by Morgan Rice
“Okay, I’ll do a quick tour of duty, then find you.”
Scarlet wandered out of the kitchen, into the adjoining sitting room, the music getting louder. She weaved between the bodies and made her way out to the back deck. She set down her barely-drank wine cooler in a dark corner. She really didn’t want to drink tonight, or get into the habit. She didn’t need it. She could enjoy herself without it.
It was good to be out here, in the fresh air, especially since inside was so hot and steamy. A small group of kids congregated back here, but they were engrossed in their own conversation and kept to themselves.
Leaning on the railing, she looked out across the backyard. She watched the large oak trees swaying in the wind, and behind them, caught glimpses of the full moon. It was a beautiful night.
“There you are,” came the voice.
Scarlet’s heart pounded as she recognized the voice. Blake.
She slowly turned and saw him standing there, dressed in jeans and a hoodie, a shark-tooth necklace at the base of his throat. He held a cup of beer in one hand, and Scarlet could tell from his expression that he’d already had a few.
“I heard you were here,” he said. “Why didn’t you say hi?”
Scarlet stared back at him, wondering if she’d heard correctly. Was he kidding? Was he playing mind games?
“Why should I?” she said, proud of herself for standing up to him.
He took a step closer, a little off-balance, and looked at her. As she looked into his blue eyes, she momentarily felt her old feelings for him; but she forced herself to look away.
“You’re the one that took off,” he said. “I figured you weren’t into me.”
She thought about how to respond. Finally, she had a chance to explain.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I really am. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was actually having a really good time. It was just…”
Scarlet hesitated, wondering how to phrase it.
“Just what?” he said. “I’m not good enough for you?”
“No, it’s nothing like that,” she said. “It was just…I got really sick. I can’t explain it. I just didn’t feel well.”
He looked at her, and for the first time, his expression softened.
“Why didn’t you just say so?” he asked.
“I tried,” she snapped, her anger rising, “but you never replied to my text.”
He looked down, as if with regret. “You’re right. If I knew….” He trailed off.
“Anyway, you didn’t have to go saying those things about me, to Vivian,” Scarlet said. “That you dumped me and all that.”
His eyes opened wide. “I never said that.”
“It was all over Facebook.”
He shrugged. “She made it up. It wasn’t me. I can’t control her.”
“Then why didn’t you go online and say something?” Scarlet asked, relieved he hadn’t said it, but still mad.
He looked down, guilty.
“Listen,” he said, “let’s just forget all that. The past is the past. I came out here because I wanted to talk to you. About the dance tomorrow night. I was—”
“So, this is where you’re hiding,” suddenly came a voice.
Oh no, Scarlet thought. Not her. Not now.
She turned and saw, standing there, her worst nightmare: Vivian. Flanked by two of her friends. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she was clearly drunk. The three of them marched out onto the back deck, as she strutted right up to Blake.
“Vivian,” he began, “I don’t—”
“You don’t what?” she snapped back, not letting him finish.
“It’s just not…” he began, “…it’s just not working out.”
“What are you talking about?” she spat, fuming. Then she turned and looked at Scarlet, daggers in her eyes. “Are you telling him lies about me?”
Scarlet was taken aback. Here was Vivian, who told lies about everyone else, accusing Scarlet of telling lies about her.
“We weren’t talking about you at all,” Blake said, in her defense.
Finally, Scarlet thought. Blake was finally standing up for her.
“Don’t lie,” Vivian snapped, turning back to Blake. “Remember what you said to me the other day. I don’t think you want me repeating it,” she threatened, staring right at Blake.
Blake’s face turned red and Scarlet wondered it was he’d said.
“Anyway, this is between me and her,” Vivian snapped, looking back at Scarlet. “Go get me a drink,” she ordered Blake.
Blake stood there, debating. Scarlet could see that this was his moment. This was his time to stand up to her for good, to be the man that Scarlet needed him to be.
But his eyes glazed over in defeat, and she could see in that moment that he just didn’t have the courage to stand up to Vivian. There was just something about her that overpowered him.
Blake slinked away, back into the house, leaving Scarlet alone to face Vivian and her friends. It was an act that Scarlet would never forgive him for.
Scarlet’s face flushed red. Not only was she furious at Vivian, but she was supremely disappointed in Blake. That certainly wasn’t the quality she wanted in a boyfriend. And for the first time, she wondered if she was wrong to have any feelings for Blake at all. For the first time, she wondered, if he asked her to the dance, if she would even say yes.
“If you think you can waltz in here and steal Blake away from me, you’re mistaken,” Vivian said, inching closer to Scarlet, slurring her words. “You’re a loser. A nobody. You wouldn’t even have been invited here if your friend wasn’t dating Jake. Good luck going to the dance tomorrow night without a date.”
Vivian leaned in closer, so close that Scarlet could smell the vodka on her breath.
“And if you get in my way with Blake again, that little posting online will be nothing compared to what’s going to come. Every single day, for the rest of the year,” she hissed at Scarlet, with utter venom.
Scarlet stood there, fuming, wondering how to respond. She was too furious to even know what to say. A part of her wanted to punch Vivian and all of her disgusting friends. But of course, she wouldn’t do that. She was classier than that. She had to fight fire with fire, to use her words.
“Well, if you’re going to post again, why don’t you try the truth: that Blake’s not into you, that you made up all those things about me—and that you’re a miserable person.”
“You little witch,” she hissed, taking a step forward.
Scarlet prepared to defend herself. She could feel a sudden power surging through her veins, and sensed that she could really hurt Vivian if she wanted to. But she didn’t want to. She just wanted her to disappear.
Suddenly the sliding glass door opened, and out strutted Maria.
“Well oh well, look who it is,” Maria said to Vivian. “If it isn’t the wicked witch herself!”
Vivian and her friends turned and looked as Maria walked out.
“Well, if it isn’t the second loser of the pair,” Vivian snapped back.
Maria didn’t hesitate. She hoisted her plastic cup, filled with beer, and to Scarlet’s surprise, threw it right in Vivian’s face.
Vivian screamed, her face and hair and clothes soaked.
Everyone on the deck, a good dozen people, turned and watched, stunned into silence.
Then they burst out into laughter, laughing in Vivian’s face.
Vivian suddenly shrieked and leapt for Maria, raising her claws high and aiming them right for her face. Vivian was a big girl, nearly six feet tall, and Maria was short and petite, and Scarlet sensed that it would be a disaster.
Scarlet burst into action. Without even realizing what she was doing, she reacted lightning fast. As Vivian brought her hand down for Maria’s face, Scarlet caught it at the last second.
Scarlet held Vivian’s wrist with her super-strength, preventing her hand from reaching Maria.
And then, she pushed Vivian back.
It wasn’t a hard p
ush, but it nonetheless sent her flying back, into her two friends. The three of them fell, like dominoes, falling on top of each other on the deck.
Scarlet stood over them, seething with rage, wanting to finish them off.
But she didn’t. As the three of them sat up, looking at her, wide-eyed, everyone else on the deck stared at Scarlet, too, as if she were some kind of freak.
“OMG, Scarlet, how did you do that?” Maria asked, with a trembling voice.
But Scarlet had enough. This party was going from bad to worse, and she felt out of control. She stormed into the house, weaved her way through all the pulsating bodies, out the front door, and across the front lawn. She had to get away. Not to mention her phone wouldn’t stop vibrating in her pocket, and her parents wouldn’t leave her alone. She realized it was time to go, and face the fire.
Suddenly, a voice stopped her from behind.
“Hey,” said the voice.
Scarlet stopped in her tracks.
No. It can’t be. Not him. Not now.
She turned slowly, hoping it would be anybody but him.
Her heart was pounding in her throat as she saw him standing there.
Sage.
Dressed in his leather jacket, jeans and leather boots, Sage’s longish hair framed his gray eyes, which sparkled down at her.
“Where were you going?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she replied, caught off guard, not thinking clearly.
“Surely you must have been going somewhere,” he said, and broke into a smile. It was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen.
It was contagious; she found herself smiling back.
“I guess, anywhere but here. I’ve had my drama for the day.”
“I know what you mean. I’m not really one for parties myself.”
“So why are you here?” she asked, surprised.
“I was hoping to find someone,” he said.
She stared back, mesmerized, wondering.
“Who?” she asked.
He paused, then, in his soft voice, he said, “You, actually.”
Me? Scarlet thought. Why?
Her throat went dry.
So. He felt the same way.
Scarlet started to worry what would happen if Maria came out and saw the two of them talking. It would be a disaster. She felt she had to get out of here. But she couldn’t pull herself away.
“I wanted to talk today,” he said. “After class. But you never gave me a chance.”
Scarlet didn’t know how to respond. She could hardly believe this was happening.
“I’m sorry,” she said, knowing how he felt. “I really didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that…well…my friend, Maria. She really likes you.”
There. She said it. Now he had his chance to go after Maria, if he wanted to.
“But you’re the one that I like,” he said, staring into her eyes.
As he said it, he took a step closer, reached up with his palm and caressed her cheek. Scarlet’s heart was pounding in her throat. She felt frozen in time.
“Scarlet?” came an outraged voice.
She turned, and her heart dropped to see Maria standing there, just a few feet away, staring with a mix of confusion and outrage. Maria looked utterly horrified, as if Scarlet had just stabbed her in the back. Scarlet could see in her eyes how deeply betrayed she felt.
Scarlet immediately felt guilty, even though she knew she hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Maria, you don’t understand—” Scarlet began.
But it was too late. Maria burst into tears and stormed off. She disappeared back into the crowd.
Scarlet felt a pit in her stomach. She knew Maria, and knew she would never forgive something like this. She would perceive it as a betrayal, and would never get over it. Scarlet felt wracked by guilt and sadness, as she had a sinking feeling that Maria would never talk to her again—and would also turn all her friends against her. She felt more alone than ever.
“You okay?” Sage asked.
Scarlet wiped a tear, and turned and looked back at Sage, who was still staring at her with his haunting, gray eyes. She nodded, trying to snap out of it and back into the moment. But it wasn’t working.
“I have to get home,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
“Home can wait,” he said. “Come with me.”
He held out a hand.
Scarlet was stunned. She looked down at his open hand. Her relationship with Maria was already ruined, and clearly, nothing would fix that. At the same time, her feelings for Blake were almost nonexistent. Sage was the one who mesmerized her. He was the one who cared. He was the one she wanted to be with.
Her cell buzzed again and again in her pocket. She knew she should go back home, forget about this night, patch things up with her parents, try to patch things up with Maria. Try to force life back to normal.
But she was tired of normal. She was so tired of trying to control everyone and everything, trying to make life run so perfectly. She’d had enough. She felt like letting go now. Letting the universe take her wherever it wanted to.
So, to her own surprise, she reached out her cold hand and placed it gently in his palm.
She had no idea where he would take her, but she had a feeling it would be different than any place she had ever been. As she looked down at his open palm, she knew, she just knew, that this would be the night that changed everything.
CHAPTER NINE
Caitlin sat there in her living room, in a daze, feeling the world spinning out of control beneath her. More and more, she felt as if she were living in a dream, far removed from reality, trying to grasp hold of the events happening around her. Some days, she felt as if she were losing her mind.
That episode in the church was real. It was very, very real. Those blown-out candles, those shattered windows, were the first tangible thing she could point to to prove to herself that she was not crazy. That her daughter was a vampire. Even the priest had fled. For once, her fears had been confirmed by someone else.
That was all she needed. Now, finally, she felt confident in herself, felt certain about what was happening to Scarlet. Regardless of what Caleb, or anyone else thought, she was more determined than ever to save her daughter before it was too late.
Caleb paced their living room in a manic state, talking to one person after the next on his cell. She had never seen him so worried. When Scarlet hadn’t answered her door, he’d actually put his shoulder into it, breaking it open, terrified that she was sick, or needed help. But when he’d found her room empty, her window open, and realized she’d lied and snuck out—he’d lost it. He went from worried to furious. Now he was on a mission to find her.
Caitlin was worried, too—but this time she wasn’t perplexed. Now, she understood. She knew what was happening to Scarlet. She was changing. Turning. This behavior, in some ways, was to be expected. She wasn’t worried for Scarlet’s safety out there—she was worried for the safety of others, of whomever might cross her path.
While Caleb paced the house, calling everyone he knew, Caitlin took a different approach. She knew that what mattered, in the big picture, wasn’t finding Scarlet right now. She knew Scarlet would eventually come back, on her own terms. She knew that what really mattered was finding out how to cure Scarlet—if there even was a cure. She thought again of the torn page from that rare book, and again debated whether the other half existed—and whether it would really even help.
Caitlin opened her folder and pulled out the page, dissecting it again. She ran her hand along the edges of the frail paper, feeling its thick, rough edges, yellowed with age. She felt along the tear mark, wracking her brain, willing herself to come up with any clues, any leads. But she kept drawing a blank.
As her mind spun, trying to think again of anyone who might be of help, inevitably she focused on one person: Aiden. He was the only one in the world who would know what the page meant, whether the other half existed, and where to look for it. Knowing him, he was probably
already familiar with this book—and could probably tell her more about it than she could discover with months of research.
She trembled at the thought of calling him. They had left on such bad terms, she was embarrassed, afraid, to talk to him. A part of her was still mad at him; another part felt he was the only one left who could help her.
She checked her watch: 11 PM. He was probably asleep. She wondered if he would even take her call if he was awake.
But the more she pondered it, the more she felt an urgency to talk to him. She had to swallow her pride. She had to know where this page was. She only hoped that he wouldn’t corner her in with more talk of stopping Scarlet. If he did, she would hang up on him, and never speak to him again. But she had to give him one more chance.
Her heart pounded in her throat as she took out her cell and tapped on his name.
She held the phone to her ear as it rang. She waited, her heart pounding, a part of her hoping he wouldn’t answer.
Finally, there came a sound of the other end, a fumbling of the phone. After a long pause, a groggy voice said: “Caitlin. I was wondering when you would call.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “For storming out like that. You were just trying to help me. I realize that. But when you talked about stopping Scarlet…well… I couldn’t hear it. I still can’t. I won’t entertain the idea of stopping her. Never. I’d rather kill myself first.”
There was a long silence on the other end.
“I think I’ve found another way,” she added.
“Tell me.”
“Have you heard of Vairo’s De Fascino Libri Tres?” she asked, hoping, praying, that he had.
“Of course,” came his immediate, confident reply, to her great relief. “It was published in the late sixteenth century. Vairo was a bishop. But what most people don’t know is that he had also studied mathematics and philosophy and science from the time he was a child. He, in turn, was influenced by Plato and Socrates and, to some extent, Hippocrates—and there is some evidence his theories influence Isaac Newton a century later. De Fascino was considered the seminal work of its time. You very rarely get a hold of it these days. Why do you ask?”