Bad Moonlight (14 page)

The cardboard boxes were loaded with colored gels for the spotlights. Danielle shoved them out of the way.

Then, leaning over the trunk, she pulled open the lid.

And peered inside.

“Noooooo!” She let out a low cry.

Dee's body tumbled out.

Slashed to pieces.

Chapter 24

BILLY KNOWS

D
ee's body toppled onto Danielle's shoes.

Danielle staggered back. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

Dee's T-shirt and jeans were blood soaked and cut to pieces. Deep, long scratches ran down her arms. Scratches covered her neck as if an animal had clawed at her throat.

Raising both hands to her face, Danielle backed away, crashing into a microphone stand. It fell with a loud clang.

She barely heard it.

Her heart hammered. A loud roar filled her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut, then forced them open again.

As Danielle stared down in horror, she pictured
herself in that frightening fantasy, running with Dee on the track. Running after her.

Attacking her.

Once again, Danielle saw the real fight they'd had, in the parking lot outside Dr. Moore's.

Snarling and wrestling in the gravel. Going for Dee's throat.

She had wanted to kill Dee. Wanted to tear Dee to pieces.

And now Dee lay at her feet. Torn to pieces, as in Danielle's violent fantasy.

Clawed and scratched to death. As Joey had been.

Dee and Joey.

Did I do this? Did I murder Dee?

The terrifying question burst into Danielle's mind.

She shook her head hard. Of
course
I didn't murder them. Of
course
I'm not a murderer.

But she couldn't remember what had happened that night in the park with Joey.

And Dee?

Danielle couldn't remember. Couldn't remember.

Dr. Moore had assured her she wouldn't act out her violent fantasies. But what if he was wrong?

A violent shudder ripped through Danielle. Get out! she urged herself. Get out of here—now!

Danielle tripped over the fallen light pole and landed heavily on the floor. Pain shot through her knee, but she ignored it. Gasping for breath, she scrambled to her feet and raced down the narrow corridor.

Someone waited at the top of the stairs.

“Billy!” Danielle staggered to a stop.

He watched her, not speaking.

She stared into his eyes, her mind racing. Billy acted so nervous last night when he told her about Dee quitting the band. So nervous, he frightened her.

He was hiding something.

Was he hiding Dee's murder?

Did Billy know that Dee was dead when he came to visit Danielle?

Was that why he acted so strangely?

Did Billy murder Dee? Why? Why would Billy murder Dee?

Billy shifted his weight and narrowed his eyes at Danielle.

He knows, Danielle realized. He knows that I discovered Dee's body.

I have to get away. Have to get help.

“Get out of my way!” she screamed at him.

Billy didn't move. He blocked her way to the stairs.

“Let me out!” she shrieked in panic. “Let me out of here!”

“No, Danielle.” Billy reached toward her. “I'm sorry. I can't let you go now.”

Chapter 25

A HOWL IN THE WOODS

D
anielle felt a wave of panic sweep over her.

What can I do? What?

Run back, hide behind something in the storage area? No, I'll be trapped. Cornered.

She turned back to Billy. Anger quickly replaced her fear.

He can't stop me! I won't let him.

“Danielle.”

“No!” With a roar Danielle charged at Billy. He stretched his hands out, ready to grab her. She crashed into him at full speed.

He grabbed her arm. The fingers tightened, dug in.

“No!” Danielle swung her fist at him, slamming it into the side of his head.

Billy gasped. His fingers loosened.

With a wild cry Danielle wrenched her arm free, shoved him away, and raced for the stairs.

Halfway down, one of her sandals caught on a metal rung of the staircase. Danielle screamed and fought to keep her balance. The scream echoed in the vast warehouse.

“Danielle!” she heard Caroline cry. “Look out! You're going to fall!”

Danielle kicked off the loose sandal. Stepped out of the other one.

Behind her, heavy footsteps rang out. Billy came racing after her.

Danielle dived down the stairs.

Get out, she urged herself. Run away! As far away as you can!

She jumped over the last three steps, staggered, and caught her balance. Then she lowered her head and plunged toward the door. She caught a glimpse of Kit's alarmed face, and Shawna's. She heard Caroline and Mary Beth call her name.

She didn't stop. Hands out in front of her, Danielle slammed into the bar on the door and burst outside.

Her car was blocked. She couldn't use it anyway. No keys.

Danielle veered away from the cars, her bare feet slapping against the pavement.

Through the parking lot, into the street. Horns blared at her. Brakes squealed. Drivers shouted.

Danielle ignored them. Above the shouting and honking, she heard voices behind her.

“She's getting away! Stop her!”

Faster, Danielle! she urged herself. Faster!

A full moon hung in the dark sky like a gleaming ball of ice. Danielle felt the light wash over her head and arms. Cold. Dangerous.

She ran harder.

Heart pumping, she leaped across the sidewalk and plunged into a dark wooded area.

The voices behind her faded.

Danielle kept running. Pine needles pricked her feet. Branches whipped across her arms and face and snagged at her hair.

Her side ached and the soles of her feet felt raw from running on the pavement. She slowed down, but she didn't stop.

She didn't dare stop.

A vine tangled in her hair, and Danielle hesitated. She heard a sound ahead of her.

She stopped. Listened hard.

Rippling water.

The river flowed to her left.

She knew these woods. She could cut through them and come out near her house.

Gasping with relief, Danielle felt a surge of new energy. She ripped the vine from her hair and started running again.

Batting branches out of her way, she spotted a glimmer of moonlight up ahead through the thick trees. Almost out of the woods, she told herself.

She turned. No one behind her.

Home, she thought. Got to get home.

It was two or three miles on the other side of the woods. But she could make it now. She knew she could.

Billy knows where I live, she remembered. Will he be waiting there for me? Is that why he didn't chase after me into the woods?

She couldn't think about that now. She just had to get home.

A rustling noise off to the right made her heart jump.

She paused, listening, peering into the thick darkness. Silence. A squirrel or a racoon, she told herself. Keep running.

Danielle reached the edge of the woods. She broke through the final barrier of branches and felt soft, cool dirt under her feet.

Which way is home?

Before she could decide, a figure crashed out of the woods and grabbed her arm.

Danielle let out a shriek of startled horror.

“Danielle! It's okay! It's me!”

Caroline!

Danielle sighed in relief. “Help me, Caroline!” she cried. “You've got to help me—or he'll kill me!”

Scratched and exhausted, Danielle flung herself at Caroline. “I—I can't run any farther. Help me, Caroline, please! He'll kill me! He'll kill me too!”

Caroline wrapped her arms around Danielle and held her tight. “Come on, Danny. Of course I'll help you,” she murmured softly.

“I've got to get home!” Danielle choked out. “He—he might hurt Aunt Margaret or Cliff!”

“You'll be okay. Catch your breath,” Caroline urged her. “I'll help you get home.”

Danielle rested her head on Caroline's shoulder. Gradually her breathing slowed. She stopped trembling.

Moonlight poured down on them. Danielle shivered. “Let's go,” she said. “Let's get out of here.”

“Catch your breath,” Caroline repeated. Her voice sounded different—low and hoarse.

“No. Come on. Hurry!” Danielle pleaded. “We can't waste time.”

Caroline didn't respond this time. Her hands felt heavy on Danielle's back. Danielle heard a low, rumbling sound from deep in Caroline's chest.

“Are you okay?” Danielle asked.

What's that smell? Danielle wondered. She sniffed the air. It smelled sour. Like a dog that hadn't been bathed in years.

Danielle shivered. “Caroline?” she whispered.

She spun around—and gasped. “No! No! It can't be!”

Caroline's blue eyes gleamed out at Danielle from a face covered in gray fur. The same bristly gray fur had sprouted over Caroline's arms and legs.

Another rumbling sound rose up from Caroline's chest.

And then her thick, purple lips drew back, revealing
sharp yellow fangs. Fangs that glistened with saliva. Fangs that were meant to tear into flesh and rip it apart.

As the cold moonlight poured down, Caroline tossed back her ugly, fur-covered head and let out a long animal howl.

Chapter 26

WHO CAN SHE TRUST?

T
he long, wailing cry shattered the quiet of the night. It ended in an ugly animal growl.

Caroline's eyes rolled wildly, catching the silver light of the moon. Thick saliva dripped onto the fur over her chin.

Her purple lips drew back again.

“Caroline!” Danielle cried. “You know me. I'm your friend. Please, Caroline!”

Caroline raised her fur-covered hands. The yellow nails had grown long and curled into ragged claws. Claws that could rip and tear.

Another inhuman growl started again, deep in Caroline's throat. She grabbed Danielle roughly with both claws.

“Caroline!” Danielle shrieked. “It's me—it's Danielle! Caroline, please!”

The blue eyes were all that remained of Caroline. The rest of her had transformed into a grunting, drooling creature.

A wolf?

A werewolf?

Choked with terror, Danielle struggled to pull away. But Caroline held on to her with inhuman strength. Then, over Caroline's shoulder, Danielle glimpsed two lights in the distance.

Headlights, she thought. A car. Somebody to help me.

Danielle shrieked as loud as she could. “Help! Over here! Help!”

An engine roared. The headlights loomed closer.

Caroline uttered an angry snarl and snapped her head around. Her grip loosened.

Danielle tore free and sprinted toward the bouncing headlights.

“Hey!” she shouted, waving her arms above her head. “Over here! Help!”

The lights blinded her for a moment. Then they swung away, and she could see the car. Not a car. A van.

The band's van, with Billy and Mary Beth inside.