How to Kiss a Vampire novel · Chapter 9 of 24

Chapter 9: The Volunteer Reader

I was at Lowell Elementary in six minutes, in a stranger's flannel shirt, with roofing dust still in my hair.

I left the truck across two spaces in the drop-off lane with the door open and the engine running.

A crossing guard yelled at me, and I did not hear her.

The front office had a bowl of butterscotch candy and a sign that said ALL VISITORS MUST SIGN IN.

I put both hands on the counter.

"Who signed in for kindergarten story hour?"

The secretary smiled at me with her whole face.

It was the smile of a woman who had been told what to think an hour ago, and was happy about it.

"Mr. Krantz sent a lovely man," she said. "He had all the paperwork. He's so good with the children."

"What's the man's name?"

She looked at the sign-in book.

She frowned at it.

The page showed a neat signature that said Volunteer and nothing else.

"Which room?" I said.

"Room four, but you can't just go back there."

I was already down the hall.

The kindergarten door had a window in it with a paper pumpkin taped to the glass.

Through the pumpkin I saw twenty small children sitting cross-legged on a rug.

At the front, in the reading chair, sat a man in a grey wool coat.

He had a picture book open in his hands.

It was the man from the street outside Torsten's shop.

He held the book up to show the pictures, and he read in a calm, pleasant voice.

He did not blink.

Eero sat in the first row, six inches from his knees, with his mouth open.

My son, who does not sit still for anyone, was watching him with a dreamy look.

I opened the door so hard it hit the wall.

Every child turned around.

The teacher, who was standing by the sink, said, "Excuse me, you can't be in here."

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