The Vampire Stalker

Chapter 12

I HAD COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN about Luisa's birthday.

Which made me feel like an awful best friend.

On Saturday night, she was having her Sweet Sixteen. We'd be going to the new teen-only dance club that had opened a few months ago. It was called Club Teen Scene, an embarrassing name, but we'd heard it was awesome, and Luisa was totally excited about it.

Before Luisa's cousins and drama club friends were due to arrive, Katie and I went to her house and spent a couple of hours hanging out and getting ready. They made me laugh a lot, Luisa with her theatrical flourishes and Katie with her deadpan humor. I was surprised that I could laugh so much despite the weight on my mind. Maybe I was laughing because of it. After all the stress of the last few weeks, I needed an outlet.

After the other girls showed up, we ordered Chinese food, then had birthday cake. It felt wonderful to be normal again, and I tried not to let the idea of going out at night frighten me.

Luisa's parents drove both of their cars to drop us off at the club. When we got in, I was impressed. The club was huge, with multicolored lights overhead. Luisa was in her element, immediately rushing out onto the dance floor and throwing her arms in the air. Katie and I followed, laughing. This was much better than our school dance had been. A huge screen at the front of the club showed the videos that went along with the music. Sometimes the DJ — or VJ, I guess — turned a camera on the crowd, and we could see ourselves dancing on the screen. Luisa loved it, and did her craziest moves whenever the camera swung our way.

After dancing for a while, Katie, myself, and two of Luisa's cousins sat down at the tables in the back. I was having more fun than I'd thought possible, and Luisa, well, she was still going wild on the dance floor. The only thing missing was Alexander. I wished he had the luxury of taking a night off, of being a teenager for a change.

Too wired to keep sitting, I went to buy a soda.

"Hey."

I turned to see a red-haired guy with a shy smile.

"You go to Ridgefield, right?" he asked.

"No." The quickest way to let him know I wasn't interested was to avoid direct eye contact. So, trying to look bored, I glanced over his shoulder toward the tables.

And I froze.

There was a guy sitting there — young and pale, silvery-blond hair.

"Something wrong?" the guy beside me asked.

I didn't reply. I couldn't.

It was him.

Vigo Skaar was sitting at one of the tables with a can of Red Bull. His eyes drifted over the room.

I ducked my head, moving behind the guy who was talking to me. If Vigo saw me, he'd see my fear, and he'd know I recognized him.

It surprised me that Vigo's face didn't look cunning, or evil. It was boyish. An innocent face.

The guy next to me was talking again. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed, still positioning myself between his shoulders.

Alexander's phone rang. Once. Twice. Please, please, answer the phone!

Three times. Four.

The voice mail picked up. The customer who has subscribed cannot —

I hung up. Dialed again.

Alexander's line rang again. And rang. And rang.

With shaky fingers, I texted him: vigo here. club teen scene. 101 adams st.

The police. I had to call the police. And then I had to get my friends out of here.

I hurried to the bathroom and called 911.

"I'm at Club Teen Scene." I hardly recognized my voice. I sounded hysterical. "The vampire killer is here!"

"Miss, calm down, has anyone been hurt?"

"No, not yet. Please hurry!"

"How do you know he's the vampire killer, miss?"

"I—" I didn't know how to answer that. "He has these fangs. I know it's him. Please send the police now!"

"Don't worry. They'll be there soon."

She believed me. My panic said it all.

"Where is the suspect now, miss? Can you describe him for me?"

"Silver-blond hair, black jacket, looks about eighteen. He's at the tables at the back. Hurry, please! I have to go. My friends are in there."

I hung up. Alexander still hadn't called back. Where was he? By the time he saw my text, it would be too late.

I forced myself to walk, not run, out of the bathroom. I felt my heartbeat thumping louder than the bass. Vigo hadn't moved. He was sitting in the midst of about twenty potential victims, all drinking their sodas and chatting away with no idea who was watching them. Katie was among them, and so were Luisa's cousins.

I went up to their table, grabbing Katie's hand. "There's a fight going on outside — it's crazy stuff, you guys have to see it!"

They needed no more encouragement, and headed for the door. I went with them, but stopped to grab the sleeve of a security guard in the doorway.

"Don't look now," I muttered, "but there's a guy at the back tables who I think is the vampire killer. He's the blond one drinking Red Bull. He's wearing fangs."

The security guy, skinny and not much older than twenty-one, scowled. "If this is a joke —"

"It's not. Are there more security people around?"

"Yes." As he reached for his radio, I stepped in front of him so that Vigo wouldn't see. "He could look over and see you. Call from outside."

It took no convincing. He went outside and got on his radio.

"Ames! I don't see—" I heard Katie calling, but I ignored her. I had to get Luisa out of there, so I headed toward the dance floor, watching Vigo out of the corner of my eye.

I saw him move. He was slowly getting up from the table, his eyes focused on a trio of girls. I knew he was going to strike.

He lunged, his black jacket spreading out like wings behind him. I screamed.

From another direction, someone else lunged, slamming into Vigo, sending him sprawling across the table.

It took me a second to realize that it was Alexander.

A wall of people ran toward the fight, and I had to jump out of the way to avoid getting knocked down.

Alexander slammed Vigo's head into the table. Vigo kicked and writhed like a wildcat, not giving Alexander the chance to free one hand to grab the stake.

Two cops rushed in, guns drawn. Vigo stilled under Alexander and turned his head to the side, sobbing like a child.

Alexander used the moment to pull out his stake. He raised it.

"Drop it or we'll shoot!"

The cops weren't going to shoot Vigo, I realized. They were going to shoot Alexander.

I jumped in front of them. "No!"

I heard a shout, and then something hard slammed into me. And I was out.