Blood, Fire and Vampire Slayers: Jasper Hale love story Book #2

7: A Party

"Not feeling quite myself. Cravings are getting strong. I won't be able to give you a proper greeting today."

Jasper's message did nothing to improve Astrid's morning.

"Try not to look so worried," said Elizabeth when they were pulling into the school parking lot. "Nothing's going to creep up on you in the middle of the day. Or when you're in the Cullen's house this evening." Astrid hadn't told her about the dream she had.

Edward and Bella would be watching a movie at Charlie's before going to the Cullen's place, giving Alice and Astrid time to set up after school. It would be difficult to enjoy Bella's party with Kohana still missing, the Shadow, and the deceased Chloe Bishop on her mind. Knowing that Melissa would never let a message get from her to Miss Procter, Astrid went to the office and asked if they could tell the teacher that she wouldn't make it to ballet that afternoon. Even though missing a class would put her behind if she decided to continue, Astrid needed a chance to breathe. The idea of seeing Klaus at school was daunting in its own way. Astrid wasn't sure she would be able to look at him like a normal human being again. But she had managed to face Jasper after he almost sank his fangs into her when she was a new student. If she could manage that, then a dragon-shifter couldn't be much more difficult.

English had already started when she made it to the classroom. Mr Mason glared and snapped his fingers, pointing to a seat near the front beside Klaus, of all people. She gave Jasper in the second from the back row an apologetic look as she went to take the chair. But maybe it was better that she kept her distance and made things easier for him.

"Guten Morgen," Klaus murmured.

"Hi," she said without looking at him.

"Sleeping in?"

"Actually, no. I didn't sleep much after last evening."

"You were thinking about me, ja?" Astrid glowered at him and tried to really let it burn for a moment. He was still the same Klaus as yesterday with his intense eyes, and that knowing smile on his perfect lips. If he had turned into the cold reptilian stereotype, power hungry and obsessed with wealth, it would have been much easier not to like him, but she felt the attraction that was becoming all too familiar rise in her chest and clench in her gut. Astrid glanced back at Jasper quickly and he smirked when he noticed her emotion. Astrid felt at once relieved and immensely guilty.

"In your dreams," she told Klaus.

"Pay attention please," said Mr Mason. He was giving a lecture on what they'd read from their Shakespeare work and writing notes on the board. Astrid picked up her pencil and wrote on the corner of her note book.

"What was that dark creature you were chasing?" He wrote back with his own pencil.

"I think we should talk about it later with your other friends. They should know about it." Astrid was listening to the lesson until Klaus tapped the page in his note book.

"Still planning on quitting?"

"No," she wrote back. "But I'm not dancing today." Klaus winced and shook his head.

"That's no good," he whispered.

"I have to help set up for a party," Astrid said under her breath.