Page 16 of Fang Girl

"There," I said to my supernatural and human cheerleaders. "Happy now?"

Kylie bounced on her bed. "This is going to be epic!"

"Just remember," Matilda said with a ghostly wink, "if he breaks your heart, I know lots of ways to haunt him."

I smiled, touching the spot on my thigh where Victor had bitten me. It had healed when he’d treated it. Maybe some marks were worth keeping though—the ones that reminded you someone had chosen you, supernatural baggage and all.

Now I just had to figure out what to say to a vampire rock star who'd written love songs about me in high school. At least I had until twilight to work it out.

"So," Kylie said, breaking into my thoughts, "what does one wear to a cemetery date with a vampire?"

Even Matilda groaned at that one.

Victor

The recording studio was empty except for the band. I'd been trying to get the bridge right for hours.

"Man, you've got to stop overthinking this," Riggs said, setting down his bass. "She'll either show up or she won't."

"That's not helpful," Basil cut in. He turned to me. "But he's right about the overthinking. The song is perfect."

I ran my fingers through my hair. "Nothing about this is perfect. I brought a human into our world without preparation, without protection—"

"A human who sees ghosts," Dario pointed out. "She's not exactly normal herself."

"Which is exactly why we need to make this work," Basil said quietly. "When was the last time you met someone who understood both worlds?"

"Never," I admitted. "But what if she can't accept what we are? What I am?"

Riggs snorted. "She accepted you biting her during sex."

"That was different—"

"Was it?" Basil asked. "Or are you just afraid of someone seeing all of you? The vampire and the man?"

I stared at the lyrics I'd written. Every word was about stepping into the light, being seen, being known. Maybe it was time I took my own advice.

"One more time," I said, picking up my guitar. "From the top.”

***

I paced at the cemetery gates, watching the sun sink toward the horizon. Basil and the guys waited in the van, despite my insistence that I could handle this alone.

"You're going to wear a trench in the sidewalk," Basil called out.

“What if she doesn't show?" I ran a hand through my hair. "What if—"

"Then you'll write another hit album about her," Riggs said with a grin. "But she'll show."

I checked my phone again. Twenty minutes since twilight. She was late, and the wait was killing me, though technically I was already dead. I touched my jacket pocket, making sure the small box was still there.

"You're sure about this?" Basil asked.

"More sure than I've been about anything," I said. Even becoming a vampire hadn't felt this right. "She sees me, Basil. Not the rock star, not the vampire. Just... me."

Dario leaned out the van window. "Here she comes."

I spun around. Ari walked up the hill, her blonde hair catching the last rays of sunlight. She wore jeans and a sweater, but she might as well have been wearing that angel costume again. My dead heart tried to beat.

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