Dangerous Girls

Destiny spun into the street. She ducked behind her car as the front door of the building swung open.

  She held her breath and peered over the front fender. The boys stepped out quickly, holding the stakes close to their sides. She saw Ross whisper something to Fletch. Fletch laughed and gave him a playful shove.

  Dr. Weller backed out of the building. He locked the front door. Took several deep breaths, gazing around.

  No. Please. Dad, please don’t look here.

  Hunched behind the car, Destiny watched them move quickly, silently up the sidewalk. She turned and saw her dad’s SUV parked on the corner across the street.

  Squatting low, Destiny moved to the other side of her car. Another car passed by. Its headlights spilled over the boys. Destiny saw them hide the wooden stakes so the driver wouldn’t see.

  They piled into the SUV. She watched her dad lower himself behind the wheel. He started it up. The taillights flared red. After a few seconds, the SUV pulled away from the curb.

  Destiny jumped to her feet.

  Where is Dad going? She fumbled for her car keys. Dropped them onto the sidewalk.

  Trembling, she grabbed up the keys and hurried into the car. It felt good to sit down. Breathing hard, she started up the car and headed after them.

  A few seconds later, she began to catch up. They were driving fast through North Town, the old part of Dark Springs. Small houses crowded together on tiny lots. An all-night grocery on one corner. A boarded-up movie theater.

  Destiny hit the brake when she saw the SUV pull to the curb. The doors swung open, and the boys were out of the car before it even stopped.

  Destiny swung the car over, her eyes on the boys. She bumped over the curb and bounced hard.

  The boys were running across a narrow front lawn, leaping over the shrubs, moving silently, stakes raised high over their heads.

  Whose house is this? I’ve been inside it. Isn’t it the school librarian’s house? Mrs. Lindros’s?

  The hunters’ faces were hidden in shadow. But she could see their black silhouettes leaning forward as they ran.

  Then she heard the shouts. Heard the crack of breaking glass. Heard heavy thuds as they broke the front door down.

  Oh my God. Oh my God. I don’t believe this. They’re breaking in. My dad is breaking into a house. They’re going in.

  A few seconds later, she heard more shouts. And then a woman’s high wail. A wail of pain, of horror.

  Destiny covered her ears. But she couldn’t shut out the terrifying cry.

  I’ve got to get home. I’ve got to tell Livvy.

  She wheeled the car around. Made a wild U-turn, nearly smashing into the side of a parked pickup truck. The squealing tires reminded her of the woman’s high shriek.

  My dad…my own dad…

  What am I going to do?

  She found Livvy lying on her bed, reading an issue of People magazine. “Where’ve you been?” Livvy asked coldly as Destiny hurried across the room to her.

  “Listen to me. We—we’re in trouble,” Destiny cried.

  Livvy rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  Destiny dropped down on the edge of the bed. “You don’t know this. Dad is a hunter. I saw him. I saw him tonight. Our own dad is a hunter.”

  The magazine fell from Livvy’s hands. “Oh my God. That’s impossible!”

  Destiny took a deep breath. “It’s true. I saw Ross and Fletch with him. And other guys from school. They broke into Mrs. Lindros’s house.”

  “The librarian from school?”

  Destiny nodded. “They killed her. I heard her scream. It was so horrible!”

  Livvy pulled herself up. She shook her head hard. “Ross was there? With Dad?”

  “Yes. I swear. They’re both hunters.”

  “But Dad wouldn’t hurt us. We’re his daughters.”

  Destiny swallowed hard. “I don’t know what he would do if he found out. He’s been lying to us all this time. He said he was working late. But all the while, he’s been a hunter.”

  Livvy tugged at a strand of hair. “I—I just can’t believe it.”

  “You’ve got to stay away from Ross,” Destiny said. “He’s a hunter too.”

  “So what?” Livvy cried.

  “So what? Have you lost your mind? If Ross found out our secret—”

  “Ross would never hurt me,” Livvy insisted. “Never. Ross loves me, Dee.”

  Destiny’s voice came out in a shrill whisper. “Would he still care about you if he knew? Would he?”

  “You’re just jealous,” Livvy said. “You’re jealous that Ross is in love with me.”

  The words stung Destiny. “I’m not jealous. He’s a hunter. And if he knew—”

  “He already knows!” Livvy cried. “Ross already knows. I told him. He knows all about it.”

  “What? How could you?” Destiny screamed. “How could you put us both at risk? We swore to keep the secret. We swore to each other. How could you tell him?”

  Livvy turned her face to the wall and didn’t answer.

  “When did you tell him? What did he say? Answer me,” Destiny demanded. “Answer me, Livvy. What did he say?”

  Livvy didn’t move and didn’t reply.

  “Don’t you realize what you’ve done?” Destiny cried. “Don’t you realize the danger we’re in now?”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Renz Makes a Promise

  Destiny watched Renz walk down the hall. He appeared startled to see her, but a smile quickly replaced his surprise. “Good morning, Destiny. Waiting outside my office door? Hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

  “I wanted to talk to you before school began.”

  He switched his briefcase to his other hand, pushed open the door, and waved her in before him. At his desk, he turned and smiled at her again, his dark eyes flashing. “You look tired. Are those lines under your eyes?”

  “I didn’t sleep much last night,” Destiny said. “I was worried about coming here…about talking to you. I…well…this isn’t easy.”

  His eyes burned into hers. “What’s on your mind?”

  Destiny stared back at him. “Well…I don’t really know how to say this.” Her throat suddenly felt dry.

  I can’t do this. This is crazy. I should turn and run.

  Renz leaned closer. His eyes caught the light. “Why don’t you just say it? It can’t be that difficult.”

  Yes, it is.

  “Well…”

  His eyes appeared to glow. He didn’t blink. She suddenly felt as if he was reaching into her mind, reading her thoughts.

  “You want to talk to me about the full moon, don’t you?” he said softly.

  Destiny gasped. He did read her mind.

  She nodded.

  “You’re nervous about Saturday night,” Renz said.

  Destiny nodded again. “You know!” she whispered. “You…you are the Restorer—aren’t you!”

  He blinked. “The what?”

  “The Restorer. It’s you. You’re the one who restores people to their normal lives after they’ve been bitten.”

  He didn’t answer.

  “Please, tell me, Renz.” Her voice broke. “Tell me the truth. Are you the one? Are you the Restorer?”

  Renz gazed at her for a long moment. He seemed to be thinking hard. Finally, a smile spread across his handsome face. He took Destiny’s hand.

  “Yes,” he whispered. “Yes, I am.”

  His hand felt warm and dry on her cold hand. She let out a long sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God,” she cried. “Livvy and I—we need you, Renz. We need you desperately. We don’t have much time. Will you help us?”

  He pressed her hand between both of his. He stood and came up close beside her. “Don’t worry anymore,” he whispered. “The full moon is Saturday night. I’ll be there, at the senior overnight. I will come for you. And I promise I will take care of you then.”

  “Thank you. Oh, thank you,” Destiny whispered.

  Chapte
r Thirty-Seven

  Summer Camp Memories

  Destiny greeted Nakeisha at the front door, and the two girls hugged. Destiny led her friend into the living room. “You look great!”

  Nakeisha spun around, modeling her outfit. She wore a white sweater vest over a silky orange top, a short brown suede skirt, and dark tights. “It’s my college interview outfit. Check it out.”

  Destiny laughed as Nakeisha paraded back and forth like a model on a runway. “Hope you don’t walk like that at your interviews. How’s it going?”

  Nakeisha shrugged. “Not bad. I’ve only seen a few schools. Mom wants me to stay in the east. She won’t let me apply to any California schools.”

  Nakeisha’s eyes narrowed on Destiny. “Have you lost weight?”

  Destiny bit her bottom lip. “A little.”

  “Well, don’t lose any more,” Nakeisha said in her usual blunt way. “You look like we did after that two-day canoe trip. Wrecked.”

  “I…haven’t been sleeping well,” Destiny said, motioning for Nakeisha to sit on the green leather couch. “I don’t know why. Senior-year-itis, I guess.”

  Nakeisha glanced around. “Nice house. Is Livvy home?”

  Destiny dropped beside her on the couch. “No. I don’t know where she is.”

  “Hope she comes by. I wanted to say hi to her.”

  “Livvy and I haven’t been getting along.” The words burst from Destiny’s mouth. She hadn’t intended to say them.

  She didn’t want to involve Nakeisha in her troubles. She didn’t want to tell Nakeisha anything about what was going on.

  “I’m not surprised,” Nakeisha said. “You two are so different. It’s hard to believe you’re really twins.”

  “Well…” Destiny had the sudden urge to tell her friend everything. But she forced the words back.

  “Hey, you know who I heard from?” Nakeisha asked. “Ronnie Herbert. Know what he’s doing?”

  Destiny shook her head. “I only got one e-mail from him, at the end of summer.”

  “You know how he was such a wizard with the camp computers? Well, he started his own computer repair business after school. You know. Doing upgrades for people, installing hardware, and stuff. He said he’s making money big-time.”

  “Good for Ronnie,” Destiny said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

  “Hear from anyone else at camp? Oh, wait.” Nakeisha jumped to her feet. “I forgot. Know what I brought?” She went to the front hall, rummaged in her bag, and pulled out a thin book. “Did you get this?”

  “What is it?”

  Nakeisha returned to the couch, holding the book up to Destiny. “It’s the camp yearbook. It just came yesterday morning.”

  “I didn’t get mine.”

  Nakeisha pushed it into Destiny’s lap. “Well, check it out. Look. We’re on the cover.”

  Destiny moaned. “Oh, great. That horrible day it rained like crazy. We look like drowned rats.”

  Destiny quickly turned the page. “There’s the campfire from hell. I’ll never forget those screaming little kids.”

  Nakeisha laughed. “Half of them wet their beds that night!”

  “Hey, nice picture of Livvy,” Destiny said, holding the book closer. “Who’s that guy she’s with?”

  Nakeisha grabbed the book to study the photo. “What day was it taken? Livvy was going with a different boy every day, wasn’t she? I mean, she didn’t leave anyone for us.”

  Destiny’s eyes rolled over the photos. “Oh, wow. This is great.”

  I wish I was back in camp. I wish I could turn the clock back…

  “But do you know what’s totally weird?” Nakeisha took the book and flipped quickly through the pages. “No photos of Renz. Not one.”

  Destiny’s mouth dropped open. “Renz…?”

  “Go ahead. You look.” Nakeisha shoved the book back onto Destiny’s lap. “Renz was everywhere, right? He was in every activity. So how come they left him out of the yearbook?”

  Destiny swallowed hard. She let the yearbook slide from her lap, onto the floor. “Renz? At camp? He’s at my school. No way he was at camp.”

  “Huh? At your school?” Nakeisha jumped to her feet again. She pressed her hands to her waist and frowned at Destiny. “Are you totally losing it? I’m talking about Renz. R-e-n-z. We hung out with Renz all summer. You panted after him and followed him around just like all us girls. Are you telling me you don’t remember that?”

  Destiny stared up at her friend. She suddenly felt dizzy. She gripped the side of the couch.

  Renz at camp. Renz, the new college advisor from school, at camp. How can that be?

  And suddenly, she saw herself with him. She and Renz at the lake…the full moon high above the shimmering water. Renz leaning over her…kissing her…

  Oh my God.

  Slowly, the truth began to filter into her spinning mind.

  I get it. I get it now.

  No pictures of Renz in the yearbook.

  No memory of him at camp. But he was there. I knew him. I hung out with him. I…kissed him.

  No pictures and no memories of him…

  Vampires can’t be photographed…

  Renz is a vampire. Yes. It’s so obvious now, thanks to Nakeisha and the yearbook. Renz is the vampire who ruined our lives.

  “He’s not the Restorer,” she said, thinking out loud.

  Nakeisha continued to stand over her. “What? You’re not making any sense, Dee.”

  Oh, yes, I am.

  Renz isn’t the Restorer.

  Nakeisha was talking, but Destiny couldn’t hear her, her words drowned out by Destiny’s terrifying realization.

  Destiny pressed her hands to the sides of her face and shut her eyes. Renz isn’t the Restorer…. My dad is a vampire hunter…. My closest friends are hunters too. My sister isn’t speaking to me. After Saturday, I will be like Mrs. Bauer, a mad creature driven night and day by an endless craving for blood.

  “Destiny? Are you freaking out or something? Are you okay?” Nakeisha’s voice—far away, miles away—broke into her thoughts.

  No. I’m not okay.

  I’m not okay.

  I have no one to turn to, no one I can trust.

  Saturday night…Saturday night…Saturday night…my life will be over.

  Part Five

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Renz Drinks Deeply

  Renz sat at his desk, leaning back in his chair, eyes shut. “Destiny.” He whispered her name. Thinking about Saturday night filled him with excitement. “Destiny…Laura. Yes, you will become Laura.”

  Memories flooded his mind. It was last spring…only last spring, but it seemed so long ago…when he spotted his love behind the high school, waiting for her daughters again. Yes, she called herself Deborah Weller, and she was married to a boring-looking veterinarian.

  But I don’t care what you call yourself. Tonight you will be Laura again, he thought, gazing up at the full moon. He let the moonlight warm him, then returned his eyes to her. He was afraid to let her out of his sight, afraid he might lose her.

  Ever since that chance meeting in the school parking lot, he had been thinking about Deborah Weller, following her, watching her. He would creep up to the kitchen window at night and watch the family eat their dinner. Through the window, he watched her and enjoyed her laugh, her smile, her bright green eyes.

  Laura, do you sense that I am near?

  Do you sense my love for you?

  We are separated, Laura. But not for long.

  And then, a few days later, Renz knew the time had come. The full moon sent silvery light over her SUV as she waited in the empty parking lot. He moved out of the shadows, toward the car, ready to claim his bride.

  She had the windows closed. Her blond hair fell softly to her shoulders, caught in the light of the moon. He tapped lightly on her window and saw her jump in surprise.

  She gazed out at him for a long moment, then remembered him. She rolled down the window. “Mr. Angelini? How
strange. We keep meeting in this parking lot.”

  Her throaty voice, like velvet. Like Laura.

  “Could you help me?” he asked, barely able to keep his voice from quivering. “I dropped my keys. If you open the door, the car light will help me find them.”

  She didn’t hesitate. She opened the car door.

  He reached in and grabbed her.

  He held her so tightly, she couldn’t scream.

  At last. At last. At last.

  The fangs slid down and he drove them deep into her throat. He drank hungrily, noisily, holding her powerless against him.

  When he had drunk his fill, blood flowing over his lips and chin, he raised his head and whispered, “Now, you must drink, Laura. Now you must drink my blood.”

  He raised his throat to her. He could see the haze in those deep green eyes, the confusion on her face.

  “Drink,” he ordered. “Drink and we will be together.”

  She turned her head.

  The doors to the school opened. The twins appeared.

  No. Oh, no.

  Renz loosened his grip. He backed away, then slithered into the shadows of the trees at the edge of the parking lot.

  He watched the girls run to the car. Watched Laura mopping at her throat with the collar of her blouse. Covering up the wound. Greeting the girls. Confused. Dazed and unaware of what had just happened to her.

  But I know what has happened, he thought. I have drunk your blood under the full moon, and now you need to drink mine. I need you. I need you.

  The girls were inside the car now. He heard the click of the door locks. He waited until the car pulled away, out of the parking lot. And then he tilted back his head and uttered a long, animal howl, a howl of anger and frustration and pain.

  The days went by. Renz knew he had to wait a month, until the next full moon. He watched her house. What was she doing in there? She seldom came out.

  What did she tell her husband? Her daughters? That she was sick?

  Evenings, he saw the husband returning from his veterinary lab. Renz saw what he brought for his wife. The husband brought animals home—rabbits, hamsters, small rodents. For his wife to feed upon?