The Taste of Night Page 10

  She grabbed her own chest. She suddenly felt as if she couldn’t take another breath.

  I have to get out of here.

  Still holding her chest, she turned away from Ross and stumbled to the door. She started to breathe again out in the hall. And then she climbed the stairs and ran to her room, shoes thudding noisily…How wonderful to be able to make a noise, to be alive, to run…Ross will never run again…never.

  Sunshine poured in through the open window. She fumbled on her dresser top until she found her sunglasses. Slipped them on, blinking, heart thudding, two pictures remaining in her mind.

  Two pictures refusing to fade…

  Ross dead on the floor, his hands—his beautiful hands—gripping the wooden stake that killed him.

  And Destiny running from the apartment building, tears running down her cheeks, her expression so angry, so upset.

  Livvy paced back and forth in the small, nearly bare living room, her hands balled into tight fists. The anger boiled up in her until she felt ready to explode.

  I’d like to follow Dee home right now, she thought. Burst in at breakfast and drag her away. Slash her, tear her to bits with my own hands.

  Oh, wow. Could I do that? Could I do that to Dad and Mikey?

  Maybe. It’s not like I was ever appreciated at home. Or like anyone tried to understand me. Destiny was always the princess. And I was always…trouble.

  Well, I tried to escape all that. I tried to escape my family. I tried to do them a favor. Go away so I wouldn’t be trouble anymore.

  So why couldn’t my sister leave things alone?

  Stay home and be the good twin, Dee. Stay with Dad and Mikey and be the princess.

  Don’t come here and kill someone I really care about.

  She could feel the anger rising again, feel all her muscles tensing. And then suddenly, she felt as if she weighed a thousand pounds.

  So weary.

  Out all night, and then come home to such horror.

  She yawned. I need to sleep. Sleep will help me think more clearly. I can make a plan. I can—

  She heard a scraping sound from the other room. Footsteps.

  “Monica? Suzie? Are you in here?”

  No answer.

  Livvy stared at the doorway to the bedroom. She took a few steps. “Who’s in there?”

  And as she stared, a figure stepped out of the shadows. He smiled at her.

  “You?” Livvy cried. “What are you doing in here?”

  chapter twenty-seven

  BLOOD ON HER LIPS

  PATRICK CAME TOWARD HER SLOWLY, HANDS IN THE pockets of his black denim jeans. His dark eyes locked on hers. As his grin widened, she saw the dimples in his cheeks—and remembered the way he smiled at her at the dance club.

  “How long have you been here? What are you doing here?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “Just waiting for you.”

  Livvy rushed to him. “Oh, Patrick. I’m so glad to see you. Something…something terrible has happened.”

  His smile faded quickly. “What is it? Are you okay?”

  “No. No, I’m not. I…I…” She grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the apartment. “You’ve got to see. I…I’m so upset.”

  She pulled him through the hall, then down the stairs to Ross’s apartment. They stepped through a square of bright sunlight on the floor, to the back of the apartment, to the body covered by a purple blanket, wooden stake poking straight up into the air.

  “Here,” Livvy said, trembling. She tugged away the blanket.

  Patrick gasped and bent to examine Ross’s body closer. “Oh, no,” he murmured. “I don’t believe this.”

  Angrily, he grabbed the stake in both hands and ripped it from Ross’s chest. Then he flung it against the bedroom wall, where it hit and clattered to the bare floor.

  He turned to Livvy, his features tight with anger. “Who did this? We can’t let them get away with this.”

  “He…was my friend,” Livvy said in a whisper. “He was a good guy. He…”

  Patrick leaned his back against the wall and brushed a hand through his long, brown hair. “Murdered in his own apartment,” he murmured. “He was your friend?”

  Livvy nodded, tears running down her cheeks.

  He raised his eyes to her and studied her. “When did this happen? Do you have any idea who did it?”

  Livvy hesitated.

  Yes, I have an idea who did it.

  But I can’t tell him.

  I can’t turn my sister over to him so easily. I want to handle her myself. I want to make Destiny pay for what she did. I don’t want someone else to get the revenge for me.

  “No. I don’t have a clue,” Livvy said, lowering her eyes to the floor. “It probably happened this morning. I’m sure Ross was out all night. His body…his face…it was still warm when I came in here.”

  Patrick narrowed his eyes at her. “Do you always come in to see him early in the morning?”

  “Uh…no,” Livvy replied. “Not usually.”

  “Well then, why did you come to his apartment this morning?” Patrick asked.

  He sounded suspicious. Livvy didn’t like the question.

  “I wanted to ask him something. I wanted to ask Ross if he knew a guy I met last night.” A total lie. Was Patrick buying it?

  He seemed to. He scratched his head. “And you can’t think of anyone who had a grudge against Ross? Who might’ve wanted revenge or something? No enemies? You were his friend, Livvy. No one comes to mind?”

  She shook her head. “No. No one.” She glanced down at the body and let out a sob. “I…I’m really going to miss him.”

  Patrick crossed the room quickly and wrapped Livvy in a hug. She pressed her hot, damp cheek against his. He tightened his arms around her waist.

  It felt good to be held by someone, someone solid and strong.

  Livvy raised her face to his and kissed him. She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and held his head as they kissed.

  “Mm.” She let out a sound as she felt his teeth bite into her lips. He pressed his mouth against hers, and she felt a shock of pain.

  Suddenly, he ended the kiss. He pulled his face away, then lowered it to hers again—and licked the blood off her lips.

  Livvy realized she was breathing hard, her heart racing. For the first time in her life, she felt dizzy from a kiss.

  Patrick held her tightly, licking the top lip clean, then the bottom. When he backed away, he had her blood on his lips.

  “I’ll see you later,” he said, and vanished from the room.

  “Yeah. Later,” she repeated. She stood unsteadily, eyes clamped shut, waiting for her heart to stop racing. And then…she thought about Destiny.

  Destiny, who had murdered Ross.

  chapter twenty-eight

  LIVVY’S REVENGE

  A FEW DAYS LATER, UNABLE TO FORGIVE DESTINY, unable to control her rage, Livvy found the Four Corners Diner. Peering through the front window, she saw Destiny behind the counter.

  Seeing her sister working so calmly, so normally, as if nothing had happened…as if she hadn’t murdered someone who’d been close to them both…made Livvy boil with anger.

  What can I do? How can I pay her back for this?

  What could she have been thinking? How could Destiny hate me so much that she would murder Ross?

  Heart pounding, Livvy made her way to the back of the restaurant. Then she used her powers to transform into a tiny, white mouse.

  Down on all fours, she found a crack in the back wall. She squeezed through it, into the kitchen. Creeping along the molding, Livvy moved silently toward the front. The aroma of frying eggs and bacon made her stand up and sniff the air with her pink nose.

  As she stood up, the young man behind the fry grill came into view. Very nice looking, Livvy thought. Check out those big, brown eyes. And he looks like he works out.

  He turned away from the grill. Livvy ducked under a cabinet.

  “Tuna salad on whole wh
eat,” Destiny called from the front. “And Harrison, are you working on that cheese-burger rare?”

  So his name is Harrison, Livvy told herself.

  She started to feel hungry. Not from the smell of the food frying on the grill—but from the look of Harrison’s broad shoulders, those eyes that crinkled at the corners, that long neck, the perfect throat…

  She let out a soft squeak.

  Oh, wow. Control yourself, Livvy. Did he hear you? She pressed tighter under the cabinet.

  Why did I come here? She wondered, staring up at Harrison.

  To spy on Destiny, of course. To see her face, the face of a murderer. Why? Well…Because…Because…

  I’m not sure.

  I’m so confused and upset, I can’t think straight.

  Destiny appeared in the kitchen, carrying a stack of dirty dishes. She dropped them into a basket on the sink counter.

  “Whew.” She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, then washed her hands in the sink. Livvy watched her walk over to Harrison.

  “How’s it going?” Destiny put a hand on Harrison’s shoulder.

  “Not bad,” he replied, scraping the grill. “Want some eggs or something? A little lunch break?”

  “No, thanks. Check this out.” She held up a coin. “A quarter. That table of four—they tipped me a quarter.”

  Harrison stared at it. “You and I split that, right? When do I get my share?”

  They both laughed. The quarter fell from Destiny’s hand and rolled onto the floor.

  Then Livvy watched them kiss, a long, tender kiss.

  And she knew what she wanted to do.

  Harrison is my guy. This is going to be so sweet.

  Destiny, dear, let’s see how eager you are to kiss your lovely Harrison after I turn him into a vampire!

  part six

  chapter twenty-nine

  THE PARTY CRASHER

  “I THINK YOU’RE DEFINITELY HELPING MIKEY,” Destiny said.

  Harrison shrugged. “I didn’t do anything.”

  “He responds to you,” she replied. “He likes you. I mean, you got him to come out of the Bat Cave—his room—and actually throw a Frisbee around in the backyard. That was an amazing accomplishment.”

  “Yeah, true,” Harrison agreed. “That poor guy seemed so stressed out when he got outside. Until I made him chase after the Frisbee a few times, he was shaking like a leaf. He kept gazing up at the sky, checking out the tree limbs. I don’t know what he expected to find up there.”

  He expected to find Livvy, Destiny thought.

  But Harrison doesn’t know that.

  She told Harrison that Mikey had a lot of problems because their mother had died so suddenly. She hadn’t told Harrison anything about Livvy. He didn’t even know she had a twin sister.

  Destiny felt her throat tighten. She had been thinking about Livvy. Did Ross talk to her? Did he pass on my message to her?

  It had been three days, and she hadn’t heard from Ross or her sister.

  Destiny chewed her bottom lip. Should I go back there and talk to Ross again? Was sneaking over there at dawn a waste of time? Is Livvy just going to ignore my visit?

  Harrison pulled the car to the curb. Destiny slid down the visor and checked her lipstick in the mirror. She gazed out at the row of townhouses, aging three-story buildings—paint peeling and shingles missing—that had been turned into apartments for community college students.

  Lights blazed in the front windows of the house on the right. And Destiny could hear rap music blaring without even opening the car door.

  “Do I look okay?” she asked. She wore a light blue tank top, baggy, white shorts, and flip-flops. It was a steamy hot July night and she wanted to be comfortable.

  Harrison smiled and nodded. “Awesome.”

  He started to open his door, then stopped. “Are you getting tired of these crowded, noisy parties?”

  “No way,” Destiny said without having to think about it. “I’m meeting some nice people. And it kinda makes me feel like I’m already part of the scene. You know. Like I’m already in college.”

  She climbed out of the car and straightened her shirt. She saw groups of young people on the grass in front of the building. Several sat on the stoop, cans of beer in their hands. Two large golden Labs with red bandannas around their necks chased each other across the street and back.

  Harrison took her hand and they walked up the stoop, stepping around two girls on the steps who were smoking—both talking heatedly at once—and into Harrison’s friend’s apartment.

  Destiny stepped into the big, smoky front room, filled with people her age in shorts and jeans, sprawled over the furniture, standing in clumps, shouting over the deafening music. She recognized some girls she met at Alby’s birthday party and hurried over to say hi to them.

  Livvy was always the party person, she thought. But I’m starting to enjoy them more. Maybe because I’m older now—and being out of high school makes everyone more relaxed.

  Harrison introduced her to Danny, his best friend from high school. He was a short, stocky guy, kind of funny-looking with tiny, round eyes on top of a bulby nose, and thick, steel wool hair standing up on his head.

  He and Harrison walked off talking, and Destiny crossed the room to get a Coke. She ran into Alby at the food table, and they hung out for a while.

  Destiny tried not to stare at the bandage on Alby’s neck. But it made her very uncomfortable. She made an excuse and hurried away.

  People were scattered all over the townhouse, and Destiny gave herself a tour. Wish I could live away from home, she thought. The fun of college is being away from home, living on your own for the first time.

  But why even think about it? No way she could leave Dad and Mikey now.

  She returned to the front room and talked to some people she’d met at the diner. A couple of guys hit on her, and she brushed them off easily.

  After a while, she realized she hadn’t seen Harrison for a long time. She glanced at her watch. She hadn’t seen him for at least half an hour.

  Weird.

  Destiny gazed around the room. Harrison, where are you?

  She saw Alby in the corner with a skinny, red-haired girl a foot taller than him, and made her way through the crowd to him. “Have you seen Harrison?” She had to shout over the loud voices and the booming rap music.

  Alby shook his head. “No. Not for a while. Do you know Lily?”

  No. Destiny didn’t know Lily. She stayed and talked to her for a while. She kept expecting Harrison to appear at her side, but—no sign of him.

  She searched the back rooms and the kitchen, piled high with garbage and empty beer and soda cans. He’s got to be here somewhere, she thought.

  Doesn’t he wonder where I am?

  Destiny returned to her spot in front of the fireplace in the living room. A few minutes later, Harrison turned from the drinks table, spotted her, and his eyes went wide, as if he was surprised to see her there.

  He carried two cans of Coors and hurried over to her. “Here’s the beer you wanted,” he said. “How’d you get back here so fast?”

  Destiny stared at him. “Excuse me? I didn’t ask you for a beer.”

  He crinkled up his face, confused. “Of course, you did. Outside on the stoop, you—”

  “Huh? Outside?”

  Destiny’s heart leaped up to her throat. She narrowed her eyes at Harrison, her mind spinning.

  Outside.

  He was talking to me outside on the stoop.

  But no. No. It wasn’t me.

  Livvy!

  chapter thirty

  LIVVY AND HARRISON

  DESTINY HANDED THE BEER BACK TO HARRISON AND took off. She heard him shouting to her, but she didn’t turn around.

  Livvy is here. On the front stoop.

  Did Ross talk to her? Did he convince her to come see me?

  She bumped into a couple leaning on the wall by the door who had their arms around each other, cheeks presse
d together. They both let out startled cries as Destiny pushed past them.

  “Sorry,” she called.

  She pushed the screen door open and burst out onto the stoop. “Livvy? Are you here?” she called.

  A blond girl in a red halter top and jeans spun toward Destiny.

  “Livvy—?”

  No.

  Destiny ran down the steps onto the grass. The sun had gone down. The moon floated low in a clear, purple sky dotted with stars.

  The people on the lawn were all shadows. A few couples were lying in the grass, wrapped up in each other. A circle of guys down near the sidewalk were singing a Beatles song at the top of their lungs.

  “Livvy? Are you here?”

  Destiny cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted. “Livvy? Livvy?”

  No. No answer. Gone.

  But she had been here. Harrison had talked to her. And thought he was talking to Destiny.

  Did she do that deliberately? Did Livvy come here to trick Harrison? Was it some kind of joke she was playing on Destiny?

  Destiny gazed around the front lawn. Music boomed from the open windows. “Livvy? Livvy? Please?”

  Then Destiny saw the bat. It fluttered off a slender tree near the curb and flapped slowly toward her. Eyes glowing, the bat swooped low over her head, then spun away and floated toward the street.

  Heart pounding, Destiny turned and chased after it.

  The bat floated slowly, low to the ground, its wings spread wide, gliding easily. Destiny ran under it, reaching for it with both hands, calling her sister’s name breathlessly.

  “Livvy, stop! Please—!”

  The bat swooped away, just out of her reach.

  Running hard, Destiny made another grab for the bat—and missed.

  “Ohh—!” Destiny let out a cry as she ran full force into the side mirror of a parked car. The mirror hit her chest. Pain shot through her ribs. She staggered back.

  She raised her eyes in time to see the bat vanish into the inky night sky.