Page 84 of You’re So Vein

“I meant to come out!” I cry. “My scarf got caught.”

“Augustin may have won by two votes, but everyone is buzzing about the app idea,” Maisie says. She’s right. Phones continue to ping all around us as people download the beta app. A group of vampires stopped by a moment ago to praise the sunset calendar.

Beth and Maisie bicker about my debate failures, but I’m watching a tall figure fight his way through the crowd towards me.

“Ms Ahuja.” Augustin’s amber eyes are unusually warm. “Thank you for the vigorous debate. I haven’t enjoyed politics this much since my youth, when I watched my father do battle on the Dusk Court council.”

“You may have won the debate, Durant, but I think the village knows who has the innovative ideas.” I take his hand and lean in close, so only he can hear. “That was a rotten trick you pulled.”

“All is fair in war and local government.” His cool breath caresses my earlobe. “What about what you tried to do to me?”

“My trick only worked because you’re obsessed with me. It’s my conflict resolution strategy.”

“Consider our conflict resolved, unless you’d like to file a complaint.” Augustin pulls back, and this time I don’t mistake the twinkle of firelight in his eyes. He gives a short bow. “I bid you good evening.”

“Sit on a stake and rotate!” I shout after him as he picks his way back through the crowd. I know he wants to get back to Hannah, who he left in the care of Reginald.

Why do single dads have to be so hot? All that sweet protectiveness. It’s such a romance novel cliché.

And yet I’m falling for it.

“Awww, he’s your Daniel McMillan,” Maisie says wistfully, clutching her hand to her heart.

“Who?”

“Oh, he’s a boy who used to pull my hair on the playground when I was a kid, and my mother said it’s because he liked me. I didn’t believe her, but then one day he gave me his ice lolly.”

“Augustin has never given me an ice lolly.” I rub my lips again.

“Seeing the two of you reminds me of my childhood.” Maisie cups her hands. “I wonder how old Daniel is doing these days…”

Beth leans over and wraps her arms around me. She smells like mushrooms and sandalwood. “If you really are in love with Augustin, are we still going to crush him in the elections?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good.” Beth rubs her hands together. “We really need to solve the huskings to win the vampire vote. Lilac came in for her free facial the other night, but I didn’t manage to get a single useful thing out of her. We’re going to need another plan.”

“Gideon’s vampire soiree is coming up next,” Mina says. “Lilac is on the bar. If the husker has a taste for vampire blood now, then surely a crowd of vampires will be impossible to resist. Two of us will stick close to Lilac, and the others will spread out, talk to people, and see if we can draw out another clue. We need to solve this. I don’t want another death on our conscience.”

Chat between Komal Ahuja and Hannah Durant

Hannah: Hiiiiii. Augie’s asleep, but I’m wide awake. What are you doing?

Komal: Right now? Eating pasta. So much pasta. I made enough pasta for lunch for the next three days, but the future is meaningless and the pasta is now.

Hannah: I love pasta.

Komal: I’d offer to set a bowl aside for you, but honestly there isn’t much left.

Komal: If you like, I’ll come out to the cabin. I’ll bring a rhinestone gun my friend Isis gave me. We can spruce up one of your dad’s suits.

Hannah: Yes!

34Augustin

Gideon: SAVE ME FROM THESE INFERNAL VAMPIRES.

And yes, I’m aware I’m a vampire, but I’m not as insufferable as these three. Kael is doing naked callisthenics in the Midnight Garden (or communing with the old gods, as he calls it). Dante has convinced Arabella to plant a vineyard where I was going to put my dirtbike track, and Irene keeps waving boring bits of parchment in my face and declaring I’m breaking some ancient law or another.