The doorbell rang, and Ivy slid off her stool. ‘I’ll get that. But go ahead and open yours, sis!’
‘OK.’ Olivia saw her bio-dad’s eager gaze, and wondered what kind of vampy gift went well with a pink coffin.
Of course, she thought, as she opened the box and saw the pink candy heart waiting inside. But it wasn’t a regular candy heart. This candy heart was shaped like a real heart – with valves and everything!
Seriously? Olivia giggled, and then had to stop herself from shaking her head in disbelief – not at the gift, but at herself. There was a time when this candy treat would have sent her running all the way home. But now, she was laughing in absolute delight!
She looked up at her bio-dad. A year ago, she’d barely known him. Now, he’d gone out of his way to try to choose the perfect gift for his human daughter. How could she not be touched?
She opened her mouth to thank him . . . but before she could say a single word, another ear-piercing scream ripped through the air.
It was coming from the hallway.
Ivy couldn’t help shrieking at the sight before her. Am I seeing things? she wondered.
Standing in the front doorway was a girl wearing a fitted black jacket, long, narrow scarf, pencil skirt and high-heeled boots. Her black hair was longer than when Ivy had last seen it, the very tips still pixie-blonde from a rebellious dye-job the month before. ‘I can’t believe you’re here!’ Ivy cried. She threw her arms around her fashionista best friend, Sophia. ‘Aren’t you supposed to still be in Japan, finishing up your exchange programme? Reiko isn’t flying back till next week.’
Sophia hugged her back tightly, and Ivy caught a whiff of an exotic new perfume. ‘My parents decided they didn’t want me away from home on Moonrise.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Grinning, Ivy released her friend and closed the front door to keep out the chilly late-October air. ‘Come on, admit it. You were just too homesick to stay away!’
‘Well, obviously.’ Sophia rolled her eyes as she started towards the kitchen. ‘Japan was just soooo boring, what with all its incredible sights, cool people and amazing fashion . . . how could I not want to get back to sleepy little Franklin Grove as quickly as possible?’
‘Ha!’ Following Sophia into the kitchen, Ivy was still laughing at her friend’s comeback even as Olivia let out a delighted shriek of her own.
‘Sophia!’ Olivia jumped off her stool to hug the new arrival. ‘Welcome home!’
As Reiko stood up too, Ivy gestured towards her. ‘Oh, and I should introduce . . .’
‘No, I’ve got this.’ Smiling, Sophia turned to Reiko. ‘Hajimemashite,’ she said. ‘Watashi wa Sophia to moushimasu.’
Reiko beamed. ‘Reiko desu. Yoroshiku!’
‘Wow.’ Ivy blinked at her best friend. ‘You really have learned Japanese!’
Sophia winced. ‘Well, I’m not that good . . .’
‘You’re great!’ Reiko insisted.
‘You have to tell us all about your trip, Sophia,’ Lillian said, pulling out a stool for Sophia to sit on.
‘Tell us about the food . . .’ Charles licked his lips as he put cling film over his bowl of cranberry sauce. ‘It’s been so long since I’ve had any decent udon noodles!’
‘Well, I want to hear about what you saw,’ Olivia said. ‘Tell me all about the fashion!’
‘And the movies!’ Lillian added. ‘Can you believe the new Koizumi film won’t be released here until January? You have to tell me all about it!’
Reiko shook her head. ‘Before anything else, I need to know . . .’ She fixed Sophia with an intent gaze. ‘ . . . is my friend Megumi still dating that creep Tetsuo?’
A smile played over Sophia’s lips as she leaned closer to Reiko. ‘Actually, the day I left, Megumi was preparing for a very hot date . . . with . . .’ Her words trailed off.
‘With who? With who?’ Reiko bounced on the edge of her seat.
‘ . . . Kaneda!’ Sophia finished triumphantly.
‘Yes!’ Reiko pumped one arm in victory. ‘I always thought he’d be so much better for her!’
Ivy had no idea who they were talking about, but she grinned along with them.
‘Aha!’ Sophia spun around, pointing an accusatory finger at Ivy. ‘Gotcha! I caught you smiling. The Happy Vampire is back!’
‘Augh!’ Ivy groaned as the rest of her family burst into laughter. ‘Don’t remind me.’ She had only just stopped having nightmares about the mix-up the twins had had at Café Creative’s recent fashion show, when she and Olivia had accidentally ended up in each other’s outfits. It wouldn’t have been a problem – except that, as identical twins, the girls looked so similar that the vampire community had assumed that it was Ivy in the goth-tastic black gown, grinning like she’d just won a backstage pass to a Pall Bearers show.
‘Well, as long as you aren’t going to scare me by smiling all the time . . .’ Sophia teased. ‘Because that would be too terrifying! I really –’
But Ivy didn’t catch the rest of Sophia’s sentence. Olivia’s cell phone trilled loudly. Olivia pulled it out, opened up her text messages . . . and gasped.
‘It’s an SOS,’ she said. ‘Camilla needs our help with the set-up for tomorrow’s party . . . otherwise she says it might be ruined!’
‘Not if we can help it,’ Ivy said. ‘Come on, guys. We need to get to Café Creative, now!’
Chapter Two
Twenty minutes later, Olivia scrambled out of her bio-dad’s sleek black car with a sigh of relief. It had never felt small to her before, but squeezing four girls inside had been a bit much!
As she stretched out her cramped arms and legs, she looked up at the sprawling building in front of her. Franklin Grove Museum loomed against the darkening sky, massive and Gothic, with big stone turrets rising towards the clouds. It was closed for the day, but the South Wing – where Café Creative was located – would be opening later. Ivy, Reiko and Sophia were all already hurrying up the stairs towards the great oak door, but Olivia hesitated.
‘Dad?’ She turned back and peered into the low-slung car, where Charles sat waiting to drive back home to Lillian. ‘I hope . . . I mean, are you really OK with this? I know we were supposed to be helping you prepare for the Moonrise, and –’
‘Don’t worry.’ Charles smiled up at her. ‘Your loyalty to your friend is a great quality. I couldn’t be more proud that both of my daughters naturally have it. And anyway . . .’ he wiggled his eyebrows, ‘ . . . there’s still plenty of time to celebrate Moonrise when you get back!’
Uh-oh. As Olivia watched him drive off, she wondered about the gleam she’d spotted in his eye . . . and what it might mean about his plans for the rest of the Moonrise celebrations. Something elaborate, no doubt, she thought. If I know my bio-dad!
Ivy’s voice broke through her thoughts. ‘Come on, Olivia!’ The three vampires were standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at her. ‘Camilla said she needed us now.’
‘Coming!’ Olivia called back, hurrying up the stairs as quickly as her cute little ankle-boots would let her.
The other girls shuffled aside, making way for her in front of the big brass door knocker. Ivy cleared her throat. ‘Um, we thought . . . well, why don’t you knock for Albert?’
‘Me?’ Olivia took a quick step back. ‘Why me?’
Ivy grimaced. Reiko turned away, whistling innocently as she bounced her tennis ball off the stone wall. Sophia looked faintly amused.
‘I don’t believe this,’ Olivia said. She put her hands on her hips and did her best to give them a death-squint . . . even though she was pretty sure it was coming out as a half-smile. ‘Just look at you guys! Three big, scary vampires – intimidated by a cranky old museum caretaker.’
‘We’re not scared of him, obviously,’ Ivy mumbled. ‘But . . . well, he won’t scowl too much at you, right? I mean, you’re so nice. And human.’
‘That’s never stopped him before,’ Olivia muttered. But she took a deep breath and lifted the door
knocker anyway . . . then winced as it slammed back against the oak door with a deafening sound.
The truth was, the museum’s live-in caretaker really was intimidating. As a vampire, Albert had had more than a century to perfect his unimpressed glare. He might be good enough friends with her bio-dad to call him “Chas”, but Olivia had never managed to really relax around him. Just remember, she told herself, he’s actually really nice. Probably. Maybe . . .
‘Ahhh!’ She let out a muffled shriek and leaped back as the door opened to reveal . . . a vampire!
Or rather, a caretaker dressed exactly how bunnies imagined vampires looked.
‘I beg your pardon,’ Albert said stiffly, as Olivia caught her breath. His words lisped slightly over the long false fangs that stuck out of his mouth, above streaks of painted blood that ran down his chin like red lightning. His face looked even paler than usual when framed by his cape’s upturned black collar, which looked rather like bat wings . . . but apparently nothing could change his bored expression, not even his current outfit. ‘Miss Edmunson felt I needed to . . . rehearse my role for tomorrow night’s performance.’
‘Rehearse?’ Sophia asked. She raised one eyebrow.
Albert’s jaw set, and his voice lowered to a gruff mutter. ‘She said . . . that I was not a very convincing vampire.’
As Olivia stared at him, open-mouthed, she heard Reiko make a choking sound. From the corner of her eye she saw Sophia turn away, her shoulders quivering. Ivy clamped one hand to her mouth, her face bright red. Uh-oh, Olivia thought. If they can’t hold themselves back . . .
One more look at the plastic vampire teeth poking out of Albert’s mouth had Olivia bursting into laughter right along with the three vamp girls, the last of her nerves sliding away.
For the first time that Olivia could remember, Albert actually cracked a smile. ‘Go along,’ he said, and waved at the dimly-lit corridor behind him.
Then he turned around with a swish of his flowing cloak, striding away before they could say another word.
Shadows loomed from every corner as they hurried down the corridor, but Olivia ignored them. She was used to the gloomy museum atmosphere at night.
‘That was so funny,’ Ivy sniggered. ‘I wonder if Albert – wahhh!’ Letting out a sudden shriek, she jumped into Olivia’s arms, clinging on like a frightened monkey.
Olivia laughed as she looked up and saw the creature whose legs must have brushed against Ivy’s head in the dark.
It was a giant mummy puppet dangling from the ceiling, limp and saggy.
‘I think you’re safe now,’ Olivia said wryly. She patted Ivy’s shoulder. ‘All it can really do is kick you, right?’
‘What?’ Blinking, Ivy turned her face up to look. Then she let out an embarrassed groan, jumping down to the ground and brushing herself off. ‘I can’t believe I did that!’
‘I’m glad you did,’ said Olivia. ‘You beat me to it. I hate things that make me jump. Now we’re both scaredy-cats!’
‘Shouldn’t that be “scaredy-bats”?’ said Reiko.
‘Oh, I love it!’ Sophia clapped her hands as she stepped up beside them. ‘I’ve been waiting my entire life for Ivy to have a scaredy-bat moment!’
‘All right, enough already!’ Ivy rolled her eyes and stomped off down the hall ahead of them, her big black boots clomping against the marble floor.
‘Watch out for any more terrifying monsters up there!’ Olivia called after her. ‘Just remember, I’m right here to protect you!’
‘Ha, ha, ha. Very funny!’ Ivy called back. ‘But I warn you: I’ll aim death-squints at every one of you if you keep this up any longer!’
Still grinning, Olivia hurried after her sister. As they turned another corner in the twisting corridor, though, a portrait that she had never seen before caught her eye and made her turn her head to look even as she kept moving.
Ooh, more twins! In the picture, two girls who looked about the same age as herself and Ivy sat next to each other, both dark-haired, holding hands, their identical faces alight with beaming smiles. Their floor-length, wide-skirted dresses billowed out around them, and their hair was done up in elaborate ringlets that fell around their faces. Based on their outfits, which looked kind of like the ones Olivia wore for Eternal Sunset, she guessed that the girls must have been painted at least a hundred and fifty years ago. Mental note to show this to Ivy on our way out!
Olivia turned her gaze back to the corridor ahead – and screamed. A giant alien loomed over her, tentacles raised as if to attack.
‘Ahhhhh!’ She leaped forwards and latched on to her twin in a panicked piggyback.
Ivy didn’t even break her stride. But she shook her head as Sophia and Reiko’s laughter filled the corridor behind them. ‘Camilla strikes again!’ Ivy said ruefully.
Olivia raised her head to peek back over her shoulder. Then she flopped against her sister’s back in relief. ‘Oh . . . it was just a dummy!’
‘Of course,’ Sophia said cheerfully. ‘Camilla’s training to be a movie director, remember? She’s good at creating “atmosphere”!’
‘I almost wish she wasn’t,’ Olivia mumbled, as she dropped off her sister and back on to the floor.
Ivy gave her an “I-told-you-so” look. ‘Not so funny now, is it?’
‘Well . . .’ Olivia smoothed down her clothes, wanting to change the subject. ‘I just wonder where she got all these props!’
They passed another five scary dummies before they finally came to the doors of Café Creative.
‘If the path to the café is that good,’ Reiko said, her eyes gleaming, ‘what do you think it’s like inside?’
‘I guess we’ll find out.’ Bracing herself, Olivia pushed open the door to the brightly-lit open space at the front of Café Creative.
Well, it was usually an open space. Today, the whole area in front of the café tables was covered in a humongous pile of raggedly-dressed, decomposing zombie bodies. Ewww! Olivia shuddered despite herself.
OK, she was pretty sure that those were just mannequins, along with some old clothes stuffed with pillows and blankets for effect . . . but still, that effect was seriously creepy.
And where was Camilla, anyway?
‘Camilla?’ Olivia called out tentatively, stepping into the room. Her voice echoed off the walls and the dark windows.
‘Mmmmfff!’ A muffled answering cry sounded.
Olivia frowned, turning to search for the source of the sound, but the other three girls, with their vampiric super-hearing, were already hurrying forwards.
‘She’s buried underneath that pile!’ Ivy said, pointing at the zombie hill.
‘Oh, great.’ Olivia sighed as she started forwards. ‘I never planned to get this up close and personal with a zombie!’
Working together, the four girls dug through the “bodies” until Camilla’s head finally popped out from underneath a zombie.
‘Whew!’ She took a deep breath, her blonde curls shaking wildly around her face. ‘It feels like I’ve been stuck in there forever!’
Olivia took one of Camilla’s arms while Ivy took the other, helping their friend out from underneath the last few zombies that had pinned down her legs. ‘How did this happen?’ Olivia asked.
‘Oh, you know . . .’ Camilla leaned back down to dig through the zombies. A moment later, she pulled out her purple beret, wiped off a fleck of “brain” and plopped it back on top of her curls. ‘There was a bit of a domino situation when I was repositioning these guys,’ she explained. ‘I called and called to Albert, but . . .’ She shrugged. ‘He must have been on the other side of the building, because he didn’t hear me. That’s why I had to text you for help.’
‘Umm . . .’ Olivia shared a look with the three vampires and saw that they were thinking the same thing as her.
With Albert’s super-hearing, he must have heard Camilla’s cry for help. The fact that he had chosen not to respond to it . . . well, as much as Olivia loved her friend, she knew exactly how inte
nse Camilla could get when she was in directing mode. And she could only imagine how little the old vampire enjoyed being directed!
‘Never mind,’ Olivia said briskly. ‘Now that we’re here, we can help you set up the rest of the zombies so you don’t have any more accidents on your own.’
‘That would be fabulous.’ Camilla stepped back and framed the scene with her hands as if she were looking at it all through a camera lens. ‘I want it to feel like they’re actually guests at the party. So I need one of them by the café counter, another few sitting at tables with knives and forks in their hands . . .’
Ivy leaned over and scooped up a gruesome zombie body, letting it dangle over her arm without so much as a wince of disgust. ‘Let’s get started!’ she said cheerfully.
As all four girls set to work under Camilla’s direction, Olivia forced herself to ignore the leaking brains of the zombie bodies they were working with, even when Camilla pointed to the worst one Olivia had seen yet.
‘Could you take that one over to the far table?’ Camilla asked.
‘Of course.’ Pinning a weak smile to her face, Olivia pulled the “zombie” off the pile. The mannequin’s eyes were a creepy shade of yellowish-orange.
Olivia took deep, calming breaths as she carried the mannequin all the way across the room. She sat it down at the table, taking her time to position its arms as if it were actually eating a meal. I’m tough Olivia now, not bunny Olivia any more. Remember? And I know exactly how to follow a director’s orders.
Then her cell phone’s ringtone burst out inside her handbag, and she nearly leaped out of her skin. ‘Ahh!’
‘Ha!’ Ivy shook her head and pointed at Olivia as the other girls’ laughter echoed around the room. ‘You’re losing two-to-one on the scaredy-bat score now!’
‘Hmmph.’ Olivia pulled out her still-ringing cell phone and gave her twin a mock-annoyed look.
Then she saw the picture on her cell phone, and her lips curved into a smile.
There was no way to get real privacy with three vampires in the room, but she moved away a few more feet and turned her back to the others as she answered her boyfriend’s call. ‘Hey, you! How are you doing?’
17 Spooktacular - My Sister the Vampire Page 2
