Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 1

rowan tree, kestrel, and hoopla, Mary-Lynnette verbalise as she and print passed the old Victorian farmhouse.Huh?rowan tree. And kestrel. And scare off. The name of thegirls whore moving in. Mary-Lynnette tilted herhead toward the farmhouse-her slip bys were full of lawn ch style. Theyre Mrs. Burdocks nieces. Dont you remember I told you they were flood tide to outlive with her?Vaguely, loot state, read experting the weight of the telescope he was carrying as they trudged up the manzanita-covered hill. He spoke shortly, which Mary-Lynnette knew meant he was feeling shy.Theyre pretty names, she said. And they must be sweet girls, because Mrs. Burdock said so.Mrs. Burdock is waste.Shes unsloped eccentric. And yesterday she told meher nieces argon in all beautiful. I mean, Im sure shes prejudiced and everything, besides she was pretty definite. for each star one of them gorgeous, each one a completely different type.So they should be leaving to California, Mark saidin an almost-inaudible mutter. They should be posing for Vogue.Where do you emergency this thing? he added as they reached the top of the hill.Right here. Mary-Lynnette perpetrate the lawn c hair eat. She scraped just well-nigh dirt a path with her foot so the telescope would sit evenly. at that placefore she said casually, You sock, I thought maybe we could go over thither tomorrow and introduce ourselves-sort of welcome them, you know.Will you cut itout?Mark said tersely. I tin can organize my own life. If I regard to meet a girl, Ill meet a girl. I dont get help.Okay, okay. You dont need help. Be careful withthat focuser tube-And besides, what are we going to say? Mark said, on a roll now. Welcome to Briar creek, where nothing ever happens. Where there are more(prenominal) coyotes than people. Where if you rightfully want some excitement you can ride into town and watch theSaturday night mouse racing at the Gold Creek Bar.Okay. Okay. Mary-Lynnette sighed. She-looked at her younger brother, who just at the moment was illuminated by the last rays of sunset. To see him now, youd think hed never been sick a day in hislife.His hair was as profane and shiny as Mary Lynnettes, his eye were as blue and extend and snapping. He had the same healthy tan as she did thesame glow of tint in his cheeks.But when hed been a baby, hed been thin andscrawny and every breath had been a challenge.His asthma had been so bad hed spent most of his second family in an oxygen tent, fighting to stay alive.Mary-Lynnette, a year and a half older, had won dered every day if her baby brother would ever come home.It had changed him, being alone in that tent whereeven their mother couldnt pinch him. When hecame out he was shy and clingy-holding on to theirmothers arm all the time. And for years he hadntbeen able to go out for sports standardised the other kids. That was all a recollective time ago-Mark was going to bea junior in gamey school this year- tho he was still sh y. And when he got defensive, he bit peoples heads off.Mary-Lynnette wished one of the new girls would be right for him, draw him out a bit, destine him confidence. Maybe she could arrange it somehow.What are you thinking about? Mark asked suspiciously.Mary-Lynnette realized he was staring at her.About how the seeings going to be really good tonight, she said blandly. Augusts the best month for starwatching the airs so solid and still. Hey,theres the first star-you can make a wish.She degreeed to a bright point of light above the southern horizon. It worked Mark was distracted and looked, too.Mary-Lynnette stared at the screening of his dark head.If it would do any good, Id wish for romance for you, she thought. Id wish it for myself, too-but what would be the point? Theres nought around here to be romantic with. no(prenominal) of the guys at schoolexcept maybe JeremyLovett-understood wherefore she was interested in as tronomy, or what she felt about the stars. Most ofthe time Mary-Lynnette didnt care-but occasionally she felt a vague ache in her chest. A yearning to share. If she hadwished, it would get been for that, for someone to share the night with.Oh, well. It didnt help to dwell on it. And besides,although she didnt want to tell Mark, what they were wishing on was the planet Jupiter, and not a star at all.Mark shook his head as he tramped down the path that wound through buckbrush and poison hemlock.He should wealthy person apologized to Mary-Lynnette earlierleaving-he didnt like being nasty to her. In fact, she was the one person he usually tried to be decent to.But why was she ceaselessly assay to fix him? To the point of wishing on stars. And Mark hadnt really made a wish, anyway. Hed thought, if I was making a wish, which Im not because its schmalzy and stupid, it would be for some excitement around here.Something wild, mark thought-and felt an innershiver as he hiked downhill in the gathering darkness. grind stared at the steady, re splendent point of lightabove the southern horizon. It was a planet, she knew.For the last two nights shed seen it moving crossways the sky, accompanied by tiny pinpricks of light that must be its moons. Where she came from, nobody was in the habit of wishing on stars, but this planet seemed like a friend-a traveler, just like her. As scare away watched it tonight, she felt a sort of concentration of hope rise inside her. Almost awish.Jade had to admit that they werent off to a very promising start. The night air was too quiet there wasnt the faintest sound of a car climax. She wastired and stressed and beginning to be very, very hungry.Jade turned to look at her sisters.Well, where is she?I dont know, Rowan said in her most doggedly sorry voice. Be patient.Well, maybe we should scan for her.No, Rowan said. Absolutely not. Remember what we decided.Shes credibly forgotten we were coming, sparrow hawk said. I told you she was getting senile.Dont saythings like that. Its not polite, Rowan said, still gentle, but through her teething.Rowan was always gentle when she could manageit. She was nineteen, tall, slim, and stately. She had cinnamon-brown eyes and warm brown hair that cascaded down her patronize in waves. kestrel was seventeen and had hair the color of old property sweeping sand from her face like a birds wings. Her eyes were amber and hawklike, and she was never gentle.Jade was the youngest, just turned sixteen, and she didnt look like either of her sisters. She had white-blond hair that she employ as a veil to hide behind, and green eyes. People said she looked serene, but she almost never felt serene. Usually she was either diabolically excited or madly anxious and confused.Right now it was anxious. She was demented about her battered, half-century-old Morocco leather suitcase. She couldnt hear a thing from inside it.00 Hey, why dont you two go down the pathway a little way and see if shes coming?Her sisters looked back at her. There were few things that Rowan and Kestrel agreed on, but Jade was one of them. She could see that they were about to team up against her.Now what? Kestrel said, her teeth showing just briefly.And Rowan said, Youre up to something. What are you up to, Jade?Jade smoothened her thoughts and her face out and just looked at them artlessly. She hoped.They stared back for a few littles, then looked at each other, giving up. Were going to have to walk, you know, Kestrel said to Rowan.There are worse things than walking, Rowansaid. She pushed a stray wisp of chestnut-colored hair off her forehead and looked around the bus stationwhich consisted of a three-sided, glass-walled cubicle,and the splintering wooden bench. I wish there was a telephone.Well, there isnt. And its twenty miles to BriarCreek, Kestrel said, golden eyes glinting with a kind of grim enjoyment. We should likely leave our bags here.Alarm tingled through Jade. No, no. Ive got allmyall my clothes in there. Come on, twenty milesisnt so far. With one hand she plectroned up her cronk carrier-it was homemade, just boards and wiresand with the other she picked up the suitcase. She got quite a distance down the road before she heard the crunch of ride behind her. They were sideline Rowan sighing patiently, Kestrel chuckling softly, her hair shining like old gold in the starlight.The one-lane road was dark and deserted. But notentirely silent there were wads of tiny night sounds, all adding up to one intricate, harmonizing night stillness. It would have been pleasant, except that Jades suitcase seemed to get heavier with everystep, and she was hungrier than she had ever beenbefore. She knew better than to mention it to Rowan, but it made her feel confused and weak.Just when she was beginning tothink she would have to ordinate the suitcase down and rest, she heard a new sound.It was a car, coming from behind them. The engine was so loud that it seemed to take a long time to get close to them, but when it passed, Ja de dictum that itwas truly going very fast. Then there was a rattling of gravel and the car stopped. It backed up and Jade saw a son looking through the window at her.There was another boy in the passenger seat. Jade looked at them leftoverly.They seemed to be about Rowans age, and theywere twain deeply tanned. The one in the number one woods seat had blond hair and looked as if he hadnt washed ina while. The other one had brown hair. He was eroding ing a vest with no shirt underneath. He had a toothpick in his mouth.They some(prenominal) looked back at Jade, seeming just as curious as she was. Then the forcers window slid down. Jade was fascinated by how cursorily it went.Need a ride? the driver said, with an oddly bright smile. His teeth shone in contrast to his dingy face.Jade looked at Rowan and Kestrel, who were just catching up. Kestrel said nothing, but looked at the car through narrow, heavy-lashed amber eyes. Rowans brown eyes were very warm.We sure would, she said , smiling. Then, doubtfully, But were going to Burdock Farm. It may be out of your way.Oh, hey, I know that place. Its not far, the onein the vest said around his toothpick. Anyway, anything for a lady, he said, with what seemed to be an attempt at gallantry. He opened his door and got out of the car. single of you can sit up front, and I can sit in back with the other two. Lucky me, huh? he said to the driver.Lucky you, the driver said, smiling largely again. He opened his door, too. You go on and put that cat carrier in front, and the suitcases can go in the trunk, he said.Rowan smiled at Jade, and Jade knew what she was thinking. Iwonder if everybody out here is so comradely? They distributed their belongings and thenpiled in the car, Jade in the front with the driver, Rowan and Kestrel in the back on either side of the vested guy. A minute youthfulr they were flying downthe road at what Jade found a delightful speed, gravel crunching beneath the tires.Im Vic, the driver said. Im Todd, the vested guy said.Rowan said, Im Rowan, and this is Kestrel. ThatsJade up there.You girls friends?Were sisters, Jade said.You dont look like sisters.Everybody says that. Jade meant everybody theyhad met since theyd run away. Back home, everybodyknew they were sisters, so nobody said it.What are you doing out here so late? Vic asked. Its not the place for nice girls.Were not nice girls, Kestrel explained absently.Were trying to be, Rowan said reprovingly through her teeth. To Vic, she said, We were waiting for our great-aunt Opal to pick us up at the bus stop, but she didnt come. Were going to live at Burdock Farm.Old lady Burdock is your aunt? Todd said, removing his toothpick. That crazy old bat? Vic turned around to look at him, and they both laughed and shook their heads.Jade looked away from Vic. She stared down at the cat carrier, attending for the little squeaking noises that meant Tiggy was awake.She felt just slightly uneasy. She sensed something. even so thou gh these guys seemed friendly, there was something beneath the surface. But she was toosleepy-and too light-headed from hunger-to pattern out hardly what it was.Rowan was still looking polite and puzzled, but Kestrel looked at the car door on her side thoughtfully. Jade knew what she was looking for-a handle.There wasnt one.Too bad, Vic said. This cars a real junkheap you cant even open the back doors from inside.He grabbed Jades upper arm so hard she could feel squash on the bone. Now, you girls just be nice and nobodys going to get hurt.They seemed to drive a long time beforeVic spoke again.You girls ever been to Oregon before?Jade blinked and murmured a negative.Its got some pretty lonely places, Vic said. Outhere, for example. Briar Creek was a gold rush town, but when the gold ran out and the pressure passed it by, it just died. Now the wilderness is taking it back.His tone was significant, but Jade didnt understand what he was trying to convey.It does seem peaceful Rowan s aid politely from the backseat.Vic made a brief snorting sound. Yeah, well, peaceful wasnt exactly what I meant. I meant, take this road. These farmhouses are miles apart, right? Ifyou screamed, there wouldnt be anyone to hearyou.Jade blinked. What a strange thing to say. Rowan, still politely making conversation, said, Well, you and Todd would.I mean, nobody else, Vic said, and Jade could feel his impatience. He had been driving more and more slowly. Now he pulled the car off to the side of the road and stopped. Parked.Nobody outthere is going to hear, he clarified,turning around to look into the backseat. Jade looked, too, and saw Todd grinning, a wide bright grin with teeth clenched on his toothpick.Thats right, Todd said. Youre out here alone with us, so maybe youd better listen to us, huh?Jade saw that he was gripping Rowans arm with one hand and Kestrels wrist with the other.