Death is Only the Beginning: A Guide to Vampirism

Seventeen: Welcome to Your New Life

Every day is a new chance

Every day is a new beginning

Every day is a new life

Just waiting to be lived.

Welcome to your new life.

I shouldn't have been surprised that the book was waiting for me on my bed. What is surprising, however, is the fact that it is only about two inches thick and bound with a colorful cover of purples and pinks. It has a new title too. Welcome To Your New Life is a much more user-friendly name. I probably would have titled it Vampirism 101. There is even a cute little bat on the cover carrying a syringe. Definitely one of my mom's drawings. She's got a weird sense of humor.

Luckily, she also has an obsessive disorder that made her go through the entire book with a red pen and slash that sucker up until it was actually readable. Must be a teacher thing. How much time must it have taken her to type it all up? Didn't she have anything else to do at work besides this book? I hug the book to my chest again before I flip the pages to the back.

Ah man, she didn't fill out the study guide.

"I've got through to page six filled out. You can borrow my copy if you want."

The sound that comes out of my mouth is the kind of sound a person would expect a mouse to make when you've stepped on it. Suffice it to say, I am a wee bit surprised. What is more surprising is that I have zero fear of him now.

"What are YOU doing here?"

The unwelcome vampire at my window shrugs. "I came to, uh... apologize. Again."

"Yeah yeah, you've already apologized, so go away." I cross my arms clumsily and glare at him. The burns are finally fading, so today I went sleeveless for the first time since I accidentally set myself on fire. I still feel self-conscious about them though. "Are you trying to climb through my window?"

"Well, I didn't think your mom would let me in."

Frustrated, I uncross my arms and put the book down that I still have clutched to me from my earlier scare. "Jerry, what are you doing here? Is Gabe with you?"

"It's Jeremiah, not Jerry. And no, Gabriel isn't with me." The murdering vampire (can I still call him that if I'm not technically dead?) climbs the rest of the way in and shuts my window, making the room seem suddenly waaaaay too small. "Look, I'm sorry that you got hurt. I really am. I didn't realize that Carlotta was going to hurt you, or I would have stopped her. Honest." He looks at the pink cast on my arm (I'm a little disturbed that Gabe not only knows how to set bones, but he also just happens to have all the materials needed for a cast - maybe he and Mom go out and raid medical supply stores) and looks thoroughly ashamed.

Good.

Though much as I hate to admit it, I have to say, "You tried." Not ashamed to say that I cradled my arm gingerly and made a hissing sound when I moved it. Top notch acting!

With a heavy sigh (and far too much presumption of my forgiveness), he slumps onto my bed, slinging an arm over his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't know she was so..."

"Psycho?"

He lets his arm fall away and looks at me wearily. Then he nods and covers his eyes again when he can't think of anything else to say. "We broke up."

"Really?" I can't help it. I have to add, "I thought you were perfect for each other."

He mumbles something under his breath.