Mike shrieked. Jo ripped her eyes from Galen and spun around. Mike’s skeletal tormentor had him pinned down and its fangs headed for his throat. Jo shot towards them. She scooped up a stick and leapt on top of the creature, plunging it into its back. It screeched, jerking its body upwards with such force her hands came off the weapon and she was hurled to the ground. She rolled in the dirt and spat it from her mouth.
The creature reached behind its back with long, ropy arms and grasped the short branch, extracting it from its body with a sickening squish. It turned and glared at Jo. Its lips peeled back over mushy swollen gums, displaying spikes of rust-colored teeth. Its face wrinkled up around the squinty black slits of its eyes.
Jo tried to get up. In a flash, the vampire was looming over her. She scrambled backwards. It came at her, snarling and spitting—rage exploding from its beady eyes. A corrupt odor burned Jo’s lungs. She grabbed a rock and flung it, striking the beast in the gut. Its body jerked upright and its eyes bulged out like globs of red jelly. Jo was amazed—and puzzled—that she could have thrown the rock hard enough to do this much damage, but suddenly, out of the creature’s chest, a white branch popped through its shirt, forcing out blood and pieces of flesh. The creature screeched—a caustic, terrific noise. It twisted away from her. Mike stood behind it, pushing the aspen limb through the vampire’s chest. The skewered demon nosedived into the dirt, crumbling into soot-like dust on impact.
Mike reached his hand down to Jo and she latched on to it. He lifted her to her feet. “Jo, I can’t believe you,” he talked fast, huffing for breath. He started to pull her into a hug, but halted. He looked down. “Your leg—”
Jo had been distracted from the pain. Now it was sharp and throbbing. “It’s nothing—we’ve got to help Galen!” She turned. A blur of yellow caught her eye.
April was running, screaming for help.
Jo took off after her. Mike passed her.
The white-haired vampire on April’s heels leapt at her, pushing her into a thicket of sage. She went down into the thorns and leaves. The beast reached for her.
Drew appeared out of nowhere. He threw himself at the vampire. “Get away from her!” He knocked the creature back. It stumbled, but in a flash, whirled to face Drew. Its eyes narrowed with rage. Drew clinched a short branch in his hand like a dagger. The creature eyed him, like a wolf sizing up its prey.
“April, go!” Drew yelled. She scrambled out of the shrub.
The vampire leapt at Drew, knocking the weapon from his hand. It grabbed him around the throat with cadaverous fingers. The fiend’s lips lifted from his gums and pointy teeth tore through them. Its eyes became dark red, like marbles full of blood.
“Drew!” April cried. She scooped up earth in her hands and threw it into creature’s face. It jerked its head back, blinking furiously, spewing out the dirt. Its grip on Drew loosened and he pushed the wicked beast away.
“April, get out of here!” He shouted and charged the vampire.