Nadine is having a party tonight and has invited the entire senior high school class. I’m more than stoked to be invited. And surprised as hell.

To say I was shocked when an invite had flown out of my ceiling and smacked me in the forehead, arriving via magical mail, was definitely an understatement. I never got invited to parties; didn’t have any friends. When I saw my sister had invited me, my shock doubled. And my worry. But, after talking to her, she assured me she was just trying to make up for all the times she’d been mean to me, calling it a “peace offering.” Part of me was still apprehensive, but I wanted to go.

So, after spending the day going through my closet, trying to figure out what to wear, I decide to put on a simple, dark blue dress that contrasted well with my raven black hair and eyes. I’d been told that my legs were too long and gangly to wear a dress—by Nadine—but that was back in my freshman year. I’d filled out a little since then. Well, at least I thought so.

After braiding my hair, putting on some lip gloss, and slipping on a pair of clunky boots—I don’t own any heels—I grab the invitation and hurry up to the attic where the party was taking place.

The attic is a fairly spacious room that my dad uses as his vampire cave/office. He rarely let Nadine and I go up there, but since him and my mom are gone on a vacation, I guess Nadine decided to break the rules. I’m okay with that. I’m just glad to be invited to the party.

As I wind up the spiral staircase that leads to the attic, I smooth my hands down the front of my dress, feeling nervous and restless. I’m worried that Nadine’s friends, particularly Rhyland and Kinsley, won’t want me there and will treat me like they always do—like a diseased bat. But Nadine assured me that they’d be nice, and if they weren’t, she’d make them. She even blood swore on it, which is a big deal in the vampire world. Breaking a blood oath is basically like shattering a relationship. It’s something you just don’t do to family or close friends.

When I reach the top of the stairs and step into the attic, I start to grow a little bit worried. No drinks are laid out. No blood kegs are set up. Not a single person is in sight.

“Maybe I’m early,” I mumble to myself.

Just then, I hear a giggle, followed by a door slamming.

I whirl around, panic rushing through me as I note the door is now shut. I rush over and try the doorknob, hoping maybe the wind blew it shut. When the door opens, relief washes through me.

It was just the wind.

A beat later, I hear music flowing from downstairs, causing puzzlement to web through me. Did I read the invitation wrong? Is the party downstairs?

I step forward to go check and, smack, I walk straight into an invisible wall.

I trip back, rubbing my forehead.

“What the hell?” I grumble, staring at the doorway.

The only way to put up an invisible wall is to have a witch put up a protection charm. But no one in our house hangs out with witches. Well, except for Rhyland. He has a couple of female admirers—his words, not mine—who are witches. That means he may have asked one of them to charm the doorway …

Reality sinks in. This was a trap. Another one of my sister and her friends’ setups. The invite was a lie. The blood oath was a lie.

As if sensing my thoughts, Rhyland, Kingsley, and Nadine materialize in the middle of the stairway. Kingsley has his arm draped around Nadine, something he does a lot, though they’ve never dated. Although, rumor around school is they fool around whenever they get bored with whoever they are currently dating.

Nadine is wearing her infamous sneer while Kingsley smirks and Rhyland looks bored. That’s normal for him and doesn’t mean he didn’t play a part in this trap. He did. He always does. And I know he was the one who got the witch to put the charm up.

Fucking asshole.

“I can’t believe you fell for it.” Nadine grins like an evil … well, vampire. “I really thought you’d have gotten a bit smarter by now. Guess I was wrong.”

“Lucky for us, she’s still stupid.” Kingsley’s grin matches Nadine’s.

Rhyland remains silent as he studies me with a blank expression, as if he isn’t thinking about anything. Although, his head is tilted to the side, so something must be going on upstairs in that pretty head of his, right?

“Why?” I manage to get out evenly. The worst thing I could do right now is cry.

Nadine’s smirk magnifies as she slips out from underneath Kingsley’s arm. “Aw, you want to know why you’re not invited to my party?” She pouts out her lip. “That’s so cute.”

Kingsley coughs in his hand. “Definitely not cute.”

Rhyland almost smiles. Well, either that or he has a twitchy mouth, which I guess he sort of does sometimes.

“I guess I could tell you why,” Nadine continues. “I mean, it’s the least I can do since you’re going to be trapped up here all weekend.” She sounds anything but sincere. “I locked you up here because I don’t want you ruining my glamorous party with your freaky pastiness. I mean, I know we’re vampires, but you’re seriously one step away from being a ghost.”

I roll my eyes, pretending to be more unbothered than I really am. “A ghost? That’s the best you can come up with. Wow, you must be going soft on me.”

Her lips twitch in annoyance, but she quickly shakes the irritation off and plasters on a smile. “Have fun being up here all alone, listening to everyone else have fun without you. Then again, you should be used to it by now.” She turns to leave, tracing her fingers along Rhyland’s chest. “Thanks for getting that witch to put the charm up, gorgeous. You’re right; it was a way better idea than mine.”

He nods and then his gaze collides with mine.

A spark zaps through me, hot and scorching. I don’t know what it is. Maybe stray magic from the invisible wall charm. Or perhaps Rhyland was blessed with a rare power. I don’t really care, and apparently, he doesn’t either as he backs away down the stairs.

He feels nothing.

He doesn’t care that I am locked up.

That I am hurting.

Why would he? He never cared before, so why start now?

What really puts confusion swirling in my brain is that I care. I care that he doesn’t care. Such a stupid thing to do. I need to get over it.

With one final emotionless stare, Rhyland yanks his eyes off me and descends down the stairs.

I decide I hate the three of them in that moment. A hatred that grows over the years and blossoms into sheer and utter loathing.