1. She

She
Tony came home from his pottery class tired and hungry. He came through the front door of the apartment and was happy to be greeted by the smell of roasted potatoes. He quickly hung his jacket up on the coatrack and headed for the kitchen. His father was sitting at the table cutting cucumbers into thin slices.

"Hello, Tony," he said, and with a mysterious grin added, "You've got a visitor."

"Me? A visitor?"

"Yes. She's waiting in your room."

"She?" repeated Tony, confused. "In my room?"

His father smiled. "You're blushing."

"I am not!" objected Tony. He was sure "she" could hear everything they were saying!

In a whisper he asked, "Who is it?"

His father laughed but didn't say.

Annoyed, Tony stormed out of the kitchen.

A girl, coming to his house, at seven o'clock at night...

He didn't know if he should be pleased or annoyed. He cautiously opened his bedroom door and saw Anna sitting on his bed.

She'd turned on the lamp and was reading, her head bent forward over a book. Her brown hair was neatly brushed, and she could have been mistaken for a normal girl--if it weren't for the slightly musty smell and her black, tattered vampire cape.

Tony stepped into the room, took a deep breath, and said, "Good evening, Anna!"

She looked up from the book. When she saw Tony, her pale cheeks turned pink. "Tony!" she cried. "We're together again at last."

She put the book down and went up to him, smiling. As if under a spell, Tony stared at her mouth. Her eyeteeth looked as though they were becoming long and pointed!

She noticed his look and blushed.

"You don't have to be scared," she said. "I would never do anything to you."

Tony's head was spinning, and he didn't know what to say.

"Aren't you happy?" she cried.

"Happy? About what?"

"That I'm a real vampire now. Rudolph can't call me 'Anna the Toothless, the only one in the family who lives on milk' anymore. I'm now known as Anna the Fearless." She stretched herself up proudly and laughed. "But you look miserable!" she exclaimed, surprised.

"I...," murmured Tony, who had backed up toward the door. "It's just that I need to get used to your--uh--vampire teeth."

"Yes, so do I," she agreed. "Everything is different now. Except when it comes to you. I like you as much as I always have."

Tony felt his face turn red. He quickly looked away and at the window. It was closed.

"How did you get in?" he asked, glad to talk about something a little less awkward.

"Through the door. I took the elevator up and rang your doorbell."

"Weren't you afraid of my parents?"

"Yes, but I said to myself that human girls go to their boyfriend's homes and ring the bell, so I have to be able to do that too if I want to be Anna the Fearless."

"And? What did my parents say?"

"I didn't see your mother. But your father smiled and asked if I was on my way to a costume party again. I said that there was a party at my gymnastics club today." She rubbed her hands together and giggled.

At that moment there was a knock at the door, and Tony's father entered the room.

"Well, you two?" he said, winking at Tony. "Are you having fun?"

"Yes," grumbled Tony, annoyed by his father's conspiratorial tone, "until you came in."

"I have to go now," Anna said, tugging at her cape.

"Go?" exclaimed Tony's father. "But we'll be eating soon. And I've put out some cheese and a big glass of milk for you. Those are your favorites, aren't they?"

Tony felt hot and cold shivers run down his spine, but Anna stayed very calm.

"Thank you very much," she said. "That's very nice of you, but I already had hot dogs and chips at the party." With that, she shook hands with Tony's father and said, "Goodbye, I hope to see you again soon," and headed out the door. Tony accompanied her to the elevator.

"Will we see each other again tomorrow?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

"I--I dunno," he stuttered.

"Tomorrow's Saturday," she said. "Don't your parents always go out Saturday night?"

He nodded hesitantly. "Yes."

"So, we can do something together," she said. "After all, we have to celebrate."

The elevator door opened, and she got in.

"Celebrate? Celebrate what?" Tony asked.

"That I'm no longer Anna the Toothless," she replied, beaming, and before Tony could say anything, the elevator door closed.

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Excerpted from The Little Vampire in Love by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.