“Here’s your coat,” Hunter said as he helped Rachel get her coat on.
The three of them walked out of the dorm and into the crisp night air on their way to the party. Rachel was anxiously awaiting getting her hands on the coven book so she could save Benji.
Chapter 8
As they walked up to the door of Alpha Chi Delta there were two guys standing at the door wearing their navy blue and forest green fraternity uniform. They stood there with a grimace on their faces as they surveyed the kids one by one as they entered their house for the party. Rachel watched as they turned some kids away at the door while others were let in with a smile or a high five.
Rachel could sense it. She knew they were vampires, she could tell by the look in their eyes, the fairness of their skin and the fragrance of their bodies. She knew she had to be careful because they probably sensed her as well. She didn’t want to risk it and quickly took out her perfume and doused her body. She thought it couldn’t hurt to try to cover up her vampire scent. She had nothing to lose.
As they got closer to the two guys at the door, she felt her body tensing up. She turned to Penelope and Hunter and said, “See you inside.” She walked at a quicker pace and then approached the two guys alone. She figured she’d have a better shot at getting in solo rather than in a pack. The two guys surveyed her up and down, one of them squinting as he rubbed his nose.
Oh no! They caught me. They won’t let me in, Rachel thought to herself.
Then, as if by chance, the house was bumrushed by thirty kids, all wearing their sports jerseys. Rachel was basically thrust through the front door and into the house. She wasn’t stopped by the rush of football players nor was she denied entry to the party. It was her lucky day—now she only hoped that Penelope and Hunter got through the door as well. She didn’t know what she’d do if they got held up or turned away. She had to find the old coven book, but didn’t have the slightest clue where to begin searching for it.
She walked through the large foyer of the fraternity and through a large arched doorway with a deer head mounted to the wall. She never understood why people would want to adorn their walls with dead animals but it seemed to be a real trend in this fraternity. As she walked through the next room she saw rabbit, ox, elk and bear heads on the wall. She couldn’t understand this form of art, but didn’t really stop to think about it. All she could do was pray that Hunter and Penelope would come in.
Each room was jam packed with kids, shoulder to shoulder, holding red plastic cups and drinking beer from kegs that sat on the floor. The room smelled like an old dirty basement and the noise level was through the roof. Music was playing loudly and everyone was screaming and cheering. When she turned her head towards the cheering she saw a big ping pong table with cups lined up at each end. It was a game of Beirut; a drinking game she’d never played but heard about.
Rachel looked around at all the different people that came together at this party. She knew some of them were vampires and some were humans. She couldn’t understand this dynamic and found it to be quite odd that all these humans would be socializing with vampires. Granted, they probably didn’t know they were vampires, she felt it was odd that the vampires would allow the humans into their house. She felt stares from the other vampires in the house. She could tell that they sensed she was there, but knew they hadn’t pinpointed what coven she was from or if she was truly a vampire. But she knew they were on to her.
Then, she felt a tap on her back—it was Hunter and Penelope, standing there together motioning her to come into another room.
“Hurry, don’t you feel it?” Hunter said.
“Feel what?” Rachel replied. “I don’t feel anything.”
“The stares?” Hunter said quietly.
“Oh, yes. I did,” Rachel said.
“They’re onto us,” Hunter said.
“What do you mean?” Rachel asked feeling a bit scared.
“They know we’re here. Can’t you tell?” Hunter asked.
“I don’t know. What should we do now?” Rachel said.
“We have to move quick guys,” Penelope chimed in.
“Hurry, we have to get out of this room, they’re going to find us here,” Hunter said as he motioned them to another room.
The three walked into another room, and into a small mud room where they were alone. The room echoed from the loud music and cheering going on at the other end of the house.
“Where do we go now?” Rachel asked, looking at Hunter. “What do we do now?”
“You have to go find the book,” Penelope said as Hunter nodded.
“Yes, you must find the book,” Hunter repeated.
“Where? Where is it?” Rachel asked in a panicked voice.
“The last time I saw it, it was upstairs in a secret bookcase in one of the bedrooms,” Hunter said.
“That’s vague,” Rachel replied. “How will I ever find it?”
“You have to trust him,” Penelope said. “You must search for it.”
“I think the room had plaid wall paper, but I’m not sure. I can’t really remember because I was rushed out so quickly—I only took a quick glance at the book and then had to run,” Penelope added.
“I don’t remember that,” Hunter said, “But I’m a guy, I wouldn’t notice that sort of thing anyway.”
“Ok, so upstairs, bedroom, secret book case, and plaid wall paper. Got it!” Rachel said.
“You have to hurry though before they catch us. We don’t have much time,” Hunter said.
“We’ll distract them down here, and you go upstairs. Hurry!” Hunter added.
Rachel quickly turned around and then made a full circle and faced Hunter again.
“Wait, where’s the stairs?” Rachel asked. “That would be an important first step!”
“They’re just through that room on your left,” Hunter replied.
“Now go! Quickly!” Penelope said.
“But wait, what happens if we get split up? What happens if I’m caught?” Rachel asked in fear.
“Don’t forget to use your powers and if we get split up let’s meet at the cemetery at midnight. It’s the only place that we can’t be sensed. We will be safe there,” Hunter said.
“Ok,” Rachel said.
Rachel turned back around and headed towards the stairs. She passed through the room with the Beirut game and quickly dodged the stares and smells of the other vampires. She couldn’t help but wonder if her perfume was helping her cause. She hoped it was.