The Taste of Night Read online

  Livvy’s stomach lurched. She felt sick. She stumbled to the glassless window hole, leaned out, and vomited up some of the blood she had drunk—her dinner. It had tasted so sweet going down. Now it sickened her, sour and acid.

  Still gagging, she heard a sound behind her. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she turned to the door.

  Patrick?

  No. The footsteps passed. Some other vampire returning home after a night of feeding.

  Livvy kicked off her shoes and climbed into bed. She pulled the blanket over her head and tried to stop shaking. But how could she stop thinking about her two dead friends?

  Patrick. Patrick murdered them.

  He’s weeding out the weak.

  And that means…Patrick killed Ross.

  Buried under her blanket as if in a dark, warm cocoon, Livvy’s mind whirred. It was coming clear to her. The horror of her situation. The danger she was in.

  It all began to come clear.

  Destiny didn’t murder Ross. Patrick murdered Ross because he was weak. Because he wanted to see his parents, because he was homesick.

  Patrick is the murderer. He is killing his own.

  Destiny is innocent. She probably came here to warn me. Or just to plead with me to give up this life and come home so Dad can cure me.

  And now I’ve agreed to let Patrick go after Destiny, to let him turn my sister into a vampire, too. And I agreed to trick her boyfriend into exchanging blood and becoming an immortal.

  Livvy gasped. It’s all a test. Patrick is testing me.

  And do I have a choice? I have to go through with it.

  If I try to stop Patrick from attacking Destiny, then he will know that I am weak.

  And he will kill me too.

  part seven

  NIGHT OF THE FULL MOON

  chapter thirty-eight

  HARRISON’S BIG DATE

  HARRISON GAZED UP AT THE FULL MOON AS HE PULLED his car to a stop. The moon floated low in the blue-black evening sky. It had rained earlier in the day. And now the moonlight was reflected in dozens of puddles and tiny pools all along the road, making the whole earth seem to sparkle.

  Unreal.

  Harrison slapped his hands on the steering wheel in rhythm to the dance music beat on the car stereo. He sang along, waiting for the light to change to green.

  He thought about Destiny. Also unreal.

  Picturing her made his heartbeats drum, almost as fast as the music. She had been different lately. So much needier. So much sexier.

  Harrison flashed back to the other night. Destiny kissing him, kissing him so passionately, pressing herself against him, moving her hands through his hair.

  And making those little sighs, the soft moans. Kissing his face…his neck. Yes. Kissing his neck.

  It was all so unreal.

  Harrison touched the little bite marks on his throat. Destiny had really gotten carried away.

  Man, she was suddenly so hot!

  The light changed. Harrison lowered his foot to the gas pedal. He couldn’t wait to see her tonight. She had promised him something special.

  Something special…

  He knew what that meant. And now, his heartbeats were drumming faster than the music on the radio!

  He turned onto Union Street. He could see the entrance to the mall up ahead. They planned to meet where they met last time in front of the Cineplex.

  Harrison brought the car around to the front of the movie theater and ducked his head to search for Destiny through the passenger window.

  No. Not here. Where was she?

  He checked the dashboard clock. Eight-thirty-six.

  Destiny said she’d be here at eight-thirty.

  Yes. Eight-thirty. She said she had a nice surprise for him. But she wanted to give it to him when the full moon was high in the sky.

  Unreal.

  What did the full moon have to do with anything? Why was Destiny being so mysterious?

  He glanced up at the moon. Higher in the sky now, more golden than orange, with a single wisp of black cloud cutting it off in the middle.

  “Dee, where are you?”

  He drove past the theater, turned and pulled into a parking place between two SUVs. He drummed his fingers on the wheel. Checked his wallet to make sure he’d remembered to bring some money. Gazed up at the full moon again, hazy behind a thin film of cloud. Then back at the clock—eight-forty-five.

  Destiny was always on time. This was not like her.

  Leaving the car running, Harrison climbed out and stood in front of it, searching under the bright lights at the front of the Cineplex. He saw a short line of people in front of the box office. Two teenage girls waiting for someone at the side of the theater.

  No one else. No Destiny.

  I want my special surprise, Destiny. I want you to keep your promise. Where are you? You don’t want to keep me here in suspense, do you?

  He took a few steps away from the car. “Hey—!” He saw a couple of guys he knew going into the theater. He waved to them and called out, but they didn’t see him. They vanished inside.

  Harrison strode back to the car and dropped behind the wheel. Almost nine o’clock. Maybe she got hung up. Maybe she couldn’t make it for some reason. No. She’d call. Maybe she was in an accident or something.

  Harrison sighed. He hated to wait for people. It always made him very tense. Most of his friends showed up half an hour late to everything, and it drove him crazy. He was always on time. That probably drove his friends crazy!

  He picked up his cell phone. He stared at it for a few moments. Nine-oh-seven on the clock. He punched in Destiny’s cell number. And listened to four rings. Then her voicemail message: “This is Destiny. Leave a message, okay?” The long beep.

  He clicked off the phone.

  Where is she?

  He tried her cell number again. Maybe the phone was buried in her bag, and she didn’t hear it. Again, he listened to four rings. When her message came on, he clicked off the phone and tossed it onto the seat.

  He climbed out of the car, slamming the door behind him. He paced back and forth in front of the movie theater for a while.

  At nine-thirty, he climbed back into the car. He gazed up at the full moon, high in the sky now, a bright, silvery circle. Then he backed out of the parking place.

  Where are you, Destiny? Did you stand me up?

  That’s so not like you.

  Harrison felt his muscles tighten, felt a weight in the pit of his stomach. This wasn’t like Destiny at all.

  Something must be wrong. Something must be terribly wrong.

  He sped out of the mall and turned left on Union Street.

  He decided to drive to Destiny’s house. He had to find out what was going on.

  chapter thirty-nine

  DESTINY SURPRISES PATRICK

  PATRICK COULDN’T TAKE HIS EYES OFF DESTINY’S throat.

  The skin pale and smooth, like velvet. Her neck long and straight. He could taste it. He could taste that spot just under her chin, that soft spot without muscle where the veins ran free and close to the skin.

  As they danced, he watched the veins throb, a subtle blue against the smooth, soft skin. She said something to him, shouting over the loud music. But he didn’t hear her. He was concentrating so hard on the tiny, throbbing veins, on her delicious throat.

  Soon, Destiny, you and I will be together forever, he thought, returning her smile.

  The beat changed as the DJ worked his mix. Destiny changed her rhythm and Patrick changed with her, moving his body slowly now, bumping against her. Any excuse to touch her. Eyes on her throat. If only he could sink his teeth into that soft skin right this minute and drink…drink until she moaned and sighed.

  He knew the full moon was high in the sky by now. The dance club had no windows. But Patrick could feel the moon above him. His excitement rose with the moon. And so did his hunger.

  Destiny’s face held its smile as she danced under the flashing lights over the da
nce floor. She’s gentler than her sister, Patrick decided. She has a sweetness about her—an innocence?—that Livvy doesn’t have.

  He wondered how Livvy was doing with Destiny’s boyfriend, Harrison. She seemed so eager to go after him, so eager to take him under the moonlight and turn him into a vampire.

  Did she hate her sister that much?

  Patrick wondered why. He wondered why one twin chose the vampire life—and the other had to be forced into it.

  Tonight…

  I will force her tonight. She won’t know what is happening until it is too late.

  What drove the sisters apart? Why does Livvy carry such anger against her twin?

  And then as he danced, his thoughts changed, and he thought about the group of vampires he had joined. So many weaklings and fools who were endangering the whole group. Patrick knew the Hunters were organizing. He knew the Hunters would soon find their hiding place and try to drive them out.

  He had to weed out the weaklings before the battle began.

  He intended to win this battle. For nearly a hundred years, he had been driven from town to town. Forced to flee, to hide.

  No more.

  He intended to take a stand here. If the Hunters think they can chase us away so easily, bring them on. We’ll be ready.

  But first, he had to make sure everyone was strong.

  Will you come through for me tonight, Livvy? Will you complete the job on Harrison? Or will you let him go, and prove that you are also one of the weaklings?

  Patrick knew he didn’t want to kill Livvy. He was attracted to her, drawn to her—to her sister too. But if he had to, he would kill Livvy the same way he had killed her friends.

  We’re going to be strong, strong enough to kill any Hunters that invade our homes.

  He turned to Destiny. He realized she was squeezing his arm. “Patrick, what’s wrong? You have such an unhappy look on your face.”

  “I…was thinking about something,” he said. He took her hand and led her off the dance floor. “Enough dancing? I’ve worked up a real sweat.” He picked up a cocktail napkin from the bar and mopped his forehead.

  “That DJ is great,” Destiny said. “That’s why I like this club.”

  “Let’s get some fresh air,” Patrick said. He guided her through the crowd and out the front door. He heard shouts and saw a group of people in the parking lot. “What’s going on?”

  They followed the path to the parking lot. “An accident,” Destiny said. “Someone backed an SUV into that Mini.”

  “Ooh.” Patrick made a face. “The Mini is wrecked. Why didn’t the SUV pick on someone his own size?”

  A tall man in a wrinkled suit was screaming at the parking valet and shaking his fist in the air. Two women were screaming at him.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Patrick said. He glanced up at the full moon. “It’s such a nice night. Would you like to take a walk?”

  Destiny smiled and took his arm. “Nice. Do you know Drake Park?”

  He shook his head. “Not really.”

  “There’s a path I like to walk. It’s real pretty at night, especially under a full moon.” Destiny glanced up at the moon too. “It leads to a pretty little creek.”

  “Let’s go,” Patrick said. He suddenly felt so hungry, he wiped a gob of drool off his chin and hoped Destiny didn’t see.

  They drove to Drake Park. Patrick kept a hand gently on her shoulder as they made their way along the twisting, dirt path, through thickets of tangled trees and low shrubs, to the creek.

  As they walked, Destiny talked about her job at the diner, about her father, a veterinarian, and about her little brother, Mikey. Patrick didn’t listen. His hunger had become a roar in his ears, like a pounding ocean wave crashing again and again.

  He couldn’t hear her. He could think only of his thirst, of the gnawing in his stomach, the ache…the ache…

  The moon had risen high in the sky. It filled the creek with silver light which made the narrow, trickling stream shimmer and glow.

  Destiny took his hand. She gazed at the sparkling water. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

  “Yes,” he managed. He knew he couldn’t hold back much longer. “Yes, it is.”

  She squeezed his hand. “With the moon lighting the water, it’s almost as bright as day.”

  “Yes,” he agreed again. His fangs slid down over his lips.

  Destiny was staring at the creek. “I’ve done all the talking,” she said. “You haven’t told me a thing about yourself.”

  “Well…” His brain was spinning now. All dazzling bright lights and wild, throbbing music. The hunger so strong he wanted to toss back his head and howl.

  Instead, he grabbed Destiny by the shoulders. Lowered his face to her throat. Dug his fangs deep into the soft flesh of her throat.

  He dug deeper, making loud sucking sounds, holding her tightly, pressing his forehead into her chin.

  And then with a cry of disgust, he staggered back. Dizzy, his stomach heaving. “Noooooo.” A sick moan escaped his throat. He lurched away from her, bent over, and started to retch.

  chapter forty

  LIVVY SURPRISES PATRICK

  “YOU’RE…NOT…DESTINY,” HE WHISPERED when he could finally talk. He stood up straight and shook himself.

  She hadn’t moved the whole while. Moonlight washed over her, making her blond hair gleam, making it appear that she was standing in a spotlight.

  “You’re Livvy, aren’t you,” he accused.

  “Patrick, you’re such an ace,” she replied. “Really sharp. You just pick up on things so fast, don’t you?”

  He stared at her in disgust, holding his hands in front of him as if shielding himself from her. “What are you doing here, Livvy?”

  “My sister decided she didn’t want to go out with you. She said you’re just not her type. But I didn’t want you to be lonely.”

  Patrick narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you crazy?” He pointed to the moon. “You know you have an assignment tonight.”

  Livvy shrugged.

  His anger grew quickly. “Don’t you realize how dangerous it is to play this trick on me? To disobey me? What about Harrison, Livvy? What about your assignment?”

  “Oh, I stood him up. I gave myself a new assignment,” she said. Her body tensed. Her smile faded.

  Patrick scowled. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I brought something from home,” Livvy said. “I brought it out here to the woods earlier…just for you. A surprise.”

  She bent behind a tree, grabbed something in both hands, and swung to face him.

  “It’s the stake,” Livvy said, her voice trembling now, her face tight with fury. “The stake you used to kill my friends.”

  Patrick’s hands flew up. His eyes bulged in shock.

  She raised the stake high—and, with a loud cry, thrust it into his chest.

  But he moved quickly, stumbling back. He grabbed the stake before it could penetrate his skin. Grabbed it in both hands and struggled to wrench it away from Livvy.

  He caught her off-balance, still moving forward in her attempt to stab him. Now she gripped one end of the stake, and he gripped the other.

  Patrick swung the stake hard and sent her spinning against a tree.

  Livvy let out a cry as the stake flew out of her hands.

  She shoved herself off the tree trunk and spun to face Patrick.

  “Nice try,” he said breathlessly. “But not nice enough.”

  He raised the stake in both hands—and cracked it in half over his thigh. Then he kept the pointed end and tossed away the other half.

  “I’ve given myself a new assignment,” he said, moving in on Livvy. He raised the pointed stake in one fist. “Can you guess what it is?”

  chapter forty-one

  A VAMPIRE MUST DIE

  HE BROUGHT THE STAKE DOWN HARD AND FAST, aimed at Livvy’s heart.

  She transformed into a bat, and the point sailed past her, barely grazing a wing. Wi
th a loud screech, she brought her wings up and sailed over Patrick’s head. Then she stuck out her talons—and swooped down.

  Hissing and shrieking, she scratched at his eyes.

  He let out a cry of pain and stumbled back.

  She scraped his cheeks with her talons. Blood streamed down his face.

  With a groan, he swiped her hard with the back of his hand. His hand caught her in the belly, knocking her air out.

  Stunned, Livvy toppled to the ground.

  She gazed up in time to see Patrick raise a shoe to trample her. She scuttled out just as the heel slammed the ground.

  Flapping her wings hard, she shot back into the air. He had dropped the stake and was bent, searching for it.

  Livvy swooped to the ground behind him, transformed back into her own body, and grabbed up the stake as Patrick spun around.

  “No—” he uttered as she slammed the stake with all her strength into his throat.

  A sick cry burst from his open mouth as the stake poked through the skin, deep into his neck. His eyes bulged, and he grabbed for the stake with both hands.

  But Livvy was too fast for him this time. She tugged the stake out, staring at the gaping hole in his neck. Then she slammed it into his body again, thrusting the point into his chest, into his heart.

  He fell back, cracking his head on a tree trunk.

  He didn’t utter a sound. He stared up at Livvy as he collapsed onto his back. His legs folded, and his arms dropped limply to his sides, and didn’t move.

  A shaft of silver moonlight washed over the stake, tilted up in the air now as Patrick lay on his back, not moving. And then his skin started to melt and crumble away. Big chunks dissolving quickly, revealing the bones underneath.

  Struggling to catch her breath, her chest heaving up and down, Livvy turned her back on him.

  I don’t want to see what happens to him.