Outside the air was crisp, in stark contrast to the thick, noisy, warm atmosphere in the bar. “We’ll take it from here,” Marnie said.

“I’ve got to get back inside….” Bethany, sounding pissed.

“If anyone asks…” Grace’s voice, as if from a distance.

“I know what to say. Just get her out of here now, before someone comes.”

Bethany had been the one to put something in Kristi’s drink.

Fool! You knew she was in Grotto’s class as well!

She tried to yell, to call for help, but only the smallest sound escaped her lips.

The door slammed behind them and Kristi realized she was being held between Marnie and Grace and she couldn’t move at all, couldn’t command her muscles to do what her brain was asking.

For the other girls, all the joviality, the silliness of the evening, seemed to have worn off.

“Stupid bitch,” Marnie said, forcing Kristi along a dark alley. “Stupid, snooping bitch.”

“You want to know about vampires?” Grace asked as Kristi’s dread increased. “Believe me, tonight, you’ll learn.” She grinned down with a malice so cold Kristi’s heart quivered. Behind her braces, just barely visible, were a set of glistening white fangs.

Kristi blinked again, tried to scream, made one last attempt to kick out at the two girls dragging her down the alley, but she was helpless as a kitten. Her limbs refused to move, her voice was mute, the world distorted, blackness threatening to overtake her.

She thought they’d shoved her into a car…but she didn’t know if that was right.

She was lying across a backseat, headlights flashing on the ceiling of the car, Marnie and Grace in the front seat. Was Trudie dressed as the character of Death, with her in the back? Or, was it Bethany?

Her mind spun and, try as she might, Kristi couldn’t find reality. Jay…oh, God…she thought of Jay. Where was he? Had she told him she loved him? And her father…was he alive? Hadn’t she seen Rick Bentz’s face in black and white?

Where the hell was she?

She blinked and realized the car ride, if that’s what it was, was over. She was being half dragged again.

Where were they taking her?

What did they have planned?

The chapel bells tolled loudly…so close she knew they were on campus…. She blacked out for a second—or was it longer?—only to realize that she was alone.

And she was naked.

Lying on a couch of some kind.

A mist rising all around her.