Drink, Slay, Love

Chapter Twenty Two

Pearl let herself into the house before sunset. She spread the prom posters on the coffee table. She brewed a pot of blood tea and laid out the china teacups. And then she sat down on Uncle Felix's leather couch to wait for her Family to wake.

She tried to keep her mind blank. Concentrating on her breathing, she focused her eyes on the "Nighthawks" print over the mantel. Uncle Felix always talked about the isolation in the print, but it seemed to her as if the figures weren't lonely at all. The woman in the red dress sat beside the man. Their hands lay on the counter next to each other, nearly touching, so they were clearly aware of each other. Both of them focused on the waiter, who bent to fetch a drink or a napkin or whatever they'd requested. The man around the corner of the counter looked lost in his thoughts, surrounded by memories. All of them were cocooned in the light of the diner, safe from the night outside.

It was, she decided, the most anti-vampire painting she'd ever seen.

Still contemplating the print, she was discovered first by Cousin Charlaine. Charlaine froze in the doorway and stared. Pearl stared right back. The burns on Charlaine's face had healed into tight knots of pale flesh. Charlaine reached up a hand and touched the scars with her fingertips. Pearl saw her begin to tremble and knew it wasn't with fear. That was anger.

"You'd better head downstairs, Charlaine," Pearl said. "I'm waiting for Daddy and Mother. I'll open the shades until they arrive if I have to."

Charlaine fled downstairs. Pearl wondered if her cousin realized it was night time. Open shades wouldn't hurt her. But Charlaine had a nice little phobia developing, as well as most likely a murderous rage toward Pearl. Pearl added Charlaine to her "deal later" list.

Next to enter were Aunt Lianne and Aunt Rose. Neither of them paused at the threshold like Charlaine had. Seeing Pearl, they raised arched eyebrows in unison, but they didn't say a word. They glided across the floor, their footsteps so silent they could have been hovering an inch off the ground. It was impossible to see their feet under their voluminous skirts. Both of them assumed their customary seats. Aunt Rose picked up her embroidery. Aunt Lianne selected a crossword puzzle in a yellowed newspaper.

Cousin Jeremiah crawled into the living room on all fours and then curled up in front of the hearth. He watched Pearl with half-lowered eyes.

Uncle Felix halted in the doorway, looked at Pearl on his couch, took in the teacups with the cooling blood tea, and said nothing. He chose a chair, folded his hands in his lap, and waited. Entering after him, Uncle Stefan scowled at her and stood with arms crossed, leaning against a bookshelf. Uncle Pascha resumed his chess game.

Finally, Mother and Daddy joined them.

Crossing the room, they chose to sit on either side of Pearl. She felt the hairs on her skin stand up straight as they sat, but she didn't let herself shake as she poured first Mother and then Daddy a cup of tea. They accepted the tea but didn't drink.

"There are formalities we must follow for your punishment," Mother said.

"She returned of her own accord," Daddy said.

Mother nodded. "You understand that it is too late for excuses."

"I don't have excuses," Pearl said. "I have a proposal." She pointed to the posters in front of her on the coffee table. "Junior prom."

Mother took a sip of tea.

"It's a spring ritual that involves fancy dress and-"

"We're aware of the event," Daddy said mildly.

"She should be staked," Uncle Stefan said. He didn't move from the bookcase, but she saw his muscles were tense, ready to spring at her. "She's a wild card at a time we can't afford it. She's disobedient, and she's reckless."