Ninth Grade Slays Read Online Free Page A

wall.
    â€œLet him go.”
    Vlad turned his head toward the sidewalk. Joss had apparently ducked away from Henry’s entourage and was looking at Bill and Tom matter-of-factly. His head was tilted slightly and one of his eyebrows was raised, as if he wasn’t used to people not doing what he told them to.
    Apparently, Henry’s cousin was funny, but not terribly bright. Vlad wanted to tell Joss to beat it, but just then Tom rolled his eyes and pushed Vlad harder against the wall. Vlad’s spine was lodged against a rather pointy stone. He winced and fought to get away, but Tom had him pinned. “You’re gonna get it this year, goth boy. We’ve got plans for you.”
    â€œI said, let him go.” Joss had sat his bag on the sidewalk and was looking at Tom without so much as a glimmer of fear in his eyes.
    Tom and Bill released Vlad and turned to the newcomer.
    Run , Vlad thought, run for your life , Joss. Trust me .
    Tom and Bill exchanged glances that said that they weren’t really sure whether Joss was easy prey or not. With a final, deciding shove from Tom, they slinked back toward the front of the school without another word.
    Vlad wondered what it was about Joss that had made them back off so quickly. Whatever it was, Vlad certainly didn’t have it.
    He picked up his backpack and rubbed the lump on the back of his head thoughtfully. He wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about being rescued, but it was better than getting pummeled, he supposed. “Thanks.”
    Joss smiled. “No problem. Those guys were jerks. Brainless Neanderthal jerks.”
    â€œYou’ve met them already?”
    â€œDidn’t need to. I could tell by their sloped foreheads and unibrows.” Joss smirked. “Want me to break their arms off for you?”
    Vlad chuckled. “That might be nice. I’d like to see them try to bully me then. What could they do, bump into me until it got really annoying?”
    Crossing behind Joss on the sidewalk was Meredith Brookstone, dressed in a pink dress that swished about her knees as she walked. Her cheeks blushed slightly as she smiled at Vlad. Joss followed Vlad’s eyes, and when he saw Meredith, he smiled, too.
    Uh-oh.
    Henry rejoined them and looked up at the building. “Kinda scary, isn’t it?”
    Vlad nodded, looking at the building looming in front of them. He’d been here a hundred times before, but what felt welcoming under a moonlit glow was about as creepy as you can get in full sunlight.
    Vlad followed Henry and Joss up the steps. It felt strange to be approaching the school from the front. He kept his head down and tried not to look up at the belfry.
    A sign on the door directed freshmen to the gym. Adjusting his backpack into a more comfortable position on his shoulder, Vlad took a deep breath and walked into the school.
    Along either side of the lobby were thirteen large stone pillars, with arches between each at the top. Above them, on the second floor, were another, smaller set of arches. Black wrought iron closed off the top set. Vlad looked up at the high ceiling. It had clearly been painted at one time, perhaps with images of men in flowing robes and golden rings around their heads. But all that remained now were faded flecks of paint, only vaguely pictures. Several dark stones formed the shape of crosses high above Vlad’s head.
    Henry nudged him and whispered so that no one else would hear. “So is there any truth to the old vampires-hate-crosses myth?”
    Vlad chuckled. He’d never really considered the possibility that he would burst into flames the moment he encountered a cross. In truth, he never really thought about any religion at all, one way or another. “Guess not.”
    A large, burly man who reminded Vlad of a giant leprechaun held up his arms and spoke in a loud, gruff, no-nonsense tone. “Freshmen, you will make your way beneath the third arch to my right and down the