The Vampire Stalker (17 page)

CHAPTER
NINETEEN

 

M
OM TOOK
M
ONDAY OFF
work to be with Chrissy. Although she would have let me opt out of school, I decided to go, more for a distraction than anything else. I couldn’t handle spending the day with my thoughts.

On the way to school, Luisa wanted to know what had happened with Chrissy. I told her I had tracked down the Internet guy, and that Chrissy was home safe. I left out the fact that the vampire killer had been the one to take Chrissy. The news reports had not revealed Chrissy’s name, thank goodness, and I still had to keep things as discreet as possible. But withholding the truth from Luisa was as painful as ever.

As if she could read my mind, Luisa brought up the vampire killer.

“Can you believe the cops are now saying it’s a
real
vampire?” she said as the bus pulled up to school. “There were debates about it on every channel last night.”

“It’s pointless debating. If he acts like a vampire and kills like one, we have to treat it as if he’s real.”

“There’s another press conference this morning,” Luisa said, grabbing my arm as we stepped off the bus — she’d gone splat too many times. “I heard they’re going to announce a curfew. How do you think that would work? What about people who work at night?”

“Depends what kind of curfew it is. Most curfews just keep people off the streets after a certain time. But if they really want to keep people safe, they should close up everywhere that’s open at night except hospitals, police, and fire stations.”

Her eyes widened. “You think they’ll do that?”

“I
hope
they do that.” As far as I was concerned, any measure that would make it more difficult for Vigo to find victims was a good thing.

When Luisa and I got to our lockers, I was so lost in thought that I didn’t see them coming.

Someone shoved me, and I stumbled into my locker.

I heard laughter all around me.

“Oops,
sorry,
party crasher,” Brian said, cackling. He had the rest of the jock squad with him — Reuben, Jake, and Tommy. They high-fived.

Something inside me snapped. As if my legs had a will of their own, I walked up to Brian. “Try that again, Brian.”

He looked startled. “Try what?”

“The apology. Or the shove. Both were on the weak side, don’t you think?”

Brian appeared dumbstruck. His eyes darted to his friends, uncertain of what to do next. Reuben nudged him, and they walked away. I heard the words “weirdo” and “crazy.”

As I watched them go, satisfaction swept through me. Maybe I had an Alexander Banks side after all.

Luisa put her arm around me. “You rock, Amy. You totally shook him up.”

“You think?”

“I
know.
You go, girl. And, for the record, I’m sorry I ever liked that loser Jake. That whole crowd is bad news.”

As expected, the press conference that morning announced the start of the curfew. Everyone was buzzing about it. Their biggest concern was how this would affect their plans on Halloween, which was tomorrow. Most of them would now be going to house parties, and planned to sleep over.

At lunchtime, Katie and I watched a replay of the press conference on the little TV in Ms. P.’s office. Luisa was at an emergency drama club meeting to reschedule their upcoming evening performances. I’d already brought Katie and Ms. P. up to speed on Hannah and James’s arrival and the plan for them to escort Vigo back through the portal.

“… and anyone on the streets after six o’clock will be fined or arrested,” Police Chief Arland was saying. “Employers are required to let their employees leave early enough that they can be
home by the time the curfew is in effect. All businesses must close by five. Only emergency services will remain open. We consider this curfew a temporary measure. We cannot estimate for how long it will be in place.”

The newscaster then started to talk about various civil liberties groups that were protesting the curfew. There were even plans for an outdoor protest tonight at eight o’clock in front of City Hall.

“Those people should stay out of it,” Ms. P. said, half to us, half to the TV. “The police are just trying to protect us. Why make their job more difficult?”

“The protest will draw the police away from other parts of the city, and that’ll make it more dangerous for everyone else,” Katie said. She was wearing a turtleneck that mostly covered up the bandage on her neck. When people asked about her injury, she told them that some hot grease had leaped out of the frying pan and burned her.

“I’m worried about all the house parties tomorrow night,” I told them. “Some kid could invite Vigo in.”

“Or Vigo could be calling Hannah right now and arranging to go back through the portal tonight,” Katie said, ever the optimist.

Ms. P. put her hand on mine. “You know, Amy, Alexander is doing the right thing by going back, even if it’s at great cost to himself.”

She knew what going back meant for Alexander’s future. We all knew.

When I got home from school, Alexander called me.

“Vigo contacted Hannah a few minutes ago,” he said without prelude.

I felt no relief. Instead, cold dread settled inside me. “What happened?”

“He is eager to go back to our world to confront Leander.”

“Did he agree to be escorted over?”

“Yes. Tomorrow at sunset. In the meantime, he gave his word that he will not kill tonight.”

“Do you believe him?”

“Yes. He needs us to find the portal, and he knows that time is of the essence — not only because Hannah informed him that the portal may close, but because Leander is trying to assume the leadership as we speak. So he must cooperate.” He was silent for a few moments. “I have one more thing to ask of you, Amy.”

“What is it?”

“Let me come and see you tonight.”

Tears stung my eyes. He wanted to say good-bye. I didn’t know if I could bear it, but I couldn’t say no. I had to see him one last time.

“Okay.”

The knock came around eight. It didn’t startle Mom or Chrissy, since I’d let them know that he would be coming over.

I checked the peephole, then opened the door. For a moment, I just stared, drinking in the sight of him. Alexander was the most beautiful guy I’d ever seen, and I knew that I would always remember him this way — standing in my doorway, his hair mussed from the wind, a warmth in his eyes that took my breath away.

“Come in.”

He said hello to Mom and Chrissy. Mom smiled, Chrissy gave a shy nod. There was no anger in her eyes anymore. Instead, there was something resembling wonder. She knew he’d been responsible for rescuing her.

“What’s it like out there?” I asked. “Are many people breaking curfew?”

“Very few. The streets are mostly deserted.”

Mom’s head turned at the word “curfew.” She was probably wondering why Alexander wasn’t respecting it, but she didn’t say anything.

“Are you hungry?” I asked. “We have chicken casserole. And lasagna from last night.”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

“Let’s go to my room.”

He followed me in and closed the door.

I sat on my bed. He stayed standing.

“You can sit if you want,” I told him.

“It’s all right. I’m not going to stay long. It’ll just prolong …” He seemed to have trouble finding words. “I came to thank you. And to apologize.”

“You don’t need to thank me. And there’s nothing to apologize for.”

“But there is.” He swallowed. “I know I am a difficult person at the best of times, and I’ve said some unkind things.”

“I’m not mad anymore.” It was true. I was heartbroken that he was leaving, and terrified for his future. There was no room for anger.

“Even so. I should never have implied that you were weak when you have been nothing but courageous. I was furious with myself, not you. Had I not failed to kill Vigo, there would have been no cause for you to put yourself at risk.”

I held out my hand. He took it and sat beside me.

“Your compassion, your kindness, these are your strengths, Amy. They allow you to face what other people would find intolerable.”

“I don’t think so. I think I’m just normal.”

He smiled, but his eyes were full of sadness. “Then you are the most wonderful normal person I’ve ever met. I will never forget you.”

“I’ll miss you.” The words didn’t come close to what I wanted to say. I wanted to tell him I didn’t know how I could go on if he didn’t survive. I wanted to tell him I’d never love anyone like I loved him.

I grasped both of his hands, pulling them close to my heart. “You don’t have to go back, Alexander. You can stay here. Start a new life. Isn’t that what you want?”

“My fate is to face Vigo one way or another. One of us will die soon. I feel it.”

My eyes burned with tears, and I wrenched my hands from his. “You don’t get it, do you? You’re wasting your life, Alexander. Your family might have died, but you didn’t! There’s still time for you.”

He touched my cheek, catching a tear on his thumb. “Now that I know what it is to love, I won’t feel my life has been wasted.”

I fell into his chest and his arms encircled me. He laid his cheek against the top of my head. I wanted to stay in his arms forever. But eventually I felt his hold loosen, and he eased away. “I must go.” He rose to his feet.

So did I. “Good-bye, Alexander.”

He pulled me against him and kissed me. I kissed him back with a longing that had been building inside me since I first read about him in the pages of
Otherworld.

When we drew apart, he left the room. I heard him say good-bye to Mom and Chrissy, then close the front door.

I collapsed onto my bed, sobbing.

Alexander was gone. Gone forever. Even though I might read about him in the pages of Book Three, I would never see him again. I would never be able to look into his eyes again, or hear his voice, or feel his kiss.

I felt like my heart had been ripped out and I had nothing left inside me. Nothing.

Mom and Chrissy came in, looking down at me with concern.

“I’m sorry, Amy,” Chrissy said, and put her arms around me.

CHAPTER
TWENTY

 

T
HE NEXT MORNING
when my alarm buzzed, I slapped it off. I had no desire to get out of bed, go to school, eat, or do anything else but fall back into oblivion. Alexander would be returning to his world, leaving a gaping hole in mine.

I turned on the radio and tried to focus on the news. There were no murders last night. The police announced that the curfew had been effective. I knew it wasn’t because of the curfew, though. It was because Vigo had promised not to kill.

I found Chrissy in the living room, eating oatmeal in her pajamas.

“Are you going back to school today?” I asked.

“Yeah. I mean, it’s Halloween.”

That made me smile. Halloween was one day of the school year Chrissy never missed. The old Chrissy might be coming back.

When I met Luisa on the bus, she was wearing an intricate gypsy costume complete with a colorful skirt and gold hoop earrings.

“I’m not going to let what’s going on stop me from celebrating Halloween,” she said. “Katie’s dressing up, too. Why didn’t you?”

“Other stuff on my mind.”

“Is it about Alexander? So are you guys together or not?”

“We’re not. He’s leaving town.”

“Sorry to hear that. Well, he didn’t look
that
much like Alexander Banks, when you think of it.”

I smiled, fighting down the lump in my throat.

Today at my locker I wasn’t going to make the same mistake I did yesterday. As I gathered my books, I kept glancing over my shoulder. When I spotted the jock squad headed in my direction, I shut my locker and stood with my back to it. They were all dressed like vampires in long black capes with plastic fangs hanging out of their mouths.

None of them looked my way.

“Guess you scared them off yesterday,” Luisa said.

I wasn’t sure I’d scared them off permanently, but I was glad they didn’t feel the need to harass me again.

“They’re such losers,” Luisa said. “I can’t believe they would dress like vampires, considering what’s going on. That is so tactless.”

“That’s the jock squad for you.”

After school that day was Halloween Idol, a costume competition in the gym. I had no desire to go, but Katie and Luisa begged me.
They weren’t participating, but they insisted it would be fun to watch. Luisa was still in her gypsy costume, and Katie was Little Bo Peep in a pink polka-dot dress. Her blond hair was in pigtails, and she carried a shepherd’s staff. She’d covered the bandage on her neck with a polka-dot scarf.

Reluctantly, I followed my friends to the gym, where the contest had already kicked off. Everyone was crowded around the catwalk that jutted out from the stage, cheering the contestants. Music boomed from the speakers, and judges — a group of popular senior girls — held up score cards.

Luisa, Katie, and I hung near the far west wall. It was too loud to do much talking, so we just watched the show.

A girl dressed as an anime character strutted down the catwalk. Her costume was clever — a Japanese wig, a bright red minidress, and knee socks with multicolored stripes.

My eyes took in the crowd. I noticed that a third of the people here were dressed as vampires. Reuben and his friends weren’t the only tactless people at this school.

In fact, the next contestant was dressed like a vampire, too. He wore a spiked collar, face powder, and black lipstick. Katie, Luisa, and I rolled our eyes at one another.

The following guy was more original. He was dressed like a leprechaun, green outfit and hat and all. He skateboarded down the catwalk. I didn’t get the connection. I guess he was a skateboarding leprechaun.

A guy dressed as an Egyptian king emerged from the crowd and walked right up to Luisa. He wore a black robe and a gorgeous black and gold mask that must have cost a fortune. I figured she knew him, because they started talking.

“Who’s that?” I asked Katie.

“Don’t know.” She leaned over to Luisa. “Who’s your friend?”

Luisa’s cheeks were flushed. “He won’t tell me.”

Katie tapped him on the shoulder. “Nice mask.”

The Egyptian king turned to Katie and lifted his mask off, revealing silver-blond hair and pale eyes. “I believe we have met before. Do you remember?”

Then he turned to me, ice blue eyes almost translucent. “Hello, Amy.” Before I could respond — or scream — he caught my shoulders and shoved me into the wall so hard I thought my spine would shatter. I couldn’t breathe.

Vigo’s pupils dilated as he stared at me. “Your beloved Alexander will be disappointed to know that I killed you slowly. That I had plenty of time to drink of you first.” He smiled, his fangs gleaming like knives. When he leaned in close, I braced for a sharp pain, but instead felt the touch of soft, cold lips on my neck. He was tasting my skin first. I struggled to get away, but he had me caged with my arms pinned to my sides. I heard Katie and Luisa screaming for help, but the crowd around us was focused on the catwalk, cheering for the latest contestant.

“What is it about you that turned Alexander into a fool?” he asked.

Just then, white-hot pain seared me. My vision blurred. I felt an excruciating pull as he drew my blood to the surface.

No!!
I wanted to kick and yell and punch, but I couldn’t move. Screaming, horrific screaming, filled my ears. I didn’t think it was mine.

Suddenly a thump reverberated through Vigo, and then another. He jerked away from me. Katie was smashing his head with her Little Bo Peep staff. By then, the crowd noticed what was going on, and the gym was in chaos. Some people began to push and shove, frantically trying to run from the scene, while others pressed closer for a better view. Vigo turned around and snatched the staff from Katie’s grip so hard she went flying.

Freed from Vigo, I tried to dive away from him, but he caught my shirt, hauling me up. I saw his head duck toward my neck —

Then a pair of hands grabbed Vigo from behind, yanking him back and slamming him to the floor.

Alexander.

Vigo kicked out with his legs, but Alexander had him flat on his back. Pinning Vigo with his body, he twisted his arms and legs in a wrestling hold. Vigo let out a howl of agony.

In a lightning-quick movement, Alexander pulled out the stake and raised it over Vigo’s chest. I held my breath.

Neither of us saw them coming.

The jock squad leaped at Alexander, dragging him off Vigo and shoving him to the floor. They had obviously recognized him as the guy who’d crashed Brian’s party, and saw their chance to take revenge.

Katie, Luisa, and I tried to grab hold of the guys’ arms to pry them off Alexander, with no success. Alexander kicked a leg out, connecting with Jake Levine’s shin. Jake cried out in pain and staggered back, and Alexander used the space to roll out from under them. He jumped to his feet.

“Where’d he go?” Alexander shouted.

Katie answered by pointing to the other end of the gym.

Alexander snatched the stake off the ground and sprinted across the gym. I ran after him. So did Katie and Luisa. And so did the jock squad.

I spotted Alexander and Vigo at the far end of the hallway. They were slamming each other into the lockers so fast that I couldn’t tell who was in control of the fight. The jocks were already there, but Alexander and Vigo were thrashing too violently for them to pounce again.

I ran up, Katie and Luisa beside me. We felt helpless to do anything. Alexander’s stake had fallen to the floor.
Thirty seconds. Thirty seconds before he tires and Vigo takes advantage.

Glass smashed. The fire alarm wailed. Reuben had broken the glass and was pulling out the heavy fire extinguisher. Brian helped him.

Katie and I looked at each other. If the spray was powerful
enough, it could stun both Vigo and Alexander for a few seconds. That would give Katie enough time to stake Vigo.

Reuben hefted the fire extinguisher. “Hold him still!”

I realized, with horror, that spraying them wasn’t Reuben’s plan at all.

We ran at him, but he’d already sprung forward. I heard a sickening thud as the fire extinguisher connected with Alexander’s head. Alexander sank down against the lockers.

Vigo gave Reuben a satisfied smile. “Why, thank you.” Then he sank his fangs into his neck. Reuben’s eyes were wide and staring, but he didn’t struggle.

Brian ran up, grabbing Vigo’s robe. Tommy and Jake stood nearby, paralyzed with fear. Vigo turned a furious gaze on Brian, pushing Reuben aside. In one vicious movement, he head-butted Brian, who crumpled to the floor like a rag doll.

I hadn’t noticed that Alexander had gotten to his feet. To me, he appeared as if out of nowhere, rising behind Vigo like a cloud of darkness. Alexander lunged forward, and I heard the sickening crunch of shattered bone. I didn’t even see the stake until its tip thrust out the front of Vigo’s rib cage.

The vampire fell.

There was no struggle, no writhing. No spiteful last words. He died instantly.

Only then did I start to feel it — the ache in my neck, the weakness throughout my body. I pressed a hand to my neck, but the stickiness of the blood made me yank it back. Within moments
Katie and Luisa were by my side, and Katie was pressing something soft, maybe her scarf, against my neck.

Alexander came up and put his arm around me. I sagged into his side. He replaced Katie’s hand on my neck wound, keeping firm pressure on it as we walked in the direction of the exit.

I heard police sirens getting closer. Music still blared in the gymnasium.

But one haunting sound rose above the others.

It was the sound of Reuben sobbing.