Entry Thirteen

It was still night. They would have to stop driving around soon. Obviously, his apartment was out. Who knew where Mary lived. Mary didn't.

He decided they would have to get a hotel for the night, and take the time to talk things out.

He wondered how far from home they should get. On a whim, he decided to head to Santa Cruz. Who would look for them there?

It took 45 minutes to get there, and Mary was silent the whole time. Any attempt Tim made to engage her in conversation was met with silence.

He didn't bother to ask her opinion on where to stay. He just pulled into the first hotel that seemed empty enough to be available.

He was going to leave her in the car long enough to check in and pay, but then decided she was safer with him. Or was he safer with her? Whatever.

Together, they entered the office, and Tim asked for a room. The man at the counter barely glanced at them, merely asking for payment and giving them a key.

They drove through the parking lot, parking as near to Room #12 as they could. They entered the room and closed the door securely behind them. Mary literally sank onto the bed. She spoke for the first time in over an hour. "I am SO tired!"

Tim agreed, as he lay down next to her. She glanced over at him, through lowered lashes. He reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips. "We have to talk, Mary."

Seeing her hand against his lips, caused Mary to sigh softly. She really had no desire to talk, just desire. But it seemed that Tim thought differently, as he sat up abruptly.

"I would love nothing more than to make love to you, Mary, but we HAVE to talk." Frustrated, he rested his head in hands, elbows on his knees. Mary sat up and laid a hand on his back.

"Okay, Tim, let's talk." She stroked up and down, hoping to ease some of his tension.

"What are you, Mary?" His blunt question halted the strokes of her hand. He lifted his head to look at her. "I have been compelled all day, to do things that I have had no intention of doing. Then, that man Devon, claims that I have known you for a month! A month! I just met you this morning!"

"I know!" exclaimed Mary, "I just met you, too, but also, I feel as if I've known you forever."

"What are you then? A vampire, like he claims? He claims that someone bit you to make you forget me, and that you bit me, to make me forget you. But if you're a vampire, how were you walking with me today in the sunshine?"

"I can't answer any of these questions, Tim. I just can't remember. All I know is I met you this morning, and for some reason, I feel like I know you and can trust you. I know that you have a bruise on your wrist, and I have a bruise on my neck. Do you see fang marks in your bruise?"

Tim looked curiously at his wrist. He turned it this way, and that, holding it up under the light of the bedside lamp. All he could see was a round-shaped bruise.

Next, he looked at Mary's neck. Her bruise was exactly the same, though slightly larger. "Nope, can't see any punctures, only bruising."

"So, does that mean we weren't bitten by anything?"

"I don't know," replied Tim, "Obviously, I don't know anything."

Entry Twelve

Hand in hand, they walked out of Tim's apartment. No one tried to stop them, in fact, two large men standing outside actually stepped aside to let them pass.

The intensity of intimidation exuded by Devon seemed unreal now. Tim wasn't sure why he had been afraid.

He was, however, afraid of Mary, and yet not.

She seemed different, more in control, and less lost.

She didn't speak as Tim unlocked his car, merely got in the passenger side.

Tim got in, started the car, and backed out of the parking space. Pulling out of the lot, he began to drive aimlessly. He had no clear destination in mind, only an overwhelming need to keep moving.

Mary still did not speak, seeming sad and withdrawn. The control she had exhibited was gone as suddenly as it appeared. She was once again lost.

Tim couldn't bear the uncertainty of what was happening. With no idea what had happened the night before, nor exactly what was happening now, he was, himself, lost.

Had they escaped from this man Devon, or had they been let go? Who was Devon, exactly?

Mary did not seem to know, or did she? What had Devon meant...had Mary bitten him?

Entry Eleven

How had they walked, together, through the bright sunshine this afternoon?

If she was a vampire, then legends and myths say she could not be out in sunlight. And if he had been bitten, as Devon said he had, why had he been able to be out in sunlight? Also, he had no driving need to drink blood!

These thoughts and more roared through his mind, even as he moved towards Mary, away from Devon.

Devon himself, cringed in his seat. "Now, Mary, just calm down..."

"Calm Down! Who are you? Why have you taken Tim and tried to imprison me?" Mary's face was frightening in its intensity.

"Mary, you weren't imprisoned, only held for your own safety, while I came to speak to Tim. And you know me. You've known me for years. Only look deep inside yourself. You'll see it to be the truth."

Mary gaze turned blank, then thoughtful. She had shadowy recollections of being held tightly, of a brief, sharp pain, then .... nothing. She turned to Tim. She remembered him. At least, since this morning. And she felt safe with him, and attached.

But looking at him now, she realized that while he was drawn to her, he was also frightened. She held out a hand to him. "Trust me, Tim. Come to me. Let's leave here together."

Reluctantly, Tim put his hand in hers. Incredibly, her flesh was warm, the same as it had been earlier in the day. He wasn't sure why he had been buying into this whole vampire thing, but then, it had been a very long, weird day.

entry ten

getting back to mary, she was feeling sort of akward herself yet she felt as if she knew the men that had taken her.

as she sat thinking to herself she was feeling a bit worried about tim. a part of her wanted to go to him and make sure that he was ok but she couldnt get away from the men that were keeping her locked away. she felt more imprisoned than ever. its like she couldnt feel any more imprisoned as she did when she didnt know what was going on.

this feeling that was inside of her kept building up inside though, but why was it hurting so much? what was coming over her?

she finally yelled out," WHERE IS TIM!!!!"

the men didnt respond, so she yelled out again, " DAMN YOU! WHERE IS TIM! ANSWER ME!"

THEN MEN JUST LOOKED AT HER AND SAW THAT SHE WAS GETTING REALLY AGGITATED AND FINALLY ONE SPOKE UP,

"TIM IS WITH DEVON. YOU ARE TO WAIT HERE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE IS GIVEN TO TAKE YOU ELSE WHERE."

"I WANT YOU TO TAKE ME TO TIM RIGHT NOW OR ELSE!" MARY BLURTED AS IF KNOWING WHAT WAS TO HAPPEN NEXT.

AT THIS THREAT THE MEN BECAME VERY UNEASY AND DIDNT DARE TURN THEIR BACKS ON HER NOW. FOR SHE LOOKED SOME WHAT MORE BRIGHTER IN THIS DIM LIGHT.

MARY SUDDENLY FELT VERY STRONG AND NOT AS WEAK AS BEFORE. SHE FELT HER PULSE RISING AND TIME RACING BY FASTER THAN WHAT IT DID EARLY THAT DAY.

AS SHE WAS GATHERING HER STREGTH BACK THEN MEN STARTED TO NOTICE ANDN PACED AS FAR BACK AS POSSIBLE. MARY COULD SENSE THE FEAR STARTING TO BUILD UP WITH IN THE MEN.

AS SHE FACED THE FLOOR HER EYES MERELY GLARED AT THE MEN IN THIS OVER POWERING AND DOMINATING WAY THAT THE MEN JUST MOVED AWAY FROM THE DOOR AND SHE WALKED OUT WITH NO HESITATION.

ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS FIND TIM AT NO COST.

SHE FELT AS IF SHE KNEW WHERE TO GO AND THEN SOMETHING REALLY STRANGE HAPPENED AFTER SHE BLINKED HER EYES. SHE FOUND HER SELF IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SURROUNDING AND HEARD NEW VOICES. ONE OF THEM WAS TIM'S. BUT HOW DID THIS HAPPENED?

BUT WITH OUT A SECOND THOUGHT AND ALL THE SUDDEN STREGTH SHE WASNT ABOUT TO LOOSE BY BECOMING CONFUSED SHE BURST INTO THE ROOM.

TIM JUMPED FROM HIS SEAT AT THE LOUD BANG AND DEVON LOOKED UP IN THIS SORT OF PANIC HE HIM SELF HADDNT FELT IN SOME TIME.

DEVON WAS ACTUALLY AFRAID OF MARY AT THIS POINT AND TIM COULD SEE IT IN HIS EYES.

TIM WAS SCARED AT FIRST BUT WHEN HE REALIZED WHO IT WAS THAT BURST IN, EVEN AFTER BEING TOLD THAT MARY WAS A VAMPIRE... HE FELT AS IF HE WERE BEING PULLED TO HER SIDE.

ONLY ONE QUESTION LINGERED IN HIS MIND, HOW COULD SHE REALLY BE A VAMPIRE IF SHE WAS ABLE TO BE IN SUNLIGHT. AND IF HE WAS BIT WHY WAS HE ABLE TO BE IN THE SUNLIGHT AS WELL?

WHAT DID THIS MEAN? WHAT WAS GOING ON?

As Time Went On (ENTRY NINE)

"Let me tell you about Mary." The old man pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket, took one out and lit it.

After drawing on the cigarette and exhaling, he asked, "How old do you think Mary is?"

Tim shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe 22 or 23."

The old man laughed, a raspy, unused sound.

"Mary is older than you think. Mary is very special. Mary is 85 years old."

Tim laughed. "Old man, I thought you were crazy, now I'm sure."

"So you think I'm old and crazy, hmm? My name is Devon, and you Tim, are in way over your head." He contemplated Tim for a moment more, as he continued with his cigarette.

"Do you see the bruise on your wrist?" he finally asked Tim.

"What about it?" Tim unconsciously rubbed the bruise.

"You've been bitten, Tim." Devon rubbed the side of his own neck.

"Bitten? Bitten by what?"

"How dense are you, Tim? I've just told you that Mary is 85 years old, and that you've been bitten. Can't you put 2 and 2 together?"

"What? You're telling me that Mary is a vampire? She has a bruise herself, on her neck!"

"Because YOU caused her to runaway! She was bitten AGAIN, to make her forget! The same way you have been bitten to make you forget! Do you deny that you cannot remember last night? You were bitten last night to make you forget Mary! But it was too late! Even though she was bitten again, your influence still made her want to runaway. Which she did, without even knowing why. You have interfered with almost a lifetime of endeavors, Tim."

Tim decided it was time to sit. He sank down onto the couch, trying to wrap his mind around what this man was telling him.

As Time Went On (ENTRY EIGHT)

Tim watched as Mary was roughly thrust into a dark colored car. He struggled helplessly as it drove away, leaving him behind with his captor.

In the dark, he couldn't make out too many features of the man, besides being big.

"What do you want?" he tried questioning the man.

The man didn't answer, merely started to pull him up towards his apartment. Amazingly, the man opened the door. It wasn't locked as he had left it this morning!

He was dragged into his own living room. It was then he noticed there was someone sitting in his chair.

"Who are you?" he demanded, angry at this invasion of his home.

The person sitting in his chair, reached over and flicked on the table lamp. In the soft glow, Tim saw an older gentleman, perhaps around 60 years of age. "Who are you? Why are you here?" demanded Tim again.

The man smiled, not a sincere smile. "Young Tim," he began, "You took something that belongs to me."

"What are you talking about? I don't even know you!"

"Oh, you know me, and you took something very precious to me."

"What? What could I have taken from you? Like I said, I don't even know you!"

"You took Mary." The old man's voice hissed out.

"Mary? I just met Mary today! What the heck is going on?"

"Tim, you met Mary over a month ago. You have been seeing her every night since then. You come to MY pub, every night, and try to convince her to leave. Last night you finally succeeded in convincing her that she was a prisoner."

Tim eyed the man carefully, thinking, This guy is crazy!

"Look, I just met Mary today, at a bookstore in Mountain View. I admit I was at a pub last night, I can only assume that's your pub. But I think I would remember if I met Mary a month ago."

The old man laughed. "That's where you are wrong, Tim."