Dangerous Girls Read online

  “They weren’t like you,” he whispered.

  “Oh, right,” she said.

  “But I’m telling the truth,” he insisted. “They weren’t like you, Destiny. Believe me. They weren’t like you.”

  Chapter Three

  “It Won’t Hurt for Long”

  Renz kissed her again, longer this time, holding his hands on the sides of her face. He saw her eyes close. He felt her body relax.

  She’s enjoying it. She’s beginning to feel what I feel.

  But when she finally pulled away, Destiny laughed. “You’re much too old for me, Renz.” She squinted at him. “How old are you, anyway? Nineteen? Twenty?”

  He grinned. “I turned two hundred last month. You’re right. Much too old for you.”

  “Well, I know one thing. You’re not like the guys in my high school. Where did you grow up? In Italy?”

  Renz nodded. I don’t want to talk. I didn’t bring you down here to talk.

  “I grew up in the north, in the hills where there is poverty—and strangeness.”

  He squeezed her hands. The pale moonlight sparkled in her blond hair.

  “Strangeness? Like what?”

  “The people in my village had many superstitions and many fears,” he told her, speaking softly, holding her close. “They were most terrified of the ancient vampires who lived in the caves that circled our village. The vampires were said to fly out at night in the shapes of blackbirds and bats. They would attack the villagers—men, women, and children—and empty their veins of blood.”

  Destiny gave him a playful shove. “You’re trying to scare me, right?”

  Renz nodded. “Yes. Actually, I was born in Philadelphia.”

  She laughed at his joke.

  Pulling her closer, Renz’s skin tingled with excitement. His mouth, his throat—they suddenly felt so dry…. He felt alert. Alive. Ready.

  He held her by her arms and lowered his face to hers. He whispered, “Do you believe in vampires, Laura?”

  With a short gasp, Destiny jerked her head back. “Excuse me? Vampires? And who’s Laura?”

  He stared at her, licking his lips. His whole body tingled. He knew his hands would tremble if he let go of her. “Laura? Well…you remind me of someone, that’s all.”

  He pulled her close again. Her expression softened. “I’ve thought about you, too, this summer,” she said, avoiding his eyes.

  She’s shy like Laura, he thought. Not like her twin.

  “And did you notice me watching you?” he asked eagerly.

  She hesitated. “Well…”

  He kissed her again. Lightly. He was so afraid to move too fast. He had waited so long to bring her here, to bring her to this moment.

  But now the moment was here.

  “I’m so happy I found you again, Laura,” he whispered, gazing into her eyes. “I’ve been searching for you for so many years. I knew I’d find you again.”

  Those words made her struggle to pull free. But he grasped her arms tightly and held her in front of him. “Don’t pull away, Laura. Tonight we are reunited.”

  “Renz—what the hell are you talking about? Let go of me! Now you’re really scaring me.”

  “Don’t be scared, darling. I know you have waited for this moment as I have. It won’t hurt for long. I promise it won’t hurt for long. And then we will be together once more, together forever.”

  She squirmed, struggled to swing her arms, to lash out at him with both fists. “Let go. Let go, you creep! Are you crazy?”

  Staring into her eyes, he let her struggle. Staring deeply…penetrating her mind.

  She uttered a long sigh and settled back, limp in his arms.

  “That’s better, Laura. You feel calm now. You don’t want to resist me. Tonight under the full moon I shall drink your blood, and you shall drink mine. Two long drinks, that’s all it will take, darling. And then you will be Laura again. Then you will be immortal like me. And we will live together forever.”

  Destiny made a weak attempt to squirm free.

  “Shh,” he whispered. “Don’t try to move. Don’t try to think, darling. Keep staring into my eyes. That’s right. See? Your mind is emptying. You remember nothing. You are floating in a cloud.”

  Bleating sounds escaped her lips, like a tiny, frightened animal caught in a trap. Her head fell back, her throat pale in the moonlight.

  Pale and soft. And delicious.

  “I have fogged your mind, and you won’t remember a word I’ve said. You won’t even remember me until I want you to. Until I am ready to fly with you, to spend every night—for eternity—with you.”

  Renz leaned forward, lowering his face to her throat. “You feel nice, don’t you, Laura? You feel dizzy and happy, and the stars are spinning so gracefully, aren’t they? It’s all so beautiful and soft, isn’t it, darling? So romantic. You always were so romantic.”

  Her soft cries stopped. Destiny stared up at him open-mouthed, her eyes glassy, her chest moving rapidly up and down.

  Renz gently pulled down the neck of her sweatshirt. His curved fangs made a wet slick sound as they slid down from his gums. He worked his tongue over the fangs, trying to wet them. But his mouth was dry as sand.

  Finally, he could resist no longer. He lowered his head, pushed out his bristled tongue, and licked her neck. Licked it, his rough tongue scraping over the soft skin. Licked it hungrily.

  Then he opened his mouth wide and with a groan from deep in his gut, brought the fangs down. Pierced the pale skin. Sank the sharp fangs deep into her throat.

  And began to drink.

  Chapter Four

  “What Does He Want With Me?”

  Destiny gazed up at the purple night sky. White dots of light shimmered and danced. The full moon, surrounded by glimmering stars, grew brighter, brighter…until she had to lower her eyes.

  She felt Renz’s hot forehead against her chin. His thick black hair tickled her flesh. She heard a lapping sound, like water running. No. Like a dog drinking noisily from a bowl.

  Destiny felt a gentle pain at her throat, softer than the bite of a mosquito. With a sigh, Renz raised his head.

  What was that dark liquid spilling down his chin?

  Destiny struggled to think. But the moon shone so brightly—like a harsh spotlight—and the stars danced so giddily, she felt dizzy, sleepy. She couldn’t focus.

  She liked Renz’s smile, his wide eyes, his forehead gleaming with jewels of sweat. But why were his teeth curling over his chin? And what was that dark liquid that smelled so sharp and metallic?

  Focus. Focus.

  She blinked hard. But it all seemed fuzzy, far away.

  She gazed into Renz’s eyes, glowing black, staring down at her. And as she stared, she realized to her amazement that she shared his thoughts.

  She saw a young, black-haired boy, six or seven, bare chested, in ragged, stained trousers that came down just below his knees. The boy, dirty faced, ribs poking out, carried a fishing pole much too long for him. He dragged it along a dusty road.

  Destiny knew it was Renz—Renz as a young boy. Renz in the northern Italian village where he grew up in poverty.

  It’s as if he is showing me his life, she realized. He’s sharing his story with me.

  She saw the boy return home slump-shouldered, tears running down his cheeks. No fish on the line. Destiny recoiled as she saw the grizzled, weary-looking man—Renz’s father—give the boy a backhanded slap that sent him reeling into the wall.

  Ouch. She could feel the slap, feel the pain spread over her cheek.

  She tried to blink the pain away. And when she opened her eyes again, the boy was on a ship, ocean waves tossing against its gray sides. Frothy water washed over the swaying deck where the boy—young Renz—stood so uncertainly at the rail, frightened, one little face in a crowd of older, frightened faces.

  Destiny could see the pictures clearly in her mind.

  She saw the boy covering his tattered clothes with a heavy, gray overcoat that
was much too big for him. Saw him arriving in New York City, then trudging through the streets, dodging horse-drawn carts and carriages, everyone dressed in black, the street a sea of black hats, all the men wearing hats.

  How long ago this must have been.

  She closed her eyes, and now the boy had grown into a young man. She recognized Renz—his proud way of standing, his loping walk, the black hair bouncing on his head as he strode down the street.

  She watched as Renz suddenly turned into a narrow alley crammed with trash and stacks of old newspapers. And then she saw another man, lanky and pale, with straight white hair pulled back in a loose-flowing ponytail. The man had silver-gray eyes, a stubble of white beard. He wore a navy-blue suit and had a navy cape draped over one shoulder.

  Destiny watched the two shake hands. She understood. Renz recognized the man from his ship, the ship that carried him to America. Yes, the man was from Renz’s village.

  Destiny cried out as the happy reunion suddenly turned violent.

  The white-haired man pushed Renz against the building wall. Destiny watched the yellowed fangs curl down. Watched the man sink his teeth into Renz’s throat and drink, blood running down the front of his dark suit.

  Then Renz bit hard into the old man’s neck and began to lap up his blood. They were drinking each other’s blood! She couldn’t bear to watch.

  She closed her eyes, but the images continued to flood her mind. She saw Renz prowling the streets once again, but this time at night, only at night. She watched him attack birds and squirrels in the park, sink his teeth into their bellies, and drink.

  And she felt his thirst, felt the overpowering need that forced him to seek out victims—human victims—and drink, drink until the thirst was momentarily quenched.

  She saw him struggling to keep his secret. And then she felt his fear as he realized his secret had been uncovered. Men were collecting weapons, preparing to hunt him down. She felt his terror, and then she watched him flee.

  She saw a blur of towns and villages cloaked by the dark of night. And she watched him settle far away from the city, far away from those who meant to destroy him. A small New England town where the winters were long and the days were short.

  Another blink. She saw Renz in the moonlight with a beautiful young woman. The woman dressed in a simple blue gown, her blond hair flowing down the back of her dress.

  She looks like me, Destiny realized. And at once, she knew the young woman’s name: Laura. The high cheekbones, the green eyes, the fine blond hair…Laura resembles me so much.

  Except for the sadness in her eyes.

  Such sad eyes.

  Destiny saw how much Renz loved Laura. He adored her. And then in another blink of her eyes, she saw Laura’s open casket. The sad eyes shut forever. It happened so quickly.

  She saw Renz’s angry tears. And heard his angry, desperate vow to find Laura again. To be reunited with her no matter how many decades or centuries it took.

  Destiny saw it all as the stars swirled above her and the sky continued to spin.

  But I’m not Laura, she told herself, the world so distant now as if she saw it through a curtain of gauze.

  I’m not Laura.

  So what does he want with me?

  Chapter Five

  “I’ll Follow You Home”

  Renz gazed down at her, breathing deeply, feeling the cool night air brush against his hot face. He licked his lips, the rich, iron-tasting liquid so sweet on his tongue.

  The lake lapped gently against the grassy shore. Trees whispered and shook. Somewhere a night dove cooed. Renz felt alive again; alive and strong.

  He felt happy, almost giddy. Reunited with his lost love.

  He wanted to shout it into the wind. He wanted to fly over the lake, crying her name.

  “Laura…Laura…!”

  But first we must finish, he told himself. I have drunk deeply. And now it is her turn.

  I’m here, darling. I know you have waited as long and impatiently as I have.

  He had searched for Destiny at the last full moon. But to his dismay, she had left camp on a canoeing overnight. He had to wait four long weeks for the full moon to rise again.

  And now finally, here she was in his arms, ready to take the final step.

  “Oh.” He raised his head abruptly, hearing the snap of a twig on the ground.

  No. No. No.

  He pulled himself up. Tilted Destiny’s head up. Slid his arm around her shoulders.

  He could smell someone approaching. A girl. He could hear the blood pumping through her veins before she even appeared.

  He turned as Nakeisha stepped into view.

  “Destiny? I was looking for you. I forgot—” Nakeisha saw Renz with his arm around Destiny. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t know. I mean…catch you later.”

  Nakeisha spun around and darted into the thicket of trees.

  Had the spell been broken?

  Renz turned back to his love, his prize.

  Destiny sat up, shaking her head. “Wow. I feel so dizzy.”

  “Don’t move,” Renz whispered. “You’re okay.” He reached to hold her, but Destiny jumped up and stepped away from him. “Come back, Destiny. Just for a few moments.”

  She blinked at him. “No. Sorry. It’s late. And I feel so…weird.”

  She waved to him, blinking in confusion. Then she took off, running through the tall wet grass, moonlight reflecting off her hair.

  He watched until she vanished behind tall pines. Then he opened his mouth in a cry of fury.

  So close. So close, my darling Laura. But you didn’t finish.

  His skin tingled. The hair on the back of his neck prickled. He could still taste her blood on his tongue.

  We will be together for eternity, Laura.

  I will follow you. I will follow you home.

  You won’t know me. You won’t remember me. So it will be easy.

  Our blood will mingle. I promise.

  I will come. I will come for you.

  I won’t let you get away this time.

  Part Two

  Chapter Six

  “Did She Stay Out of

  Trouble This Summer?”

  Destiny watched her dad’s SUV rumble up the hill toward the cabins. “Crack of dawn,” she muttered, shivering in the damp morning air. I knew he’d be the first to arrive.

  “Hey, Livvy!” She cupped her hands and shouted into Arapaho. “Wake up! Dad and Mikey are here.”

  “Give me a break. I’m packing,” her sister shouted back.

  Destiny yawned and hugged herself, wrapping the sleeves of her camp sweatshirt around her shoulders. Why am I so tired this morning?

  I see Dad didn’t get the front fender fixed. And the car is covered with dust. He probably didn’t wash it all summer.

  Destiny’s mom had always taken care of the practical matters, allowing her husband to spend all his thoughts on his veterinary practice and his research.

  With Mom gone, the car will just disappear under a mountain of dirt, Destiny thought. “Hey, Liv—do you need any help?”

  No answer.

  Destiny turned and saw Chris Harvey, the lanky, blond-haired arts-and-crafts counselor, bent over, throwing up noisily against the side of his cabin.

  “Late night, Harvey?” someone shouted from one of the cabins.

  “How about a beer, Harvey?”

  Harvey was in no position to reply. Destiny watched him stumble into his cabin, wiping his face with his T-shirt.

  Car doors slammed. She turned and saw Mikey come bursting from the car. Slipping in the dewy grass, she ran down to meet him.

  “Hey, you’re tall!” she said, wrapping him in a hug. She brushed her hands through his thick, coppery hair.

  “Dad got me a new game,” he said, holding up his Game Boy. “See? It’s like a NASCAR race.”

  “I haven’t seen you all summer, and you just want to show me a game?” She hugged him again.

  “Yuck. Stop doing that.” He pul
led back. “It’s a really awesome game. I’ll show you how to play on the way back.” He glanced around. “Where’s Livvy?”

  “Packing. Go help her.” She gave him a shove toward their sister’s cabin.

  He took off toward Arapaho. “Hey, Liv, we’re here! Check out my new game!”

  Destiny turned to see her dad come striding up the hill, arms outstretched, a smile on his face. His glasses glinted red in the early-morning sunlight. The thick tuft of gray hair bobbing on top of his head was unbrushed as usual. His heavy gray eyebrows moved up and down like two fat caterpillars above the glasses.

  “I believe I know you from somewhere,” he said.

  Destiny hugged him hard. She pressed her cheek against his. “Ouch. You didn’t shave.”

  He rubbed his chin. “Guess I forgot.”

  His beard has turned white, Destiny observed. And he looks so tired.

  She squinted at him. “Have you been putting in more long nights in your lab?”

  He nodded. “Pretty much.” His smile was sad. “With everyone gone and the house empty, what else should I do?”

  Destiny swallowed hard. “Well, we’ll all be home now. It won’t be so quiet anymore.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of!” he said. Behind the glasses, his pale blue eyes flashed.

  They both laughed.

  Livvy emerged from her cabin in shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt, dragging a suitcase, a backpack, and three other canvas bags, clothes spilling over the tops. “I couldn’t fit it all in,” she said.

  She dropped everything and ran to hug her dad. “Hey, I missed you!”

  He stepped back to study her. “You look positively healthy.”

  Livvy frowned. “Is that a compliment?”

  He continued to stare. “No tattoos?”

  “Of course not, Daddy. I promised, remember?”

  He turned to Destiny. “Did she stay out of trouble this summer?”

  “No way,” Livvy said before Destiny could reply. “Why would I want to stay out of trouble?”