Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 14

They walked c all over to the suck station quickly, their shoulders al intimately touching. Mary-Lynnette set upcomfort in rowans nearness, in her level promontoryedness.Shed neer had a friend before who wascompletelyher equal, who found it as easy to reduce care of mess as to be taken care of.As they r distributivelyed the gas station, they could visualize thatthe elfin group was now clustered rough MaryLynnettes car. Jeremy was peering under the hood. insure and slut were covert, hand in hand, hardly thitherwas no sign of Tiggy. kestrel was leaning against a gas pump, and alter was talk of the town to Jeremy.So the werewolf walks into the second doctors reachice and he says, Doc, I withdraw I build rabies.And the doctor says So much(prenominal) for bluffing him, Mary-Lynnette thought.Rowan, eyeball unsympathetic and shoulders tensed, give tongue to, change,that isnt funny. She opened her eyes. Im sorry,she said to Jeremy. He doesnt mean it.He does, just it do esnt matter. Ive controld worse. Jeremy bent over the engine again. Hereplaced a peak with careful, even twists. thus he encountered up at Mary-Lynnette.Mary-Lynnette didnt shaft what to say. Whats the etiquette when youve on the dot discovered that nighones a werewolf? And that it may be their duty to corrode you?Her eyes filled. She was completely verboten of control today.Jeremy olf operationory modalityed a charge. He shake his show somewhat. His speak was bitter. Thats what I figured. I thoughtyoud react this way. Or Id book told you myself a long time ago.You would? Mary-Lynnettes vision cleared. free-then you would obtain gotten in trouble. slump?Jeremy smiled faintly. Well, were non rightfully sticklers for nighttime World law around here.He said it in a normal tone of voice. change and the sisters looked around reflexively.Mary-Lynnette said, We?My family. They first clear up settled here because it was so far unwrap of the way. A place where theywou ldnt bother anybody, and null would bother them. Of course, theyre all gone now. in that respects entirelyme left.He said it without self-pity, but Mary-Lynnette moved closer. Im sorry. nagger moved in on the other side, sil precise- potassium eyeswide. except thats why we came here, besides So nobodywould bother us. We dont desire the nighttime World,either.Jeremy gave another faint smile-that smile thatshowed in the main in his eyes. I know, he said to Jade.Youre related to Mrs. Burdock, arent you?She was our aunt, Kestrel said, her specious attentiveness fixed unwaveringly on him.Jeremys confrontt changed slightly. He dour around to look at Kestrel directly. Was?Yes, shemet with a slight possibility involving astake, change said. Funny how that happens sometimes.Jeremys expression changed again. He looked as if he were leaning against the car for support. Whodid it? Then he glanced back at Ash, and Mary-Lynnette saw a gleam of teeth. Wait you call I did.Dont you?I t did flummox our mental capacitys at one point, Ash said. Actually, it seemed to sustentation crossing them. Backand forth. perchance we should determine in a crosswalk.Mary-Lynnette said, Ash, stop it.So youre saying you didnt do it, butt said to Jeremy, at the same time as Rowan said,Actually, Kestrel thinks it was a vampire hunter.Her voice was soft, but once again, e rattlingbody looked around. The avenue was still deserted.Theres no vampire hunter around here, Jeremy said flatly.Then at that places a vampire, Jade said in an excited whisper. There has to be, because of the wayAunt Opal was vote downed. And the goat.The goat . . . ? No, dont even promise me. I dont insufficiencytoknow. Jeremy swung Mary-Lynnetteshood shut. He looked at her and said quickly, Everythings beautiful in there. You should get the oilchangedsometime. Then he move to Rowan. Im sorry roughly your aunt. But if thereis a vampirearound here, itssomebody staying hidden. in reality hidden. Sa me if its a vampire hunter.We already figured that out, Kestrel said. MaryLynnette evaluate Ash to chime in, but Ashwas double-dyed(a) across the highroad broodingly, his hands in hispockets, apparently having given up on the communion for the moment.You havent seen anything that could give you a due? Mary-Lynnette said. We were sledding tolookaround town.He met her eyes directly. If I knew, Id tell you. There was just the slightest emphasis on the stick out word.If I could help you, I would.Well, get by along for the ride. You mountain put your head out of the window, Ash said, returning to life sentence.That did it. Mary-Lynnette marched over, grabbedhim by the arm, and said to the others, Excuse us.She hauled him in a series of tugs to the back of the gas station. You jerkOh, look. shut down uplShe jabbed a finger at his throat. It didnt matter that touching him set attain electrical explosions.It just gave her another reason to wish to kill him. She found that the pink haze was a lot like anger whenyou unplowed shouting through it.You have to be the center of every drama, dont you? You have to be the center of attention,and act smart, and mouth off lOw, Ash said.Even if it means hurting other people. Even if itmeans hurting somebody whos still had rottenbreaks all his life. Well, not this time.OwRowan said you guys think all werewolves are low class. And you know what that is? Where I comefrom, they battle exclaim that prejudice. And humans have it, too, andit is not a pretty picture. Its about the mosthateful thing in the world. Im ashamed to even stand there while you spout it off. Mary-Lynnette realizedshe was crying. She also realized that Mark and Jade were peering around the edge of the gas station.Ash was flat against the boarded-up window, armsup in a gesture of surrender. He looked at a loss forwords and ashamed. considerably, Mary-Lynnette thought.Should you keep poking him that way? Mark said tentatively. Mary-Lynnette could see Row anandKestrel loafer him and Jade. They all looked alarmed.I cant be friends with anybody whos a bigot,she said to all of them. She gave Ash a jab foremphasis.Were not, Jade said virtuously.Wedont be lieve that stupid stuff.We really dont, Rowan said. And Mary-Lynnette-our father is alwaysyellingat Ash for visitingthe wrong kind of people on the Outside. Belonging to a dub that admits werewolves, havingwerewolvesfor friends. The Elders all say hes too liberal about that.Oh. Well, hes got a funny way of showing it, Mary-Lynnette said, deflating slightly.I just thought Id mention that, Rowan said.Now well leave you alone. She herded the othersback toward the front of the station.When they were gone, Ash said, Can I move now, please? He looked as if he was in a very badmood.Mary-Lynnette gave up. She entangle tired, suddenlytired and emotionally drained. Too much had happenedin the last few days. And it unploughed happening, it never let up, and easily, she was tired, thats all.If youd go out-of-door soon, it would be easier, shesaid, moving away from Ash. She could feel herheadsag slightly.Mary-Lynnette . . . There was something inAshs voice that shed never heard before. Lookits not exactly a matter of me wanting to go away.Theres somebody else from the Night World comingon Monday. His name is Quinn. And if my sistersand I dont go back with him, the whole town is introuble. If he thinks anything irregular is going onhere You dont know what the Night Peoplecan do.Mary-Lynnette could hear her heart beating distinctly. She didnt turn back to look at Ash.They could wipe Briar Creek out. I mean it. Theyve make things like that, to preserve the secret.Its the only protection they have from your kind.Mary-Lynnette said-not defiantly, but with simpleconviction, Your sisters arent going to leave.Then the whole towns in trouble. Theres a roguewerewolf, three renegade lamia, and a secretvampirekiller wandering around somewhere-not to mention twohumans who know about the NightWorld. This is a paranormal disaster area.A long silence. Mary-Lynnette was laborious very hard not to see things from Ashs point of view. Atlastshe said, So what do you want me to do?Oh, I dont know, why dont we all have a pizza pie party and watch TV? Ash sounded savage. Ihaveno idea what to do, he added in more(prenominal) normal tones.And youd better opine Ive been persuasionabout it. The only thing I can come up with is that the girlshave to go back with me, and we all have to liethrough our teeth to Quinn.Mary-Lynnette move to think, but her head was throbbing.There is one other possibility, Ash said. He saidit under his breath, as if he wouldnt mind if shepretended not to hear him.Mary-Lynnette eased a crick in her neck, watchingblue-and-yellow reachs of the sun on her shuteyelids. What?I know you and the girls did a blood-tie ceremony. It was illegal, but thats beside the point.Youre part of the reason they dont want to leavehere.Mary-Lynnette opened her mou th to point out thatthey didnt want to leave because life had beenunbearable for them in the Night World, but Ash hurried on. But maybe if you were-like us, we couldwork something out. I could take the girls back to the island, and then in a few months I could get themout again. Wed go somewhere where nobodywould know us. Nobody would suspect there was anythingirregular about you. The girls would be free,and youd be there, so theres no reason they shouldnt behappy. Your brother could come, too.Mary-Lynnette turned around slowly. She examined Ash. The sun brought out hidden warm tonesin hishair, making it a shimmering blond somewherebetween Jades and Kestrels. His eyes were shadowed,some dark color. He stood lanky and elegantas ever, but with one hand in his pocket and a painedexpression on his face.Dont frown youll spoil your looks, she said. For Gods sake, dont patronize mel he yelled.Mary-Lynnette was startled. Well. Okay.I think, she said, more cautiously but with emphasis to let him know that she was the one with aright to be upset, that you are suggesting changing me into a vampire.The corner of Ashs mouth jerked. He put his other hand in his pocket and looked away. That was the oecumenic idea, yes.So that your sisters can be happy.So that you dont get killed by some vigilante like Quinn.But arent the Night People going to kill me just the same if you change me?Only if they findyou, Ash said savagely. And if we can get away from here clean, theywouldnt.Anyway, as a vampire youd have a better chance of fighting them.So Im supposed to bugger off a vampire and leave everything I love here so your sisters can behappy.Ash just stared angrily at the chapiter of the building across the street. Forget it.Believe me, I wasnt even thinking about it in the first place.Fine. He continued to stare. All at once Mary-Lynnette had the horrible feeling that his eyeswere wet.And Ive cried I dont know how umteen times inthe last two days-and I only used to cry when thest arswere so beautiful it hurt. Theres somethingwrongwith me now. I dont even know who I am anymore.There seemed to be something wrong with Ash, too.Ash He didnt look at her. His jaw was tight.The problem is that there isnt any tidy answer, Mary-Lynnette thought. Im sorry, she said huskily,trying to shake off the strange feelings that hadsuddenly descended on her. Its just that everythingsturned out so weird.I never asked for any of this. She swallowed. I guess you never askedfor it,either. for the first time your sisters running away and then me. Some joke, yeah?Yeah. He wasnt staring off into the distance anymore. Look I might as well tell you.I didntask for this, and if somebody had said last week that Id be in involved with a,human, Id haveknocked his head off. I mean, after howls of taunting laughter. But.He stopped. That seemed to be the end of his confessionbut.Of course, he didnt really lack to saymore. Mary-Lynnette, arms folded over her chest, stared at a curved put o f glass on the ground andtried to think of other phrases that started with in.Besides the obvious. She couldnt come up with any.She resisted the impulse to nudge the glass with her foot. Im a bad allure on your sisters.I said that to protect you. To try and protect you.I can protect myself.So Ive noticed, -he said dryly. Does that help?You noticing? No, because you dont really believe it. Youll always think Im weaker thanyou, softer even if you didnt say it, Id know you were thinking it.Ash suddenly looked crafty. His eyes were as greenas hellebore flowers. If you were a vampire, youwouldnt be weaker, he said. Also, youd know what I was really thinking. He held out his hand.Want a sample?Mary-Lynnette said abruptly, Wed better get back. Theyre going to think weve killed each other.Let them, Ash said, his hand still held out, but Mary-Lynnette just shook her head and walkedaway.She was scared. Wherever shed been going with Ash, shed been getting in too deep. And shewondered how much of their conversition had been audible around front.When she rounded the corner, her eyes immediately went to Jeremy. He was standing with Kestrel bythe gas pump. They were dose together, and forjust an instant Mary-Lynnette felt something like startleddismay.Then her inner voice asked, Are you maniclike? You cant be jealous over him while youre worryingwhether hes jealous over you, and meanwhile worrying about what to do with your soulmate. Its betterif he and Kestrel like each other.I dont care I cant wait anymore, Jade was saying to Rowan on the sidewalk. Ive got to findhim.She thinks Tiggys gone home, Rowan said, visual perception Mary-Lynnette. Ash went toward Rowan.Kestrel did, too. Somehow Mary-Lynnette was left beside Jeremy.Once again, she didnt know the etiquette. Sheglanced at him-and stopped feeling awkward. He waswatching her in his quiet, level way.But then he startled her. He threw a look at thesidewalk and said, Mary-Lynnette, be careful.What? Be careful. It was the same tone hed used whenwarning her about Todd and Vic.Mary-Lynnette followed his gaze to Ash.Its all right, Mary-Lynnette said. She didnt know how to explain. Even his own sisters hadntbelieved Ash wouldnt hurt her.Jeremy looked bleak. I know guys like that.Sometimes they bring human girls to their clubsand youdont want to know why. So just just watch yourself, all right?It was a sozzled shock. Rowan and the girls had saidsimilar things, but coming from Jeremy it sank in,somehow. Ash had undoubtedly done things in his life that well, that would make her want to kill him ifshe knew. Things you couldnt just forget about.Ill be careful, she said. She realized her fists were clenched, and she said with a glimmer ofhumor, I can hide him.Jeremy still looked bleak. His brown eyes weredark and his jaw was tight as he looked at Ash. Underhis quietness, Mary-Lynnette could sense leashedpower. Cold anger. Protectiveness. And the fact that he didnt like Ash at all .The others were comin g back. Ill be all right, Mary-Lynnette talk quickly.Aloud, Jeremy said, Ill keep thinking about the people around town. Ill tell you if I come up withsomething.Mary-Lynnette nodded. Thanks, Jeremy. She tried to give him a reassuring look as everybody got intothe car.He stood watching as she pulled out of the gas station. He didnt wave.Okay, so we go home, Mark said. And then what?Nobody answered. Mary-Lynnette realized that she had no idea what.I guess wed better figure out if we still have anysuspects, she said at last.Theres something else weve got to do, first, Rowan said softly. We vampires, I mean.Mary-Lynnette could tell just by the way she said it. But Mark asked, What?We motive to feed, Kestrel said with her most radiant smile.They got back to Burdock Farm. There was no sign of the cat. The four vampires headed for thewoods, Jadecalling for Tiggy, and Mary-Lynnette headed for Mrs. B.s rolltop desk. She got engravedstationery only slightly mildewed at the edges-and a silve r pen with a fussy straitlaced pattern on it. Now,she said to Mark as she sat at the kitchen table. Were going to play List the Suspects.Theres nothing in this house to eat, you know, Mark said. He had all the cupboards open. Justthings like instant coffee and green Jujyfruits. The ones everybody leaves.What can I say, your girlfriend is undead. Come on. Sit down and concentrate. Mark sat downand sighed. Who have we got?We should have gone to find out what the dealwas with that horse, Mark said.Mary-Lynnette stopped with her pen poised overthe stationery. Youre right, that must be connected. Iforgot about it. Which just goes to show you, detective work doesnt mix with 1-with fresh dawdling.All right, she said grimly. So lets assume that whoever killed the horse was the same mortalwho killed Aunt Opal and the goat. And maybe the sameperson who broke the gas station window-thathap pened last night, too. Where does that get us?I think it was Todd and Vic, Mark said.Youre not being helpful.Im serious. You know how Todd is always chewing on that toothpick. And there weretoothpicks stuck in the goat.Toothpicks now, what did that move her of? No, not toothpicks, the bigger stakes. Why couldntshe remember ?She rubbed her forehead, giving up. OkayIllput Todd and Vic, vampire hunters, with a questionmark. Unless you think theyre vampires themselves.Nope, Mark said, undeterred by her sarcasm. I think Jade wouldve noticed that when shedrank their blood. He eyed her thoughtfully. Youre the smart one. Who doyou think did it?I have no idea. Mark made a face at her, andshe doodled a stake on the stationery. The doodlechanged into a very small stake, more like a pencil,held by a effeminate hand. She never could drawhands.Oh, my God. Bunny.Bunny did it? Mark asked ingenuously, preparedto be consecutive man for a joke.But Mary-Lynnette said,Yes.I mean-no, I dont know. But those stakes in the goat-the big ones Iveseen herusingthem. She uses them on her nails. Theyre cuticl e sticks.Well Mark looked dismayed. But I mean Bunny . Cmon. She cant kill a mosquito.Mary-Lynnette shook her head, agitated. Rowan said she had a lamia name. And she said somethingstrange to me-Bunny-the day I was smell for Todd and Vic. It was all coming back now, a flood ofmemories that she didnt particularly want. She said, Good hunting.Mare, its from The Jungle Book .I know. It was still weird for her to say. And shes almosttoosweet and scared-what if its all anact? When Mark didnt answer, she said, Is it any more unlikelythan Todd and Vic being vampirehunters?So put her down, too.Mary-Lynnette did. Then she said, You know, theres something I keep meaning to ask Rowanabouthow they wrote to Mrs. B. from thatisland- She broke off and tensed as the back door banged.Am I the first one back?It was Rowan, windblown and glowing, slightlybreathless. Her hair was a tumbling chestnut tree loud aroundher.Wheres everybody else? Mary-Lynnette asked.We separated early on. Its the only way , you know, with four of us in this small of an area.Small Mark looked offended. If Briar Creekhas one good thing-and Im not saying it does itsspace.Rowan smiled. For a hunting range, it is small,she said. No offense. Its fine for us-we never got tohunt at -all on the island. They brought our mealsto us, tranquilized and completely passive.Mary-Lynnette pushed away the image this evoked. Urn, you want to register a guess on Whodunit?0Rowan sat down in a kitchen chair, smoothing a wisp of brown hair off her forehead. I dont know. Iwonder if its somebody we havent even thought of yet.Mary-Lynnette remembered what shed been talking about when the door banged. Rowan, I alwaysmeant to ask you-you said that only Ash could havefigured out where you were going when you ranaway. But what about the guy who helped yousmuggle garner off the island? He would know where youraunt lived, right? He could see the address on the letters.Crane Linden. Rowan smiled, a sad little smile. No, he wouldnt k now. Hes She touchedher temple lightly. I dont know what you call it. His mind never developed completely. He cant read.But hes very kind.There were uninformed vampires? Well, why not?Aloud Mary-Lynnette said, Oh. Well, I guess its onemore person we can eliminate.Look, can we just brainstorm a act? Mark said. This is probably crazy, but what ifJeremysuncle isnt really dead? And what if- At that moment, there was a crash from the front porch.No, a tap-tap-crash, Mary-Lynnette thought. Then she thought, Oh, God . . . Tiggy.