Fashion Frightmare! (My Sister the Vampire)
Read Fashion Frightmare! (My Sister the Vampire) Online
Authors: Sienna Mercer
‘Oh!’ Penny’s gasp sounded almost like a scream. ‘Ivy . . .’ She pointed, her finger quivering. ‘
Look!
’
Feeling heavy with dread, Ivy turned . . .
‘Oh, no,’ she whispered.
The display case she’d closed only a few moments ago hung open . . . and the velvet hanger was empty.
Tessa’s priceless pashmina had been stolen!
My Sister the Vampire: Fashion Frightmare!
first published in
Great Britain 2014 by Egmont UK Limited, The Yellow Building,
1 Nicholas Road, London W11 4AN
Copyright © Working Partners Ltd 2014
Created by Working Partners Limited, London WC1X 9HH
First e-book edition 2014
ISBN 978 1 4052 6573 7
eISBN 978 1 7803 1279 8
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Stay safe online. Egmont is not responsible for content hosted by third parties.
With special thanks to Stephanie Burgis
For Julia, with love
Contents
Egmont Press: Ethical Publishing
D
ING!
The bell over the front door of the Meat and Greet jangled loudly, and Ivy Vega jerked her head up.
Ouch!
Pain jolted through her neck. She rubbed at it, sighing, as she looked away from the boy who’d just arrived at the restaurant. He wasn’t who she was waiting for.
For the last fifteen minutes, she’d jerked at each ding of the bell. Unfortunately, the Meat and Greet was so crowded today, the bell dinged a
lot.
That meant her neck was
starting to feel some serious whiplash!
It’s no fun waiting by myself,
she thought glumly.
If her best friend, Sophia, had been here, the situation might at least have felt funny . . . but then, if Sophia had been home in Franklin Grove, Ivy wouldn’t have had to wait here in the
first place. Sophia was away in Tokyo, on a two-week-long vampire student exchange programme. In her place was a Japanese vampire named Reiko, who was due to arrive any moment now.
And I’ve got to chaperone her – if she ever shows up!
DING!
Ivy’s head bounced up again, sending a brand-new stab of pain down her neck. ‘Ow!’ She clapped one hand to the collar of her jet-black beaded sweater.
This had better be
Reiko
–
because, seriously, I’ve only got about two more of these reactions left in me before my head just falls off
!
But when Ivy looked closer, she saw not Reiko, but a familiar face: her own! It was her identical, human twin sister, Olivia, wearing a pink cashmere sweater and glittery, embroidered blue
jeans. Olivia was beaming as she murmured something into her cell phone. Her smile widened as she caught Ivy’s gaze, holding up one finger as she slid into the booth across from her
sister.
‘I’ll see you soon,’ she said into the phone. ‘I can’t wait, either!’
Aha.
Ivy grinned. She didn’t need her special vampire hearing to know that the voice on the other end was Olivia’s movie star boyfriend, Jackson Caulfield.
‘So he can come, after all?’ Ivy asked, as her twin tucked the phone into her bag.
‘Absolutely.’ Olivia let out a happy sigh as she sat back in her seat. ‘Jackson
will
be in town on Wednesday night – which means that
lots more
news
outlets are going to want to cover the event! Isn’t that great? So many people are going to find out about Café Creative!’
‘Hmm.’ Ivy hid a grin as she prepared to tease her twin. ‘Y’know, Franklin Grove isn’t
that
big. We probably could have just stood on the roof of the
museum with a megaphone, and everyone in town would still have heard about it.’
‘True enough.’ Olivia laughed. ‘But it won’t hurt for people
outside
this town to know of it, too. Just think! It could draw creative young people from Lincoln
Vale.’ She flung out one arm in a sweeping gesture. ‘And beyond. After all, any press is good press!’
‘
Seriously?
’ Ivy stared at her twin, dumbfounded. ‘Did you just say what I thought you said?’
‘Um . . .?’ Olivia raised her eyebrows.
‘Pretty soon, I’m going to need a phrasebook to translate all your “Hollywood-ese”!’ Ivy told her.
Olivia laughed. ‘I’m sure Sophia can help. Fashionista-language can’t be all that different, right?’ She leaned forwards, nudging aside her beaded purple bag.
‘Speaking of whom . . . have you heard anything from her yet?’
Ivy shrugged. ‘Just a one-line email. She said she was pretty jet-lagged, but that Tokyo looked dead cool from the inside of her taxi.’
‘Finally!’ A stressed-looking waitress hurried towards their table, already scooping out a notepad and pen from her apron. ‘I take it you’re ready to order
now?’
Uh-oh.
Ivy winced. It was the most crowded time of day at the Meat and Greet, and she’d already taken up a table for nearly twenty minutes without ordering anything. The waitress
had to be ready to tear her own hair out.
Ivy gave a weak smile. ‘We’re, um, still waiting for one more person, actually.’
The waitress stared at her. ‘How much longer do you think they’ll be?’
Ivy shook her head helplessly. ‘She should have been here twenty minutes ago.’
The waitress’s face pinkened. She opened her mouth as if to say something – and since she had the same look on her face that their teacher Mr Russell got whenever he spotted a
skateboard inside their school, Ivy was pretty sure whatever she said next would be scathing.
Olivia said hastily, ‘I’d love a diet soda, please.’
‘Hmmph!’ The waitress swung around and stalked away . . . without writing the order down on her notepad.
Olivia sighed. ‘I don’t think I’m going to get that.’
Ivy slumped in her seat. ‘I can’t believe how late Reiko is!’
Olivia gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘Maybe she has a good excuse?’
‘Maybe.’ Ivy shook her head. ‘I wonder what she’s going to be like, though. I’ve never met a Japanese vamp before – I’ve heard they’re really
traditional and strict.’
‘Ooohhh.’ Olivia’s eyes glazed over. ‘Do you think she gets to wear kimonos?’
Ivy blinked at her sister. ‘Are you fantasising about her
clothing
, now?’
‘Why not?’ Olivia’s lips stretched into a dreamy smile. ‘Do you remember that black kimono you wore before the ball last year? It looked so good with your pale
complexion.’
‘Did I also “look good” on the way home, when I tripped over it and fell flat on my face?’ Ivy snorted. ‘I have no idea how anyone manages to walk in those things
for more than twenty minutes!’
‘Well, growing up wearing them probably helps,’ Olivia said. ‘It must teach grace and poise, balance and posture. Or, in other words . . .’ her gaze narrowed ‘. . .
all the things
you’re
going to need on Wednesday, at the opening of Café Creative!’
‘Aaagh!’ Ivy groaned. Her dad and stepmom, Lillian, were opening the converted south wing of the museum with an event showcasing local creative talent. The showpiece was going to be
a fashion show put on by Amelia Thompson and Penny Taylor, two students at Franklin Grove High. Somehow, Ivy had agreed to take part . . . as a
model
! She shuddered. ‘What was I
thinking? Me, parading up and down in fashions designed by girls from our school . . . what in the world could
ever
have made me agree to that?’
Olivia giggled. ‘You know the answer already. Lillian’s been working on this for weeks – and she has us
both
wrapped around her fingers.’
‘Um . . .
huh
?’ Ivy pointed one accusing finger straight at her twin. ‘I remember the moment Lillian first asked us – you, Olivia Abbott, needed
no
convincing.’
‘Of course I didn’t. It’ll be fun!’ Olivia shrugged, smiling irrepressibly. ‘Can you imagine what the designs will be like? Penny’s half of the show is going
to be all bright and bunny-tastic, while Amelia’s all about “classy goth”. They’re going to complement each other perfectly! Plus . . .’
She leaned over the brightly coloured table, dropping her voice to a low whisper. ‘Rumour has it they’ve also worked together on a
hybrid
of both their styles. A joint
outfit to be their big finish and close the show. I can’t wait!’ Letting out a little squeal, Olivia bounced in her seat. ‘I can’t even
imagine
what such a dress
will look like!’