Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend by Katie Maxwell Read Free Book Online Page A

me, nodding his head up and down as if he understood what I was going to do. I hoped he did, ’cause I sure didn’t. “Hey, mister, I’ll give you . . . uh . . . I have two hundred and forty dollars. U.S. cash. I’ll give it to you for the horse.”
    The girl stood behind me, jabbering in Hungarian. I assumed she was translating for me, because the tall man turned and scowled at me. I dug out my wallet and waved the year’s allowance that Dad had given me as a going-away present (or bribe, however you wanted to look at it). I held out the money. “Tell your uncle that I’ll give him the money if he sells the horse to me, instead. That way he won’t have to pay the knacker.”
    â€œKnacker?”
    â€œMilos.”
    She turned and said something to her uncle. He eyed my cash with an avid gleam in his eye, but the old man started yelling at me, shoving me backward. I held the money out to Uncle Tarvic by the very tips of the ends. “Tell your uncle that I’m with the Faire just down the road, and that the horse will be fine; he’ll be treated really well.”
    The girl hesitated. “He won’t care; he doesn’t like horses.”
    I made an exasperated noise. “Look, you can tell him whatever you want; just get him to take my money and give me the horse.”
    Milos the knacker was back to trying to shove me from the field, waving his hands around wildly. Tesla laid his ears back and snorted a warning at the gestures.
    â€œYou will treat him well? You will care for him?”
    â€œWould I be willing to give up my whole year’s allowance if I was going to be mean to him?” I asked. “Yes, I’ll treat him really well. I’ve always wanted a horse, and since Peter has a horse trailer for the horse he uses in his magic act, hauling Tesla around won’t be a problem. Please.”
    The girl nodded and turned back to her uncle, pleading with him. Evidently the sight of my money was too much, because Uncle Tarvic snatched his money back from Milos, and handed me the lead to the horse at the same time he grabbed the money from my hand. One finger of his brushed mine, but I jerked my hand back before I could pick up anything about him.
    â€œKöszönöm,” I said (Hungarian for “thank you”). “Köszönöm.”
    I gave the lead a slight tug and the old horse started forward. I tried to remember on which side Soren walked when he led his dad’s horse, Bruno, but Tesla evidently knew the ropes. He marched by my right side, heading for the road like he knew where he was going. Milos yelled and screamed a lot, but I only smiled as I led Tesla to the road, turning toward the way I had just come.
    â€œWhat is your name?” the girl asked. Tesla stopped and looked back at her.
    â€œFran. What’s yours?”
    â€œPanna.” She stepped up to Tesla, cupping her hands around his whiskery nose. He snorted on her hands. Her eyes were all weepy again, like she was going to cry. “He will be a very good horse, yes?”
    â€œYes, he will be a very good horse. If you like, you can come visit him while we’re in town. We’re going to be here three more days; then we go to Budapest.”
    She gave me a watery smile. “I will like that. Thank you, Fran. You are my friend.”
    â€œSure thing. Well, come on, Tesla; we’d better get you back so I can start working on Mom.”
    â€œWorking on Mom?” Panna asked.
    â€œNothing. I’ll see you later?”
    â€œAs soon as I am able.”
    â€œâ€™Kay. See you.”
    I tugged on the lead and Tesla started walking amiably enough. I looked back once. Panna was getting in the car with her uncle. Milos was grinding the gears on his truck, driving in the opposite direction. I looked at Tesla. His long white eyelashes hid his eyes as he walked along next to me, periodically stopping to graze a particularly