Chapter Eleven.

Arias Frightening News As the morning sun began to rise, Destiny turned away from the light. My eyes, theyare burning. My eyelids feel like theyare on fire! Did the sun always shine so harshly into the room?

aLivvy, are you awake?a Destiny called in a low whisper. aDo you feel the sunlight? Do your eyes hurt?a aYes. Whatas with the light? Ow.a aI donat know.a Destiny hurried to the window and shut the blinds. She squinted at the clock radio: six forty-five. aWe have to hurry outside, Liv. Before Dad and Mikey wake up.a aHuh? What for?a aThe rabbit. I tossed it somewhere in the front yard. We have to find it and hide it where they wonat find it.a Livvy scrambled to her feet, pushing the long tangles of hair off her face. Her nightshirt clung to her body, wet with sweat. aWhat a

76.

horrible night.a aShhh. Just get dressed,a Destiny ordered.

aWeall hide the rabbit, then get back into bed.a They pulled on shorts and T-shirts, then tip- toed barefoot down the stairs and through the house to the front door.

Careful not to make a sound, Destiny pulled open the front door. The morning air smelled fresh and sweet.

Livvy stepped out first and Destiny fol- lowed, squinting up at the bright orange sun rising over the trees. aOw. The sun is so bright.a Shielding their eyes, they crossed to the side of the yard and began to search along the hedge.

aThere it is.a Destiny saw it firsta"the dead rabbit, curled like a limp glove on the grass.

She glanced around frantically. aLetas take it to the woods behind the backyard. No one ever goes there.a They made their way across the lawn to the hedge. The rabbitas eyes had sunken into its head. Its belly was ripped open. Dark, dried blood caked the gray fur.

aWe did this,a Livvy murmured.

Destiny felt her stomach tighten into a knot.

aDonat talk. Letas just get rid of it.a She took a

77.

deep breath. Then she bent down, swatted away a swarm of flies, and picked up the dead rabbit.

aItas stiff.a Destiny turned and, holding the rabbit corpse in both hands, started to the back of the house.

aGood morning,a a voice called.

Destiny looked up to see her dad jogging toward them, perspiration drenching the front of his gray sweatshirt. She whipped the rabbit behind her back.

aI had a nice run this morning,a he said, mopping his forehead with his hand. aHey, you two are up awfully early.a aUh a I guess we got used to camp time,a Destiny said.

aYeah. Up at the crack of dawn,a Livvy added.

aItall take a while to get back to our old lazy routine,a Destiny said. aYou know. Staying out till two, sleeping till noon.a He continued to squint at them. aMaybe you should come running with me in the morn- ing. It really gives me energy for the whole day.a aMaybe,a Destiny said, gripping the rabbit corpse behind her.

78.

aHey, can you help me?a a voice called from the house.

They all turned to see Mikey, in his blue- and-white striped pajamas, standing at the front door. aEddy escaped again,a he shouted.

As Mikey ran across the lawn, Destiny let the rabbit fall to the grass behind her.

aThat dumb hamster?a Livvy said. aHow does he get out of his cage?a Mikey shrugged. aI donat know. I was play- ing with him last night. Maybe I left the door open. Ia" hey, whatas that?a Mikey pushed Destiny out of the way and stared down at the dead rabbit. aOh, gross. What happened to it?a Destiny spun around and pretended to be surprised. aOh, mya"what is it? A rabbit?a aLooks like someone ran it over or some- thing,a Livvy said.

Their dad strode over and squatted beside Mikey. He scratched his graying hair as he studied the rabbit corpse. Then he grabbed it and turned it onto its back. aNasty,a he said. aVery nasty.a Destiny gazed at her fatheras face. Does he suspect what really happened?

Dr. Weller turned the rabbit over again.

79.

aMaybe a fox did this. Hmmmm. Or maybe itas that virus everyone is talking about.a Destiny bent down, pretending to be con- cerned. aVirus?a Her dad nodded.

Mikey gave Dr. Weller a shove that almost toppled him over. aThe stupid rabbitas dead.

What about Eddy?a aOh. Eddy.a Dr. Weller jumped to his feet.

aCome on. Letas go find the escaped convict!a He and Mikey went running into the house.

Destiny turned to Livvy. aDad believes in that virus, but we know how the rabbit died.

I a Iam so confused. I donat know what to think. Weave got to talk to someone. You know.

Find out more about whatas been going on around here.a Livvy crossed her arms in front of her.

aThereas no way weare going to tell Ari what we did.a aOf course not,a Destiny said. aBut he knows so much about whatas been happening in Dark Springs. Maybe he could help us. Maybea"a aI promised Bree Iad hang out with her today,a Livvy said. aBesides, I feel perfectly fine this morning. I think it was a virus, and now

80.

Iam almost back to normal.a Destiny sighed. aWell, I donat feel normal.

Every time I think about that rabbita"a aOkay, okay. You go see Ari. He has a big crush on you anyway. So go talk to him. And listen to all his crazy ideas. But donat tell him anything about us, Dee. Donat even hint. You know what a total gossip he is. If you tell him anything, the whole school will know!a Destiny stared at her twin. aDonat worry.

Weall keep our secreta"no matter what.a Arias house was a ten-minute drive from Destinyas. She took the old banged-up Honda Civic Dad had driven to near-death, then passed down for the girls to share.

Ari lived in a long, rambling ranch-style house in the better section of Dark Springs. The street was blanketed in shade from the towering trees that lined both sides. Destiny pulled up the asphalt drive, passing two gardeners who were clipping the hedge that ran across the front of the yard.

She found Ari in his cluttered bedroom at the end of the long, carpeted hall. The walls were covered with framed horror movie posters.

81.

DRACULA RISES ONCE AGAIN! proclaimed the poster over Arias bed. Mounted on the wall above the poster, a fur-covered werewolf mask stared down at her.

Arias bookshelves were jammed with books and magazines. A six-foot-tall plastic Star Wars Jedi Knight stood beside the bookcase, light saber raised, as if protecting them. The new Anne Rice novel lay facedown on Arias unmade bed.

Ari had his back to her. He was hunched over his keyboard, clicking furiously, head- phones over his ears. Destiny crossed the room and tapped him on the shoulder.

aHey!a He jumped up, jerking the head- phones off. aDestinya"whoa! You scared me.a aSorry. You couldnat hear me.a She raised her eyes to the monitor. aWhatas up?a He set the headphones down on the desk and minimized the window he had been view- ing. aNothing really. These Star Trek chat rooms a theyare so boring. I think itas all horny twelve-year-olds looking to hook up. No one wants to talk about anything serious.a Ari glanced back at his computer monitor.

aItas strange. Iam still into Babylon 5, but no one

82.

else is anymore. Itas like no one is loyal to anything. Theyare all into Yu-Gi-Oh and all this stuff thatas for babies.a aItas tragic,a Destiny said, trying to keep a straight face. But she couldnat. She burst out laughing.

Ari laughed too. aOkay, say it. Iam weird.

Everyone thinks Iam weird. Whatever.a aI donat think youare weird, Ari.a Destiny dropped down on the edge of the bed and picked up the Anne Rice book. aI think itas cool that youare into a stuff.a He looked at her. aYou do?a She nodded and gazed at the spread-winged bat on the book cover. The image sent a chill down the back of her neck.

aWell, whatas up with you, Dee? What was that about last night? You totally freaked.a She shrugged. aI donat know. I think you scared me, Ari. You know. Talking about those deer in the woods and everything.a aEveryone was making jokes.a Ari wheeled his desk chair up to her and sat down on it backward, resting his arms on the chair back. aBut it isnat funny. Itas for real.a aWhatas for real?a

83.

aThe dead animals in the woods with their blood drained. Thatas not any kind of virus.a He shook his head. aVirus a thatas what they put in the newspaper so people wonat get scared. But I know Iam right. I know it has to be vampires.a aBut, Aria"a aAnd hereas why I know Iam right. Do you know the latest? Know what I heard? I heard there are vampire hunters in Dark Springs.a aVampire hunters? Ari, what are you talk- ing about? That is so not possible.a aI read it online from two different people.a Destiny set the book down and clasped her hands in her lap. aYou mean hunters like on Buffy?a aReal vampire hunters, Dee. I heard they were training, getting ready.a aWhat does that mean? Getting ready for what?a aItas a no-brainer. It means Iam not the only one who thinks there are vampires in Dark Springs. The hunters believe it too. And they are going to go after them and kill them all.a

84.

Chapter Twelve.

aThereas No Curea Destiny stared at Ari, thinking hard. She realized he was waiting for her to react, but she didnat know what to say. The silence hung heavily between them.

aOne of the hunters was sitting in your kitchen last night,a Ari said finally.

aExcuse me? You mean Coach Bauer?a Ari nodded. aItas just a rumor,a he said, low- ering his voice.

The housekeeper entered the room, carry- ing laundered towels to Arias bathroom. He waited for her to leave.

aI mean, I donat know it for sure. But some people in a chat room said Bauer had joined the hunters. One guy said Bauer was the leader, but I think thatas crap.a Destiny swallowed. She pictured the coach and her dad sitting at the kitchen table so glumly, barely speaking, the light so low. aCoach

85.