Eviline

The rest of that day I concentrated on the practical. I burnt the stake to ashes. Broke up the bed and took it and the mattress to the tip. Bought a new bed. I put the chain back on my cross and put it on. I started anointing myself with Holy Water. I put the flat on the market and persuaded the Company to transfer me to the City. I reasoned that, on the principle that if the best place to hide a pebble is on a beach, the best place to hid a person is in a big city. I called Jim Carpenter again, just before I left to come here.

'Jim, it's Steve. You remember that stuff we talked about in the King's Head?'

'Don't want to, but yes.'

'Reckon I met the person responsible. And I've dealt with it, I think. Hope you don't get any more deaths like it to report.'

'Bloody hell! You think you've stopped it? What was it?'

I noted he said 'what was it', not 'who was it'. That made me chuckle, though without humour. 'I see you've got some ideas of your own. To answer your question, a vampire.'

'Yea, won't pretend I'm surprised to hear it. No story in it for me, though. Editor would think I'd gone mad, might be right too! Thanks anyway.' The phone went dead.

Annie, You said I should tell someone, go for counselling. Who should I tell? Who would believe me? The Authorities would either arrest me for murder or section me to a mental institution, or both. And I think that a similar outcome might occur with a counsellor. I could tell no one, at least not until today. And that's it. The entire story. I hope that you understand why I have 'nightmares' about it."

I sighed.

"I said that was all, well not quite. There is one more thing. Just as the stake stabbed into her, her face changed again. Her pupils became round again and in her eyes I saw the human soul she had been. A soul tortured and agonised. And as the explosion hurled me from the bed I thought I heard her whisper 'thank you.'

As time has gone on my fear has subsided. I will never take off my cross and I'll always use holy water. But although I've looked, I've seen no more reports of strange deaths; so perhaps I did destroy her, or it. Or perhaps she's gone a long way away, knowing that some people at least were alert to what was really going on."

I sighed and finally looked at Annie.

Her eyes were searching my face and slowly her expression of horror softened.

"I don't know that I can believe what you've told me, Paul. But it is obvious that you believe everything that you've told me; and that's good enough for me, at least for now. I'm not going to tell anyone what you've said either. It is too fantastic."

"Annie, you are a truly wonderful person."

"Thanks. I should be terrified of you, shouldn't I Paul. On the face of it you're either a murderer or delusional, or more likely a delusional murderer. But I can't believe that about you. I don't believe you are delusional and if she was what you said you aren't really a murderer either. I don't know what to make of it."

Her face and voice filled with compassion. "But right now I want to hold you. It must have been a terrible ordeal for you and I can see how much talking about it has upset you."

We snuggled down into the bed together. Annie took me in her arms. The touch of her hands soothed me and I felt myself start to relax again. I felt warm, comforted and safe.

I startled to kiss Annie's face and then moved down to lick and nibble her neck just as she liked it. Annie sighed with pleasure. The tip of my tongue felt for and found the pulse in her neck.

A soft murmur. "If what you said is true, I must admit I can see the logic of your conclusions. As for her being able to pin you down, that's scary. You're much stronger than you look Paul, so her strength must have been amazing."

"Um. Surprised that that is what gets you to believe me, though."

"I didn't say I believed it, not yet anyway. You really don't have proof of any of this do you?"

"I don't know what you would call proof." I whispered. "There is one thing you forgot though ..." I reached out and took one of her hands in mine. Caressing her fingers I moved her hand to my neck.

"I can show you ..." My tongue sensing her delicious pulse I took the sweet flesh of her neck into my mouth, I could feel her pulse surging between my teeth. Whispering around my mouthful of flesh, I pressed her hand to the plaster on my neck and added, " ... exactly where she bit me."