Dangerous Girls (10 page)

T
heir dad called while they were still calming Mikey down. Destiny picked it up.

“I've got to work late. I've got two cats here that need stomach operations. Can you girls take care of Mikey tonight?”

“Sure, Dad. No problem. But I'm worried about you. You're working late every night. When are you going to take a break?”

Destiny heard her father sigh. “Beats me. When animals stop getting sick, I guess. See you later, Dee.” He clicked off.

Destiny stared at the phone. Mom could always force Dad to come home. I know he cares about us. But why does he want to spend all of his time in his lab now?

She turned to Livvy. “Dad's going to be late. He wants us to watch Mikey.”

“But what about Mrs. Bauer?”

“I have an idea.” She punched in Ana-Li's
number. “Hey, Ana-Li. It's Destiny. Can you stay with Mikey for an hour or two?”

“Sure,” Ana-Li replied. “What's up? Why can't you and Livvy watch him?”

“Uh…Dad wanted us to run some errands. You know. Supplies he needs. He can't get away from the office.”

Pretty lame. Will she buy it?

“No prob. I'll be right over.”

Destiny turned back to Mikey. “You feeling any better?”

“No,” he grumbled. He gazed from Livvy to Destiny. “Will you die too?”

Stunned by the question, Livvy gasped. “What on earth?”

Destiny understood. The poor kid. He lost his mom and then his pet. He knew about Bree. So much death this year.

“Livvy and I aren't going to die,” she said softly. “We're going to stay with you, Mikey. And we'll always take care of you.”

He stared back at her, studying her.

I hope I'm telling him the truth.

Poor Mikey. Poor Mikey. If we don't find the Restorer, he could lose us too.

She turned away quickly to keep him from seeing the tears in her eyes.

 

The car headlights bounced off the fog, sending shafts of yellow light shooting in all directions. Destiny drove slowly, leaning over the steering wheel. The sky was solid black, and the fog rolled over the car as if swallowing it.

Livvy was hunched low in the passenger seat, knees on the dashboard, arms crossed tightly in front of her black sweater. “I can't believe you're dragging me back there,” she whispered.

Destiny slowed for a stop sign. “Do we have a choice? I told you, I've been doing research day and night. And I haven't found any clues. Not one.”

“But this woman is…a vampire. She's crazy. She's totally out of her head. She could be really dangerous.”

Destiny lowered her foot on the gas. “She won't harm us, remember? She said we were almost vampires too. You keep forgetting that part.”

Livvy touched the mark on her throat. “We're doomed, Dee. That crazy woman is not going to help us.”

“She
has
to help us,” Destiny insisted. “No more negative talk. She
has
to help.”

She pulled the car to the foot of the driveway. Coach Bauer's house stood in darkness, half hidden by the curtain of fog. It looked unreal to Destiny, like a movie set of a haunted house.

It
is
haunted. By a woman who's not alive and not dead.

“Turn on the flashlight. I can't see a thing,” Livvy whispered as they made their way up the driveway.

“No. No light till we get inside,” Destiny said. “We don't want anyone to see us.”

“Ow.” Livvy tripped over a large rock at the side of the house and stumbled into the shingled wall.

“Careful,” Destiny whispered, gripping Livvy's shoulder and helping her to stand upright. “I don't see any lights in the house. Coach isn't home.”

“Probably out with his hunters, killing all the vampires in town,” Livvy muttered.

“Shhh. Stop. This is freaky enough.”

“What if Mrs. Bauer isn't here? What if she's out flying around, killing some of our other friends?”

Destiny stopped short and held Livvy back. “Pull yourself together,” she said. “Stop whin
ing. And stop acting like a child and forcing me to be the grownup.”

Livvy opened her mouth to protest, but changed her mind.

“Just remember why we're here,” Destiny said. “To find out about the Restorer.” She carefully pulled open the back door. She poked her head into the dark kitchen. “Anybody home?” she called softly.

Silence.

The cold of the fog clung to her as she stepped into the warm kitchen. She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to smooth the dampness away. Then she clicked on the flashlight.

She sent the circle of light dancing over the room. Dishes were piled in the sink. An empty Hungry-Man dinner box sat on the counter beside two empty beer bottles.

She moved the light to the basement door. The door stood open a crack. Had Mrs. Bauer escaped? Was she out on the prowl?

“Come on,” Destiny whispered.

Livvy hovered close behind as Destiny followed the beam of light to the basement door. Destiny pulled the door open slowly. “Anyone there?” she called down.

Silence.

Destiny could hear the hum of the refrigerator. Somewhere outside, far down the block, a car horn honked.

Keeping the light on the stairs, Destiny led the way. The wooden steps creaked and groaned as the girls made their way to the basement.

Destiny stopped at the bottom to catch her breath. If only she could slow her racing heart.

“Where is she? Is she down here?” Livvy stood so close, Destiny could feel her hot breath on the back of her neck.

Destiny moved the circle of light slowly around the cluttered basement. It swept over rows of cartons stacked three high. Past an old couch. Past a large black steamer trunk with a big lock clasped to the front.

The light stopped on a narrow bed against the far wall. First Destiny saw the dark quilt that covered the bed. Then she saw the head on the pillow. Mrs. Bauer!

“At least she doesn't sleep in a coffin,” Destiny murmured.

“You've seen too many of Ari's movies,” Livvy whispered.

Destiny's legs began to tremble, but she forced them to take a few steps toward the sleep
ing woman. Suddenly, Mrs. Bauer cringed, let out an angry cry, and shielded her eyes with the back of a bony hand.

Destiny lowered the flashlight. She hadn't even realized she had flashed it into the woman's face.

With a groan, Mrs. Bauer raised herself to a sitting position. She rubbed her sunken eyes, deep in their round sockets. Scraggly hair fell over her face.

“Who is it? Have you come for me?” Her voice came out muffled, as if from somewhere far away. Her bony hands and arms trembled in front of her. “Who are you?”

“It's…us again,” Destiny managed to whisper. “The Weller twins.”

The woman tilted her head one way, then the other. “I used to know a twin, but she died.”

Destiny's throat felt dry. She realized her hands were trembling. “Mrs. Bauer, we don't want to disturb you. We just want to ask you—”

“I knew a twin, but she died…she died…she died…” Mrs. Bauer sang the words in a hoarse sing-song.

“We want to ask you one question. Then we'll leave,” Destiny said.

“I'm so hungry,” the woman rasped. She
stood up, the dark quilt tangled around her long black shift. “So hungry.”

“Who is the Restorer?” Livvy asked, clinging close to Destiny. “Please—tell us. Who is the Restorer?”

The woman tilted her head from side to side again. “So close,” she whispered. “So close.”

“What is so close?” Destiny demanded. “The Restorer? The Restorer is so close?”

“Hungry,” Mrs. Bauer murmured. She stuck a finger deep into her eye socket and pulled out a dead fly. “Hungry. So close.”

“Is the Restorer close?” Destiny pleaded. “Please—tell us. We need to know who the Restorer is.”

“You know, don't you?” Livvy asked. “Don't you? Can you tell us?”

“He…couldn't…restore me,” the woman replied. “He tried. It was…too…late. Too late for me.”

“So you know the Restorer. Where can we find him?” Destiny asked again. “
Please
—tell us.”

“So close. So close.”

Destiny held her breath, waiting for Mrs. Bauer to say more.

“Tell us!” Livvy pleaded. “Tell us!”

A heavy thud above their heads made all three of them jump. With a gasp, Mrs. Bauer stumbled back against the wall.

Destiny heard a door slam upstairs. Then more heavy thuds. Footsteps. Rapidly crossing the kitchen floor.

“The hunters!” Mrs. Bauer whispered, sunken eyes rolling wildly in their sockets. “They've come. They've found me.”

Destiny swallowed hard. “The hunters? They've come here to—”

“To kill me,” Mrs. Bauer said. She had her hands at the sides of her head, tugging at her patchy hair. “To kill me.”

Livvy grabbed Destiny's arm. “Hurry. We have to get out of here. They'll wonder why we're here with her. And if they check our throats and see the marks, they'll kill us too.”

The door to the basement swung open. Destiny heard men's voices, talking rapidly, excitedly. The bright beam of a flashlight swept down the stairs.

Destiny spun around, her eyes circling the basement. “There's no way out, Liv,” she whispered. “No way out. We're trapped.”

L
ivvy pressed her hands against her cheeks, her features tight with fear. Destiny grabbed Mrs. Bauer's bony arm. “Is there a way out? Can we get out?”

“They've come,” Mrs. Bauer replied, her eyes on the stairs. “The hunters have finally come.”

Squinting into the darkness, Destiny saw a stairway along the far wall. Did it lead to a door to the outside?

Yes.

“Hurry.” Destiny let go of Mrs. Bauer and broke for the stairway. She heard Livvy running close behind. Destiny scrambled up the steep stairs on all fours, then reached up and pushed the metal door open a crack.

She let out a happy cry as the night sky came into view. Using all her strength, she pushed the door open and scrambled up and onto the grass.

Then she turned and helped pull Livvy up. She could hear footsteps crossing the basement. Men's voices. Cries and shouts.

Destiny squinted through the fog. Beyond the low shrubs at the back of the yard, she could see the black silhouettes of trees. The woods. “Let's go.”

She and Livvy took off, running full speed, shoes slipping over the dew-wet grass. As they neared the trees, Destiny glanced back—and saw Mrs. Bauer climbing out of the basement.

Mrs. Bauer scrambled to her feet and began to lurch toward the trees. “Come and get me!” she shouted. “Come and get me!” Her black shift flapped in the wind. Her scraggly hair flew around her skeletal face.

Destiny and Livvy reached the safety of the trees. They ducked down beside each other, hiding in the darkness. Breathing hard, they peered back to the yard.

Bright halogen lanterns sent wide circles of white light over the grass. The lanterns swept over the ground, bright as day, lighting the figures pursuing Mrs. Bauer, trapping her in harsh spotlights.

Holding on to the rough bark of a tree,
Destiny could see their hooded sweatshirts, hear their shouts.

“Livvy—that tall one—is that Coach Bauer?”

“I don't know. I think so.”

“And those guys shouting to each other. Oh my God. I think I recognize their voices. Aren't those guys from the basketball team?” Destiny whispered.

Livvy stared straight ahead. “I…I think so. Is Ross there? Has he become a hunter? Oh no. Why didn't he tell us?”

Destiny grabbed on to her sister as the dark-hooded hunters formed a circle around Mrs. Bauer. “Come and get me! Come and get me!” Shrieking at the top of her lungs, the woman spun in the white light, arms floating above her head.

And then one of the hunters moved forward quickly. His arms shot up. And in the shifting lights, Destiny saw the wooden stake he held between his hands.

Mrs. Bauer appeared to tumble back as the man lurched forward. He hoisted the stake high over his head—and plunged it into her chest.

Like the howl of a wild animal, Mrs. Bauer's
shrill scream echoed off the trees.

Destiny let go of her sister and covered her ears with her hands. But she couldn't shut out the horrifying wail of anguish.

Then, silence as Mrs. Bauer fell to the grass.

“No! Oh, no.” Livvy uttered a low cry.

Destiny gasped and clasped a hand over her sister's mouth.

“Who's that?” a boy called.

A chill of horror rushed down Destiny's back as the hooded figures turned away from the fallen woman.

“There's someone in the woods,” a boy said.

“Is that Fletch?” Livvy whispered. “Yes, I think it is.”

Destiny and Livvy exchanged a terrified glance.

“More vampires. In the woods. Get them!” one of the men commanded.

The white circles of light turned toward the trees.

Destiny froze as the hunters trotted toward the trees, lights held low, searching the ground.

They're going to catch us and kill us too. They're going to shove a wooden stake in my
heart. My own friends. My own friends are going to kill me.

Destiny gave Livvy a shove, and the two girls took off, running side by side, ducking under low branches, dodging shrubs and upraised tree roots.

“This way,” a guy shouted, close behind them.

Lights bounced off the tree trunks.

Destiny lowered her head and ran. She darted through a wide patch of tall reeds and kept going. A narrow, trickling creek ran along the other side of the reeds. She and Livvy splashed over the creek, running hard, into the tangle of trees on the other side.

Weird. I'm not breathing hard, Destiny thought. And suddenly, she also realized that she could see the trees and weeds and shrubs so clearly, as if it were daytime.

She saw Livvy shoot ahead, moving from one side to another, darting and dodging as if there were a path.

I've never run this fast, Destiny thought. I can see every tree leaf, every weed, every rock on the ground.

Where are the hunters?

Destiny glanced back. No lights. Their voices far behind.

She and Livvy picked up speed. They were practically flying over the ground now, senses alert, not growing tired, no aches in their sides, not even breathing hard.

“We're okay,” Destiny whispered. “We've outrun them.”

Livvy murmured, “I never ran so fast.”

“Yes, we outran them easily,” Destiny replied. “It…it's because we're not human anymore. We outran them because we're
creatures
now.”

Livvy's mouth dropped open. “You're right, Dee. Something horrible has happened. I can see bats hiding in those trees. And…and I can smell their blood. I can hear their blood pulsing, and smell it…smell it…. Ohh, I feel so sick.”

“Oh, Livvy,” Destiny wailed and pulled her sister close, into a tight hug. “How much time is left? In a few weeks or a few days, we won't be ourselves anymore. We'll be disgusting night creatures, living for blood, crazy as poor Mrs. Bauer.”

“I'm hungry
now
,” Livvy moaned.

“We've got to find the Restorer,” Destiny said. And then added in a trembling voice, “Soon.”

“But how? She didn't give us a clue, Dee.”

“I know. She kept saying he was close. Close.”

“But that might not be a clue at all. She was out of her mind, Dee. She wasn't making any kind of sense.”

“I know, but…”

The hunger overcame her so suddenly. A powerful gnawing in her belly, a coiling ache that made her groan.

She saw the raccoons slinking silently at the edge of the woods, gray fur glimmering, tails waving behind them. Destiny counted—six small ones led by a big, fat one.

“Yes! Yes! I'm so hungry!”

 

Using fallen leaves to wipe the blood from their faces, the girls stepped out of the woods. They found themselves on Steinway Street, five or six blocks from their house.

Destiny checked in all directions. “We lost the hunters,” she said, striding toward the street.

“This time,” Livvy added glumly. “But what if they saw our car parked there? They'll know—”

“We have to get it—fast.”

Deep in thought, they didn't see the figure on the sidewalk until they nearly bumped into him.

Destiny uttered a startled cry.

He wore a dark sweatshirt, his hair flew wildly around his face, and his jeans were stained and torn.

“Ari!” Destiny cried. “What are you doing here?”