〃Where are we going？〃 I ask。
〃My place；〃 he says。
〃Can you walk to your place from here？〃
〃Yeah。〃 He pauses and studies me out of the corner of his eye。 Although he's striving to act cool； his breathing is rapid； his heart pounds。 He definitely knows I am more than I seem； more dangerous than a cop with a gun。 But he doesn't know I'm a vampire。 There are no images in his mind of my drinking his blood。 But the farther we walk； the more difficult his thoughts are to penetrate…another mystery。 Yet I know he is worried what will happen with me in connection with another； how our meeting will go。 This other； I sense； is also dangerous； in the same way he thinks I am。
The other is close。 Waiting。
Are we going to meet another vampire？
There should be no other vampires； other than Seymour and myself。
I smile。 〃Do you live alone？〃
〃Yeah；〃 he says； and his hands brush against his coat pocket。 I realize he has a weapon there； and wonder why I didn't spot it before。 The gun must be unusually small； I think。 But when I sniff with my nose； I detect not even a trace of lead or gunpowder in the air； and I can smell a bullet from a quarter of a mile away。 My questions pile one on top of the other； but I am far from ready to walk away from the encounter。 There is a puzzle here…I must solve it。
〃I live with my brother；〃 I say。
〃The guy back at the bar？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃He doesn't look like your brother。〃 There is a bite to his remark。 For some reason； Seymour is still very much on this guy's mind。 Why？
〃We had different fathers；〃 I say； and my own hand brushes against the knife I wear in my belt beneath my black leather coat。 Nowadays； I can kill a man at better than a mile with my trusty blade。 Even good old Eddie Fender； a psychopath if ever there was one； would be useless against my new and improved reflexes。
Dan snorts。 〃I never knew my father。〃
That is one truth in a string of lies。
There is a warehouse at the end of the block； a shabby affair built to house dirty equipment and sweaty workers。 Using a key； he opens the door and we go inside。 The warehouse is chock full of shelves of metal gear； the nuts and bolts of larger pieces of machinery。 There is a pronounced smell of diesel fuel。 The yellow lights； coated in grime； are few and far away。 The shadows seem to shift as Dan turns toward me。 If he reaches for his weapon； I will put a foot in his heart。 Already； I think； I should kill him。 Yet I want to know why he has brought me to this place； who the other is。 Even though I reach out with my mind； I sense no one else in the building。 He studies me in the poor light。
〃Are you really an artist？〃 he asks。 His curiosity is genuine； as is his continuing fear。 He wants the other to arrive soon； so he can return to the streets。
〃No；〃 I say； 〃I lied。〃
My remark unsettles him。 He thinks about his weapon…the small something in his coat pocket。 He shifts uneasily。
〃What are you then？〃 he asks。
〃A vampire；〃 I say。
He smiles； a lopsided affair。 〃No shit。〃
〃Yeah。 It's true。〃 Still staring at him； I begin to move around him。 He feels my eyes…I let the fire enter them； sparks of pressure。 Sweat appears on his forehead and I continue。 〃I am a five…thousand…year…old vampire。 And you are a murderer。〃
His upper lip twists。 〃What are you talking about？〃
〃You； Dan； your private occupation。 Because I'm a vampire； I can read your mind。 I know about the two girls you killed； how you strangled them and then ate a big red steak afterward。 Killing makes you hungry…that's one of the reasons you do it。 That's opposite of me。 I kill to satisfy my hunger。〃 I reach out and finger the sleeve of his shirt。 〃I'm thinking of killing you。〃
He brushes my hand away。 Yet he doesn't go for his gun。 Someone has warned him that could be fatal。 〃You're insane；〃 he says angrily。
I laugh softly。 〃You don't mean that； Dan。 Someone told you I was different so you're not pletely surprised by what I say。 I want to know about that someone。 If you tell me now； tell me everything you know； I might let you live。〃 Once more I reach out。 This time I touch his left ear； but before he can swat my hand away； I pinch it。 Rather hard； I think。 He is in pain。 〃Talk；〃 I say softly。
〃Stop；〃 he pleads； as I force him to bend over。
〃Just a slight tug of my hand；〃 I say； 〃and your ear will separate from your head。 I am very strong。 So talk to me； while you still can。 Who is to meet me here？〃
〃I don't know。〃 He squeals as I twist his ear。 〃I don't know！〃
〃Tell me what you do know。〃
He gasps for air。 〃She is just someone I know。 She came to me after I killed the first girl。 She said I could work for her。 She gave me money。 Please； you're hurting me。 Let me go！〃
I shake him hard。 〃What is so special about her？ Why didn't you just kill her and take her money？〃
Red appears on the left side of his head。 His ear is ing loose。 He tries to straighten up and I force him back down。
〃Her eyes；〃 he cries。 〃She has strange eyes。〃
I pause； and then let him go。 He is bleeding badly now。
〃What is strange about her eyes？〃 I ask quietly。
He holds his hand to his ear； panting。 〃They're like yours；〃 he says bitterly。
〃Is she a vampire？〃 I ask。
He shakes his aching head。 〃I don't know what she is。〃 He takes his hand away； it is soaked in blood。 〃Oh God。〃
I frown。 〃Does she have exceptional strength？〃
The blood continues to drip from his ear onto his blue shirt。 〃I don't know。 She never hurt me like you just did。〃
〃When is she ing here？〃 I demand。
〃She should be here now。〃
There is a sound off to my right； deeper in the warehouse。 As I whirl to confront it； I also reach into Dan's coat pocket and remove his weapon。 It is not something I can use to protect myself； not without study。 It is a small rectangle of metal； with buttons on the side。 Really； it looks like some sci…fi creation to defeat alien monsters。
Two figures move in the shadows beyond the towers of drawers。 One is Heidi； the other Seymour。 Heidi has one of these funny little boxes in her right hand； pressed to Seymour's neck。 She stands behind him； using him as a shield。 She is no longer drunk。 When she speaks； her voice resonates with power and authority。
〃Throw down the matrix or I will kill your friend；〃 she says。 〃Do so now。〃
The matrix will take me several minutes to master and is of no use to me right then so I throw it down。 Heidi takes a step closer； bringing Seymour with her。 It is clear； from her body language； that she is stronger than my vampiric friend。 The big question is； am I stronger and quicker than she is？ Seymour stands relatively still； knowing the danger is real。 Heidi's expression is harder to decipher。 There is an emptiness to it； an almost total lack of humanity。 I wonder at the transformation in her； and realize that Seymour and I have been set up。 Dan fidgets on my left； anxious to be gone。 His left ear continues to bleed freely。 He speaks to Heidi。
〃I have done everything you asked；〃 he says。
She nods。 〃You may leave。〃
Dan turns toward the door we entered。
〃Wait；〃 I say in a simple yet powerful tone。
Dan pauses in midstride and glances over at me； sweating； bleeding； shaking。 But my attention is on Heidi； or on the creature inside her。 Right then she reminds me of James Seter； Ory of ancient Egypt； the Setian that possessed Dr。 Seter's adopted son。 Yet there is something different about her as well。
〃I don't want Dan to leave；〃 I add softly； planting the idea deep inside Dan's mind； so he has no choice but to stay。 But I am not the only one in the room with subtle powers。
〃Leave now；〃 Heidi tells Dan。
His paralysis breaks。 He takes another step toward the door。
I reach out and grab him； and now Dan is my shield。 My fingers are around his neck and I push him toward Heidi and Seymour。
〃Release Seymour or I will kill him；〃 I say。
In response Heidi levels her matrix in our direction and pushes a button on the side of the black box。 There is a flash of red light； and I let go of Dan and dive to the side； behind a tower of drawers。 The weird light hits Dan and he is