Jo scrambled to her feet, frightened and confused. She walked backwards into the wooden balusters of the stairs, away from the angry voices and shrieks. She gaped at the scene in front of the fireplace: Mike was on the floor on his back, one arm locked straight out, his hand pressed into Red’s collar bone. His face contorted with effort. Red was straining to reach his neck with her mouth wide open and dripping saliva. Her eyes were shiny and red. Galen was standing over Red, his hands gripping her waist.
“Red! Stop!” Mike grimaced as Red’s fingernails sunk into the flesh of his shoulders, blood seeping through his T-shirt.
Jo took a deep breath and moved toward them to try to help.
“Get back!” Galen yelled. He flashed his eyes at her. She side-stepped over to April and the two of them locked arms and stared in disbelief.
Galen tore Red’s grip from Mike’s shoulders. Mike jumped to his feet and gawked wild-eyed at his attacker. He wiped away the glob of slobber she had left on the side of his neck and rubbed the punctures in his shoulder. Galen forced Red to the floor and onto her stomach. He pressed his knee into her back, holding her hands behind her. She thrashed and hissed.
“What in the world!” Dove cried. She ran to check Mike’s wounds.
“She’s one of them,” Ben said, skipping off the last stair step. Drew was right behind him.
“No foolin’!” Galen’s sarcasm was sharp, as Red kicked and twisted beneath him.
“I can’t believe it!” April’s eyes were large, bulging with fear and welling up with tears. She put her hand to her throat. “She could have killed him—or any of us!”
“She’d have to get past your bracelet,” Ben told her, as he came to get closer look at Red, adjusting his glasses and peering at her as if he was looking at a science exhibit.
“What?” April took her hand off her neck and looked at her bracelet.
“The flower in your bracelet,” he said. “It’s a dog rose. It wards off vampires—and silver burns their flesh. Maybe that’s why Red didn’t want you coming near her. I should have put that together sooner.” He stared at the girl with curiosity, keeping a safe distance.
April held her wrist and rubbed the glass bubble containing the flower as if it was a precious jewel. “That’s why she didn’t want Lary near her.” She eyed Lary’s cross.
Red ceased struggling. She lay limp on the floor with Galen’s knee in her back, his full weight on her. She moaned with a pathetic, forlorn sound and sobbed loudly, turning her head so everyone could see her face. Tears dripped from her eyes. They were no longer aluminum-red, but mold-green. Her mouth trembled.
Jo observed the pity that moved across everyone’s face, but not Galen’s—and not hers or Ben’s. Jo took a few slow steps out to the middle of floor. April stayed against the wall.
Red whimpered, “Guys, I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s happening to me. Please let me up.”
“No,” Galen answered.
“What are we going to do?” Dove asked, twisting the fingers of one hand with the other.
“Well…we can stake her,” Ben suggested.
“Ben!” April and Dove shouted at the same time.
“That’s not helpful, Ben,” Mike rebuked him, his face scrunching up as he massaged his shoulder.
“Ok. Let me think.” Ben rubbed his chin.
“Please let me up,” Red pleaded, “I’m so sorry.”
The fear in everyone’s eyes began turning into sympathy as Red’s slobber pooled on the floor.
“Let her up, Galen,” Dove told him.
“No.”
“Let her up,” Mike and Dove said together.
“Please,” Dove begged.
“Galen,” Mike said with more force.
Everyone, except Ben and Jo, echoed the plea.
Galen looked at their faces. His lips were pressed together, but they gradually relaxed. His shoulders fell. He took his knee out of Red’s back and pulled her up by her wrists with one hand.
“I’m so sorry,” Red warbled. Her eyes were dark and vacuous, not focused on anyone. “I don’t know what’s happening. Mike,” her eyes grew big and doleful. “I would never hurt you.” Red sobbed forlornly. Her crimson-colored hair was messed and frizzed, making her face look tiny and delicate.
“Galen, please let her go,” Mike begged him.
Galen took a deep breath. “That’s a bad idea,” he said, shaking his head.
But the imploring voices seem to get the best of him and Jo could see his resolve starting to crumble. He loosened his hands from the girl’s wrists. Red stood still—quiet and fragile- looking. He took his hands off her, but remained tense, ready to grab her. Red turned and glared at Galen, her eyes crackling with disgust.
Jo’s heart beat slowed. She was queasy from lack of sleep and food and looking at Red’s poisoned face. Making a wide circle, she moved over to the window. What she wouldn’t give to open it and breathe the fresh night air. Galen’s chair lay tipped over. She pushed it away with her foot.
Galen stepped backwards, moving to the door. As he passed in front of Jo, her eyes followed him. He kept his eyes on Red.
Red twisted her neck to watch him with squinted eyes. He stopped in front of the door and reached behind his back and locked it.
Jo observed the silent communication between the two of them: Red glowering, her lips molding into a furious pout at hearing the click of the lock—and Galen’s silent supremacy, his folded arms, his wide stance, and the smirk sitting on his lips. Jo’s eyebrows twitched. Her puzzled gaze bounced between them.
The fire’s light waned and the room darkened. Red stepped toward Lary, who stood directly across from Jo. Jo’s stomach tensed. She wondered about Red’s sudden ability to approach Lary.
“Lary,” Red spoke to him in an odd, honeyed voice, “put your cross on me. It will keep me weak.”
Ben snapped his fingers “Why didn’t I think of that.”
Red took another step toward Lary. He lifted the gold chain, but before he got it over his head, she whirled around.
Jo glimpsed a quick dart of black outside the window. She gasped.
“What is it?” Galen gripped the doorknob.
“I saw something.”
“Are they here?” April backed up against the wall, her eyes wide with terror. She held her wrist against her chest.
Drew went to her side.
Jo turned her back to the window. “How many are out there, Red?”
Red’s eyes narrowed and her lips turned up into a depraved grin. “Four—now!”
White flesh—red hair—yellow eyes came at Jo. Something slammed hard against her back. She yelped with pain. Glass shattered and wood cracked. There were screams and shouts. In an instant, she was outside in the cold night air.
Chapter 26