Vampire Innocent (Book 3): The Artist of Ruin
Page 28
“It’s fine, guys,” I say. “Do the road trip thing. Tradition.”
“But Sarah can’t go out in the sun,” says Sam. “We should stay home.”
“Yeah.” Sophia nods.
“Guys.” I wave both hands around. “Please stop acting like I’m dead. Go forth and have fun.”
Dad sighs. “This probably would’ve been her last road trip since she’s all grown up now. Last summer before college.”
“Dad… I’m still going to college.”
“College has summer break,” says Sierra. “She could’ve come home to go on the road trip.”
“But she’ll melt,” whispers Sophia.
“I mean before, dork.” Sierra pokes her in the side. “We don’t need to go on a trip. It’s only a tradition because you said it was. Since Sarah can’t go, we should stay here and make a different tradition. Like ‘opposite week’ where we all sleep during the day and stay up at night.”
Dad groans. “Changing sleep schedules like that is murder after your twenties.”
“Argh. Guys… It’s fine. Yeah, I’ll miss it, but it would make me sadder to ruin it for you.”
Sierra spears her straw in the juice carton, but looks up with big eyes before taking a sip. “Hey! I got an idea. What about a box like what we picked Dalton up with? Sarah could hide in that if it’s too bright.”
I tap my feet together, thinking. “Hmm. I dunno. Being trapped in a box for a long drive would probably kinda suck. And if you go somewhere sunny, I’ll be stuck in there the whole time anyway.”
“Being trapped in a car for a long drive probably kinda sucks,” says Sierra. “Especially since Dad always drags us to exciting places like the ‘museum of Civil War underwear’.”
“Fair point.” I hold up one finger.
“Hey,” says Dad.
Sam and Sophia laugh.
Dad chuckles. “I could try to work something out if you want to go. We could pick a place where we can do stuff in the day and at night, or something with an indoor component. You know”—he snaps his fingers—“we could rent an RV instead of taking the Yukon. Black out the window on the rear bedroom.”
“Rear bedroom?” I ask. “Dad, those things only have one bedroom.”
“Well, then that would be your chamber during the day.”
“We could all share the bed at night,” says Sophia.
That makes me think back to Sally Ann and her sisters. For a week’s vacation, I think it might be kinda cute to try the ‘family bed’ thing. Living that way? Not so much, but for a week?
“That’s an idea.” I shrug. “The RV.”
“Great.” Dad slaps his palms down on his knees. “Let me do a little research.”
Sophia grins at me and darts back outside.
“Dad…” Sierra plods after her. “Make sure you get one with a satellite dish or something so I can still PlayStation on the road.”
Sam stands there silent for a moment more looking at us with a neutral expression. Without a word, he shrugs and walks outside to play in the water some more. He really wouldn’t care either way if we skipped the road trip or managed it.
“Don’t worry, hon.” Dad pats me on the shin, then moves my legs so he can get up. “I won’t pick anywhere too boring.” He wags his eyebrows. “Maybe the museum of Vietnam War era underwear this time.”
“Hah.” I laugh.
He winks at me and trots off to his office, no doubt to go online in search of the ‘perfect’ vacation road trip destination. My luck? He’s gonna pick Wally World.
I lean back and sigh at the ceiling. Family road trip, vampire style.
What could possibly go wrong?
fin
Acknowledgments
Thank you for reading the third book in the Vampire Innocent series!
My thanks go to Alexandria Thompson for the beautiful cover.
Additional thanks to my beta readers!
Leslie Whitaker
Louise Feagans
Dianne Webb
About the Author
Originally from South Amboy NJ, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Since 1996, he has developed the “Divergent Fates” world, in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, The Awakened Series, The Harmony Paradox, and the Daughter of Mars series take place. Along with being an editor at Curiosity Quills press, he has worked in IT and technical support.
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom RPG systems, and a fan of anime, British humour, and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats.
Links
Please visit me on the web at: http://www.matthewcoxbooks.com/wordpress/
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Find me on Twitter: @mscox_fiction
For contact or inquiries regarding this novel, please email at: mcox2112@gmail.com
Other Books by Matthew S. Cox
(Divergent Fates universe – Science fiction / Cyberpunk / Paranormal)
Division Zero series
Division Zero
Lex De Mortuis
Thrall
Guardian
The Awakened series
Prophet of the Badlands
Archon’s Queen
Grey Ronin
Daughter of Ash
Zero Rogue
Angel Descended
Daughter of Mars series
The Hand of Raziel
Araphel
Ghost Black
Virtual Immortality series
Virtual Immortality
The Harmony Paradox
Divergent Fates Anthology
(Non-DF novels)
The Roadhouse Chronicles Series (post nuclear apoc/zombie)
One More Run
The Redeemed
Dead Man’s Number
Faded Skies series (post-ww3 / sci fi)
Heir Ascendant
Ascendant Revolution
Chiaroscuro: The Mouse and the Candle (vampire, drama)
Temporal Armistice Series (urban fantasy)
Nascent Shadow
The Shadow Collector
Wayfarer: AV494 (sci fi horror)
Axillon99 (LitRPG)
Vampire Innocent series (vampire, comedy-drama)
A Nighttime of Forever
A Beginner’s Guide to Fangs
The Artist of Ruin
Operation: Chimera (sci fi – with Tony Healey)
The Dysfunctional Conspiracy (nonfiction memoir – with Christopher Veltmann)
Winter Solstice series (urban fantasy – with J.R. Rain)
Convergence
Containment
Alexis Silver series (urban fantasy – with J.R. Rain)
Silver Light
Deep Silver
Samantha Moon Origins series (urban fantasy – with J.R. Rain)
New Moon Rising
Moon Mourning
Maddy Wimsey series (detective / witchcraft – with J.R. Rain)
The Devil’s Eye
The Drifting Gloom
The Far Side of Promise (anthology)
Young Adult
Caller 107 (contemporary paranormal – Note: strong language)
The Summer the World Ended (nuclear apocalyptic/family drama/contemporary)
Nine Candles of Deepest Black (witchcraft horror)
The Eldritch Heart (fantasy / LGBT)
The Forest Beyond the Earth (post apocalyptic)
Out of Sight (science fiction)
Middle Grade
Tales of Widowswood series (fantasy)
Emma and the Banderwigh
Emma and the Silk Thieves
Emma and the Silverbell Faeries
Emma and the Elixir of Madness
Emma and the Weeping Spirit
The Cursed Codex (LitRPG – Fantasy/contemporary)
The Menagerie of Jenkins Bailey (contemporary fantasy)
Sophie’s Light (Dark fantasy novella)