Read Alliance for Free Online Page B

good Director to run this school? Now you’re telling me it was for personal gain?”
    I roll my eyes. “No, I’m telling you that he does an excellent job of running this school, which Mr. Wellington hired him to do, but it’s a nice perk that he keeps us on the DL.”
    “Speaking of things on the ‘DL’, you were mumbling about Lily in your sleep last night. What did you do?”
    “The little twerp was being nosy. I didn’t attack her or anything. I can’t help it if she happened to stumble across me while I was vamped out.”
    Hannah’s eyes widen. “Mags, you didn’t!”
    I look down at my sock feet. “Well, she hasn’t told anyone. Yet. Maybe she thought she was hallucinating or something.”
    Hannah sits up in bed again. She must mean business. “You know Lily is a recovering user. What if she thought you were buzzed? Maggie!”
    I know she’s concerned, but I don’t want to hear it. I spend my life helping teens through this school, but Lily brings out my spiteful side. I may be ancient, but sometimes I just want to be the seventeen-year-old I am.
    I grind my teeth. “Fine, I’m sorry I did it. But it was all I could do to get her out of there, and if I didn’t get into that room I probably would’ve just eaten Lily instead, and that wouldn’t be any better.”
    Hannah continues to glare at me. Whatever. She doesn’t have to worry about bloodlust, so I can’t expect her to understand how bad it gets.
    “Can we move on, please?”
    Finally she relents and lies back down on the bed. “Sure, let’s discuss that little scene at the hospital with you and that boy Shane.”
    That’s not a better topic.
    “What?”
    “I may have been about to pass out, but I saw the way you looked at him, Mags. Don’t deny it.”
    I turn to my desk and jiggle the mouse to wake up my laptop. “Hmm?”
    “Don’t play coy with me. What’re you blushing for?”
    “It’s warm in here.”
    “No, it’s not. Dish, girl. Did he fall down on his knees to thank you for saving his sister? Did he ask for your digits?”
    “Hannah, stop.”
    “No way. This is too fun,” she sing-songs.
    “He…” What can I tell her? The truth, or I’ll never get her off my back. “It was a case of instant dislike. He wouldn’t even shake my hand.”
    Her face changes from teasing to serious. “Aw, honey. I’m sorry.”
    I shrug. “It’s not like I’m on the market for a guy. Hel lo , I’m a vampire.” We’ve had this discussion before, and I know she’s going to say, ‘Just because you’re a vampire doesn’t mean you can’t date.’ It’s what she always says. But she surprises me.
    “Maybe he was intimidated. You know, thrown off his game by a strong woman commandeering the situation.”
    “W-what?” I can’t help laughing, her statement is so far off from what I expected.
    “It could happen. Guys have a whole self-image, fragile ego thing that us women don’t understand.”
    I shake my head, smile lingering. “You are too funny.”
    “What? You think I’m making it up? I know!” she exclaims, and her sudden enthusiasm startles me. “I can call Lisa at the hospital—she owes me a favor—and ask her to pull the patient’s records. We can find out where he lives and you could… I don’t know have a flat tire in front of his house and let him come to the rescue! Then when he’s all ‘me manly man’ you can swoon at his feet. And then live happily ever after.”
    It’s nice to see her so lively. Her eyes are sparkling. Maybe she is finally feeling better. But I can’t help but point out the flaw in her plan. I go with the easy one first, not the big ones like the issues of blood-sucking or immortality. “I don’t have a car.”
    This does not deter her.
    “You can buy one. It’s not like you can’t afford it, Miss Ritchie Rich.”
    “I don’t have a driver’s license.”
    “You don’t need one. Just park the car out front and flatten the tire.”
    “Hannah.”
    “Maggie.”
    We both