Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 13

wear down sat in the wing chair, holding Tiggy upsidedown on her lap, petting his stomach. He was purring savemad. She st ard down into indignant, glowing green eyes.The red-hot(prenominal) goat, Kestrel announced from the doorway, saying the word as if it were somethingnot menti unityd in polite society, is sightly fine. So you so-and-so let the cat stunned. bust didnt think so. There was somebody crazy inBriar Creek, and she planned to move Tiggy safewhere she could touch him.Were not going to sire to feed on the goat, are we? Kestrel asked rowan dangerously.Of course not. Aunt Opal did because she was in a similar mannerold to hunt. rowan tree looked preoccupied asshe answered.I kindred hunting, hype tell. Its level(p) disclose thanI thought it would be. But rowan wasnt listeningshe was biting her lip and staring into the distance. rowan, what?I was thinking approximately the situation were in. You and Mark, for one thing. I think we need to talk nearly that.J ade tangle reflex(a) alarm. Rowan was in one of herorganizing moods-which meant you could blink andfind that shed rearranged alone your bedroom furnitureor that you were moving to Oregon. Talk aboutwhat? she said warily.About what you two are going todo. Is he going to stay tender?Its banned to change him, Kestrel plant in pointedly.E very(prenominal)thing weve done this week is illegal,Rowan said. And if they exchange blood once to a greater extent well,its however going to take a couple of meters. Do you want him a vampire? she asked Jade.Jade hadnt thought about it. She thought Mark was nice the way he was. But maybehe would wantto beone. What are you going to do with yours? she asked ash, who was coming slowly downstairs.My what? He looked sleepy and irritable.Your soulmate. Is Mary-Lynnette going to stayhuman?Thats the different thing Ive been perturbing about, Rowan said. Have you thought at all, Ash?I cant think at this hour in the morning. I donthave a brain yet .Its closely noon, Kestrel said scornfully.I dont care when it is. Im still asleep. He wandered toward the kitchen. And you dont need toworry, he added, looking back and sounding more awake. Because Im not doinganythingwith the girland Jades not doing anything with the brother. Because were goinghome.He disappeared.Jades heart was beating hard. Ash might act frivolous, but she saw the ruthlessness underneath. Shelooked at Rowan.Is Mary-Lynnettereally his soulmate?Rowan leaned back, her brownish hair spreading interchangeablea waterfall on the green brocade of the couch. Imafraid so.But past how can he want to leave?Well Rowan hesitated. Soulmates dont always stay to deposither. Sometimes its too much-thefire and lightning and all that. Some people dear cantstand it. perhaps Mark and I arent really soulmates, Jade thought. And maybe thats good. It sounds painful.Poor Mary-Lynnette, she said.A dear voice sounded in her mindwhydoesntanybody say Poor Ash?Poor Mary-Lynnette, Jade s aid again.Ash reappeared. Look, he said and sat down onone of the carved reddish brown chairs. We need to retrievethings straight. Its not dependable a matter ofme wanting you to come home. Im not the only one who go to sleepsyoure here.Jade stiffened.Kestrelsaid, almost pleasantly,Youtold somebody?I was staying with somebody when the family called to say you were missing. And he was therewhen I realized where you must have gone. He also happens to be an extremely powerful telepath. Sojust attend yourself lucky I convinced him to let me try to achieve you back.Jade stared at him. She did consider herself lucky. She also considered it strange that Ash would go tosuch trouble for her and Rowan and Kestrel-for any bodybesides Ash. Maybe she didnt know herbrother as well as she thought.Rowan said, very soberly, Who was it?Oh, nobody. Ash leaned back and looked moodily at the ceiling. barely Quinn.Jade flinched. Quinn that snake .He had a heart like a glacier and he despised human s. He was thesort to take Night World law into his own hands if he didnt think it was creation enforced properly.Hes coming back on Monday to see if Ive takencare of the situation, Ash said. And if Ihavent,were all dead-you, me, and your little human buddies.Rowan said, So weve got until Monday to figuresomething out.Kestrel said, If he tries anything on us, hes in fora fight.Jade squeezed Tiggy to make him growl. Mary-Lynnette had been sleeping like a stone-buta stone with unusually vivid dreams. She dreamedabout stars brighter than shed ever seen and starclouds shimmering in colors like the northern lights. Shedreamed about sending an astronomical telegram to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to register her claim fordiscovering a refreshing supernova. About existence the firstto see it with her wonderful new eyes, eyes thatshesaw in a mirror-were all pupil, like an owls or a cats.Then the dream changed and she was an owl, swooping down in a dizzying rush from a hollow Douglasfir. She seized a squirrel in her talons and tangle up a surge of simple joy. Killing felt so natural. totally she had todo was be the best owl she could be, and grab food with her feet.But then a tooshie fell over her from somewhereabove. And in the dream she felt a terrible sick realization-that even hunters could be hunted. And that something was after her.She woke up disoriented-not as towhere shewas, but as to who she was. Mary-Lynnette or a hunterbeing chased by something with white teeth in themoonlight? And even when she went downstairs, shecouldnt shake absent the sick odor from her dream.Hi, Mark said. Is that breakfast or lunch?Both, Mary-Lynnette said, sitting down on the family room couch with her two granola bars.Mark was watching her. So, he said, have you been thinking about it, too?Mary-Lynnette tore the wrapper rack up a granola bar with her teeth. About what? Youknow.Mary-Lynnette did know. She glanced most to make undisputable Claudine wasnt in earshot. Dont thin kabout it. wherefore not? When she didnt answer, he said,Dont tell me you havent been wondering what itwould be like. To see better, hear better, be telepathicand perish forever. I mean, we could see the yearthree thousand. You know, the robot wars, colonizing other planets. Come on, dont tell me yourenoteven a little curious. both Mary-Lynnette could think of was a line from a Robert Service Poem Andthe skies of nightw re liveborn with light, with a throbbing, thrilling flame .Im curious, she said. But theres no point in wondering. They do things we couldnt do-theykillShe stage down her water ice of milk as if shed lost herappetite. She hadnt, though-and wasnt that theproblem? She ought to be sick to her stomach at just the thought of killing, of drinking blood from awarm body.Instead, she was scared. Of what was out there inthe world-and of herself.Itsdangerous,she said aloud to Mark. Dontyousee? Weve gotten mixed up in this NightWorld-and its a place where bad things can happ en. Not just bad like flunking a class. Bad like white teeth in the moonlight want getting lolleddead, Mary-Lynnette said. And thats serious, Mark. Its not like themovies.Mark was staring at her. Yeah, but we knew that already. His tone said Whats the coarse deal?And Mary-Lynnette couldnt condone. She stood up abruptly. If were going over there, wed better getmoving, she said. Its almost one oclock.The sisters and Ash were delay at Burdock Farm.You and Mark can sit in the front with me, MaryLynnette told Jade, not looking at Ash. But Idont think youd better bring the cat.The cat goes, Jade said firmly, getting in. OrI dont.Mary-Lynnette put the car in gear and pulled out.As they came in sight of the small duster of buildings on primary(prenominal) Street, Mark said, And there it is,down townsfolk Briar Creek in all its glory. A typical Friday afternoon, with absolutely nobody on the streets.He didnt say it with his usual bitterness. MaryLynnette glanced at him and saw that it was Jade he was public lecture to. And Jade was looking around with genuine interest, despite the cats claws embedded in herneck.Somebodyson the streets, she said cheerfully. Its that. boy Vic. And that other one, Todd.And grown-ups.Mary-Lynnette slowed as she passed the sheriffsoffice but didnt stop until she reached the gas station atthe opposite corner. Then she got out and looked casually across the street.Todd Akers was there with his father, the sheriff and Vic Kimble was there with his father. Mr. Kimblehad a farm east of town. They were all getting into the sheriffs car, and they all seemed very excited. bunny rabbit Marten was standing on the sidewalk watching as they left.Mary-Lynnette felt a lift of fear. This is what its like when you have a terrible secret, she thought.You worry about everything that happens, and wonder if its got something to do with you, if its going toget you caught.Hey, Bunnyl she called. Whats going on?Bunny looked back. Oh, hi, Mare. She walked unhurriedly-Bunny never hurried-,acrossthe street.Howre you doing? Theyre just going to check out that cater thing.What horse thing?Oh. . .didnt you hear? Bunny was looking roll in the hay Mary-Lynnette now, at Mark and the fourstrangers who were getting out of the station wagon. Suddenly her blue eyes got rounder and shereached up to fluff her soft blond hair.Now, I wonder who shes just seen, Mary-Lynnettethought ironically. Who could it be?Hi Ash said.We didnt hear about the horse thing, MaryLynnette said, gently prompting.Oh um, one of Mr. Kimbles horses cut his throat on barbed wire furthermost night. Thats whateverybody was sayingthis morning. But just now Mr.Kimble came into town and said that he didnt thinkit was barbed wire after all. He thinks somebody did it on purpose. slash its throat and left it todie.She hunched her shoulders in a tiny shiver.. Theatrically, Mary-Lynnette thought.You see? Jade said. Thats why Im tutelage my eye on Tiggy.Mary-Lynnette noticed Bunn y eyeing Jade. Thanks,Bun.Ive got to get back to the store, Bunny said,but she didnt move. Now she was looking atKestreland Rowan.Ill walk you there, Ash said gallantly. Withwhat, Mary-Lynnette thought, must be his usual putting-the-moves-on manner. After all, we dont know what could be lurking around here.Its broad daylight, Kestrel said disgustedly, but Ash was already walking Bunny away.MaryLynnette decided she was jocund to get rid of him.Who was that girl? Rowan asked, and something in her voice was odd.Mary-Lynnette glanced at her in surprise. Bunny Marten. I know her from school.Whats wrong?She was staring at us, Rowan said softly.She was staring at Ash. Oh, and probably youthree, too. Youre new and youre pretty, so shesprobably wondering which boys youll take fromher.I see.But Rowan still looked preoccupied.Rowan, what is it?Its nothing. Im sure its nothing. Its just thatshes gota lamia name. Bunny? Well. Rowan smiled. Lamia are traditionallynamed after natural thingsgems a ndanimalsandflowers and trees. So Bunny would be a lamianame-and isnt a marten a kind of weasel?Something was tugging at the edges of Mary-Lynnettes consciousness again. Something about Bunny about Bunny and wood It was gone. She couldnt remember. To Rowan she said,But-can you sense something suspiciousabouther or anything? I mean, does she seemlike one of you? Because otherwise I just cant see Bunny as avampire. Im sorry I just cant.Rowan smiled. No, I dont sense anything. And Im sure youreright-humans can have name likeours,too. Sometimes it gets confusing.For some bizarre reason Mary-Lynnettes mind wasstill on wood. You know, I dont see why youname yourselves after trees. I thought wood was dangerous for you.It is-,and that makes it powerful. Tree names are supposed to be some of the most powerfulnameswe have.Ash was coming out of the full general store. Immediately Mary-Lynnette rancid around and looked forJeremy.She didnt see him in the empty gas station, butshe heard somet hing-something she realized shedbeen audience for several minutes. Hammering.Come on, lets go around back, she said, alreadywalking, not waiting for Ash to reach them.Kestreland Rowan went with her.Jeremy was around back. He was hammering a long board across a broken window. There wereshardsof thick, greenish-tinted glass all over the ground. Light brown hair wasfalling in his eyes ashe struggled tohold the board steady. What happened? Mary-Lynnettesaid. She move automatically to hold the right end of theboard in place for him.He glanced up at her, making a grimace of reliefas he let go of the board. Mary-Lynnette-thanks. Hangon a sec.He reached into his pocket for nails and began driving them in with quick, sure blows of the hammer.Then he said, I dont know what happened.Somebody broke it last night. Made a real mess.Last night seems to have been a busy night, Kestrel said dryly.Jeremy glanced back at the voice. And then his hands went still, poised with the hammer and nail. Hewa s looking at Kestrel, and at Rowan beside her,looking a long time. At last he turned to MaryLynnetteand said slowly, You need more gas already?Oh-no. No. I should have siphoned some out,Mary-Lynnette thought. Nancy Drew would definitely have thought of that. I justits been knocking a lotthe engine-and I thought you could lookatit-under the hood-since you didnt last time.Incoherent and pathetic, she decided in the silencethat followed. And Jeremys dear brown eyes werestill searching her face.Sure, Mary-Lynnette, he said-not sarcastically, but gently. As soon as I get finished.Oh, hecant be a vampire. And so what am I doing here, lying to him, suspecting him, when hes onlyever been nice to me? Hes the character to help old ladies, not kill them.Sssssss.She started as the feral hiss tore through the silence. It came from behind her, and for one horrible instantshe thought it was Kestrel. Then she saw thatJade and Mark had rounded the comer, and that Tiggy wasfighting like a baby leopa rd in Jades arms. The kitten was spitting and clawing, black fur standing on end. originally Jade could get a better grip, he climbed up her shoulder and leaped, hitting the ground running. Tiggy Jade shrieked. She took off after him, silvery blond hair flying, agile as a kitten herself.Markfollowed, ricocheting off Ash who was just comingaround the comer himself. Ash was knocked intothegas station wall.Well, that was fun, Kestrel said.But Mary-Lynnette wasnt really listening. Jeremywas staring at Ash-and his expression gave MaryLynnette coldchills.And Ash was staring back with eyes as green as glacier ice. Their gazes were locked in something likeinstantaneous, instinctive hatred. Mary-Lynnette felt a quiver of fear for Jeremy-but Jeremy didnt seemafraid for himself. His muscles were tight and he looked ready to defend himself.Then, deliberately, he turned away. Turned hisback on Ash. He readjusted the board-and MaryLynnette did what she should have done in the beginning. She looke d at his hand. The ring on his indexfinger glinted gold, and she could just make out the black conception on the seal. A tall duster of bell-shaped flowers. Not an iris,not a dahlia, not a rose. No-there was only one flowerRowan had mentioned that this could possiblybe. It grew wild around here and it was deadly poison.Foxglove.So now she knew.Mary-Lynnette felt hot and sick. Her hand began to tremble on the board she was holding. She didntwant to move, but she couldnt stay here.Im sorry-1 have to get something- The words came out in a painful gasp. She knew everyonewasstaring at her. She didnt care. She let go of the board and almost ran away.She kept going until she was behind the boardedup windows of the Gold Creek Hotel. Then she leanedagainst the wall and stared at the place where town ended and the wilderness began. Motes of dustdanced in the sunlight, bright against a dark background of Douglas fir.Im so stupid. All the signs were there, right in front of my face. Why didnt I seebefore? I guess becauseI didnt want to .Mary-Lynnette.Mary-Lynnette turned toward the soft voice. She resisted the impulse to throw herself into Rowansarms and bawl.Ill be okay in just a hardly a(prenominal) minutes. Really. Its just a shock.Mary-Lynnette Its just-its just that Ive known him so long.Its not easy to picture himyou know. But I guess itjust goes to show you. People are never what they seem.Mary-Lynnette- Rowan stopped and shook her head. Just what are you talking about?Him.Jeremy. Of course. Mary-Lynnette took abreath. The air felt hot and chokingly dusty. Hedidit. He really did it.Why do you think so?Why?Because hes a werewolf. There was a pause and Mary-Lynnette suddenly felt embarrassed. She looked around to make surenobody was in earshot, and then said more quietly,Isnt he?Rowan was looking at her curiously. How did you know?Well-you said black foxglove is for werewolves. And thats foxglove on his ring. How did youknow?I just sensed it. Vampire powers are wea ker insunlight, but Jeremy isnt trying to hide anything.Hes right out there.He sure is, Mary-Lynnette said bitterly. I should have sensed it. I mean hes the only personin town who was interested in the lunar eclipse. And the way he moves, and his eyes and he livesatMad frank Creek, for Gods sake. I mean, that lands been in his family for generations.And-Mary-Lynnette gave a sudden convulsive sniffle-people say theyve seen the Sasquatch around there. A salient hairy monster, half person and half beast. Now, what does that sound like?Rowan was standing quietly, her expression grave-but her lips were twitching. Mary-Lynnettes tidy sumblurred and wetness spilled onto her cheeks.Im sorry. Rowan put a hand on her arm. Imnot laughing.I thought he was a nice guy, Mary-Lynnettesaid, turning away.I still think he is, Rowan said. And very,really, you know, it doer he didntdo it. The particular that hes a nice guy? The fact that hes a werewolf.Mary-Lynnette turned back. What?You see, Ro wan said, werewolves are different. Theyre not like vampires. They cant drink alittle blood from people and then stop without doing anyreal harm. They kill every time they hunt-becausethey have to eat.Mary-Lynnette gulped, but Rowanwent on serenely. Sometimes they eat the wholeanimal,but they always eat the internal organs, theheart and liver. They have to do it, the same way thatvampires need to drink blood.And that means He didnt kill Aunt Opal. Or the goat. They wereboth intact. Rowan sighed. Look.Werewolves and vampires traditionally hate each other. Theyve been . rivals forever, and lamia think ofwerewolves as sort of-lower class. But actually a lot of them are gentle.They only hunt to eat.Oh, Mary-Lynnette said hollowly. Shouldnt shebe happier about this? So the guy I thoughtwas nice just has to eat the odd liver occasionally.Mary-Lynnette, you cant blame him. How can I explain? Its like this Werewolves arentpeople whosometimes turn into wolves. Theyre wolves who sometimes loo k like people.But they still kill, Mary-Lynnette said flatly.Yes, but onlyanimals.The law is very strict aboutthat. Otherwise humans catch on in no time.Vam pires can disguise their work by making it look like a cut throat, but werewolf kills areunmistakable.Okay. Great. I should be more enthusiastic, Mary-Lynnette thought. But how could you ever really trust someone who was a wolf behind their eyes?You might admire them the way you admire a silken and handsome predator, but trust them no.Before we go back-we may have a problem,Rowan said. If he realizes that you recognized hisring, he may know weve told you about you know. She glanced around and lowered her voice. TheNight World.Mary-Lynnette understood. Oh, God.Yes. That means its his duty to turn us all in. Or kill us himself.Oh, GodThe thing is, I dont think he will. He likes you, Mary-Lynnette. A lot. I dont think he could bringhimself to turn you in.Mary-Lynnette felt herself flushing. But then, that would get him in trouble , too, wouldnt it?It could, if anybody ever finds out. Wed better go back and see whats going on. Maybe hedoesnt realize you know. Maybe Kestrel and Ash have managed tobluff him.