Deadly Offer by Caroline B. Cooney Read Free Book Online

skin. You look perfect.”
    “Thanks. I’m really excited about being on the squad.”
    “I’ll bet,” said Jennie enviously. “I never even dreamed of trying out. I could never do the routines. But you kept up your dancing and gymnastics, didn’t you?”
    Dancing and gymnastics we used to take together, thought Althea, and in her memory saw two little girls in matching leotards, tumbling, running around. Best friends.
    Friend is a nice word, thought Althea. But best friend— that’s beautiful.
    She wondered dreamily who among all her new friends would become her best friend.
    Althea made a quick and frightening decision. Becky had wanted her to have a party. She would schedule it right now, before she lost her nerve. Before she was overcome with hostess agony. “I’m having a party Sunday,” she said. “Would you like to come? You’d like the rest of the cheerleaders, I’m sure.
    Oh, how she loved saying that! The revenge of it! “Letting” Jennie come to a party.
    “That would be so nice!” cried Jennie breathlessly. “It’s so nice of you to think of me, Althea!”
    Althea smiled generously. She walked carefully to the exit, keeping her eyes on Jennie, making herself forget that Celeste was on the far side of the foyer. Celeste, the only cheerleader who would not get an invitation. The only cheerleader who had been to the house before. The only one who knew.
    “I love a party,” said Jennie eagerly. “Want me to help?” Althea’s heart sang. Her feet danced. I’m having a party, and everybody will want to come! I did it. I’m popular! I have everything!

Chapter 8
    T HE PHONE THAT HAD been so quiet for so long was busy every single minute.
    Becky was delighted. “Of course I’ll be there,” she said impatiently, as if she and Althea had shared dozens of social events. “Call Kimmie-Jo,” ordered Becky, “and have her call the rest of the squad.”
    “Is that polite?”
    “It’s the way it’s done,” said Becky. So Althea called Kimmie-Jo, who clapped her hands, a more frequent activity for Kimmie-Jo than for most, and said she couldn’t wait and would call the others.
    Althea telephoned Ryan, Scottie, and Michael. She, who had never had the courage even to look steadily into a boy’s eyes, called ten boys. Everyone was delighted. Everyone said yes.
    Partly it was because nobody had anything else to do on Sunday. She recognized that. Partly it was because they had never seen her house before, and it was the kind of house that everybody always wants to explore.
    But partly, she thought, it’s me!
    With the last call completed, Althea walked slowly around the house, thinking of what she would have to do between now and then. Cleaning, shopping, food, music. The party must be perfect. It would be too cold out to dance on the porches or the lawn. Althea experimented with the furniture in the large parlor, moving it to this side or that to free up floor space.
    “I’m considering,” said the vampire, “who I want.”
    Althea’s fingers closed spasmodically around the arms of a chair she had just shifted.
    Where was he? How had he gotten in? From her crouching position she jerked her head back and forth to locate him. He was in the doorway, hands gripping each side. His fingernails were longer, and sharper, and seemed to be leaving dents in the woodwork. He rocked back and forth, chuckling to himself.
    “So many choices!” said the vampire. The texture of his voice, usually dark, like pouring syrup, was much sunnier, as light and warm as honey.
    Althea stood up. So many choices. He means my guests … he means …
    No! This is my party! My first party! I’m popular now! He can’t come back into this!
    I could bash him to pieces with this chair, Althea thought. She picked it up.
    “A chair?” said the vampire disdainfully. “I’ve avoided destruction for centuries now. A teenage girl with a chair is hardly going to slow me down.”
    Althea made herself set the chair down neatly