The Taste of Night

  “You…you’re a vampire too,” she whispered finally. She struggled to catch her breath. Her body still tingled from the excitement of nearly finding blood.

  But Patrick’s blood wouldn’t nourish her.

  He stepped closer, and she could see the smile on his face. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I wanted to see how far you’d go.”

  Her surprise quickly turned to anger. “You were just playing a game? Having a little joke at my expense?”

  He took her hand. “No. It wasn’t just a joke. I really like you.”

  “What were you doing in the club?” Livvy asked.

  “Same as you. Looking to hook up.”

  “But I wasn’t looking to hook up with a vampire. I’m so hungry,” Livvy moaned. “You’ve wasted my time.”

  He laughed. “Hey, don’t hurt my feelings. I said I really like you.”

  “But I don’t need a vampire. I need—” Livvy started.

  He put a finger over her lips. “I’m not just a vampire, Livvy. Things are going to change now that I’m here.”

  “Excuse me?” She let go of his hand. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m going to take care of everyone. Make it a lot more exciting for all of us.”

  Moonlight filtered through the trees, and Livvy could see his smile and his eyes, crazy eyes, intense and unblinking. He seemed to be aiming all his power at her.

  She turned away.

  “Where do you live?” she asked.

  “Same building as you,” he replied.

  She kept her eyes away from his. “How do you know where I live? You’ve seen me before?”

  “Truth? I’ve had my eye on you.”

  “You’ve been watching me? Why?” she asked.

  He didn’t answer. He pulled her close, lowered his face to hers, and kissed her. Kissed her hard, so hard she could feel his teeth pressing against her lips…so hard it hurt.

  When the kiss ended, her lips throbbed with pain. Heart pounding, she pressed her forehead against the front of his shirt.

  Livvy realized she was trembling. I’m hot for him—and I’m afraid of him—at the same time.

  Patrick took her by the shoulders and moved her away. “It’s getting late. I’m thirsty too.”

  “But I want to know more about you,” Livvy said. She flashed him a grin. “You can’t just take a girl into the woods and leave her there.”

  Once again, he brought his face to hers. And he whispered in her ear. “Later.”

  He whirled away from her—and transformed quickly into a slender red fox. Squinting into the patch of silvery moonlight, Livvy watched the fox scamper away through the thick underbrush.

  Yes, later, she thought.

  Catch you later, Patrick. I think you and I are going to be seeing a lot of each other.

  chapter sixteen

  DESTINY FLIES

  DESTINY SEARCHED FOR ARI IN THE CLUB BUT couldn’t find him. She wanted to apologize. He was only dancing with that red-haired girl, after all. She shouldn’t have embarrassed him by acting so jealous.

  This night is a disaster, she thought. No way is it a celebration.

  She ended up walking home by herself. The night air felt cool against her hot skin. Crickets chirped. Fireflies danced in front of her, seeming to light her path. The moon appeared and disappeared behind high, gray clouds.

  She walked through tall grass along the side of the road. Her shoes became wet from the dew. Cars rolled past without slowing.

  She found herself thinking about Ross. She wondered how he was. She couldn’t picture Ross as a vampire. He was so good looking and athletic and…healthy.

  Destiny had a crush on Ross for years, and Livvy knew it. But Livvy went after Ross anyway. And she took him away.

  Forever.

  The tiny lights of fireflies sparkled in Destiny’s eyes, making the world appear unreal. The lights darted and danced around her.

  Before she knew it, she arrived at Drake Park, three blocks from her house. As she crossed the street and stepped into the park, she could hear the trickle of water from the narrow creek and the rustle of the trees shaking in the warm breeze.

  She followed the dirt path that curved toward her house. A creature scampered over her feet, startling her. A field mouse? A chipmunk?

  She thought about Mikey. What did he do tonight? The poor kid. I hope he didn’t spend the whole night shut up in his dark cave of a room.

  Destiny told herself she should spend more time with Mikey. But it wasn’t easy. Tomorrow morning she was starting her summer job at the Four Corners Diner. A waitress behind the lunch counter. Not a very challenging job. But at least the restaurant was across from the Community College campus. Maybe she’d meet some new people…

  The moon disappeared behind a blanket of clouds. The fireflies had vanished. Destiny felt a chill as the darkness washed over her.

  She kicked a stone in the path. The creek trickled behind her now. She knew she was almost home.

  And then a figure stepped out from a thick clump of pine trees. A girl. She seemed to float silently onto the path.

  “Hello—?” Destiny called in a whisper.

  The girl didn’t answer. She moved toward Destiny quickly. Startled, Destiny began to move out of the way, but she wasn’t quick enough.

  “Hey—” Destiny let out a cry—and then recognized her sister. “Livvy? What are you doing here?”

  Livvy stared at her for a long moment, her expression intense, eyes locked on Destiny’s.

  Why did Livvy follow me? To apologize?

  Did she change her mind about coming home?

  And then to Destiny’s shock, Livvy raised both arms and wrapped her in a tight hug.

  The two sisters stood there on the dark path, hugging each other, faces pressed together, tears rolling down their cheeks, tears running together as they sobbed and held each other.

  Finally, they backed away from each other. They both wiped away tears with their hands.

  “Livvy, I’m so happy,” Destiny said in a trembling whisper. “Why did you follow me? Did you change your mind?”

  “Yes,” Livvy replied. “Yes, I changed my mind. I…I’m so lonely, Dee. I need to come home. I need to be with my family again.”

  “Dad and Mikey…they’ll be so glad to see you,” Destiny said.

  And then the two sisters were hugging again, hugging and crying.

  Destiny finally released her sister. “Let’s go home,” she whispered. “It’s late, but Dad will still be awake. He doesn’t sleep much—ever since…” Her voice trailed off.

  Livvy clung to her sister. She didn’t reply.

  “I’m so glad,” Destiny said. “I mean, I’m so happy, Liv. I mean…I can’t really say what I mean.”

  Livvy’s arms remained clamped tightly around Destiny. Her head was turned so that Destiny couldn’t see her face.

  “Please let go,” Destiny whispered. “I…can’t breathe.”

  Livvy didn’t move.

  “Let go,” Destiny repeated. “Come on. Let’s go home, okay?”

  Livvy didn’t reply. Her arms remained clamped around Destiny’s waist.

  “Livvy—let go!” Destiny cried. “What’s wrong? What are you doing? Let go of me. Let go!”

  Destiny tried to pull free. And as she squirmed and twisted, she saw Livvy’s body begin to transform.

  “Livvy—stop! What are you doing? Let go of me—please!”

  And now, scratchy brown feathers scraped Destiny’s face. She heard a warble from deep inside Livvy’s body. And she realized that powerful claws, hard as bone, had replaced her sister’s arms.

  Livvy had transformed into an enormous, throbbing bird, at least seven feet tall. A giant hawk! And Destiny was pressed tightly against the prickly feathers around its belly, held by the huge, powerful claws clamped around her waist.

  “Livvy—NO!”

  The bird raised its head, flapped its massive wings, sending a burst of air over Destiny. It d
ragged Destiny along the grass for a while before it lifted high enough into the air. And then, flapping its wings so slowly, so easily, it floated up into the dark sky, carrying Destiny in its claws like a prize…like dinner.

  Destiny let out scream after scream as she floated over the treetops of the park, then the houses of her neighborhood.

  Is she planning to drop me?

  The houses looked like dollhouses now. The car headlights down below looked as tiny as the firefly light that had followed her as she walked.

  “Livvy—please!”

  She could feel the pattering heartbeat of the huge bird. The oily feathers grazed her cheeks.

  And then they were soaring down, swooping with the wind. The onrushing wind blowing so hard in her face, Destiny struggled to breathe.

  A hard bounce. The claws let go. Destiny landed on her back. Felt the air knocked out of her. Lay there on hard ground, gasping.

  Where are we?

  Livvy loomed over her, human once again. Livvy’s hair fell over her face, but Destiny could see her eyes. Wild eyes, bulging with anger…with hate?

  “Where are we? Where have you taken me?” Destiny cried. She raised herself on two arms and gazed around, blinking in the darkness.

  Nothing to see. No trees here. No houses. Flat ground, a black strip against the blacker sky, stretching on forever.

  “Where are we?”

  “It doesn’t matter, Dee.” Livvy spoke in a cold whisper. “It really doesn’t matter.”

  “Why? What do you mean?”

  Livvy narrowed her eyes at Destiny, and her face hardened to stone. “Because you’re never leaving.”

  “I don’t understand, Livvy. What—?”

  Livvy’s fangs slid quickly from her gums, making a loud pok sound. She opened her mouth wide, tongue playing over her teeth, drool running over her chin. Then she sank her fangs deep into Destiny’s throat.

  chapter seventeen

  TROUBLE AT ARI’S HOUSE

  DESTINY FELT SWEAT RUN DOWN HER FOREHEAD. Her nightshirt clung wetly to her back.

  She blinked, reached a hand to her throat, and smoothed two fingers across it.

  No wound.

  She blinked some more, realizing she was gazing into bright sunlight. From the bedroom window.

  She jerked herself upright, breathing hard. A dream? Yes.

  It had been a dream—all of it. I didn’t walk home last night, she remembered. Fletch Green gave me a ride.

  But the feeling of walking home through the park…the sparkling fireflies…her sister stepping out of the darkness…transforming into the gigantic hawk…All so real.

  So real she thought she could still feel those bonelike claws wrapped tightly around her waist. She could still feel the suffocating rush of wind as the giant bird carried her into the sky.

  Could still feel Livvy’s fangs…

  Does my twin sister really have fangs?

  A soft cry escaped Destiny’s throat. Yes, it was a dream. But the rest of my life is real…and it’s a nightmare.

  “Dee! Dee!” She heard Mikey calling from downstairs. She jumped out of bed, gazing at the clock radio on her bedtable.

  Oh, no. Late. I have to give Mikey breakfast and get him off to day camp. She brushed her teeth, pushed back her hair with her hands, and went running down to the kitchen in her nightshirt.

  “Where’s Dad?” she asked Mikey.

  He was dressed in denim shorts that came down past his knees and a blue-and-red Camp Redhawk T-shirt about five sizes too big for him. He gripped a stuffed lion in one hand. He’d had it since he was a baby. These days it looked more like a washcloth than a lion.

  He shrugged. “Work. He woke me up. Then he left. I’m hungry. And so is Lester.” He waved Lester the Lion in Destiny’s face.

  She popped two frozen waffles into the toaster. “We’re a little late. You’ll have to eat your waffles fast.”

  “Take the crust off,” he said, sitting down at the table, plopping Lester in front of him.

  Destiny turned to him. “Crust on waffles?”

  “Yeah. Take off the crust.”

  He had become the fussiest eater. He suddenly had rules for everything. And he found something wrong with everything put in front of him. A few nights ago, he had even refused to eat the french fries at Burger King because they were “too curled up.”

  She poured him a glass of orange juice and handed it to him. “No pulp,” she said before he could ask.

  He tasted it gingerly, a tiny sip. “Too cold.”

  “What are you doing at day camp today?” she asked, brushing back his thick mop of hair with one hand.

  “I’m not going to day camp,” Mikey replied. He pounded Lester on the tabletop for emphasis.

  “You have to go,” Destiny said, lifting the waffles from the toaster. “Ow. Hot. There’s no one here to take care of you.”

  “You can take care of me,” he said.

  “No, I can’t, Mikey. You know that I’m starting my summer job today, remember?”

  “Well, I can’t go to camp. Hey—you forgot to cut off the crusts. And I don’t want butter. I want syrup.”

  Destiny took the plate back and carefully pulled the edges off the waffles. “And why can’t you go to camp?”

  “Because they’re showing a movie at the theater.” He took another swallow of orange juice.

  “You like movies,” Destiny said, handing the plate back to him. “So what’s the problem?”

  “It…it’s cold and creepy in the theater,” he replied. “There might be vampires in there.”

  Destiny stopped in front of the diner and checked her hair and lipstick in her reflection in the front window. The name FOUR CORNERS DINER was painted in fancy gold script across the wide window.

  Destiny chuckled. It seemed an odd name for the little restaurant since it was located in the middle of the block. Surrounding it on both sides were small, two-story brick and shingle buildings that contained clothing stores, a bank, a CD store—shops that catered to Community College students.

  She turned and glanced at the campus. Four square, granite buildings around a narrow rectangle of patchy grass and trees. Not the most beautiful campus in the world.

  Destiny let out a sigh. I made the right decision, she told herself. I couldn’t go away to college and leave Dad and Mikey now. I’ll go to the Community College for a year or two. When things are more in control at home, I can transfer to a better school.

  When things are more in control…

  She turned and hurried into the diner. The smell of fried grease greeted her. Bright lights made the long lunch counter glow. A ceiling fan squeaked as it slowly turned.

  Destiny counted three people seated at one end of the counter. Two guys about her age and an older woman. The four booths in back were empty. Mr. Georgio, the owner, stood behind the counter, setting down plates of hamburgers and french fries for the three customers.

  “Mr. Georgio, sorry I’m a little late,” Destiny said, glancing up at the round Coca-Cola clock above the coat rack in the corner. “I had trouble getting my brother off to day camp.”

  “Call me Mr. G., remember?” he said, setting plastic ketchup and mustard dispensers in front of the customers. He walked over to her, wiping sweat off his bald head with a paper napkin.

  He was a thin, little man of forty or forty-five. The white apron he wore over black slacks and a white sport shirt hung nearly to the floor. He had big, brown eyes, a thick, brown mustache under his bulby nose, and a split between his front teeth that showed when he smiled.

  “Late? No problem,” he said. “We’re not exactly packing them in today.” He motioned with his head to the three customers.

  “Summer is slow,” he said, wiping a grease spot on the yellow counter. “Most of the students aren’t here. There are only a few classes. My business is students. Breakfast and lunch. You’ll have a nice, quiet time, Ms. Weller. You can read a book or something.”

  “Please, call me
Dee. Remember?” Destiny said.

  He smiled. “Okay, you’re Dee and I’m G.”

  “Could we have more Cokes?” a guy at the end of the counter called, holding up his glass.

  “Take care of them,” Mr. G. told her, pulling off his apron. “And clean things up a bit, okay? I’ve got to go out.” He pointed to the kitchen window behind the counter. “You remember Nate? The fry cook? He’s back there somewhere. Probably sneaking a smoke. He’s a lazy goof-off. But if you have any questions, he’ll help you out.”

  Destiny had worked some weekends at the diner, so she already knew her way around. She waved to Nate through the window, carried three glasses to the soda dispenser, and filled them with Coke.

  The bell over the door clanged as two more customers came in. Destiny didn’t recognize them at first because of the white sunlight pouring in through the front window. But as they settled into the first booth behind the counter, she saw that she knew them. Rachel Seeger and Bonnie Franz, two girls from her class.

  Destiny picked up two menus and carried them over to the booth. Her two friends were talking heatedly, giggling and gesturing with their hands. But they stopped their conversation when they recognized Destiny.

  Rachel’s cheeks blushed bright pink. She had light blond hair and really fair skin and was an easy blusher, Destiny remembered. “Hey, Dee. What’s up?” she asked.

  “You waitressing here?” Bonnie asked.

  Destiny laughed. “No. Just holding menus. It’s like a hobby of mine.”

  The girls laughed.

  “I have a summer job too,” Bonnie said. “At the campus. I’m filing stuff in the administration office. Yawn yawn.”

  “Are you making any money?” Destiny asked.

  Bonnie shook her head. “Eight dollars an hour. And my dad said he had to pull strings to get me the job. I mean, like hello. I could make that at McDonald’s, right?”

  Destiny handed them the menus. “Know what you want?”

  “Not really,” Bonnie said.

  “Are you working this summer?” Destiny asked Rachel.

  She made a disgusted face. “I couldn’t find anything. So I’m just hanging out this summer. You know. Partying. Getting ready for college. You’re going away, right, Dee?”