Chris narrowed his eyes. “How do you know my name?”
Then it struck him. This weird-looking kid was one of Oliver’s people, wasn’t he? One of those freaks with powers. That’s why he resembled a vampire. He probably was one!
The strange boy smiled, his thin lips twitching. “My name is Malcolm Malice.”
He had a posh voice, like one of the kids from the expensive Catholic school up the road. Chris had pounded a few of them in his time, too.
“I don’t care who you are,” Chris snapped. “I want to know how you know me.”
Irritated by the stranger, Chris lunged for the boy and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. He screwed the fabric up in his fist and glared into the boy’s face.
The boy looked down at his crumpled shirt. When his eyes roved back up to Chris’s face, his expression had changed. It turned very hard and very cold. He narrowed his disconcerting eyes.
Then, suddenly, Chris went flying through the air. The boy had pushed out with his hands, sending him catapulting backward. He tumbled down the steps and landed on the gravel with a thud.
Chris tried to scramble to his feet, but the gravel slid beneath his shoes, making him tumble. The boy was advancing down the steps at a frightening speed. All at once, he was looming over Chris. Chris cowered, suddenly terrified.
“I’ve been sent here to ask for your help,” Malcolm replied. “Regarding your brother, Oliver.”
Chris shook his head. “He’s not my brother. And second, I’d never do anything to help him!”
Malcolm chuckled. “No, you misunderstand me. I don’t want you to help Oliver. I want you to help me. I want you to aid me in—how should I phrase it?—destroying Oliver.”
Chris paused. His eyebrows rose to his hairline. Malcolm had certainly piqued his interest.
“Destroy him? How?” He lowered his voice to an excited whisper. “Do you mean kill him?”
No sooner had he said the word kill than he felt a wonderful ripple of joy course through him.
“Why, yes,” Malcolm replied. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
He leaned down, offering his hand to Chris. Chris was still scared of the boy and the power he’d demonstrated. But he was also intrigued. He was being offered the thing he wanted more than anything in the world. To kill Oliver.
A smile spread across his face as he took hold of Malcolm’s hand and allowed him to heave him up to standing.
“All right,” Chris said. “Let’s talk.”