aMaybe we were bitten by a vampire.a Destiny finished the sentence for her. She felt a chill go down her back. aIave been thinking and thinking. Maybe at camp. Itas the only place it could have happened.a Livvy let go of Destinyas hand and dropped onto her bed. aDee, weave got to find someone to help us.a aYes, we do,a Destiny said. aAnd we may not have much time.a She told Livvy what she had learned from Ari, about vampire hunters in 103.

Dark Springs, about full-fledged vampires and neophytes.

aBut isnat there an antidote?a Livvy whis- pered. aIf we were bitten, isnat there something we can do to get back to normal? What did Ari say?a Destiny shook her head. aAri didnat know.a She told her sister about the supermarket incident, about the clerk running toward her, pointing and shouting. aI knew Iad been caught. I was in a total panic. He saw me drop the liver in my bag. I told him it slipped out of my hand. I said the package had come open. I said someone did a bad wrapping job and I got blood all over me.a aAnd did he believe you?a Destiny nodded. aYes. He started to apolo- gize.a She swallowed. aI was so scared, Liv. It was such a close call.a A heavy silence fell over them.

Livvy fingered the mark on her neck. aMaybe we were bitten. Maybe weare becoming vampires.

I a I canat believe it. But maybe itas true.a She buried her face in her hands. aDo you really think there are hunters, Dee? Would they hunt us down and kill us if they found out about us?a 104.

aMaybe,a Destiny whispered. aI donat know.a aBut we havenat done anything wrong,a Livvy said with a sob. aIt isnat our fault.a Destiny had the feeling that Livvy wanted to say more. She waited for her sister to con- tinue, but Livvy sat in silence.

As Destiny reached to hug her sister, she had an idea. aCoach Bauer,a she said aloud.

Livvy glanced up at her. aWhat about him?a aAri said Coach might be one of the vampire hunters. He might even be the leader. Maybe he knows about vampires, Liv. Maybe he could tell us what to do.a Livvy pulled away from Destiny. aAre you crazy? If Coach is one of the hunters, no way we can tell him what happened to us. Heall shove stakes through our hearts or something.a aOf course he wonat,a Destiny said softly.

aCoach has known us since we were babies. He and Mrs. Bauer were at our house all the time.

Heas like family. He would never hurt us, Liv.

And he might know something that would help us. I think we should go see him right away.a Livvy hesitated. aIad be afraid, Dee. Really.a aWell, maybe we could tell him weare wor- ried about a friend from camp. We just need 105.

information. He might know exactly what we should do.a aBut, Dee, thatas so lame.a aWeare desperate, right? We have to try somethinga"a The phone rang. Destiny picked it up.

aHi, Dee. Itas Dad. Howas it going?a Howas it going? Not exactly great, Dad.

aEverythingas fine.a aListen, dear, I wonat be home till late. Two dogs got into a fight behind the playground. One of them had its eye clawed out. I think maybe if Iam lucky, I can put it back in.a aYuck, Dad. Thatas really gross.a aDestiny, youare the animal lover in the family. If you want to be a doctor or a vet, you canat say things are gross.a aI guess.a aAnyway, can you feed yourselves? And take care of Mikey till I get back?a aNo problem, Dad.a aThanks, kid. I love you. See you later.a Would you love me if you knew I suck down liver blood in the supermarket?

aLove you too, Dad. Bye.a She turned to Livvy. aDad wonat be home till late.a 106.

aNo problem,a Livvy said. aIall make my specialty for dinner.a aYour specialty? Whatas that?a aFrozen pizza.a aTake off the crust for me,a Mikey said.

aCan you wait? It isnat even out of the oven yet,a Livvy replied. aAnd whatas wrong with the crust?a aMom always cut off the crust for me,a he said. And then his eyes went wide and his cheeks reddened. aJust cut it off, okay?a Destiny stared at her little brother. aMom cut off the crusts for you because she liked to eat them herself. She thought the crusts were the best part.

You know, one night I caught her down here late at night eating a whole plate of pizza crusts.a She bent down and whispered in Mikeyas ear, aItas okay to talk about Mom. You can talk about her any time you want to.a He looked at her. aShut up,a he snapped.

aExcuse me?a aJust shut up.a He stamped out of the kitchen.

Livvy peered into the oven window.

aAlmost ready.a 107.

Destiny pulled three dinner plates from the cabinet and carried them to the kitchen table.

As she set out the plates, something on the bench against the window caught her eye. aHey, whatas that?a She picked it up. A fat notebook, the cover scratched and worn, pages practically bursting out. She hoisted it onto one knee to flip through it. aLivvy, looka"itas Coach Baueras playbook.

He must have left it here last night.a Livvy was lifting the pizza from the oven.

aHeall come back for it.a aNo. Donat you see? This is our excuse.a aYou meana"a aOur excuse to go see him tonight. Weall tell him we came to return the playbook. Then weall tell him weave been hearing all these rumors about vampires, and maybe heall tell us some- thing to help us.a Livvy stared at the playbook. Destiny could see the fear on her sisteras face.

aIam frightened too,a Destiny said. aIam ter- rified. But we have to talk to someone. Coach Bauer might be our last hope.a 108.

Chapter Sixteen.

Anyone Home?

Destinyas sneakers crunched over the gravel driveway. She clutched the playbook against the front of her sweatshirt. The wind, suddenly colda"a hint of fall days to comea"gusted and swirled, shivering the old trees around the house, making them creak and groan.

aItas completely dark,a Livvy whispered, a few steps behind Destiny. aI donat think heas home.a aHe might be in back. Weall give it a try.a Destiny gazed up at the two-story shingle house. A loose shutter dangled from an upstairs window. Clumps of tall weeds poked over the front stoop. Beside the front window, a rhodo- dendron bush lay withered on its side, flattened as if trampled.

aWhat a dump. The house used to look so nice when Mrs. Bauer was alive,a Livvy whis- pered. aRemember? She was always bragging 109.

about her garden.a Destiny climbed onto the concrete stoop.

She heard a dog barking, probably from the house across the street. A strong gust of wind nearly sent her tumbling off the stoop. No porch light. Her hand fumbled for the doorbell, finally found it, and pressed it.

aHeas not home,a Livvy whispered. She hugged herself. She wore a thin T-shirt.

aItas freezing out. How did it get so cold? We were just at the swimming pool. What crazy weather! Put on your coat right now.a Destiny could hear her motheras voice.

She could picture Livvy stamping her feet, refusing to put on anything warm. It was the main thing Livvy and Mom argued about. It went on for yearsa"the jacket wara"and Mom never won once. Livvy was so stubborn, shead walk to school through snow in just a T-shirt and jeans, just to win the battle.

She glimpsed her sister, shivering, hair blowing in the gusting wind.

At least some things never change.

No answer. Destiny pushed the bell again and held it down. She could hear the metallic ring on the other side of the door.

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aHe isnat here,a Livvy said. aLetas go. Iam freezing.a Destiny put her ear to the door. No sounds inside the house. aWe canat leave Coachas playbook out here on the stoop. Come on. The back door is probably open.a Just about everyone in Dark Springs left their back doors unlocked.

aWeall leave it for him in the kitchen.a Destiny led the way to the side of the house.

She stepped around two bags of mulch stacked against the wall. One of the bags had come open, spilling its contents onto the grass. The bedroom windows were dark.

She turned the knob, and the kitchen door swung open easily. The girls stepped into the dark kitchen. Destiny closed the door behind them.

Livvy hugged herself. aItas nice and warm in here.a She made a disgusted face. aYuck. Smells like fish.a aYes, it does,a Destiny whispered. Then she called out, aAnyone home? Coach Bauer? Are you home?a Silence. Destiny heard the clink of the ice maker inside the refrigerator.

She held the fat notebook in both hands.

111.

aIall leave it on the table,a she whispered. aWeall have to come back, Liv. If he knows anything about vampires aa She set the playbook downa"and froze when she heard a groan nearby. aDid you hear that?a she whispered.

aYes.a A creaking floorboard. Another groan.

Destiny gazed around the dark kitchen.

Whereas the light switch?

aCoach Bauer?a Her voice came out tight and shrill. aCoach? Is that you?a A scraping sound. Loud breathing.

Someone is here. Someone is very close.

It has to be Coach Bauer. Why doesnat he answer?

aCoach? Itas usa"Destiny and Livvy.a Another muffled groan. From behind the door to the basement?

Destiny jumped as a hand grabbed her shoulder from behind. She cried out.

aSorry,a Livvy whispered. aI didnat mean to scare you. I a I donat like this. Letas get out of here.a aOkay.a But before she could move, Destiny heard 112.

the creak of a door. She turned and watched with growing panic as the basement door slowly, slowly swung open.

aCoach? Is that you?a Livvy tugged her arm. aLetas go!a Destiny moved to the wall. She found the light switch and flicked on the kitchen lights.

aNo! Oh, no!a She uttered a moan of horror as the pale, hollow-eyed figure stepped out from the basement. Clamping her hands to the sides of her face, Livvy opened her mouth in a high scream of terror.

Clinging to each other, the girls stared wide- eyed as the ghastly figure loomed closer.

aMrs. Bauer!a Destiny shrieked. aIt canat be. Youare dead!a aIam not dead,a Mrs. Bauer said in a hoarse whisper. aI am undead.a 113.

Chapter Seventeen.

aHe Wonat Let Me Diea Livvy gripped Destinyas arm so hard it hurt.

Destiny gasped in horror as the woman moved toward them. Her bloodless face, the gray skin sagging over her jaw, the eyes sunken deep into the dark, round sockets, her skin peeling off, a patch of yellow bone visible beneath a hole in one cheek.

She used to be so beautiful. Mom always talked about how she wished she could look like Marjory Bauer.

aHe a wonat a let a me a die.a The hoarse rasp rattled from deep in her throat.

Every word seemed a struggle.

aMrs. Bauer? Is it really you?a Livvy, hiding behind Destiny, finally found her voice.

aThe poor mana"he wonat a let me die.

He a canat a bear a to a part with me.a Deep in their sockets, the gray eyes rolled up till only white was showing.

114.

aHe doesnat know how a selfish a heas being. I a want a to a die!a aMrs. Bauera"pleasea"a Destiny staggered back, stumbling over Livvy.

aI a want a to a die, but he wonat a let me!a aDee, looka"look what she has in her hand,a Livvy whispered.

Destiny lowered her gaze. Mrs. Bauer gripped a wooden stake in her hand, shaved to a point at one end.

aThe poor man,a Marjory Bauer continued.

When she shook her hair, Destiny could see the skin tear at the back of her neck, a wide hole revealing gray tendons and yellow bone. aHe keeps me here. But I want to die. Please? Please?a She raised the stake. She held it out to Destiny.

Destiny took another step back, into the kitchen counter. aMrs. Bauer, what are you saying? How did this happen to you?a aHe keeps me in a the a basement,a she continued, ignoring Destinyas questions. aHe still wants me near him. But a I a canat a stand this life. Asleep all day a no light a never seeing the light. Forced to prowl a and to feed.a 115.

Again she raised the stake to Destiny.

aPlease? Please end it for me?a aNo!a Destiny cried. Her back pressed against the counter. She couldnat escape. aNo, I canat, Mrs. Bauer.a Destiny glanced at her sister. Her eyes were wide with terror. She had backed up to the kitchen door and was fumbling for the knob.

aIam sorry. I canat do it,a Destiny told the woman. aIa"I just came to return Coachas play- book. Livvy and Ia"we wonat tell anyone about you. I promise. Weall keep your secret. Wea"a Mrs. Bauer floated closer. She had Destiny trapped against the kitchen counter. She raised the stake one more time, and Destiny saw that the skin had fallen off her fingers, leaving only bone.

aYou a wonat help me a escape a this nightmare?a aIam sorry. No. I canat. Let me go. Please.a The sunken eyes rolled up in her head again. aJenny took my dolly when I was five.

Did you know that?a Destiny swallowed. aIa"I donat understand what youare saying.a Livvy motioned frantically for Destiny to 116.

escape with her out the door. But Mrs. Bauer had Destiny pinned against the counter.

aJenny took my dolly, so I had to buy a new one. I was only five. I cried and cried. I didnat want to play with Jenny anymore.a Oh my God. Sheas completely lost her mind.

Mrs. Baueras eyes rolled down and locked on Destiny. aSo hungry,a she murmured through her blackened lips. aAlways so hungry. I must feed now. Thatas why I awoke. I must a feed.a She loomed over Destiny a so close now, Destiny could smell her rotting skin. aThank you a for coming, dear.a Mrs. Bauer let the wooden stake drop from her hand.

aMrs. Bauer, please. We wonat tell anyone. I swear. Ia"a aThank you for coming. Iam hungry a so hungry. I must have blood. Now.a Her bony hands shot out fast. She caught Destiny by surprise. Destiny tried to squirm free, but the hands were strong, inhumanly strong. They wrapped around her head and tightened.

Destiny saw Mrs. Baueras sunken eyes go wide with excitement. She saw the curled, 117.

yellow fangs slide down from the womanas blackened gums.

She tried to scream. She tried to pull free.

But the bony hands held her in place.

Mrs. Baueras sunken belly made a wet, gur- gling sound. Destiny felt a wave of sour breath wash over her face as the woman dipped her heada"and lowered her fangs to Destinyas throat.

118.