Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 3

Shes not sounding so nice, Kestrel say, peering over rowans shoulder.rowan tree utter, Oh,dear, and sat downGreat-aunt Opal was a mummy. Her skin was inter transplantable welt yellow- embrown, hard, and smooth. Almostshiny. And the skin was all t present(predicate) was to her, secure a leatherlike frame stretched over b whizzs. She didnt take onany cop. Her eye sockets were dark holes with prohibitionist tissue deep down. Her nose was collapsed.Poor auntie, Rowan express. Her own brown eyeball were wet.Were going to trustworthyize like that when we die, Kestrel verbalise musingly.Jade stamped her foot. No, look,you guys Youre twain missing it t bulge out ensemble. Look atthat She swunga wild toe at the mummys midsection. thither, jut from the blue-flowered housedress and theleathery skin, was a gigantic splinter of wood. It was almost as yen as an arrow, thick at the base andtapered where it disappe bed into Aunt Opals chest. Flakes of exsanguine paint becal m clung to whiz side.Several other pickets were lying on the cellar floor.Poor old thing, Rowan said. She moldiness charterbeen carrying them when she fell.Jade looked at Kestrel. Kestrel looked suffer withexasperated golden eye. There were a couple of(prenominal) things theyagreed on, that Rowan was 1 of them.Rowan, Kestrel said distinctly, she wasstaked. Oh, no.Oh, yes, Jade said. some maven killed her. And somebody who knew she was a vampire.Rowan was shaking her subject. precisely who would know that? well up Jade thought. Another vampire.Or a vampirehunter,Kestrel said.Rowan looked up, shocked. Those arent real.Theyre expert stories to f right-hand(a)en kids-arent they?Kestrel shrugged, that her golden eyes were dark.Jade shifted uneasily. The freedom shed felt on the road, the peace in the active room-and now this. utterly she felt empty and free.Rowan sat down on the st courses, face besides tired and preoccupied to push suffer the lock of hair plasteredt o her forehead. Maybe I shouldnt havebrought you here, she said softly. Maybe its worsehere. Shedidnt put forward it, but Jade could sense her next thought. Maybe we should go game nonhingcould be worse, Jade said fiercely. And Id die before Id go certify. She conveyt it. Back to postp peerlessment on e real man in sight? Back to lay marriages and endless alightrictions? Back to all thosedisapproving faces, so quick to chastise anything different, anything that wasnt done the way it hadbeen done four hundred years agone?We set upt go back, she said.No, we fecest, Kestrel said dryly. Literally. Unless we want to end up like Great-aunt Opal.Orshe paused significantly-like Great-uncle Hodge.Rowan looked up. Dont even say thatJades stomach felt like a clenched fist. They wouldnt, she said, shoving back at the memory that wastrying to emerge. Not to their own grandkids. Not to us.The point, Kestrel said, is that we cant go back,so we have to go forward. Weve got tofigure out wha t were going to do here without Aunt Opal tohelp usespecially if theres a vampire hunteraround. But prototypical, what are we going to do withthat? She nodded toward the body.Rowan notwithstanding shook her head helplessly. She lookedaround the cellar as if she might find an answer in acomer. Her gaze fell on Jade. It stopped there, and Jade could listen the sisterly radar system turn on.Jade. Whats that in your jacket?Jade was too wrung-out to lie. She opened thejacket and showed Rowan the kittens. I didnt know mysuitcase would kill them.Rowan looked too wrung-out to be angry. She glanced heavenward, sighing. hence, looking back atJadesharply But wherefore were you bringing them downhere?I wasnt. I was and looking for a shovel. I was going to bury them in the backyard.There was a pause. Jade looked at her sisters and they looked at each other. Then all three of themlooked at the kittens.Then they looked at Great-aunt Opal. Mary-Lynnette was crying.It was a beautiful night, a perfect night. An eversion layer was keeping the air overhead still and warm,and the seeing was excellent. There was very little light pollution and no direct light. The niminy-piminyfarmhouse just below Mary-Lynnettes hill wasmostly dark. Mrs. Burdock was forever very call up atewell-nigh that.Above, the Milky Way cut diagonally across the thresh like a river. To the south, where Mary-Lynnettehad just directed her telescope, was the constellation Sagittarius, which always looked. more like ateapot than like an archer to her. And just above the spout of the teapot was a faintly pink part of whatlooked like steam.It wasnt steam. It was clouds of stars. A star factory called the Lagoon Nebula. The dust and gas ofdead stars was world recycled into hot young stars, just being born.It was four thousand and flipper hundred light-years away. And she was looking at it, right this minute. Aseventeen-year-old kid with a second-hand Newtonian reflector telescope was becharming the l ight of starsbeing born.sometimes she was filled with so much awe andand-and-and longing-that she thought she might analyze topieces.Since there was nobody else around, she could let the tears roll down her cheeks without pretense itwas an allergy. After a while she had to sit back and wipe her nose and eyes on the shoulder of herT-shirt.Oh, come on, give it a rest now, she told herself.Youre crazy, you know.She wished she hadnt thought of Jeremy earlier. Because now, for some reason, she kept picturinghimthe way hed looked that night when he came to watch the eclipse with her. His level brown eyes hadheld a spark of excitement, as if he really cared more or less what he was seeing. As if, for that moment,anyway, he lowstood.I have been one acquainted with the night, amaudlin little voice inside her cantillate romantically, trying toget her to cry again.Yeah, right, Mary-Lynnette told the voice cynically. She reached for the bag of Cheetos she kept underher lawn chair. It was i mpossible to feel romantic and overwhelmed by grandeur while take in Cheetos.Saturn next, she thought, and wiped situatey orangecrumbs off her fingers. It was a good night for Saturnbecause its rings were just passing through theiredgewise position.She had to hurry because the moon was rising at 1116. But before she move her telescope towardSaturn, she took one last look at the Lagoon. Actuallyjust to the east of the Lagoon, trying to make outthe open meet of fainter stars she knew was there.She couldnt see it. Her eyes just werent good enough. If she had a bigger telescope-if she lived inChilewhere the air was dry-if she could get above the earths atmosphere . . . accordingly she might have a chance.But for now . . . she was encloseed by the human eye. Human pupils just didnt open farther than 9millimeters.Nothing to be done about that.She was just centering Saturn in the field of viewwhen a light went on behind the farmhouse below. Nota little porch light. A barnyard dryin g up lamp. It illume the back property of the house like a searchlight.Mary-Lynnette sat back, annoyed. It didnt reallymatter-she could see Saturn anyway, see the rings thattonight were just a delicate silver airwave cutting across the center of the planet. But it was strange.Mrs.Burdock never turned the back light on at night.The girls, Mary-Lynnette thought. The nieces. Theymust have gotten there and she must be giving them atour. Absently she reached for her binoculars. Shewas curious.They were good binoculars, Celestron Ultimas,sleek and lightweight. She used them for looking ateverything from deep sky objects to the craters on the moon. Right now, they magnified the back of Mrs.Burdocks house ten times.She didnt see Mrs. Burdock, though. She could seethe garden. She could see the shed and thefenced-in force field where Mrs. Burdock kept her goats. And shecould see three girls, all well illuminated bythe vapor lamp. One had brown hair, one had golden hair, and one had hair the color of Jupiters rings.That silvery.Like starlight. They were carrying something wrapped in plastic between them. fateful plastic.Hefty garbage bags, if Mary-Lynnette wasnt mistaken.Now, what on earth were they doing with that?Burying it.The short one with the silvery hair had a shovel. She was a good little digger, too. In a few transactionsshehad rooted up most of Mrs. Burdocks irises. Then the medium-sized one with the golden hairtook a turn,and last of all the tall one with the brown hair.Then they picked up the garbage-bagged objecteven though it was probably over five feet long, itseemed very light-and put it in the hole theyd just made.They began to shovel dirt back into the hole.No, Mary-Lynnette told herself. No, dont be ridiculous. Dont be insane. Theres some mundane, perfectly commonplace explanation for this.The problem was, she couldnt suppose of any.No, no, no. This is notRear Window,we are not in the Twilight Zone. Theyre just burying-something. around sort of o rdinary What else besides a dead body was five-feet-andsome-odd-inches long, rigid, and requisite to bewrapped in garbage bags before burial?And, Mary-Lynnette thought, imprint a rush of epinephrin that made her heart beat hard. And.AndWhere was Mrs. Burdock?The adrenaline was tingling painfully in herpalmsand feet. It made her feel out of control, which she hated. Her reach were shaking so badly she had tolower the binoculars.Mrs. B.s okay. Shes all right. Things like thisdonthappenin real life.What would Nancy Drew do?Suddenly, in the essence of her panic, MaryLynnette felt a piddling giggle try to escape like a burp. NancyDrew, of course, would hike right down there and investigate. Shed eavesdrop on the girls from behind a scrub and so dig up the garden once they went back inside the house.But things like that didnt happen. Mary-Lynnette couldnt even imagine trying to dig up a neighborsgarden in the dead of night. She would get caught and it would be a humiliating farce. M rs. Burdockwould walk out of the house alive and alarmed, and Mary-Lynnette would dieof confusion trying toexplain.In a book that might be amusing. In real life-she didnt even want to think about it.One good thing, it made her realize how absurd her paranoia was. Deep down, she obviously knewMrs. B. was just fine. Otherwise, she wouldnt be session here shed be calling the police, like any sensi bleperson.Somehow, though, she suddenly felt tired. Not up to more starwatching. She checked her watch by theruby cauterise of a red-filtered flashlight. Almost eleven-well, it was all over in sixteen minutes anyway. Whenthe moon rose it would bleach out the sky.But before she skint down her telescope for the trip back, she picked up the binoculars again. Just onelast look.The garden was empty. A rectangle of fresh darksoil showed where it had been violated. Even asMary-Lynnette watched, the vapor lamp went out.It wouldnt do any harm to go over there tomorrow, Mary-Lynnette thought. Actuall y, I was goingto,anyway. I should welcome those girls to the neighborhood. I should return those pruning shears atomic number 91borrowed and the knife Mrs. B. gave me to get my gas cap off. And of course Ill see Mrs. B. there, andthen Ill know everythings okay. modify reached the top of the winding road andstopped to admire the rank point of light in the south.You really could see more from these isolated conceivery towns. From here Jupiter, the king of the planets, looked like a UFO.Where have you been? a voice nearby said. Ivebeen waiting for you for hours.Ash answered without turning around. Wherehave I been? Where have you been? We were supposedto meet onthat hill, Quinn. Hands in his pockets, he pointed with an elbow.Wrong. It was this hill and Ive been sitting righthere waiting for you the entire time. But forget it.Are they here or arent they?Ash turned and walked unhurriedly to the open convertible that was parked just beside the road, itslightsoff. He leaned one elbow on the door, looking down. Theyre here. I told you they would be. It was theonly place for them to go.All three of them?Of course, all three of them. My sisters always stick together.Quinns lip curled. Lamia are so wonderfully family oriented.And made vampires are so wonderfully . . . short, Ash said serenely, looking at the sky again.Quinn gave him a look like black ice. His e-mail, compact body was utterly still inside the car. Well,now, I never got to finish growing, did I? he saidvery softly. One of your ancestors took care of that.Ash boosted himself to sit on the hood of the car,long legs dangling. I think I may stop aging this yearmyself, he said blandly, still looking down the slope. Eighteens not such a bad age.Maybe not if you have a choice, Quinn said, his voice still as soft as dead leaves falling. Trybeingeighteen for four centuries-with no end in sight.Ash turned to smile at him again. Sorry. On my familys behalf.And Im sorry for your family. The Redferns have been having a little trouble lately, havent they?Lets see if Ive got it right. showtime your uncle Hodge breaks dark World law and is appropriatelypunished-My great-uncle by marriage, Ash interrupted in polite tones, holding one finger up. He was aBurdock, not a Redfern. And that was over ten years ago.And then your aunt Opal-Mygreat-auntOpal-Disappears completely. Breaks off all fill withthe Night World. Apparently because she prefersliving in the middle of nowhere with humans.Ash shrugged, eyes fixed on the southern horizon. It must be good hunting in the middle of nowherewith humans. No competition. And no Night Worldenforcement-no Elders putting a limit on how manyyou can bag.And no supervision, Quinn said sourly. Itdoesnt matter so much thatshes been living here, butshes obviously been encouraging your sisters to join her. You should have informed on them whenyoufound out they were writing to each other secretly.Ash shrugged, uncomfortable. It wasnt againstthe law. I didnt know what th ey had in mind.Its not just them, Quinn said in his disturbingly soft voice. You know there are rumors aboutthat cousin of yours-James Rasmussen. People are saying that he fell in love with a human girl. That shewas dying and he decided to change her withoutpermission. . . .Ash slid off the hood and straightened. I never listen to rumors, he said, briskly and untruthfully.Besides, thats not the problem right now, is it?No. The problem is your sisters and the pot theyre in. And whether you can really do whatsnecessary to dean it up.Dont worry, Quinn. I can handle it.ButI doworry, Ash. I dont know how I let you talk me into this.You didnt. You deep in thought(p) that game of poker.And you cheated. Quinn was looking off into a middle distance, his dark eyes narrowed, hismoutha straight line. I still think we should tell the Elders , he said abruptly. Its the only way toguarantee a really thorough investigation.I dont see why it sine qua nons to be so thorough.Theyve only been here a few hours.Your sisters have only been here a few hours.Your aunt has been here-how long? Ten years?What have you got against my aunt, Quinn?Her husband was a traitor. Shes a traitor now for encouraging those girls to run away. And whoknowswhat shes been doing here in the last ten years? Who knows how many humans shes told aboutthe Night World?Ash shrugged, examining his nails. Maybe she hasnt told any.And maybe shes told the whole town.Quinn, Ash said patiently, speaking as if to avery young child, if my aunt has broken the lawsof the Night World, she has to die. For the family honor. any blotch on that reflects onme.Thats one thing I can count on, Quinn said halfunder his breath. ,Your self-interest. Youalways look after Number One, dont you?Doesnt everybody?Not everybody is kind of so blatant about it. There was a pause, then Quinn said, And whatabout your sisters?What about them?Can you kill them if its necessary?Ash didnt blink. Of course. If its necessary. For the family hon or.If theyve let something example about the NightWorld-Theyre not stupid.Theyre innocent. They might get tricked. Thatswhat happens when you live on an islandcompletely isolated from normal humans. You never learn how cunning vermin can be.Well, we know how cunning they can be, Ash said, smiling. And what to do about them.For the first time Quinn himself smiled, a charming, almost dreamy smile. Yes, I know your views onthat. All right. Ill leave you here to take care of it. I dont need to tell you to check out every human thosegirls have had contact with. Do a good job and maybe you can husband your familyhonor.Not to mention the embarrassment of a public trial.Ill come back in a week. And if you havent got things under control, I go to the Elders. I dontmean your Redfern family Elders, either. Im taking it all the way up to the joint Council.Oh, fine, Ash said. You know, you really ought to get a hobby, Quinn. Go hunting yourself.Youre too repressed.-252Quinn ignored that and sa id shortly, Do you know where to start?Sure. The girls are right down there. Ashturned east. With one eye shut, he zeroed in withhis finger on a patch of light in the valley below. At Burdock Farm. Ill check things out in town, then Illgo look up the nearest vermin.