aI donat understand why youare not help- ing,a Destiny said. She couldnat keep her voice from trembling.

Livvy stared at her. aHelping with the garage?a aNo. You know what Iam talking about.

Helping to find a way to save us. Helping to find the Restorer. You just pretend that weave got all the time in the world.a Livvy sighed. aWhat are we supposed to do?

Look him up in the phone book?a aWe have to do everything we can,a Destiny replied. aWe have so little time. Iave been through every book in the library about vam- pires and the supernatural. Iave gone through website after website. I called someone in the science department at the junior college. I had another long talk with Ari, but heas starting to 160.

get suspicious. Iam so desperate, I even called a supernatural-phenomenon hotline I saw adver-tised in a magazine.a aAnd?a Livvy asked.

Destiny frowned. aNothing. No mention anywhere. No one has heard of anything called the Restorer. No clue. Livvy, Iam so terrified.a aThink Iam not?a Livvy replied.

aBut youare not helping me,a Destiny said.

aYouare pretending itas all going to be okay. But it isnat. We have maybe a week or two at the most. We canat let the days go by like this.

Youave been acting strange, Liv. Ever since Bree died, youave been so angry at me.a Livvy lowered her head. Her hair fell over her face, but she made no attempt to push it away. aOkay, okay. What do you want me to do?a aThe first thing is, we have to stick together.

We canat let things drive us apart.a Destiny thought of Ross. She forced him from her mind.

aWe canat give up, Liv,a she continued. aWe have to do whatever we can to find this Restorer. Weall go back to Mrs. Bauer. She knows more than she told us. Weall go back there. Weall find out what we need to know, and 161.

weall save ourselves.a A sob escaped Livvyas throat. She tore at the sides of her hair. aHow can there be any hope? I lost my best friend. And Iam thirsty. Iam thirsty all the time. Iam not getting enough blood, Dee.

Iam not!a Destiny put an arm around her sisteras shoulders. aWeall find the Restorer in time. I know we will. I knowa"a A high, shrill scream made Destiny jump.

aHelp me!a Mikeyas cry from downstairs.

Both sisters scrambled to the stairway.

aEddyas dead!a They heard Mikey scream.

aEddyas dead! Help me! My hamster is dead!a Destiny turned and stared at Livvy.

Livvy spun away. aI couldnat help it,a she whispered. aI was thirsty.a 162.

Chapter Twenty-Four.

The Hunters Are Here!

Their dad called while they were still calming Mikey down. Destiny picked it up.

aIave got to work late. Iave got two cats here that need stomach operations. Can you girls take care of Mikey tonight?a aSure, Dad. No problem. But Iam worried about you. Youare working late every night.

When are you going to take a break?a Destiny heard her father sigh. aBeats me.

When animals stop getting sick, I guess. See you later, Dee.a He clicked off.

Destiny stared at the phone. Mom could always force Dad to come home. I know he cares about us. But why does he want to spend all of his time in his lab now?

She turned to Livvy. aDadas going to be late.

He wants us to watch Mikey.a aBut what about Mrs. Bauer?a aI have an idea.a She punched in Ana-Lias 163.

number. aHey, Ana-Li. Itas Destiny. Can you stay with Mikey for an hour or two?a aSure,a Ana-Li replied. aWhatas up? Why canat you and Livvy watch him?a aUh a Dad wanted us to run some errands. You know. Supplies he needs. He canat get away from the office.a Pretty lame. Will she buy it?

aNo prob. Iall be right over.a Destiny turned back to Mikey. aYou feeling any better?a aNo,a he grumbled. He gazed from Livvy to Destiny. aWill you die too?a Stunned by the question, Livvy gasped.

aWhat on earth?a Destiny understood. The poor kid. He lost his mom and then his pet. He knew about Bree.

So much death this year.

aLivvy and I arenat going to die,a she said softly. aWeare going to stay with you, Mikey.

And weall always take care of you.a He stared back at her, studying her.

I hope Iam telling him the truth.

Poor Mikey. Poor Mikey. If we donat find the Restorer, he could lose us too.

She turned away quickly to keep him from seeing the tears in her eyes.

164.

The car headlights bounced off the fog, sending shafts of yellow light shooting in all directions.

Destiny drove slowly, leaning over the steering wheel. The sky was solid black, and the fog rolled over the car as if swallowing it.

Livvy was hunched low in the passenger seat, knees on the dashboard, arms crossed tightly in front of her black sweater. aI canat believe youare dragging me back there,a she whispered.

Destiny slowed for a stop sign. aDo we have a choice? I told you, Iave been doing research day and night. And I havenat found any clues.

Not one.a aBut this woman is a a vampire. Sheas crazy. Sheas totally out of her head. She could be really dangerous.a Destiny lowered her foot on the gas. aShe wonat harm us, remember? She said we were almost vampires too. You keep forgetting that part.a Livvy touched the mark on her throat.

aWeare doomed, Dee. That crazy woman is not going to help us.a aShe has to help us,a Destiny insisted. aNo more negative talk. She has to help.a 165.

She pulled the car to the foot of the drive- way. Coach Baueras house stood in darkness, half hidden by the curtain of fog. It looked unreal to Destiny, like a movie set of a haunted house.

It is haunted. By a woman whoas not alive and not dead.

aTurn on the flashlight. I canat see a thing,a Livvy whispered as they made their way up the driveway.

aNo. No light till we get inside,a Destiny said. aWe donat want anyone to see us.a aOw.a Livvy tripped over a large rock at the side of the house and stumbled into the shingled wall.

aCareful,a Destiny whispered, gripping Livvyas shoulder and helping her to stand upright. aI donat see any lights in the house.

Coach isnat home.a aProbably out with his hunters, killing all the vampires in town,a Livvy muttered.

aShhh. Stop. This is freaky enough.a aWhat if Mrs. Bauer isnat here? What if sheas out flying around, killing some of our other friends?a Destiny stopped short and held Livvy back.

aPull yourself together,a she said. aStop whin- 166.

ing. And stop acting like a child and forcing me to be the grownup.a Livvy opened her mouth to protest, but changed her mind.

aJust remember why weare here,a Destiny said. aTo find out about the Restorer.a She carefully pulled open the back door. She poked her head into the dark kitchen. aAnybody home?a she called softly.

Silence.

The cold of the fog clung to her as she stepped into the warm kitchen. She rubbed the back of her neck, trying to smooth the damp- ness away. Then she clicked on the flashlight.

She sent the circle of light dancing over the room. Dishes were piled in the sink. An empty Hungry-Man dinner box sat on the counter beside two empty beer bottles.

She moved the light to the basement door.

The door stood open a crack. Had Mrs. Bauer escaped? Was she out on the prowl?

aCome on,a Destiny whispered.

Livvy hovered close behind as Destiny fol- lowed the beam of light to the basement door.

Destiny pulled the door open slowly. aAnyone there?a she called down.

167.

Silence.

Destiny could hear the hum of the refriger- ator. Somewhere outside, far down the block, a car horn honked.

Keeping the light on the stairs, Destiny led the way. The wooden steps creaked and groaned as the girls made their way to the basement.

Destiny stopped at the bottom to catch her breath. If only she could slow her racing heart.

aWhere is she? Is she down here?a Livvy stood so close, Destiny could feel her hot breath on the back of her neck.

Destiny moved the circle of light slowly around the cluttered basement. It swept over rows of cartons stacked three high. Past an old couch. Past a large black steamer trunk with a big lock clasped to the front.

The light stopped on a narrow bed against the far wall. First Destiny saw the dark quilt that covered the bed. Then she saw the head on the pillow. Mrs. Bauer!

aAt least she doesnat sleep in a coffin,a Destiny murmured.

aYouave seen too many of Arias movies,a Livvy whispered.

Destinyas legs began to tremble, but she forced them to take a few steps toward the sleep- 168.

ing woman. Suddenly, Mrs. Bauer cringed, let out an angry cry, and shielded her eyes with the back of a bony hand.

Destiny lowered the flashlight. She hadnat even realized she had flashed it into the womanas face.

With a groan, Mrs. Bauer raised herself to a sitting position. She rubbed her sunken eyes, deep in their round sockets. Scraggly hair fell over her face.

aWho is it? Have you come for me?a Her voice came out muffled, as if from somewhere far away. Her bony hands and arms trembled in front of her. aWho are you?a aItas a us again,a Destiny managed to whisper. aThe Weller twins.a The woman tilted her head one way, then the other. aI used to know a twin, but she died.a Destinyas throat felt dry. She realized her hands were trembling. aMrs. Bauer, we donat want to disturb you. We just want to ask youa"a aI knew a twin, but she died a she died a she died aa Mrs. Bauer sang the words in a hoarse sing-song.

aWe want to ask you one question. Then weall leave,a Destiny said.

aIam so hungry,a the woman rasped. She 169.

stood up, the dark quilt tangled around her long black shift. aSo hungry.a aWho is the Restorer?a Livvy asked, cling- ing close to Destiny. aPleasea"tell us. Who is the Restorer?a The woman tilted her head from side to side again. aSo close,a she whispered. aSo close.a aWhat is so close?a Destiny demanded.

aThe Restorer? The Restorer is so close?a aHungry,a Mrs. Bauer murmured. She stuck a finger deep into her eye socket and pulled out a dead fly. aHungry. So close.a aIs the Restorer close?a Destiny pleaded.

aPleasea"tell us. We need to know who the Restorer is.a aYou know, donat you?a Livvy asked.

aDonat you? Can you tell us?a aHe a couldnat a restore me,a the woman replied. aHe tried. It was a too a late. Too late for me.a aSo you know the Restorer. Where can we find him?a Destiny asked again. aPleasea"tell us.a aSo close. So close.a Destiny held her breath, waiting for Mrs.

Bauer to say more.

aTell us!a Livvy pleaded. aTell us!a 170.

A heavy thud above their heads made all three of them jump. With a gasp, Mrs. Bauer stumbled back against the wall.

Destiny heard a door slam upstairs. Then more heavy thuds. Footsteps. Rapidly crossing the kitchen floor.

aThe hunters!a Mrs. Bauer whispered, sunken eyes rolling wildly in their sockets.

aTheyave come. Theyave found me.a Destiny swallowed hard. aThe hunters?

Theyave come here toa"a aTo kill me,a Mrs. Bauer said. She had her hands at the sides of her head, tugging at her patchy hair. aTo kill me.a Livvy grabbed Destinyas arm. aHurry. We have to get out of here. Theyall wonder why weare here with her. And if they check our throats and see the marks, theyall kill us too.a The door to the basement swung open.

Destiny heard menas voices, talking rapidly, excitedly. The bright beam of a flashlight swept down the stairs.

Destiny spun around, her eyes circling the basement. aThereas no way out, Liv,a she whis- pered. aNo way out. Weare trapped.a 171.

Chapter Twenty-Five.

aCome and Get Me!a Livvy pressed her hands against her cheeks, her features tight with fear. Destiny grabbed Mrs. Baueras bony arm. aIs there a way out? Can we get out?a aTheyave come,a Mrs. Bauer replied, her eyes on the stairs. aThe hunters have finally come.a Squinting into the darkness, Destiny saw a stairway along the far wall. Did it lead to a door to the outside?