Read Bloody Valentine for Free Online Page B

who had been in cycle in Florence.

    The party went on for a good hour or so until Bendix raised his voice. “Excuse me, excuse me, ahem.”
    The crowd quieted, and he waited until he had their full attention. “It is time now to pay tribute and say the words of our founder.”
    The veteran society members raised their glasses to the sky and, as one, recited the following poem: “‘The Bird.’ By Killington Jones. ‘I think that I have never heard/ A song as lovely as a bird’s/With feathers light and beak bright red/The nests he builds to lay his head/Only the Lord can make a bird/But even I can write a turd.’ ”
    “Right!” Bendix beamed. “Let the Bad Poetry Contest begin!”
    Allegra listened, bemused, as a succession of wannabe poets recited a slew of truly terrible verse to the hooting crowd. Bendix brought the house down with his entry, “The Last Song of the Ice Fisherman on the Floes of Dear Old Norway.” It was tragically, comically awful, and he won first place.
    When it was over, he walked over to her side. “Congratulations. You’re funny,” she said, poking him in the chest.
    He caught her hand, and held her gaze.
    “Ben—stop.” She smiled. “Let go,” she said, even though she liked the feel of his strong hand around hers. She liked Ben—and it was Ben now—Bendix was so serious and unlike his goofy character—and she didn’t mind that he called her Legs—she liked it. It was unserious. It was unlike her. He saw a side of her that no one had really seen yet. To the Blue Bloods, she would always be Gabrielle, the Virtuous, the Responsible, their Queen, their Mother, their Savior. But to Bendix Chase, she was not even Allegra Van Alen, she was Legs. It made her feel young, dangerous, and reckless. Qualities that did not apply to Gabrielle.
    Plus, he was so very, very cute.
    “Come here,” she whispered, pulling him close, tugging on that silly costume robe he was wearing.
    “Huh?”
    She pulled him closer, and when he saw what she wanted, his eyes became soft. He had the kindest blue eyes that she had ever seen. He was so beautiful, this boy, the most beautiful boy in the world—and when she lifted up her face to his, he bent down to meet her halfway, his arms encircling her waist, holding her tightly.
    It was just a kiss, but already she knew there would be more.
    Ben murmured. “Took you long enough to come around, Legs.”
    “Mmm…” she agreed. She had wanted to take it slow. But what was the harm? He was only human. It was only a flirtation; at most he would end up her familiar. She had had many of those in her immortal lifetimes.

    Allegra was still glowing from Ben’s kiss when she returned to her dormitory, only to run into her brother.
    “Where have you been?” Charles demanded. “I’ve been looking for you. You weren’t at the Committee meeting tonight.”
    “Oh? Was that tonight? I forgot. I was busy.”
    “With what? Don’t tell me you became a member of that asinine society of theirs?” he sneered.
    “It’s not stupid, Charlie. I mean, of course it’s silly, but it’s not stupid. There’s a difference,” she retorted.
    “It’s just a sad human copy of the Committee. We were here first.”
    “Maybe.” She shrugged. “But they throw much better parties.”
    “What’s happened to you?” Charles implored.
    For a moment Allegra pitied him. “Nothing. Charlie. Please. Not here.” She shook her head again.
    “Allegra, we need to talk.”
    “There’s nothing to talk about. What’s there to talk about?”
    “Cordelia…she’s coming for Parents’ Day on Sunday.”
    “Then tell Mother I said hello.” With that, Allegra vanished into the dormitory without another word. The night had held so much promise. For a while there, joking around with the Peithologians, kissing Bendix, she had been able to believe that she was just an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. But one conversation with Charles dispelled any remaining delusions that she might