She Stole My Vampire Invitation, So I Let Her Be Dinner

I was the hopeless romantic of a powerful vampire dynasty. My grandparents controlled a vast share of the world's wealth. My parents had politicians and world leaders wrapped around their fingers. My eight older brothers ruled a global tech empire, while my seven older sisters dominated the artificial intelligence industry. And me? As the youngest in the family, I had only one real interest. Falling in love. This time, I'd set my sights on the hottest guy on campus, Hunter Grant. He was tall, handsome, and looked exceptionally well-fed. In other words, exactly our vampire family's type. This year, our family was hosting its annual vegetarian banquet, and for once, members were allowed to bring a human date. I excitedly handed Hunter an invitation. But instead of accepting it, he turned around and gave it to the campus beauty, Serena Jenkins. “The only person I'm bringing is Serena.” Serena accepted the invitation with a radiant smile. “Thanks, Nora. I'll make sure to dress up for it.” My smile vanished. I reached out to take the invitation back. “That invitation requires a special mark to be validated. You can't just hand it to anyone.” Hunter slapped my hand away. “Give me a break. If you can go, why can't Serena? “At an exclusive event like that, if you're the one going, you'll only embarrass our school.” Everyone around us burst out laughing, mocking me for not knowing my place. I was so angry I actually laughed. They were seriously fighting over an invitation to a vampire family banquet? Fine. After an entire vegetarian feast, I supposed it wouldn't hurt to add a little meat to the menu. Chapter 1 “I advise you not to go.” I repeated myself. That invitation bore the crest of our vampire family. If a human tried to use it without authorization and barged into the banquet, they wouldn’t be treated as a guest. They’d be treated as dinner. Serena let out a soft sigh. “So you just can’t bear to part with it, Nora? Fine. Forget it.” That was what she said. But she made no move to give the invitation back. Suddenly, someone nearby exclaimed, “Whoa, I’ve seen one of those before!” Ethan Blake sounded excited. “My cousin got the exact same invitation three years ago! “The banquet was held on a private island. It was huge! “He said the island was packed with billionaires. Everyone flew in on private jets, luxury cars were everywhere, the castle was filled with priceless antiques, and even the tableware was insanely expensive! “Then he married some rich heiress and never came back. “But every year, he sends his family millions for living expenses!” His eyes lit up as he spoke, practically bouncing with excitement. “That invitation is basically a golden ticket into high society!” I tilted my head and thought about it. My seventh sister’s eighteenth husband... I vaguely remembered his last name being Blake. So Ethan’s cousin was probably him. Serena’s eyes instantly lit up. She turned the invitation over and over in her hands. I held out my hand. “Give it back.” Her expression tightened. She clearly didn’t want to. Hunter stepped between us. “I already gave it to Serena.” I looked at him. Sharp features. Bright eyes. A perfect smile. He really was handsome. But no matter how beautiful something was, if it wasn’t mine, I had no reason to keep wanting it. “Hunter, that invitation belongs to me. “I asked if you wanted to come with me. You didn’t say yes. “So give it back.” Hunter scoffed. “Yours? “Prove it.” I froze for a second. “I literally just handed it to you. Everyone saw me.” Hunter crossed his arms and looked me up and down. “You’re an orphan. “How would someone like you ever get invited to something like this?” I was two hundred years old. I hadn’t needed to attend school in a very long time. The only reason I’d enrolled as a transfer student was because I’d fallen for Hunter. And to avoid unnecessary trouble, I’d given myself a simple background. An orphan. Hunter’s words were like a stone dropped into still water. Everyone’s expression changed. “Nora’s an orphan, but everything she wears is designer. “She’s still in high school. Where does she get that kind of money? “She must have some rich sugar daddy paying for everything. “Oh my God. So she’s a sugar baby? “Then why is she still throwing herself at Hunter? Isn’t one sugar daddy enough? “How shameless can you get?” Someone suddenly called out, “Homewrecker Nora!” The whole group burst out laughing. I clenched my fists. “You need evidence before you accuse someone of something like that!” They only laughed harder. “Isn’t the invitation evidence?” “What about all those expensive clothes and bags?” “You act so innocent. It’s disgusting.” In their eyes, I was already guilty. Serena gave a soft laugh, the corners of her lips curving prettily. “Come on. Nora probably didn’t have much of a choice. “I’ve seen plenty of men picking her up in luxury cars before...” She sounded like she was defending me. In reality, she was only making the accusation worse. And yes, plenty of men had picked me up in luxury cars. That couldn’t be helped. I had ten drivers. Hunter looked at me with even more disgust. He shoved me hard. “Get away from me, you filthy slut!” I wasn’t expecting it. I stumbled backward and fell to the floor. Just as I was about to get up, I realized my backpack had fallen into their hands. Ethan, Hunter’s little lackey, immediately yanked the zipper open. “Let’s see what kind of goodies Homewrecker Nora carries around!” With a loud rustle, everything inside spilled across the floor. The moment everyone saw what had fallen out, they stared in stunned silence. Chapter 2 There wasn’t a single textbook in my backpack. Instead, there was a box of chocolates made with blood, which my second sister sent me every month. A satellite phone that could contact members of our clan anywhere in the world in real time. And a box of gold coins. Since I spent every year traveling from place to place, gold was the most reliable currency. Everyone around me sucked in a sharp breath. “She brings gold to school? That much of it?” “Gold is worth a fortune right now. She’s seriously carrying millions around in her backpack?” “Look! The symbol on this chocolate box is the same as the one on the invitation!” “I looked up the phone. That’s a military-grade satellite phone!” I ignored their chatter and frowned. My chocolates had fallen out of the box and gotten dirty. I was extremely particular about cleanliness. How was I supposed to survive the next ten days without them? The satellite phone had also gotten chipped at one corner. I had no idea whether it would still work properly. As for the box of gold coins, I hadn’t even had a chance to pick them up before everyone started grabbing them. Someone even bit down on one. “This is real gold, right?” “It is! It’s actually real!” Greedy looks passed between them. They were grinning like money had fallen straight out of the sky. “Give them back.” I stared at them coldly. Their smiles stiffened. But their hands only closed more tightly around the coins. Hunter hadn’t picked any up. He simply crossed his arms and sneered. “You’re an orphan. Where did you get this much gold? “Maybe it came from somewhere shady.” That was all everyone needed to hear. “Exactly! This could be stolen property. We have to confiscate it!” I looked at them. “And who exactly are you to confiscate my money?” Everyone froze. Hunter’s expression remained arrogant. “My dad is the principal. “I’m authorizing them to deal with it.” Everyone immediately nodded. “That’s right. If something suspicious happens on school grounds, we have every right to stop it. “If you can’t explain where this gold came from, don’t expect to get it back.” I narrowed my eyes. They were really starting to piss me off. “I’m advising you to return it. “If it isn’t yours, don’t get greedy.” Everyone burst out laughing. “Oh wow, is she threatening us now?” “I’m terrified. Somebody save me!” Suddenly, someone pointed at a small ceramic jar on the floor. “What’s that? “Don’t tell me that’s expensive too.” The jar had landed near Serena’s feet. She immediately picked it up. “It smells amazing.” It was the ointment I normally used on my skin. Vampires couldn’t stay in direct sunlight for long. Aside from physically covering up, I also used this ointment for protection. “Give that back.” I reached for it, but Hunter blocked me. “Serena likes it. “Just let her have it.” I frowned. “Why should I? It belongs to me.” Hunter scoffed. “You’ve got someone funding your lifestyle anyway. Just buy another jar.” He’d already decided I had a sugar daddy. Serena dug one fingernail into the ointment, scooped out a small amount, and rubbed it onto the back of her hand. “Oh, wow. It makes my skin look so pale.” She suddenly looked at me. “So this is why your skin is so white?” I didn’t want to explain anything to her. “That isn’t regular skincare. It’s medication. “Give it back.” Hunter took the jar from her and held it beneath his nose, sniffing it several times. “What kind of medication? “Is it for some skin condition?” I forced myself to stay patient. “My brother made it specially for me. “I can’t tolerate sunlight.” “Your brother?” Hunter raised a brow. “Aren’t you an orphan? Where did this brother suddenly come from?” Serena’s expression brightened in realization. “Oh.” “Maybe she means one of her special ‘brothers.’” The whole class burst into laughter again. “She really does avoid the sun. She covers herself from head to toe during PE. “Maybe she’s a vampire!” Someone laughed. “This stuff is probably just makeup. “That freakishly pale skin of hers has to be fake.” Serena’s eyes lit up. She leaned over and whispered something into Hunter’s ear. After listening, Hunter smiled indulgently. “Sure. “If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility. “My dad won’t punish us.” My stomach dropped. I instinctively took a step back. Serena smiled maliciously and pointed at me. “Hold her down. “Let’s wash off her makeup.” Ethan and another boy, Ryan, immediately grabbed my arms. A few girls nearby chimed in. “I’ve always hated how pale she is. She acts like she’s Snow White or something. “Wash it off! “Let’s see what she actually looks like underneath.” I struggled hard. “Let go of me! “This is my natural skin. I’m not wearing makeup!” No one listened. Serena pointed toward the washroom. “There are sinks over there. Drag her in.” Ethan and Ryan each grabbed one of my arms and hauled me toward the sinks. “This is bullying!” I fought against them, but I couldn’t break free without using my real strength. Hunter followed behind us with his arms crossed. “You’ve been deceiving everyone with that fake face. “We’re just exposing you so you can’t keep fooling people.” They turned the faucet all the way on. Cold water came rushing out. Laughing, Ethan and Ryan forced my head down into the sink. Water flooded my nose and mouth. I choked and coughed violently. But no matter how long they rinsed my face, my skin stayed just as pale. If anything, it seemed even whiter. Serena leaned closer, confusion covering her face. “Why... why does she look even paler?” Then her eyes hardened. “Use hot water.” Scalding water poured over my skin. Nothing changed. My face stayed unnaturally pale. Everyone stared. Even Ethan and Ryan released me in shock. “What the hell? “Hot water doesn’t wash it off, and she isn’t even getting burned?” Serena suddenly made a sound of realization. “Oh! “She must’ve gotten skin-whitening injections or some cosmetic procedure. “That’s why it won’t wash off!” Ethan grabbed a rag hanging beside the sink. “I don’t believe it. “I’m getting that fake face off today.” He started scrubbing my face as hard as he could. My skin burned from the friction. But the worst part was the rag itself. It was filthy. Absolutely disgusting. I felt like I was going to throw up. Ethan only scrubbed harder. Then he shoved part of the dirty rag into my mouth. That was it. I couldn’t take it anymore. I slowly opened my hands. My fingernails began turning a bluish gray. My fangs started extending inside my mouth. I was just about to reach out and snap Ethan’s neck when the bell suddenly rang. Ring! Ring! The sound jolted me back to my senses. Grandpa’s voice echoed through my mind. “Nora, when you’re outside, never reveal the true nature of the Quinn family.” “If the world discovers that vampires exist, you’ll be confined to the island for the rest of your life.” I forced myself to swallow my anger. I hadn’t had nearly enough fun yet. There was no way I was going back to that island to live like a prisoner. My fangs slowly retracted. The tips of my nails returned to their normal color. Chapter 3 “Weird. It won’t come off!” Ethan finally let go of me and tossed the rag aside. Hunter glanced outside. The sun was blazing overhead. “Drag her outside and let her bake in the sun.” Serena immediately clapped her hands. “Exactly! She’s always covered from head to toe. That proves she’s afraid of the sun.” Ethan and Ryan grabbed me again and started dragging me out by my collar. “Let go of me! I’m not going!” This time, I was genuinely scared. Nothing was more dangerous to a vampire than sunlight. If I stayed under the sun for an hour, I could actually die. “You can keep the invitation! Keep the gold too!” I shouted desperately. “Just don’t make me stay in the sun! I’ll get sick!” I thought begging might make them show some mercy. Instead, they laughed even harder. “So you finally admit you’re scared! “Come on. Let’s see how ugly she looks once she gets a tan!” Students passing through the hallway turned to stare. Some pulled out their phones to record. Others covered their mouths and laughed. But not a single person stepped forward to stop them. Everyone knew that crossing Hunter meant crossing the principal. And crossing the principal meant making an enemy of the entire school. They dragged me out of the building. Ethan and Ryan used a jump rope to tie me to the flagpole. Serena yanked off my jacket, leaving me in nothing but my short-sleeved school uniform shirt. “Ah!” I screamed the moment the sunlight hit me. It fell across my face, my neck, and my bare arms. It felt like my skin was being burned alive. Hunter and the others stood safely in the shade by the entrance, watching gleefully. “Wow, she’s only been out there thirty seconds and her face is already red!” “Look! Her face is getting darker already. I knew there was something fishy about her!” “Whoa, is there smoke coming off her arms? That’s actually kind of amazing!” Ethan turned eagerly to Hunter. “Hunter, how long should we leave her out there? She looks like she’s really suffering.” Serena scoffed. “She’s acting. Homewrecker Nora is good at that. “So she gets a little tan. How bad could it possibly hurt?” Hunter nodded. “Leave her there all afternoon. “We’ll untie her after school. “She lies and fakes everything every day. Maybe this will teach her a lesson.” The pain was so intense that I couldn’t even speak anymore. I closed my eyes as my consciousness began to fade. Grandpa... Grandma... Mom... Dad... My brothers... My sisters... Their faces flickered before my eyes. Was my life actually flashing before my eyes? Suddenly, a drop of water struck my forehead. I slowly looked up. It was raining. Within moments, the sky opened up and rain came pouring down. Hunter immediately shielded Serena as everyone else rushed back inside the building. I was still tied to the flagpole. But I tilted my face toward the sky and smiled. The rain washed over my body, soothing my scorched skin. The heavens weren’t ready to take me yet. I survived. By the time night fell, the campus had gone quiet. A security guard found me during his patrol and hurried over to untie me. “I’ll take you to the nurse’s office!” “No need.” I forced my aching body upright and slowly made my way out through the school gates. The family banquet was tomorrow night. No matter what happened, I had to be there to see it for myself. Chapter 4 When Hunter found out I’d been rescued, he tagged me in the class group chat. “We’re going to the banquet tomorrow. Make sure you do all four of our homework assignments.” Serena sent a smiling emoji. “Thanks, Nora. We’ll show you all the amazing pictures when we get back.” Ethan and Ryan didn’t bother saying anything. They simply replied with a thumbs up emoticon. Not one of them mentioned what had happened yesterday. It was as if they simply assumed I would obediently do whatever they told me. Outside the school gates, a Rolls-Royce was waiting. A chauffeur dressed in an all-black suit and white gloves opened the door for them. “Welcome, honored guests.” That car had been sent to pick me up. Now Hunter and the other three were climbing into it instead. The other students watched enviously and waved goodbye. “It must be so nice to have an invitation!” “They’re going to make it big after this, aren’t they? Think they’ll even remember us when they come back?” “Forget it. It’s too late to start sucking up to them now!” A few people glanced back at me. “Nora really got the worst of it. Her invitation was taken from her.” “Well, if you’re not destined for that kind of life, you can’t hold on to it. Serena didn’t even have to do anything. Hunter practically handed the opportunity to her.” “Exactly. The hottest guy on campus belongs with the prettiest girl. Nora looks like she has leukemia. How could she ever compare to Serena?” I ignored them and walked straight out of the school gates. Then I pulled out my satellite phone. At seven that evening, Hunter and the others finally arrived on the island. At the center of the island stood an enormous ancient castle. Ethan’s eyes burned with excitement. “That’s it! That’s the castle my cousin told me about!” “Look! Three helicopters are coming in over there!” Ryan’s mouth dropped open. “Whoa. That whole row is Ferraris, and those are Lotus Evijas!” Stars practically appeared in Serena’s eyes. “Look at everyone! They’re all gorgeous, and they’re dressed so elegantly!” Compared with the other guests, the outfits they had bought with the gold coins looked noticeably less impressive. Even Hunter’s hands were trembling with excitement. “Everyone here is obviously somebody important. “Don’t act intimidated. Stand up straight. “If we can make a connection with even one powerful person here, we’ll be set for life. Who needs college after that?” The four of them followed the red carpet toward the castle. But the moment they reached the entrance, they were stopped. Rows of attendants stood outside, all dressed in identical black tailcoats. The crest printed on their uniforms matched the one on the invitation. “Invitation, please.” An elderly man with a white beard bowed politely. Serena elegantly handed him the invitation. “Here.” The old man took it. Then he paused. He ran his fingers over the family crest on the card. There was no trace of the special aura that belonged to a vampire. His gaze immediately sharpened. Suspicion flickered in his eyes as he looked over all four of them.