‘Good rescue!’ Brendan whispered.
They looked both ways. No one was coming, so they scurried across to Jessica’s trailer.
‘I’ll be your watch dog,’ Brendan said.
Ivy gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, yanked open the door and stepped inside. Jessica’s trailer was dark and, even though it was twice as big as every other trailer on the lot, it was crammed with stuff. Jessica had clearly just stormed off and left everything behind.
There were bunches of flowers, now wilting from lack of water, and a bowl full of chocolate candies with all the colours picked out except the red ones.
‘People actually demand that?’ Ivy muttered.
She switched back into her normal clothes and then rummaged through the drawers of Jessica’s vanity table to find some make-up remover. There were boxes of false eyelashes, bottles of hairspray and fake tan, and even some wart cream.
‘Ew,’ Ivy said.
She found some removal cream and wiped off as much of the tan as she could, until she felt almost herself again.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard Brendan outside coughing loudly.
Oh no, Ivy thought. I’ve got nowhere to hide!
She could see out of a side window and there were people milling around outside the trailer opposite. She knew that was Jackson’s trailer; she could see him moving around inside, pausing by his dressing-table mirror.
Ivy watched as he leaned in close to the mirror.
What’s he doing? Ivy wondered.
He was hunched over. His fingers were going to his eye. Ivy gasped as he popped out a contact lens with one finger. CONTACT LENS! Just like the one she put in every day to protect her vampire eyes from the sun.
Garlic clause or no, Ivy thought. This is the evidence I’ve been waiting for! Jackson has to be a vampire.
Chapter Ten
Ivy couldn’t help feeling like she was tied to a stake while Olivia practically floated around her bedroom.
‘It was sweet,’ Olivia was saying. ‘He was so nervous.’
‘I know, but –’ Ivy started.
‘And the look on his face when I said yes!’ Olivia interrupted.
‘Yes, but –’ Ivy tried again.
‘And I couldn’t stop smiling after.’
‘Olivia!’ Ivy said.
‘What?’ Olivia froze in place, holding on to one of the bed posts.
‘You know how you said you wanted a normal boyfriend?’ Ivy began.
Olivia sat cross-legged on her bed and grinned at Ivy. ‘I know, but he is normal. He’s funny. He’s cute. He can quote lines from Count Vira novels.’
Ivy sighed. ‘But what if there is something you don’t know about him?’
‘There’s tons I don’t know about him,’ Olivia said. ‘And I hope I get to find out!’
Ivy had to tell her. ‘I mean, what if he had a special relationship with his dentist?’
Olivia crinkled her nose. ‘Do you mean he doesn’t floss?’
‘No.’ She tried another track. ‘I mean he wears contact lenses.’
Olivia looked confused. ‘I don’t care if he’s near-sighted.’
There was no way to break it gently. ‘Jackson isn’t near-sighted – I think he’s a vampire.’
Olivia’s jaw dropped open. ‘What?’
Ivy went and sat next to her sister. ‘The make-up artist has to order in tons of fake tan; Jackson has a no-garlic clause in his contract and I saw him taking out his contact lenses in his trailer. I’m sure of it. He’s a night-walking, coffin-sleeping, sun-averse vampire.’
Ivy thought her sister’s eyes looked a little watery.
It took a moment, but then Olivia seemed to gather herself. ‘I know you can’t tell who’s a vampire and who’s not, but I never would have thought . . . Well, I mean . . . Jackson? Really?’ She sighed. ‘That explains the burger.’
‘I’m sorry. I had to tell you,’ Ivy said.
Olivia nodded. ‘He was just too perfect, I guess.’ Olivia put her head on Ivy’s shoulder. ‘I think I could’ve gotten over the distance and the chaos, but this . . .’ she trailed off and Ivy felt even worse. ‘Being with a vampire is just not how I see my life playing out.’ Olivia sniffled. ‘It just makes everything way too complicated.’
‘What are you going to do?’ Ivy asked gently.
‘I have to be honest with him. Tell him I know and call it off,’ Olivia said.
‘Are you sure you can’t have a vampire boyfriend?’ Ivy wondered if Olivia was making a choice she’d regret.
Olivia shook her head. ‘I’m just lucky you discovered it now, before we’d had a first real date. I’ve only just found out about all this vampire stuff. A vampire boyfriend is just too much to handle right now.’
Olivia wrapped her arms around herself. Ivy had to give her a big hug. ‘I’m really sorry,’ she whispered. Ivy’s first attempt at match-making had been a complete disaster.
‘Me, too,’ said Olivia. ‘I guess I’ll have to meet him somewhere we can talk without interruptions.’ Olivia crinkled her nose. ‘And I’ve got a good idea where that should be.’
‘It’s good to have you back,’ Brendan said as he and Ivy walked down aisle nine at FoodMart, towards the secret entrance to the BloodMart. ‘Air hockey isn’t as much fun by myself.’
Ivy’s black woolly beanie hat was pulled down over her ears and felt warm and cosy – no more sundresses in winter for her.
‘It has been a crazy past few days,’ Ivy admitted. Staying with Olivia was awesome but she was desperate for some real food. Her dad was coming back tonight, but she couldn’t wait that long. Brendan had promised her a box of Count Cocoa Chew bars, as long as he could eat one right away. ‘It’s almost like the movie was an alien invasion.’