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Authors: Andy Gavin
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vampire,” Alex whispered.
“You’ve all gone insane.” Anne was holding herself so rigid Sarah was surprised she could speak. “How can anyone be created?”
“Good Lord,” Sarah said. “There’re two of those monsters?”
“And the one we saw is just the baby,” Alex said.
“One at a time, then,” Sam said. “Alex, you said you knew where Charles would go? If he’s undead, how do we make him all the way dead?”
“He’ll return to his grave before dawn. They have to. But we will do nothing. You can all go home and my manservant Dmitri will deal with it.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve heard yet,” Anne said.
The image of the gaping maw and the teeth flashed through Sarah’s head. Conflicting emotions roiled in her gut.
“No. We’ll see it finished.”
She’d failed Charles in life — failed to pass on the warning God had sent her. She would not fail him in death, too.
“This is no task for women,” Alex said. “I’m sorry if I offend you, but it’s dangerous and bloody.”
Anger washed the fear and questions right out of her head.
“Is that so?” she said. “I think we women know a bit more about blood than you do. We’re coming.”
“Sarah, please,” Anne said. “Let’s take Emily home.”
Sarah kicked her friend’s foot.
Anne glared back.
“I don’t want to go home,” Emily said. “Sam, tell them I don’t have to go.”
Ten:
Dead Again
Salem, Massachusetts, Thursday night, October 23, 1913
“ A NNE, I REALLY, REALLY, really want to come,” Emily said. The sisters hopped off the downtown trolley behind Sarah. The boys had gone ahead to Alex’s. “And I’m not a little kid. I’m practically a grown-up.”
“If I could stay behind, I would,” Anne said. Sarah knew it was true. The difference between siblings was about more than just a couple years.
“I’ll never get to sleep,” Emily said. “I’ll just lie there suffering in my bed till you get back. Why don’t you want to go?”
Sam had labeled this tactic tacking .
“Because it’s scary and dangerous,” Anne said. “If you had any sense, you’d see that and I’d treat you more like a grown-up.”
Sarah’s own sibling arguments were more than seven years laid to rest, but she knew not to get caught in the crossfire.
“Anyway, you owe me for backing your fib,” Anne said. “Where were you yesterday after the funeral? I saw the pastor leave — without you.”
Emily stopped walking. “You lied for me?”
“When have I ever been a snitch? Seriously, Em, where were you?”
“I don’t remember, honest. I heard you badgering Sam about Sarah, and the next thing I remember is walking home.” She frowned. “I was probably daydreaming.”
Anne seemed to give up — at least, she stopped asking questions. But Sarah had one for her.
“What were you saying to Sam about me?”
“I don’t remember, either.” Anne looked down. “Emily got me all flustered when she disappeared.”
Not that flustered. Once they got rid of Emily, Sarah would get the story out of her.
When they reached the junction point between their two houses, Anne finally looked at Sarah.
“You still have blood in your hair. You might as well go home to wash and change.”
“We need more practical clothes anyway,” Sarah said. “I’ll sneak out after my parents think I’m in bed. How are you going to keep Emily from following us?”
“Hey, I’m standing right here!” Emily said.
“I’ll get Emma to help,” Anne said. “She owes me. I don’t tell Mother about her juju .”
Sarah had seen Emma’s dolls and charms. The island woman fed her little deities rum when she thought no one was looking.
“Okay,” Sarah said. “I’ll meet you on Essex Street in exactly an hour.”
Sarah had taken a few moments at the Willows powder room to wash her face, and her dress was a dark color, so she hoped for the best. When she popped her head into Papa’s study to say goodnight he barely acknowledged
“You’ve all gone insane.” Anne was holding herself so rigid Sarah was surprised she could speak. “How can anyone be created?”
“Good Lord,” Sarah said. “There’re two of those monsters?”
“And the one we saw is just the baby,” Alex said.
“One at a time, then,” Sam said. “Alex, you said you knew where Charles would go? If he’s undead, how do we make him all the way dead?”
“He’ll return to his grave before dawn. They have to. But we will do nothing. You can all go home and my manservant Dmitri will deal with it.”
“That’s the best idea I’ve heard yet,” Anne said.
The image of the gaping maw and the teeth flashed through Sarah’s head. Conflicting emotions roiled in her gut.
“No. We’ll see it finished.”
She’d failed Charles in life — failed to pass on the warning God had sent her. She would not fail him in death, too.
“This is no task for women,” Alex said. “I’m sorry if I offend you, but it’s dangerous and bloody.”
Anger washed the fear and questions right out of her head.
“Is that so?” she said. “I think we women know a bit more about blood than you do. We’re coming.”
“Sarah, please,” Anne said. “Let’s take Emily home.”
Sarah kicked her friend’s foot.
Anne glared back.
“I don’t want to go home,” Emily said. “Sam, tell them I don’t have to go.”
Ten:
Dead Again
Salem, Massachusetts, Thursday night, October 23, 1913
“ A NNE, I REALLY, REALLY, really want to come,” Emily said. The sisters hopped off the downtown trolley behind Sarah. The boys had gone ahead to Alex’s. “And I’m not a little kid. I’m practically a grown-up.”
“If I could stay behind, I would,” Anne said. Sarah knew it was true. The difference between siblings was about more than just a couple years.
“I’ll never get to sleep,” Emily said. “I’ll just lie there suffering in my bed till you get back. Why don’t you want to go?”
Sam had labeled this tactic tacking .
“Because it’s scary and dangerous,” Anne said. “If you had any sense, you’d see that and I’d treat you more like a grown-up.”
Sarah’s own sibling arguments were more than seven years laid to rest, but she knew not to get caught in the crossfire.
“Anyway, you owe me for backing your fib,” Anne said. “Where were you yesterday after the funeral? I saw the pastor leave — without you.”
Emily stopped walking. “You lied for me?”
“When have I ever been a snitch? Seriously, Em, where were you?”
“I don’t remember, honest. I heard you badgering Sam about Sarah, and the next thing I remember is walking home.” She frowned. “I was probably daydreaming.”
Anne seemed to give up — at least, she stopped asking questions. But Sarah had one for her.
“What were you saying to Sam about me?”
“I don’t remember, either.” Anne looked down. “Emily got me all flustered when she disappeared.”
Not that flustered. Once they got rid of Emily, Sarah would get the story out of her.
When they reached the junction point between their two houses, Anne finally looked at Sarah.
“You still have blood in your hair. You might as well go home to wash and change.”
“We need more practical clothes anyway,” Sarah said. “I’ll sneak out after my parents think I’m in bed. How are you going to keep Emily from following us?”
“Hey, I’m standing right here!” Emily said.
“I’ll get Emma to help,” Anne said. “She owes me. I don’t tell Mother about her juju .”
Sarah had seen Emma’s dolls and charms. The island woman fed her little deities rum when she thought no one was looking.
“Okay,” Sarah said. “I’ll meet you on Essex Street in exactly an hour.”
Sarah had taken a few moments at the Willows powder room to wash her face, and her dress was a dark color, so she hoped for the best. When she popped her head into Papa’s study to say goodnight he barely acknowledged
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