Temptation (32 page)

Does that mean it's almost night? he wondered. Do the animals come out only after dark?

He checked his watch again, just to make sure. Three forty-five.

Should I yell for Diana? he wondered. They still had to make their way back through the trees to the boat.

The boat! Billy thought. Where is it? Which direction is it in?

Suddenly feeling panicked, he let his eyes search the trees. He stood in a small, grass-covered clearing. On one side the grass lay flattened.

Some kind of path?

Yes. Someone had worn a trail there. Recently.

I don't know how long we have before the vampires rise, Billy thought. Should I follow the path, or try to find Diana?

Would the path lead him to the vampires?

Maybe . . .

He followed the path through the woods, knocking branches out of the way. Thick vines grew along the sides. They clung to his skin and clothing as he made his way through.

He stopped in front of a tall tangle of vines and bare tree branches. Thick as a wall.

A wall?

Had someone built this here?

Billy peered through the vines. Yes. He could see something on the other side. He reached into the wall, pushing branches aside.

“Oww!” He cried out as thorns sank into his palm. Billy
snatched his hand back and stared at it in horror. Two small dark holes. Deep punctures. Like a vampire bite.

How am I going to get in there? he wondered.

The wall of vines curved around some kind of structure. Protecting it.

This has to be their house, Billy thought. I have to get through.

He pulled a wooden stake from his backpack. Thrust it through the thorns. Working it around, he made a hole large enough to see through.

Yes! A house.

A charred house behind the wall of vines.

It was burned, but not badly. The walls and roof appeared to be solid. Working furiously, Billy enlarged the hole until it was big enough for him to crawl through, then put away the stake.

Thorns snagged his backpack and clothes, leaving long scratches on his skin. He ignored them. He didn't take his eyes off the burned-out house.

Billy glanced up at the sky. The rain had stopped. The clouds moved quickly, as if a strong wind were blowing them.

How soon till sunset? he wondered. How much time do I have?

He ran to the door of the house. He grabbed the knob. It turned easily. The door swung open about an inch, then stopped. Something on the inside was holding it closed.

Billy pushed. The door opened a little farther. He shoved it with all his strength. Whatever blocked the door scraped across the floor.

The door stood open about a foot. Billy squeezed through the opening.

Total darkness, except for the light from the open door.

Billy waited for his eyes to adjust. The first thing he was able to see was a dresser that had been shoved against the door.

Slowly the room came into focus. Billy stood in what had been the kitchen. It smelled stale, like an old campfire.

His eyes darted around the room. He couldn't see much. The room seemed to be completely bare.

Billy stepped through the doorway into the next room. It was even darker here, damp and musty. Deep shadows crept from the corners, pools of blackness that seemed to absorb the dim light spilling in from the kitchen.

He examined the walls. Someone had nailed boards over the windows.

From the inside.

Billy peered around the room, trying to see into the shadows.

“Whoa,” he whispered. In the corner. What was that?

The shadows were so deep that Billy could barely make out the three shapes. He moved quickly across the room—and saw three long, rectangular boxes.

Coffins.

Billy's breath caught in his throat. A wave of terror swept over him, holding him in place, holding his eyes on the coffins.

Yes. Yes. I have found what I am looking for, he told himself. I have found the resting place of the vampires.

But when does the sun go down? Do I have enough time to destroy them before they awaken?

Billy stared at the coffins, his pulse racing.

I cannot stand here gaping. I have to look inside, he told himself.

He took a deep breath. Reached out with trembling hands. And lifted the lid on the coffin closest to him.

Billy tugged the coffin lid up. Forced himself to stare inside.

Girls' clothes.

Nothing but clothes.

He picked up a short skirt, a midriff top. He rummaged around, sifting through bathing suits and jeans.

Did the clothing belong to Kylie and Irene? Some of it did look familiar.

Had he found Kylie and Irene's coffins? Had he been lucky enough to find the right place?

Open the other coffins, Billy instructed himself. Hurry! You've got to see. You've got to know.

The remaining two coffins rested end-to-end, only a couple of inches apart.

Billy grabbed both lids at once, one in each hand.

With a hard tug, he yanked the lids up. Then he bent to peer inside.

Trembling, his breath coming in ragged gasps, Billy stared into the coffins.

Kylie and Irene.

Yes.

Sound asleep. Eyes shut. Faces calm, at peace.

Sleeping in ancient dirt.

Hands folded across their chests.

Billy stared at them, swallowing hard. Stared as if he'd never seen them before.

They appeared so innocent.

Kylie stirred, shifted her position slightly. She smacked her lips, revealing the tips of her fangs. Dreaming of food? Billy wondered. Dreaming of human blood?
My
blood?

Don't stand there!
a voice inside Billy screamed.
Time is running out! Do something! Before it's too late!

But the sight of them seemed to hold him in place. He couldn't take his eyes off them. Kylie with her beautiful red hair. Irene's golden curls glowing even in the dim light.

Billy stared at them, stared without moving, without breathing—as if the two vampires were able to cloud his mind even in their sleep.

Snap out of it! he warned himself.

Billy blinked, shook his head.

Hurry!

Frantically, Billy slipped off the backpack and tossed it to the floor. He ripped at the cloth, unable to get it open.

I've got to calm down, he thought. Calm down.

The zipper tore. The bag fell open, spilling wooden stakes onto the floor. Billy snatched one up and grabbed the hammer.

Gasping for breath, he held the pointed tip of the oak stake over Kylie's heart. Extra-hard wood. Sharpened to a point as deadly as the tips of Kylie's fangs.

Billy's hands shook so hard he wasn't sure he could swing the hammer. Or hit the stake with it.

Can I do this? he wondered. Can I really do this?

He raised the hammer.

Billy raised the hammer. It felt so heavy in his trembling hand. As if it weighed a hundred pounds.

He lowered it.

I can't do this, he thought. I can't pound a pointed stake into a person's chest.

He peered down at Kylie.

She's not a person, Billy told himself. She used to be a person. But now she's a deadly vampire. She could be a thousand years old!

And how many innocent people has she murdered in all her years?

He took a deep breath. Once again, he leaned over Kylie and placed the tip of the stake in the center of her chest.

He positioned the hammer over the stake. He raised the hammer. Held it shakily over the stake.

Counted silently to three.

And Kylie opened her eyes.

“Oh!” Billy uttered a shocked cry and staggered back. The hammer and stake fell from his hands and clattered loudly on the floor.

Kylie sat up, instantly alert. Her eyes narrowed on Billy.

An angry hiss escaped her throat. “Billy . . .” she whispered. “Billy . . .”

The whisper appeared to wake Irene. She sat up alertly, wide awake in an instant, and gazed at Billy.

Billy took another step back. He opened his mouth to speak. But realized he had nothing to say.

“Billy . . .” Kylie whispered, a smile spreading across her face. “Billy . . .”

“Billy . . .” Irene echoed in a harsh whisper. “Billy . . .”

The two vampires floated up from their coffins.

“Billy . . . Billy . . .”

He tried to run—but stumbled over the hammer and went tumbling into the wall.

“Billy . . . Billy . . .”

They floated over him, both chanting his name.

“Billy . . .” Kylie whispered in his ear.

She ran her tongue over her lips. “Billy . . . so glad you decided to drop in for breakfast.”

Irene held one arm. Kylie gripped the other.

Billy struggled frantically to free himself.

“Billy . . . give up, Billy,” Irene whispered. “You can't get away from us. We are stronger than you can possibly imagine.”

Billy ignored her. He fought desperately, twisting, turning. But their fingers dug into his flesh, their powerful grip unbreakable.

He took a deep breath, pulled back his arms—and shoved Kylie with all his strength.

She stumbled, letting go.

He swung his whole body, slamming Irene with his shoulder.

Her grip loosened. Only a tiny bit. But enough.

Billy whirled to his left.

He was free!

“You're strong for a mortal,” Irene growled. “But not strong enough.” She lunged for him.

Billy turned, started to run—and tripped over the backpack.

He fell hard, landing on his elbows and knees.

Wooden stakes clattered across the floor in all directions.

The vampires floated over him, hissing and drooling.

Their eyes glowed with rage, with hunger.

Irene sprang at him.

Billy rolled to the left. His fingers wrapped around one of the stakes. He snatched it up.

Irene flew down on him, her fangs aimed at his throat.

And Billy shoved the stake up toward her chest.

He closed his eyes.

Irene's weight crashed down on him.

I missed, he realized. I missed her heart.

I'm dead.

Silence for a moment.

And then Irene let out a piercing howl. As Billy opened his eyes, she flew to her feet. Then she staggered backward, the wooden stake jutting from her chest.

No blood, Billy saw. Not a drop.

Irene screamed. She tossed back her head in a long howl of pain.

And as she howled, she began to age.

Her hair turned white.

Her face wrinkled and sagged.

As Billy stared in amazement, Irene's hair fell out, until nothing remained but a few white wisps, wriggling like snakes on her pink scalp.

Irene collapsed to the floor.

Her legs shriveled to stumps. Her face caved in. The skin flaked off, revealing gray bone.

Her screams continued from her open-jawed skull.

And then the skull crumbled into dust.

And the room was silent.

Billy stared at the puddle of dust on the floor.

Kylie's shriek of rage made him spin around.

She grabbed Billy under the shoulders and lifted him off his feet.

“My turn,” she whispered. “My turn.”

Kylie's nails dug into Billy's skin. He felt the hot tips of her fangs on his neck.

“Billy!” Diana's voice. From outside. “Billy, the sun is setting! We have to go!”

Still holding Billy, Kylie spun around in a circle, her long red hair flying behind her. “Who is that?” she demanded.

Diana burst into the room. “Billy!” she screamed.

Kylie whirled to face Diana. “April—what are you doing here?”

“Let him down!” Diana cried.

“But, April—” Kylie protested. “You're one of us. Why are you helping Billy?”

“I'm not April—and I'm not one of you,” Diana told her.

Kylie's eyes flashed. “You will be,” she snapped. “As soon as I finish with him.” Her fangs slid down all the way as she lowered her face to Billy's throat.

Billy's hand shot out. With all his strength he held Kylie
away. Her fangs hovered inches from his throat.

Kylie's face twisted with rage. She snapped her jaws like an animal, trying to sink her fangs into the soft flesh of Billy's neck.

With a terrified gasp, Billy raised his right hand—and jabbed two fingers into Kylie's eyes.

“Yeowwwwwww!” She opened her mouth in a howl of pain.

Her hands flew up to her eyes. Billy plunged to the floor.

Howling, Kylie covered her eyes with both hands.

Billy turned and saw Diana at the window. “Now, die!” Diana shrieked at Kylie. “Die! Die!”

With a cry of rage, Diana ripped a board off the window.

A bright square of afternoon sunlight slanted into the room.

The orange light washed over Kylie.

She never uncovered her eyes.

As her skin began to shrivel and peel off, she held her eyes tightly, bending in pain, howling, howling.

Until her head rolled off her body. Her body tumbled to the floor, across the square of orange light, melting, flaking, shriveling.

To dust.

Billy swallowed hard, staring in disbelief as Kylie's body fell apart. Only the eyeballs remained, staring up accusingly at him.

Staring. Staring. Until they too melted and became wet, green puddles on the floor.

“It's over,” Billy said with a sigh, moving quickly across the room to Diana. “It's over.” He hugged her, hugged her tightly.

They stood there, still shivering, still trembling, hugging until the sun disappeared behind the trees.

“Come on,” Diana urged, dragging Billy into the Pizza Cove.