V. writes
Will you ever write a traditional pretty boy vampire?
Traditional as in Bram Stoker traditional, or Anne Rice traditional, or Stephanie Meyer traditional?
Ehhh….
Fine, this once just for you. Since there is a boy in there, I suppose I have to go with a YA theme.
A faint flutter brushed against the back of my neck. The cat ward tattooed on my left shoulderblade stirred, prickling me with his claws. I raised my head from my locker. A boy was looking at me from across the hallway. Tall, blond, with eyes that were the purest unnatural shade of aquamarine.
He saw me looking and smiled. The smile lit up his face, warming his eyes, turning him impossibly beautiful. A subtle aroma floated on the draft, a mix of sandalwood and something slightly sweet. The cat on my shoulder stretched and rose, just in case.
The aroma tugged on me, enticing, spiced with magic. A vampire. Of course.
The boy headed in my direction, moving like a tiger on the prowl: graceful, elegant, and ready to pounce. He looked like he needed one of those tailored Tudor doublet things and a rapier. That’s one of the things vampires were good at – they made it seem they were miles better than you so when they stooped to your level, you were supposed to feel special.
I stuffed my Trig textbook into my backpack and pushed the locker shut.
“Hi! I’m Sebastian.”
Of course you are. They never had normal names like James or Robert. I had to say something. “Hi.”
He stepped a a few inches too close. “I haven’t seen you before. Are you new?”
Vampires were like cats: new meant exciting. “Maybe you just didn’t notice me.”
He cranked the smile up another notch. Miranda’s cheesy books go on and on about how the vampire skin is like polished white marble. They’re off by a mile. Marble is cold and monotone. Sebastian radiated warmth. He was vivid, as if everyone in the room was in black and white and he was the only one in color. He made you think of sex. Of what it would be like.
His voice caressed my skin. “I would’ve noticed you.”
I needed to giggle. If I giggled, he’d write me off as an easy target and probably move on. Problem was, I’ve never giggled in my entire life.
“You never told me your name…”
One giggle. I could do it. I had to do it or he wouldn’t leave me alone.
No. Not happening.
To the left Jessica turned the corner and saw us. She froze for a second, gulped, and headed toward us with a determined look on her face. “Hey!”
A faint hint of a grimace passed over Sebastien’s face.
“I’ve been looking all over for you. We’re going home together. Now.”
“We were talking,” Sebastien said.
“That’s nice, but she doesn’t need to be talking to you. Leave her alone, it’s her first day. Come on, Maud, we’re leaving.”
A burst of magic shot from Sebastien. Jessica stopped in mid-step.
“You don’t need to go home with Maud,” he said, his whisper saturated with force of suggestion.
“You’re right,” Jessica said. Her eyes went vacant.
“Maud is walking home with me. You’re leaving.”
“I’ve got to go,” Jessica said. “Bye, Maud.”
Obi Wan did it much better. “Bye.”
She walked away. I swung my backpack onto my shoulder and followed her. Sebastien matched my stride.
“Maud…” Poof, burst of magic. Overkill.
“What a beautiful name…” Poof, another burst.
The air was so thick with his magic, I wanted to wave my hand in front of my face.
“It’s such a nice day.” Poof! “Let me walk you home.”
I sneezed.
“You’re adorable,” he said.
You really shouldn’t have said that. Really. “No.”
“Yes,” he murmured, opening the door for me. I stepped through into the sunshine. “You want to walk with me.”
“No, I really don’t. You’re an idiot. And a pervert.”
Sebastien blinked.
“Don’t charm Jessica again. I like her.”
The smooth mask slid off his face. For a second his eyes looked predatory, his lips trembled, baring his fangs, and then he hid it again. “That sounded like a threat.”
“You know what’s the fastest way to kill you, Sebastien? It isn’t by staking you or setting you on fire. The fastest way is to reach inside a vampire and rip his soul from his body.”
He sneered. “And you can do that?”
“No, I can’t. But my brother can. That’s his car over there.” I nodded at the dark Land Rover. “The sad thing for you is that if you piss me off enough, I won’t even need my brother to deal with you. ”
I walked away, heading to the Land Rover. Now Claude will spend the entire ride to the Inn interrogating me about talking to vampires. Maybe I should rethink this whole highschool thing.
So, so awesome!! I am soo tired of pretty boy vampires and that was just perfect!! Really wish you could turn it in to a full book, because it’d be so good to read something with that unique twist right now. So many YA books right now are all the same. Not always vampires now, often angels/fallen angels, but the basics are all the same and this is…not. Loved it, made me laugh too. Thank you for it!
Now all they have to do is fall in love and it will be perfect! (heee, heee, heee) I’ll giggle, I’m not ashamed. This was fun to read. Did you just do this on the fly??
That was an interesting little appetizer. So when do we get to read the rest? By the way the falling in love with the wicked vampire is so over done. I have always preferred the shapeshifters myself. But lets see what you can come up with that is not vampire or shapeshifter? You can do it I have faith!
Now you got me curious about the rest of the story. Very well done. Thank you.
My thoughts, exactly!
I understand that you guys are busy but please consider writing this story when you can. It has a lot of great potential.
My thoughts, exactly! It is such a great treaser!
I enjoyed it. I would buy it, along with a copy for my younger sister. Reading YA vampire books is how I stay in touch with a sister seventeen years younger than me. Being able to read something in her genre that I would adore would be priceless!
… Well. If her brother can rip out a vampire’s soul, what can she do?
And how will the vampire’s react to that tidbit?
Have I mentioned that I currently revising?
Great start!!! Thank-you for sharing!
more sir please may i have some more? I am starved for your greatness! It is so annoying you probably just thought that up over a cuppa! We need to clone you and double the out put lol no please be happy take your time love you guys!
Brilliant! …and like the hundred + people who wrote in before me my appetite is whetted and I would love to read more.
You really are wonderful!
I completely agree!!! They need to make several clones so she can get everything done. Please find time once everything settles to expand on this. It makes me not hate every vampire story written after Dracula original.
Love it!
I am truly jealous of your amazing ability to create whole worlds in such a tiny snippet. I’d love to see that rest of this story! The little hints are just tantalizing… Maud and Claude? Ripping souls out of bodies? Give me more! … please
And I have to admit that I am glad to see a “pretty boy vampire” back in the traditional role as a true bad guy. As much as I enjoy some of the vampire romances, I am getting tired of them.
So, while I realise that you are both insanely busy, if you are ever bored or need a break from Kate and/or The Edge, could we pretty please (imagine me batting my eyelashes) have more of this story?
Oh, and I forgot to add this: both my sisters are now totally addicted to Kate!
awesome…everything u write is simply fantastic!! u’r the best…thanks heaps!
hahaha, so awesome! Thank you x
Very nice – and get the imagination going , would like to see this one developed into a book but a short story would be great also.
have to say you really know how to grip a reader and leave them wanting more.
Throughly enjoy you books and looking forward to Bayou Moon. 38 days and counting.
Heh, that was a good one! Sounds like it would be a great new series for you!
That was fun, I especially liked the Obi Wan bit.
That was just getting good, whadya quit for???
So funny, and finally someone has tossed pretty vampire boy and the word pervert in there… while I’ve enjoyed some of those YA novels I’ve always thought some of them could easily have the word pervert stamped onto them since thier so old and the girls are underage.
I would buy it in a heartbeat… thanx for the awesome snippet.
I LOVE IT!!!
Too bad that wasn’t a snippet, LOL! That was great! I can guarantee that my nieces would love that!
“You want to walk with me.”
“No, I really don’t. You’re an idiot. And a pervert.”
BWHAHAHAHAHAH!! I just about fell out of my chair laughing! XD Thanks so much. That was great! *still chuckling*
Hah! See what happens when you try to be nice? We ask for more! I greatly enjoyed this short story and would like to see more.
LOVE IT!
Ok, you really need to think about the possibility of keep writing this story.
It sounds too awesome to be left at that.
You’re a genious, seriously!!
More, please? *whine* *puppy dog eyes*
[...] Ilona Andrews YA vamp bit [...]
Fangtabulous!!
omg too funny!! Thank God she didn’t fall at his feet and immediately become obsessed to the point of making the reader want to commit suicide, I’ve read enough of those. You guys are awesome!! Thank you.
EPIC WIN! It was like Kate Daniels meets Edward. Loved it!
[...] Andrews did an “off the top of her head” take on YA pretty boy vampires. You know what? If she actually wrote it, I would so buy. Loved. And by the [...]
Paul Barbar wrote a pretty good book that goes into the difference between traditional (eg. folkloric) vampires and ‘classic’ (eg. fictional) vampires– traditional vampires tending to be plump or bloated, flushed or dark, and general peasant stock. In some cultures, having rosy cheeks and redhair meant you were predisposed to turn into a vampire after death. All pretty far from the ‘classic’ vampire- tall, slender, aristocratic and even further from the sparkly twilight vampires.
It’s an academic book, so it tends to the repetitive, but it’s pretty interesting.
I come online after a weekend of being a good daughter and entertaining my mom too find …this…this. Gosh, excuse me while I get all fan girl on ya…THANK YOU…and please if you ever expand this…don’t have her fall in love with the vampire pretty boy…I really really really love the fact that she sees through all his bs! Thank you!!!!
Now I want to know more about Claude. Pushy huh?
You know, I would probably laugh at that point too but not in a vapid empty way. More as a “your lines are so cheesy way”.
It’s always a pleasure to read anything you write. Thanks so much for taking a minute to produce this bit of delight!
PS. Love the anti-Edwardness!
I. Love. That.
Thankyou.
Pretty boy vamp…that was interesting wish/hope it becomes a full book. Luu it!
I love it! shame you cant do more – it looks like great teen vampire fiction. kids need to read more about how to tell a guy to beat it if they want to:)
AWESOME just… WOW its… so… and then… WOW
The subject is fun to read, but it is the WRITER that makes it brilliant! You put the story together so well! Please write the book soon!
ha ha ha lol, did I just notice some sarcasm in that writing?
More, more, more!!
That was great! I would like to read more of it.
This, this I would read.
No sparkly emo vampires? (which I read btw, enjoyed, read the second time and went huh?)
:->
I think I need a fog vampire to fit into this island of mine….hmmm.
Thanks for the inspiration.
That was awesome! Please continue writing as soon as you get a chance , because I would be more than happy to be the first to buy into that series!!!
LIKES Lots! Wants book! I agree with everyone else. I never read the pretty boy vampire books but the movies make me want to gag. I heard the books are silly too. I st in a book store and tried once but her writing made me roll my eyes…I’ve been spoiled by you guys and now no one compares
*frowns* LOL not a horrible thing 
I need more….. MORE!
I didn’t stop to read all of the other comments, so I hope I don’t repeat.
Wow. I really hope that is a snippet from an actual story that you’ve written (or writing) because that is fantastic. If it was something you just dashed off, I’m even more impressed and hopefully it could develop into something longer.
I love this snippet – please do enlarge upon this theme – great not to have a simpering mess at the feet of vampire…