Jason straddled his board and waited until he saw a wave coming in that he liked. A nice tall one. The roundhouse needed speed, and for speed he needed to start high on the top of the wave. He flattened himself out on his belly and paddled for the shore as fast as he could. He felt the back of his board lift as the sweet wave rose up beneath him.

  He popped to his feet, then started down the wave’s face. Then before the wave flattened out too much, he started his turn. He leant back a little, but kept his board flat. If he let the board tip, he’d lose momentum. Wait for it, wait for it, Jason coached himself. Now! He pressed down on his heels and lifted the balls of his feet – and went spinning out. The wave crashed over him, and Jason came up coughing.

  He’d broken the number one rule of surfing. He hadn’t kept the majority of his body weight over the midpoint of the board. Well, nothing to do but try again.

  For the next hour, Jason worked on his turn until his entire body felt battered, and he’d managed to perform the move correctly three times in a row. He’d even managed to touch the water with his inside hand on the last try. That was true style.

  Jason decided to quit on that moment of triumph. As he paddled to shore, he spotted Adam on the beach. ‘What are you doing here?’ Jason asked as he climbed out of the water with his board.

  ‘Thought you might be here,’ Adam said. ‘I went by your house and saw your car was gone. I’m jonesing for a Rooty Tooty Fresh ’n’ Fruity. Shall we hit IHOP?’

  ‘Well, I’ve already eaten a double helping of the ocean floor,’ Jason admitted. ‘But I could probably squeeze in a pancake. Hey, did you see my last turn?’

  ‘Yeah. You almost took another spill. Nice recovery,’ Adam answered.

  ‘Leaning over and touching the water like that is style,’ Jason corrected as he toweled off. ‘It’s flair. It’s finesse.’

  Adam shrugged. ‘Well, it looked like you were about to fall on your butt.’

  ‘Did you talk to Bree about Van Dyke’s barbecue?’ Jason asked Adam as they started for the steps in the side of the cliff.

  ‘We’ll be there,’ Adam said. ‘I’ve even got the OK to borrow my dad’s car, so I can pick her up. She’s at her friend’s place in Topanga Canyon, so the Vespa wasn’t really an option.’

  ‘Van Dyke is going to be most impressed,’ Jason told him.

  ‘Well, I live to impress Van Dyke,’ Adam shot back.

  ‘Thanks, this looks great!’ Jason said, as Van Dyke handed him a plate of grilled steak, corn on the cob and baked beans, later that day.

  ‘Jason’s easily impressed by cooking skills,’ Sienna laughed from the deck chair next to his. ‘He’s still working on Egg Boiling 101.’

  Van Dyke grabbed another deck chair and dragged it up next to theirs. ‘I’m not surprised. He’s backward in many areas. I was just getting him up to speed as a member of the relay team, and now school is almost over.’ He shook his head sadly.

  I’m going to miss this clown, Jason thought. He didn’t hang out with Van Dyke except as part of the bigger group, but Van Dyke always made any event more entertaining. ‘What are you doing this summer?’ Jason couldn’t believe he’d never asked.

  ‘No big plans. Enjoy the Malibu summer,’ Van Dyke said with a shrug. ‘Get ready to leave for Harvard.’

  Jason raised his eyebrows. ‘Harvard? You going to swim for them?’

  ‘Pre-law.’

  Jason frowned. ‘Wow! I’m impressed. I didn’t even know you had an interest in law.’

  ‘Had young Mr Freeman paid attention to anything other than the lovely Ms Devereux all year, he might have acquired a few interesting facts about his other class-mates,’ Van Dyke said with a grin, giving Jason a friendly slap on the shoulder. Jason was pretty sure it would leave a bruise.

  ‘I’ve—’ Jason began to protest.

  I know. You’ve had a few other—’ Van Dyke began, but he was interrupted by the ring of his cell. ‘Talk to me,’ he said, flipping it open. He listened for a moment, his expression turning serious. ‘I’m leaving now.’ He snapped the phone shut. ‘That was Maggie.’

  ‘Where is she?’ Sienna asked. ‘She said she was only going home to change her clothes.’

  ‘While she was in the house someone slashed her tires,’ Van Dyke said.

  ‘What?’ Belle exclaimed, an ear of corn poised halfway to her mouth.

  ‘I didn’t even know they tolerated that kind of petty crime in DeVere Heights,’ Jason commented. ‘I thought this was a strictly white-collar crime zone.’

  Brad barked out a laugh. ‘Maybe the little juniors are feeling very mature and bad ass now that the school is about to become theirs, and one of them did it.’

  Van Dyke shrugged. ‘I’m going to go pick her up,’ he said. ‘One of you watch the grill. Get whatever you want from the fridge.’ He hurried away around the side of the house.

  Zach tossed another steak on the fire. Erin turned the music up a little louder.

  ‘Aren’t Adam and Brianna supposed to be here too?’ she asked Jason a little later.

  ‘I saw Adam this morning and he said they would be,’ Jason told her. ‘And you know how Adam hates to miss free food.’

  ‘He and Brianna probably wanted to get in a little alone time first,’ Sienna said. ‘They’re a new couple, remember.’

  As if Jason was past wanting to get in a little alone time with her!

  ‘Does anyone know what we’re doing for senior cut day?’ Belle asked. ‘Last year the seniors skipped school and went to the Santa Monica pier. But that’s too ordinary.’ She dipped a foot into the pool.

  ‘I thought every day was senior cut day now anyway,’ Brad joked.

  ‘Not if you have Mr Tomlinson,’ Sienna said. ‘He announced to all his classes that if anyone is absent without a doctor’s note – a doctor’s, not just a parent’s – he will personally write to the college where you’ve been accepted and tell them to reconsider because you lack the proper seriousness.’

  ‘Ed Gerner’s mom’s a doctor. He’ll sell you a piece of her office stationery for a hundred bucks,’ Zach threw out.

  ‘You know his mom’s a cosmetic surgeon, right?’ Erin asked. ‘So you guys might want to come up with a plan B.’

  ‘Maybe we could go on a tour of the stars’ homes for cut day,’ Belle suggested. ‘I’ve lived practically on top of Hollywood my whole life and I’ve never done that.’

  ‘Maybe because it’s so incredibly tacky?’ Erin asked.

  ‘That’s why it would be fun,’ Belle told her.

  Everyone threw out more possibilities for cut day, until Belle announced she was frying in the sun. ‘I’m going in the pool. I don’t care if I don’t have my bathing suit.’

  Brad looked intrigued. Jason tried not to look intrigued. Belle laughed as she jumped into the pool with all her clothes on.

  ‘I’m going in too!’ Erin leapt into the pool without even taking off her jeweled flip-flops.

  Jason stood up and grinned at Sienna. She grinned back and took a step toward the pool. Then her cell rang. She pulled it out of her purse and answered, then frowned as she listened.

  ‘He definitely already left, Maggie,’ Jason heard her say. ‘He should be there. Call me as soon as he shows up, OK?’

  ‘Van Dyke’s not at Maggie’s yet?’ Jason asked as Sienna hung up. Every eye was on Sienna as she shook her head.

  ‘Maggie lives in the Heights,’ Zach said. ‘Five minutes away.’

  Jason nodded as everyone exchanged worried glances. They all knew that Van Dyke should have been there and back, already.

  Seven

  BELLE CLIMBED OUT of the pool and wrapped herself in a beach towel. The afternoon sun was hot, but Jason could see that she was shivering. She was still so on edge after Dominic’s death.

  ‘Call Van Dyke,’ Jason suggested.

  Sienna nodded and punched Van Dyke’s speed dial number on her cell. ‘His voice mail’s picking up,’ she told the group. ‘Hey, it’s Sienna,’ she said into the phone. ‘Maggie’s wondering where you are, and so are we. Call us.’ Slowly, she clicked the phone shut.

  ‘That’s it. I’m going to look for him,’ Brad announced. Jason stood up. ‘I’ll go with you.’

  ‘Me too,’ Sienna said.

  ‘No,’ Jason told her. She stared at him. ‘Some people need to be here in case he shows up,’ he explained. Which was a reason, just not the reason. He knew Sienna could handle herself in threatening situations. He’d seen her do it. He even knew that she was stronger than he was, stronger and faster. But he didn’t want her out there when who knew what was going on. The only thing they were sure of was that vampires were disappearing. Maybe whatever had happened to Van Dyke had no connection to the disappearances. But if it did, Jason was in less danger than Sienna was. So he wanted her here, with Zach and the others. This was the safest place she could be.

  ‘Please,’ he said softly.

  ‘OK,’ Sienna agreed. ‘But be careful. Remember you’re only human.’

  Jason nodded, then he and Brad raced out to Brad’s car. Brad drove to Maggie’s slowly, so they could both look for any sign of Van Dyke. They didn’t see his car or any indication of an accident.

  Maggie burst out onto the driveway the instant they pulled up. ‘Where is he?’

  ‘We’re not sure, Mags,’ Brad told her. ‘Maybe he decided to stop on the way for something? More ice or paper towels?’ He gave a helpless shrug.

  ‘What if that’s not what’s happened?’ she snapped.

  ‘We don’t know what’s happened,’ Jason said firmly. ‘Let’s head back to his house. Does he always take the same route over here?’

  Maggie rattled off the same streets they’d used to come by. There was no sign of Van Dyke on the way back.

  ‘Did he call?’ Brad asked, when they joined the others who were now gathered in the living room of Van Dyke’s house.

  ‘No,’ Zach said simply.

  ‘So what do we do now?’ Sienna asked.

  Before anyone could answer, the doorbell rang.

  ‘Maybe it’s him!’ Maggie exclaimed, rushing to answer it.

  The others waited in silence. Nobody bothered to point out that Van Dyke wouldn’t ring his own doorbell.

  ‘It’s Adam and Brianna,’ Maggie announced, leading them into the living room. Her voice was strained.

  Jason got it. He didn’t particularly want an outsider here right now, either. They were all way too worried about Van Dyke to bother pretending they weren’t vampires in front of Brianna.

  ‘Listen, Turnball. Something came up unexpectedly that Van Dyke had to deal with,’ Zach told Adam. ‘I’m sorry, but I think you should take Brianna home now.’

  Adam immediately seemed to take in what category of unexpected something they were dealing with. ‘All right,’ he answered. ‘Is there anything I can do?’ he asked. ‘Maybe there’s an errand I can run on my way back home? Or I could drop back by here and check in to see if you need anything?’

  ‘It’s under control,’ Zach said pleasantly, but firmly.

  ‘All right,’ Adam repeated. ‘We’ll get going.’

  ‘I hope everything’s OK. Um, tell Van Dyke thanks for inviting me,’ Brianna told the group. Then she turned and followed Adam out of the room.

  ‘So what do we do?’ Sienna asked again when Adam and Brianna had pulled out of the driveway.

  ‘Is there any way to get in touch with our parents?’ Erin asked.

  Zach shook his head. ‘The meeting is being held in an area that doesn’t have cell phone service or land lines. But this is something we should be able to handle ourselves.’

  ‘That’s not an answer,’ Erin said impatiently.

  ‘It’s all the answer I have for now,’ Zach told her. ‘There’s no point in doing anything without information. For now, we go on as normal. That means school tomorrow. I’ll get in touch with my sources and see what I can find out.’

  ‘That’s it? We just go to school and sit on our butts?’ Brad demanded, his face twisted with anger.

  ‘For now, yes,’ Zach replied, his voice even and unemotional. It was clear from his tone that the discussion was over.

  ‘I’m at least going to drive around town and see if I spot him anywhere,’ Brad said.

  ‘I’ll go with you,’ Maggie insisted.

  ‘If you do see any sign of him, call me. I don’t want either of you to take any action without my approval,’ Zach told them.

  Brad hesitated a fraction of a second, then nodded.

  ‘Bring Maggie back to my place when you’re done, OK?’ Sienna asked.

  ‘OK,’ Brad said.

  Sienna glanced from Belle to Erin. ‘I guess we should all go back to my house. Will you take us, Jason?’

  ‘Of course. Come on.’

  ‘I’m going to stay here. If he shows up, I’ll call all of you,’ Zach told them as they trooped to the front door.

  The drive to Sienna’s only took a few minutes. ‘Will you three be OK or do you want me to stay?’ Jason asked.

  ‘I think I want to go back to bed,’ Belle said with a wide yawn.

  ‘We stayed up pretty late last night,’ Sienna explained. ‘I think we’ll probably all go to sleep. You should just go home.’ She leant over and gave him a kiss that landed on the corner of his mouth. ‘I’ll see you at school.’

  Jason watched until Sienna, Erin and Belle were safely inside. He thought about staying parked in the driveway, keeping guard. But Zach wanted them to act normally, and that wasn’t normal, so he started home.

  As he made a left turn, he felt his shoulder twinge, although the crossbow wound there had completely healed. Psychosomatic, he decided. The disappearing vampires had gotten him thinking about vampire hunters.

  It’s true that Tamburo – the vampire hunter who had shot him – hadn’t minded leaving bodies around, but maybe other vampire hunters had different methods, he thought. Could Tamburo have belonged to a secret society? Were there hunters spread out all over the country?

  Jason pulled into his own driveway and shut off the ignition. He folded his arms on the steering wheel. Were there always going to be people trying to kill off every vampire on the planet? Were he and Sienna always going to be in danger from someone?

  He rested his head on his arms. Was this going to be his life? All through college and everything after that?

  If you want to be with Sienna, maybe it is, Jason thought. Was it worth it? Was she worth it?

  He lifted up his head, the answer instantaneous: hell, yeah, she was worth it. There was no way he was ever giving her up. ‘So go ahead and bring it on,’ he muttered. ‘Whoever you are.’

  Eight

  NORMAL, JASON THOUGHT as he headed across the DeVere High courtyard the next day. Here I am, acting normal.

  His body jerked as a hand slid up his back. Jason whipped round to see Sienna. ‘At least I didn’t squeal,’ he said. ‘You have to admit, I didn’t make a sound of any kind.’

  ‘We’re all a little jumpy today,’ Sienna reassured him.

  Jason checked the clock tower. Still ten minutes before first period. He sat down on the closest stone bench. Sienna took a seat next to him. The palm fronds over their heads rattled gently in the slight breeze.

  ‘I was thinking, would it be useful to bring the police in on this?’ Jason asked her. ‘Van Dyke’s a missing minor. They’d get right on it. Maybe they could find out something. And it’s not like absolutely everything that happens in Malibu has to do with your people.’

  ‘Great minds,’ Sienna said. ‘I asked Zach pretty much the same thing about an hour ago. He told me that his sources go deeper and wider than the police’s, and that getting the police involved could make it more complicated for us to do what we need to do – whatever that turns out to be. You know how Zach is. He doesn’t exactly tell you everything on his mind.’

  Jason nodded. ‘I guess Zach’s sources haven’t . . . ?’

  ‘Nothing yet,’ Sienna replied. ‘We were up all night, imagining all these terrible things that could have happened to him.’

  ‘Sounds like quite a slumber party,’ Jason commented.

  ‘It’s so weird being here today, isn’t it?’ Sienna asked, watching groups of kids go by, talking and laughing. ‘Only a few of us know anything is wrong. To everybody else this is a totally normal day. Better than normal because school is almost out. If people notice Van Dyke isn’t here, they’ll just think he has a bad case of senioritis and is cutting class to go out and have fun.’

  Whereas in reality he could be hurt, Jason silently added. Maybe dead.

  Sometimes Malibu didn’t seem like a place where people could die. It was naturally beautiful to begin with, but it had been shined and buffed and glossed until it was almost artificial. And maybe that was the point. When you were rich enough to live in Malibu, you could almost pretend the real world didn’t exist. You could almost pretend that shiny, glossy, beautiful – plus safe and happy – was reality.

  But the same ugly things happened in Malibu that happened in the rest of the world: illness, crime, divorce, death, even murder. Once Jason had almost fallen over the dead body of a murdered girl right on a stretch of beach so pretty it should have been on a postcard. Living here was no protection.

  ‘I guess we should head in,’ Sienna said as the crowd around them thinned out.

  ‘I guess,’ Jason agreed. They stood up and walked out of the sun and into one of the cool, dim walkways that ran through the school. ‘See you in English,’ he said when they reached the stone stairway he had to take to get to his world history class. Sienna gave a little wave as he started up the stairs.

  He reached the classroom with only seconds to spare before the second bell. Not that even the teachers could get themselves to care about that too much at this point. They were as ready for summer as everybody else.

  Mr Munro took roll, then popped in a DVD after handing out a sheet of questions that would be answered during the DVD viewing. He looked as tired as Brad and Maggie did. Jason wondered how long they’d stayed out searching for Van Dyke last night. He knew they hadn’t found even a hint about what had happened. Sienna would have called if they had.

 

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