The Rock's of Beauty by Meghan Escott (books for new readers TXT) 📕

be there so we can explain to my group about the Vampire attack.” She said. I shrugged and turned away from her and went into Ethyl's spare bedroom and magicked myself some clean clothes before borrowing a towel and hoping in the shower in the neat and tidy bathroom.
When I was out of the shower and dressed, Ethyl was pacing restlessly by the front door obviously waiting for me. “Where have you been? Doesn't matter. We need to get going to the meeting and....” At this point I noticed she had a knife in her hand. “What's the knife for?” I interrupted her by saying. “I was cutting up sandwiches and got distracted.” she said quickly and returned the knife back to the kitchen, putting her shoes on on the way. I put my shoes as well and met her at the front door. She opened it and we stepped into the sunlight.
On the walk to the village hall – I know, weird place to hold an anti-vampire meeting – we didn't talk. I walked at the same medium pace Ethyl was walking at and she kept on giving me hard looks that said a lot - baring in mind I was listening in to her thoughts. She didn't trust me but this was the only way she was going to win.
The hall loomed ahead of us and I saw cars – lots of cars – parked in front of the hall. We went straight through the wide double doors and as Ethyl and I walked into the room, everyone stood up for Ethyl and when they saw me they sat back down again.
“Whose this you've brought Ethyl?” A woman said standing up and walking into the centre of the circle of chairs that was filling up most of the hall. She had pitch black hair and her frame could be described as petite and she was wearing extra tight clothes to show off her frame. From her thoughts she thought she was in love with the man to her right who was also standing up. Obviously I wasn't being welcomed me like Ethyl had anticipated although she was arguing with her group to get me in.
“Her name is Lucy guys and she's in this whether you like her or not. She saved me from a Vampire last night.” Ethyl finally said and pulled down her scarf that she had cleverly worn. While everyone shrieked in horror and ran over to Ethyl to make sure she was al-right and to hear the story, I inspected the tattoos that everyone had on their neck.
The tattoo was consisted of two things; there was a black candle and a brown cross burning in the flame of the candle. I guessed that the black candle signified that the vampires were a symbol of death and the burning cross represented the breach in Christianity and the evil of the devil within the vampires.
“Lucy?” Ethyl's voice caught my attention and I smiled gently at everyone. “The guys want to induct you straight away.” She said to me with a smile and wink. I smiled widely to try and show enthusiasm. I sat down on the chair next to Ethyl and crossed my legs.
“I'm Andrea. What's hole in your neck from?” The women who had spoken before said looking straight at me. My hand automatically went to my neck and rubbed along the indent in it.
“Last year, I was with a vampire, he was my boyfriend at the time, and he got hungry while I was with him that day. He bit me and bit this part of my neck out.” I felt a tear fall down my face. “I was in hospital for weeks. I was only 18.” Ethyl reached over and patted my knee sadly while I wiped the tears from my cheeks.
“Enough about Lucy. What do we need to talk about today?” Ethyl said, changing the subject away from me.
“The vampire attack we were planning. I think we should bring it forward since you got attacked.” Andrea said.
“That's a good idea Andrea. Maybe in a few weeks we can start preparations. But we've got to be extra careful now.”
“Why?”
“Lucy has explained some things to me and she's going to share them with the group.” Ethyl looked at me expectantly so I looked at the group and explained.
“Vampires live in schools. They have turners – the people that change humans into vampires and they have a special academy to train them. They are very organised and if they hear of an attack, they will set guards all around the school and they will kill all of you. I suggest we approach on foot which means walking there too. They can hear cars and vehicles coming but footsteps are harder to hear especially over the other activities there doing. I also suggest that we should approach at night time, around midnight because that’s when they are in full swing of lessons.”
“How do you know all of this?” A man said from the corner.
“Alan.” Ethyl said in my defence. “She comes from a family of vampires, she basically lived at a vampire school for half a year. She knows everything about vampires.” I looked at Ethyl in shock since I hadn't told her about my family.
“You come from a family of vampires?” Andrea said in excitement.
“Yes. My Grandfather was a vampire and his grandfather was as well. But all of my family are now dead apart from my remaining child. There is nothing to worry about where my family is concerned.” I told them all then relaxed into the chair I was sat in. Ethyl then carried on speaking and I blanked out and mentally searched.
I popped into Sam's mind so easily that it was hard to believe. He was asleep and he jerked awake as I entered his mind. He whispered my name so softly and suddenly opened his eyes. He cut an 'M' then an 'A' into his palm an almost immediately Angela walked into his room.
“Go in my mind and find out where Lucy is.” He commanded Angela and she immediately closed her eyes and went into Sam's head. I silently asked for her to listen through my ears. She responded and listened to Ethyl speaking.
“That's settled. We are going to attack the vampire school 8 miles North rather then the school 2 miles South of us. We will set off on foot in one weeks time. Meet here at this time in one week.”
Angela gasped and I nodded. Let them know that they are coming. I will have to go too but alert them to not kill me. Get Sam to ask The Head for a picture of Ethyl and tell them not to kill her. She's The Heads Mother. Please help me Angela.
I'll try my best Lucy but what do I tell Sam of you. Are you well?
No. I am not but I owe a life. Tell him that I will be back to him within a week or two and that we have some unfinished business with Tristan unless he is dead.
He is not dead, merely tied with silver until you returned. Goodbye Lucy.
Bye Angela.
I pulled out of Sam's head and came back to the meeting where they were packing away the chairs. I stood up and pushed my chair back and it fell over. I could smell blood. Andrea's finger was steadily bleeding and I could feel my eyes start changing colour. I forced the red away and turned quickly to Ethyl.
“Ethyl.” I said urgently so she would turn to me. “I need to leave now.” I said flicking my eyes to Andrea and back to her. She nodded and I walked at a fast pace out of the hall and into the fresh air. I could hear Ethyl telling the rest of the group that I was severely squeamish especially of blood. They seemed to believe her because she came out a minute later and started walking me towards her house.
“You can let your eyes turn red now.” she said quietly to me. I sighed and let them turn red. Ethyl looked at me inquisitively and shrugged her shoulders.
“Not all vampires do this but I've got some special things about me and they make me do that. Sorry.” I said quickly.
“It's okay just try not to let it happen with them around otherwise our cover is blown.” I nodded and we walked back to house in silence with my eyes turning greener at each step.
“How did you know about my family?” I asked Ethyl as soon as we were sat down in her living room.
“Eric wrote to me about a pretty girl with green eyes and black hair and all about her. He told me about how all of her family were dead and he had fallen in love with her after my son had sent him to her at a wreckage of a school. He told me every detail about you.”
“He's got my kid right now.” I said sadly.
“You'll need to get the club tattoo Lucy.” Ethyl said randomly. I sighed and nodded my head with a sad smile on my face.
“When?”
“Today or Tomorrow. You'll have to prove to them that your serious now you've been to a meeting.”
“Okay.” I said getting up and putting on my shoes that I had kicked off at the door. “Lets go.” Ethyl's mouth actually dropped open and I smiled. “No time like the present. Come on.” I gripped her hands and pulled her up off the chair.
“Okay then. Its not going to come off though Lucy.”
“I know. Don't you think I reminded every day of everything that's happened to me. One more mark on my skin won't matter.” She smiled – just a twitch of her mouth – and then put her shoes on and we both walked out the door and round the back to her car and got in.
She drove to the nearest tattoo artist and walked in confidently while I shuffled behind her. The bell jingled merrily as we walking in and the women behind the desk smiled at Ethyl.
“You got another one for me Ethyl.” she said looking at me.
“Yes, this is Lucy.”
“Come on through Lucy.”
Chapter Twelve

One Week Later
We were all in the village hall and everyone was inspecting my neck with the anti-vampire tattoo on it. People that passed patted me on my back and smiled at me. My phone chimed and I looked at it to see that I had a phone call from Angela.
“I got to take this a minute.” I said and walked outside. I pressed receive and put the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Lucy! Its so good to hear your voice.”
“Did you do what I asked?”
“Of course I did. They'll be guards waiting to take you and Ethyl inside while they kill the rest of your group. You can even help if you would