Dangerous Girls (13 page)

S
unday night, the girls retreated to their room. Destiny had an essay due for French class, but she sat staring at her computer, unable to get Renz out of her mind.

Tomorrow morning, we'll see him first thing. We'll ask him to restore us, to give us back our normal lives. He can help us. I know he can. Livvy and I are going to be okay.

Across the room, Livvy talked on the phone to friends.

Loud voices interrupted them. Destiny turned to see Ross and Ari at the top of the stairs.

“What's up? Last-minute homework?” Ari asked.

“Did you hear about Charley Robbins?” Ross asked. “He was caught stealing doughnuts from the Pick 'N Pay. You believe it? He had a box of doughnuts under his sweatshirt. What a total jerk.”

“He's toast. He's dead meat,” Ari said. “Someone said he did it on a dare.”

“I ran six miles this afternoon,” Ross said. “All along the reservoir. It was great. I'm in shape for basketball, I think. Fletch was supposed to meet me, but he never showed up. I called him, and he said he has turf toe. How can you have turf toe if you've never been on turf?”

Ari rubbed his stomach. “You got anything to eat? My parents were out, and I forgot to have dinner.”

Normal life, Destiny thought. After Livvy and I see Renz, we'll go back to a normal life. We won't have to worry every time the doorbell rings. We won't have to wonder if Ross and Ari are vampire hunters.

She ran down to the kitchen to make Ari a sandwich. To her surprise, he followed her. “I didn't really want a sandwich,” he said. “I thought maybe we could be alone.” He kissed her again, this time longer.

She pulled away. “Ari, I—don't know what to say. I mean, I'm not sure…”

He sighed. “Maybe I
will
have that sandwich.”

She made a ham sandwich for him. Then
they returned to the room upstairs.

Destiny instantly saw that Livvy and Ross had made up. They were pressed together on the couch. Livvy had one leg over his lap, and her arms were around him. Her hair fell over his face as she kissed him.

Footsteps on the stairs. Courtney appeared.

She had a blue knit cap over her brown hair. She wore a pale blue sweater over a red T-shirt and khaki cargo pants. “Hey, what's up, Dee?”

Her smile faded when she saw Livvy and Ross across the room.

Livvy swiveled around, but she still had one leg over Ross's lap. Her red lipstick was smeared around her mouth.

“Ross, you creep!” Courtney cried through gritted teeth. She stomped over to the couch. “You said you were coming to my house!”

Ross raised both hands, signaling for a truce. He tried to disentangle himself from Livvy. But she slid an arm around his shoulders and snuggled close, staring up at Courtney, challenging her.

“Guess he forgot,” Livvy said, smoothing back Ross's blond hair.

“You
bitch
!” Courtney screamed. She dove
at Livvy, grabbed her by the shoulders, struggled to pull her to her feet.

“Let go of me,” Livvy said.

“Hey, let me up!” Ross pushed Livvy out of the way and stood up, dancing away from the couch. “Courtney—stop!”

Sobbing, Courtney tugged Livvy up. She gripped Livvy's hair with both hands and pulled.

Livvy let out an angry cry. She ducked her head, but couldn't free herself from Courtney's grip. “Let go! Let go of me!”

“Hey, stop it! Both of you! Stop it!” Destiny screamed.

But both girls ignored her. Courtney jerked Livvy's head from side to side. The two girls wrestled on their feet.

Livvy grabbed Courtney's arm. She snapped it hard.

Destiny heard a sickening
crack
.

Livvy let go of her and stepped back, breathing hard, eyes wide with surprise.

Courtney's arm dropped limply to her side. Screaming, she fell to her knees. “You broke it! You broke my arm!”

Livvy turned to Destiny. “I didn't mean
to. It just snapped!”

“It hurts! It hurts!” Courtney moaned. She struggled to raise her arm, and let out a cry of pain.

Destiny hurried over to her. Ross helped Courtney to stand.

“It was an accident,” Livvy said, pressing her hands to the sides of her face. “Really. I hardly did anything.”

Courtney cradled the broken arm in her good arm. “I can't stand it. It hurts so much.”

Destiny felt her stomach lurch when she saw ragged bone poking out through the torn skin. “We've got to get her to the hospital.” She turned to Ari. “Did you drive?”

“I'll take her,” Ross said. He helped Courtney to the stairs.

Tears poured down Courtney's cheeks. She turned and scowled at Livvy. “You jealous bitch. You've snapped it in two! How could you do this to me? I'll kill you for this!”

Livvy opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came out.

Ross slid his arm around Courtney's shoulders and guided her down the stairs.

“Ross, don't go!” Livvy called. “Stay with
me. Let Ari take her.”

Ross didn't answer. Ari hurried to the stairs. “I'd better go with them and help out.”

They disappeared down the stairs. Destiny heard the kitchen door slam behind them.

Livvy hugged herself. She crossed the room to Destiny. “I hardly touched her,” she said. “It was just an accident. I didn't try to break her arm. You believe me, right?”

Destiny sighed. “Yes, I believe you.”

Livvy shut her eyes. “Courtney started it. She grabbed me first. What does she think she's doing? She knows I love Ross.”

Destiny gasped. “Love? Did you say ‘love'?”

Livvy nodded. She opened her eyes. “Yes, I did. Why are you staring at me?”

“Well…for one thing, Ross is probably a vampire hunter. Do you think he'd love you back if he knew—”

“He cares for me. He told me so.”

“But you know Ross. He never goes with anyone for long. He always has three or four girls chasing him.”

“This is different,” Livvy insisted. “He and I—we've talked. He's serious about me. Courtney has been trying to break us up. But I
can't let her do that. She asked for it, Dee. She really did.”

Destiny shook her head. “She asked for it? She asked for a broken arm? Did you see the bone sticking out through the skin?”

“I'd like to do worse to her.”

“Don't say that, Livvy. That's horrible.”

A sob escaped Livvy's throat. “You don't understand me, Dee. You're just like everyone else.”

“Stop talking like that,” Destiny snapped. “We have more important things—”

“Nothing is more important than Ross and me!”
Livvy screamed.

“Calm down. Calm down. You're not thinking clearly. Listen to me, Liv. Right now, getting to Renz is more important. We have to see him as soon as we can and tell him we need his special powers. We—”

Destiny stopped when she heard the front door slam. A few seconds later, she heard heavy, trudging footsteps in the kitchen.

Both girls went to the stairs. “Dad, is that you? Are you home?” Destiny called.

No answer.

Destiny led the way down the stairs. “Dad?”

He had his back to them. He was hunched over the sink, washing his hands.

“Dad?”

When he turned, Destiny let out a cry. His shirt was torn open and stained. Streams of dark blood had caked on his forehead. Both hands were cut and bleeding.

“Oh my God!” Destiny cried. “Dad—are you okay? What happened?”

“I'
m okay,” he said. “Really.”

“But, Dad—”

Both girls rushed over to him. “What happened?” Destiny repeated.

“A little car accident,” he said.

Livvy caught him as his knees started to fold. “A car accident? Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

“I'm fine, really.” He swung free of Livvy and stuck his hands under the rushing hot water in the sink. “My mind wandered, I guess. I hit a mailbox. No big deal.”

Destiny stared at him. “Your mind wandered? Dad, you've got to get yourself together. You could have been killed.”

“I know,” he said, shaking his head. “But I'm fine. Really.”

“You're not fine,” Destiny said. “You're not yourself, and you know it.”

“You've been working too hard,” Livvy said. “Look what time it is.”

“I know. I know,” he muttered. “When you're right, you're right.” He forced a smile. Then he shut off the water and went dripping across the kitchen, heading to his room.

Destiny and Livvy exchanged nervous glances. “He's all cut up,” Livvy murmured.

“I'm really worried about him,” Destiny said.

She looked out the kitchen window. Her dad's SUV stood in the driveway, close to the garage. Light from the kitchen washed over it.

“That's so weird,” she said to Livvy. “Come here. Check this out. Dad's car…it looks perfectly fine.”

 

Two days later, the phone woke her up. Destiny raised her head off the pillow and gazed out the window. The morning sky was still charcoal gray.

She fumbled for the phone and picked it up. “Hello?” Her voice was still hoarse from sleep.

She heard someone crying on the other end.

“Hello? Who is this?”

Muffled sobs. Then a choked voice she
didn't recognize. “Dee, it's me.”

“Who? Please—”

“I'm sorry. I can't stop crying.”

“Ana-Li? Is that you? What's wrong? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I'm okay. I mean, no. You see, Courtney…it's Courtney…”

A shock jolted Destiny wide awake. She jerked up in bed and dropped her feet to the floor. “Courtney? Yes, I know. She broke her arm the other night.”

“Her arm? No. No. No. She's dead, Dee,” Ana-Li said between sobs. “Her parents…they found her in the backyard. She's dead. Her blood…oh my God…her blood was drained, Dee. Courtney's dead.”

Destiny held a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. Ana-Li's voice sounded unreal in her ears. The words weren't making sense.

She didn't
want
the words to make sense.

Please let this be a mistake.

But no. Through her sobs, Ana-Li continued. “There's no school. School is canceled. Everyone is afraid. It's so frightening, Dee. The Vampire Killer—he…he struck again. Poor Courtney. I…can't believe it. I just saw her
yesterday. First Bree and now…”

The Vampire Killer?

No. I don't think so.

“I…I'll call you back, Ana-Li. I can't talk now. Later, okay? I…I'm too upset.” She clicked off the phone and tossed it onto the bed.

“Livvy!” she screamed.

She stared at her sister across the room, on her stomach, hair spilling over the pillow, one hand trailing over the side of the bed to the floor.

“Livvy—you killed her!”

Livvy raised her head sleepily. “What are you talking about?”

“Don't pretend. Don't play innocent with me.” Destiny grabbed her twin by the shoulders and shook her awake. “You killed her. You killed Courtney.”

Livvy pushed Destiny's hands away and yawned. “Oh my God! Courtney's dead?” She shut her eyes. “How? How did it happen?”

“You know how!” Destiny cried. “You did it—didn't you, Livvy! You were afraid you'd lose Ross. So you—you—” Destiny's voice broke into sobs.

Livvy turned her face away from Destiny.
“That's horrible,” she murmured. “Horrible news. I really can't believe it.”

Trembling, Destiny stared down at her sister. “You're not even pretending to be sorry. How
could
you, Livvy? Courtney didn't have to die—just because she and Ross—”

“Leave Ross out of it,” Livvy snapped. “I didn't do it, Dee. I swear to you.”

Destiny's voice broke again. “My own sister. I…I can't even
look
at you.”

“Well, you won't have to for long.”

“What does
that
mean?” Destiny cried. “What are you saying? Have you gone crazy? Are you that far gone? Have you gone nuts like Mrs. Bauer?”

“Speak for yourself, Dee.” Livvy stood up and, pulling down her nightshirt, made her way to the bathroom.

Destiny strode up behind her and spun her around. “Livvy—you killed for Ross. You killed a human being. Doesn't that mean anything to you? Don't you even realize what's happened to you? Don't you think about the trouble we're both in? We have to find Renz right away. We have to be restored.”

“Maybe I have my own plan,” Livvy said
through gritted teeth.

“Huh? What are you saying?”

Livvy dove into the bathroom and slammed the door.

“What are you saying, Livvy?” Destiny demanded. “What kind of plan?”

“W
here's your sister?” Ana-Li asked.

Destiny shrugged. “Beats me. She left the house right after breakfast. She didn't say a word to me.”

“She's just afraid,” Ana-Li said. “We all are. Our friends are dying off one by one. None of us knows how to deal with it. So Livvy acts angry. That's her way. She'll calm down…once they catch the murderer.”

Destiny spent the day at Ana-Li's house. Ari and Fletch and some other kids dropped by after lunch. No one felt much like talking. But somehow it felt safer to be together.

Destiny thought about Livvy all day. And she thought about Renz. School is closed. Livvy and I can't see him today. How much longer can we wait?

She returned home at dinnertime to find the house empty. A phone message from Dad said
that he was working late and that Mikey was staying at a friend's. No sign of Livvy.

Destiny didn't feel hungry, but she shoved a frozen pizza into the oven. She forced down a slice without even tasting it, then went up to her room. She began to pace back and forth, wondering what she should do next.

She picked up Livvy's nightshirt from where it had been tossed on the floor, folded it, and placed it on Livvy's bed. Livvy's eye shadows and lipsticks were a jumble on her dressing table. Destiny began to straighten them, putting caps on the tubes and bottles.

Destiny didn't start to feel strange until just after eight o'clock. That's when her skin started to tingle, her back itched, and she felt a powerful gnawing sensation in the pit of her stomach.

She ignored it at first. But the tingling became an ache and the gnawing, tumbling feeling in her stomach nearly doubled her over.

I need some fresh air.

She opened the window and took several deep breaths. She gripped the windowsill so tightly her hands ached.

Please…
please
…make this stop.

So hungry. I'm so hungry.

She felt her hair stiffen and heard it crackle. And then her skin was crackling too. Her grip on the sill loosened, and her hands shrank quickly.

What's happening to me?

She felt herself pulling inward…closing in…changing so fast. All crackly and stiff.

Muscles tightened. Vision blurred. Banging heartbeats made her chest throb.

Am I sick? What's happening? I can't control it!

She saw her clothes in a rumpled pile below her. She felt herself floating up, floating effortlessly.

She fluttered off the windowsill. Sailed across the room, up to her dresser mirror.

“NOOOOOOOO!”
Her scream escaped as a shrill whistle.

Spreading her wings, she squinted into the mirror. Her sight strange, fragmented. But she could see clearly enough.

She could see her fur-covered body attached to the thin, veined wings, her tiny, red eyes, her rodent mouth hanging open as she stared…

…stared at the bat in the mirror.

Screeching in horror, she turned, flapping
her wings frantically, and spun in midair.

Hungry. So hungry now.

She sailed through the open window, out into the night.

I'm not human anymore. I'm a bat. I…want to go home. I want to go back.

But the hunger drove her through the purple-gray sky, over the dark houses. The cool wind felt good, rushing under her wings. She could feel her rapid heartbeats drumming in her chest, and feel the gnawing hunger in her belly.

Her wings flapped silently as she swooped low over a wooded field—and found what she was searching for. An owl on a high tree limb, staring straight ahead, so still, feathers bristling in the wind. A fat owl, filled with delicious blood…

She swooped at it, opening her mouth hungrily. Screeching down, she dug her teeth into its chest.

She didn't expect it to fight back. But the owl slashed a deep cut in her left wing. Thrashing wildly, it tore at her belly with its beak.

They tumbled off the tree branch. Fell to the mossy, wet ground.

The owl thrashed and cut. Destiny flapped hard above it, keeping her long teeth clamped deep in its belly.

The owl screeched, clawing at her wings, thrusting its beak into her middle, sharp jab after jab.

Pain shot through Destiny's body, paralyzing her. She lost her grip on its belly. Blood spattered her throbbing body, and she realized it was her own blood.

I've made a horrible mistake. I didn't know…owls are stronger…stronger than bats. I didn't know…

Too weak to flap her wings…too weak to escape.

She lay on her back on the blood-wet grass, the owl perched on her tiny, gray belly. Its talons tore at her thin wings again. Its beak dug into her throat.

I didn't know…I didn't know…