V is for...Vampire by Adele Griffin

Author:Adele Griffin
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin USA, Inc.

9

SQUAWK!

Maybe it was all those cupcakes she’d baked them. Or the fact that she’d let them read her Collected Poetry of W. B. Yeats and Complete Works of Sir Walter Scott. Or that she’d been tutoring them in their favorite subject, New World slang. But when Lexie came home from school that afternoon, she learned that Mitzi and Blix had launched their own campaign: a request to move into Lexie’s room.

“Family election,” their father announced after dinner, ripping up little pieces of paper as their mother passed around an urn for them to cast their votes.

“Four ayes, one nay,” Maddy reported a minute later. “Sorry, Hex.”

“This is so not a good idea,” said Lexie. “I was only trying to be polite to them.”

“We have to give the pixies a haven,” said her mother as she picked up the empty cage. “Otherwise they cause trouble all day. Yesterday, they stole papers from the newspaper girl. The day before, they demagnetized the UPS guy’s signature pad. And they scare pretty much anyone who knocks on our door.”

“Plus, your room is the closest thing to nectar for pixies,” said Hudson. “It’s so super-extra girlie flowery pink and purple.”

“Face it, you’ve been a marvelous example for them, Lexie,” said their father. “Somehow, you calm them.”

“Us loves Lex!” squeaked the pixies, who were already flitting up the stairs. “Us loves her yums cupcakes and pretty voice and her room of lavender ginger spicy smellies.”

“It’s a known fact that Lexie has the most off-tune voice in vampire lore,” said Maddy. “You pixies sure can kiss up.”

“No, the pixies truly adore Lexington,” said their father. “Like it or not.”

“Not. This is emotional blackmail.” Lexie followed and watched with a sinking heart as her parents set the pixie cage next to her dresser. “How can I concentrate on anything if I have to put up with pix nonsense?” The spells. The cursing. The walnut-shell throwing. It would drive her bonkers.

“Us pixies helps win Lexie’s contest for queen of the world,” said Blix.

“Not queen of the world. Ninth-grade class president,” said Hudson. “And I doubt you crazy pixies know how to—ouch!” He ducked the flying walnut shells and left Lexie’s room quick.

“Thanks, sweetie,” whispered their mother. “Remember, it’s temporary.” The Livingstones tiptoed out Lexie’s door, leaving her alone with Mitzi and Blix, who had moved Lexie’s pillows from her bed to their cage and now were snuggled up in them, humming with happiness.

Lexie took out her laptop. She’d start by writing an ode to everything she loved about Parrish. That would motivate her to tackle her campaign speech.

But what rhymed with Parrish?

“Marrish, scarrish, rarrish,” she murmured. Not great.

What about Dylan? Chillin’, thrillin’ . . . Dylan Easterby was certainly one of the main reasons she loved Parrish.

Blix hummed. “Uoy era gnitteg ypeeeeels.”

“Huh?” Lexie’s eyes felt heavy. “What are you saying?”

“Nepo ruoy wodniw,” sang Mitzi, “dna neht og ot peeeeels.”

“Good idea.” Lexie stood up to do something. Then she immediately forgot what she’d done, and she put her head down on her desk to rest.

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