Lon Chaney Has Nothing On You

Chapter 13

Hunter took off first, sprinting into the house as fast as he could go. The boys hurried after him but Jordan grabbed Eleanor's arm when she went to follow.

"Dad, you have to get everyone out of here, then find the water supply" Jordan instructed. Recognition sparked in his eyes and he hurried off, yelling at them to be careful. "Eleanor, Natalie, you're with me." Eleanor nodded, thankful for her leadership. She follows close behind, stake at the ready.

"Those are my friends in there," Natalie said softly, so quietly that Eleanor didn't think she meant anyone to hear here.

Jordan stopped abruptly and looked Natalie in the eye.

"Those girls in there are dead," Jordan said. "Everything human about them is gone. We can't afford to hesitate."

Eleanor ducked her head, heart racing. While she didn't know those girls, she was still their classmate. It's heartbreaking, but they couldn't think about that now.

"I..." Natalie struggled for a minute, but before she could continue, there was a scream, and all three girls were on alert.

"Come on," Jordan commanded, and the girls followed, racing into the house. Eleanor stopped short when she got into the living room, gagging on the smell of blood. There was a boy on the floor, mangled beyond belief. There are three cheerleaders in the room, each pinning their friends.

Hunter was forced to kneel in the middle of the floor, thrashing hard against his captor.

"Jordan!" he gasped. "The vial!"

"What vial?" Someone stepped out of the shadows and Eleanor gasped. It was the vampire they'd capture, the one she's staked so clumsily. "What do you have, puppy?"

"Puppy... you!" Natalie gasped. "You killed David! You killed my boyfriend!"

"Oh yeah," the vampire laughed. "I'd almost forgotten. My bad."

Natalie snarled, but Eleanor held her fast. Vampire's were stronger, faster, and the only way to best them was to outsmart them.

Jordan made her way carefully through the living room, towards the vampire.

"We want to talk to Paulina," she said. Rob shook his head, squirming against one of the cheerleader's hold.

"We already tried that!" he said.

"Shut him up," the main vampire said. "Or better yet, just kill him." At those words, all hell broke loose and Hunter roared, deep and decidedly inhuman. It seemed to scare the vampire's so much, they broke their hold on the boys, who darted for the door.

Before the vampires could get them, Eleanor realized the plan and threw her stake up at the sprinklers.

"Nice, Eleanor!" Jordan yelled, grabbing the girls and hauling them out. Water burst from the sprinklers and the vampires screamed, burning. Rob and Rich blasted out of the house, collapsing on the front yard.

Finally, Hunter burst out, dragging one of the cheerleaders out. He threw her roughly down, settling his weight over her to keep her still.

"Traitor," the vampire snarled, looking up at Natalie.

"Look who's talking," Natalie snarled back.

"Tell us where the nest is," Hunter told her sharply. "Talk and we'll make this quick."

Fear flickered in her eyes, and Eleanor couldn't help feel sorry for the girl. She couldn't have possibly know what she was getting into.

"It's this house," she said reluctantly. "Like ten minutes from here. They brought us there to turn us, and they kept saying they'd give us their blood if we helped bring the wolf in."