by R. L. Stine
“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 sleeping 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.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Come and Get Me!”
Livvy 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 tho
ught. 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?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Is Ari a Hunter?
“Did you see the hunters?” Ari asked breathlessly. “I heard they were out tonight. I tried to find them.”
“We…didn’t see anyone,” Destiny said.
“I’m totally disappointed,” Ari said, shaking his head. “I really want to see a vampire.”
Does he suspect something? Destiny wondered. How come he’s staring at Livvy and me like that?
“Where are you two coming from?” he asked.
They both spoke up at the same time.
“The mall,” Livvy said.
“Courtney’s house,” Destiny answered.
Ari narrowed his eyes at them. “You’re putting me on, right?” He stepped up closer to Destiny and pointed. “Is that blood on your chin?”
“Huh?” Destiny gasped and rubbed her chin with a finger. “Oh, yeah. I just bit my lip. It’s nothing.”
I don’t like the way he’s staring at me.
Is Ari lying? Is he actually a vampire hunter? Did he join the hunters? Was he at Coach Bauer’s with the others? Did he follow Livvy and me?
I can’t believe it. I went over to his house and asked him about everything. I practically told him I was a vampire. How could I be so stupid?
“Maybe I’ll come by later,” Ari said to Destiny.
Come by with your hunter friends? To kill Livvy and me?
“Not a good idea,” Destiny said. “Livvy and I have to get our beauty sleep. I mean, school starts tomorrow. Remember school?”
Ari grinned. “Oh, yeah. School. I almost forgot.”
“Dee and I have to figure out what we’re going to wear,” Livvy said. “That could take hours.”
“So, Dee, maybe you’ll help me with my French this semester?”
Why is he playing this game? Trying to throw us off the track?
“Yeah, sure. No problem,” she said.
“Great.” He flashed Destiny a smile. “See you guys tomorrow.” He pulled the sweatshirt hood over his head, turned, and began to jog toward his house.
Livvy couldn’t hide her fear. “Did he see us in the woods just now? Is he one of Coach Bauer’s hunters, Dee?”
Destiny shook her head. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to think.”
They returned to the car and drove home in silence. Destiny couldn’t stop thinking about Marjory Bauer. Again and again, she heard the woman’s shrill scream as the wooden stake came down. She saw the stake pierce the poor woman’s body. And then there was such a heavy silence, such a heavy, terrifying silence.
The poor woman wanted to die. She wanted her husband to kill her. Did Coach Bauer finally do it? Was he the hooded figure who drove the stake into her chest?
The twins crept into the house through the back door. “Oh.” Destiny uttered a low cry when she heard the voices in the living room. Peeking through the hallway, she saw her dad and Coach Bauer.
Bauer was even more pale than usual. He appeared very upset. He kept burying his face in his hands, then looking up and talking rapidly.
Dr. Weller kept shaking his head sadly.
Both men were speaking just above a whisper. Destiny couldn’t make out their words. Frozen in fear, she held on to her sister and stared at the two men.
Is Coach Bauer telling Dad about killing his wife?
Did he see us there in the woods?
The next morning, a raw, gray day threatening rain, Destiny and Livvy gazed at Dark Springs High from across the street.
It was a three-story old-fashioned school building built of yellow bricks that had weathered to a muddy brown over the years. A thick wall of ivy grew up to the slanted, black-slate roof, darkening the front of the school even more. Two tall brick chimneys, side by side at the back of the building, coughed puffs of black smoke into the charcoal sky.
“It looks like some kind of haunted castle today,” Livvy said, adjusting her backpack on her shoulders.
“It’s just your mood,” Destiny said. “And these sunglasses make everything look darker.”
The girls’ eyes had grown even more sensitive. Now they had to wear sunglasses whenever they went outside.
“How are we going to explain the shades, Dee?”
“Maybe no one will ask.”
They crossed the street. Destiny felt a cold drop of rain on her forehead. She and Livvy jogged to the front entrance. They opened the door to the roar of voices and slamming lockers.
Ana-Li stopped Destiny outside the principal’s office. “Hey, what’s up with the shades?”
“It’s some stupid eye infection,” Destiny said. “Livvy and I both have it.”
Ana-Li turned to look at Livvy across the hall, talking to a group of boys. “Wow. Check out Livvy’s low-cut jeans. Are those sexy or what? I can’t believe she wore those to school.”
Destiny sighed. “Livvy is Livvy.”
She caught Ana-Li examining her. “You’re so thin, Dee. Are you on a diet or something?”
“Not really.”
“Bell’s going to ring. You know where your homeroom is?”
“I just got here, Ana-Li
. I have to check out the list. Catch you later, okay?”
“Donohue’s for lunch? I’ll drive.”
“Yeah. I guess. Maybe.”
Destiny pushed her way through a group of kids to get to the bulletin board where the homeroom assignments were listed.
“He’s gorgeous,” she heard a girl behind her say. “Wait till you see him. I mean, movie-star gorgeous.”
“Someone said he’s student-teaching for McCall,” another girl said. “But I heard he’s the new college advisor.”
“Maybe he tutors after school,” the first girl joked.
Both girls laughed.
Destiny elbowed her way into the crowd around the bulletin board. She found the homeroom sheet for seniors and searched for her name.
“Dee, you’re in Ms. Downs’s room with me.”
Destiny turned at the sound of the familiar voice. “Courtney, hi. Hey, you cut your hair.”
“Last week,” Courtney said, puffing up the sides of her short, bobbed hair. “That ponytail was so lame. Where’ve you been, Dee? I keep calling you, and—”
“Sorry. Really. Things have been weird.”
“Have you been sick? You look kinda pale.”
“Well—”
It shows. Everyone can see that I’ve changed.
“Move it. You’re blocking traffic.” Fletch gave Destiny a playful shove. “Hey, what’s up? I like the shades. Let me see them.”
He made a grab for them, but Destiny pulled away. She knew the bright hall lights would burn her eyes.
“Hey, Dee, I only wanted to look at them.”
“I’ve got an eye infection.”
“Gross.” He backed away, stumbling into some other guys, waving with both hands for her to stay back.
The first bell rang. The hall began to empty out as kids made their way to their homerooms. Destiny looked for Courtney, but she had disappeared down the hall.
Destiny hurried past two boys who looked very lost, obviously freshmen. She hurried up the stairs, her backpack bouncing on her shoulders, then turned to go down the first hall—and walked right into a young man.
“Oh. Sorry.”
She stared at him. At his wavy black hair slicked straight back, his broad, tanned forehead, the black, piercing eyes, the warm smile.