Chapter Twenty Four

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The mansion shone like a fairy-tale castle in the light of the nearly full moon. Pearl climbed the marble steps to the carved wood door and understood why the prom committee had nearly peed themselves when she'd offered up this place. She imagined the expressions on the students' faces as they walked up to the entrance. It was not only better than the school gym; it was perfect. Except, of course, for the bloodthirsty vampire horde that would be in the basement. "Details, details," she said. All she had to do was convince said horde to exclude just a few humans from the feast. Surely, that wasn't too much to ask.

At the door she heard a buzz saw. She frowned and wondered why she could hear work from the basement all the way out here. She'd thought the soundproofing was better than that. If the prom-goers could hear the vampires downstairs, that could be a serious problem. She pushed the door open and entered the ballroom. All sound ceased.

A half dozen vampires stared at her.

A second later, work resumed as she was deemed not a threat. She shut the door behind her and surveyed the stacks of lumber, tools, metal bars, and paint. She hadn't thought the ballroom needed any work. Upstairs was always kept in perfect order for corporate events and weddings. Besides, Mother had a to-do list for downstairs that had to be giving her nightmares, especially since the ceremony was only two nights away.

"Ah, the author of our triumph," Uncle Felix said. He crossed to Pearl in three large strides. "You can take the north side ballroom windows." He poured a pile of nails into her hand.

"And do what?" she asked.

"Nail them shut, of course."

Looking around again, Pearl realized the goal of all this cheerful industriousness. The vampires weren't improving the cosmetics; they were improving the trap.

Uncle Pascha was sealing shut an emergency exit on the opposite side of the ballroom. Using lumber and then strategically positioned furniture, Cousin Jocelyn and Aunt Fiona were blocking the hallways that led to the remainder of the mansion. In case the humans became creative, Cousin Charlaine was nailing shut the windows on the south side of the ballroom. Uncle Stefan and Cousin Jeremiah were adding iron bars to the window design. (Or rather, Jeremiah was sucking on the bars, and Uncle Stefan was installing them.) Together, the vampires were transforming the mansion's ballroom into a cage.

All the gilded mirrors had been draped in tapestries. One emerald tapestry hid the door to the cellar. A second door to the cellar was in the hall with the bathrooms—Cousin Jocelyn and Aunt Fiona had deliberately left that hall unblocked.

Also, a magnificent clock covered in gold-leaf swirls had been added above the orchestra area, where the DJ would blast undoubtedly cheesy party music for the prom. The clock ticked loudly, as if it were the mansion's heartbeat. Pearl thought of all the heartbeats that would be in this ballroom soon. "Uncle Felix . . . if we wanted to spare a few students . . ."

He laughed. "Oh, don't worry, Pearl. We won't let the king's vamps hog them all."

"It just seems a little greedy for just one night," Pearl said. With so many students and chaperones, His Majesty would be sufficiently sated even if he sucked a pint each from dozens, wouldn't he? He didn't need everyone.

"It's not an ordinary night. It's the Ceremony!" He threw out his arms like the ringmaster of the circus. "This will be a night to remember!"

She turned away before Uncle Felix could read her expression. She should be as gleeful as he was. This was her victory! For the hundredth time since the unicorn stabbed her, she asked herself, What's wrong with me?

"Idiot!" Uncle Stefan shouted. He clocked Jeremiah on the head with an iron bar.

Uncle Felix excused himself from Pearl and scurried across the ballroom to assist Uncle Stefan while Jeremiah whimpered on the floor. Pearl didn't follow. It was useless to talk to him while he was with Uncle Stefan. She watched them for a moment and a new question popped into her head: What's wrong with them?

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