Ritual by Duval Alex

Author:Duval, Alex [Duval, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published: 2008-06-16T04:00:00+00:00

TEN

“Do you think this skirt is too short for a funeral?” Dani asked on Saturday morning. Her black, flowy skirt skimmed her knees.

“It looks okay to me,” Jason replied, straightening the jacket of his one and only suit. “And if we don’t leave now, we’ll be late.”

Dani frowned at her reflection in the hall mirror. “I guess I don’t have time to change.”

“Why do you want to come, anyway?” Jason said. “It will only make you sad, and you hardly even knew Dominic. You don’t have to do this.”

“Like you were such great friends with him.” Dani rolled her eyes. “You’re only going because you want to see Sienna.”

“I’m going because it’s the right thing to do,” Jason replied seriously. “And I doubt anyone’s even going to notice what you’re wearing.”

“Untrue. It’ll be like a fashion show,” Dani told him, pulling open the front door and heading out to the VW. “There aren’t any parties this weekend, so everyone’s going to treat this funeral as an excuse to look good.”

“That’s not funny,” Jason replied.

Dani turned to him, her eyes sad. “I know,” she said. “I don’t mean that people don’t care about Dominic’s death. But face it, we live in an image-conscious world. And this is Malibu! People will be mourning and primping at the same time.”

Jason hoped she was wrong, but it turned out his little sister understood things better than he did this time. Dominic’s funeral—which was taking place at an oh-so-sophisticated and elegant funeral mansion—was packed with what appeared to be the entire population of Malibu, and they were all dressed to the nines. The men wore dark suits, but they were well-cut and expensive-looking suits. And most of the women were in beautiful little black dresses. Even Jason could see that they’d all spent a lot of time on their hair and makeup. It was the best-dressed funeral he’d ever attended.

The vampires looked the most splendid of all, of course. They were all decked out in Italian suits and couture dresses, and they kept to themselves, sitting in a group at the front of the funeral hall. A few of the older women were wearing wide-brimmed black hats, and Dominic’s mother wore a black silk veil over her face. Belle sat nearby, dark glasses covering her eyes. She twisted her hands together in her lap, her usually smiling mouth turned down, her chin trembling.

Jason spotted Sienna sitting with her parents next to Zach Lafrenière and his family. Brad was in the next row back.

Aaron Harberts walked by with Priesmeyer. He slapped Jason on the back as he passed. “Hey, Freeman!”

“Hey.”

“I hear everyone’s heading out to the beach after the service. You coming?” Harberts asked.

“Definitely,” Dani answered for Jason.

“What up, party people in the place to be?” Adam said, coming up behind them. Dani smirked.

“It’s not a party,” Jason insisted.

“I know. You’re right.” Adam pulled at his tie, looking uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I always act inappropriately when I’m nervous.”

Jason nodded. “It just seems all wrong that Dominic’s dead.

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