The Vampire Christopher Read Online Free PDF Page A

, taking his drenched shirt, and pressed it against my head.
    With incredible gentleness, he turned me onto my back. “ Okay ?” he asked.
    “I think so.”
    He lifted me, and I wrapped my one arm around his neck. “I’ve never been so grateful for rain in all my life, Frosty. Hang on . I’m going to get you someplace dry and safe.”
    I closed my eyes , tucking my head into his chest .
    And he ran.
    The rain beat against my body like icy pebbles . It hurt, and I pressed my eyes tighter. I couldn’t h elp but wonder where Chace would take me. Maybe to my house. He obviously knew where I lived. Or his. I had no idea where he lived . Did he go to the oth er realm every day after school? It was so weird to think about another dimension . I had so many questions.
    After sev eral seconds—minutes—I’m not sure, the rain stopped, and I felt the sun warming my skin. Birds sang, their song bo uncing back and forth above us. I opened my eyes. Chace’s gaze bore into me, filled with concern.
    “I’m going to lay you down, and roll you onto your stomach. ”
    “Okay,” I answered, feeling unexpectedly shy.
    He squatted, and I felt my back brush against something soft. Gently, he moved his damp shirt from my forehead. “Healed already,” he grunted approvingly. “I’m going to r oll you onto your stomach. ” One of his hands touched my shoulder, and he said, “Ready?”
    “Yes,” I whispered, trying to gauge from his expression how bad off I was.
    Tenderly, he turned me . I moved my arms upward so that I could rest my chin on my hands. He’d laid me in some mossy grass. Runnin g my fingers over it, I was amazed at how soft it felt. In front of me sat a small, brown cottage, built of wooden logs. The front door was closed. A medium-sized pane glassed window sat on either side of it. The roof looked to be made of tree branches, and steepled along the top , so it looked like an upside down V. On either side of the cottage was lush forest, filled with trees, ferns, and colorful flowers. I could hear the rush of a stream nearby, and guessed he must’ve brought me to the other realm.
    “I’m going to check the b ack’s of your thighs. Y ou felt a sting behind your knees?”
    “Yes, I did.” Had I told him about the stinging sensation right before I fell? I didn’t think so.
    After several moments, I heard him suck in a breath.
    “What? What’s wrong?” I asked, trying to turn my head so that I could see him.
    One of his large, tanned ha nds appeared. He pinched something between his thumb and first finger. I squinted, seeing nothing, but suddenly my eyes adjusted, like the lens on a microscope, and I saw it. A tiny arr ow, no bigger than a sliver . “What. Is. That?”
    “ It’s a pixie’s arrow. T he tip has been dipped in toxin . I need to make a poultic e to draw out the poison . The ingredients are nearby, but I’ll be out of sight.”
    “Don’t go,” I cried.
    He ran his hands through my wet hair. “ You’ll be safe here. Only a creature whose heart is pure can pass through the enchantments I’ve put in place.” He came around so that I could see him. “You’ll be fine,” he added .
    “Where are we?” I asked , changing the subject, trying to keep him with me .
    Christopher’s eyebrows furrowed in a way I was beginning to understand meant he was anxious .
    “We are in Sharra, the realm of the Vampire Queen.” He quickly kissed the tip of my nose, and rushed away.
    “ Hurry,” I called after him , softly. I turned my head, resting my uninjured cheek on my hands. He’d answered one of my questions. The name of this place was Sharra.
    “Sharra,” I mouthed. Then said it again a little louder. “Sharra.” I liked the sound of it.
    One question down, one hundred twenty-three more to go, I thought with a sigh as I stared into the forest. A beautiful bush, filled with all different pastel colored flowers grew directly in my line of vision. The leaves seemed to be moving . I took a