15 Secrets and Spies - My Sister the Vampire by Sienna Mercer Page B

don’t need to prove yourself to
me.’
    Aw!
Ivy was already automatically reaching out to take his hand when she remembered and yanked hers back. ‘I’m glad to hear that,’ she said, forging forwards. ‘I
hope you feel like you can always talk to me, no matter what it’s about . . .’ She took a deep breath. ‘And no matter how difficult it might be.’
    ‘OK . . .’ Brendan came to a dead stop and stared at her. ‘What’s
really
going on here?’
    ‘Nothing!’ Ivy clenched her hands into fists, fighting down her panic. ‘It’s just that, with us starting high school, I know everything can get thrown up into the air. I
don’t want things between us to . . . change.’ Her voice cracked on the last word, and she clenched her jaw as she went on: ‘And talking –
clear communication
–
is the way to keep our relationship from changing, right?’
    Brendan held her gaze for a long, tense moment. Then he let out a sigh, nodding slowly. ‘You’re right,’ he said. ‘I guess it’s time.’
    Ivy’s pulse began beating hard against her skin. ‘Time for what?’
    But Brendan was already walking down the street, and she had to hurry to catch up with him. He had taken out his phone to type out a rapid text message to someone. Then he looked at Ivy.
‘It’s time to go to my family’s crypt.’
    Ivy stopped dead in her tracks. ‘Um . . .
What?!
’
    Brendan didn’t even turn around as he mumbled, ‘There are some things that you need to know.’
    Like what?
Ivy wanted to demand. But she bit back the question as she followed him down the street.
He’s finally ready to give some answers . . . so I’ll
wait
to let him do it.
    It was only a ten-minute walk from Brendan’s house to the massive gates of Franklin Grove Memorial Cemetery, but with every passing moment, Ivy felt even more confused. When they walked
through the gates in the growing darkness, she had to fight back a shudder. Vampire or not, the idea of something she
needed to
know being in a crypt . . .
Well, that’s more than
a little creepy!
     

    Less than five minutes later, they were deep in the centre of the cemetery, facing the low, stone crypt of the Daniels family. As usual, the ancient building seemed to be
sinking into the ground. Three looming arches, supported by ivy-entwined pillars, formed a darkened awning. A large stone door stood beneath the centre arch, surrounded by tarnished and scowling
bronze gargoyles on either side.
    In the middle of the door, an ornate square plate was carved into the stone, inscribed with a single, glowing word:
    DANIELS
    Ivy took a deep breath, fighting down the goosebumps that wanted to prickle across her arms.
    This is ridiculous
, she told herself.
I’ve been here plenty of times. There’s nothing to be scared of.
    But she’d never been brought here to be told deep, dark family secrets before . . . and Brendan had never acted quite so
mysterious
before.
    As she waited, Brendan ducked under the awning and reached out to the gargoyle on the right, turning one of its giant claws.
    Dull clicks and thuds echoed through the ancient stone. Finally, the enormous door slid open . . . and a shudder rippled through Ivy’s body.
    When Brendan had brought her here before, it had felt
fun-
creepy, but now . . . it just felt
creepy
-creepy.
    Clenching her fists more tightly, she forced down the wave of panic.
Come on. A vampire scared inside a cemetery? How crazy is that?
    Breathing deeply, she followed Brendan down the bumpy, uneven steps into the darkness. Brendan pulled out a matchbox from the corner of the stairway and lit one match after another with
practised ease to light their way. The tiny flames sent leaping shadows across his face.
    When they stepped into the crypt’s vast antechamber, with its cathedral-like ceiling and grooved floor, he moved to light the tall candles all around the room . . . and Ivy finally ran out
of patience.
    ‘Are you
ever
going to tell me why you’ve brought