Read The Vampire's Photograph for Free Online Page A

knew that look: the calm before the storm. It would be that look and more if his parents found out about this business with Emalie. “Physics is the key to learning to control the forces,” Phlox said sweetly. She took a slow sip from her goblet.
    â€œWhatever—” Bane began.
    â€œIt—is—not—what—ever,” Phlox hissed. Her eyes began to glow turquoise. “You’re barely keeping up with your studies as it is, Charles. You’re almost eighteen. Do you want to be the only one in your class who still can’t occupy?”
    Occupying animals was a higher level vampire skill. It allowed vampires to merge spirits with certain dark animals, using them to travel, spy, or enter places unnoticed.
    â€œOccupying is stupid, too,” Bane snapped.
    â€œReally?” Phlox replied, her eyes starting to smolder.
    Something caught Oliver’s eye from the corner of the room. There was a narrow shelf along the wall, with fire bonsai growing downward out of it, twisting their way in gnarled spirals toward an ornate iron bowl on the floor that was filled with swirling red magmalight. Beside this display, a large brown rat was squeezing out from a crack in the stone wall. Its eyes were unnaturally black.
    â€œWhy do I need to travel in some lowly, living animal?” Bane was going on.
    The rat crept up behind Bane’s chair, then paused to stand on its hind legs. Wisps of black smoke began to rise from it. The feathers of smoke grew, twirling together, gaining weight and shape, and in moments, there was Sebastian. The rat drooped to the ground, looking exhausted, and slinked back into the wall.
    â€œIt’s a waste of time,” Bane continued.
    Sebastian stood just behind Bane, smoothing his suit jacket, pulling at his cuffs, even winking at Oliver. Then in a lightning stroke, he closed both hands around Bane’s neck. Bane’s eyes bugged. His goblet sailed out of his hand, clattering on the stone floor.
    â€œHmm,” Sebastian said into Bane’s ear. “I think occupying comes in rather handy, myself.” He let go and moved to his chair, kissing Phlox before sitting down.
    â€œHow was work, dear?” asked Phlox, her eyes cooling back to hazel.
    â€œThe long nights never end,” Sebastian said tiredly.
    Bane rubbed at his neck, scowling. Oliver looked down at his plate, hoping Phlox might return to Bane.
    â€œAnd how was your night, Oliver?” she asked.
    â€œOh—it was fine,” Oliver replied as dully as he could.
    â€œRemember, you have your checkup on Friday,” said Sebastian as he scooped soufflé onto his plate.
    â€œOh, yeah.” Oliver nodded.
    â€œI don’t get why the lamb has to go to these annual doctor’s checkups,” Bane muttered.
    Oliver kept his head down, but listened carefully. He hadn’t wanted to start any conversations, given the number of secrets he was currently dealing with, not even about Seth’s strange doctor comments. Luckily, Bane had done it for him.
    â€œWell, Charles,” Phlox began. “There’s been new research on what growing children need—”
    â€œWhat he needs is some guts,” Bane muttered sarcastically.
    â€œCareful,” Phlox countered.
    Oliver dared to glance up—and found Sebastian looking at him. It was that odd look again, like Oliver was something to be studied. But then Sebastian smiled and turned away.
    â€œDoctors, nutrition,” Bane scoffed. “Why can’t we live like Old World vampires? If we lived in Morosia, I’d be getting to raid human towns by now.”
    â€œThat’s enough,” Sebastian said sternly. His eyes, normally brown like Oliver’s, glowed fiercely, passing amber and nearing crimson. “There’ll be no more talk of the Old World here. You can get your fill with your cousins next time we visit your grandparents, but until then, you will continue to try to become an