Part 12 (1/2)

”What do you do, Marcus, besides buy coffee for girls? You work?”

”Nope, just a college dropout.” I had to think on the fly and that seemed like answer that fit the social situation.

”You live here alone?”

”Yeah.”

”How can you afford a sweet pad like this by yourself? You a trust-fund baby or something?”

I shrugged nonchalantly as I took another sip of my coffee. ”Yeah something like that.” I could play the role of a trust fund baby. That would be a h.e.l.l of a lot easier than explaining the truth.

We sat in silence for a few moments before she popped up out of the chair and asked, ”So you gonna give me a tour of the place or what?”

”Sure.” I set my cup back down on the coffee table and walked her through the apartment. It took the better part of twenty minutes, partially because I have a three bedroom apartment, but mostly because she liked to take her time looking at each room. She was meticulous-examining every fine detail. She was most impressed by the master bedroom, even though it still had my spa.r.s.e decorating touch. She sat on my king-size, four-poster bed, bouncing up and down a few times before going into the master bathroom, climbing into the Jacuzzi tub and claimed, ”I could die in here.”

Is it so wrong that my immediate thought was... Yes, you could. She climbed out of the tub and wandered around my room for a few more moments before coming to a stop at my bedside table. She eyed the odd collection of little trinkets before her gaze landed on the little plant. She seemed to study it for a moment, brus.h.i.+ng her fingers lightly over its leaves before walking out of the room.

When the tour was over, she picked up her bag off the floor and made for the front door. ”So you wanna hang out again sometime or what?”

”Um...” I was caught by surprise and wasn't sure how to respond.

”Sorry, I tend to be a little direct but you can say no if you want to. You seem nice enough and I don't have many friends. I know we just met but I don't know...thought maybe we could be pals.”

This chick was more than a little odd and I'm not one for keeping friends, but then a wonderful thought came to mind. The challenge I had been looking for had just delivered itself to me with a big red bow, or a khaki-green messenger bag, as it were. I had been in a rut, feeding on the goth kids, and Jules could break that boring tedious cycle. So without further hesitation I agreed.

”Cool. If you're not busy tomorrow, you wanna meet up at the coffee shop around three?”

”Sure,” I replied and she smiled.

”All right. I'll see ya then.” I nodded to her as she left and closed the door behind her. I smiled to myself. She didn't know that I had already decided any sort of relations.h.i.+p between us was doomed because she was mean to books, but I could fake it to give her what she wanted-a friend. In turn, I could get what I wanted-a thirteenth keepsake.

Over the course of the next two weeks, I met Jules at the coffee shop numerous times. We sat and had the get to know you kind of discussions: family, school, childhood-most of which I made up. After confessing to being a trust-fund baby, I didn't want to be caught unprepared again. So the first evening after she left I came up with a whole persona to feed her. I also made the decision to not feed again unless it was from her-figuring it would make my victory all that more sweet. However by our fifth meeting, I was very hungry; growing weary of my own game and ready for it to be done. As I left my apartment, I made the decision that the time was upon us, no more f.u.c.king around. I couldn't bring her back to my place though-what the h.e.l.l would I do with her body? I would need to get her to invite me back to her apartment-something she had yet to do. I would have to pour on the charm to get this done. It wouldn't be hard to accomplish because I am, after all, a pro.

When I arrived at the coffee shop she was already waiting for me, sitting at our usual table by the window with a drink in her hand. I waved to her as I ordered a black coffee and a chocolate chip scone. I wasn't hungry for food but I needed something to keep my teeth busy. I took up the chair across the table from her. She smiled a big, goofy grin at me and I returned the gesture.

We made our usual small talk for about twenty minutes, both of us picking at the scone, but I was too anxious to carry on the charade for much longer. I needed to steer the conversation towards us leaving but I wasn't sure how I was going to do it. There just didn't seem to be an opening for it to happen. I realized I was just going to have to force it.

”I'm kinda bored. You want to get out of here?”

”I guess. What do you want to do?” She smiled ”I don't know,” I said as casually as possible. ”Maybe we could go back to your place and watch a movie or something.”

The smile slowly left her face as she broke eye contact with me. There appeared to be hurt in her eyes as she glanced down at her wrist watch and started gathering her things. ”s.h.i.+t! I completely forgot I have a ton of reading to do for one of my cla.s.ses. So I'll have to take a rain check.”

”Okay,” I agreed hesitantly as she popped up off the chair and grabbed her usual gray cardigan, which had been hanging over the back.

”How about tomorrow? We can meet here first-same time as always?”

”Sure,” I agreed again, but before I could say anything else, she was gone. I stared out the window wondering what the h.e.l.l had just happened. Sure she's an odd little duck anyway but that behavior was strange, even for her. Maybe I had to concede, I was just projecting my own anxiety. I was disappointed that I wasn't going to feed today, but come h.e.l.l or high water, I would feed when we met again.

I spent that evening, and most of the next morning, jittery as h.e.l.l. I paced around the apartment wearing holes in all the rugs. I still had another twenty minutes before I could leave to meet her when there was a knock on the door. I stuck my eye to the peephole and saw Jules standing on the other side. ”Motherf.u.c.ker!” I whispered with clenched teeth and fists. What was she doing here? There would be no way I could casually shuffle her out of here and back to her place without arousing suspicion. This was seriously becoming more trouble than it was worth. I took some slow, deep breaths and plastered a phony smile on my face as I swung the door open.

”Jules, hey! I thought we were meeting at the coffee shop?” I feigned enthusiasm.

”Well, we were but you had mentioned something about watching a movie yesterday. Unfortunately, my roommate is home with the flu.” She held up two paper cups. ”So I brought the coffee to us and figured we could watch a movie here.” She smiled her sweet, innocent smile and I fought the urge to wring her neck.

”Sure,” I replied as I ushered her in. I was picturing all the ways I was going to torture her when I got the chance. I had never tortured any of my victims before but there's a first time for everything-and if anyone was deserving of it, she would be the one.

She handed me one of the cups and I took a swig. It was as bitter as my mood. I scowled behind her back, sipping the drink. She plopped down in the recliner again but stayed sitting straight up, looking almost proper. I wanted to chuck my drink at her but instead I chugged it down fast.

”You have any popcorn?” she asked and I shook my head. She reached in her bag and produced a box of microwave kernels. ”Oh, that's cool. I brought some.” I clenched my fist around the empty cup as I tried not to scream... Then why the f.u.c.k did you ask? Usually I found her strange behavior oddly charming, but now, I just wanted to throttle her for all her idiosyncrasies. She tossed me the box. I marched into the kitchen and shoved a bag into the microwave.

I tried again to take some deep breaths and calm myself down. I kept reminding myself it was early in the day yet, all was not lost. I poured the popcorn into a bowl as I heard the TV come on in the other room. Leaning my hands on the counter, I tried to center myself before going back to her. The past few weeks would have been for naught if I blew it now. I had to stay calm and focused. Picking up the bowl, I walked back to the living room.

I had almost made it to the couch when the room started to spin. The bowl slipped from my fingers and crashed to the floor, spilling popcorn all over the rug. Jules was still sitting straight as a rod, with the remote in her hand, flipping through the channels. ”You all right?”

”I don't know. I don't feel very well,” I responded, holding my head. My knees were starting to feel weak and I felt very unsteady on my feet.

”Yeah, about that, you might wanna lie down,” she said absently as she continued channel surfing. I meant to ask why, but before I had the chance, I collapsed to the floor and everything went black.

I slowly opened my eyes. I was so groggy and the room was still spinning. Turning my head, I realized I was lying in my bed. How the h.e.l.l did I get here? I lifted my head and peered around the room-everything seemed in order. Was I that tired that I just stumbled into my room and fell asleep? I guessed it was possible. I tried to swing my legs over the edge of the bed to sit up but they felt like two lead weights. I tried again but I couldn't make them move. I lifted my head again and it was then that I saw the ropes binding my legs to each post of my bed.

”What the f.u.c.k?” I asked as I tried to sit up. My shoulders were barely off the mattress when I figured out I couldn't move any further-my arms were bound as well. I yanked on the ropes but couldn't break loose. I yanked harder to no avail.

”Oh good, you're finally awake.” I snapped my head towards the sound of the voice to see Jules standing in the doorway. ”I've been bored out of my mind. Two hundred and fifty channels and not a d.a.m.n thing to watch.”

”Jules? What the h.e.l.l are you doing?”

”Playing a game, Marc. Isn't that what you like to do? Play little games?”

”Did you drug me?”

She held her fingers up. ”A little bit”

”Why?”

She walked slowly, deliberately, into my room. Stopping at the foot of the bed, she gazed down at me. She held onto the post to my left and swung herself around so she was near my head. Leaning down over me, she whispered in my ear, ”Because I know who you are, Marc Keary, and I know what you've been up to.” My eyes grew wide with surprise as she slowly rose to her full height and crossed the room to stare out the window at the twilight of the city.

”How?” was all I managed to whisper.

”We're alike, you and I.” I was stunned into silence. I had never met another vampire before. I was self-taught; my sire made me leaving immediately after turning me. I b.u.mbled my way through most of my existence. I felt an odd sense of relief knowing another had found me yet it was mixed with fear since I was, after all, tied up.

”How did you know what I was?”

”I've been watching you for a long time. I wanted to be friends until you decided to make me a victim. Rule number one that you must never forget with me-I'm a predator, Marc... not prey.”