it. Something’s up with her. How could I hear horror stories about her as a teacher from my brother, and now all of a sudden she’s this buxom beauty? And by the way, where’s Mr. Rosenbaum?” Cat and Duffie looked at her suspiciously.

“People change, Cat. I mean look at me, I too was once a caterpillar, and am now a beautiful butterfly,” Elle explained dramatically with her hand across her chest.

“Can’t argue with that statement,” Brandon agreed.

“Aww, you both are too cute for words!” Cat exclaimed. “And I guess you’re right, Elle, but I’d still like to know where Mr. Rosenbaum is.”

As The Damianic Bombshells finished their last song,
Friend Me Or Die
, the crowd dispersed. “That was, hands down, the best concert ever!” Amanda declared as she rejoined the group, clutching a band shirt in one hand and their demo CD in the other. “They just gave us this stuff for free! For free!” she exclaimed.

“I think Matt’s a little love-struck,” Elle said, waving her hand in front of his face.

“Ya think? She had two legs and boobs! Of course he’s love-struck,” Amanda said dryly.

Breaking out of his trance, “Hey, I resent that remark,” he replied with a grin.

Cat left the Three Penny Brit with a ton of Robert Craven swag, which included one of the cardboard cut-outs of Bartholomew Drake, under her arm. Matt and Amanda followed behind Cat toward her Jeep, toting their swag with them as well. “What a night!” Amanda declared as she settled into the passenger seat, her Damianic Bombshell T-shirt over her Robert Craven one. Too tired to respond, Cat and Matt just sighed contently in agreement as they pulled out of the parking lot.

Ryan watched as Cat drove away. Lifting his nose to the air, “What’s that smell? Cinnamon? That’s strange, it’s really strong,” he said. He then noticed The Damianic Bombshells packing up their van while talking to Mrs. Rosenbaum.
Hmm, interesting
, he thought.

11

Are You A Good Witch Or A Bad Witch?

“Cat, please slow down and chew your food,” Rachel said, looking sternly at her daughter. She grinned when Cat groaned.

“Mom, I need to get going,” Cat replied as she shoveled another spoonful into her mouth.

“And where are you off to this hallowed night?” Sam asked, taking a huge bite of pumpkin cheesecake and then closed his eyes as the delicious taste filled his mouth.

“I told you at dinner on Monday that Miss Amaya invited me to an All Hallows Eve festival at Wedgewick Village. I decided to go, remember?” Cat watched as her dad seemed to sift through his memory, apparently coming up blank. “Anyway, I’ve got to run. And don’t worry, Mom, I’ve got a jacket in the car, so I’ll be warm enough.  See you sometime later tonight. I won’t be too late, promise,” she said quickly when she noticed the frowns appear on their faces. Giving them both a quick kiss, Cat rushed out of the kitchen.

“Cat, are you going by yourself?” Sam asked to the closed door. Scratching his head he turned to Rachel. “Do you remember discussing this on Monday night?”