Forbidden Feast Read online

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  About Joelle Sterling

  For my niece, Imani Perry

  CHAPTER 1

  Holland Manning peered at the screen of her phone, wishing Jonas would contact her. Disheartened, she tossed the phone in her purse and sighed as she observed the swarm of students that clogged the school’s corridors. Getting through her first day back at Frombleton High wasn’t going to be easy. For the first time in her life, Holland wanted to go unnoticed. But, as luck would have it, kids were staring at her, as if she were an exchange student from another planet.

  Unfortunately, Holland had to squeeze through a crowd of gawking, smart-mouthed boys as she searched for her locker.

  “Check out Holland Manning? When did she get hot?” a giggling sophomore asked in a voice loud enough for Holland to hear.

  “I hear Botox works wonders . . . or maybe she got a nose job! Whatever she had done is totally working,” replied another obnoxious boy.

  Holland’s face flushed with embarrassment as she navigated through the mob of students. When she finally located her locker, she spotted Chaela Vasquez from the corner of her eye. Chaela was flanked by Paige Holbrook and Elle Schmidt, and Holland’s heart sank as the three cheerleaders glided in her direction. She simply didn’t have the emotional strength to exchange insults with Chaela and her two snotty friends. Hoping the girls would pass her by without any catty comments, Holland avoided their gazes and pretended to be engrossed in opening her combination lock.

  “Look who’s back in town,” Elle said with undisguised disdain.

  “And she’s all glammed up with a new hairdo,” Paige added snidely.

  “She tried to steal Jarrett, and now she probably wants to sink her claws into Chaela’s new boyfriend.” Elle spoke in a high volume, designed to pique the curiosity of the other students that meandered through the halls.

  A small crowd began to gather, and Holland felt compelled to stand up for herself. Whirling around, she faced the three mean girls. Elle and Paige glared at her, while Chaela looked downward, unwilling to meet Holland’s gaze.

  “Chaela!” Holland said sharply, forcing Chaela to glance up and look her in the eye. “I never tried to steal Jarrett from you. He lied and told me that you two broke up,” Holland explained.

  “It doesn’t matter; it’s cool,” Chaela mumbled and anxiously chewed on a fingernail.

  “No, it’s not cool,” Paige disagreed, her face twisted in repugnance. “You caught her cheating with Jarrett and you’re gonna let her get away with it?”

  Grinning and jeering, a few overly zealous students began to chant, “Girl fight! Girl fight!”

  “I don’t have a problem with Holland. Jarrett’s the past, and I’ve moved on,” Chaela explained, sounding uncharacteristically reasonable. She glanced at Holland. “Listen, you can have Jarrett if you want; he’s all yours.”

  “No thanks; I have a boyfriend,” Holland replied calmly.

  Unlike her typical, confident self, Chaela seemed frazzled and her eyes shifted around anxiously. Holland also noticed that Chaela didn’t look as polished or as put together as usual. There were dark circles around her eyes, like she hadn’t slept in days. Her nail polish was chipped, and the nail on her left index finger had been nibbled down to the quick. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and there were errant wisps of hair that she kept pushing out of her face. Holland had never seen Chaela look so terrible. She was completely disheveled in a wrinkly, uncoordinated outfit with colors that clashed.

  Displeased with the civil exchange of words between Chaela and Holland, Elle’s dark eyes glinted with malevolence. “Chaela’s dating the hot, quarterback from Willow Hills, and so, you can have creepy Jarrett Sloan. You two losers deserve each other,” she said spitefully.

  “I’m not interested in Jarrett,” Holland said in exasperation. Then, bitterly recalling how the three cheerleaders used to terrorize her friend, Naomi, Holland suddenly became hot with anger. She advanced toward them so abruptly and in such a threatening manner, the girls flinched and took several steps backward.

  “If you girls are looking for someone to bully, you chose the wrong person. I’m not tolerating it. Do you understand?” Holland said in a raised voice.

  “Whoa! Holland Manning is gonna kick some cheerleader butt,” an onlooker yelled, hoping to instigate a fight.

  “Lighten up, Holland. We were only kidding.” Elle giggled nervously.

  Keeping her eyes downcast, Chaela muttered, “Let’s go; we’re gonna be late for class.” Flinging their hair, Elle and Paige sashayed along the corridor. Walking between them, Chaela kept her head hung low.

  With no brawl to witness, the group of spectators muttered in disappointment as they reluctantly dispersed.

  Doreen Johnson emerged from the throng of students and sidled up to Holland. “Way to go, Holland. I bet the bitch squad won’t be bothering you anymore.”

  “Probably not,” Holland said with indifference.

  “Where’ve you been? Heard you were at some fancy-schmancy school.”

  “Yeah, I was away at boarding school.”

  “What happened . . . did you get kicked out?”

  “No. I left on my own. Got homesick.” Holland gave a tight smile and then closed her locker. “See you later; I have to get to my homeroom before the bell.”

  “Who do you have for homeroom?” Doreen asked.

  “Mr. Haroldson.”

  “I have Haroldson, too.” Doreen fell into step with Holland. “You should have stayed as far away from Frombleton as possible.”

  “Why?”

  “Crazy shit’s been happening. Didn’t you hear about Doug Shriver?”

  “Yeah, I heard a rumor.”

  “It’s more than a rumor. Doug claims he was bitten by a gang of vampires.” Doreen peered at Holland, waiting for her reaction.

  “A gang of vampires?”

  “Uh-huh. Teenage vampires,” Doreen added. “The McFadden woman said the same thing . . . she said that she and her husband were abducted by two normal-looking teens who turned out to be vicious vampires. She claims her husband was bled dry by a pack of them. People aren’t taking these cases seriously; they don’t want to believe that vampires actually exist.”

  Holland knew all too well that the bloodsuckers existed. A shiver rippled through her as she recalled her battle with the Sullivan family. Thankfully, her blood was lethal to vampires, but she wasn’t sure if she could survive an attack by a gang of them.

  Doreen paused outside of Mr. Haroldson’s class. She reached inside her stretchy pink top and furtively revealed a silver crucifix. “I’m wearing this for protection,” she whispered. “You should get one, too; I heard that the vamps are planning to take over Frombleton.”

  “Where’re you getting your
information?”

  “A friend of mine hangs with the vamps.”

  The girls entered the classroom and Holland took a vacant seat next to Doreen. “Your friend is probably making up the story; putting a spin on the rumors that are circulating,” Holland suggested, fishing for more information about the vampires.

  “It’s true. Vamps are right here in Frombleton. I used to go to their parties, too. But now that . . .” Doreen paused and swallowed. “Now that they’re . . . you know . . . murdering people, I’ve been steering clear of them. But my friend is still partying with them. And, um, so is Jarrett Sloan,” she said in a voice that was low and confidential.

  “Jarrett’s hanging with vamps!” Holland exclaimed.

  “Keep your voice down,” Doreen cautioned.

  “Sorry,” Holland murmured. Last summer, after being a blood slave for Zac the vampire, Jarrett had barely escaped with his life intact. Why would he want to hang out with a vampire gang? Holland mused.

  “Knowing what the vampires are up to has been eating at me. I couldn’t risk sounding like a lunatic, so I haven’t talked about this with anyone . . .” Doreen went quiet and she looked around suspiciously. “Other than my friend, I haven’t talked about the vamps with anyone until now.”

  “Why’d you decide to tell me?”

  “I don’t know; I guess you seemed weird enough to believe me.” Doreen gave an apologetic smile.

  Holland didn’t wince at the back-handed compliment. She no longer cared what anyone thought of her. And to be honest, being a witch of the First Order definitely qualified her as a weirdo.

  “Who is this mysterious friend of yours? And why isn’t she worried about vamps taking over the town?”

  “She’s actually my ex-best friend. She stole my vamp boyfriend—a hot dude named Chaos. Chaos can be an egotistical dick, but he’s so sexy, it’s easy to overlook his flaws,” Doreen said dreamily.

  “Wow, your best friend stole your boyfriend?”

  “It may not be her fault . . . vampires can do mind control, you know. I mean, it was so unexpected for her to start dating Chaos. She was seeing several vampire dudes, and she used to criticize me for being so emotionally invested in Chaos. You can’t imagine how hurt and shocked I was when she suddenly fell head over heels in love with him. She actually bragged about how much she likes it when he sucks her blood until she passes out.”

  Holland grimaced. “Why would she let him do that?”

  “The rush. It’s exciting and intense; like sexual asphyxiation, I guess.”

  Holland didn’t know anything about sexual asphyxiation, but she did know that fooling around with vamps was life-threatening! Naomi had been infatuated with a vampire, and it turned out badly. It was chilling to think that another classmate was romantically involved with a dangerous bloodsucker.

  “My friend, uh, Sophia . . . she hasn’t been to school in three days. My calls go straight to voice mail. And even though she’s a backstabbing, massive A-hole, I’m still worried about her. I stopped by her house after school yesterday, and her dad’s car is in the driveway, but nobody’s home. It’s like the entire household has disappeared.”

  Sophia Stoddard! Holland recalled that Sophia and Doreen were close friends. During middle school, Sophia had acquired a reputation for being . . . well, sort of loose.

  Doreen bit her bottom lip. “I think I know where Sophia’s family is.”

  “Where?”

  “Downtown. At the old Lilac Hotel.”

  Holland stared blankly at Doreen for a moment. “That old, abandoned hotel?”

  Doreen nodded. “That’s the vampires’ hideout. It’s where they sleep during the day.”

  “How many?”

  “Lots of ’em. A couple dozen live there, and Chaos and a few others visit often.”

  So, the old Lilac Hotel is their nest! Holland couldn’t stifle a smile. Once she passed this information on to Rebecca Pullman, the vampire crisis would be over. The residents of Frombleton would be safe, and the force field around her house could be removed, and she and her mom would no longer be on lockdown after dark.

  CHAPTER 2

  “Let’s stop here,” Eden said, pointing to Leroy’s Place, a quaint little grocery store about seventy miles outside of Willow Hills. “Seems peaceful. I doubt if the biters have made it this far.”

  Expressionless, Gabe nodded as he slowed the Explorer and pulled into the dirt lot. There was an iridescent blue Mercedes in the parking lot that sparkled in the sunlight. The flashiness of the car was a complete contrast to the down-home appearance of the place.

  With its white clapboard exterior, a pink and blue neon clock in the window, a red wooden screen door, a pair of rocking chairs on the porch, and a big green banner that read: Homemade Sandwiches, the store had the historic charm of old Americana.

  “Looks pretty inviting,” Eden observed optimistically.

  “Mmm-hmm,” Gabe murmured without interest.

  “I could go for a homemade sandwich . . . can’t remember the last time I ate anything substantial. I’m suddenly starving . . . what about you?”

  “Nah, I don’t have an appetite.”

  “We have a long trip ahead of us; you have to put something in your stomach.”

  Irritation flashed in Gabe’s eyes. “Look, I said I’m not hungry! Now, let’s get whatever we need and get back on the road!”

  “Sure, okay,” Eden said, realizing how inconsiderate it was of her to try and coerce Gabe into a better mood. He was grieving over his grandmother and she’d simply have to accept his gloomy disposition.

  “Hey, I’m sorry I yelled at you,” Gabe said as he turned off the ignition. “You’re right; I should try to eat something.”

  Without a word, Eden patted Gabe’s hand.

  Cradling little Jane Doe in her arms, Eden took in the tranquil atmosphere. On the left-hand side of the store was a tall peach tree and a sturdy sycamore. The picnic tables that were off to the right were shaded by a massive weeping willow. The side of the building closest to the parking lot was decorated with an oversized, red Coca-Cola bottle cap and several large wooden placards that advertised products from a bygone era.

  Confident that the biters were confined to Willow Hills—at least for the time being—Eden looked down at Jane and cooed, “It’s a long drive to New York, and we’ve got to load up on formula and diapers for you.”

  “And some grub for us,” Gabe threw in with a chuckle, but the raw pain of losing his grandmother was evident in his eyes. “Oh, yeah, we’re getting low on gas. I guess we’re gonna have to fill up before we get back on the highway.” He pointed to a BP gas station sign that towered in the distance.

  The moment they opened the red screen door, they could smell the wonderful aromas that wafted through the store. Leroy’s Place offered a serene atmosphere, and it seemed that Eden and Gabe had walked into an era when life was uncomplicated and simple.

  “Awesome,” Gabe gushed, nodding to the throwback glass candy case filled with old classics like Candy Cigarettes, Squirrel Nuts, BB Bats, and Sugar Daddy Pops. “I’m getting a sugar rush just looking at this stuff.”

  A few feet from the candy case, a portly man with thick and bristling eyebrows and thinning white hair wore plastic gloves as he made sandwiches for a stylish couple.

  “Howdy,” he welcomed Gabe and Eden. “Welcome to Leroy’s where you’ll find the best dang sandwiches in the state of Georgia,” he boasted.

  “He’s right,” confirmed the well-dressed woman. Her hair was fixed in a perfectly coiffed topknot. She was wearing a pencil skirt, leopard-print top, black satin pumps, and an impressive diamond on her ring finger. Her equally attractive male companion had on tailored pants, and he wore a vest and tie over a crisp white shirt. His shirt sleeves, Eden noticed, were neatly folded at the elbows. The classy couple looked out of place in the quaint grocery store; they seemed like the types that would be more comfortable dining in an elegant restaurant. That shiny Mercedes has to b
elong to them, Eden concluded.

  “First time here?” the woman asked. Gabe and Eden both nodded. “Well, be careful or you’ll end up like me and my fiancé, Chuck. Leroy’s sandwiches are so addictive, we drive over twenty miles, twice a week—just to taste his amazing sandwiches.”

  Leroy tossed Gabe and Eden another proud smile. “Look at the menu and I’ll be with you in a second.”

  Gabe’s eyes shifted upward to the list of sandwiches that were posted on the wall, and Eden grabbed a miniature shopping cart and began browsing the aisles, searching for items the baby would need. Eyes squinted, she scanned the shelves checking for the same brand of formula that Jane was already drinking.

  The well-dressed woman joined her in the aisle. “You’re lucky, you know,” she said, smiling.

  Eden looked up, her brows furrowed in curiosity.

  “You’re lucky to have missed the lunch crowd.” She peered down at her expensive-looking watch. “This place is packed during the lunch rush, but it’s pretty relaxed at supper time.” She walked toward Eden, her eyes glistening with joy. “I love babies. Boy or girl?”

  “Girl. Her name’s Jane.” Eden shifted Jane in her arms, allowing the woman to see her face.

  “Oh, she’s adorable. Such a precious little jewel,” she remarked, stroking Jane’s cheek.

  “Charlotte! Come on, babe. I’ve got your pimento cheese spread sandwich,” Chuck called out with a trace of impatience in his voice.

  “Did you get the garlic habanero mayonnaise on the side?” Charlotte said from the baby products aisle.

  “Yeah, and a tall glass of sweet tea.”

  “Be right out,” Charlotte replied.

  After the sounds of the screen door squeaking open and then slamming closed, Charlotte held out her arms. “Can I hold the baby? Chuck and I are getting married next year, but we agreed to hold off on kids for another five years.” A pained look crossed Charlotte’s face. “I agreed, but in my heart of hearts, I want a baby so bad, I can taste it.”

  Eden carefully placed Jane in Charlotte’s arms. Chuck and Charlotte appeared to be the kind of people that could give Jane a decent home. Too bad they wouldn’t be ready for a family for another five years, and too bad they lived so close to Willow Hills. Even if they were interested in raising Jane, Eden couldn’t leave Jane with a couple that lived within a fifty-mile radius of the ravenous biters that roamed the area.