by Jayme Morse
She hadn’t felt pathetic last night when she had left the bar with the cute guy, though. Gabe – that’s what the cute guy had said his name was.
Rhonda had almost felt confused when he had come up and just started talking to her and flirting with her. Out of all the pretty girls in the bar, why would he choose her? She wasn’t special. In fact, she’d always heard quite the contrary; everyone always said that there was nothing great about gingers – that they were only average.
Rhonda couldn’t remember what had happened after she left the bar with Gabe last night. She knew that they had gone back to his hotel room to model for the portrait that he needed to do for class and that she had kissed him, but her mind drew a complete blank after that point. She didn’t remember leaving his hotel room or if he had ever found his sketchbook to paint her. Had they exchanged numbers? Heck, she couldn’t even remember if they’d had sex.
She must have some weird stomach flu . . . or she was developing an early onset of Alzheimer’s because she couldn’t come up with anything.
Lying down on her dorm-sized twin bed, Rhonda closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. The whirring of cars driving down the street outside as they swished through the rain puddles and her pounding headache didn’t seem to allow her to drift off – even though she felt really weak and tired. So very tired.
Rhonda heard the sound of a key sliding through the door, which clicked open a second later and was followed by the sound of her roommate’s shoes clicking against the linoleum floor.
“Rhonda? Are you awake?” Michelle asked, standing above her bed. When Rhonda pretended that she was still asleep, Michelle sighed and strolled past her. A sweet smell that made Rhonda’s stomach growl blew in her face as Michelle walked by.
Rhonda heard the sound of Michelle opening and closing her dresser drawers. Moments later, she heard the sound of the shower in their private dorm room bathroom spurting water out of its faucet.
The smell that Michelle had brought into the room with her made Rhonda feel hungry. From all the way in the other room, Rhonda could hear Michelle’s pulse pounded inside of her head. Climbing out of bed, Rhonda traced her roommate’s footsteps to make sure that she wasn’t just imagining it all. She wasn’t.
It was the smell of blood.
Rhonda wasn’t sure how she knew that blood was what she was yearning for. Was it the tasty, iron-like taste that had just filled her mouth at the thought of blood, sending an even hungrier sensation throughout her body? Or was it the crimson color that flashed through her mind at just the thought of what it would be like to taste just one drop of her roommate’s blood?
Without even realizing what she was doing, Rhonda opened the door to the bathroom and crept over to the shower. Pulling the curtain along its rod, she avoided staring at her roommate’s naked body. Rhonda knew that what she was doing wasn’t sexual; she was doing what she needed to do, even though she wasn't really sure how she knew she needed to do it.
When Michelle glanced back and saw her standing there, a look of shock crossed her face. “Rhonda? What are you doing in here? Are you okay?”
Rhonda didn’t answer her. She lurched into the shower and, greedily, sunk her teeth deep into her roommate’s flesh. Michelle struggled. Rhonda gripped her fingers around her throat, making Michelle fall to her knees.
Michelle’s scream echoed through the quietness of the bathroom. Rhonda continued to hear the echoes throughout her head as she allowed her roommate’s blood drip to the back of her throat, sweet like honey and filling her body with the warm, satisfied sensation that she remembered having the night before when she was with Gabe.
****
Chapter 20
Lexi watched out her dorm room window as the rain slid down the glass, reminding her of tears. It had been thunder storming all day, and it really made her miss her mom. When she was younger, they always pet sat their neighbor’s dog, Teddy. One rainy day, Teddy got into the garbage and ended up with a mustard-covered face. Her mom insisted that they give him a bath outside in their plastic baby pool because it would be easier than trying to get him into the bathtub. It had been raining the whole time and Teddy loved the rain. He jumped around in it excitedly trying to bite at the raindrops, as Lexi and her mom chased him around the yard. It was one of the few times her mom had let her play outside in the rain. Lexi wished, more than anything, that she could go back to that perfect moment in it.
It had been a while since Lexi had seen her mom. It was kind of weird because it seemed like her mom had been visiting her in ghost form pretty frequently before Austin and Gabe had whisked her away to her dad’s house. Lexi wondered if her mom just didn’t know where she was, even though she had always assumed that ghosts were always watching you (even if you couldn’t see them) and would be able to find you no matter where you were. Lexi hoped that she would be able to see her again really soon.
From across the room, Anna’s cell phone buzzed. Anna put down the magazine that she was flipping through and answered it. “Austin?”
Lexi looked up at her, studying her face for a reaction. She hoped that it wasn’t the news that she was afraid was coming – that her dad was dead. Lexi was trying to be optimistic about it, but it was getting harder and harder. It would be just her luck to have both of her parents die in the same year, even if her dad hadn’t been around for most of her life.
“Okay, I’ll let you talk to her,” Anna said into the phone. Lexi crossed the room and grabbed the phone from her, anxious about whatever knew it was that her cousin had for her. “Austin? What’s going on? Is my dad okay?” It still felt strange to call Ben her dad, but she didn’t care. Right now it didn’t matter. All she cared about was whether or not he was okay. “Yes . . . err, no. I don’t know,” Austin stuttered. “That’s not the reason why I’m calling. Lexi . . . Gabe had a vision.”
“Okay? What did he see?” Lexi asked becoming impatient.
“He knows where the book is,” Austin replied. “It’s on a mahogany table in the Lawrence’s attic.”
Lexi groaned. She should have known that Greg Lawrence was the one who had stolen the book. “Are you guys going to come back to Huntington so we can get it?”
Austin hesitated. “We’re going to come back. We should be home in a few hours. But we’re going to try to get the book out of the attic before then.”
“What do you mean? Is Mary-Kate going to get it out for you?” Lexi asked. That seemed like the easiest, most logical way to get the book out of the Lawrence’s house.
“No, I tried calling her, but she didn’t pick up. She texted me and told me that her mom had a doctor’s appointment in Philadelphia this morning,” Austin replied. “I don’t know if anyone told you, but that’s why Greg himself didn’t go to Las Vegas looking for you. He was supposed to be sending someone else. Anyway, right now is the best time to get the book out of the attic. It couldn’t be a more perfect time, so we need to act accordingly. Dan’s going to get the book out of the attic for us. I sent him over there right now.”
“You did what?” Lexi yelled into the phone. “Are you out of your damn mind?”
“No, I’m trying to be rational. Dan is the closest one to the Lawrence’s house right now. He could walk there on foot and get there way quicker than any of us can, even though Gabe and me are really quick when we fly.” Austin paused. “It’s the easiest way . . . the best way.
“Right, but I’m not totally convinced that Dan is on our side,” Lexi replied hesitantly. “I still think he might be working with them. For all you know, he might be agreeing to get the book just so that he can make sure that we don’t get our hands on it. He might be planning to steal the book and hide it somewhere he knows we’ll never find it.”
“He won’t do that, Lexi,” Austin replied. “Don’t worry. I promise this is going to be okay. I trust Dan.”
“Well, I don’t. Listen, Austin, I really have to go.” She hung up the cell phone before Austin had a chance to respond. If Austin and Gabe
didn’t believe her, then she was going to have to take matters into her own hands. Dan couldn’t get his hands on that book – her life depended on it.
When Lexi gave the cell phone back, Anna had a funny look on her face. “Is everything okay? Are you two arguing?”
Lexi shook her head, grabbing her coat from the closet. “No. We’re fine. Austin just made a really, really dumb mistake.” Before Anna could ask another question, Lexi was already out the door.
When Lexi got to Craig’s room and knocked, he didn’t answer the door right away. Just as she was about to give up, he pulled it open. His brown hair was dripping water down his neck and bare chest. Lexi found herself having a difficult time not drooling over his six pack. “Craig, I need you to drive me somewhere . . . right now.”
“Absolutely. Where are we going?” Craig asked, pulling a shirt over his head and grabbing his car keys from the nightstand.
“I’ll explain everything to you on the way. Now, come on,” Lexi replied, pulling him out of the room.
Craig followed her out the door and into the parking lot. Lexi glanced over her shoulder, realizing that she didn’t know what type of car he drove. “Umm, which one’s yours?”
Craig led her to a navy blue Jeep Wrangler that was parked in the very back of the lot. He unlocked the doors, and she climbed into the seat. As he turned his keys into the ignition, he asked, “So, where to?”
“Briar Creek,” Lexi replied quietly. Craig glanced over at her with a strange expression on his face, and she worried that he was going to refuse to drive her. “I have to get something. It’s really important.”
“What do you have to get?” he persisted.
That was all she needed. Lexi told him everything that she knew about the book, starting at the point where she had first gotten it from Anna and leading up to when she had realized that it had been stolen out of her tote bag. She told him about Gabe’s visions and how he was positive that whatever was on page 190 of the book would save her life. When she was finally done, Craig went quiet. Lexi glanced over at him. “Say something. You’re making me nervous.”
“I’m just speechless,” Craig said, keeping his eyes on the road. “Is there anything I can do to help make sure that everything goes okay?”
Lexi shook her head. “Well, you can help by driving a little quicker, if you don’t mind. I need to get to that book before Dan does.”
“Dan?”
“Dan Nichols, Austin’s best friend,” Lexi replied frustrated. “Gabe and Austin sent him to the Lawrence’s house to get the book, but I don’t trust him. I think he’s on their side. I have this bad feeling that if he gets to the book first, we won’t get it at all.”
“I’m not gonna just drop you off at the Lawrence household,” Craig replied. “I hope you know that.” Lexi raised her eyebrows, and he went on. “It’s not safe. If they see you . . . it would end very badly.”
Lexi knew that she couldn’t argue with his logic. “Truthfully, I haven’t thought about what could happen. I just know that I have to do something. If I don’t get that book, I could die.”
“You could also die on your way to get the book if you’re not careful,” Craig said, frowning. He glanced over at her. “I’m going to come in the house with you.”
“No,” Lexi replied. “I refuse to put you in that type of danger. I need to go into that house because I don’t really have a choice right now, but you don’t have to go.”
“I want to. I want to be there for you just in case something bad does happen. I’m a vampire, remember. I’d be able to fight off the vampires easier than you would.”
Lexi sighed. “There is one thing you can do for me, if you want to. Even though they’re not home right now, it wouldn’t hurt to have someone stand guard. If they do come home, you can let me know.”
“What’s your phone number?” Craig asked, pulling out his Blackberry.
“Shit. I don’t have a phone.” Why hadn’t Austin thought of this when he came up with this great plan? Having a cell phone would really come in handy right now. If she made it out of this alive, she was going to have to make sure that they got her a cell phone to prevent situations like these from happening. “If they come home, I guess you’ll either have to come up with some way to distract them or come into the house and let me know.”
Craig pulled alongside the sidewalk across the street from the Lawrence’s house and turned to her. He reached for her hand. “Lexi, just relax and breathe. It’s all going to be okay. With any luck, they won’t even get home until after you’re out.”
Lexi smiled at him. “I hope they don’t.” Just as she was about to reach for the door handle, Craig leaned in towards her. He cupped her chin in his hands and, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, brushed his lips against hers. Lexi felt her breath catch in the back of her throat as fireworks exploded throughout her entire body. She forgot, for the smallest moment in time, about the dangerous risk that she was about to take.
When their lips parted, Lexi gave him a small unconfident smile and climbed out of the car.
The Lawrence’s house looked dark and empty, but the house next door was all lit up. Lexi crept alongside the house and into the backyard, hoping that no one would see her.
When she approached the back porch, she was surprised to find that the back sliding door was already open. Hoping that Dan wasn’t wrong and that the Lawrence’s really were at the doctor’s office, Lexi held her breath and slipped in.
As she walked through the first floor of the house, she heard the loud chiming of a grandfather clock. Glancing around corners to make sure that there was no one in the rooms that she was entering, Lexi held her breath. It didn’t seem like anybody was home.
Lexi stopped suddenly, realizing that she wasn’t all that familiar with the layout of the Lawrence’s home. She had no idea how to find the attic. Mary-Kate’s bedroom was on the right hand side and Mrs. Lawrence’s bedroom was on the left hand side. In between the two rooms, there was a bathroom. Glancing around at the rest of the rooms and up towards the ceiling to see if there were any hidden trap doors, Lexi looked for another set of stairs that might lead to the attic.
She opened up a door, which she figured was a linen closet and found instead that it was just what she was looking for. There was a set of narrow wooden stairs that led into the darkness above her. Relieved that she had thought to open the door, Lexi stepped inside. She hoped that there was nothing creepy in the Lawrence’s attic. In normal attics, she would be worried about a wandering bat; in this attic, any bat that did see could be a vampire . . . which only made her feel even more paranoid.
After Lexi had climbed up the flight of stairs and was standing on the hardwood floor that belonged to the attic, she glanced around. There were no windows, so she couldn’t check to see what Craig was doing. If the Lawrence’s car happened to pull into the driveway, she wouldn’t be able to see it; she would only be able to hear it.
As she walked to the far end of the attic, she noticed a mess of blonde hair in the corner. Dan.
“Ahem,” Lexi said, clearing her throat. “I’ll take it from here, thank you very much.”
Dan jumped. “Lexi,” he said quietly. “I wasn’t expecting you to be up here. Actually, why are you up here?”
“Life is full of surprises,” Lexi muttered. “You can leave now. I got this one,” she said, glaring at him. She took a step forward and reached for the book, which was lying on top of the mahogany table in front of Dan, just like Austin had described.
Dan grabbed the book before she could. “Austin told me to get the book for him. He wanted me to do this, not you.”
Lexi reached for it. “Maybe he did, but things have changed. I’m here now, so I’ll take the book with me. It does have to do with my family’s ancestors, after all.
Very reluctantly, and much to Lexi’s surprise, Dan handed the book to her. She flipped through the pages. Page 187, 188 . . . 192.
“Damnit! Why is the page missing?�
�� Lexi muttered, tracing a finger along the words on the top of the page that came between 188 and 192. The top of page 190 was there, but the bottom portion of the page and the number were both missing. She wondered why Gabe hadn’t seen this in his vision – unless Greg Lawrence had ripped a portion of the page out when he had stolen the book in an attempt to keep them from ever finding it. If whatever was on the page really would save her life, it would make sense that he would tear it out so that she could never find it. Lexi felt her hatred for Greg Lawrence growing as she tried to figure out what to do.
“The page is gone?” Dan asked, sounding worried. “The one that you need?”
Lexi nodded. “Yeah, it is.” The page was old and worn out, but she read what was left of it. The one who is Destined to Die must . . . She turned to Dan. “It talks about the person who is destined to die, but then it completely cuts off.”
A swishing sound filled Lexi’s ears, and a sparkly green explosion of light filled the space in front of her eyes. It was thick like a smoky cloud, and it completely blocked her vision.
“Dan?” Lexi asked nervously, trying to see his through the foggy cloud of smoke that seemed to be expanding throughout the room and filling it up. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know,” Dan replied back. The hesitant tone in his voice didn’t put her at ease.
The swishing sound grew louder and let out a high-pitched whistle. Lexi wondered if what was happening was a tornado. Were there ever tornados in Pennsylvania? Just as she was about to try to find her way to the stairs, Lexi felt her arms being pulled by what felt like a magnetic force. “What is going on?” she shrieked, as her body began to lift up from the ground.
“It’s the book!” Dan shouted back at her. “The book is pulling you in! I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“Well, do something!” Lexi felt the light around her, illuminating her entire body as her head was being pulled through a cloudy white film.