Excerpt of Blood Ties by Mari Mancusi

Chapter One

"Hey Sunny, over here!"? I look up from stuffing my field hockey stick into my bag, my eyes widening with horror as they fall upon a long, black stretch limousine, pulling up curbside to my new high school, behind the waiting school bus. The window slides down and from inside I can see Magnus, still shadowed in the darkness, beckoning for me to come over. I try to pretend I don't hear him. Don't even know him. So of course that makes him shout even louder. As a rule, former knights in shining armor from medieval times can so not take a hint.

"Oi! Sunny! I'm right here!"

"Whoa, who's the hottie?" whistles Kierra, the field hockey center and one of the only potential friends I've managed to score my first week here at Las Vegas High School. In other words, the last person on Earth I want to introduce to the Master of the Blood Coven--one of the largest vampire groups on the Eastern seaboard--AKA my current boyfriend, Magnus. Who I, might add, may soon become my former boyfriend Magnus if he doesn't pull away from my high school parking lot in the next five seconds.

Kierra squints to get a better glimpse into the luxurious limo. I mean, really, Magnus? A freaking limo? Could we get any more My Super Sweet Sixteen if we tried? These girls are so going to get the wrong idea about me.

"Wow Sunny," chimes in Hana, the goalie. "You've been holding out on us!"

Magnus grins, tossing the girls a friendly wave. My only saving grace is the knowledge that he'll literally catch on fire if he tries to step out of the car and into the sweltering Vegas sunshine.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Taylar, the midfielder queries.

I try to send Magnus mental signals to vacate the premises. If only I had vampire telepathy like Rayne does with Jareth. Then again, I think she only has the ability to summon her boyfriend to her, not away. Which evidently I don't need special superpowers to do.

I realize the three girls are staring at me questioningly. "Oh him?" I stammer. "He's just...some guy I know."

"Yeah. Some guy in a limo!" Taylar adds. "It's like, seriously so Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl!" She pretends to swoon.

"Yeah! And you're like Blair!" gushes Kierra. "Except, you know, without the designer wardrobe." The three girls study my tank top and jeans ensemble from Old Navy with critical eyes. I am so going to kill Magnus. What is he even doing awake this time of day anyway?

"Hi Chuck Bass!" coos Hana, running over to the limo and sticking her head in. She's quickly joined by Taylar and Kierra. "Buy any hotels lately?"

Magnus cocks his head in question. "I'm sorry?"

"Um, he doesn't get out much. I mean, stay in much," I interject, running to the car and pushing them aside. "I mean, he doesn't watch a lot of TV."

"Actually I do quite enjoy The Vampire Diaries," Magnus interjects with a sly smile.

Oh. My. God.

The field hockey players squee in unison, squeezing past me, their heads all trying to fit through the limo window at once.

"Want to come hang with us?" Hana asks.

"We're going to crash the Mandalay pool to catch some rays," adds Kierra.

"And no offense, man, but you sure look like you can use some," teases Taylar playfully.

"I appreciate your offer, ladies," Magnus says grandly. "But I must regretfully decline. Perhaps another day, or night, I mean, after the sun goes down?"

Okay that's it. I'm done. I push through the blockade of girls and yank open the limo door. "Sorry, they're busy," I reply, before any of them can answer. I dive into the limo and slam the door shut behind me. "See you guys tomorrow!" I cry, stabbing at the window button, praying it will move faster the more times I press it.

"Can we, like go?" I bite at the chauffeur as I watch my new friends try to squint through the one-way glass. Luckily the guy obliges and we pull out of the school parking lot at long last. Excellent. Now I can at least die of embarrassment off of school property.

"Sunny?" I realized Magnus is staring at me questioningly.

I turn to him. "What the hell was that, Magnus?" I demand.

"What was what?" He asks innocently. "I just thought you'd like a ride home."? "Yeah. In a school bus. Or a normal car. Not a stretch limo. Do you know what they're going to think of me now?" I can just imagine them texting their friends as we speak. Three days at my new school and I'm already going to be limo girl with the bad wardrobe.

"I'm sorry, Sunny," Magnus replies, sounding slightly amused. "But limos are just easier for me to get around in during the day." He pauses, then adds. "Next time I'll bring the Jag."

Argh. I flop back in my seat, so giving up.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" I repeat. "Hm, I don't know, Magnus. How about the fact that I'm starting a new school and I'm trying to make friends and fit in. That's not easy to do when my vampire boyfriend shows up with a limo and starts talking all weird to my friends."

"Come on," he cajoles. "I thought vampires were all the rage with high school girls these days."

I glower at him. "Only if they sparkle." ? Magnus starts laughing at this. I try to frown, to keep being mad, but I have to admit, it is kind of funny. And soon I find myself giggling alongside of him. ? "Am I forgiven then?" he asks fondly, looking at me with his beautiful emerald eyes.

I grunt. "Oh, I suppose." I curl into his cool body, rejoicing at the feel of his long, lean frame, pressed up against me. After all those lonely nights at Riverdale Slayer School, I can't resist a little cuddle from the guy every now and then. Even if he does refuse to follow orders to stay away from my high school.

"Sorry," I say sheepishly. "I know you meant well. It's just...I'm in a weird situation, you know? Going to a new school, trying to get people to like me..."

"Who wouldn't like you?" Magnus asks, planting a kiss on my freckled nose. "You're perfect."

"You're prejudiced."

"Maybe so." He tosses his head arrogantly. "But I've also had a thousand years experience to draw from. These girls you're trying to impress? They've got seventeen, eighteen tops."

I can't help but giggle. "So you're saying in a thousands years of searching, you've never found a girl as perfect as me." ? "Vampires honor," he says, holding his fingers up in Boy Scout pose. Then he grabs me and pulls me close to him, kissing me hungrily on the mouth. I kiss him back, enjoying the feel of his soft lips moving against my own. It's so good to have him back in my arms. I just pray he doesn't have to leave again.

"So I may have to leave again," he announces suddenly, pulling away from the kiss.

"What? Why?"

He slumps back in his seat. "The Consortium may have found a lead as to where the Slayer Inc fringe group is hiding out. They want me to go investigate it." ? "Isn't that more like Jareth's job? You know, the hands on kind of stuff? No offense, baby, but you're more politician than warrior."

He scowls. "Um, former knight in shining armor, remember?" he says, patting his chest. "And in any case, Jareth's coming along too. In fact, the majority of Consortium leaders are mobilizing for this. It's just too big a risk to be taken lightly. Especially now that Corbin's stolen some valuable information from the Blood Coven that can be used against us."

Corbin. The vampire slayer my sister almost killed by drinking his blood. Jareth saved his life by turning him into a vampire. But let's just say the guy wasn't so grateful for the favor. Now he's on the loose and probably hell bent on revenge against the entire Coven. Not to mention my sister.

"Okay then," I say, gearing up for the challenge. I guess normal high school life will have to be put on hold again. "Let's swing by the house and I'll pack a bag."

Magnus frowns.

"What?" I ask.

"Sunny, you're not coming."

"Um, excuse me?" Is he for real?

"It's going to be war," Magnus reminds me. "It's too dangerous for you."

"Hello, Magnus!" I wave to him. "Fairy Princess, remember? No longer the fragile human girl you need to protect from harm? I want to help." ? But my boyfriend just shakes his head. "I don't think it's a good idea, Sunny. If anything were to happen you, I'd never forgive myself. Not to mention, just having you there would be...a distraction."

I stare at him, mouth agape. I can't believe it. Once again I'm being shut out. ? "Look Sun, I'm not trying to be a jerk here..."

"Well, then you're failing miserably," I retort. "Driver, stop the car. I'm going to walk the rest of the way!" The driver slows down.

"No!" Magnus cries. "Keep going." The driver sighs, then speeds up again.

As if that's going to stop me. ""Fine, have it your way." I press the button to open the skylight, then push my head through. I can hear Magnus protesting below as I crawl out the window, unfurl my wings out the sides of my tank top, and flutter off the moving vehicle and down onto the nearby sidewalk, leaving my sun-allergic boyfriend stuck in the car, trying desperately to close the skylight.

"Sunny!" he cries furiously, banging on the window. But I ignore him, stuffing my wings back under my shirt. (It's better not to risk walking around as a fairy in daylight, though in Vegas, technically anything goes.) Then I storm off down the street heading towards my family's high-rise condo just off strip.

"Stay at home Sunny," I mutter under my breath. "It's way too dangerous, Sunny." I'm so sick of everyone thinking I'm the weak one. After all, no one ever says stuff like that to Rayne. In fact, she's actually assigned death-defying adventures for a living. But as for me, I might as well be made of freaking glass, according to Magnus and the rest of the sorry vampire race.

It's so freaking unfair.

I walk down an alley through a shortcut off strip. About halfway through I wonder if I've made a wise choice. The shadows in the dark seem to claw at me menacingly and I keep hearing strange cat like mews echoing through the air. I wrap my hands around my arms and pick up the pace.

Suddenly a loud clattering sound makes me practically jump out of my skin. I whirl around, my eyes catching movement in the darkness. A shadow that can only be human.

"Who's there?" I demand. "Stay back! I've got mace and I know how to use it." I don't really, of course. But I do have some fairy powers to unfurl if push comes to shove.

"S-s-sunny?" A weak, but familiar voice cries. "Is that really you?"

"Jayden?" I exclaim, rushing toward the shadow. "I've been looking all--"

I stop short as my eyes fall upon the figure on the ground. While it's definitely Jayden--my best Vegas friend and maybe something more--at the same time he looks...wrong somehow. Scarily skinny, all bones and sinew, his eyes are black and hollow looking and his mouth is blood-stained. I realize in horror, he's holding something furry and dead and half-eaten in his hands.

"Oh my god!" I cry. "What happened to you?"

He looks up with pitiful, scared eyes. "Sunny," he whimpers. "You've got to help me. I think...I think I might have been turned into a vampire."