Free Destined to Die (The Briar Creek Vampires, #3) by Jayme Morse & Jody Morse by Jayme Morse

felt. She knew that Gabe’s prophetic visions were
usually accurate, even though she hadn’t witnessed it
firsthand.
    Actually, now that she thought about, Lexi
realized that his visions could be changed. The first time he had
the vision about her being sacrificed, it was supposed to take
place on the night of the Halloween festival. They had outsmarted
the people of Briar Creek, though, and Lexi was still alive.
“Technically, it is different this time, so maybe it’s your first
vision,” she pointed out. “It didn’t happen on the same day. We
just need to figure out when it’s supposed to happen, and then find
a way to outsmart them.”
    “That’s going to be easier said than done,”
Austin said. “But I think we can do it.”
    “As long as I don’t have too many more
visions,” Gabe replied. “Usually, they’re much more spaced out than
this. I only have a few really important visions every year, but
I’ve had about the same amount in the past couple of months. It’s
taking a lot out of me, which has never happened before. That’s why
I needed blood so bad. I felt like my body went into a coma, into
shock, and I was going to pass out.”
    Lexi reached over and grabbed his hand. “What
happens if a vampire’s nutrients run out?”
    “I’ve never heard of it happening before,” Gabe
replied. “A vampire will kill a random stranger for blood before
becoming malnourished. If it did happen . . . it would probably
something similar to what I just experienced until I
died.”
    Lexi shuddered at thought. “I guess it’s a good
thing I was here. Imagine if it had happened when you were flying
back and forth to Briar Creek to see me.”
    “Speaking of which,” Austin said, standing up,
“I’m going to go see Mary-Kate.”
    “Isn’t that a really dangerous idea right now?”
Lexi asked. Even though no one would be looking for Austin because
they all thought he was dead, it still seemed like it could lead to
trouble if he wasn’t careful. What if somebody did see him? That
would be one of the worst things that they could happen.
    “I’m not going to Briar Creek,” Austin replied.
“She’s agreed to meet me in Huntington.”
    He opened the front door. Lexi heard
a soft crackling noise as his human form was replaced by the body
of a tiny bat, and he swiftly drifted away into the moonlit
sky.
    *
     
    Mary-Kate’s Jetta was idling next to Huntington
High, its headlights shining brightly through the dark night.
Austin flew towards the car and skirted in through the window that
Mary-Kate always left cracked open for him whenever they met. As he
made the change back to human, he hit his head on the dashboard.
“Ouch.”
    “Austin!” Mary-Kate squealed, a wide smile
crossing over her face. “I have missed you so much.”
    “I’ve missed you, too,” Austin replied,
planting a tiny kiss on her lips. He didn’t know why she was
wearing sunglasses at night, but he assumed it was so that no one
would notice who she was. “Do you have any news for me?”
    Mary-Kate sat back in her seat, playing with
her keys. “Well, have you turned on the news lately? Lexi’s been
all over TV and in the papers.”
    “Yeah, we’re aware of that,” Austin replied.
“Who’s going along with my parents on this? These so-called
witnesses of the murder she allegedly committed?”
    “Believe it or not, your parents don’t have
anything to do with it. They didn’t even report her missing. It’s
my dad.”
    Austin stared at her blankly. He knew that Greg
Lawrence had some dirty tricks up his sleeve, but he really thought
that his parents were responsible for this. “Why would he say
that?”
    Mary-Kate shrugged. “Easy. My mom’s going to
die soon, probably within the next two months if she doesn’t get to
drink some of Lexi’s blood.”
    “I’m sorry,” Austin murmured.
    “Thanks,” Mary-Kate muttered, lowering her
head. “We’re just trying to make the best of the time that we have
left.”
    Austin