Stargazer (Page 83)

I lost my balance and fell, rolling over and over toward the edge of the building. Though I scrambled to grab hold of something, there was nothing to grab, until the roof suddenly wasn’t beneath me any longer and I was falling—

Something made of stone smashed against my back, and I blindly clutched for it. My grip held. I dangled off the side of the building for a moment while I tried to keep from passing out from pain and shock. As soon as my vision cleared, I could see what had broken my fall: one of the gargoyles, identical to the one I’d always hated outside my window.

My hands were locked around his neck.

“Thank you,” I whispered as I hooked one of my feet against his claws and pushed myself back up again. When I resumed running, I could feel how badly my body ached, but smoke was now thick in the air, and there was no time to hesitate.

Finally I got to the south tower and clambered inside, only to realize the blaze was much worse here. My big rescue effort didn’t seem that important, either—so far as I could tell, everyone was gone. Then I saw a figure moving through the smoke. “Hello?” I called.

“Bianca!” It was Lucas. He ran to me and hugged me; my aching back protested, but I didn’t care. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere—carriage house, here—”

“You have to call them off, Lucas. You have to tell them Charity lied!”

“Wait—the vampire Eduardo got that info from was Charity?” Lucas swore. “I knew some student massacre didn’t sound like Mrs. Bethany’s game, and I told them so, but Eduardo wouldn’t listen. The bastard never listens.”

“Mom—Dana—everybody—they’re in danger, and we have to end this!”

“We can’t.” Lucas held my face in his hands. His features were hazy through the thickening veil of smoke. “We can’t end this. We can only get you out of here.”

I hated it, but I knew he was right.

Together we ran into the stairwell, shouting for anyone else who might somehow have failed to flee, then hurried back down toward the ground floor. By now the smell of ash was thick in the air, and I had to tug the collar of my robe over my mouth to keep from choking. I imagined the print of Klimt’s Kiss in my bedroom above us slowly curling up and blackening, fire consuming the lovers forever. Lucas held his forearm across his face. “We’re almost there,” he yelled. “Come on!” As we ran out onto the grounds, we ran almost instantly into a fight—one of the Black Cross hunters, a woman I didn’t know, was circling Mrs. Bethany. By now Mrs. Bethany’s bun had shaken completely loose; her dark hair tumbled down her back, and her haughty face was smudged and dirty. Firelight outlined her high cheekbones, and despite the destruction all around us, she was smiling. For the first time, I saw her fangs.

Lucas pulled me away from the fight, but we both kept looking back at them, transfixed. Somebody nearby called my name, but I couldn’t recognize the voice or turn away.

Mrs. Bethany shifted to one side, then the other, then sprang forward.

The hunter tried to dodge her, but she was too slow. I could do nothing as Mrs. Bethany twisted the hunter’s body around and then sank her fangs into the woman’s neck.

The scream behind me was one of pure horror. I turned to see Raquel, in a tank top and underwear, shrieking as she watched Mrs. Bethany drink the hunter’s blood. There was no mistaking what was happening, especially if you understood that the supernatural actually existed, as Raquel did. Now she knew that vampires were real.

“Oh, my God, oh, my God!” she yelled. “Bianca, did you—Mrs. Bethany—she—” Then Raquel stopped short. “Lucas?” Lucas said, “Run now, explain later.”

We all ran. I cast one more look behind me as we headed toward the forest. Most of Evernight still stood, seemingly as impregnable as ever, but the south tower and the roof both blazed orange. Gargoyles were silhouetted against the flame. It seemed like the end of the world. Then I heard the sirens.

“What’s that?” Raquel cried, still panicked.

I realized the answer almost instantly. “Fire engines! The fire alarm Mrs. Bethany pulled—they’re coming!”

“We can’t have the authorities find us here,” Lucas insisted. “There’s a transport close by. Let’s move.” We did what he said, going as fast as we could into the forest—but as we ducked into the trees, I saw a sha-dowy figure ahead, and I gasped out loud as we all skidded to a halt.

Charity blocked our way.

“Leaving so soon?” She cocked her head. If her fall from the north tower had injured her, she gave no sign. “You hate Evernight nearly as much as I do, Bianca. I thought you’d like my surprise.”

“People could be killed,” I said. “Balthazar might not have made it out.”

“You doubt my brother.” Her eyes were dark. “I believe in him. He’s too strong for any Black Cross scum.”

“I believed in you,” I said. “I won’t make that mistake again.” Raquel said, “Uh, guys? Who is this kid? Is she Balthazar’s sister or something?”

Charity glared at Raquel, then smiled. “You brought me a snack.”

“Like hell.” Lucas swung a fist at Charity’s face, which she dodged easily—but she hadn’t counted on his vampirelike speed. Almost faster than I could see, Lucas spun around, grabbing one of Charity’s arms and twisting it behind her back.