Still Sucks to Be Me: The All-true Confessions of Mina Smith, Teen Vampire by Kimberly Pauley

Author:Kimberly Pauley [Pauley, Kimberly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7869-5753-8
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Publishing
Published: 2010-08-24T04:00:00+00:00

21

The Council building is in what must be one of the oldest parts of New Orleans. Most of the buildings look pretty rundown and the streets are really quiet and dark. None of the street lights are working either (apparently on purpose, or maybe because they all used to be gas lights and no one ever bothered to convert them to electric). The windows are all shuttered, and honestly, it’s all pretty sketchy, if you ask me. Serena is really, really quiet as we walk down the street, and she’s holding on tight to my hand.

And I guess the vampires we have run into probably aren’t making her feel any more comfortable. New Orleans seems to have a high concentration of vampires stuck in the past. We’ve seen at least a handful dressed in everything from a top hat and tails to one of those crazy flouncy dresses with all the ruffles. I guess they can get away with it here since tourists probably just think they’re all part of the show that is New Orleans. Some of them don’t even seem to bother hiding their fangs. It looks really bizarre. And I don’t know how they stand it. The fangs-out look is not all that comfortable. I swear I bite my lip every time I have them out.

We know the building when we get to it, even without Uncle Mortie’s say-so. It’s a huge old moss-covered stone building with vines snaking up the front columns and gothic style arches. I bet it’s even on some of the city tours—it’s that impressive. Well, if anyone would dare walk down here.

I keep hold of Serena’s hand as we all walk in with Uncle Mortie leading the way. Her eyes are huge, though I guess I can’t blame her. The Council back home in California wasn’t anywhere near as impressive or creepy as this. They must have really bought into the whole vampire literature propaganda here. And then they charge people for it, like Uncle Mortie does. Kind of crazy.

The first room is like a lobby with big marble columns and even more marble on the floor. There are about ten or fifteen vampires just milling around, all of them giving us the eye as we walk through. Uncle Mortie nods to a few. “Evenin’, Mortimer,” says one politely and even tips his hat to me and Mom and Serena. We keep following Uncle Mortie down a hallway with peeling wallpaper and these really dour-looking portraits hanging on the wall. They could seriously film a movie in here. It’d have to be a horror flick, but it’s definitely camera ready. I’m actually finding it kind of funny, though I’m sure Serena isn’t at all. About now she’s probably wondering what in the heck she’s gotten herself into. I give her hand a gentle squeeze.

We finally get to what must be the official Council chamber. Seven vampires are seated at a long table in front of this absolutely humongous fireplace. You could probably cook an entire cow in the thing, it’s so big.

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