“Yes, he’s dead.” Jonas winced at the memory of battling the vampire.
Holland leaned in and searched Jonas’s face. “Did you kill him?”
Jonas flinched and then nodded. “I exposed him to sunlight.” In a nervous gesture, Jonas rubbed his forehead.
Holland massaged his forearm. “What about the other vamps?”
“They’re still out there . . . at the moment, they’re asleep in their lair.”
“Do all the vampires live together?” Holland’s mother inquired.
“I’m not sure. But there’s a family of vampires—the Sullivans—they live in the housing development on the other side of Burke’s Highway.”
“The Sullivans killed Naomi’s parents, and their son turned Naomi into a vampire,” Holland said bitterly. “How dare they rest peacefully while my best friend is dead? We should drive over there right now and flood the place with sunshine!”
“Oh, I’m not sure about that idea, hon,” Phoebe said uneasily.
“Going to their house may unwise,” Jonas said gently. “The Sullivans are well-respected leaders in the vampire community. They probably have humans guarding them while they sleep.”
“Well, what do you suggest, Jonas? We can’t sit here like bait! You said yourself that I have a special smell . . . a scent that attracts those bloodsuckers.”
Phoebe did a double take, and then gaped at Jonas. “What kind of special scent?”
“That’s what Zac told me. He said that Holland’s scent is irresistible to vampires. It was only a matter of time before he attacked Holland, and that’s why I had to destroy him.” Jonas’s voice grew weary.
“You must be exhausted.” There was gratitude in Phoebe’s eyes.
“Yeah, I’ve been up all night . . . I’m pretty tired,” Jonas admitted. “If I can get some rest for a few hours, I’ll be able to think clearer—come up with a plan when the sun goes down.”
“Is it okay for Jonas to sleep in my room?” Holland asked her mother.
“Absolutely.” Phoebe rose to her feet. “Are you hungry, Jonas? I can make you a sandwich.”
“No thanks.”
“A cold drink? Apple juice or iced tea?” she inquired, fidgeting with her hands.
“You’re very kind, but no thank you—maybe later,” Jonas replied.
Holland gestured to Jonas. “Follow me. My room is right down the hall.”
CHAPTER 34
Holland closed the door to her bedroom. “Sorry I can’t offer you a pair of PJs or something.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine sleeping in my clothes.” Jonas sat on the side of Holland’s bed and slipped off his shoes.
“Was it gross?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.
“What do you mean?” Jonas leaned back and rested his head on the pillow.
“Killing Zac—did he melt and turn all gross and sticky?”
Jonas heaved a sigh and pulled his legs up on the bed. Lying curled, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes briefly. “He didn’t melt; he burned and sort of turned into ashes. It was terrible, but I’m glad he’s no longer a threat to you or anyone else.”
Holland sat in the curve of Jonas’s body. “Thank you for protecting me,” she said, and then leaned over and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. Holland lay snuggled in his arms briefly, and then pulled away.
Jonas looked at her questioningly.
“Lying next to you feels good—too good,” she explained. “I’d better let you get some rest before things get out of hand.” She gave a little, nervous giggle.
Jonas smiled at her. “Wake me up in a couple of hours, okay?”
She nodded and stood up. Reluctant to leave, she leaned over and caressed his face. “See you later,” she said and turned to leave. From the corner of her eye, something caught her attention.
“Jonas, those marks . . . on the bottoms of your feet—I’ve seen them before!” She stared at him with her mouth open, her eyes roving incredulously from his face to the soles of his feet.
“They’re burns,” he said with a tinge of embarrassment as he sat up.
“Looks like some kind of design . . . like intricate patterns. I saw footprints like those on a path near the woods—the shortcut route that I used to take to Naomi’s house.”
Holland thought of the message spelled out on the Ouija board, and the hairs stood up on the back of her neck. “Jonas,” she said in a frightened whisper. “Are you dangerous . . . should I be afraid of you?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I care about you; I’d never hurt you.”
“But that’s not normal.” She pointed to his feet. “And I had a strange warning from my mom’s Ouija board.”
“Those marks—I don’t understand what they mean, but they’re symbols of a voodoo curse that’s on me. Please trust me . . . I’d never hurt you.” Jonas reached out his hand to Holland. “Sit down . . . please. I want to tell you what happened.”
Holland hesitated for a few moments and then took his hand and sat down next to him. Jonas took in a shuddering breath and then started his story, beginning with the ceremony the night before the boat departed. Jonas wanted so badly to unburden himself and tell her everything. But he was afraid that if she knew the whole truth—if she knew that he’d actually devoured a human being, she’d condemn and shun him, and fearfully flee from him.
And so he left out the crimes he’d committed while out of his mind with hunger, and admitted only to feeding on animals and fowl. He concluded his haunting tale by showing her the bullet wound in his chest, and telling her how he’d been mysteriously pulled from the grave, as was Zac.
“Zac promised to help me get back to Miami, but he was a deceptive vampire. Still, I believe that the woman, Madame Collette, has the power to remove this horrible curse that’s upon me. And I have Zac’s money—more than enough to pay the voodoo woman.”
“But, Jonas . . . Madame Collette was involved in enslaving the other cursed people. What makes you think she’d help you?”
“I believe the proper amount of money will convince her.”
Holland shook her head. “Her magic is dark and harmful. You need someone that is well-skilled in healing magic. My mother knows a little bit about magic . . . I could ask her to try, but I’m not sure—”
“No, don’t involve your mother. Only powerful magic will help me.”
“You’re right, and I’m going to help you.”
“You?” Jonas pointed at Holland, looking surprised.
“Yes, me! I saw the footprints and I received the message. Now I understand what spirit was trying to tell me. Up until now, I’ve been suppressing my power . . . afraid of it, actually. Knowing the harm that’s been done to you, I’m ready to embrace my gifts and learn how to use them properly. It may take a while, but I promise that I’m going to do everything in my power to break the spell that you’re under.”
“I believe you,” Jonas said in a quiet voice. “I’ll also understand if you’ve had a change of heart about me.”
“What do you mean?”
“When the hunger comes over me . . . when I’m feeding . . . I’m not myself. I behave like a barbarian. It’s not something I’d want you to see.”
“I won’t intrude on your privacy, but I want you to know that my feelings haven’t changed. I still care deeply about you.”
A visible wave of relief washed over Jonas. “I feel the same, but I wasn’t sure about you.”
“We’ll work it out,” she said, her brown eyes conveying sincerity.
“I hope so,” he said with a pained expression.
“Get some rest, Jonas.” Holland brushed her lips against his, and skimmed her fingers through his tightly coiled hair.
Jonas reached up and brought her palm to his lips and kissed it, giving Holland a ripple of chills. Holland’s eyes grew dreamy. “I’d better get out of this room while I still have a chance, Mr. Suave,” she said, laughing.
“The
re’s nothing suave about me; I’m just a boy in love,” Jonas clarified.
CHAPTER 35
Holland found Phoebe in the kitchen, her eyes glued to the computer screen.
“It didn’t seem right to know about this vampire crisis and not make our neighbors aware, so I posted an anonymous warning on some local message boards.”
“Good idea, Mom.”
Holland looked over her mother’s shoulder and squinted at the screen:
Strange things have been happening in Frombleton, and there’s evidence that there are vampires living among us. This is not a joke. Please don’t go out alone at night, and don’t invite anyone to your home after the sun goes down.
“You got the point across; I hope people take the message seriously,” Holland said. “Can you put together a list of witch-training schools? I want to start applying as soon as possible.”
Phoebe’s face lit up. “Sure, hon. I’ll print a list right away.”
“Oh, and I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it, hon?”
“Can I borrow your car? I wanna pick up some wood from Home Depot, and have it chiseled into stakes. You know, just to be on the safe side.”
“But your blood is a repellant, isn’t it?”
“I’m not sure; it may not be poisonous to older vampires. Besides, we need some weapons. I don’t want to get bitten in order to kill a vampire.”
“You have a point.” Phoebe handed Holland the set of car keys.
She circled around three times before finding a parking spot. She got out and armed the car and a few moments later, the Durango pulled up beside her. In a small town like Frombleton, you could never go to the mall without bumping into someone you knew, but bumping into Jarrett Sloan was becoming a regular habit.
“Holland!” Jarrett said with surprise in his voice. “I thought you were someone else.”
“Judging by your weight loss and those bites on your neck, I assume you’ve been spending a lot of time with Zac, the vampire.”
Jarrett’s eyes bulged. “You know about him? You’re the first person that believes he exists. My parents think I’m crazy; they want me to see a psychiatrist.”
“I can see why they’d be concerned,” she said, observing his frail body. “After what you’ve been through, counseling might not be a bad idea.”
“No, I’m sane. And for some strange reason, I feel a lot better today. But when I saw the Saab, I thought Zac was coming for more blood.” Jarrett shook his head. “I should have known that Zac wouldn’t be out in broad daylight.”
“You don’t have to worry about Zac anymore. He left town . . . for good.”
“Really?” Jarrett broke into a huge smile. “Do you mean I can actually get my life back to the way it was?”
“I hope so, but you need to know that there are others. A large swarm . . . and there’s a vicious family of vampires living in your neighborhood.”
“In my neighborhood?” Jarrett’s face turned a shade paler.
“Be careful, Jarrett. Stay in the house at night and don’t invite anyone in your home after dark. And warn your family and friends.”
“I’ve already told a ton of people, but everyone acts like I’m a mental case.” He looked briefly troubled, and then he broke into a broad smile. “Wow, Holland, you look awesome as usual. I feel like such a jerk for the way I treated you that night . . .” He shook his head. “I’m sorry; will you accept my apology?”
“You were pretty heartless, and I was devastated, but I’m over it now.”
“Think we could try it again? Chaela’s out of the picture. I’m not kidding. I’m through with her for good.” Jarrett gazed at Holland, his eyes hopeful.
Holland shook her head. “Sorry, I’m seeing someone.” Clutching her handbag, she walked away from Jarrett and made strides toward Home Depot.
After purchasing three sharpened sticks of wood, she stopped by Petco, and left the store carrying two fat rabbits in a cage. Feeling sorry for the bunnies, she couldn’t look them in their large, soulful eyes. Along with the stakes, she set the cage in the back seat, and then headed home.
The garage in the back of the house was crammed with so much junk there was no room for the car. Luckily, Phoebe hardly ever went inside, and so Holland secretly stashed the rabbit cage in the garage, grateful that the animals were quiet, docile creatures.
Holland stood over Jonas and called his name softly. “It’s five o’clock . . . time to get up.”
Jonas stretched and yawned, and when he came fully to his senses, he was dismayed to find Holland leaning over him, kissing him on the cheek. In her presence, he always steeled himself against his urges, but he was taken off-guard by her closeness—by her overpowering sweet scent. Determinedly, he fought the urge to sink his teeth into her fragrant flesh.
“Hungry?” she asked sitting next to his prone body.
“Sort of,” he replied with a frown, wanting to move far away from her delicious smell.
“I picked up something for you to eat—it’s stashed in the garage. My mom’s in her room, busy on the computer. You can sneak through the kitchen to get to the garage.”
“Thanks.” Jonas lowered his eyes, feeling vulnerable and ashamed.
His unhappy expression didn’t escape Holland, but she went on chatting in a perky manner. “It’s pretty junky in the garage, but I cleared out a space. And I left some plastic bags for cleanup. There’s a hose that’s hooked onto a spigot, and you can’t miss the drain . . . it’s in the center of the floor . . . you know . . . to get rid of the blood.”
Jonas put on his shoes and stealthily crept to the back door. Inside the garage, the rabbits observed him with curiosity and trust. Starving, Jonas felt saddened and excited at the same time.
At dusk, Holland, Phoebe, and Jonas sat in the living room. The sharpened stakes were propped in a corner near the front door.
“Several people responded to the vampire piece that I posted on the ‘Happenings in Frombleton’ message board,” Phoebe announced. “One woman said that mysterious puncture wounds turned up on the neck of one of her coworkers at a downtown hotel where she works. She said that the woman with the wounds has no idea how she got the injuries.”
Megan! Guiltily, Jonas looked down at his sneakers.
“Also, the mother of a teenage boy wrote that her son has bruises and peculiar pricks on his neck. The boy’s pale and has been losing weight at an alarming rate. She said that his doctor can’t find any cause for his condition.”
Sounds like Jarrett, Holland thought, but didn’t say anything. She hoped Jarrett had taken her advice and stayed in after the sun had gone down.
Phoebe Manning continued, “A bartender claimed that two people were found dead at a local bar, their bodies completely drained of blood.”
Rosie and Hugo. Jonas shook his head solemnly.
“And the last reply was from a guy that works at the city morgue. He said that a married couple was brought in today and every ounce of their blood had been siphoned.”
“Naomi’s parents,” Holland blurted. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the appalling reminder that her best friend and her parents were all wiped out by vampires.
“I hope your post raises awareness in this town,” Holland went on. “There’s no telling how many unsolved deaths were actually caused by those bloodsuckers, and it’s time for people to start fighting back.”
Holland’s mother glanced worriedly at the stakes. “It’s good to be prepared, but with Zac gone, maybe we won’t need those. Perhaps life here in Frombleton will go back to normal.”
“Zac wasn’t the only vampire that bites people, Mom. He was only a small part of the problem.
“Holland’s right,” Jonas piped in. “The other vampires are as malicious and as dangerous as Zac.
Holland nodded vigorously. “And don’t forget that Naomi had a date with a vampire; he picked her up here at our home. If my scent is as potent as Zac claimed it to be, then I’m sure
Ryan, his parents, and all the other vamps are gonna try to figure out a way to cross our threshold.”
Phoebe shuddered visibly, and then stood up. Raking her fingers through her hair, she began anxiously pacing in a tight circle around the coffee table. “This is outlandish! We’re not capable of battling vampires; we need help.” She nudged her head toward the stakes that were propped near the door. “It’s foolish to think those sticks are going to protect us.”
“I wish I knew the perfect solution, but I don’t,” Jonas replied apologetically.
Holland sprang to her feet and put an arm around Phoebe. “Don’t fall apart, Mom. We’re going to get through this. There’s no guarantee that any vamps are coming here tonight, but in case they do, at least we won’t be defenseless.”
“She’s right,” Jonas added. “Tomorrow, I’ll try to find out if anyone is guarding the Sullivans during the day. If not, they’ll meet the same fate as Zac.”
CHAPTER 36
From the back of the house there was a loud crash and the sound of shattering glass. Holland jerked around with a violent start.
“What was that?” Phoebe trembled violently, her eyes bulging in terror.
“I don’t know.” Jonas crept to the door and grabbed the stakes. He tossed one to Holland, and then forced a wooden stake into Phoebe’s quivering hand.
Holland’s eyes darted around. “Someone or some thing just crashed through the bathroom window.” Holland searched Jonas’s face. “We didn’t invite them; how can they barge in like that?”
“The constable doesn’t need an invitation to investigate a crime scene,” Martin Sullivan announced, his voice filled with arrogance as he emerged from the shadows, flanked by his wife and son. Approximately six feet-seven, Sullivan towered over his family.
“My son is distressed over the loss of his mate,” the tall vampire explained, his voice straining with anger.
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