 
Whaling City Vampires: Love Beyond Death

Published by Alison Fish at Smashwords

Copyright 2005 Alison Fish

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedicated to my father

Lawrence H. Strickland

1936-2003

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Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

About the Author

Chapter One

The luscious aroma of blood drew Amy through the dark streets and alleys in search of some easy prey. A rum-soaked sailor or an unconscious vagrant would serve her need for nourishment. Rats skittered past her feet, their fur ruffling the hem of her cloak and skirt. But even in her desperate and heartbroken state she wouldn't resort to feeding on the blood of filthy rats. She moved in slow hungry despair through an alley made even darker at night by the soot from the local factories and the smoke of the hot tar used for shipbuilding along the bank of the Thames River. This was her first night out hunting alone and the first time in her life she had ever been so utterly alone. For days she had sobbed alone in her coffin grieving the sudden and mysterious disappearance of her lover and sire, Robert.

Several days earlier she had risen from her casket to find Robert and his casket gone from the lair they shared in the basement of a burned and abandoned house a few blocks west of the river. After the initial momentary shock of his sudden absence had passed and she fully comprehended the reality that he was gone, Amy fell to her knees in the musty dirt where Robert's coffin had rested only hours before. She ran her icy delicate-looking hands over the bare earth before her as though caressing the space where her lover had once occupied. Her lips pulled away from her razor-sharp teeth as her mouth opened wide enough to release a terrified scream that nearly overpowered her from within but only managed to escape her lips as a deep groan of anguish. The profound and powerful groan began in the pit of her stomach and spread throughout her entire body possessing her whole being and finally escaping through her gaping mouth, wracking her body and shivering the rotting abandoned remains of the house above. She remained in that spot on the cold bare cellar floor moaning and sobbing in pain until dawn when she crawled back into her coffin after considering exposing herself to the daylight and ending her agony for good. The idea that Robert could possibly return to her was the only reason Amy was able to gather the motivation to preserve her now worthless life by sheltering herself in her coffin before the sun fully rose.

She couldn't understand what would possess him to leave her. Robert had promised they would be together forever. Each night just before dawn as they retreated to their caskets to rest until evening, he would look deeply into her eyes, tenderly kiss her and whisper, "for eternity." What had happened to prevent him from fulfilling his vow? Amy had never loved anyone the way she loved Robert, with all her heart and soul, and she believed he felt the same about her. She couldn't think of any reason why he would abandon her, especially after promising daily to be with her throughout eternity. They had already enjoyed five years together living, loving and hunting together in Amy's hometown of New London. Life without Robert would be unbearably painful and even unimaginable. Amy had devoted every moment and every thought, her entire life, to Robert and their existence as lovers, two halves of a whole. She had never been in such agony and never felt so utterly alone.

Even though her chest felt like it would tear into pieces from her broken heart and she was tempted to simply remain confined inside of her coffin forever or remain outdoors until sunrise and let the sun turn her to ash, she gathered what little strength she had left to leave the lair in search of blood to keep herself strong in the hope that Robert would soon return to her. She had no desire to go on living without Robert, but she couldn't yet abandon hope that he would find her again.

As she exited the alley that led away from the riverbank, which was crowded with wharves and workshops that serviced the booming whaling industry the faint sound of sobbing caught her attention. She followed the sound until she caught the unmistakable scent of a young woman barely detectable at first through the smell of livestock waiting to board an outgoing ship and work animals stabled for the night throughout the city. Her hunger for blood and the sound of crying gave Amy hope that a distraught victim consumed with emotion would be easy prey. She hungrily followed the sound of soft sobs, the deliciously bloody aroma becoming stronger the nearer she came to a young black woman sitting on the grass behind a small white garden shed in the back yard of one of the larger white houses that lined the main road leading into the city center. The young woman sobbed uncontrollably into her arms, which were folded over her bent knees and didn't detect Amy's silent approach.

"Why are you crying?" Amy, as a rule, never spoke to her prey before attacking. Robert had taught her that stealthily stalking a victim from a short distance, then quickly moving in for the kill when it was certain the attack wouldn't be witnessed, was the safest, most efficient method of feeding. A victim shouldn't under any circumstances have the chance of identifying their attacker in case a clean kill was interrupted. Nor should they be given the slightest opportunity to scream or make any sounds of a struggle. Even though the physical strength of a human was no match for that of a vampire, a few seconds of futile fleeing or struggling could attract the attention of anyone who may be approaching the scene. Looking down at the young woman who appeared to be about the same age as Amy at the time of her own death, she sympathized with the profound sadness of the sorrowful figure.

The girl looked up to find a young nicely dressed white woman looming over her and slowed her sobs for fear of being punished for crying as she had been many times in the past. She feared that what was already an unbearably horrible evening was going to get worse.

"I can't say, Miss," she wiped her tear covered face on the front of her worn nightdress as her heart beat rapidly in fear, "I'd be in awful trouble if I told and I wouldn't say what happened out loud anyhow." She began to rise from where she was sitting, but something in Amy's steady gaze made her return to her seat on the grass.

"It must be something terrible to make you cry so inconsolably," Amy knelt down and tried to appear compassionate as her near desperate hunger for blood threatened to overpower her attempt to befriend her prey and put her at ease. She had yet to taste the blood of a Negro and wondered how different the flavor would be in comparison to white blood. The aroma, especially at such close range, was certainly just as alluring as the blood of a white person.

"Yeah, I can say that much," she still looked nervously downward toward the front of her tattered dress," It was the worse thing that could ever happen to me."

Amy didn't really care what horrible event had put this girl into such a state of despair, but guessed it had something to do with the musky scent of recent sex that mingled with her alluring bloody aroma. She wanted to gain the girl's trust, and slowly lowered herself down closer to her prey, "Maybe it will help you feel better to talk about it."

"No!" she became tense with fear and shrank away from Amy, "I'll never tell anyone what happened. If he found out I told, he'll kill me. He told me so. Besides, I don't even know you. He probably sent you here to test me, so he can have a good reason to kill me, not that he needs one."

"I haven't the slightest idea what or whom you're talking about," Driven by hunger Amy was becoming impatient with the girl's resistance but was also beginning to feel strangely sorry for her. She had seldom felt any compassion or sympathy for any of her victims of the last five years, but the loss of Robert caused such deep sadness and loneliness like she had never felt before. She realized that this girl was all alone with a horrible secret she could never share just like Amy, "I only wanted to try to help you."

"Why?" the frightened girl still looked downward as she spoke, "Nobody's ever wanted to help me before, especially a pretty white lady."

Amy moved slightly away as she sat on the ground next to the girl in an attempt to make the girl feel less threatened, "What's your name?"

"I'll tell you my name but I won't tell you anything else. You can act nice to me all you want. You can even beat me all you want. I've been beaten plenty. But I'll never tell you what happened tonight. That's something nobody will ever beat out of me. I'll be taking this secret to my grave."

"You didn't tell me your name."

"It's Ruthie," she gave Amy a distrustful sidelong glance as she spoke. She hoped that divulging this bit of information didn't make Amy think she would get her to confide her horrible secret as well.

"I'm glad to meet you, Ruthie, I'm Amy," and she surprised herself by genuinely meaning it. Amy had developed a real ambivalence for humans since her death and transformation to a vampire; however, Ruthie's situation made Amy realize that she could still have something in common with humans-loneliness and despair.

Amy slowly moved in toward Ruthie again and looked into her eyes as she tilted Ruthie's trembling chin upward, "I can help you without your ever having to tell me your secret," As Ruthie's expression altered from frightened misery to confusion, Amy took her by the shoulders and holding her close, sunk her teeth into Ruthie's soft dark neck.

Chapter 2

Amy drank enough of Ruthie's blood to satisfy her hunger, but not enough to kill her. She had become practiced at controlling her lust for blood as a tool of survival. One of the ways Robert taught Amy to prevent drawing attention to themselves was to share a victim between them so as to reduce the number of dead bodies they left in town and along the waterfront. In a busy port city like New London with men frequently coming and going looking for work and opportunity, some random deaths of strangers and drunks were to be expected before the townspeople would suspect foul play.

When Amy released Ruthie, she realized that Ruthie had fainted. "Wake up!" Amy patted Ruthie's cool damp cheeks and shook her narrow shoulders, "You need to wake up, Ruthie."

After a minute or two of being shaken and patted and pinched Ruthie began to stir. But before she could open her eyes, Amy quickly broke the skin on her own wrist with her teeth and pressed Ruthie's mouth to the wound, "There, there, Ruthie. No one will ever hurt you again. We'll be sisters forever and take care of each other and neither of us will ever be lonely again."

Blood still shiny and sticky on the two girls' chins and lips, Amy swiftly lifted Ruthie into her arms and partially hiding her with her cloak and staying hidden within the shadows of houses and other buildings carried her through the swirling autumn leaves back to her lair. Although the rock walled dirt floored cellar was damp and musty, the interior of Amy's coffin was soft and silky. Amy lay snuggled up to the temporarily dead Ruthie listening to the wailing wind rattle the window frames and the plank cellar door of the house as she waited for sleep and the next sundown when Ruthie would awaken to her new life.

Silence met Amy's ears as she woke up the following evening and found herself looking into Ruthie's still unconscious face. The wind must have finally died down, Amy thought, as she waited for Ruthie to wake up. Although her grief for her loss of Robert was as raw and intense as ever, she felt slightly comforted to wake up and not be alone. Carrying Ruthie's body into the cellar several hours earlier, Amy had hoped to find Robert waiting for her. But finding the spot still empty where his coffin had once stood, not even a rectangular imprint in the dirt where it once rested, her broken heart remained so and a sob caught in her throat as she lifted the lid of her casket and laid down with Ruthie by her side. She wondered if Robert had returned while she was resting and raised the lid of her coffin enough to see that, except for the unconscious Ruthie, she was still alone and incomplete. She began to worry after a while that she had accidentally drank too much of Ruthie's blood and it was too late to save her when she had Ruthie drink from her wrist. Maybe Ruthie was permanently dead. But before Amy could lose too much hope, Ruthie began to stir. She lifted the lid of the coffin to give them both some space just as Ruthie opened her eyes and looked at Amy with confusion but without recognition.

"Ruthie!" Amy exclaimed as relief and joy spread through her. She had never transformed anyone into a vampire before and was thrilled that she had succeeded with only a vague and long ago explanation of how it was done to go on.

"Where am I?" Ruthie asked groggily, "I feel funny, hungry-like."

"Yes! Yes!" Amy helped Ruthie step out of the coffin, "You're just fine. Don't you remember me speaking to you last night?"

Ruthie looked around for a chair and finding none, sat on the dirt floor. Amy sat facing her. This made Ruthie more confused, "This is the first time I ever seen a white girl like you sit in dirt."

"Where am I?" Ruthie looked around, "this isn't the cellar at my master's house but it looks like a cellar."

"No, it isn't your master's house," Amy smiled, "this is where I live."

Ruthie looked around and saw the coffin. Her eyes were wide in surprise, "did you just help me get out of that? Is that where you put me?"

"Well, yes, Ruthie, that's where I rest during the day. You see, I can't go outside in the daylight or I'll die and now so will you."

Chapter 3

"What!" Ruthie scrambled to her feet, "What did you do to me! Were we in there all day? My master must think I ran away-especially after last night. Oh Lord, what am I going to do now? I'm as good as dead."

"Please calm down and let me explain," Amy pleaded with Ruthie. It took Amy some time to calm Ruthie down long enough to listen to Amy's explanation including the reminder that slavery was abolished two years earlier in Connecticut. Ruthie's raving began with renewed energy as she comprehended the truth of her situation.

"You're a heathen, a tool of the devil," Ruthie pointed at Amy, "and now you've made me one too. Oh God help me, Jesus save me!" Ruthie dropped to her knees and stretched her arms toward the cobweb-ridden rafters of the cellar, "And I know slavery was abolished but I didn't have anywhere else to go. My master and mistress let me stay and serve them so I could stay there."

"You're not a heathen and neither am I, Ruthie," Amy pleaded for her to listen. "Now, I want you to try to remember what happened to you last night after we met."

"I don't know, you must have put me in an evil trance. I can't remember anything," Ruthie closed her eyes and concentrated, "I remember you said you wanted to help me and then I don't remember anything else."

"Didn't you have any dreams while you slept?" Amy urged, "anything at all?"

Ruthie closed her eyes again and after some time said with surprise, "Yes, I do remember a flash or two of something. I saw my mama and some other people I don't know. My mama was smiling at me real peaceful like. She was never smiling and peaceful that I can remember. She was smiling in a way that made me feel like everything was gonna be all right. Then everything was black."

"See, you're mama was telling you that you're all right."

"No, how can it be, you made me a tool of the devil," Ruthie was in despair as she hugged herself.

"Do you still believe in heaven? That's where you saw your mama. She's in heaven," Amy explained with certainty.

"How can you say that my dream wasn't a dream, I really was in heaven visiting my mama?" Ruthie rolled her eyes as she stared at the floor.

"Because it's true, it happened to me when I died. You see we were only dead for a few hours but long enough to give us hope that we'll see our loved ones in heaven one day."

"Sinners don't go to heaven, Miss Amy, ain't you ever been to church?"

"I don't know how to explain it, but we have to have hope."

"But you kill people and now I have to kill people too. You just told me that. Maybe I should just sit outside till the sun comes up and kill myself before I kill someone else."

"But Ruthie," Amy tried to console her, "you don't have to kill people to survive, you can feed off them without killing them. You can feed off animals as well."

"Oh Lord, help me," Ruthie called to the ceiling again.

"Please, Ruthie, let me tell you how much better your life will be now. Were you happy as a slave?"

"No, I hated being a slave, being some white peoples' property. But at least I was living the life the good Lord gave me. I don't know why He didn't make me white. I don't know why he made me a slave."

"He didn't make you a slave, Ruthie, white men did."

"You have strange ideas for a white girl, Miss."

"First, I want you to call me Amy without the 'miss.' I know it wasn't God who made you a slave. It was white men because last night when I drank your blood, it tasted exactly the same as white blood. There was no difference whatsoever, "Amy continued, "until last night I thought whites and blacks were different, that blacks weren't really human, or some other kind of human, but that all changed when I tasted your blood."

"You really are crazy." Ruthie remarked, "Of course white blood is the same as black blood. Blood is blood."

"All right, if you think I'm crazy, why do you worship a God you believe made you a slave?"

"You can't question the Lord. That will get you sent to hell just as quick as sinnin'."

"What I'm trying to prove is that you don't have to break any commandments to survive as a vampire. You can still practice your faith if you choose. In fact, you can do almost anything you wish as long as it's at night."

"Anything I wish?" Ruthie looked skeptical.

"Last night you were very upset about something. You were crying your eyes out. That's what got my attention. I heard your sobs. You said someone did something to you that was so horrible you refused to discuss it."

"I still won't."

"I'm not asking you to and I never will, but you now have the power to exact revenge on whoever hurt you so badly."

"Oh, no!" Ruthie shook her head adamantly, "I'd be happy if I just don't ever have to see him again."

"All right," Amy said, "It's your choice, but I wanted to let you know what kind of power you have now. You do have to feed off someone, you know, why not him?"

"I couldn't do that, never. The Lord will punish him on judgment day."

"At any rate," Amy closed the lid of her coffin, "we have to feed and now is the time to do so."

Amy remembered the first time she fed with Robert guiding her and teaching her how to hunt. The first time was a bit awkward, but it soon became the most natural thing in the world, like a baby at the breast. It was what she lived for, other than Robert.

Showing Ruthie how to become one with the shadows of the night, they slipped from the derelict farm house and made their way through the chill black night to the city where their relationship began less than twenty four hours earlier. The evening was still young, leaving many men exposed to the autumn air as they made their way home after a long day at work in the nearby mill.

"Don't you smell the blood?" Amy asked Ruthie as they stood in the shadow of an old maple tree that was vibrant with color during the day, but dark and dull at night. Leaves dropped randomly like the intermittent raindrops that precede a heavy storm and fluttered all around the young lovely stalkers.

"Yes, I do," Ruthie seemed surprised at the awareness of her new ability. The bloody aroma of the passersby was intoxicating and delicious, even better than the aroma of fresh baked goods, which was Ruthie's favorite scent. The irresistible fragrance made Ruthie's strange feeling of hunger deepen. But when she thought about what was causing that craving, what she now was, a night dwelling heathen, she felt slightly ashamed and felt she should repress the feeling. She didn't deserve to live. But if what Amy had told her was true, she could only be killed if she came in contact with daylight, if someone drove a wooden stake through her heart or if she was decapitated. Amy also described the superior physical strength she now possessed accompanied by speed and stamina unmatched in any mortal human. Suddenly her natural need to feed threatened to overcome her long held Christian beliefs.

"We can't feed here." Amy warned, "There are too many people about. We need to find a more secluded area. I only brought you here to demonstrate how you are now affected by the scent of fresh blood."

Still keeping in the shadows, Amy led Ruthie to the wharves where the bustling activity of the day had receded to a few night watchmen were left aboard the ships while the others entered the city to spend their wages. "Here is where we'll find our feast." Amy announced, "There are some men who drink their wages and return to the ships to sleep off the effects of the liquor."

"Heathens," murmured Ruthie as she followed Amy to a hiding place along the side of a carpenter's shop that was dark and deserted for the night where they could watch the waterfront without being seen.

"Yes," Amy continued, "the authorities expect to find these men unconscious and sick from their drink, giving us the opportunity to feed undiscovered. No one knows the difference between a man who has drunken himself to death and a man who has had his blood drained."

It wasn't long before they saw a drunken man staggering and mumbling along a nearby wharf unable to find the ship he had left a few hours earlier. Eventually, he gave up and, succumbing to fatigue he slumped to the ground against a shed and fell into a drunken slumber.

"Now you will see just how strong you've become," Amy smiled at Ruthie while Ruthie looked questioningly at Amy's pale face in the moonlight, "I'll keep watch and you drag that man behind the shed where you can feed in peace."

"You expect me to move a grown man?" Ruthie challenged as she motioned to her petite figure.

"Come, Ruthie, you'll see," Amy led Ruthie from their observation point to the shed. Amy leaned against the front of the shed where she would be able to distract any passersby while Ruthie easily dragged the snoring drunk behind the building.

Moonlight reflected off the water and created long shadows along the pier as Amy listened to the boats creak and rock against the pilings while she waited for Ruthie to move the sleeping sailor. Anticipation and hunger made Amy impatient as she slipped behind the shed and was enveloped by the delicious scent of freshly exposed blood mingling with the salty air. Ruthie was on her knees feeding on the throat of the unfortunate man and looked up at Amy's pale, wanton face and returned to her feast. Amy, pleased and surprised at how quickly Ruthie learned to satisfy her hunger, laughed, knelt down and began to feed on the other side of the nearly depleted throat. After draining him of all the blood they could extract, they silently dropped his lifeless body into the water and slipped away into the shadows.

When they had reached a secluded alley away from the waterfront, they stopped for a rest, "How do you feel now, Ruthie?" Amy laughed in triumphant expectation.

Ruthie stood with her head bowed and muttered, "I feel like the tool of the Devil that I am."

"How can you say that?" Amy was surprised at Ruthie's response, "you performed wonderfully. Can't you feel the strength and power coursing through you? Now that you've tasted the blood of your prey, aren't you satisfied and content?"

Ruthie looked at Amy in disgust, "We killed that man in his sleep. The lord will never forgive us now. Murder is the worst sin and we committed it. You told me we didn't have to kill anyone. We could feed without killing."

"Admit to me that you've never felt so strong. Tell me that while you fed you didn't feel a thrill of power and domination that you've never felt before in your life and never even dreamed was possible."

After a few moments hesitation where Ruthie seemed to be struggling with her thoughts and twisting her worn nightgown between her fists she replied in tears, "Yes, I did feel all those things. It was overpowering the way I felt, but now that it's over I feel guilty about it and unclean."

"You have to stop feeling guilty because this is who you are now, so enjoy the power and superior strength that you have and forget about the rest. We still have a lot to do before daylight."

"We have to kill someone else?" Ruthie reluctantly followed as Amy headed toward the center of town, "I'm really not hungry anymore."

"No, Ruthie," Amy waited for Ruthie to catch up, "we're going to find you a pretty dress and a coffin of your own."

"Dresses!" Ruthie looked up at Amy in incredulity "What do I care what I'm wearing when I'm nothing but a sinner, a killer. How can you think of pretty dresses after we killed a man and pushed him into the river?"

"It's all right," Amy tried to console Ruthie, but Ruthie shrank from her touch, "you'll get used to it just like I did. Do you think I was happy about becoming an evil creature of the night? I was horrified, just as horrified as you are. And I had a family and a home that I could never go back to. I still miss my home and my family. I suppose I always will."

"I don't think I can ever get used to being a killer. I was a God fearing woman before I met you. Why did you do this to me? I can understand my master and mistress keeping me a slave to them even after slavery was abolished in Connecticut. They used me for free help, but why did you make me a killer? I'm a worse sinner now than I ever was before. God is gonna turn His back on me now, for sure. I'll burn in hell forever. There's no hope for my soul now. I don't deserve to live and I sure don't deserve no pretty dress. I never had a pretty dress in my life and now that I have someone, a white man's, blood on my hands, I don't deserve to wear anything at all," she looked down at her now filthy, tattered nightdress, "I don't even deserve to wear this rag anymore."

"That was in your old life that you never had a pretty dress," Amy grabbed Ruthie by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, "In your new life you wear pretty dresses. You wear whatever you like. No one is ever again going to tell you that you are undeserving of anything. I transformed you into a vampire to help you. I sympathized with your despair last night when I met you crying in your master's yard. You'll never be a slave to anyone ever again. You're free to do what you wish without fear." Amy let go of Ruthie and said, "Now I'm going to show you where you will find pretty dresses and we will find you a fancy coffin too."

The October evening grew still and quiet as the city settled down for the night. Ruthie's bare feet were neither sore nor cold as she followed Amy down the tree-lined lane crunching through fallen leaves and kicking small stones as she walked. She seemed to be full of new physical strength after her first feed that left her body feeling warm and comfortable even though she wore only a thin gown and no shoes. The fact that she needed to steal and murder to stay alive made her fear for her soul, but the fear of freezing or starving was gone. She didn't want to admit to herself that she felt the power and vitality that she had never experienced before because the demands of her new lifestyle were so contrary to her lifelong Christian beliefs.

Even though she struggled not to admit it to herself, everything Amy had told her was true. The perpetual fear of being abandoned or abused or murdered that had ruled her life of enforced servitude and dependence was gone and she experienced a slow dawning feeling of liberation that would have been impossible to know in her former life, even in the event of her complete emancipation. Maybe Amy was sincere in her declaration of wanting to help Ruthie and rescue her from her misery, but Amy had no idea what Ruthie must lose in the meantime.

"Miss Amy?" Ruthie called to Amy who was a few paces ahead. When she saw Amy's look of reproach she corrected herself, "Amy."

"That's better," Amy smiled, "you'll get used to it. Remember, you're not a servant anymore. We're more like sisters now, I suppose."

"Well, then," Ruthie asked tentatively, "if we're sisters like you say, can I ask you how you became the way you are?"

Amy's smile faded, she hadn't expected Ruthie to ask such a personal question. Standing under the shadow of an old oak, the cool night breeze rustling the few clumps of dead leaves still clinging to the cold indifferent branches preparing for the approach of winter, Amy felt the sharp stab of pain and the wave of terror that she experienced whenever she thought of her loss of Robert and the manner in which he abruptly disappeared.

Ruthie saw Amy's expression in the moonlight, her sadness, her pain as a strand of loose hair blew across her cheek, "I'm sorry Mi--Amy," Ruthie rushed to apologize, "I didn't mean to make you upset. I was just asking. I'm sorry."

"That's all right, Ruthie," Amy consoled, "I suppose you should know. I'm still very sad about losing Robert. He's the one who made me the way I am."

"Robert?"

"Yes," Amy found a large flat boulder between a stand of trees, secluded and hidden from the road, to sit on and motioned Ruthie to join her, "I've never spoken of him before because I've never had anyone to speak to until now. My father owned whaling ships that did quite well. He was planning to invest in another whaler before I was forced to leave. Needless to say, my father was quite wealthy and respected and I was considered to be popular with the young gentlemen in town. I had many suitors who sought my attention and being near twenty years old, my mother and father were pressuring me to marry. A few of the young men who showed interest in me seemed to be good prospects. They were handsome and were heirs to sizable fortunes that would have allowed me a comfortable and respectable life."

"What happened?" Ruthie urged.

"One evening I was at a spring ball dancing with all who requested the honor and attempting to decide who would become my husband when I saw a strangely beautiful man standing apart from the crowd. He was tall and well dressed and had dark wavy hair. He was the most handsome man I've ever seen. He was watching me. When my dance partner returned me to my seat by my mother, he approached and introduced himself to us in such a smooth and lovely voice. The sound of which caused a very calming yet exciting feeling throughout my entire being. His name was Robert. My mother questioned him relentlessly, which I found quite embarrassing and feared her protective diligence would deter his interest in me, but he didn't seem to mind and politely answered all of her questions. He said he was in town on business and the man he had come to see had invited him along to the ball. Finally, my mother allowed him to be my dance partner. Ruthie, I had never felt that way about any man as I felt for Robert. He led me to the dance floor and his touch was like the thrill of heat lightening coursing through my veins and when his dark eyes looked into mine it was like the stars shining in the deep black sky of a hot summer night. I could barely keep from gasping in pleasure and surprise. When our eyes met as we faced each other on the dance floor it seemed as though in that instant our very souls became one and we were joined for life. His attire and his manner proved to me that he came from a respectable family and his dancing was flawless, masterful yet smooth. I trembled and thought I might faint with excitement as he led me around the floor, I was so taken by him as he held me so tight."

"That just sounds scary. What did your mother say?" Ruthie was surprised that Amy was speaking so intimately to such a new acquaintance. She didn't realize that Amy had never been able to confide in anyone about Robert since her family was against the relationship from the beginning.

"She didn't like him because he wasn't anyone she was acquainted with. She wanted me to marry one of the gentlemen from town where she could keep me near her after marriage. My interest in Robert didn't comply with her plans for me."

"What about your father," Ruthie asked, "Did he know Robert?"

"No," Tears streaming down her face, Amy looked up into the rustling branches of the oaks, "my father had never heard of him and none of his business acquaintances had heard of him either. Even the man that Robert had used as a reference in town didn't know him."

"Then why did you still see him?"

"It was as though I had been unaware that I sleeping my whole life until we met. I was awakened to being fully alive when I saw his face heard his voice, felt his touch. I was in love from the first moment he held me in his arms and looked into my eyes," Amy's voice caught and she fought back more tears, "I knew he was the only man for me, that I would die without him. I hardly cared where he was from or where he was going as long as he took me along with him. I would have followed him anywhere."

"Did your father let you see him? How did you end up the way you are now?"

"Robert left his card every day for a week, but my father forbid me to see him. I was so distraught that I stopped eating and stopped sleeping. Finally, my mother became so anxious for my health that she convinced my father to allow me to see Robert," Amy steadied her voice and wiped her eyes, "He came every evening the following week; however, we weren't allowed to be left alone for a moment. He told me about how his family had come to Virginia from England generations ago, but most of them had gone back to England after the revolution. He grew up on the family tobacco plantation and after tiring of the isolation he endured living on the plantation came north to invest in the mills."

"That's why nobody here knew him."

"That's what he told us but I later found none of it proved to be true."

"You can't trust any white man," Ruthie muttered, "especially a southern white man."

"My parents didn't believe his story because they didn't want me to marry him, but I believed him because I wanted so desperately for his story to be true. At the end of that week my father brought home a guest. It was one of my potential fiances. He announced that a marriage contract had been agreed upon between him and the young man and I was to marry him the following month."

"What did you do?" Ruthie was astonished. She hadn't realized that white girls were traded like black girls, even though Amy would still be rich and be the mistress of her own house.

"I was destroyed, of course. I couldn't believe my father would arrange my life that way without my consent or even my opinion. He wanted me to marry the young man because his father also owned ships and did business with England as well as whaling. It was purely a business deal for my father with no regard for my feelings. I ran sobbing to my room and locked the door. I was inconsolable and would speak to no one."

"I can understand that."

"As I lay on my bed crying I realized my father had been hoping all along that I would choose the young man of his liking on my own. Robert's entrance into my life complicated my father's plans. You see, my brother, who was away at school at the time, would eventually inherit my father's business and, hopefully for my father, merge his business with the business my intended husband would inherit," Amy's eyes grew dark in anger," I was simply a bargaining tool. I wasn't even human to him."

"So what happened?"

"Later that night as I stood at my window crying and longing for Robert and fearing I would never see my love again, the draperies stirred and there was Robert standing on the balcony outside of my room. I didn't even wonder how he had gotten there so quickly without my seeing because I was so thrilled to see him. He was dressed as elegantly as always and I almost couldn't believe my eyes."

"You didn't know he was evil?"

Amy seemed confused at Ruthie's question, "Evil, Robert wasn't evil. He was the same as you and me. He asked me why I was crying and when I explained my situation to him, he then understood why my father told him he was no longer welcome in our house. He folded me into his arms and told me he would take me away where we could be together forever. I passionately agreed and quickly dressed. I rejoined Robert on the balcony without even a short note to my parents. When I asked him how we would get to the ground, he kissed me and looked deeply into my eyes and gently pushing my hair away from my neck, bit me the same as I bit you. I was horrified, but at the same time a feeling of rapturous surrender came over me and I drank greedily of his own blood when he offered it. I don't remember anything after that until I woke up with him in his coffin the following evening."

"Weren't you mad he made you the devil's tool?"

"At first I felt betrayed and frightened and confused, but I still loved Robert and he loved me." Amy struggled to continue speaking as she remembered her first passionate nights alone with Robert knowing that he was now gone and she might never feel his touch again, never feel his skin against hers, never feel his beautiful hands in her hair. She pushed away her painful longing and focused her attention on answering Ruthie's question. "After a while I began to appreciate the power and strength I now have and was grateful for my new life with Robert. I was also grateful for not having to marry a man of my father's choosing whom I had no feelings for except, perhaps, resentment."

"What happened to Robert? Why isn't he here now?"

"I don't know," Amy's voice began to break again, "I fear that he left me. He must have tired of me. I thought we were happy together. We spent more than five years living together, hunting together. I thought we would be together forever. He always told me so. Perhaps some unknown enemy stole him away. One evening I woke up and he was gone. His coffin was gone as well. It was as though he just disappeared. Almost as though he had never existed. I hoped and prayed for his return and lay crying alone in our lair. After a few days passed, I began to fear that he was gone, never to return. I decided to leave the lair alone and hunt for blood on my own to maintain my strength while I hope and wait for his return. Then last night, my first night out alone, I heard your sobs and felt a strange kinship to you."

"So, Robert rescued you and now you're rescuing me? Is that how you see it?"

"I guess my actions were a bit selfish on my part," Amy looked sadly at Ruthie, "I was so utterly sad and alone. Your cries last night seemed to echo my feelings and I thought we could be friends."

"Am I supposed to forgive you for attacking me and feel sorry for you?" Ruthie asked, "If I had been crying in the kitchen instead of in the yard, I would still be alive and well?"

"You would still be alive, Ruthie, but you wouldn't be well. You certainly weren't well when I met you."

Ruthie's glance dropped when she thought of why she was hiding in the yard crying. It was true that she would still be her master's victim if she were alive, but now she felt herself to be Amy's victim, "Making me into a sinner and heathen is better than being hurt by my master?" she asked in confusion.

"You'll never be a victim again unless someone finds where we live."

"But now I have to make innocent people into victims so I can stay alive," Ruthie argued, "that's evil."

"Come on, Ruthie," Amy rose from the rock, "we'll get you a pretty dress and you'll feel much better. You'll see, you only need to adjust to your new life." Amy was losing patience with Ruthie's dogged clinging to the subject of being a heathen. Amy thought any sort of life would be preferable to a life of servitude, but apparently Ruthie's religious beliefs were impeding her realization of the superiority of her new situation. Amy's spirits were always lifted with the promise of a new dress and hoped Ruthie would have the same reaction.

As they walked toward Main Street Amy explained further, "We no longer belong to the society we once knew, the society that lives in these streets by day trying to live up to the same moral expectations, believing in the same definitions of good and evil. We live in our own society now. Our needs are different from theirs, which gives us a new set of rules and new definitions of good and evil. Unfortunately, we are now evil to them and must fear being discovery and destroyed."

Ruthie, still overwhelmed and confused with the whole situation remained silent as she followed Amy through the shadows of the sleeping city. She tried to comprehend Amy's explanation, but she had never imagined different societies and different definitions of good and evil. Surviving from one day to the next was Ruthie's main goal in life and the smartest way to do that was to conform to her master's and mistress' definition of right and wrong as it pertained to her survival and treatment.

Once on Main Street Amy led Ruthie to a tailor's shop and stopped at the front door, "It's closed and nobody's here," Ruthie observed, "we can't get in."

"Yes we can," Amy replied confidently, "Look through the door and imagine being on the other side."

"Why? What are you talking about?" Ruthie queried.

"Watch, I'll show you," Amy stared into the darkened shop through the glass in the door. After a few seconds she began to disappear before Ruthie's eyes and in her place a foggy cloud appeared and seeped under the door. Ruthie found herself looking in amazement and disbelief at Amy who was now on the other side of the door. Amy smiled at Ruthie's shocked expression, repeated the action and was back outside next to Ruthie again.

"Now you try it," Amy encouraged her new friend who stood staring open mouthed at Amy, "you can do it. Think about being inside the shop. Go ahead."

"Well," Ruthie said with uncertainty, "I'll try."

Ruthie planted her feet firmly in front of the door and stared hard into the shop. To her surprise she found herself inside the store. When she turned back to look out at Amy, Amy had vanished. Within a few seconds she was beside her again.

"Well," Amy asked expectantly, "isn't that an excellent mode of transportation?"

"I can't believe it," Ruthie replied, "I would never guess anybody could do something like that."

"And did doing so make you feel evil?"

"No," Ruthie realized, "No, it didn't. I didn't hurt anybody by doing that. In fact, I could even help people by doing that if I wanted to."

"See," Amy clapped her hands in delight, "that is what I meant by being in our own society with different ideas of good and evil. If anyone had seen us enter the shop or anywhere else that way, they would consider us evil at once because it's something they can't do themselves and don't understand."

"I can turn myself into a vapor whenever I want. I'm stronger than any man on earth and I'll never be treated like anyone's property again," Ruthie listed her new traits and considered her new identity, "But feeding off people to survive is evil."

"Once you're wearing a beautiful new dress and have your own coffin you'll feel even better about yourself, Ruthie, you'll see," Amy began looking around the shop for some dresses that looked to be Ruthie's size.

"Oh," exclaimed Amy as she searched through some dresses hanging near the front of the shop, "these are finished and waiting to be delivered. Here's a lovely blue dress that looks to be your size. I'll help you dress."

"This is getting stranger." Ruthie remarked as she let Amy dress her, "not only am I going to be wearing a dress that must belong to a white girl, but a white girl is putting it on me."

"Everything's different now," Amy buttoned the last button and circled around Ruthie straightening here and smoothing there, "Ruthie you look beautiful."

Amy stood back to admire the change in Ruthie, "It's amazing how a change in clothing can change a person's entire image. I wish we could see your reflection so you could see yourself as I do."

Ruthie looked down at herself and turned slowly to feel the fresh clean fabric flow around her as she turned, "Even if I could look at myself in the glass, I wouldn't believe my eyes. I've never worn anything like this before in my life."

"How does it make you feel?" Amy smiled.

"I'd feel a whole lot better if it wasn't stolen, but other than that, I feel fine," Ruthie stood in front of the glass straining to see her reflection and failing, tried to twist her head in different angles to see herself from all sides, "What a sight we're going to be now. A Negro girl walking side by side with a blonde haired white girl and dressed just as fine. You don't see that a lot around here. We just better stay in the shadows like we been doing."

Amy laughed, "I believe you're right, Ruthie."

Chapter 4

Robert was terrified when he awoke to find himself locked in his coffin. Who had found the lair? He needed to protect his beloved Amy but was frustrated and powerless and as he lay trapped in what was intended to be his safe hiding place from the lethal sunlight and human predators. He feared for Amy's life as well as his own. Was she also trapped in her coffin? Who had found them and what were their intentions? He thought it unlikely that his family could have tracked him from Florida, but if they had would they harm Amy? In his overwhelming fear for Amy's safety and longing for her, Robert momentarily forgot about his own safety and thrashed so violently that the chains that held his casket closed rattled and the casket itself thumped and rocked. He stopped struggling when he heard someone unlocking and loosening the chains. He was poised to attack the moment the lid was raised but his keeper was prepared and loosened the final chain only enough to allow the lid to rise a few inches preventing Robert from initiating any kind of physical attack.

"We meet again, brother," Robert recognized the familiar mocking voice of his older brother Raul as he struggled in vain to push open the coffin, "don't waste your strength. It has taken me five long years to find you and I've taken every precaution to prevent you from fleeing again."

"Raul!" Robert growled, "What is the meaning of this?"

"You're coming home with me to finally fulfill your family obligation," Raul explained, "Lisa still awaits her groom and our family still craves the peace that your marriage will bring."

"Never!" Robert exclaimed.

"Then you will spend eternity locked in your coffin," Raul replied, "I'm confident that one day you will finally agree to the marriage. Eternity is a very long time and father and I are prepared to wait."

"How did you find me?" Robert asked. He wanted to know about Amy, but didn't want Raul to know how deeply he loved her fearing Raul would hurt or destroy her if his feelings were known.

"It's been a long and exhausting search," Raul explained, "but a worthwhile one. I've been traveling by cart at night with two guards protecting me by day."

"Where are we now?"

"We are far, far away from your former lair," Raul replied, "we've been traveling most of the day, side by side, just like brothers were meant to do. My guards were instructed to load you into the cart and drive home as quickly as possible. We've only stopped now for the guards and the horses to rest."

"Raul," Robert seethed, "I will never marry a woman I don't love for any reason. I told you that five years ago and my feelings haven't changed!"

"Eternity is a long, long time, Robert," Raul said sternly, "I'm confident you will change your mind. Now I must feed. Conserve your strength because you won't be feeding for quite some time. It's a long trip."

The coffin slammed closed and Robert heard the chains being tightened and fastened. Raul's sneering attitude of superiority and his cruelty enraged Robert as he lay trapped and helpless vowing to someday escape and return to his beloved Amy. He felt his heart breaking as he remembered Amy's adoring glance as he would enfold her in his arms feeling her silky golden hair against his face and her arms lovingly around him. He longed to be safe and happy once again in her embrace isolated from the world in their dark lair. He feared what she must be thinking of him, now that she was suddenly alone. He feared that she was thinking that he abandoned her intentionally. After all the years of love they'd shared, could she really believe that he would leave her by choice?

It had been a long time since Robert thought about the family he had left behind in St. Augustine more than five years ago. He had found such happiness in New London with Amy that he had put his past out of his mind and focused solely on the present. Now as he lay in anguish wondering how Amy would take care of herself and what she would think when she woke to find Robert gone. He had made her what she is and she never had to fend for herself without his help and guidance. He hoped he had taught her enough to survive on her own.

After several nights of imprisonment Robert spent his time refreshing his memory of his past before he met Amy in an attempt to stop worrying about her and fearing the worst. He recalled arriving in St. Augustine from Spain with his family in 1820, the last year of Spanish reign in Florida. He was the youngest son of an accomplished coffin maker who brought his wife and family to Florida where his uncle was already prospering in the lumber business. When Spain relinquished Florida to the United States Robert's father decided to remain in St. Augustine along with many Spanish families who had made St. Augustine their home. While Robert's older brother Raul was expected to inherit the family business, Robert was more interested in hunting and exploring the less developed parts of the region and visiting with the natives.

During one of his many hikes through the woods, Robert was found overcome by fever and unconscious by a group of nomadic people traveling south. They cared for him until his apparent recovery several days later. When he relapsed and worsened the leader of the group, an escaped slave woman, offered to find him the only cure that would save him. In his state of near delirium, desperate to be well again, he accepted her offer. After an absence of several hours into the night she returned with a large bat in a wire cage. She set the cage on Robert's chest and raised the trap door just high enough to allow the bat to sink its teeth deeply into Robert's throat, draining his blood while simultaneously excreting its own poisons into Robert's blood stream.

When he woke the following evening cured of the fever the woman explained to Robert how his life would be forever changed and told him how he must now sleep in the day and, in order to survive, drink blood at night as a vampire. She explained to him that he would never be ill again and that he was now immortal so long as no one drove a wooden stake through his heart, severed his head or exposed him to daylight. Although happy to have survived the fever, Robert lamented never being able to enjoy the daylight and his days hiking and hunting in the woods ever again.

When Robert returned to his father's house in need of a coffin, he found his father suffering from the deadly fever that he himself had just overcome. Kneeling in anguish beside his dear father's sick bed, Robert offered his father the same cure and the day after becoming a vampire himself, Robert transformed his father into a vampire one as well. As the fever reached epidemic level it swept through Robert's entire family motivating Robert and his father out of desperation to save the lives of their loved ones to cure them the only way they could. Eventually, Robert's entire family, including his uncle, aunt and cousins, was transformed into vampires.

Robert's father, Carlos, relieved that his family was finally well and safe, anxiously paid a visit to his good friend Juan who lived on the far side of the town green with his own family. Carlos and Juan had become friends and business associates when Juan became Carlos' varnish supplier. Carlos' anxiety turned to despair when he arrived at Juan's house and learned that Juan had already lost a son and his parents to the fever. Juan's four daughters and two remaining sons were sick while he and his wife were beginning to experience symptoms as well.

Grateful that his own family was not only alive and well, but immortal, Carlos was overcome with feelings of despair and anxiety over his good friend's suffering. He returned home to retrieve his own family with a plan to rescue his good friend Juan and to prevent him from suffering the loss of any more of his loved ones. Carlos' family sympathized with him and they rushed to Juan's house in a sweeping mass and hungrily descended on the suffering family to cure them of the devastating fever.

Carlos, Robert and the rest of the family were shocked when Juan's reaction wasn't one of gratitude, but of anger and hatred at being transformed into murdering beings of the night. As Carlos, Raul and Robert explained to Juan the benefits of immortality and the end of sickness and disease forever, Juan responded with anger and accusations of evil and betrayal. Juan didn't perceive Carlo's act of love, friendship and sympathy as Carlos had intended but as an act of selfishness, arrogance and cruelty.

Carlos returned home feeling confused and sad, grieving the loss of his good friend and their former life together. Hoping that Juan would become less angry and eventually forgive Carlos and resume their friendship, Carlos sent gifts of plush caskets for each of Juan's family members. However, as time went by Juan's anger never faded and his thoughts eventually turned toward vengeance as he plotted to behead Carlos' children. The brutal beheading of Robert's youngest sister was the beginning of the feud between the two families irrevocably changing Juan and Carlos from best friends to mortal enemies.

Carlos, in the throes of anger and grief, retaliated by murdering Juan's youngest daughter. Juan sent a message to Carlos written in blood that he wouldn't rest until every member of Carlos' family was dead. As a result both families retreated into hiding and aggressively recruited guards, enslaving humans to keep their lairs secure during the vulnerable daylight hours as they rested. Now the two families crept stealthily through the city looking for blood at night without leaving a clue of their existence or a trace of their movements.

After years of this fearful and prison-like existence, Robert's brother Raul became exhausted with the constant watching and fearing for the lives of his loved ones and decided to take a bold initiative and purposely seek Juan out and attempt a truce. It took Raul years of careful and discreet investigation to find Juan and obtain several meetings with him. Although years of acclimation to the vampire lifestyle had somewhat diminished Juan's anger toward Carlos, he still retained his hatred of his former friend and felt Carlos had blatantly disrespected God's will by transforming his family into vicious cursed monsters.

Raul explained again to Juan how Carlos had regarded his act as one of benevolence and that God had bestowed vampirism as a cure for death and disease that he wanted to share with his best friend. Juan vowed he could never consider becoming a deathless killer as a gift from God, but he did eventually agree to find a way to live peacefully in the same town as his mortal enemy. Since living in fear of being attacked was as tiring for Juan's family as it was for Carlos' family, Juan offered a plan that would not only make peace between the two families, but also make Juan's daughter Lisa happy as well.

Lisa had been only seventeen when she became a vampire. Before falling ill with the deadly fever, she had been dreaming of finding a loving husband and having a family of her own when, in one night, her hopes and dreams were destroyed leaving her to live eternally in hopelessness and despair. Juan agreed to a promise of peace if Raul would find Lisa a husband. If she couldn't have children, she could at least have a husband.

Returning to his father with Juan's request Raul suggested Robert as Lisa's future husband. Everyone was thrilled with this plan except Robert. Although Lisa was a beautiful, loving girl, Robert didn't love Lisa and had romantic hopes and dreams of his own. The families being so relieved and optimistic over the plan didn't notice Robert's lack of enthusiasm and were completely taken by surprise by his sudden disappearance.

Carlos, angered by Robert's disobedience and lack of family loyalty and responsibility, sent Raul and two of the human guards in search of Robert. Carlos sorely missed his former relationship with Juan and, for the first time in years, felt there was a strong possibility that the marriage of Robert and Lisa, the relationship would be mended and the families could live together in peace instead of fear.

Chapter 5

To appease Ruthie's desire to feed without killing, the two young vampires devised some creative feeding practices. They attempted to feed off stray cats and dogs, but the fur she would find in her mouth afterwards was repulsive to Amy. Ruthie, however, preferred the option to harming and killing people. Livestock also provided more than an adequate feeding source especially since horses and cows were such large animals, draining them completely would have been difficult. After attempting these various methods, Amy still preferred to derive her primary supply of blood from humans.

Ruthie suggested that Amy at least restrict her attacks to people who prey on the weak and defenseless. That way Amy would be helping to improve the city and protecting innocent victims while fulfilling her basic need for blood. Amy agreed to Ruthie's request, which brought challenge and interest to the hunt in that she needed evidence of cruel or violent behavior before claiming someone as a victim. Collecting evidence required perseverance, patience and stealth. It also took some time and, in the meantime, Amy satisfied her hunger by feeding off apparently anonymous drunken men along the waterfront. However, too many deaths in one area would attract the attention of the authorities even though the victims were drifters or vagrants with no family or friends who might miss them in the city. Out of necessity, Ruthie reluctantly condoned Amy's feeding off the drunks and drifters and took on the task of assisting Amy in her search for heathens to victimize.

At times Amy could find a victim without much work at all as she and Ruthie would pass by the poorly lit homes on the working class side of town and hear the moans and cries of a wife being beaten by her husband. Amy would see to it that the violent husband would never again victimize his wife. She would return to the house night after night to slowly feed off the weakened exhausted husband little by little until after several nights he had no blood left at all. Slowly draining a victim in this way allowed the girls more time to find a new source of blood without having to return to the waterfront to feed off drunks and sailors and whoever else may be in the vicinity. It was only a matter of time before one of the waterfront victims would be missed by a family member or crewmember and an investigation would ensue.

Sleet fell on their hooded heads as Ruthie and Amy walked into town in search of blood. Ruthie opened her mouth to catch the cold sleet on her tongue as she walked, enjoying the feeling of freedom and invulnerability toward the weather. If she had still been existing in her past life, she would be spending the night keeping the fires lit so her master and his wife could sleep in peace and warmth while she remained cold and tired as she toiled endlessly with no hope for rest until spring. With the onset of winter the squirrels behind and within the old farmhouse and the rats in the city's alleys became her main source of blood while Amy continued to search for Ruthie's idea of deserving victims.

"No one is gonna be out tonight in this weather," Ruthie remarked, "you might be better off hunting some livestock tonight."

"I don't care much for being out in this weather myself," Amy replied, "but I'm starving. I don't think bad people let the weather deter them from their crimes, do you?"

"I don't know. Maybe we just have to look harder."

Amy suddenly stopped walking, "Did you see that, Ruthie?"

Ruthie intently peered in the direction Amy's gaze was fixed, "I don't see anything."

"I saw three shadowy figures going through the back yard of that house over there."

"Shadowy?" Ruthie asked, "do you think they're like us?"

"No, I don't think so. They were crouching down and moving quickly as though they were hiding from someone."

"Let's go see if we can find them," Ruthie suggested, "they must be up to no good if they were moving the way you say they are."

The house Amy saw the figures pass by sat on the corner of the street they were traveling and a side street toward the north end of town. Just as Amy and Ruthie rounded the corner onto the side street they saw the front door of a house quickly and quietly open and close. The two girls rushed to the house and hiding in the shadows under a window listened for voices and movement inside. Any noise that may have been coming from inside the house was drowned out by the rapidly approaching sound of men on horseback.

The two girls backed away from the house and moved under an old ice-coated maple tree near the road. As the men on horseback entered the small street they reduced the horses' gait and began scanning the houses and the yards as well as they could through the falling sleet. Not finding what they were looking for, the men stopped in front of the yard where Amy and Ruthie were standing no more than twenty feet away. The two men carried guns, whips and chains on their saddles. Ruthie knew what they were right away even though she was no longer vulnerable to ordinary men, her life long fear returned and she slipped back behind the tree.

"I think you found your supper," Ruthie whispered to Amy, "those are about the worst kind of men on this earth."

"Are you sure?" Amy hadn't yet guessed the scene she was witnessing, "who are they?"

"They slave hunters," Ruthie whispered, "Those shadowy figures you saw must have been runaways."

"So those are slave hunters, are they?" Amy was delighted to find such worthy victims, "I'm going to need your help, Ruthie, because there are two of them. We don't want one to get away."

"Oh, no," Ruthie's voice shook in fear, "I'm not going near them. They'll kill me."

"Ruthie, remember they can't kill you," Amy put her arm around Ruthie's shoulders, "You don't want them catching those runaways, do you? Now, hold your head up and let them see how well you're dressed. You are much more powerful than they are."

"No," Ruthie answered reluctantly.

"I'll be right behind you," Amy said, "You get their attention by walking where they can see you. I'll follow you. You grab the skinny one and I'll take the fat one."

"Well, all right," Ruthie was reluctant as she watched the men adjusting their coats and hats attempting to keep the sleet from running down the backs of their necks while still trying to detect any trace of movement that might lead them to their prey. As she timidly stepped out from behind the tree and into the icy street in the direction of the men, the two cold wet men noticed her right away as she pretended not to see them. The skinny one spoke first: "Hey, bitch, where you think you're going?"

"Anywhere I want," she replied with a shaky voice as Amy stepped up behind her.

"Is this mouthy little nigger yours?" the fat man angrily asked Amy.

"Of course not," Amy replied smugly, "she's her own woman."

Both men laughed, "You Northerners are an odd breed. That's very funny, missy, but we're on the lookout for some runaways. Maybe this one here is helping them hide. Since when are nigger girls allowed to wear such fancy dresses, even if it is all wet?"

"Yeah," jeered the skinny man, "where'd you steal that dress?" he looked at Amy, "Did she steal that dress from you, missy?" You want us to get it back for you, not that you'd ever wear a dress that's been on the back of a nigger."

Both men laughed as Ruthie and Amy approached them. Ruthie's rage over the attitudes and behavior of the two slave hunters overpowered her fear of them and Amy smiled as Ruthie challenged the men, "You want to try and take if from me?"

The skinny man stopped laughing and dismounted and approached Ruthie, "I'll take it off you with my bare hands and beat you till you're bleeding from every inch of your black body for daring to talk to me like that. Then I'll beat you some more for daring to look me in the face."

"You go get her!" The fat man cheered his partner.

Ruthie's eyes, blazing with fury, never left the face of the hunter as he reached for the front of her dress and she blocked his attempt by grabbing his arm and snapping it back crushing the bones. His mouth opened in surprise as she dropped his broken arm, grabbed him by the throat, pulled him toward her and sunk her teeth deeply into his cold clammy unshaven neck.

The fat man gasped in anger and surprise and reached for his rifle, but Amy grabbed his leg and pulled him sharply from the horse before he could release the gun from the saddle. He landed flat on his back on the icy lane as his horse reared back and both horses fled in fear. Before he could scream or utter any sound other than a low grunt as he hit the ground Amy was astride him, the way he had been on his horse, quickly draining him of every drop of blood that he held. To prevent attracting attention to the house where the runaways were sheltered, Ruthie and Amy carried the bloodless bodies of the detested slave hunters a mile into the woods and left them on the frozen sleet covered ground for the wolves to devour.

"You were great, Ruthie," Amy laughed as they hurriedly walked home shortly before sunrise. The sleet had given way to fluffy flakes of snow and Amy twirled amongst the falling snow between two rows of glistening trees as she spoke, "You saved those runaways from certain capture. You're a hero!"

"Yes, we both are," Ruthie wasn't as light-hearted as Amy, "I still don't like killing. I'm gonna have to do some extra praying before bed today."

"Oh, Ruthie," Amy fell alongside her friend, "just think of all the people you've saved tonight. Not just those three, but all the others they would have captured or killed in the years to come."

"Yeah, I guess if you say it that way," Ruthie slightly lightened her step, "I didn't think of it like that. Maybe I did save a lot of people."

"Of course you did," Amy twirled again. The night's adventure made Amy so happy that she was lifted slightly from her grief over Robert for the snowy walk back to the lair where she was reminded of his ongoing absence as soon as she saw the dark abandoned farmhouse in the distance. During the time that it took for them to attack and dispose of the slave hunters' bodies, the constant pain in the pit of her stomach that Amy had been enduring since Robert's abandonment had been forgotten as she worked together with her new friend. However, the pain of emptiness and longing returned as soon as she entered the lair and saw that Robert was still missing. Each time she left the lair she returned with the hope that his coffin would be returned just as abruptly and mysteriously as it had vanished to the space from where it had disappeared.

Amy and Ruthie spent the early parts of the next few evenings outside the house where the runaway slaves were given sanctuary the night they devoured the slave hunters. By listening at the windows they were intrigued and excited to learn that the house was the home of Quakers who provided a regular and welcome stop on the Underground Railroad. Although most runaways were more likely to travel up the Connecticut River Valley, some followed the Thames. They learned there was another stop about fifteen miles north, but the exact location and family name were never spoken loud enough for them to hear from outside.

"We can help these people, Ruthie," Amy excitedly turned toward her friend, "there may be more slave hunters in the area and we can stop them."

"I'd like to stop every slave hunter in the world," Ruthie showed her sharp white incisors.

"All we have to do is keep watch at this house. Any more runaways in the area will be sure to come here and if anyone is chasing them, we will be here to stop them."

"That sounds like a lot of waiting," Ruthie said with uncertainty, "can't we become hunters of the slave hunters instead?"

"How do you propose to hunt slave hunters?"

"We feed on any man who carries a whip or chains," Ruthie's sudden enthusiasm for feeding on humans surprised and pleased Amy who hated the degrading sight of Ruthie hunting and feeding off of small animals, especially rodents.

"Ruthie, I'm surprised at your sudden ferocity. Did you finally realize that feeding on humans to survive isn't a sin?"

"Slave hunters aren't human. They're evil, more evil than we are," Ruthie's eyes flared with hatred and anger as she spoke.

"I agree," Amy hesitated, "except for your implication that we are evil, of course. We are simply trying to survive in this world."

"Just because we're feeding off evil people doesn't made us less evil ourselves," Ruthie debated, "but we can at least use our evil ways to overcome other evils and help innocent people."

"Now that we're in agreement, let's find some fresh blood."

Although Ruthie wouldn't feast on humans other than slave hunters, she accompanied Amy through the snow as they made their way south to the waterfront. The air was crisp and cold as it blew in from Long Island Sound and the moon was bright, glistening off the ice-covered trees along the hushed city streets. If the two girls had been alive, their exhalations would have become clouds of vapor; however, nothing could be seen leaving their cold lips. Their bodies were invulnerable to the cold as they lightly and silently swept through the long deep shadows of dormant trees and darkened houses toward their destination.

Hunger and impatience led Amy to agree with Ruthie's desire to help others. Amy, even though she loathed slave hunters, would feed off anyone who happened to be convenient, but her need and desire for Ruthie's respect and companionship gave her the motivation to search for victims that met with Ruthie's approval. Typically, the waterfront offered the greatest opportunities for finding victims who derived pleasure from making innocent and defenseless people suffer and now that more textile mills were being built to handle the southern cotton, the waterfront was busier than ever. The whaling industry was still strong as well and being near the ships helped Amy feel closer to her family.

The waterfront had become a familiar place to Ruthie as well as she lurked in the shadows with Amy stalking prey and experiencing the icy feel of the air coming off the frigid Thames. Ruthie could now enjoy many comforts in her undead state that she never experienced in her life of oppression and deprecation. Seagulls soaring from pile to mast with their raucous calls while water lapped against the docked boats and the dock pilings were like a lullaby to Ruthie as she patiently and discreetly remained on the piers for hours at a time waiting for Amy to find a convenient victim. The creaking of the wooden ships added a more subtle tone to the seagulls' high-pitched cries until the seagulls returned to their nests and left the only the creaking wood as the prominent nighttime sound.

After spending her entire life restricted to household duties, Ruthie relished the feel of the ocean air on her skin and in her hair that, along with the departure and return of the ships, gave Ruthie a feeling of freedom and independence she had never dreamed of. Overcoming the slave hunters provided her with a new strength and confidence that raised her self-esteem to the point where her life long attitude of inferiority was all but gone. As they neared an alley that connected the main street to the shore they were approached by a sailor who smelled of stale rum, tobacco and human filth.

"Which one of you ladies wants to earn my money tonight?" He swayed from excessive alcohol consumption as he blocked the entrance to the alley, "It don't matter to me. You're all the same in my eyes, so you two decide who gets the pleasure of my company. I'd take the both of you, but I only want to pay for one."

Equally repulsed and insulted by the drunk's insinuations and insults, Amy and Ruthie gave each other a knowing look of agreement and dragged the filthy drunk into the alley. Amy enjoyed her nightly feast before even reaching the waiting ships and they agreed to dump the now lifeless victim into the river and enjoy the remainder of the evening discreetly walking among the many ships docked along the wharves. Ruthie still felt a twinge of guilt from aiding Amy in another murder, but not the overpowering guilt she felt at first, which brought her to her decision to only feed off animals.

"Can you imagine the idea that that man, drunk as he was, mistook us for ladies of the evening?" Amy asked as his body disappeared into the icy black water.

"That was pretty mean of him to think so," Ruthie agreed.

"I suppose proper ladies shouldn't be seen along the waterfront, especially at night, but it was indecent of him to blindly assume that we were in the market for men."

"Very indecent."

"If my father had seen the way that man talked to me, he would have killed him himself."

"I wouldn't know about anything like that," Ruthie remarked, "up till now I always been used like something that's been paid for only I never got any pay."

"I'm sorry, Ruthie," Amy's indignant attitude softened, "I didn't mean to remind you of that."

"That's all right, Amy," Ruthie stated matter-of-factly, "it was my life, but it's over. I wasn't trying to make you feel sorry for me. I was just saying that I can't relate no way to what you were saying, that's all."

"All right then, let's change the subject. Now that our hunger has been satisfied for the evening, yours with an animal and mine with a man who acted like an animal, would you like to continue our nightly stroll along the water?"

"Yes, that would be fine," Ruthie held out her arm for Amy to take and the two girls started out along the dark edge of the riverbank to make their nightly tour of the ships at port.

Chapter 6

Still experiencing the wintry cold snap that froze the cellar's dirt floor as hard as cement, Amy and Ruthie woke to find snow blowing so hard through the glassless windows that a few fine flakes floated across the lids of their coffins hidden deep in the center of the cellar so as not to be seen by any possible but not probable curious passersby. As Amy closed her lid she remarked in fond reverie, "On evenings like this my maid would bring me chocolate in bed after tending to my fireplace and helping me undress. How cozy and secure I was back then and simply assumed that everyone lived as I did as though there were no other mode of living."

"Did your daddy ever own slaves?" Ruthie wondered in what circumstances Amy had acquired her own maid.

"No," Amy replied, "Father believed that paid help would be more loyal and conscientious than unpaid help."

"If you were so ignorant to think everybody lived as high as you, how did you think your maid lived?" Ruthie challenged, "did you think someone was going to undress her and give her chocolate in bed?"

"I can't help that I was born into a wealthy family, Ruthie, you needn't be so hostile, although, I must have been pretty ignorant because I never considered what my maid's life was like when she wasn't serving me." Amy felt uncomfortable as she realized how self-centered she was before meeting Robert. After meeting Robert, Amy completely forgot about herself except for her all-consuming need and desire to be with him. She gladly had given up the only life she knew to know his love and attention. Although she had no idea how much she would be giving up at the time, she would gladly do it again and would greet him with open arms if he ever returned to her. To feel his smooth warm skin after a successful night of hunting and feeding, his lips against her skin, his body held firmly against her own would be worth any sacrifice.

"How can you live in this dirty cold cellar after living so nice all your life?" Ruthie inquired.

"All that mattered was that Robert and I were together," Amy replied, "I would live anywhere to be with him."

"This is where you lived with Robert?" After hearing Amy's story of how they met at the ball Ruthie imagined Amy and Robert had continued a life in society, not in a musty cellar.

"This is where we lived when he left me. We moved from time to time to prevent being discovered. We hadn't been here for very long when he left," Amy's gaze had become soft as she remembered her short life with Robert and then became harder, "Now I have to stay here by chance he returns and wants me again. I can't leave here and risk missing him if he ever returns."

"Won't it be dangerous for us to stay here forever?" Ruthie asked, "What if someone wants to build a new house here and they find us in the cellar?"

Refusing to acknowledge the risk of danger in staying, Amy snapped, "This house was severely damaged by fire many years ago. If anyone was to rebuild it, they certainly would have before now."

"All right, don't get angry with me," Ruthie consoled Amy, "I wasn't gonna suggest we move. I was just asking."

"Well," Amy relaxed, "I suppose we should go out and find something or someone to feed on. Something warm would feel good, wouldn't it? Maybe we'll find ourselves some fresh slave hunters tonight," Amy was hopeful.

They put on their cloaks, even though they weren't necessary, in the event that townspeople should see the two vampires haunting the streets, they would attract less attention if they were dressed for the weather. They felt their way up the narrow dirt strewn stairs, lifted the door and exited the derelict house into the cold clear evening.

"What a lovely evening, Ruthie," Amy exclaimed as the wind that blew the snow into the basement blew their cloaks and dresses around them. Brush, which helped to conceal the lair of the vampires, had grown up and around the sides of the house during the years of neglect since the house was abandoned. Branches and brambles were pushed back and broken off just enough to forge a path from the back to the front of the house without revealing the girls' nightly traveled path. Amy and Ruthie held down their skirts in an attempt to protect them from being torn on the branches and briars as they passed.

"Except my hair is going to be ruined in this wind," Amy complained as her hood blew off while she attempted to hold down her skirts.

"No one's gonna be seeing you coming anyway," Ruthie replied.

"I suppose you're right, but I'd still like to look my best. This may be the night that Robert returns," Amy stepped out of the pathway behind Ruthie and replaced the fallen hood as her skirts and cloak flowed freely around her in the open space.

"Something is different here," Ruthie looked around the front of the house, "the path stops short in front of the house. It's always led all the way out to the street."

Amy brushed some stray hair back into her hood and surveyed the area, "I think someone was clearing some of this brush today, Ruthie," Amy moved closer to the front of the house where the charred porch looked fragile and dangerous.

Ruthie called to her as she began to follow, "Does it look like anybody's been in the house?"

"I can't tell," Amy tried to find footprints in the snow, "the wind has blown the snow and I can't make out any footprints, can you?"

"No, I can't either, but I don't like it at all," Ruthie looked around as though someone might be lurking near the house still, "Somebody cleared the brush away from the front of the house. That means at least one person was here today. I don't like it at all. They could have found us if they went inside."

"No one can go inside," Amy said with waning certainty, "I think the floors are too weak to hold a man's weight."

"We sure better hope so," Ruthie remarked.

"Why would anyone be clearing a path to this long abandoned house in the middle of winter?"

"Well," Ruthie deduced, "it couldn't stay abandoned forever. The city's growing and I expect they need to build more houses. There's gonna be a lot of people moving here to work in that new mill they building downtown. There's been more and more ships going in and out of here too, you know that. Where you think all those people gonna live?"

"I never considered it"

"Just like you never considered your maid unless she was waiting on you."

"I suppose not," Amy defended herself, "I never had to consider those things before."

"Well, now you have to," Ruthie stated pointedly, "your life depends on it."

Not finding any other evidence of intruders, the girls started toward town, "Ruthie, I know what you're thinking and I still don't want to move," Amy pleaded, "I can't take the chance of missing Robert if he returns. How will he find me if I move my lair?"

"Do you want him to find you with a stake in your heart or your head cut off?" Ruthie suggested, "What kind of homecoming would that be? If he wants to find you, he will."

"I just can't take that risk," Amy insisted. After a few minutes of silence during which Amy struggled to find a solution and Ruthie dwelled on the danger of Amy's obstinacy, Amy offered a suggestion, "There is a way we might be able to remain safely in our current lair."

"What's that?" Ruthie sounded skeptical. She was convinced that they should move far away and soon.

"We'll find ourselves a watchman."

"A what?" Ruthie asked, "How are we going to find someone who wants to guard two devils like us? Anyone who knows what we are is going to want to kill us."

"Not if we change his mind," Amy smiled, "we can make him do whatever we want. He will die for us before he allows anyone to harm us."

"The way I see it," Ruthie stopped walking and Amy stopped to listen, "we better pick up our coffins and our clothes and move tonight."

"Tonight!" Amy exclaimed as she stared incredulously at Ruthie.

"Yes, tonight. If someone was at the house today, it was for a reason. How do we know what someone might be planning to do with that house?" Ruthie pointed back toward the house, her cloak fluttering from her outstretched arm, "They might be planning to tear it down and build a new one in its place. They might be planning to clear out all those brambles and trees to make it look better so they can sell it. Any way you look at it, someone is planning to do something with that house and that means the end of us!"

"Or maybe," Amy argued, "the work they did today was the only work to be done."

"You only say that because that's what you want to believe," Ruthie gripped Amy by the shoulders as Amy had done to her so many times, "think about it. Why would some one go to all the trouble of clearing out the front yard? They had to have a reason. No one clears out the yard of an abandoned house in the middle of winter unless it's for a good reason."

"How do you know?" Amy pouted.

"My master always said, it ain't worth doing anything unless there's a profit in it and I bet your daddy said the same thing."

"I wouldn't know," Amy continued to pout, "Father wouldn't speak about business while my mother and I were in the room. We were too delicate for such masculine subjects."

"Then you have to trust me," Ruthie insisted, "I've always trusted you, now it's your turn to do the trusting. I know you don't want to hear it, but we have to get out of that house tonight."

The two girls stared at each other, Ruthie with intense certainty and Amy with weakening resistance. Desperation and the will to live drove Ruthie to stand her ground against Amy who until now had been making most of the decisions regarding the girls' lifestyles. This decision, however, was a question of life or death and Ruthie couldn't allow Amys obsession for Robert, a man who in Ruthie's opinion coldly deserted her, to cause Amy to deny the facts and lead them to their deaths.

"We'll find a way to leave Robert a sign so he'll know where to find you," Ruthie suggested.

"We haven't discussed my idea about a guardian," Amy didn't want to give in to Ruthie even though she reluctantly believed that Ruthie was probably right.

"If someone is planning to do something in that house, no one is going to keep them out," Ruthie explained, "if we put a guardian in there and he kills any intruders, they'll just send more. Do you think he'd be able to kill everyone?"

"No," Amy dropped her head in sadness, "I suppose you're right, Ruthie."

"I know I am, but I want to help you too. I mean I understand why you don't want to move and I'm sorry, Amy," Ruthie put her arm around Amy's shoulders, "But right now we have to find a safe place to live."

"I need to feed first," Amy announced sadly her voice cracking and her feelings of grief and loss intensifying at the thought of leaving the lair behind forever, " and you need to feed as well. Then we'll spend the rest of the night searching for a new home."

"All right," Ruthie agreed, "after feeding we can think better."

"Shall we go directly to the docks or would you prefer to hunt one of your small animals?" Amy still pouted.

"I believe finding a horse or cow would be the fastest way to feed tonight."

"I suppose you're right," Amy began to walk in the direction of a nearby stable, "we have no time for stalking and hunting tonight."

Ruthie hurried to keep up with Amy who was angrily striding toward town and the public stable, "We'll have plenty of time tomorrow for stalking and hunting, but if we don't move tonight, there might not be a tomorrow for us."

Amy walked on as though she hadn't heard Ruthie and began to slow her pace as they neared the stable, "Before Robert and I would move, we would spend several days watching a particular place to ensure that it would be safe for us to move into. We didn't simply get up one evening and move that same night," Amy's expression changed from angry to worried, "how are we going to be sure any other place is safer than the place we are leaving?"

"I know it's going to be risky moving into a place we don't know," Ruthie sympathized, "but I'm afraid it's going to be riskier to stay where we are for another day."

"All right," Amy exhaled heavily, "let's feed and maybe that will clear our minds and better enable us to think of a plan."

Transforming into thin mists, the two girls seeped under the stable door and silently wafted into the nearest horse stall before any of the resting horses could detect them. Inside the stall they simultaneously rematerialized as they punctured the horse's skin with their teeth. Amy, choosing the soft underbelly, which had the thinnest hair, and Ruthie choosing the throat, fed quickly and hungrily before escaping the same way they had entered. The victimized horse was attacked so silently and smoothly that it stood in shock while the vampires escaped. However, the other horses detecting the vicious intruders as soon as they began to feed, cried and stomped in fear waking the stable boy who used all his skills to calm the horses as he attributed the mass uproar to trespassing rodents that occasionally startled them.

A few streets away Amy and Ruthie sat on a large stone as they drew stray horsehairs from their mouths. The wind had died down and although the temperature hadn't risen, the air didn't seem as frigid as the wind subsided. The streets were still snow covered with tracks worn from carts and sleighs that carried on the daily business of the city in spite of the weather. The ships needed to be loaded with outgoing cargo to England, the southern states and the West Indies and cargo was unloaded with incoming ships from the same places. Whalers needed to be outfitted and stocked with enough provisions to support a crew who could be out to sea for months or even years.

Although many people passed through the snowy rutted streets by day, Ruthie and Amy adhered to the shadows along trees and houses, rarely setting foot in the street. The boulder they were perched upon was behind a row of trees between two houses on a side street. The spot provided a safe environment to discuss their move.

"Well, Ruthie," Amy said as she spit the final horse hair from her mouth, "where do you propose we move to?"

Ruthie became annoyed at Amy's attitude. Amy had five years experience at living the life of the undead while Ruthie had only a few months. Because Amy was resistant to Ruthie's rational decision to move their lair, she was assuming Ruthie would take complete control and responsibility over something which she had little knowledge and no experience. In order to plan and execute the move in the small amount of time available, Ruthie ignored Amy's attitude for the time being.

"Now, you know I don't know nothing about choosing a safe lair for a vampire," Ruthie tried to keep her annoyance from showing by using a calm rational tone of voice, "our staying alive depends on you helping us find a place. How did you and Robert find a place?"

"To be quite honest," Amy dropped her sarcastic attitude, "Robert always chose our lair. I only followed along."

"Well, that's fine!" Ruthie exclaimed.

"Robert was the man and it's my duty to follow the man I love and make him happy," Amy adjusted her hair under her hood.

"You don't have a man to depend on and take care of you anymore," Ruthie stated and then regretted her words when she saw Amy's pained expression," I'm sorry. I didn't mean to remind you of your loss."

"I haven't lost Robert," Amy was defiant again, "he will come back. I know he will."

"I'm sorry I said that anyway," Ruthie continued, "maybe if you think about it and tell me about the different places you lived, it will help us know what to look for in a new place. One thing I do know is that it has to be a place where nobody goes."

"Well, yes," Amy agreed, "that part doesn't need to be said. She thought for a minute, "We always stayed in cellars or attics in large older buildings. I suppose older buildings would have more belongings stored in those places for hiding our coffins."

"All right," Ruthie tried to think of some places that fit that description, but most of the houses within the city were smaller than the burned out one they were moving from.

"I think this is a good time to pray for help," Ruthie suggested, "I know the Lord has probably turned his back on a heathen like me, but I'll never turn my back on Him," Ruthie knelt on the snow covered ground and began to pray.

"I guess it might help," Amy said, but remained seated on the rock, "we can use any help we can get." Seeing Ruthie so deeply in prayer motivated Amy to concentrate on thinking of a suitable lair. Her attitude was still resistant, but Ruthie's determination and Amy's love for Ruthie gave her the will to help Ruthie find a new lair and in doing so, peace of mind and a feeling of security. She waited for Ruthie to raise her head and suggested that they take a walk around the city in order to find a new home.

"Do you think your prayer will be answered, Ruthie?" Amy asked as they began their search.

"I have faith in Jesus," Ruthie spoke with certainty, "He answered my prayers before and unless He turned his back on me for becoming a tool of the devil, He'll answer me again."

"How do you know he answered your prayers before?" Amy was truly interested. She accompanied her mother to church every Sunday, read the scriptures, sung the hymns but she was only doing what she was told. Proper young ladies attended church, read the Bible and occasionally had the minister home for Sunday dinner. Except for marrying a man she didn't love to improve her father's business, Amy conformed to her parents' expectations of a good daughter. Her opinion of these expectations or her thoughts on religion were never considered or asked for so she blindly went through the motions without thinking about what she was doing or why.

"My master and mistress have a daughter who was married a while ago," Ruthie said confidently, "we grew up together because my mama was owned by my master and I took Mama's place after she passed on. My mama passed on when I was fourteen and Miss Susan was fifteen. After Mama died I was so sad and lonely I thought I was gonna die too and at times I wished I did. Susan was sad too because Mama took good care of Miss Susan and Miss Susan loved Mama even though Mama was just her slave. I think Mama paid more attention to Miss Susan than her own mama did. In fact, Miss Susan would make me sit in a corner or under the table when she wanted Mama's attention and I had to because she was master's daughter and I was just the slave's daughter and a slave myself. Mama would give me extra attention after Miss Susan would leave the room and tell me not to feel bad because she really loved me best and this was just the way things was and it was God's way. Anyway, after Mama died, Miss Susan got real ornery and instead of making me stay out of her way, she ordered me around and threatened to beat me if I didn't do as she said. It was like she blamed me for Mama dying. Master and Mistress let her get away with treating me so badly. They thought it was good practice for when she had her own house to take care of. Miss Susan also started eating a lot at that time. I don't know why, maybe it was because of her grief for Mama or just because she could. I would do the baking for the week--cakes, pies, and they wouldn't last more than two days because she would eat them. When Master and Mistress asked why they were gone, Miss Susan told them I ate them. I never even tasted them. After Mama died I could hardly eat anything I was so lonely and sad. Master and Mistress always believed everything Miss Susan told them. My punishment would be that I couldn't have nothing to eat for two days. They didn't even care that Miss Susan was getting fatter and fatter and I was getting thinner and thinner. So I started praying every morning, noon and night that Miss Susan would hurry up and get married. Right after her sixteenth birthday, she became a bride. That's how I know that Jesus answers my prayers."

"Didn't your master and mistress notice that after Susan was married, the baked goods lasted longer?" Amy asked.

"They just figured I finally learned my lesson and stopped stealing the food."

"That was an interesting story and I believe your prayers were answered, Ruthie, but with no disrespect, it took Jesus a year to marry Susan off and we don't have that long."

"You don't have any faith, do you?" Ruthie commented.

"I don't know if I do or I don't," Amy answered, "Why do you believe in Jesus anyway?"

"Because I'm gonna go to heaven when I die and live forever with Jesus," Ruthie's expression clouded, "at least I was going to. Now I'm not so sure."

"If you're lucky you'll never have to find out," Amy remarked.

"We better stop talking and start finding a new lair," Ruthie stood and looked around her as though she could see the entire city from her position, "It needs to be a place in the outskirts of town, so the waterfront won't do."

"Yes," Amy agreed, "we need to find another secluded area where we can rest in peace during the day and safely slip out and back in at night. We don't want anything or anyone to prevent us from getting inside before dawn."

"Let's move westward so we're closer to sunset and further from the sunrise," Ruthie suggested.

"All right, Ruthie," Any agreed, "but I don't think that will make any difference. We won't be moving that far west."

"I was just trying to lift your spirit," Ruthie smiled, "I know it won't make a difference. We were living on the edge of the east side of town until now and the east side has the most people, so I reason the west end of town is a good area to consider," Ruthie explained, "Besides, we only have a few hours to decide."

"Yes," Amy stood reluctantly and straightened her skirts, "I suppose we should find a place quickly if we're to move tonight."

"Let's move west then," Ruthie suggested as they silently headed in that direction, "that at least gives us an area to search."

Walking westward put the two girls' backs to the river and in doing so the wind to their backs. Although the wind had died down considerably, there was always a breeze coming off the river blowing through the center of the commercial district, along the residential area and breaking like a wave against the courthouse at the top of State Street.

After a few moments of walking in silence, Amy said, "I'm not so certain this direction is the best."

"You don't think we will be safe up this way?" Ruthie asked apprehensively.

"Once we're past the business section, it might be safer and a little less busy, but that's not my concern," Amy seemed reluctant to speak.

"What is then?"

Amy didn't answer right away and her lack of composure made Ruthie anxious, "My parents live in this direction. I can't afford to be seen by them and I'd rather not see them either."

"Oh," Ruthie said, "it's freezing out. I don't think we will be seen by anyone, even your parents."

"I suppose you're right," Amy answered with uncertainty in her voice, "but I think I'm more frightened to see them than I am of their discovering me."

"Why?"

"I've been on the other side of town for five years avoiding them. They probably think I've been dead all this time. I'm sure they have accepted and adjusted to my untimely death. But I'm still here. All this time I've known where they are and I've missed them. I still miss them no matter how badly they treated me in the past. I'm afraid that if I see them again, I'll be in mourning all over again. I don't want to have those wounds opened again especially now that I don't have Robert here to console me and remind me how my gains have been well worth my loss. Do you understand?" Amy slowed her pace as they left the area of commerce.

"No, I don't think I do," Ruthie answered honestly, "I think that if my momma were still alive, I'd want to see how she was and if she was being treated right."

"But wouldn't it break your heart not to be able to speak to her?"

"Sure it would, but I would still have to see her. I know I wouldn't be able to stay away."

They slowly walked in silence as Amy considered what Ruthie said and wondered if she had the strength to live that way, being so close to her loved ones but unable to make herself known. Ruthie wondered how Amy could live in such close proximity to her family and never be tempted to look in on them, not even once.

The courthouse loomed closer, stoically holding its long-held position at the head of the street, facing the river as it had since before the Revolution and the burning of the city by the traitor Benedict Arnold.

"Why are we stopping here?" Ruthie asked Amy as they stood in the shadow of an elm.

Amy stared across the street and said, "That's my family's house, Ruthie. This is the first time I've seen it in five years."

Ruthie's eyes widened in awe, "You came from there?"

"Yes."

"And you gave all that up for a man you didn't even know?"

"I knew that I loved him and I'd do it all over again."

They remained behind the elm as they studied the house, Ruthie in awe and Amy in bitter sadness. The house itself stood majestically in the center of a rolling lawn surrounded by a stone wall. The Queen Anne architecture was sprawling and ornate, a sure sign of wealth and prosperity with its turrets and balconies and porches. Lights were on in a room on the second floor giving the imposing structure a warm glow.

"Which room was yours?" Ruthie broke into Amy's cold, lonely mood.

After a moment's hesitation, Amy quietly responded, "You can't see it from here, it's on the other side of the house."

"Will you show me?"

"I suppose so since we've come this far," Amy answered reluctantly. She had mixed feelings about looking up at her cold dark room-the room she fled to be with Robert as he stood on the balcony with open arms. She felt alone and lost lurking outside of her family's home unable to join them and abandoned by Robert, the only man she would ever love. Amy led Ruthie around the corner of the block where the western side of the house became visible and Ruthie could see that the property extended for an entire city block. Pointing up toward a small ornamental balcony on the second floor, Amy whispered, "That was my room."

"Good Lord!" Ruthie exclaimed, "Only three of you lived in that big house?"

"There were four of us when my brother was home from school and the servants had rooms on the top floor."

"Your daddy must be as rich as a king," Ruthie mused.

"I suppose so."

"And he wanted you to marry into a family that would make him even richer?"

"Men who value wealth over love can never be rich enough, Ruthie. They always want more wealth."

"I'd sure like to know how it feels to live in a house like that."

"Would you trade your mother's love to live there?"

"No, of course not. It wouldn't be worth having if I couldn't share it with Momma."

"That's exactly the way I felt about Robert. I gave up my life of wealth to live with him in cellars and attics and never regretted it once."

"Amy," Ruthie called as she followed Amy further around the block toward the rear of the house, "What kind of a cellar does this house have?"

"Why do you ask, Ruthie?" Amy stopped and turned to face her friend, "You can't possibly be suggesting we move into my father's house."

"It's the safest place we've seen so far," Ruthie stated, "We need to find a place to stay today. We would only have to stay until we find another place."

"How can you say that it's safe? My father or mother or one of the servants could see me and recognize me," Amy turned her back to Ruthie and continued walking away from the house, "I can't let them know I'm alive."

"You're not alive," Ruthie countered, "you're a creature that walks at night and feeds off the blood of living things. Maybe that's what you're afraid of, that you'll feed off a member of your family."

"No, no, no!" Amy put her hands over her ears, "I couldn't bear such a thing."

Ruthie nodded her head in acknowledgment, "That is what you're afraid of."

Amy sank to the ground behind a stone wall, her cloak and skirts spreading around her on the snowy ground. She took her hands from her ears and covered her face. "I couldn't live with myself if I hurt my family."

"Amy," Ruthie sat facing Amy, her cloak and skirts mingling with Amy's in the snow, "you're not like that. You don't feed off the first human you see when you rise. You always have a lot of self-control and find an acceptable victim. There is no chance that you would hurt your family."

"Do you really think so?" Amy looked hopefully at Ruthie whose expression of compassion reassured her and gave Amy hope and strength, "All right, Ruthie," she sighed reluctantly, " we can stay in my father's cellar, just until we find a better place. If we get our things now, everyone should be asleep by the time we return."

"Thank you, Amy," Ruthie said in relief and gratitude, "I'm so happy we found a safe place and can escape that old dangerous place."

"If Robert returns and sees that I've left our lair, he will be sure to look for me near my family's home."

"Do you think so?" Ruthie seemed unsure of Amy's idea. "He knows you haven't been near their house in five years. Why would he think he'd find you there now?"

"Where else would I go?" Amy replied, "He doesn't know I have you for a companion. He would assume that I'm alone."

"That's true," Ruthie agreed.

Amy and Ruthie returned across town using a different route than they had used earlier to avoid the chance of being seen twice in one night by the same person. This route also kept them well away from the stable where they had caused such a scene earlier. By this time of night, fewer lights were burning and even fewer people were out in the dark and frozen streets. As they neared the burnt out shell they had been calling home, they slowed their pace to carefully inspect their surroundings as they always did on their return.

"Ruthie," Amy stopped and pulled Ruthie closer, "I smell blood. I never smell blood here."

"Somebody must be in the house!" Ruthie exclaimed in hushed alarm.

"Why would anyone be here at this time of night?' Amy wondered out loud, "Robert!"

Ruthie held Amy back as she started to run to the house, "Wait! You don't know who it is. It could be a trap."

Amy's hopeful expression changed to one of caution as she considered Ruthie's logic, "We have to see who it is. We have to get to our things."

"I don't see any horses," Ruthie whispered as they moved closer to the house, staying in the shadows of the various trees and overgrowth.

"Why would someone be walking out here this late?" Ruthie asked, "Wait. I just saw a light moving on the first floor. Like someone carrying a candle."

"It must only be one person," Amy moved decidedly toward the front door, "Obviously, it was a mistake to assume the old burnt floors couldn't hold the weight of a man."

"What are you going to do?" Ruthie followed behind Amy. She had a good idea what Amy was planning to do.

Amy put her ear to the front door and listened for sounds inside the house. The door was ajar allowing her to hear feet shuffling along the filthy, charred floors. With Ruthie close behind, Amy entered the house and peered through the freezing darkness in search of the intruder. They were careful to feel their way through the rooms, as the floors were thin and weak in places. They learned the intruder was a man when he began to cough, which also gave away his exact location. His coughing stopped as soon as the young vampires entered the room where he was picking through the rubble as though looking for lost treasure.

"You won't find anything here," Amy startled him as she entered the room and knowing for certain the intruder wasn't Robert.

"What!" the panicked man dropped his candle, which immediately went out as he abruptly turned around to see Amy and Ruthie standing over him, their fangs bared in readiness. He quickly straightened and tried to run but instantly fell through a weakened floorboard and landed in the cellar with a thud. Ruthie and Amy stood over the jagged hole in which he fell looking into the cellar to see the stunned man draped over Amy's coffin. The girls jumped through the hole and drained the trespasser as he lay unconscious.

"Who do you think he was?" Ruthie asked Amy as they tossed the body to the floor.

"He's dressed poorly and didn't have a horse, so I'd say he was looking for shelter in the wrong place."

"The poor man," Ruthie shook her head.

"Let's get our things and take them to our new lair," Amy began packing dresses into her coffin and Ruthie did the same.

"Let's make certain that we leave nothing behind," Amy looked around to be sure she packed all her belongings, "except him." Amy smiled and nudged the corpse with the toe of her shoe.

"That man being here is a sign," Ruthie declared as she gathered her things, "that's the first time we've ever seen anyone here. It's a good thing we're leaving tonight because I'm sure we would be found if we stayed another day."

"You may be right, Ruthie," Amy prepared to exit the cellar, "you seem to be right about most things lately."

"Why, thank you for noticing," Ruthie smiled, "no one's ever told me that before."

"No one's ever told me that either," Amy laughed.

After packing their belongings into their coffins, Amy taught Ruthie how to transform a coffin into a size more manageable for traveling. She bit into her own arm just as she had done to feed Ruthie the night Ruthie was transformed into a vampire. Dropping large drops of blood on top of her coffin, she began smearing it into the glossy varnish until the casket began to diminish in size. Ruthie, mesmerized by what she was witnessing, momentarily forgot about the man they just murdered even though his cooling corpse lay only a few feet away. When the size of Amy's coffin was reduced to shoe box size, she stopped rubbing, picked up the casket and turned smiling at Ruthie.

"Now it's your turn."

Ruthie still stood staring in astonishment then slowly repeated Amy's actions just as she did the night at the tailor's shop when she learned to turn to a foggy mist to gain entrance. She was even more amazed and pleased with herself as she saw and felt her coffin shrinking under her guiding hand. As she finished and was holding her own miniature coffin she asked, "How do we make them grow again?"

"The same way," Amy answered gaily, content with having taught Ruthie a new skill.

"Why don't we do this every night, so we can hide them better when we're out?" Ruthie asked, "and why didn't you show me how to do this before?"

"We need to keep them at full size at night," Amy explained, "They have to be ready and waiting if by chance we have difficulty returning before dawn. They must be ready for us to enter quickly."

Ruthie nodded in acknowledgement and without looking back, the vampires fled their former lair and although Amy was apprehensive about moving into her family home, Ruthie was excited to be moving into such an exquisite mansion which she had never dreamed of inhabiting in any capacity except servant or slave. Even with the added burden of wardrobe-filled coffins, the journey across town was swift and uneventful and before long they arrived at the cellar door at the rear of the house.

"I think everyone is asleep," Ruthie said, "I didn't see any lights."

"There still may be a servant up to tend the fires," Amy facetiously remarked, "you remember doing that, don't you?"

"Only too well," Ruthie said with regret.

"I'll slip in and open the door for you."

"Since it is your house," Ruthie relented. She still felt sad for killing the poor man who was desperately trying to get warm in the cold dark abandoned house, but was anxious to feel safe and hidden again.

Ruthie held onto both coffins while Amy slipped under the door that seemed tiny against the massive structure of the house. A moment later the doorknob jiggled and rattled and the wooden door stiffly and slowly creaked open. Amy emerged to relieve Ruthie from her burden of two coffins as she took possession of her own and eased it into the basement. Ruthie followed with her own coffin and Amy closed the door behind them, shutting out what little moonlight entered through the small cellar entrance.

"Be careful not to bump into anything and make noise," Amy whispered, "we mustn't wake anyone."

"I can barely see." Ruthie admitted, "are you familiar with this cellar?"

"No, of course not," Amy was insulted, "I was raised to adorn the parlor, not toil in the cellar."

"You never been in the cellar of your own house?" Ruthie asked incredulously.

"Not since I was a child when my brother and I would chase each other through the house. I was scolded for getting my dress dirty and forbidden from ever entering the cellar again," Amy admitted, "my mother told me that getting dirty was sinful for pretty girls like me and not at all ladylike in the least."

"If your momma thought gettin' some dust on your dress was sinful, she better not ever see how you live now," Ruthie remarked.

"Exactly," Amy looked around to find a safe hiding place for their coffins. The cellar odor contained the expected scent of dust and must from neglect and disuse; however, Amy could detect the familiar scent of her childhood and family mingling in the dark interior of the basement causing her to experience mixed feelings of comfort, grief, security and loss all at once. She remembered the comfort and security she took for granted as a young girl and also the grief and loss of never being able to be a part of her family again. It also offered Amy a fresh stab of pain from her loss of Robert, the man she gave up all her family security to be with.

"We should find a place further from the door in case somebody comes in from outside," Ruthie suggested.

"Let's leave them here against the side wall for now while we scout around for a more appropriate place," Amy helped Ruthie set the miniature coffins against the wall and led the way deeper into the cellar.

"Good Lord!" Ruthie exclaimed in a whisper, "this cellar has more rooms than my master's whole house."

"A man's home is a testament to his wealth and in my father's case, a testament to his excellent business acumen."

"Why do you use such big words? You know I don't know what you're talking about," Ruthie said in frustration.

"I'm sorry, Ruthie," Amy apologized, "but since I wasn't allowed to get dirty or muss my hair, I spent a lot of time in the nursery with my governess. When I was older I was allowed to use my father's library. He collected many books but never read them himself. He needed an impressive library in his impressive house," Amy stopped and turned to Ruthie, "Can you read, Ruthie?"

"No," Ruthie answered sadly, "I wasn't allowed to read. Mistress said I didn't need to be able to read to bake bread and stoke fires. I wanted to learn to read if only to be able to read the Bible on my own."

"There are a lot more pleasant things to read than the Bible," Amy turned to advance further into the depths of the cellar.

"How evil you talk, Amy," Ruthie said disapprovingly.

"Maybe we should stop talking for now."

"Fine by me."

Composed of several smaller rooms, the cellar was inspected by the vampires as they searched a suitable new lair. One room, which was located near the stairs leading to the first floor was stocked with household items such as candles, lamp oil, and floor wax where a servant would visit quite frequently. Another room contained unused or rejected furniture and artwork. Still another room was almost completely neglected except for a few empty barrels. The first room they had entered from the outside held gardening implements that had been collecting dust since fall but were sure to be re-employed in the spring. Also, in this room some lattice strips and roofing shingles left from when the house was built twenty years earlier were stored to aid in eventual maintenance expected from age and weather.

After searching the entire cellar, Ruthie asked, "so which room do we choose?"

"I think the safest place would be the room used for discarded furniture. The pieces are in disarray although neatly covered for possible future use and protection. We can move the coffins to the far side of the room behind the furniture. If we use any of the other rooms, we will be at a greater risk of discovery."

"Let's put them in place before dawn breaks," Ruthie led the way back to the coffins, "it must be nearing dawn."

Without too much rearranging, the vampires were safely embedded in their new lair. Amy and Ruthie worked together quickly and quietly and were soon side-by-side in their caskets well before the sun rose. Finally able to relax in the warmth and security of their improved accommodations the girls were allowed the ability to reflect on their evening of fear, insecurity and ultimate triumph.

As they lay side-by-side in the silence of the dark, but draft-free cellar, Amy listened to Ruthie's bedtime prayers before closing the lid. Even though Amy refused to join Ruthie in her prayers, Ruthie hoped that Amy's listening to Ruthie's praying would somehow help Amy's soul. Ruthie wasn't sure if praying helped her soul anymore now that she was an evil creature, but she never gave up hope or her faith. When her prayer was finished she asked Amy:

"Do you still believe Jesus doesn't answer my prayers?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I prayed for him to help us find a safe home and here we are, right in the bosom of your momma and poppa."

Knowing her parents were upstairs, yet not being able to make herself know to them, the pain of losing Robert, and Ruthie's words blended together and struck some deeply buried wound in Amy and she began to cry deep wracking sobs of sorrow and grief.

"Good Lord, honey," Ruthie climbed out of her coffin to comfort Amy. She climbed into Amy's coffin and held her close as Amy sobbed as though her heart was breaking so as never to be mended, "I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned your momma and poppa upstairs. It's gonna be all right. Oh Lord, maybe I shouldn't have talked you into moving here. It's just too much for you to bear. I'm sorry, honey, I'm sorry."

Amy silently cried and cried until her weeping was reduced to intermittent sobs. Ruthie dabbed at Amy's tears with the skirt of her dress until her face was clean and dry all the while murmuring words of comfort and apology. Amy's mind finally allowed her to study Ruthie's actions and words after her soul-cleansing cry and gradually she began to silently giggle. The giggles grew stronger as Ruthie seemed surprised and perplexed by Amy's radical mood change. Then Ruthie caught Amy's giggles and they were both laughing together so hard, their fangs were bared and almost glowed in the night.

"Oh, Ruthie," Amy exclaimed between giggles, "You are the best friend I've ever had and ever will have. I love you completely."

Ruthie returned Amy's hug and said, "I don't know what we're laughing at, but you're my best friend too."

"Don't you see, Ruthie," Amy seemed happier than Ruthie had ever seen her and she was completely bewildered as to how the change had suddenly come about, "I had all these feelings about losing my family buried and denied because of my complete love and devotion to Robert. Your convincing me to come here made me finally face those feelings and realize all the support and comfort that my father and mother provided me with but I had taken for granted. All I knew was the anger and resentment I held for them when they engaged me to that ship owner's son without my consent and in doing so denied me the man I truly loved."

"So, you forgive them now?" Ruthie asked.

"Yes, I do," Amy admitted, "they were only expecting me to honor the family by marrying someone who would only bring the family more prosperity and security. My children would have been well taken care of."

"Now you won't have children at all," Ruthie reminded Amy, "neither will I."

"No, we won't," Amy's smile faded.

"Why did your daddy build such a big house for only four people? Why didn't you have a bigger family to fill up this big house?"

"They had planned a large family," Amy whispered, "I had an older sister, Elizabeth, who died of fever before I was born. There were three other children born after me but before my brother, who all died before the age of five. One was born dead, another was born deformed and died shortly after birth, and the third died of fever the same as Elizabeth. The first two were boys, Ethan and Jeremiah. The little girl was Isabel. She was a sweet little girl of three when she died. She's the only one I remember because I was almost six when she died. I can't imagine the sorrow and despair my mother and father have endured over the years. And I caused them even more. Now they only have Samuel. Maybe it's better that we won't have children, Ruthie. This way we'll avoid all that heartache, although I would love to have had Robert's children. His children would have been so beautiful and I would still have a small part of him, in them, with me now."

"If everyone decided not to have children because of the heartache, nobody would try to have children," Ruthie stated, "and there's always more children being brought into the world."

"I suppose so. As long as people continue to wed, I suppose children will continue to be born to them." Amy sighed, "I also suppose we better lay ourselves to rest."

Ruthie climbed back into her own coffin, "The good Lord willing, tomorrow's another day."

"Ruthie?" Amy called just as Ruthie was about to lower her lid.

"Huh?" Ruthie said, her lid half open.

"I'm sorry I turned you into a vampire-a tool of the devil-as you call it. It was very selfish of me to take your life away without your consent."

Ruthie didn't answer right away as she fought with her mixed emotions, the same complex emotions she had been dealing with for months. She was angry and resentful toward Amy for assaulting her and transforming her life and defying her strong Christian beliefs, but Amy had become her best friend, the only person who had ever treated her as an equal. Amy listened to her and respected her opinions even if she didn't agree with them. Even though Ruthie was now what she knew was a heathen and an evil creature, at the same time, Amy had helped Ruthie to feel better about herself. She felt more human now than she did in her former life of enforced servitude.

"Are you going to say anything?"Amy whispered.

"What's done is done, Amy," Ruthie finally answered, "Like I said before, you're my best friend. If you hadn't of transformed me, I never would have had you as a friend. In fact, I might never have ever had a friend at all ever. I still have faith in Jesus and that won't ever change. I can only pray that He still has faith in me."

Ruthie's words only made Amy more sorrowful and her regret deepened. Ruthie didn't say that she forgave Amy, only that she accepted what Amy had done to her, "I do love you, Ruthie."

"I love you too," Ruthie closed her lid and Amy quickly did the same.

A few hours later a group of workmen arrived at Amy and Ruthie's former lair. They arrived in a horse drawn work cart filled with the tools necessary to complete the demolition of the house. Breath clouds billowed from their lips like smoke from a pipe of tobacco as they spoke amongst themselves, jumping from the cart and reaching back in for the tools of their choice. As they organized themselves before beginning the day's work ahead they were too involved in keeping their hands and feet warm to notice a man dressed completely in black quickly exiting the cellar door and slipping into the thin woods behind the house. It wasn't long though, after they entered the building to inspect the conditions of the structure that they found the frozen, bloodless corpse on the cellar floor just as Amy and Ruthie had left him.

Chapter 7

January 1850

I, Reverend Horace Williams, understand now why the Lord called on me to be his servant in New London at this time. On my way into town this morning I came upon a burned and abandoned house on a quiet street on the edge of town. It was a long cold trip from Salem on foot and I took the opportunity to take a short rest before entering the busy whaling city. Following a narrow overgrown path beside the house, I made my way to the rear to perhaps gain entrance. To my delight the cellar door was partway open so I took the opportunity to enter. The narrow uneven stone steps were dark as I felt my way down but light soon could be seen as I entered the cellar where small broken windows let in the early morning light. Imagine my horror and surprise to find I was not alone! The crumpled corpse of a man lay at my feet. Never having come unexpectedly upon a dead man before, it took me several moments to recover from my shock. However, a short prayer calmed my nerves and I was able to roll the man over to see his face, which was filthy, yet peaceful. The paleness of his complexion was exceptional. His clothes were tattered and his hair shaggy leading me to believe he was a poor ruined man probably looking for shelter. Trying to determine the cause of his death, I examined his body as far as his clothing would allow. The only wounds apparent were two puncture marks on his neck that were caked with dried blood. Perhaps animal bites after he had fallen unconscious.

As I prayed over his lonely corpse, it became clear that God visited me in my dreams to send me here to guide these poor lonely souls of the city onto a path of righteousness and away from the sins that led them down the sorry path of homelessness and despair. I have faith that my frequent haunting dreams, which have been so puzzling, will soon become clear. The only definite understanding I have of them is that I am destined to improve the city of New London by saving the souls of the men who have lost their way to God and are being led to damnation through Satan's temptation of material pleasures. The name New London shows itself clearly in my dreams and I'm sure it is God, himself, who is directing me here. There is wickedness and sin in this prosperous city of commerce and enterprise that tempt men to ignore God's laws in order to pursue and enjoy the fleeting earthly delights of physical pleasure and material wealth. I've arrived too late to save this poor misguided man, but I'm here to save the remaining sinners of this city from an eternity of certain hellfire and damnation.

Chapter 8

At the end of the day when workers are weary and children are whiny and tired after the winter sun sets and men of commerce are looking forward to going home to their fires, family, supper and after dinner pipes; vampires are rising. The victims of vampires are at their weakest after a day of difficult toil that makes them slow, sleepy and especially easy to overpower.

Poor workers who demanded a pint or two of ale after a day's work were the easiest prey and they were often the most acceptable prey for Amy who needed Ruthie's approval in choosing victims. These drunken men were the most likely to abuse their wives and children on their return home using excuses such as their meal was no longer warm, or not ready to eat, or not available at all. These poor families lived in the most eastern part of the city northwest of the railroad station; an old rundown neighborhood, spared by the traitor Benedict Arnold's brutal attack of 1781 called Widows Row. This neighborhood would become Ruthie's new hunting ground for the small animals she preferred to victimize instead of people even though they were available in other areas of the city. The alleys littered with trash and oftentimes sewage were also abundant in rats, cats and stray dogs that were, like Ruthie, looking for nourishment. Stalking and devouring her prey first, Ruthie would carry the corpse until Amy found and fed from her own victim. Ruthie would lay her animal victim's ragged corpse near Amy's human victim in an attempt to shift the blame of the attack to the dead animal. The uneducated superstitious neighbors, who were sadly familiar with mysterious and untimely deaths in their unhealthy, unsanitary neighborhood, would find the dead animal near the human corpse and usually assume the human was attacked by a diseased animal and in fear for their own health and welfare, quickly dispose of both bodies without further investigation.

Rather than stalking the docks as in the past the two lovely vampires frequented this particular poor neighborhood where they could easily find victims and quickly return home. Robert had taught Amy that choosing a new hunting ground every so often would keep the number of corpses found in one place at a minimum and would help to keep their existence a secret by keeping the authorities free of suspicion. In addition to choosing a new hunting ground, since moving to their new lair, Amy had been teaching Ruthie how to read ever since the first evening in the new lair when Ruthie had made known her desire to do so. They found Amy and Samuel's old primers in the nursery, which had been closed off for several years. Borrowing candles from the storeroom in the cellar, Amy set up a small corner of their room to use as a study area and she was pleased and excited at how quickly Ruthie learned. After several months, Ruthie was fulfilling her dream of reading the Bible on her own and bloodless bodies were being found on a regular basis in Widows Row.

"You know, Ruthie," Amy said as they prepared for their evening hunt, "maybe it would be a good idea if we went back to the docks to hunt for a while. We've been spending an awfully long time in that horribly filthy neighborhood and I'm nervous that someone may find us out before too long or at least become suspicious of so many deaths in one area."

"It's strange that you mention that because I've been thinking of leaving that place alone for a while myself," Ruthie had finished dressing and was sitting at the study table.

"You have?" Amy sat beside her.

"Now that I can read pretty good for myself, I'd like to go back to seeing if we can help some runaways," Amy looked interested. She relished the idea of taking more slave hunters out of the world, "We can slip inside the post office and read the wanted posters and then look out for those runaways. You know, ever since we moved here we've been really selfish and not helping anybody at all but ourselves. Since we have the power, we should be trying to use it for good."

"That's a good idea but I was thinking that now that it's summer, the docks will be busier and the ocean breeze will be more pleasant than the stench of the mills and the drunks in a refuse strewn alley. Besides, we really have been hunting in one neighborhood for too long."

Ruthie reminded herself that Amy felt no guilt for victimizing and even killing her prey and didn't feel the need to help others but still tried to convince her to accept her idea, "Think of all the lost souls we might have missed helping these past months. We should see if we can find some people to help."

"But we have been helping, Ruthie," Amy argued, "Think of all those beaten and bruised wives and children we've freed from the tyranny of their hateful and cruel husbands and fathers."

"Yeah," Ruthie countered, "but we also left all those poor families with no man in the house to provide for them. Those wretched women probably went right out and married a man just like the one we freed them from."

"Oh, Ruthie," Amy was shocked, "why would they purposely put themselves in such a horrid position?"

"To keep from starving," Ruthie explained matter-of-factly, "and to keep their children from starving."

"I didn't think of that," Amy looked distressed, "I really thought we were rescuing those families."

"Well, you never had to worry about going hungry, so you wouldn't think of something like that," Ruthie muttered, "Just like you and your maid."

"Are you going to bring that up again?" Amy became defensive, "I told you I learned my lesson about thinking of others."

"I know," Ruthie tried not to smile, but her youthful dark eyes sparkled, "I just couldn't resist it."

"Very funny, Ruthie," Amy pouted for a minute then said, "All right, why don't we go to the Quaker's house tonight and see if they have any visitors."

"From there," Ruthie offered a compromise, "we can go to the docks to do some hunting."

Heat still hung in the air after the sun had set giving the vampires an idea of what the day's weather had been like. The Quakers lived north of the city past their most recent hunting ground; however, Amy and Ruthie took a more direct route from their lair through yards and side streets until reaching Main Street several blocks northeast.

Ruthie brought up a subject she was intensely curious about, but Amy was reluctant to speak of: "Amy," Ruthie said tentatively, "we've been staying at your house for some time now and we've been up to the nursery to borrow books. When are you going to look in on your parents?"

Amy tensed and a sense of dread came over her as Ruthie brought up the uncomfortable subject.

"Aren't you even curious a little bit to see them?"

"No, I don't want to see them," Amy admitted.

"Don't be afraid," Ruthie encouraged her friend, "it will make you happy to see them again and see for yourself that they're all right."

"No," Amy argued defiantly, "it won't make me happy. It will make me sad. They are my family and I'm torn from them forever. At least I have a chance of being with Robert again. I can never be with my parents again."

"I don't know how you can be in the same house with them and refuse to see them." Ruthie remarked, "If I were you, I couldn't do that. I'd have to peek in on them."

"Well, you're not me!" Amy snapped angrily, "I don't wish to discuss it further."

Amy remained coldly silent until they reached the street of the Quaker's house, "I hope we find some hunters to hunt tonight, Ruthie."

"So do I," Ruthie agreed, I want to rid the world of slave hunters," She knew that Amy was still angry with her and that Amy didn't really care whether her prey was a slave hunter or not. She simply needed to feed on someone and if a hunter wasn't available, she'd just as easily and without distinction feed on almost anyone else. It was only for Ruthie's sake that she chose to victimize only men who preyed on others.

Under the window at the Quaker's house, Amy and Ruthie silently listened for any conversation, "Why don't we go inside?" Ruthie suggested, "We can hear everything inside."

"The house is too small." Amy answered, "Someone inside would be sure to notice our vapor."

Ruthie acquiesced and continued in silence below the window. No stars could be seen through the hazy fog of the muggy summer night that was thickened with the smoke and soot that still hung in the air from the mills running from dawn to dusk. The only sounds on the quiet street were from the concert of crickets and panting of neighborhood dogs. Ruthie and Amy were so still and quiet that they disturbed neither, leaving the neighborhood ignorant of its bloodthirsty intruders.

After several more minutes of silence Amy whispered, "If I don't find some prey soon, I'll feed on the first person who crosses my path."

Ruthie, knowing Amy to be serious, feared for any innocent passerby who might catch Amy's eye or unwittingly attract her with his scent and quickly suggested they return to the city center.

"You don't have to stay mad at me, Amy, I won't speak of you seeing your parents again." Ruthie tried to calm Amy's anger and, hopefully, in effect calm Amy's desire to attack the first person she came upon.

"Never again?" Amy eyed Ruthie in disbelief.

"Never again," Ruthie promised, "I know how upset it makes you to think about seeing them and even though I don't understand it, I'll respect it."

"I would greatly appreciate it if you did," Amy seemed slightly relieved although she didn't fully trust that Ruthie would keep her promise, since she brought the subject up regularly.

Once again, avoiding Widows Row as they had on the trip north, the hungry vampires on the return trip followed the railroad tracks back to the city in the direction of the wharves. The cross-river ferry was closed down and deserted for the night, it's final run for the evening completed only an hour or two earlier. The oppressive heat, which had no effect on the girls' body temperatures, seemed to stifle the air itself as no breeze blew off the river for Ruthie to enjoy as she usually did when they hunted along the riverbank.

Coming upon the dark massive hulk of the biscuit factory, a man stepped out of the shadows of a stack of railroad ties and approached the girls on the tracks. Amy looked at him hungrily and Ruthie looked at him nervously fearing Amy's rabid hunger. Ruthie was hungry as well, but still in her ravenous state could control her natural impulses and find a furry quadruped to feed on, rather than a human.

The man, comfortably smoking a pipe stopped Ruthie and said, "Be a good girl and tie my boot. I was just about to do it myself when I saw you and now can avoid dirtying my own hands with the task." He assumed Amy was Ruthie's employer, "You don't mind, do you, Miss?" His attitude and manner of dress gave the impression that he was a night watchman or maintenance man, possibly a night supervisor who had stepped outside for some air and a smoke. He stood with his left foot on the track in front of him and toward Ruthie as he arrogantly waited for her to serve him while he puffed contentedly on his pipe. Ruthie stood staring at him and his outstretched leg in insult and indecision.

Amy, however, suffered no indecision as she sent the pipe flying and rattling across the tracks as she attacked. The expression of contented arrogance disappeared from the man's face and transformed to surprise and terror as Amy viciously sank her teeth into his neck. The untied boot slipped partially off his foot as he flailed on the tracks before becoming unconscious from blood loss.

"Don't kill him, Amy," Ruthie tried to raise her voice, but the sight and smell of the man's blood was so tempting in her state of hunger that her voice came out in a hoarse rasping whisper as she bared her teeth craving a taste for herself.

Amy who was kneeling over her unconscious victim looked up at Ruthie, blood dribbling from the corner of her mouth and asked with reproach, "Why shouldn't I kill him? Aren't you angry at the way he treated you like a servant? He doesn't even know you. He deserves to die."

Ruthie's hunger was strongly affecting her judgment as she watched Amy lick the blood from her lower lip and return to her feeding, but her recent studies of the Bible were affecting her as well, "But the Bible says killing is a sin."

"The Bible wasn't written for us," Amy stood back and looked at Ruthie who was hungrily eyeing the man sprawled across the tracks, "when are you going to accept that."

"Lord Jesus forgive me," Ruthie dropped to her knees as she reluctantly gave up control of her blood lust, looked up to the heavens in anguish and remorse and then feasted hungrily on the man until he was drained. The vampires fled speedily away from the scene leaving the body on the tracks as the distant whistle of a train sounded.

As the train passed throwing the body of the victim off the tracks and mutilating him beyond recognition, a quarter mile away Reverend Williams holding a kerchief over his nose and mouth was slipping into a filthy, stench filled, maggot and rodent infested corner of Widows Row. Rats scurried around his feet, fearless unless faced with the danger of the feral cats that frequented the alleys desperate for survival like every other living thing in the city. Peering behind barrels of trash and piles of debris the Reverend turned to exit the alley with an expression of disappointment and determination on his pale, thin hairless face. Unusual for men of his time, he wore no whiskers and his worn wide-brimmed hat all but obliterated his eyebrows in the dark making his face appear paler and more hairless than it actually was. The relentless seeker of the homeless and lost souls continued to search alleys and side streets throughout the poverty laden area until he was certain that nothing but rats, cats, maggots and dogs stalked the alleys and no human bodies-alive or dead-were left to rot in the still summer night.

Chapter 9

"I saw your face!" Amy scolded Ruthie as they slowed their pace when they were a mile from the scene of their crime.

"What do you mean?" Ruthie asked as she walked alongside Amy with her eyes to the gravel-covered road.

"You were actually about to tie that man's boot, weren't you?" Amy accused.

"No," Ruthie started and changed her solemn tone to one of indecisiveness, "I don't know. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want you to attack him and I hoped that if I fixed his boot he would just go away."

Amy looked at Ruthie in disappointment and impatience, "When will you ever accept the fact that you're no longer a servant. In fact, you are strong and powerful. You can defend yourself against any man and should take advantage of it."

"I guess it just takes a long while to get used to," Ruthie didn't know what else to say, "I been a servant all my life. You said yourself it took you a while to get used to it."

"I just hate to see you being treated in such a humiliating fashion and I hate seeing you respond to it in such a manner of acceptance. You are far too good of a person to be treated in such a low and degrading manner."

"Well," Ruthie put her head up and smiled, "thank you for saying so and for believing so. I promise to remember that I'm not a servant anymore. Once and for all."

"And never will be," Amy added.

"And never will be," Ruthie repeated with enthusiasm.

"Now that we have that problem resolved, would you care to return to the man we fed upon and see how he looks after being hit by a train? Knowing that Ruthie would be repelled by the morbid suggestion, Amy waited with a facetious smile for Ruthie's response.

Ruthie, as expected, was not amused by Amy's attempt at humor. "It's sinful enough that we killed that man without going back to stare at his corpse, or what's left of it. I'm amazed that you would even suggest it."

"Oh, come now, Ruthie," Amy laughed, "Surely you know I was just having some fun."

"Sometimes it's hard to tell," Ruthie explained, "the vicious way you attacked that man made me believe you enjoyed it."

"You know I don't love being the creature that I am, but I've been this way for over five years and I've learned to accept it and to live with it."

"I think maybe sometimes you enjoy it too."

After a slight pause Amy said, "Maybe sometimes I do. I can't hate myself for eternity because of who or what I am."

Ruthie was silent as she considered how life would be if she hated herself for eternity. On one hand, maybe she deserved to hate herself forever, but on the other hand, it wasn't her choice to become the creature of the night that she was. If ever she should die she would certainly be condemned to hell. Wasn't that punishment enough? "I'll never enjoy being a murderer. If I have to kill to survive, I suppose I will because I don't want to die, but I'll always be guilty and I'll never enjoy it."

"Let's talk about something else, Ruthie, you're making me feel guilty and sinful."

"Well, that's an improvement, I'd say, but I'm willing to change the subject."

"Would you like to take a walk along the wharves before we go home?"

Ruthie consented to walk along the wharves under the condition that Amy refrained from any more killing for the night. Ruthie wouldn't have been able to enjoy her walk if she had to fear that Amy might attack any lone shipbuilder or sailor they happened upon.

The smog from the mills combined with the heavy humid air that seemed as though it would never release the city from its grip sat heavily over the city and the waterfront. Amy and Ruthie enjoyed being concealed in the low-lying smog and less obviously noticeable by whoever was still about. As they strolled along a desolate dock listening to the usual comforting sounds of water lapping against the boats and the creaking of the boats themselves, they heard a distant commotion from over the water.

"A ship is coming in, Ruthie," Amy announced and her eyes grew wide as she tried to see through the gloom.

"It can't be docking here because there would be people to meet it."

"Yes" Amy relaxed slightly, "you're right. I don't know how it can find its way in this weather. Let's move further on and listen to find out where it's anchoring."

In their haste to reach the end of the dock in the smoggy darkness, Ruthie sped her way right into a lone dockworker.

"Pardon me, miss," the man said in surprise as he turned and saw who had bumped into him. He was surprised to see a lady out on the dock alone so late. Amy had already disappeared ahead into the heavy air. On hearing the man's voice behind her, however, she stopped to listen to Ruthie's response.

"I'm sorry, sir," Ruthie said shyly with her face down and hidden from his full view, "I didn't see you in this weather."

"I'm surprised to find such a fine lady out on the docks at night," smiled the young black man.

"How nice of you to say," Ruthie blushed and slightly lifted her eyes upward to see his face, "I was surprised to find anyone out here myself."

"Well, I just arrived here today and don't have no home here. I'll be sailing out next week so I guess I don't really need a home here anyway," Ruthie's shy smile gave the man courage to continue, "I'm sleeping on the ship until we sail."

"I was just out walking," Ruthie replied defensively, "I couldn't sleep."

"Well, I'm glad you were here, miss," the man smiled sincerely, "You're the prettiest lady I've ever seen in my life."

"I don't believe that," Ruthie blushed again.

"Well, it's true and I never lie unless I'm talking to a white man."

Ruthie laughed at his response, "I better go now. Somebody's waiting for me."

The incoming ship was moving closer to shore and lights were now shining in some of the hotels as they sent men out in rowboats to compete for their business. Silently and suddenly Amy appeared at Ruthie's side and urged her to follow.

"Oh, you're not alone," the man exclaimed in surprise at seeing Amy seemingly appear out of nowhere.

"No," Ruthie smiled and turned back as Amy led her away by the hand, "this is my sister."

"Sister!" the man said to himself as the two girls disappeared away from him down the dock, "all those stories about blacks and whites being equal up here in the north must really be true."

"What's the matter," Ruthie asked Amy as they left the dock for the shelter of the dark, desolate buildings along the train tracks, "why are we running in this direction when a few minutes ago you were running the other way?"

"Because I heard what the men were saying on the ship," Amy answered as she slowed her pace in the security of the shadows, "they have a pirate on board and they intend to turn him over to the authorities upon landing."

"A pirate," Ruthie exclaimed," I hope he doesn't get loose. My mama told me some dark tales about pirates she heard about over the years."

"Yes," Amy added, "I would hear about them in the stories my father would tell my brother. He didn't realize that I was listening, but I would sometimes hide behind the drapes while my brother sat on my father's knee. I was supposed to be in the nursery practicing my Bible lessons, but I wanted to learn why I wasn't allowed time with my father the same as Samuel."

"Were any of your father's ships taken by pirates?"

"I don't know." Amy replied, "I never was able to hear everything. My father didn't often speak about business around the family. He had a study where he entertained business associates. I would never dare to hide behind the drapes in his study. In fact, none of us but the servants were allowed inside."

"Why are we hiding from this pirate?"

"We're not, Ruthie," Amy whispered urgently, "we're hiding from all the men who will descend on the ship as soon as word spreads that a pirate's been brought in."

Ruthie was silent for a moment, then said, "Wouldn't you like to get a look at the pirate too, Amy?"

"Ruthie!" Amy said in surprise, "why would I be interested in seeing a filthy pirate? He's a thief and a killer."

"Have you ever seen one before," Ruthie was excited at the prospect of seeing something she had heard so many stories about.

"No, I haven't," Amy seemed insulted that Ruthie would ask such a question. Why would Amy place herself in the company of a criminal?

"I want to see him," Ruthie admitted to Amy's surprise, "he can't be any more of a killer or thief than we are."

"How can you think so, Ruthie," Amy was astonished, "I think your little chat with the dockworker has made you very daring. We kill and commit thievery as means of survival. Pirates do so for pleasure and greed. It makes them feel superior and invincible. They find happiness in their victims' suffering."

"What do you think the authorities will do to him?" Ruthie didn't want to argue with Amy, but she felt that in describing the pirate's lust for larceny and murder she could also describe Amy. It was just a short time ago that Amy had enjoyed attacking the pipe smoking man with the untied boot.

"There will be a trial and then they will hang him," Amy declared in a tone of finality.

"Then he'll be in jail for some time?"

"A week or more, I assume."

"Tomorrow night we must visit his jail cell," Ruthie said with excitement in her eyes.

Amy looked at Ruthie in disbelief and said, "All right, Ruthie, if only to prove to you what a filthy scoundrel he truly is."

Standing in the shadows, they watched and waited while the crowd met the ship and in a group took the pirate toward the city courthouse where he would be housed in a cell to await legal process. Excited and alert, smaller groups remained on the dock gossiping about how the pirate was captured and finally how the ship fared on its quest for whale oil. Workers were removing oil from the ship to be stored until morning when business could be conducted. Amy and Ruthie returned home in a wide arc to avoid the city center where the hotels were welcoming the ship's crew and hearing the story of the pirate's capture.

Arriving home as usual by the rear entrance, the girls moved cautiously around to the front of the house to get a glimpse of the courthouse where the pirate was secured until morning when he would be officially charged. The house front sat diagonally across from the front of the courthouse giving the girls a full view of the building. There were small groups of men on the sidewalk talking excitedly about the new prisoner and his identity but Amy and Ruthie weren't close enough to hear what was being said. The men soon began going their separate ways and the girls retreated to their lair.

As they prepared for their daylight sleep and readied their coffins Ruthie remarked, "I can hardly wait until tomorrow to meet a real pirate."

"He would make a good meal," Amy smiled showing her fangs.

"You cannot feed off him, Amy," Ruthie became alarmed at Amy's threat.

"I was simply trying to be humorous, Ruthie," Amy became serious again, "of course we can't feed off the pirate. That would be as dangerous as feeding off the mayor."

"Well, I'm relieved to hear you say that," Ruthie breathed a sigh of relief, "sometimes you feed off whoever happens to pass by you, like that man by the train tracks tonight."

"After all these months of my waiting for your permission to feed on a particular victim, do you think I would really be so rash as to attack a pirate who is locked in a cell and leave him to be found bloodless and dead?"

"No, I guess not," Ruthie answered, "but sometimes when you're hungry you don't think about the consequences, you just feed."

"I solemnly promise not to feed on the loathsome pirate," Amy loosened her hair and straightened her nightgown, "do you feel better now?"

"Yes," Ruthie opened her coffin lid and climbed in, "I do."

Amy climbed into her own coffin and said, "You know, Ruthie, with all the excitement over the pirate, I haven't had a chance to talk to you about the dockworker you collided with tonight."

Ruthie smiled up at the cobwebs hanging from the rafters, "He was a very handsome man, but I was so scared bumping into him like that. I thought I was more careful about staying hidden."

"Yes, it's a good thing he wasn't someone who could recognize one of us." Amy remarked solemnly, " But no harm was done after all," then she added, "He said you were the finest lady he's ever met."

"You heard that?" Ruthie hadn't realized Amy had heard the conversation.

"I was close by."

"He's going out to sea in a week," Ruthie went on, "that's all I know about him."

"Do you want to see him again?" Amy asked.

"That would be nice," Ruthie was smiling toward the cobwebs again, "he's the only man who has ever called me a lady."

"Since he'll only be here a week you shouldn't waste any time," Amy stated matter-of-factly, "After we visit the pirate we will visit your dockworker."

"If you insist," Ruthie smiled as they lowered their coffin lids well before the first light of day.

Chapter 10

Evening came with claps of thunder and driving rain accompanying bright flashes of lightening that turned the darkness into glimpses of daylight. The usual sounds of the household overhead could not be heard over the concert of the weather when Amy and Ruthie arose. The heavy precipitation in addition to the humidity of the previous day made the basement more musty smelling and darker than ever.

"Must we go out in this weather, Ruthie?" Amy pouted as she stood outside her coffin, "My dress will be ruined as well as my hair. Besides, no one will be out in this weather to feed upon. I'm sure even your dockworker will have found shelter from this storm."

"Now, Amy," Ruthie scolded as she began to dress, "if your dress is ruined, we can get you a new one tomorrow after the rain is over. As for your hair, nobody's gonna see it anyways."

"Well, I'll know it's in ruins. If Robert returns tonight, I want my hair to be the way he expects it to be," Amy stopped pouting at the thought of a new dress and began to fix her hair, "I suppose I can wear my cloak and keep the hood over my head tonight."

"That's a good idea," Ruthie pointed toward Amy with her hairbrush as she brushed her own hair, "If he truly loves you like you say, he'll be so happy to see you again he won't care how your hair looks."

Pulling their cloaks snuggly around themselves, the hoods completely over their heads except for the exposure necessary to be able to see where they were going, the vampires departed the lair in search of the pirate. Rounding the corner of the house they peered out from under their hoods to be sure no guards or loiterers were near the courthouse. The weather worked in their favor in that respect and they were quickly across the muddy street and moving carefully down the slope alongside the courthouse building toward the rear where the jail cells were located. Amy seemed to know exactly where to go and Ruthie followed close behind.

"How do you know which cell he is in?" Ruthie asked as Amy deliberately stopped below a cell window.

"I used to skate on the pond here in the winter when I was a girl, "Amy explained, "The jailer would step outside occasionally and visit with the children at the pond. He would tell us stories of criminals and vagrants he would keep watch over. His office is toward that end of the building and he fills the cells closest to his area first. So I'm thinking the pirate must be at this end of the building as he was the latest prisoner taken in."

"Let's turn to vapor and get up to the window," Ruthie suggested.

"Yes, but be careful," Amy warned.

"Will other prisoners be able to see into his cell?' Ruthie asked with concern.

"No," Amy answered, "there are brick walls between the cells. I meant to be careful the jailer isn't nearby when we drop in."

"You mean we are actually going to make ourselves known to the pirate?" Ruthie asked incredulously.

Ruthie, smiling in excitement to meet a real pirate, vaporized and Amy, wafting up the wall, followed her to the cell window directly above their heads. No movements were seen or voices heard as they traveled from the window to the floor of the cell. The man lying with his back toward the girls on a mat against the wall that divided his cell from the next seemed to be asleep. Amy found a lamp and a match and filled the cell with light and in doing so dimmed the effect of the lightening that could still be seen flashing outside the window.

Amy held the lamp over the prisoner to allow Ruthie to get a glimpse of his face. Ruthie cautiously leaned over him to peer into as much of his sleeping face as could be seen as his eyes quickly and alarmed opened. Surprised, Ruthie jumped back away from him slightly as Amy still held the lamp steadily over him.

"Would you mind moving that light away from me?" He asked angrily, "there ain't nothing to do here but sleep and now you're depriving me of even that." The pirate hadn't seen who was holding the light and wasn't aware that more than one person kept him company as he held his position facing the wall. When he heard Ruthie speak, he jumped up to a sitting position.

"Sorry," whispered Ruthie timid but excited, "I just wanted to see what a real pirate looks like and smells like," Amy and Ruthie took a sniff of the air near the pirate and looked at each other in a moment of confusion as the pirate looked past the lamp Amy held and saw he had not one but two visitors.

Ruthie and Amy looked at the pirate in amazement and Amy exclaimed in a whisper, "You're a woman!"

"You led us to the wrong cell," Ruthie accused Amy "now what will we do?"

"How did you two get in here? Did the jailer let you in?" the woman asked still wondering who her visitors were and how and why they were in her cell.

"Why are you imprisoned?" Amy ignored Ruthie's question in order to clear up her confusion.

"Why should I tell you anything?" the woman was defensive, "you answer my questions then maybe I'll answer yours."

"We were looking for the pirate brought in last night," Amy explained, "we wanted to meet him before he was hung. Actually, Ruthie-this is Ruthie," Amy held the lamp toward Ruthie's face which betrayed a panicked expression, "wanted to see a real pirate."

"Is that so?" the inmate smirked, "and where have you been all day after I admitted to the court that I'm a female buccaneer? Do you two parlor dolls sleep all day?"

"So you are the pirate!" Amy was delighted at the surprising news, "what did the judge tell you after you admitted being a female?"

"He told me I will be hanged tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!" Ruthie exclaimed, "why so soon?"

"I need to be put to death immediately as an example to the fragile God fearing ladies of the town. He said it is bad enough when a man is found to be an evil pirate, but to find a woman as a pirate is beyond criminal. It's a sin. Damned Puritan."

"How horrible," Amy set the lamp on the floor where she found it made everyone's shadow appear long on the opposite wall. She paced around the cell with her finger stroking her chin. Both girls had thrown back their hoods as soon as they had entered the building. Ruthie looked at Amy and became nervous as she watched her pace and knew she was thinking of one of her plans that Ruthie would be reluctant to put into action.

"You ladies still haven't told me who you are and more important, when are you leaving?" the prisoner stretched out on her mat not intimidated by the strangers. She had accepted her fate and in her line of work knew she risked meeting this type of end.

"My name is Ruthie, like she said," Ruthie gestured toward the silently pacing Amy, "that's my sister, Amy."

"You're sister, is it?" the pirate remained prone but turned her face toward Ruthie, "I've never seen sisters where one was black and the other white, none who would admit it anyway."

"Well, we're not ashamed of it," Ruthie held her chin up, in fact we're proud of it. We're also best friends."

"Of course you are," the pirate turned her gaze upward again, "until your 'sister' gets engaged and forgets all about you."

"I don't think I like your attitude," Ruthie replied.

"Why do you think my parents raised me as a boy?" the pirate said, "All girls are good for is marrying away. A girl is a burden to her parents, but they don't act that way. They tell their daughters that the most wonderful thing that can happen to them is to get married and have a family of their own. What they're really doing is transferring the huge cost and responsibility of maintaining a useless daughter to their son-in-law who only wants her for breeding."

"That's a terrible way to think about love and marriage," Ruthie said, "why are you so evil? Marriage is an institution created by God."

The pirate laughed, "It was an institution created by man to keep girls at home in their husbands' parlor and the nursery. Love and God have nothing to do with it."

"So your parents raised you as a boy so you could earn a living by thieving and killing?" Ruthie was becoming angry over the pirate's unfeeling and negative attitude.

"No," she answered, "I chose to be a buccaneer on my own, but I wouldn't have been allowed any choice at all if I were a so-called proper girl. My parents were poor and my being able to work like a man helped keep us all from starving."

"Ruthie," Amy called from the far corner of the cell, "may I speak to you privately please."

With more than a little apprehension over what Amy could be planning, Ruthie moved into the far corner, which was only a few feet from the reclining pirate, to join Amy.

"Ruthie," Amy asked, "what do you think we should do to the pirate?"

"Remember," Ruthie reminded Amy, "you promised not to feed on the pirate."

"I remember my promise, only I don't see why we shouldn't feed on her since she'll be hung in no more than a few hours. I don't see what harm it could cause."

"Everyone in town would want to know how she died," Ruthie sternly replied, "the town is expecting to see a hanging tomorrow. They'll be very disappointed if there isn't one."

"Yes, of course," Amy looked thoughtful again, "so what would you like to do?"

"What can we do?" Ruthie asked, "Why should we do anything?"

"We can't just allow a woman to be hung," Amy whispered, "that's a very degrading way for a woman to die, even if she is a thieving pirate."

"She doesn't have a very nice personality either," Ruthie added, "but you know I never like to see anybody die. Maybe saving her would make some amends for all the killing we've done."

"I don't need to make amends for keeping myself alive, but maybe it will make you feel repentant to save a life instead of taking one. We have to decide soon because I have a strong need to find prey to feed upon."

"How will we rescue her without letting her know what we are?" Ruthie asked.

Amy glanced past Ruthie's shoulder at the pirate and said, "It looks as though she's sleeping, although I don't know how she is able to sleep on the eve of her execution. I'll slip down to the jailer's quarters and find the keys to the cells. Maybe we can let her out the way she came in."

"Oh," said Ruthie nervously, "I don't know about that plan. If the jailer finds you, you'll have to kill him and the town will be angry and demand that his death be investigated. They'll definitely blame the pirate for killing him."

"Yes," Amy considered Ruthie's words. "They are sure to blame the pirate for his death. If she is recaptured she'll have another crime attributed to her, but she is already sentenced to death. They certainly couldn't punish her any more than that."

"I just don't feel good about your plan, Amy," Ruthie looked at Amy waiting for her to speak.

After a moment of looking at the floor and passing her slippered toe along the sand and sawdust there, Amy spoke, "The only other alternative is to take her out the same way we came in."

"I hate to admit it," Ruthie replied, "but that's exactly what I was thinking too. How will we do it? We'll have to tell her about what we are."

"You're going to have to feed off her in order to turn her to mist and pass her with us through the high window."

"Why must I be the one to attack her?" Ruthie demanded, "Why would I hold you to your promise only to commit the crime myself?"

"You have more control than I do, Ruthie," Amy admitted, "I may not be able to stop feeding and kill her."

Ruthie still looked reluctant. "Are you sure this will work? If I feed on her blood I'll be able to turn her to mist and take her out the window with me?"

"Yes, just the same as we turn inanimate objects to mist in order to carry them with us."

"But she'll remember being bitten." Ruthie worried," She saw our faces. She knows who we are."

"Look at it this way," Amy explained," we'll rescue her for now. At least she won't hang in the morning. If she retains any memory of how she was rescued, we must kill her ourselves. If she can't recall any part of her rescue, we'll let her go."

Ruthie wasn't convinced that Amy's plan was a good one. "We will be risking our own lives. Do you want to take the chance that she will know that vampires exist?"

"You don't want her to hang do you?" Amy said, "I know I don't."

"All right," Ruthie relented, "only so she won't hang. At least she'll have a chance that she might stay alive with your plan."

Ruthie turned back to the resting pirate on the mat and slowly went to her and knelt at her side. Amy stood at Ruthie's side livid with hunger, then raised her hood to protect her hair from the weather, turned to mist and retreated into the storm to wait for her companions.

Baring her teeth, Ruthie leaned toward the pirate and was about to bite into her neck just as she opened her eyes and looked in horror at the sight of Ruthie's teeth and attempted to push Ruthie away. The pirate's strength couldn't compare to Ruthie's as she held the pirate down on the mat and began to feed. When the pirate finally fell unconscious from blood loss, Ruthie pulled away and raising her hood turned to mist and enveloping herself around the pirate, turned her to mist as well and passed between the bars of the window making the escape plan a success.

Standing just below the window on the rain soaked ground, Amy waited for Ruthie and the pirate to descend and she and Ruthie sheltered the pirate with their cloaks as best as they could as they speedily moved away from the courthouse and back toward the waterfront. The thunder and lightening had moved eastward and could still be heard in the distance but the rain still drove down in armies of loud relentless drops. Visibility was at a minimum, which worked in the girls' favor as they carried the pirate toward the business district where they could find shelter in one of the many shops that were darkened and secured for the night. Amy led them to a clothing store where they could find the pirate some clean dry clothing as a disguise. Judging by what little they knew about the pirate, they assumed she would wish to continue her masquerade as a man and appreciate some masculine attire. Amy gained entrance to the warm dry shop and quickly opened the door for Ruthie who was in the doorway holding up the pirate.

Water dripped from their clothing forming small puddles on the wide wooden floorboards of the store. They removed their cloaks and draped them over the counter so as not to trail water throughout the store as they searched for new clothing.

"I would appreciate some dry clothes myself," Amy admitted as she returned from the storeroom with a wooden chair to prop the still unconscious pirate into.

"Are you thinking of dressing like a man too?" Ruthie asked facetiously knowing Amy's response would be one of sincere denial.

"Certainly not," Amy's response was what Ruthie predicted making Ruthie smile as she looked through a stack of white shirts for one that might fit the pirate.

"We don't even know her name, Ruthie," Amy declared, "Did she tell you her name?"

"No," Ruthie answered as she selected a shirt, "Now we need some trousers for her."

"I'll look for stockings and boots while you find the trousers," Amy headed toward the far side of the store where rows of shoes were set up for display.

Soon the girls had accumulated an entire ensemble for the mysterious pirate as she remained unconscious but not still in the chair. She had begun to make weak hand and arm movements as she softly muttered incoherently.

"She even speaks in a man's voice in her sleep," Amy observed as they pulled the wet, filthy clothes off of her.

"It must be true that pirates are dirty because she smells really strong and has eruptions in places on her back and breast," Ruthie noticed as she helped Amy dress the pirate.

"I told you pirates are filthy," Amy remarked, "I suppose female pirates are just as filthy as male pirates. If she were desperate to be accepted as another man, she would have to be as dirty as a man. "I imagine bugs live in her hair and on her body as well," Amy added, "Fortunately, for us it's too dark to see them for sure."

"I suppose so," Ruthie agreed as she sank to her knees to slip the shoes onto the dangling feet, relieved that the parasites had no interest in the cold skin of a vampire.

"My father would be absolutely appalled if he saw me aiding a pirate," Amy mused, "pirates are a seaman's worst enemy after disease. At least there aren't nearly as many today as there were fifty years ago. He would have hated them even more in those times."

They stood in front of the pirate surveying their work as best as they could in the darkness of the shop as the rain continued to come down against the plate glass windows.

"What should we do with her now? Ruthie asked, "We shouldn't stay here much longer. We might get caught."

"I haven't fed yet," Amy crankily reminded Ruthie, "an intruder would be welcome at this point in time."

"Good Lord," Ruthie exclaimed, "we were so busy I forgot about your hunger. I have to admit you've been well behaved for being so hungry."

"We can't drag our sleeping pirate with us," Amy said, "where can we leave her while I find myself a victim?"

"Where will we put her until tomorrow night?" Ruthie asked, "She's too weak for her escape now and won't have her strength back for a day or so."

"I really can't make any plans or decisions until I feed," Amy declared, "You'll have to stay with her while I go alone."

"Then you should feed quick so we can get back to dealing with the pirate," Ruthie said, "we only have a few more hours."

"What are you suggesting, Ruthie, as if I don't already know," Amy was cranky with hunger and knew Ruthie was going to suggest that she feed on some sort of animal.

"You know as well as I that the quickest feed for you tonight would be at the stable," Ruthie had her hands on her hips, having little patience for Amy's ornery attitude, "it's only a block from here."

"All right, Ruthie," Amy sulkily donned her rain-soaked cloak and stalked toward the door, "I'll be back soon. Try to think of a plan while I'm gone."

"Yes," Ruthie answered, "I sure will."

As soon as Amy left, Ruthie began to pace silently in front of the pirate who still mumbled and stirred in her chair. This was the first time she had actually carried a victim away with her but she knew from her own experience that she wouldn't awaken before the following evening unless that sleep period only pertained to those victims who were to be transformed into vampires themselves. Ruthie shuddered to think of the damage a vampire pirate could do. Someone who was already a killer being transformed into a vampire would probably be a ruthless and proliferate killer, not a careful and discrete killer like she and Amy. What could they do with her while they retreated into their coffins before sunrise and didn't emerge again until dark?

The rain began to subside until it slowed to a faint drizzle. Water ran down the front of the building dripping off the window frame onto the sidewalk below like the ticking of a clock reminding Ruthie that they needed a quick solution. Soon the jailer would notice the empty jail cell and the city would be scoured for the fugitive.

"Good Lord!" Ruthie exclaimed as she realized the intensive search that would soon ensue while the fugitive remained unconscious and helpless to save herself. Ruthie raced toward the window eagerly waiting for Amy's return. Only a few minutes more passed before Ruthie greeted Amy as she sullenly re-entered the shop.

"Did you think of anything because I've been very busy picking horsehair from between my teeth and from my tongue," Amy sulked.

"Amy!" Ruthie was stern and urgent, "we have a much bigger problem than the condition of your mouth. We dressed this girl all wrong! We need to disguise her from the authorities. We gotta dress her like a lady! Like the lady she isn't!"

"Ruthie," Amy's eyes grew wide with understanding, "you're absolutely right. Put on your cloak. We need to take her to the dress shop."

Ruthie quickly flung her cloak around her shoulders and supported the pirate while Amy returned the chair to the back room. Except for the water on the floor, the shop appeared as it had before they entered. Carefully making sure not to be seen, they quickly exited the shop and entered the dress shop they had frequented for their own wardrobes.

"At last the rain has stopped," Ruthie remarked as they sprawled the pirate on a display table covered with bolts of fabric while she found a chair to set her in as they did in the men's shop. Amy had already hurried to a rack of dresses and was quickly choosing one that looked likely to fit the pirate.

Ruthie had their subject propped on a chair and was busy undressing her while Amy approached with a dress, "Her own mother won't recognize her when she's wearing this dress. It's the most feminine dress on the rack."

"Good work," Ruthie said without looking up from her work, "she'll need undergarments as well."

"Oh yes," Amy lay the dress across the fabric table and went in search for proper undergarments, "she will no doubt be angry when she awakens to being a girl again."

"No doubt," Ruthie agreed as she finished stripping her down to nothing and rolling up the men's clothes to take along with them.

Amy found the undergarments, a corset, underskirts, garters and silk stockings and helped Ruthie work the pirate into them. Forcing the limp pirate into these undergarments was a difficult and time consuming project and the two vampires were relieved when they were finally left with only the dress and slippers to adorn her with.

"She may be angry to awaken in a dress," Amy said, "but I hope she appreciates all the hard work we're doing to save her neck. I'm beginning to wonder if all this work will be worth it.

"It's no fair that they are planning to execute her immediately because she's a woman. Everyone should have to pay for their crimes, but payment should be equal for men and women alike, and blacks and whites alike," Ruthie spoke as she worked the pirate's muscular arms into the sleeves of the dress.

"Women shouldn't be hung at all," Amy worked the pirate's other arm into a sleeve, "it's a very unladylike way to die. Women should only die in childbirth or of fever as nature intended. Being publicly hung by the neck while the entire population of the city watches is wrong."

"But she committed heinous crimes," Ruthie argued, "she committed the crimes of a man, making it only fair that she be punished like a man."

"She only committed the crimes of a man to keep her family and herself from starving," Amy held up the pirate in order for Ruthie to straighten out her skirts and pull the blouse down over the skirt top. When that was accomplished she was dropped back into the chair to have her slippers slid onto her feet, "Would you return her to the jailer at the end of a week when she would be hung if she were a man?"

"Of course not," Ruthie lifted the pirate while Amy returned the chair to where they found it, "I'm not doing all this work just to put her back in the hands of the law."

"Well, the question still remains," Amy returned to Ruthie and the pirate, "what do we do with her now?"

"We need to leave her in a place where she won't be found by the search parties that will be looking for her," Ruthie said, "but a place where she won't be heard if she calls out for help when she wakes up."

"Yes," Amy replied, "I don't dare hide her at my father's house. If she were found there, my father would be ruined."

"And if they find her there," Ruthie added, "they would also find us."

"We need to hide her somewhere that is far far away from our lair," Amy agreed, "we can't risk our discovery in an attempt to save her. We will all be lost."

"And dead," Ruthie stated.

Amy's eyes grew wide with realization, "I know the perfect place where she'll be safe and no where near our lair-in the new cemetery," Amy explained, "it's at least a mile from here and very secluded. We'll hide her in a mausoleum if we can."

Amy lifted the pirate onto her back, "Drape my cloak over her so she won't be recognized in the event that we happen upon a midnight stroller."

Ruthie did as Amy asked and opened the door of the shop for Amy to exit, then closed and locked it before exiting the shop as she did the first day she visited the store several months earlier. The violent storm had rid the air of the oppressive humidity that had overtaken the city making the previously thick and steamy air seem liberated and clean. However, the cleanliness of the atmosphere would only last until morning when the cotton mills and other factories would begin pouring clouds of waste and exhaust into the air to mingle with the exhaust from the trains and ferries on the river.

Clouds still lingered, covering the moon leaving the city dark as well as wet. Water still dripped from rooftops and tree branches, splattering into puddles and onto sidewalks in the wake of the storm. Ruthie and Amy were as wet as the leaves of the trees they passed under as they made their way west toward the remote cemetery along the road that led to Hartford. Fear of disease led the city officials to designate the distant graveyard as the replacement for the overcrowded cemetery cleared to make way for construction of a new school. The town was spreading further from the river as the population grew. Not only was the city the second largest whaling center in the country, but it boasted several factories as well. Working class people were immigrating to town in search of factory jobs that paid more than farming. Women could earn higher wages in the textile mills than they could at domestic work and the mills also provided the opportunity to meet more unmarried men than they would have as domestic servants.

The girls relaxed and slackened their pace as they left the confines of the city and walked alone and unobserved along the muddy Hartford Road toward the woods, "Do you think your daddy built your family a big fancy mausoleum in the new graveyard, Amy?" Ruthie inquired as she took the pirate from Amy's shoulders for a while. They had been passing the burden of the pirate back and forth as they walked.

"Maybe so, but without any moonlight, we won't be able to read any of the inscriptions to be able to tell," Amy held Ruthie's cloak along with her own as they walked.

"Good Lord," Ruthie exclaimed.

"You've been saying that a lot tonight, haven't you?" Amy observed, "why do you say it now?"

"When she wakes up in that black tomb, she won't be able to see a thing," Ruthie realized, "She won't know where she is and won't be able to see her hand in front of her face. We should have brought her some candles or a lamp. She's gonna think she went blind!"

Amy digested Ruthie's words for a moment before she answered, "We've come too far to go back now. I'm sure, as a pirate, she's been in worse situations than this. Being captive in a darkened tomb for a few hours is far better than being hung by the neck until dead, isn't it? I'm sorry we have to leave her helpless in the dark, but it's all we can do."

"I know, I know," Ruthie agreed resignedly, "it is better than letting her die and we've got no choice now."

Soon they arrived at the cemetery where two stone columns at either side of a trail through the woods were all that provided visitors with the information that a cemetery lay within. Large old cedar trees stood within the borders of the columns hiding the new cemetery beyond. Amy and Ruthie followed the muddy trail until arriving at a grassy clearing where the dead were moved from the old cemetery and new plots were prepared for the recently deceased. Beyond these graves were two majestic mausoleums erected by two of the wealthier families in town.

Setting the glamorously clad pirate against the wall of the first mausoleum, Amy and Ruthie felt along the granite face until they found the entrance and slowly pushed the heavy upright slab inward to gain entrance. The air inside was hot from the recent heat wave and smelled musty and stale from lack of ventilation. Since the only senses that could detect anything within the tomb were their ability to touch and feel the interior due to of lack moonlight, candle or lamp, the mausoleum proved to be an excellent hiding place.

"Do you think she'll be able to breathe in there?" Ruthie asked as she stepped inside and turned back to face Amy.

"I hope so," Amy answered as she bent down to drag the pirate inside by the underarms.

"You're gonna ruin her new dress," Ruthie warned jokingly, "She'll be mad enough not only waking up in a dress, but in a ruined dress at that."

"Very funny, Ruthie," Amy now had the pirate propped up against an inside wall and stood looking down on her, "I'm going to arrange my cloak for a pillow so her head won't rest on the stone floor."

"That's a good idea," Ruthie was pleased with Amy's newfound ability to consider someone else's feelings besides her own, "I'll spread my cloak for her to lie on too. Mine will be her bed while yours will be her pillow."

"Yes," Amy helped Ruthie arrange the cloaks into a makeshift bed for the pirate, "that's the best we can do for her at the present time. We'll bring her food and drink when we return after dark. It's getting late."

"We better get back to town," Ruthie helped Amy lay the pirate on the cloaks and they left the mausoleum closing the granite door behind them.

The two girls hastily returned to town shortly after the pirate was reported missing from her cell. By the time they reached the vicinity of their lair a crowd had gathered in front of the courthouse making the area dangerous for Amy and Ruthie. As no women were amongst the crowd, the girls would be suspicious if seen. Amy, of course, couldn't risk being seen by her father or any of the many townsmen who might recognize her as her father's long lost daughter. Therefore, they abruptly changed their route to avoid the growing crowd across the street from their lair and entered the property from behind the house, hidden from the crowd of angry fugitive hunters.

"We arrived home just in time," Amy said with great relief as they entered their dark musty room. Any later and those men would be found in every corner of the neighborhood in search of the pirate."

"We would have been seen for sure," Ruthie added as she began to remove her wet clothing.

"I'm undressing and retreating to my coffin in the hope that the coming evening will be calm and peaceful."

"Do you think they'll be tired of looking for her by then?" Ruthie asked.

"They'll at least have finished searching the immediate area by then, don't you agree?"

"I hope so," Ruthie was stepping out of her wet skirt and about to slip on her night dress that she always kept folded in her coffin at night, "what I hope for even more is that they don't find us instead."

Chapter 11

No rain fell, no thunder crashed as it had on the previous evening when Ruthie and Amy rose from their coffins. The stillness of the evening caused the girls some apprehension as they wondered what had happened during the day while they lay dormant, hidden in their lair while the day's activities commenced and were now either finished until tomorrow or would soon be.

"Do you think she's all right?" Amy asked Ruthie as soon as they had risen.

"I don't know, but we better get ourselves up there quick," Ruthie dressed hurriedly, "we still got to get her some food to bring with us."

"We had better go carefully, Ruthie," Amy warned, "we don't know what events may have taken place today."

"I know how we can find out, but you probably won't like it," Ruthie offered, "We can slip upstairs and listen to the conversation in the house."

Amy immediately became sullen at the suggestion, which is exactly what Ruthie predicted; however, she was certain it would be the easiest and quickest way to obtain the much desired information, so she added, "I'll go by myself if you don't want to. I respect that you don't want to go. You can wait here and I'll go alone."

Inwardly, Amy fought Ruthie's suggestion while outwardly she agreed that it would be the quickest and easiest way to know the day's happenings in town, but she did not want to see her parents whom she deeply missed or hear their casual evening conversations. Even hearing the conversation repeated by Ruthie if she went alone might be too painful to bear. Strangely, being in their house made Amy feel sadly secure and close to them, but the idea of actually being in the same room with them observing their evening activities without being able to join them or even make herself known to them was too painful to endure. If only Robert would return and once again give her life purpose and meaning she wouldn't have to make decisions and solve her own problems anymore. Life was so much easier and secure when she had Robert's arms around her and could completely trust his wisdom and judgment.

"You will have to go alone, Ruthie," Amy quietly relented, "only search out the servants in the kitchen first. You may receive the news from their conversation and won't need to eavesdrop on my parents at all."

"I will," Ruthie promised and left the room leaving Amy to sit at the little table and wait. Before ascending the stairs to the main floor of the house, Ruthie transformed herself into a mist, which wouldn't be noticed as she slipped under the door and under furniture as she traveled through the house. She already knew her way around by passing through to the nursery upstairs to find books with Amy as the household slept peacefully. This was the first time Ruthie would enter the living area while the household was awake and enjoying their evening rituals.

Amy waited nervously for Ruthie's return wondering what news she would bring and who she would get the news from. The candle she had lit upon rising slowly burned, dripping fat down its side into the plate, which held it and protected the tabletop from damage. Amy returned to her first longing thought of Robert of the evening as she sat alone in the shadow of the candle. Not an evening went by that she didn't think about her dear Robert and where he might be, what he might be doing, why he wasn't with her and when he would ever return. She stared at the flame as it flickered slightly and sadly strained to hear any voices from above that might carry. She would never be able to hear what was being said, but she might be able to discern whether the voice was male or female, angry or glad. Until Ruthie ventured into the upstairs alone while the house was alive with activity, Amy had never consciously tried to hear any of the sounds related to human living and routine. It seemed as though Ruthie had been gone a long time to Amy, when she returned twenty minutes later.

"Amy," Ruthie materialized from her vaporous state smiling with relief, "I have good news. They haven't found her."

Amy stood at Ruthie's approach her sullen expression replaced by one of growing interest, "They haven't!" she repeated.

"No," Ruthie continued, "and they spent all day searching the waterfront and the anchored ships expecting her to be stowing away on one."

"Whom did you hear this from?" Amy asked, "Was it my father?"

"No," Ruthie answered, "I didn't have to go any farther than the kitchen. The servants were fixing dinner and gossiping up a storm."

"Oh," Amy felt slightly disappointed that Ruthie hadn't seen her parents and was unable to report on their conditions. At the same time she felt relieved that she didn't need to endure Ruthie's description of her parents' condition. She pushed the feelings aside and said, "Then we should be safe in our trip to the cemetery and should remain unseen in helping her escape town."

"Yes," Ruthie retrieved the bundle of men's clothes they had originally dressed the pirate in before they thought of the dress as a disguise, "I suppose we should feed before performing our night's work."

"That's a wonderful idea," Amy smothered the flame with a cup kept for that purpose and followed Ruthie through the basement and out into the night air which was dry and clear in contrast to the previous night.

"What a lovely evening," Amy remarked as they left the shadows of the rear of the house, keeping their eyes open for anyone who may have seen them leave their lair. Ruthie always hoped they had left the rear of the house unseen, while Amy hoped they would catch someone watching so she would have a reason to kill the unlucky passerby to protect their secret. Ruthie feared for her own and Amy's safety, but did not want to have to kill a person to protect themselves. Her deepest fear was to be seen by someone who remained unnoticed by them.

"Yes, it's a nice evening for a walk on the docks," Ruthie replied, "but we need to hurry. Our new friend is awake by now and wanting to know where she is."

"We need to find her some food and drink," Amy remembered, "She must be half starved by now."

"I hope she isn't suffocated," Ruthie added.

"As I," Amy agreed as they walked through back yards making a beeline for the waterfront. The train station appeared in the distance and the river beyond it. So many boats were anchored in the river it didn't seem as though there was room for even one more. A slight breeze blew off the water rustling the girls' dresses and gently moving their hair.

"Maybe my dockworker man will be out tonight," Ruthie said, "I missed him last night."

"I'm sure we wouldn't have found him last night. He must have found a room or took shelter below deck," Amy was silent a moment and then said with hope, "those sailors who brought the pirate in must either be good and drunk by now or sleeping off their drunk. They might be easy targets for us."

Ruthie wasn't enthusiastic, "I think I'll find a river rat or two, Amy," we need to feed quick and you know I hate to hurt people."

"Yes, I know," Amy answered disappointedly, "but look at all the ships out there. There must be hundreds of available men in town spending their money on rum, making at least some of them violent and dangerous to others and, therefore, meeting the conditions of what you allow as an acceptable victim."

"It looks like there's a lot of men still out and about too," Ruthie observed reluctantly, "You may be right."

Just as the oppressive humidity was lifted, so were the spirits of the citizens, which had been depressed and exhausted by the invasive weather. Men were out in the streets and visiting the taverns in celebration of their mental liberation. Breathing was now easier, bodies felt lighter and muscles seemed to move more freely in the lighter atmosphere. Men who had in recent days been drinking in an attempt to refresh themselves in the heat were now drinking in celebration of the return of pleasant temperatures. The men rambled from tavern to inn in search of compatible companions and a good time.

This is the environment Ruthie and Amy observed as, through an alley, they entered the westerly side of Bank Street. Seeing the unusually heavy volume of foot traffic, the girls stealthily slipped back into the alley and hid in the shadows amongst the trash barrels and rubbish that lined the sides. The rear of the alley opened to the kitchen of a popular hotel where traveling salesmen and seamen among others frequented.

"We can find food and drink inside," Ruthie suggested, " but I don't know how we can get it without being caught."

"Fine, I'll find a way," Amy agreed, "but we need to feed ourselves before feeding her," she was becoming agitated with hunger.

"Where there's food, there's rats," Ruthie stated as she swiftly swooped her hand behind a pile of trash and raised a fat water rat to her mouth, quickly drained its blood and dropped the lifeless carcass back to the place she had found it.

"That is not what I had in mind," Amy held her nose up in conceit.

"You're too choosy," Ruthie accused, "you'd rather go hungry than feed on what's available."

"You know I hate all that fur in my mouth," Amy argued, "besides I have to feed on several rats to satisfy the hunger I can quench with one man."

"Well, I won't argue with you," Ruthie replied, "It only wastes time. Let's see if we can find you someone quick-like so we can get on with our business-only no killing, just feeding."

Amy brightened up a bit when Ruthie gave in to her desire and didn't insist on a dinner solely of animal blood for them both, "Let's try a few more alleys and then move closer to the docks. Someone is surely to be trying to stagger to their ship of employment by now."

"Let's hope we don't have to walk that far," Ruthie was anxious to free their prisoner and release her from the torment she must be suffering not knowing where she is or who put her there or how she'll escape.

They traveled behind the buildings whose front doors opened out to the sidewalk until they entered the next closest alley. Once again there were only rats to feed on in that alley as well. However, as they silently approached the next alley, they heard a commotion consisting of men shouting and knives clashing. A single gunshot rang out echoing off the surrounding brick walls of the alley and several people exited the rear of the alley and scattered into the night. Slowly peering into the alley and finding the area quiet and deserted, Amy and Ruthie slipped into the space that had been recently the scene of a fight. A lone man lay sprawled on his back unconscious on the ground with a gunshot wound to the stomach. Amy dropped to her knees and tearing off his bloodied white shirt, began to feed from his fresh wound. His dying heart beat weakly as it pumped blood from the wound into Amy's waiting mouth until the beating ceased and Amy drew the blood from him until she was satisfied.

"Hurry," Ruthie warned just as Amy was drawing her final mouthful, "someone is coming. They must have heard the gunshot."

Amy jumped to her feet and followed Ruthie back out of the alley as people rushed into the alley from the opposite end. "Lucky for us, the taverns are loud with music and entertainment tonight. Someone passing by the alley at the time of the shooting must have run for help. The bar patrons must not have heard the gun fire over the music and conversation."

"I wish you had time to put his shirt back the way you found it," Ruthie reflected, "them finding him with his shirt ripped open is going to look strange."

"Nonsense," Amy replied as they retraced their steps to the hotel kitchen, "it will appear that someone tried to uncover the wound to dress it or to try to stop the bleeding."

"I hope so," Ruthie said.

Amy slipped into the rear of the hotel kitchen and found some food and a bottle of beer to feed the pirate while Ruthie remained in the alley to feed off more rats. She had her fill of rat blood by the time Amy returned with her stolen parcel. The kitchen help was busy serving in the dining room, leaving Amy's task much easier than she had anticipated. Having no need for food or drink herself, Amy had never pilfered food before. Neither was she choosy about what food she needed to take. A loaf of bread lay on the counter and the bottle of beer nearby, probably for the consumption of the cook. Amy simply took the nearest things she found and made her escape. They were soon on the road to the cemetery, leaving the noise and life and death of the city center behind them.

The dryness of the air and the road made the trip much easier than the previous night. The further they passed away from the city, the quieter and darker their surroundings became. The moon shone clearly helping the girls keep their footing on the stony road and making the shadows of the trees along the road long and dark. Occasionally an owl's hoot disturbed the quiet and a gentle breeze softly rustled the needles on the cedars and the leaves of the maples and oaks in strong contrast to the weather of the previous evening.

"It's peaceful and beautiful here," Ruthie remarked as they neared the cemetery entrance, "we should consider a lair in this area when we feel the need to move on."

"You would prefer to live so far from the waterfront and our source of blood, Ruthie?" Amy asked with interest.

"It's not a very long walk," Ruthie answered, "only a mile or so."

"Where would our lair be?" Amy asked, "I don't see any buildings to hide our coffins in."

"There must be someplace," Ruthie answered as they entered the cemetery and quickened their pace toward the pirate's hiding place.

"I don't see the need to consider moving yet," Amy said, "Robert would never find me out here."

"It was only a thought," Ruthie said, "We don't need to move nowhere."

The mausoleum loomed ahead as the moonlight showed in patches through the branches of the old trees of the graveyard. Setting the parcels of food and clothing on the grass, the vampires slowly pushed open the granite door of the tomb to reveal nothing but darkness and silence. As Amy entered, a cloak was thrown over her head and she was swiftly put into a headlock. Ruthie gasped in surprise, but before she could jump to Amy's rescue, Amy had freed herself and angrily grabbed the pirate by the throat and almost bared her teeth ready to attack when Ruthie sternly called her name in warning. Slightly relaxing her grip Amy still held the pirate by the throat but instead of pulling the imprisoned throat toward her, pushed her away out of the tomb. The pirate losing her balance, stepped back in an attempt to catch herself, tripped over the hem of the glamorous gown and fell into a sitting position in the grass.

As she sat on the grass coughing and holding her bruised throat Amy stood over her, "This is the thanks we get for saving your life? You attack us as we try to free you, bringing you food and clothing. Speaking of which, you have now fairly ruined that lovely gown. You are not much of a lady at all."

Ruthie wasn't angry over the attack because she understood the defensive actions of the confused pirate, but she was a little amused at Amy's reaction. Amy acted as though she believed that a female was born with so-called ladylike abilities rather than having been trained and taught throughout her life how to behave like a lady, "She's a pirate, Amy," Ruthie chuckled, "why would you expect a pirate to be a lady. Putting a fancy dress on her won't convert her from pirate to lady just like it didn't change me any."

"I was just shocked by the attack I suppose," Amy defended herself, "I certainly didn't expect to be welcomed with such violence."

"I told you how upset she would be not knowing where she was and all."

They helped the pirate to her feet and she said, "Who the hell are you and what the hell did you do to me?"

"Such profane language is not necessary and highly insulting," Amy replied haughtily, "please remember that you're in the society of ladies when you speak."

"Is that what you are?" the pirate looked down at her dress, "I think not. How did I get here wherever here is? How did I get in this dress?"

"Let us find a place to sit," Ruthie retrieved the two cloaks from the mausoleum and spread them on the grass under a tree. She picked up the parcels and set them on the cloaks and led the pirate to the moonlight picnic area, "Here, have some bread and beer. We brought you a more masculine change of clothes as well."

Hunger overcame the pirate's mistrust and she reluctantly followed Ruthie's lead with Amy behind. They all sat on the cloaks while the pirate ate and drank heartily. Afterwards, she exclaimed, "I just ate and drank which proves I'm still alive."

"Of course you're alive," Amy said, "you can thank Ruthie for that. I almost killed you when you attacked me."

"What else would you expect?" the pirate argued, "I thought I was hung dead and the silent darkness was hell. I was sitting in there all day waiting for the bottom to fall out and drop me into the flaming pit of hell."

"Oh," Ruthie said, "we're so sorry. I was so afraid something like that would happen, but we had to hide you where no one would ever find you."

"Why?" the pirate asked the girls as she changed out of the dress and into the new men's clothes.

"Because hanging is not a proper death for a woman," Amy answered, "even a woman who masquerades as a man."

"I was ready to pay for my crime," the pirate said defiantly, "I've been living as a man, I can certainly die like one."

Amy and Ruthie viewed the pirate's fearlessness in surprise and confusion, "But I suppose I do owe you thanks for my escape. How did you manage it? I don't recall last evening at all. I remember lying on the mat in my cell and the two of you appearing. I assumed the jailer allowed you in. The next thing I know, I was in what I see now is a tomb," she looked at Amy questioningly and said, "what strength you have for such a fine lady. Who are you really?"

"Why don't you tell us your name first," Amy suggested, "then we'll tell you the entire story of how you escaped from prison on the eve of your execution."

The pirate gave a sigh of concession, keeping in mind Amy's super human strength and thought it smarter to go along with her captors and escape when she had the chance. Escape was foremost in her mind as she didn't trust her self-named rescuers. She guessed that they abducted her from her jail cell for personal gain of some kind and was waiting to learn what that gain was and what it would cost her.

"My name is John," the pirate answered.

Laughing Amy and Ruthie looked at each other, "No," Amy laughed, "what is your real name."

"That is my real name," John answered indignantly, "I told you last night during our strange visit that my parents raised me as a boy. They were poor farmers and needed a son to work for them, not a girl to be a burden to them."

"I'm sorry for laughing," said Ruthie, "but we never met anyone like you before. I never would have imagined when we went to see what a real pirate was like we would have found a woman posing as a man and broke her out of jail. I just wanted to see a pirate for myself. I never planned to break you out of jail."

"I might not be what you were expecting," John said, "But I am a real pirate. Now where am I and how did I get here?"

"We're in the cemetery about a mile or more west of the waterfront," Amy answered, "they searched the entire waterfront all day for you expecting you to be stowing away on one of the ships."

"How did you break me out of jail?" John asked.

Amy and Ruthie glanced at each other fearing to tell the truth until Amy reluctantly explained in a way not to give away their secret: "We needed you to lose consciousness in order to carry you outside."

Ruthie gave Amy a look of fear, thinking Amy was actually going to tell the entire truth, but relaxed as Amy continued.

"We paid the jailer a large sum to allow us to silently carry you out. The jailer has many children to feed and he also likes to gamble and drink. The sum of money was too much for him to refuse."

"Why was I wearing that wretched dress?" John asked, "I've never worn a dress in my life."

"We hoped to disguise you in the event that we were caught transporting you to the cemetery. The authorities would have been looking for a female dressed like a man, not dressed like a lady."

"That was good thinking, I have to admit," John looked toward the discarded dress in contempt.

"We were already close by," Ruthie added, "when we realized we had no candle or lamp to leave you. It was too risky to go back to town so we had to leave you in the dark."

"How did you cause me to lose consciousness?" John demanded to know.

Amy and Ruthie shared a look again and Ruthie spoke this time, "Amy hit you in the head with her great strength and you became unconscious."

John felt her head with her hands, "I feel no lumps, I have no headache. I only feel fatigue and maybe thirst."

"You heal remarkably well," Amy countered, "Of course, as a pirate, you have grown used to being the victim of violent acts."

John guessed that the girls were lying. It didn't make sense that they needed her to be unconscious to help her escape. Being conscious would have been more helpful as she could have carried herself out of the jail and walked to the cemetery. They had a secret that was very dear to them and needed John to be unconscious so she wouldn't discover it. That she was certain of but didn't inquire further. The two mysterious ladies may change their minds about aiding her escape if she guessed their secret. She needed to concentrate on her escape without concern for her rescuers' affairs.

"Yes," John said in agreement, "I have experienced several head injuries in my career, so I suppose I have built up a strong tolerance to pain."

"Have you been in a lot of skirmishes?" Ruthie asked excitedly.

"Of course," John answered defensively, "that's the way we overcome a ship's crew and take control of the ship and its cargo."

"I thought there were no more pirates on the sea," Amy commented.

"There are still pirates," John answered, "I'm proof enough of that. There ain't as many as they used to be because the navies have increased and strengthened, but there are still pirates at sea."

"Where is the rest of your crew?" Amy asked.

"I don't know," John's manner became subdued with resentment, "they abandoned me on a small island where I was unfortunately rescued by the ship that brought me here."

"I see," Amy exclaimed, "they discovered your sex and abandoned you. If you had learned your place as a woman and stayed there, you wouldn't be in this horrid situation."

"No," John replied in annoyance to Amy's ignorance, "for a lady who seems to only be out at night and a visitor of rough men in jail, you know nothing about the world."

Amy was insulted, "If that isn't the reason, why were you banished from your ship of thievery and murder?"

"The crew was greedy and wanted my gold," John said with her jaw clenched in anger, "my crewmates would spend their gold on women and drink and other entertainment when we were in port. Being a woman, I needed to stay sober so as not to let my mates find out my secret. I spent five years on that ship and a few others, but with mostly the same crew, in the end, they pushed me aside for my gold. They had no loyalty for a man who fought with them side by side and worked with them side by side. We hadn't been able to take over another ship for a while, they had spent all their gold and they let greed take control of their senses."

"Isn't that why men become pirates, because of greed?" Amy asked.

"I became a pirate because I always longed to be at sea and pirates stand a better chance of making a decent living than a legal seaman. I needed to send money home to my parents whose meager crops were becoming more meager with each year."

"You need to get away from here before you're caught so you can get back to helping your family," Ruthie said.

"And where exactly would that be?" Amy asked suspiciously.

"I'd rather not say," John answered defiantly, "in fact, I'm very grateful for the risks you've taken to save my life, but I think it's to all of our advantage if I proceed alone from here."

"Just as I thought," Amy smugly replied, "You have no family to support. You're a pirate by choice and by greed."

"Amy!" Ruthie turned toward her friend in surprise, "Why would she lie about that?"

"To gain our womanly sympathies. She tricked us into feeling sorry for her so we would rescue her."

"Amy," Ruthie was confused and a little hurt on behalf of their new friend, "why would you think such a thing when it was your idea to free her."

"Why would I believe that two parlor posies like yourselves would be able to free me from prison and save me from my fate?" John asked, "Maybe two factory girls would be capable but certainly not the two of you. There must be secrets about yourselves that you're keeping from me and I'm not calling you liars as Amy is accusing me of being."

After a moment's thought Amy replied, "I wanted to rescue you because you were being treated unfairly as a woman. I suppose I was a little dismayed when I found that you don't behave at all like a true woman."

"And let me guess what your definition of a true woman may be," John offered sarcastically, "a vision of virginal purity and delicacy. Constrained in those fancy gowns and rigid under things that keep you from moving and breathing in any other manner that doesn't become the weak, helpless, agreeable, servants, breeders and adornments to your husbands that you are taught to be," John stood up and looked down at Ruthie and Amy with her hands on her hips and spat, "I'd rather be dead!"

Insulted and angered, Amy replied, "You're a disgrace to your sex!"

"What do you think?" John directed the challenge to Ruthie, "you are very quiet on the subject."

"I've never been a lady," Ruthie replied honestly and without resentment or envy, "I've been a servant to ladies and they treated me bad. Why would I want to be one of them. I only dress this way because I can. Amy showed me how and it makes me feel pretty. I don't dress this way to please no man."

"Vanity then, is it?" John softened her tone a bit at Ruthie's confession, "I've never known vanity myself."

"Well, to be honest," Amy pointed out, "you have no feminine qualities to be vain about."

John chuckled at Amy's attempt at insult, "I'll thank you for the compliment, although there are many men who suffer from their vain weaknesses as well as ladies."

Ruthie and Amy rose and picked their cloaks up from the pine needle covered ground and brushed them off the best they could in the dark, "You are an unnatural woman, John," Amy stated, "have you never longed for a home of your own and to have children at your breast and at your knee, a comfort in your old age?"

"As you know," John chuckled again," There isn't much chance that I'll live to see old age. I've been so concerned about keeping my parents warm with full stomachs in their home, I never considered a home of my own. A house and home only gives a person more work and responsibilities in my opinion. As to having children, I've known all my life that I would never have children of my own. I could never risk telling anyone about my true sex in order to find a mate. Besides children would only give me more mouths to feed."

"You must live a very lonely life," Amy observed with contempt.

"That may be so," John agreed, "but thanks to you I have a life and as long as I'm not recaptured, my life is my own. I'll find another ship and make new friends."

"You had better be on your way," Amy suggested, "it will be safer if you travel by moonlight."

"Yes," Ruthie agreed, "it's getting late and there is only a few hours left before sunrise."

"You mentioned finding another ship and it would be certain death if you tried to board a local ship," Amy advised, "some sixty miles or so east is the largest whaling port in the country, New Bedford, Massachusetts. I think your chances of finding a ship to board safely will be better there."

"Sixty miles, eh?" John was rather dismayed at the distance.

"You may be able to steal a ride on a train to Providence if you're lucky," Amy suggested.

"I will take whatever opportunity that comes my way," John said, "even on foot, at least I'm free and alive."

The three women walked together as they left the cemetery, "Be very careful," Ruthie said to John as they separated outside the gate.

"Remember to stay to the east and stay hidden," Amy reiterated.

"I hope you get to your family soon and safe," Ruthie said.

"Thank you again and goodbye," John disappeared into the woods on the far side of the road and the two vampires retraced their steps toward the city.

"That was the strangest woman I've ever met," Amy said, "I don't understand her thinking at all. How can a woman exist without a man in her life, or at least hope of finding one? I would gladly surrender my life for the man I love."

"And you did," Ruth reminded her friend.

"Yes, I did," Amy smiled at Ruthie's wise and rational moonlit face and said, "we still have time to visit your admirer before sunrise if you'd like."

A slight smile grew on Ruthie as she said, "That would be just fine."

Chapter 12

Amy accompanied Ruthie to the dock where they had first seen Michael two nights earlier. When they saw him again he was busily coiling a large rope and didn't see the vampires as they stood watching him from the shadow of a small building at the edge of the dock. Amy smiled sadly wishing it was Robert she was watching instead of Michael and said, "I'll leave you now so you can enjoy each other's company without me if you wish."

Ruthie looked a little shy and uncertain," Wait here until you see that he remembers me first and then you can leave. If he doesn't want to talk to me we can find something else to do until sunrise."

Amy looked incredulously at her friend, "Ruthie, I heard him exclaim that you were the prettiest lady he'd ever met. I'm sure he will remember you! In fact, I'm certain he will be thrilled to see you again."

"Maybe he says that to all the girls that run into him in the night."

"Ruthie," Amy sighed, "You should have a much higher opinion of yourself. If you need me I'll be visiting our former lair to look for signs of Robert. He may have been there searching for me and has left me a sign just as I left one for him."

"Be careful, then," Ruthie warned, "don't kill anyone."

"I promise," Amy said still sated from the gunshot victim, "don't tie any boots," she added referring to the man on the tracks behind the biscuit factory who expected Ruthie to tie his boot. After scanning the area to find that no one would see her crossing the railroad tracks she walked back toward Bank Street.

Ruthie saw the direction she was heading and quickly caught up to her, "Stay away from the alley where that man was shot!"

"I wasn't going to get very close," Amy had planned to pass by the area on her way to the old lair to learn if the body had been moved and perhaps overhear the story of the incident that must be circulating around the city by now. She looked into Ruthie's stern face and sighed in disappointment, "Fine, Ruthie, I'll completely avoid the entire block if you insist."

"It would be very dangerous for you to be seen there," Ruthie added, "you know that already. Someone could see you and I'm sure the authorities will still be investigating. That dead man was dressed really nice so you know they'll be looking for his killer."

Once Ruthie was certain that Amy would keep her word, she returned to the dock and timidly approached Michael. As she moved closer to him, she admired how handsome he was and how he moved as he tidied up the deck of the ship while he waited for the time to come to finally follow his dream of being at sea. She stood silently and nervously by the ship waiting for him to look up and notice her forgetting how expert she had become as a vampire at making herself part of the darkness and just as silent. Finally, she found her voice, "Hello again," she managed to nervously choke out.

Michael's expression transformed from one of concentration on his work to one of pleasant surprise as his hands froze in their toil when he looked into Ruthie's hopeful face, "You came back!" he exclaimed in delight as he laid aside his work, "I been hoping you would."

"You have?" Ruthie smiled, "I was afraid you wouldn't remember me and I was making a fool of myself."

"How could I forget the lady who walked right into me on this dock in the middle of a foggy night?" Michael joined her on the dock, "the prettiest lady I've ever seen, remember?"

Ruthie shyly looked down smiling so wide she put her hand to her lips to hide her sharp teeth. His bloody human scent was almost unbearably alluring as she stood so close to him wanting so badly to be in his arms, but knowing a future in a normal relationship was impossible for them. She knew the only way they could ever be together was for him to become like she was. But she could never attack him and possess him the way Amy suggested or the way Robert had attacked Amy. Even for love, she couldn't betray Michael and destroy his chance to fulfill his life's dream for her own selfish gain and possibly cause his feelings of attraction to become feelings of hatred and resentment. She'd rather walk away from him tonight with the incredible memory of being admired for the first and possibly last time in her life by a strong handsome man than selfishly take possession of him and live with the guilt of taking away his life.

"Why you looking down at the ground?" Michael touched her chin and tipped her head up to look into her eyes, "I can't see your beautiful face like that."

"If you keep saying my face is beautiful," Ruthie whispered, "I'm going to either start believing you really think so or that you're very good at lying to me."

"Oh, it's true all right," Michael looked deeply into her eyes, "I been trying to believe that the other night wasn't a dream when I saw you in all that fog. Now I know you're real."

Elated, but also feeling guilty for deceiving Michael with her evil secret and encouraging him when there was no future for them, Ruthie agreed to take a walk with him around the area. When he asked why she preferred to remain secluded in the alleys and shadows of buildings and trees, she lied that the lady she worked for didn't allow her out at night and believed her to be asleep in her room. She didn't want to be recognized by anyone who might tell her employer that she had been disobedient and possibly lose her position.

He asked her about her position and about Amy being her sister. She answered all his questions with lies and felt new pangs of guilt with every lie she told. She wondered how many pangs of guilt a person could endure before they would stab her to death from the inside out. Of course, as a vampire, pangs of guilt couldn't kill her so there was no limit to the amount of lies and sins she could commit before someone found her out and killed her themselves. She avoided telling Michael any more lies by asking him to tell her about his life. Ruthie learned that Michael was a former slave who had purchased his own freedom from his master, a merchant in Virginia. Living his life on the coast, Michael had always been lured by the romance and adventure of the sea and had a dream of joining a crew on a commercial ship and earning enough money to buy a piece of land to call his own and to raise a family to will the land to someday. Ruthie loved to hear Michael talk about his dreams and his hopes for the future as they walked together on the dock, his arm around her waist. She loved the sound of his voice and pressure of his arm around her. She fantasized helping him realize his dreams even though she knew that she could never share in his dreams, no matter how much she longed to be the mother of his children and his partner in life.

A passionate romance grew between them, made much more intense and urgent because of the inevitable separation of the lovers. Ruthie had never been in love and never dreamed that any decent man could love a poor servant girl such as herself. She was certain no one could love the evil sinner that she truly was. Since her lover, Michael, would soon be leaving, possibly never to return, Ruthie couldn't bring herself to tell him her horrible secret. The guilt of her dishonesty was almost unbearable, but she rationalized it with the reality that Michael would soon pass out of her life forever and she wanted to have the memory of parting as lovers. She wanted Michael to remember her as he believed her to be, not the horrid monster that she really was. Being a vampire, needing to drink the blood of living things; guilty of so many murders, either directly or as Amy's accomplice, she felt she didn't deserve a bit of the happiness she had found with Michael, even if it was only for a week, but it could be the only love of a man she might experience for the rest of her eternal life.

Near the end of the week when he asked if he could have the honor of including her in his plans Ruthie was thrilled by his request and her heart swelled with love and desire for Michael. Overwhelmed by Michael's love and hope for their future together, the future she so badly wanted, she almost forgot what she was, a tool of the devil who wasn't deserving of the life that he so innocently and openly offered her. Heartbroken, she was speechless and burdened with the guilt of hiding her vampirism from him, sad that she could never be the woman he dreamed of to share his life and raise his family, and also very happy that he actually loved and wanted her. Tears ran down her cheeks and she raised her hand to her mouth as she did many times this past week for fear of showing her teeth.

"Please give me something to come home to," Michael held took both of her hands in his and Ruthie looked down at the planks of the dock, "the thought of coming home to you will give me even more reason to work hard and come home safe."

Ruthie still couldn't speak, she was so overcome with emotion that she could only shake her head in agreement allowing Michael to misinterpret her tears of sadness as tears of joy.

Chapter 13

While Ruthie was having her evening visits with Michael, Amy took the opportunity to visit their former lair in the hope of finding a sign of Robert's return. The old derelict house was replaced with a new house and the brush was cleared back to the edge of the woods leaving a smooth lawn leading up to the triple story Victorian. Amy stayed close to the woods that bordered the eastern side of the house making her way to the rear of the house and the woods beyond. These woods behind the house were the only part of the property that remained familiar to Amy as she remembered with distaste watching Ruthie hunting her four-legged prey here. Sadly, no sign of Robert could be found and the pieces of lace and ribbon Amy had fixed onto a small tree branch for Robert to find when they moved remained fluttering alone and undisturbed except by an occasional breeze. She stood among the cold leafless trees with her eyes closed mentally calling for Robert hoping that somehow he would hear her desperate call and find his way back to her. When she opened her eyes, however, it was painfully clear that Amy was alone.

Later that night, Ruthie and Amy returned to their dark, musty basement lair grim and saddened by the recent events that without each other their lives would be utterly lonely and impossible to endure. Ruthie's loss of Michael and Amy's continued yearning for Robert were sharp reminders that they could never lead traditionally normal lives and, in order to bring others into their lives, they would have to bring them in the way Amy had brought Ruthie into her life and Robert had brought her into his-by force.

The following evening as they strolled within the shadows of a shipyard, Ruthie voiced the subject: "Amy, I realize I can't ever be with Michael or with any other man and it breaks my heart."

Amy replied softly, "I'm very sorry for that, Ruthie, I truly am and my heart breaks for you as well as for myself. Especially for you because I made you what you are."

"I'm not blaming you, Amy," Ruthie stated simply, "If it weren't for you making me what I am, I might not ever have met Michael at all. I'm through blaming you and I told you that before. I guess knowing you can't have something is different than actually having the chance to have something and having to give it up."

"You could have made him like us and had him forever," Amy suggested.

"Oh no," Ruthie was adamant, "I would never do that to someone I love and respect like that."

"Why not?" Amy asked, "If it were the only way you could be together."

"I couldn't attack him and trick him like that, Amy," Ruthie explained, "he dreamed all his life of being a sailor at sea. I couldn't kill his dream like that. He had that dream all his life; he only just met me last week. Chances are if I took that away from him he'd hate me and surely wouldn't want to live with me. I'd be lucky if he didn't chop my head off in my sleep, or shove a stake through my lying heart for ruining his life."

"I suppose we'll never know what will happen," Amy replied, "I certainly never imagined that Robert would leave me. I truly believed we would be together forever."

After a short pause Ruthie asked Amy, "Would you say your life is your own?"

"In what way?" Amy followed Ruthie toward a trash heap at the edge of the yard where river rats for feeding were sure to be found.

"John said that by acting like a man her life was her own," Ruthie stooped down and scooped up a squealing, wiggling rat and felt its wriggling gradually reduced to morbid stillness as she drained its blood.

"Well, she obviously has more choices as a man," Amy continued to follow Ruthie around the trash heap, stepping over the discarded rat carcass, "but I would consider our lives as our own as well. We decide where to live and where to hunt and how to hunt. We don't answer to anyone or anything except our own physical needs. I suppose a man would also have to live by his physical needs and limitations. We're physically stronger and more powerful than men. We have to keep our condition secret just as much as John does."

"So," Ruthie discarded her second rat corpse, "our lives are our own. Then why do we want to give ourselves to men?"

"Because that is what women are supposed to do," Amy began to feel agitated thinking about her conversation with John, "it's only natural that we want and need a man in our lives to give us love and security and guidance. That is what is so strange and unnatural about John."

Ruthie remembered how her employer had abused and violated her as though she was his property and not a human being. Then she thought of Michael who never touched her without asking permission first, "I guess it depends on the man."

"Well, of course," Amy agreed, "we don't marry just any man or the first man who shows us any interest. We need to choose the right man. The man we are certain will make us happy and take care of us for the rest of our lives."

"I don't think we can ever be that sure," Ruthie was finished feeding and led Amy away from the trash and toward the railroad station where Amy hoped to find an out-of-town vagrant arriving on a stolen train ride hoping to find work on a ship or in a local mill. Throwing a nameless and basically untraceable body into the nearby Thames River left no evidence of the murder or the suspicion of the existence of vampires except for the tiny puncture wounds on the neck. Consequently, an anonymous body found in the river would be considered an unfortunate accidental death and buried in an unmarked grave.

While Amy and Ruthie stalked victims near the waterfront, Reverend Williams, following the trail of mysterious deaths in the dark city streets, persisted in his search for more bodies in addition to the living souls he hoped to save. He believed that he could feel the evil wafting through the atmosphere as it mixed with the coal soot, whale oil, salt water, mill runoff, sewage and salty air. He inspected the rat and trash infested alleys, attics and basements of neglected buildings and rundown tenements and the waterfront tenaciously searching for the source of evil he now believed was responsible for all the deaths that the city determined were caused by drunken blunders, mad animals or illness. The recent alleyway shooting was curiously accompanied by an extreme, almost absolute, loss of blood inexplicable by a single gunshot to the gut and the disappearnce of the missing blood; however, overworked city officials determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound, even though no significant puddle of blood found around the victim. He wondered if the escape of the female pirate on the previous evening before the alleyway shooting was a mere coincidence or was she and her escape somehow connected to or part of the continuing evil in the city?

Chapter 14

Upon entering New London I found myself a room at the City Hotel and immediately began searching the streets and alleys for more sad wretches like the poor soul I found dead in the cellar of the decrepit farmhouse at the edge of town. I've now come to the realization that God's call was not only for me to help these suffering men redeem themselves in the eyes of God and lead them to a sober life of righteousness and atonement, but to hunt out and destroy the evil that is preying upon and killing these defenseless men.

Many deaths have occurred in this city, which the authorities have deemed to be either accidental or attacks by diseased animals or a mysterious illness. After seeing some of the corpses with my own eyes I deem the causes of death as evil. There's something evil in this city killing innocent men. Just as Eve tricked and seduced Adam into partaking of the forbidden fruit and causing mans' ejection from the Garden of Eden, there's something evil preying on the poor desperate men of this city. The authorities may not feel the need to deeply investigate the causes of death of these low men, but I do and I will. No matter what cause of death the authorities claim on their reports, all of the victims' corpses I have viewed have the same identical puncture wounds on their necks as the body I encountered on the day I entered this city.

I did not understand the purpose of these marks until I saw the man who the authorities claimed to have expired from a gunshot to the stomach. There were witnesses who swore they had seen the man being shot and pointed out the murderer in court. The authorities didn't look any deeper into the case as they believed the word of several witnesses sufficed; therefore, they impatiently sent me away when I demanded to know where the blood from such a severe wound had flowed. One would expect to find such a gunshot victim to be lying in a puddle of his own blood, yet this man did not. Where is all the blood that he must have lost? That's when I realized that the neck wounds were inflicted for the purpose of draining the blood from these victims. Even the man hit by the train near the biscuit factory was nearly bloodless. When I heard the train suddenly stop and the excited voices of the gathering crowd, I rushed from my duties in the filthy neighborhood they call Bradley Street, and saw what was left of the corpse being collected and found very little blood at the scene. I do not know why a monster of Satan would need to kill for blood, but I will find out.

Chapter 15

Returning to the lair a few hours before sunrise, Ruthie prepared for her daily Bible study while Amy fussed with her wardrobe and her hair in the dim light of the candles she had placed around their living area. Ruthie didn't understand Amy's constant adjustments of her hair when she wasn't able to see her accomplishments in a mirror since she cast no reflection. When asked Amy insisted that she remembered exactly the way Robert preferred her hair and could tell, by feel, if her hair was arranged in that manner or not. Not wanting to disturb Amy's hope of eventually being reunited with Robert or question why she continued to wear her hair in a style that suits the man who abandoned her, Ruthie remained mute on the subject and patiently consented to help Amy maintain Robert's hairstyle of preference.

"Ruthie," Amy whispered so as not to be heard in the main house, "what would be your opinion on the subject of making an addition to our little family?"

Having expected Amy to ask for an opinion of her hair, Ruthie was stunned at the unexpected question. "Good Lord, Amy!" Ruthie also whispered, "you want to bring another killer into our lair? Don't you think there's enough killing going on in this city without us purposely making another vampire?"

"I was feeling so lonely this past week while you were spending the evenings with Michael," Amy replied as she sat down at the table opposite Ruthie, "It reminded me of the days after I lost Robert and before I found you. I don't want to feel that way again. And speaking of Robert, when he returns he'll expect me to give him my full attention and I don't want you to be lonely or feel neglected."

Believing that Robert was gone for good, Ruthie wasn't concerned with that scenario ever becoming reality; however, in her thrill of finding and spending time with Michael, she never seriously considered Amy's feelings at the time, "Oh, Amy," Ruthie's gaze dropped momentarily to the open Bible in front of her, "I didn't know you felt so bad while I was visiting with Michael. I'm sorry, I should have spent more time with you."

"No," Amy replied, "you only had a precious short time to be with Michael and I understand so don't be sad."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere, Amy. I know I'll never see Michael again, no matter how much I want to. We can't have any future together, so you don't have to worry about being left alone again."

Rising from the table, Amy moved to where she had draped the dress John had discarded for the suit of men's clothing and began smoothing the skirt with her hands as it lay over an old buffet table, "We would have to find another lair if we were to add a third to our group. We couldn't risk bringing a new vampire here to my parents' house."

"Does that mean you are already set on having another vampire join us or is your desire to stay here a reason not to bring someone else in?" Ruthie was alarmed as she watched Amy slowly fuss with the dress. She hoped her words of commitment to Amy would persuade her that they didn't need anyone else.

"I was only thinking about our situation. I don't want you to be alone when Robert returns."

"Do you already have someone in mind?"

"No, of course not," Amy returned to the table, "I would have told you if I had. I don't keep any secrets from you, Ruthie."

"You've never talked about it before and I was just curious why you seem to be thinking so seriously about it now."

"It's only as I've told you. Spending time alone gave me the idea. I don't want you to be lonely Ruthie; I know Robert is coming back. I can feel him."

Ruthie was as sure as ever that Robert was gone for good even though Amy's faith in his return was very convincing. Amy's ideas always made Ruthie anxious, as they usually required risks that Ruthie considered unnecessary, but once Amy had an idea or a plan, there was little chance of convincing her otherwise. For instance, when Amy was reluctant to move from their first lair, Ruthie spent a lot of desperate energy fueled by fear for their lives to change Amy's mind and convince her to move. Recruiting a third vampire into their family was a very risky plan that Ruthie also believed to be unnecessary, but she knew there would be more debating between them before the matter would be settled.

Summer progressed toward fall as the vampires quietly stalked the city streets and waterfront in search of victims always with keeping themselves hidden and undiscovered as their main concern. With no new visitors at the Quakers' house, they only approached it occasionally so as not to be noticed. Ruthie read the wanted posters enabling her to recognize a fugitive slave and help him or her to safety. However, she never got the opportunity to help a runaway, as she didn't have the good fortune of meeting one. She could only pray for their successful escape during her nightly prayers.

In the meantime, Amy hungrily looked for prey among the downtrodden and drunken men in the pockets of poverty in the city. Strangers often came through town in search of employment and not knowing their way around the streets provided an advantage where she could easily stalk them as they struggled to find their way around. After her nightly feeding, she would continue her search for a new lair where they would have the privacy and safety to bring a new vampire into the family. She and Ruthie had come to the agreement that after they were settled into a new lair they would discuss making their twosome a threesome. Ruthie considered that searching for a lair and actually moving in and getting settled would give her more time to try to convince Amy of the impracticality of converting another innocent human into a blood thirsty killer.

As the first fallen leaves of early autumn blew across the sidewalks and gathered in the gutters, Ruthie and Amy strolled along the city streets in the early morning darkness searching for a new lair. Ruthie, to Amy's dismay, had given up the fine dresses Amy had introduced her to. Ruthie's experience with John inspired her to become more of her own woman and gave up the restrictive corsets and dresses opting for a simple housedress and leaving her hair natural instead of letting Amy attempt to straighten and pin it up. She was more comfortable and happier with herself and simply ignored Amy's chastising accusations of not dressing properly. Ruthie eventually put an end to Amy's criticisms by reminding her that she wasn't white or a lady and was no longer going to dress like one. She was happy with the way God made her and was tired of trying to look otherwise.

"Well, Ruthie," Amy said, "you were successful at finding our present lair, do you have any suggestions on where to go next?"

"No, I don't," Ruthie answered, "I'm content to stay where we are."

"Only because you are reluctant to add to our circle," Amy pointed out, "am I correct?"

"Partly," Ruthie admitted, "plus, I don't see why we have to move. We haven't had any threats of anyone finding us yet."

"Would you rather escape in a panic like we did the last time, or would you rather move before we're found out?"

"When you put it that way," Ruthie answered after a short pause for consideration, "We have been at your father's house for quite sometime. Maybe it is a good time to move."

"I hoped you'd see it my way," Amy said in happy triumph.

"I really hate to leave there, Amy," Ruthie said sadly, "I feel very safe in our lair. We've made it real home-like, probably because it's in your family's house."

"Yes," Amy sighed, "I feel that way too, but I also feel that our luck may be running out on our not being discovered. If my mother decides to redecorate or buy new furniture, the help will be sent to the basement, to our room, to reorganize and maybe move more old furnishings to the collection and we will certainly be found."

"Good Lord, Amy," Ruthie asked in surprise, "how often does your mother redecorate?"

"Not very often," Amy answered, "maybe every two years or so, but she may decide to rearrange rooms for the season. She changes draperies according to the seasons, heavy fabrics in the winter and lighter fabrics in the summer."

"Good Lord, your servants are kept busy."

"They're well compensated for their work."

"Why didn't you mention this in the spring? Weren't you concerned then that we might be discovered?"

"When we moved in I noticed the furniture in our lair was recently stored because the coverings were still fairly clean and dust free."

"I wish you would tell me these things at the time," Ruthie said, "It would save me some worry."

"I'm sorry. It didn't occur to me to mention it at the time, but I will try from now on."

Motivated by Amy's information, Ruthie said, "It has to be a place where no one is there at night or in the early morning before sunrise."

"That would be best, but I don't think many places fit that description."

"I still like the idea of the cemetery," Ruthie stated, "It's peaceful and beautiful."

"Where would we stay?" Amy challenged, "there are no houses or buildings nearby and it's a long walk back to the waterfront-at least a mile."

"That's not a long walk," Ruthie argued.

"It would be in the rain or sleet, Ruthie."

Ruthie couldn't argue with that although she would be happy to stay in the mausoleum they had used to hide John. There wasn't much chance they would be found hiding there and even if they were found, they would be overlooked as corpses put to rest as though they belonged there. As Ruthie continued to fantasize about living in the woodsy serenity of the cemetery, Amy continued to consider other options.

"Wait!" Amy stopped walking as her face lit up with an idea, "Ruthie, I know the perfect place. You'll love it."

Ruthie stopped and turned to Amy in curiosity, "where would that be?" she asked with interest.

They had been walking in an indirect path toward their lair and were now two streets north of home, "we can move here," Amy announced.

"Where?" Ruthie looked around at the surrounding buildings.

"This church," Amy gestured toward a large gothic twin-spire Methodist church that stood before them.

"What!" Ruthie exclaimed in surprise, "we're tools of the devil. We can't live in a church. What are you thinking, Amy? We'll burn in hell fire if we go in there. We'll probably burst into flame for having the nerve to tough the door."

"I thought you would love the idea, Ruthie, since you're so religious," Amy pouted at Ruthie's reaction, "no one is in a church at night and there are only people there on Sunday."

"People will be there besides Sunday," Ruthie argued, "the minister is there every day and women are there to clean and take care of the place. You should know these things. You used to go to church."

"I told you I never paid much attention at church," Amy still pouted, "I didn't know that anyone went there much during the week."

They stood silently looking up at the massive stone structure that rose into the dark sky.

"There can't be many people in the building during the week," Amy said, "and they can't use much of the building. There are probably whole sections of the building that are never entered at all."

"I don't think heathens like us have any right to go live in a church," Ruthie said.

Amy slowly moved toward the steps leading to the front door.

"What are you doing?" Ruthie asked nervously.

"I'm going to see if I get burned."

"No, Amy!" Ruthie exclaimed, but Amy had already ascended the stairs and was reaching for the door. She paused for a half a breath and laid her hand on the door handle while Ruthie stood on the sidewalk in terror.

"Ruthie," Amy said happily, "it doesn't burn. It doesn't even feel warm."

Ruthie looked around in fear of being caught and seeing that they were still alone, she fearfully joined Amy on the top step. She knelt on the cold concrete step and laid both hands flat on the solid wood of the church door and bowed her head, "I know I have no right to ask, but please forgive me, Jesus, for my horrible, horrible sins."

Amy gave Ruthie a moment and glancing around said, "Ruthie, let's go inside and find an unused room."

Ruthie slowly raised her head, "I don't know, Amy. I don't know if we should go inside, being two of the devil's helpers. It would be disrespectful to God."

"Maybe God wants us here. Maybe that's why we aren't burning in hell fire for touching the door," Amy raised Ruthie from her knees, "please let's go inside and see for ourselves."

Reluctantly Ruthie agreed and in a moment, after entering as mist, they stood in the dark on the other side of the door.

"Amy!" Ruthie whispered nervously as she searched the darkness.

"I'm here," Amy answered in a normal speaking voice that seemed to echo throughout the entire building.

"Hush your voice," Ruthie ordered.

"Nobody's here, Ruthie," Amy answered, "We're all alone and safe from the hell fire."

"We are safe, aren't we?" Ruthie realized incredulously, "Maybe Jesus still loves us after all."

"There's always hope, Ruthie," Amy said for Ruthie's benefit, only holding out hope for being loved by Robert, not Jesus. She felt for Ruthie's hand in the dark and taking it led her deeper into the church.

"Let's find our way to the basement," Amy found a flight of stairs at the rear of the sanctuary leading to the lower floor.

"How will we know if a room in the basement is safe for a lair?" Ruthie asked, "You already knew which room at your parents' house would be safe. How will we know that here?"

"First we'll find a room that shows signs of neglect such as thick cobwebs and heavy dust," Amy explained, "then we'll watch the room for several weeks to be sure the room will remain neglected."

"We have to come in here for several weeks to inspect the room?"

"The room and also the comings and goings of the people who spend time here at night," Amy answered, "We'll learn the schedule of comings and goings to determine if it really is safe for our lair."

"I don't think this area is a basement," Ruthie could see tables and chairs set up in a large room at the bottom of the stairs. There was an upright piano against the wall and a large chalkboard at the head of the tables.

"I don't think so either," Amy agreed, "this looks like a meeting room or a Bible study room. There must be another staircase that will take us to the basement."

"There's a wide doorway by the piano," Ruthie pointed out, "maybe there are stairs outside that door."

The two vampires made their way between the tables to the doorway helping themselves to a lamp they found on one of the tables. After lighting the lamp they passed through the doorway where they found a hallway leading to more rooms on the same floor and past the hallway, against the outer wall of the church was another stairway leading down into deeper darkness. While the first stairway was made of stone, this stairway was darker, narrower and constructed of wood. The steps creaked slightly as they descended to find a closed door at the foot of the stairs. The knob turned easily and they passed cautiously through and found themselves in a narrow hallway lined with several doors. Some of the doors stood open while others were closed.

"What do you think they use these rooms for?" Ruthie asked.

"I don't know," Amy replied, "maybe for the children. We'll find out another time. Let's keep looking for a lair."

"You think there's another floor under this one?" Ruthie asked, "We're already pretty low."

"This floor is wood," Amy tapped her heel on the floor of the hallway, "it can't be the basement."

"We need to find another set of stairs then," Ruthie pushed ahead to the end of the hall.

"Yes," Amy followed Ruthie as she opened the door at the end of the hall where they found themselves in another room that contained several chairs and a piano.

Standing in the center of the room Ruthie and Amy looked around them in the dim lamplight for stairs but all they found was another door at the rear of the room.

When Ruthie opened the door the two vampires were met with a strong odor of dust, dirt and mold and knew they had finally found the stairway to the basement. This stairway was a narrow wooden stairway coated with dust and adorned above with thick cobwebs. As they made their way down the stairs, Amy remarked happily, "I don't think anyone ever uses these stairs. Either the church has a separate stairway that is used to get to the basement or they don't use the basement at all."

Feeling along the cold stonewalls of the stairway, they moved down the stairs disturbing the thick dust and sticky cobwebs as they went. The staircase was longer and steeper than they had expected, but it finally ended in what seemed in the darkness to be a large open room.

"This won't do at all," Ruthie observed, "we can't be laying out in the open like this. She was still reluctant about setting up a lair in the house of God where, as workers of the devil, she didn't feel that they were worthy.

"Let's investigate further," Amy went on ahead, "we've come this far already. There might be more rooms beyond this one."

Ruthie followed Amy along the west wall of the basement, keeping her hand against the wall to find her way in the dark. Reaching the south wall they walked in the same slow careful manner and found a solid oak door leading outside at the rear of the church. This door would provide a much safer and more direct entrance and exit to the vampires' lair. Resuming their walk they turned the corner and walked north toward the front of the church, shuffling over the dusty dirt floor until they were approximately opposite the stairway they had descended. Here they encountered a wooden wall blocking off the front half of the basement.

"There must be a door within this wall," Amy remarked, "let's feel along it."

Finding three doors opening into three storage rooms, the girls determined they had time to investigate further and retraced their steps to the first door, which they found unlocked. Inside was old pieces of wooden furniture, usable but outdated and worn, probably brought here from the parsonage. Judging by the amount of dust and mold on the pieces closest to the door, the furniture had been stored here years earlier and hadn't been touched since. The second door was also left unlocked, but revealed some odd and surprising contents.

"Good Lord," Ruthie whispered as she peered into the small dark room where a cot with a straw mattress sat against the wall to her left across from a small table and a chair next to a dresser. Wooden crosses and pictures of Jesus hung on the walls that were draped in years of cobwebs.

"Do you think someone actually lived down here?" Amy asked as she poked the mattress and crossed the room to inspect the dresser drawers, "There's only a Bible in the top drawer. It doesn't look as though anyone has been here for a very long time."

"Let's get out of this room" Ruthie urged Amy, "I don't like it here."

"We need to see what the next room holds anyway," Amy agreed, "We can bring candles and look closer tomorrow."

Amy closed the door behind her and followed Ruthie to the third and final room, "Hurry, Ruthie, it must be getting late."

"We can wait to see this room tomorrow," Ruthie suggested. She didn't like the feel of the previous room and wasn't in a hurry to find out what awaited them in the last room.

"Let's take a quick tour of the room and we'll go home."

Ruthie opened the door to find a surplus of velvet draperies and tapestries, which they later determined depicted scenes from Bible stories, adorning the musty stonewalls. The moldy tapestries were tattered and frayed on the edges as though they were stored here long ago with the intention of one day being repaired, but were instead forgotten. Perhaps those who had stored them were gone or dead and the tapestries were subsequently lost to the busy pace of the church members' lives and the reassignment of ministers. The velvet hung on brass rods that were hung up along the ceiling dividing the room in half, separating the front of the room from the back. Narrow tables were lined against the walls to prevent the tapestries and draperies from dragging on the dirt floor.

"What a crime!" Amy exclaimed as she inspected the velvet by touch, "to leave such rich fabric hanging in a filthy cellar like this."

"It's not any good to anybody now," Ruthie said as she tried to make out the scenes of the tapestries in the dark, "there's nothing down here but neglect. You wouldn't think you'd find neglect in a big fancy church like this."

"Not very Christian, is it, Ruthie?" Amy dropped the edge of the velvet, "I wonder who lived in that room. Maybe someone who worked for the church."

"That would be some terrible neglect too," Ruthie shook her head, "letting someone live down here all alone."

"Let's get back to our lair, Ruthie," Amy led the way out of the room, "it's getting late. We'll return tomorrow with candles to give us better light."

The next few weeks were spent watching the activities of the people coming and going from the church. There were activities most evenings of the week and crowds of churchgoers attending. When it seemed all the people were inside, Ruthie and Amy would creep around to the rear of the building to see if any activity occurred at the back door. After two weeks of noting the times of people entering and exiting the front of the building, they began watching the rear of the church full time. From the condition of the basement it was clear that no one ever entered or exited the rear door; however, they needed to be certain of any activities that did occur in the area so as not to be caught by surprise leaving the lair in the evenings.

Ruthie was still uneasy about moving into a church, even if it was the dirty forgotten cellar; it was still the house of God to her. To Amy, it was nothing more than a convenient building to use as a lair. She had been worshiping Robert and her passion for him for more than five years giving her whole heart to him with nothing left for any other god. They had already decided to use the velvet room for their lair and planned to hide the coffins behind the draping velvet. Amy convinced Ruthie the church would make a good lair, by describing that being inside the church would bring Ruthie closer to God and the Bible and the gospels she loved to read.

After two more weeks of watching the back door and finding no dangerous activity that might expose their secret they decided it was time to move. The move would be emotionally easier for Ruthie to make than Amy. Even though Amy still hadn't seen her parents in all the months of living in their house, she still felt comforted by being so close to them.

Chapter 16

On moving day the girls rose from their coffins and began packing their clothes into their coffins.

"Amy," Ruthie said cautiously as she closed her coffin lid on her few dresses and her Bible, "since we're leaving here tonight, don't you want one look at your parents?"

"Ruthie," Amy angrily dropped a dress into her coffin, "you promised never to bring up that subject again."

"I know, but this is different. We're leaving and you'll never have such a good chance to see them again."

"We've been here all this time and I refused to see them. Why would I change my mind now?"

"I don't know. I just thought you might regret not seeing them while you have the chance."

Amy continued laying dresses into her coffin. When she was finished she slowly closed the lid and took one last look around the dark dusty room at all of the used and neglected furniture neatly stacked and covered for storage. She noticed the smell of the dirt floor, the stone walls, dinner cooking in the kitchen above them, the blood of the servants preparing the food and looked at Ruthie who sat at the table, "Let's move our lair, Ruthie, we need to feed."

"It will only take you a minute to check on your parents before we go. Then we have all night to feed." Ruthie knew she was risking Amy's temper, but still could not understand Amy's decision to remain separated from her parents even though they all lived under the same roof.

"Ruthie," replied Amy, "I have asked you many times not to urge me to see my parents. You have promised not to do so and yet you break your promise tonight. We have discussed this subject more than I would like. I don't wish to discuss it any further. The first time I left this house I left of my own free will prepared to never see my family again. I have been fortunate these last several months to be able to live in the same house with them. In fact, I have you to thank for that. I am very hungry right now and cannot trust my lust for blood not to overpower me if I see my parents or anyone else who may be in the house. Therefore, I will leave this house again prepared to never see my parents again just as I left the first time. Please, let us leave now without any more discussion regarding my seeing my parents."

"All right," Ruthie sadly agreed and biting into her arm began squeezing blood onto the lid of her coffin and rubbing it in, "I respect your decision and I won't talk about it anymore. I just wanted you to be sure."

"I am," Amy angrily bit into her own arm and rubbed the blood into her own coffin lid. Soon the coffins were small enough to carry under their arms and they exited the room and the house for the last time.

Crisp autumn air swirled leaves and dust around the vampires as they walked the two blocks to the church that would this night become their new lair. Leaves blew around them in dancing swirls and their cloaks flapped up and dropped around their bodies with the broken rhythm of the gusts. The dark stone church loomed ahead, its twin spires reaching toward the heavens in dark silence, seeming to grow larger and reach higher as they approached. Before reaching the church the vampires slipped into a nearby alley and approached the churchyard from the rear. Lights glowed from the surrounding homes, but no one could be seen from the back of the church even though from their weeks of surveillance they knew that a choir meeting was taking place in the choir loft behind the altar.

Standing at the back door of the church, their coffins under their cloaks, Amy smiled, "Let's enter our new lair, Ruthie."

"I'm still a little nervous about violating the house of the Lord this way," Ruthie said as she looked up at the church with uncertainty.

"Consider yourself searching for forgiveness for your sins. You feel guilty for your sins and feel the need to repent. What better place to repent than here?"

"I do want to repent and be forgiven," Ruthie agreed, "but because of what I am, I can't stop sinning. How can I have any hope for forgiveness when I keep right on sinning?"

"Maybe it's not a sin if you can't help sinning because of what you are," Amy set down her coffin, "let's go in and lay out our things. I'm hungry. I'll go in first and open the door for you. Maybe you'll be more comfortable about the situation when we're inside," She turned to vapor and slipped through the space below the door and a moment later held the door open for Ruthie to enter with the two coffins. They had surveyed the basement enough times to become familiar with the floor plan in the dark and quickly found their way to the room with the tapestries and velvet and silently entered. Soon the room was rearranged to fit their needs and with candles set on the tables and two chairs brought in from the furniture stored in the first room they had investigated on their initial visit to the church, their new lair was just as comfortable as their last.

Several weeks passed peacefully for Ruthie and Amy as they grew accustomed to their new lair. Ruthie began to relax about being an ongoing sinner living in the house of God. She still felt she was unworthy to boldly use a church as a lair but at the same time felt comforted in her closeness to God and studied her Bible even more diligently than ever.

In contrast, Amy's attitude toward God and heaven didn't change at all because of their new environment. She still only dreamed of Robert's return and her faith that on his return he would find her. Her needs as a vampire didn't cause her any guilt or anguish as they did Ruthie and she still strongly believed that fulfilling her earthly needs couldn't possibly be sinful even though fulfilling her need for blood made her a murderer.

During Sunday services the two vampires rested undisturbed in their dark musty lair two floors below the worshipers in the sanctuary. The music and sermons never penetrated the stone and oak that separated the living from the living dead inside the church. The evening meetings and choir rehearsals took place while Amy and Ruthie stalked the streets of the city, driven and controlled by their lust for blood. By the time the vampires returned to their lair, the churchgoers were gone and the building was dark and silent.

Chapter 17

Another source of blood become available one night in the vicinities of the city's growing number of factories as workers organized to protest harsh working conditions and low pay. The increase in production in recent decades had brought workers into the city hoping for a better way of life and one that had the potential of a regular more secure income that farming didn't provide. Men and women entering the city alone by train had been Amy's recent source of blood, as they were strangers unfamiliar with the city and wouldn't be noticed missing by any of the regular citizens. Ruthie reluctantly approved these attacks for Amy only because of the social obscurity of the victims. She would pray dearly for the soul of the victim and mourn the death of these desperate and hopeful travelers who had been dreaming of making a better life for themselves and their families.

Long work hours of twelve to sixteen hours a day six or even seven days a week had become normal for the factory workers producing cotton gins, coffee mills, crackers and textiles. Only two short breaks were allowed, one for lunch and one for dinner. Children under ten years old worked the same hours as adults and were vulnerable to the same injuries and health problems in the dangerous environment of the factories that used chemicals for processing raw materials and whale oil and gas lamps to work past dark. Textile workers breathed in the fiber-filled air along with the other fumes. These hardships and dangers increased when factoring in the fatigue of the workers who were in danger of losing hands or fingers and their hearing from hours of exposure to the speeding machinery.

In the past Amy and Ruthie had considered exhausted factory workers walking home in the dark as easy prey, but resisted them in respect for their hard lives and the families who depended on them for survival. However, seeing them in large masses protesting in the dark streets outside the mills filling the air with their bloody scent drew Amy and Ruthie toward them like flies to meat. They lurked in alleys close enough to hear the chants of the workers demanding more pay, shorter workdays and safer conditions. Ruthie having been a worker sympathized more readily with the workers than Amy who, with her wealthy background, never worked before becoming a vampire and never had to feed and dress herself and had no experience of running a household on a small budget.

One evening as they stood in an alley watching the crowd and listening to the chanting and the individual speeches, galloping horses could be heard approaching. The speeches stopped and the crowd turned toward the sound of the horses in curiosity and apprehension. Amy and Ruthie moved closer in order to also see who the horses were bringing into the protest. In fact, the attention of the protesters was so wholly absorbed by the approaching horses that Amy and Ruthie, their hoods of their cloaks over their heads, were able to exit the alley completely and view the entire scene.

It was soon obvious that lawmen were astride the horses and their stern expressions showed they had a mission to perform and orders to obey. Without dismounting the lead man addressed the muted crowd, "Your employer, Mr. Smith, has demanded your return to work tomorrow morning or you will no longer be employed at this mill. Anyone refusing to return to work tomorrow will be replaced immediately. He is willing to forgive your recent insubordination of the past two days that has stopped production. The company has orders to fill and will do so with you at your posts or with someone new at your posts. There will be no reduction in work hours and no increase in pay. In fact, when you return to your jobs tomorrow, your hourly pay will be reduced by five percent to make up for the loss of the past two days productivity you have inflicted on the company. This reduction in wages will continue until further notice."

Close to one hundred workers stood in the street, as they comprehended the news. The twenty horses snorted and stamped in impatience as the horsemen waited for the crowd to react. A low muttering began amongst the workers and the lead man spoke again, "You are all to go to your homes and clear the streets."

The muttering grew louder and a woman yelled, "That's all?" voicing the disillusioned sentiment of the crowd, "we protest to bring attention to our poor conditions in the hope of improving them and instead we are punished?"

"Why doesn't Mr. Smith come here himself to face us?" a man in the back asked.

"Because we're not important enough to leave his hearth in his mansion on a chilly night," answered a woman at the edge of the mass.

The lead man's tone became more menacing and the horses seemed more agitated, "My orders were to tell you the terms of your employment and to clear the streets."

"Clear this out of your streets!" called a woman with a Scottish brogue as she sailed a stone over the crowd and into the face of the lead man.

Amy and Ruthie stepped back against the mouth of the alley as the horsemen without warning attacked the mob sending people fleeing in fear for their lives and trampling the people who were unable to move out of the way. Amy delighted in this sudden turn of events while Ruthie watched in horror as people were crushed to death by horses' hooves and beaten viciously with clubs swinging from the riders' grips leaving the victims moaning and bleeding in the street, left to die as the riders, with no one left to assault, quickly abandoned the bloody scene.

Amy and Ruthie looked at each other in surprise and disbelief at the scene of human cruelty they had just witnessed. During the melee a beaten man had fallen into the alley at their feet and had been moaning but now lay silent. Amy knelt down and fed on his blood, which was already beginning to cool in the late autumn chill. She left enough blood for Ruthie to feed on which she did, noting how her share from closer to his heart was still as warm as life.

The girls exited the alley and stepping over bodies and splatters of blood walked toward the waterfront.

"Do you still think vampires are more evil than men after witnessing that scene?"

Ruthie remained silent for a moment and shook her head, "I can't understand the thinking of some men."

"Christian men," Amy added.

Reverend Williams entered the street after hearing the commotion and seeing the bleeding and fleeing victims rushing past him a block away. In the aftermath, the only movement he saw were leaves and trash gently blowing amongst the several corpses in the street and the back of two dark cloaks in the distance as they moved away from him. An expression of realization, affirmation and disgust settled on his face as he whispered, "Women."

"I had no idea peoples' lives were so difficult," Amy admitted as they returned to their lair and Ruthie settled down at the table for her Bible study.

"How can you have spent so much time in the streets and not know the trials people live through trying to survive?" Ruthie asked incredulously.

"I suppose I never thought about it," Amy sat at the table with her hairbrush in her hand.

"That shouldn't surprise me after your thoughtlessness toward your maid," Ruthie answered, "but didn't you learn anything about those families in that poor old neighborhood where we killed so many men?"

"I thought those families were in such deplorable situations because their men were cruel and poor providers, unlike my father," Amy twirled her hairbrush in her hand.

"No," Ruthie corrected, "your father isn't an average man. He's rich and powerful because of all the ships he owns. All the other men look to men like your father to give them jobs so they can feed their families."

"Then my father provides a great service to the men of the city by making jobs available to them."

"You could look at it that way."

"In what other ways could I look at it?" Amy brushed her hair.

"You could look at it that your father gets rich by using the labor of a lot of poor men to make himself rich."

Amy paused in her brushing, "That makes my father sound like a selfish greedy man."

"That's how all business men are," Ruthie explained, "that's how they get rich."

"That's not a nice thing to say about my father," Amy returned to brushing her hair in agitation.

"Why are you getting upset?" Ruthie asked, "Remember why he wanted you to marry that man you didn't love?"

Amy's arms dropped to the table and she looked into the flame of the candle, "Oh, yes, that's why I had to escape to be with Robert." She was quiet for another minute and got up from the table to put her hairbrush away, "My father is probably even friends with that Mr. Smith who forces his employees to work those long hours in dangerous conditions. He hired those men to beat them back into submission."

"His only concern was the two days of production he lost," Ruthie added.

"Well," Amy tried to brighten her tone as she arranged her hair back into Robert's favorite shape after the hood of her cloak and the wind had mussed it, "let's not think of that anymore. Let's think of happier subjects."

"What do you have in mind?" Ruthie asked with some apprehension.

"Who shall become the new member of our family?"

"You know how I feel about that subject and making another person into one of us is not a happy subject."

"It will be," Amy said confidently, "you'll see."

"When the right person comes along, we'll know it," Ruthie suggested.

"Is that just your way of avoiding the issue or do you really believe that?"

"Well, do you have any suggestions?" Ruthie challenged Amy.

"No," Amy became defensive, "not yet. But I'm certain Robert will return very soon and I don't want you to be alone once we're reunited. We haven't studied much of the population yet. We're usually trying to avoid being seen. From now on we'll have to pay more attention to the people we're hiding from."

"We sure got a close up view of those people tonight."

"Not individually," Amy added, "that was simply one mob confronting another. The dead and dying were the only individuals we were able to see."

"And that was something I didn't need to see."

"Well," Amy brightened, "tomorrow night we'll begin our search in earnest."

Chapter 18

Deep inside the dark stillness of the church cellar, Amy and Ruthie woke to the musty chill of the autumn evening. Although silence pervaded the air as they prepared to go out, church members would soon gather above for one of the regular evening meetings and events that occurred in the church during the week.

"Let's pass by the mill where all the killings occurred last night to see if the survivors returned to work," Amy suggested as they pulled up their hoods and exited the church into the cool air and entered the shadowy rear churchyard.

"I'm sure the families of those poor trampled people came for the bodies by now," Ruthie assumed Amy was thinking of feeding.

"I don't want to look for blood there," Amy explained, "I want to find out if they returned to work."

"How will you know that by walking by?"

"The mill will be up and running," Amy answered as they passed out of the churchyard and into the adjoining yard.

"That man last night said the mill would be running with or without those people," Ruthie reminded her.

"Do you think they could have found replacements so quickly?"

"That man seemed to think so."

Amy walked without speaking as she considered the situation and spoke up excitedly, "Since chances are nothing exciting will be going on at the same mill, we can explore other mills in town. There must be unhappy employees at the other mills as well. What do you think, Ruthie?"

"Last night was one of the most horrible experiences of my life, Amy. Do you really want to be a witness to more of that?"

"We had an easy feed last night and another opportunity like that one would be wonderful."

"I'd rather feed off rats on the docks than see all that senseless murdering again."

Sighing, Amy relented, "All right, Ruthie we can go to the docks to feed. Maybe I'll find a good victim there, but if not, we'll visit another mill in the area."

"You can always find yourself a victim on the docks, Amy."

"I wholeheartedly agree with you, Ruthie," Amy smiled, "I can find a victim anywhere."

A thin fog shrouded the waterfront as they stepped across the railroad tracks toward the crowded docks. Men still worked unloading cargo on several ships that had come in earlier in the evening. Some ships would reload and deliver goods elsewhere and some would return to their homeport to reload there. The remaining men on the ships were still aboard preparing to take on a new load or to perform maintenance for the return trip. Amy and Ruthie kept hidden from those men as Ruthie considered these hard working sober men to be unworthy of becoming victims. There were plenty of other men more deserving of having their blood drained.

Wharves, shipyards and warehouses stretched along a mile or so of the waterfront, making the hunting ground varied and wide. Therefore, the vampires never needed to hunt the same area two nights in a row. Sometimes when they found one area to contain many potential victims, like the train station or the filthy destitute neighborhood on the east side they would frequent the area regularly, but not much time was spent where victims were few, like near the warehouses.

Rats, being more plentiful than men who fulfilled the required qualities of a potential victim at this time of the evening, allowed Ruthie more opportunities to find and drain her victims before Amy hers. Bloodless rat corpses plopped into the river as Ruthie tossed them from the dock while Amy glanced around the area looking for a victim beyond the warehouse that protected them from observation within its looming shadow.

"Let's go to the railroad station," Amy suggested as she gazed in that direction, "perhaps a new arrival will serve as my dinner tonight."

Ruthie shook her head in sadness for the innocent man who would become Amy's victim of the evening. However, when the train arrived, no one disembarked to Amy's disappointment. Still, Ruthie found no relief for her sadness, knowing Amy would find a victim someplace else.

"Apparently my desire to visit some of the other mills in town will be fulfilled," Amy announced as the train pulled away from the station filling the brisk autumn sky with clouds of black smoke and the slow chug of the engine as it picked up speed on its way north to the next town.

"Apparently," Ruthie reluctantly agreed as they moved from the darkness alongside the railroad station toward the city streets.

A few blocks away from their former lair at Amy's parents' house a large brick factory was just letting out for the evening. Unlike the cotton gin factory the vampires visited the previous night, this coffee mill factory didn't have the need to run around the clock. When orders were at a maximum, they would temporarily operate through the night, but this was not one of those times.

As Amy and Ruthie stood in the darkness beside the tall dark building, they watched the workers streaming past them on the sidewalk only a few feet away. Exhausted and hungry, the workers moved along like zombies, oblivious of the two living dead stalkers who not only watched them, but also savored the alluring aroma of their warm blood as they passed.

Couples walked together speaking in tired subdued voices, women walked with children while older children, although tired, felt the relief of temporary freedom and roughhoused and teased one another as they passed. Older men and women scolded these youngsters for misbehaving in public, but the scolding which quickly diminished with fatigue had little effect on the kids who had been forced to work from dawn to after dark standing in one place amidst the smoke and dust in the air and the noise and heat from the machinery as a strict demanding supervisor critically watched their every move and rudely shoved them back into place as he worked them hard for maximum production.

"Look how these people walk," Ruthie remarked as she slowly shook her head, "some of them look deader than us."

"Yes," Amy salivated at all the blood passing by, "it would be so easy to reach out and pluck one or two from the sidewalk."

"But we won't," Ruthie raised her voice, "don't forget the agreement we made about leaving hard working people who aren't bothering anyone alone."

"Yes, Ruthie," Amy sighed, "I remember and I'll remind you that Robert and I kept that same rule before I ever met you. That's why we never hunted for blood near the mills before tonight."

"I was just reminding you," Ruthie relaxed, "you were looking awful hungry."

"I am, I am," Any smiled and ran her tongue across her sharp teeth, "but I'm under control."

Soon after, the crowd dwindled down to only a few stragglers who, for one reason or another, weren't able to leave work with the rest of the employees. Just when Amy and Ruthie were stepping out of their dark hideaway assuming there were no opportunities for feeding at this mill, they quickly stepped back when they heard voices of two more stragglers who had stopped to talk before heading home.

"Why was production down in your department today, Harris?" the vampires assumed the interrogator was in a position of authority. They peeked around the corner of the building and saw two men, one with his back to the building and the other with his back to the street. The man with his back to the building was the questioner and he was dressed slightly better than the other man and his posture and mannerisms showed him to be superior to the other.

"Well," the Harris answered, "you know how I just got those new hires this week-most of them boys and a couple of women." He shifted his weight nervously, "what I need is some men to get the work done. Little boys are good for reaching inside the machines and behind them, but that's about all they're good for. They keep wandering off when my back is turned and production stops when someone has to go looking for them. Women are good for less than that. Always needing to attend to their female problems that can't seem to wait until dinner break. They can't lift as much as the men and some of them start to cry if you whip or prod them."

Amy and Ruthie looked at each other, insulted by the man's remarks.

"You know there's been a shortage of good men for these jobs," the boss replied, "we have to hire whoever we can and to be honest, the man upstairs prefers hiring women and children because he only has to pay them a fraction of what he has to pay a man, especially the kind of men you want."

"Yeah," the other man agreed, "white men who can speak English," both men chuckled, "I'll just have to get these new people up to speed is all."

"That's your job, Harris," the boss began walking away in the opposite direction from the rest of the workers, "See that production is up tomorrow."

"I'll tighten up the whip for the boys and oil up the prod for the women if I have to, sir," Harris laughed and turned to follow in the direction of the other workers. Amy and Ruthie quickly ducked back into their hiding place as he approached.

"He won't be using a whip or a prod on anyone ever again," Ruthie muttered and as the man reached the corner of the building, she thrust out an arm, snatched him toward her and sunk her teeth into his neck before he could no more than gasp.

"Ruthie!" Amy was pleasantly surprised at Ruthie's aggression as she took possession of the man when Ruthie pushed his limp body toward her.

"I didn't drink much," Ruthie explained, "since I already ate. I saved most of it for you."

Amy's eyes showed her gratitude as she looked at Ruthie while she hungrily sucked the life out of the sadistic supervisor.

"No wonder those people looked deader than us," Ruthie said, "having to spend all day and half the night with that demon pushing them like a horse to work harder."

"Or like a slave," Amy finished and tossed the corpse aside.

"No," Ruthie corrected Amy, "these people get paid money for their work and they have the freedom to walk away at any time."

"Then why do they stay and allow themselves to be abused?" Amy asked.

"So they can eat and pay for a place to live," Ruthie answered, "those things cost money."

"I still find it so difficult to comprehend how little working people are paid and what horrible conditions they live in."

"That's because the owner of the factory wants as much money for hisself as he can. That's why the owners live in the big mansions while his workers live in those filthy neighborhoods by the river. That's how your daddy got so rich, by not paying his workers very much."

Amy didn't want to hear anymore talk about business and poor people. "Where should we dump this body?"

Ruthie knew Amy didn't want to hear anymore about how her father got rich by exploiting honest working people. Amy wanted to keep the memory of her father as a prominent man in town and a successful businessman who everyone respected and admired. Learning about business would destroy the happy image she had of her rich childhood. She didn't want to know about how others suffered hardship so she could live like a princess.

"I think we should leave it here for the workers to celebrate over tomorrow."

"That seems terribly risky," Amy hesitated, "This isn't an ignored neighborhood of poverty and drunkenness or the waterfront and he is a supervisor. They may investigate into his death. What will happen when they see the bite marks? I don't want to risk bringing attention to ourselves."

"We can leave a dead animal with him and the authorities will think he was killed by the animal like we've done before," Ruthie suggested.

Amy agreed to this because it was easier than carrying the body to the river to dispose of it and she wanted to give his workers the opportunity to revel over his death. Most of the remainder of the night was spent hunting down a stray animal to take the blame for their murder. A dog was chosen as the victim because his teeth more closely resembled those of a vampire. He was looking for food in an alley when Ruthie came upon him and killed him with barely a struggle by strangling him from behind with the dead man's suspenders. With the murder weapon still draped over the dog, Ruthie and Amy arranged the dog and man into a position that portrayed a dog attack and a struggle.

After returning to the lair, Amy congratulated Ruthie on her vicious and impulsive attack on the supervisor, "I'm so pleased with your behavior tonight, Ruthie. Your skill and strength are very impressive."

"I'm not proud of myself," Ruthie answered sullenly as she sat down with her Bible to pray for the man's soul," these last two nights have shown me how evil men can be. So many people don't appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made to save our souls. They take pleasure, and even pride, in being cruel to others."

"You think far too much, Ruthie," Amy began her nightly routine of primping and preparing for Robert's return, "just enjoy yourself and think of how your actions tonight saved a lot of people considerable amounts of sorrow and pain tomorrow."

"If you say so," Ruthie began her nightly reading.

"Well, of course," Amy continued, "in fact, your heroism tonight was just as honorable as killing those slave hunters."

Ruthie chilled at Amy's works, "Do you realize that what you're calling heroism and honorable is cold-blooded murder?"

"Well, I had to feed from someone anyway," Amy continued her nightly ritual as she spoke, "So you not only helped all those poor workers by ridding them of their oppressor, you fed me as well."

"How do you know I didn't just kill the father of small children who will now have to go hungry and cold without him?"

"You can't think of things like that. Maybe you did, but maybe you didn't. Thinking about it will make you miserable. Pray for the man's evil soul if you'd like, but then forget about him."

"Forget?" Ruthie said in despair, "every human I kill is burned into my memory, weighing down my soul and holding the gates of heaven closed to me forever."

Chapter 19

News of the mob being trampled at the cotton gin mill and the equally vicious but singular death of the supervisor at the coffee mill factory frightened the unhappy overworked factory workers into submission for the time being. They desperately craved better working conditions, more pay and shorter workdays, but they didn't want to sacrifice their lives for it. Mill owners exploited the tragic events to keep the workers in line by warning them that the same could happen to them if they left their jobs in protest and any protester would be a prime suspect in the death of another supervisor.

Amy was disappointed when they passed the mills the following evening after Harris' murder and found no one loitering outside in protest and the mills running efficiently, "I thought we could initiate one of these poor workers into our family, Ruthie. These people seem like hard working God fearing people."

"You want to reward them by turning them into a heathen?" Ruthie asked, "Why are you suddenly so interested in the people in the mills?"

"I don't know," Amy answered, "they interest me, I suppose, because they're out at night like we are which makes them available, and they seem like good people."

"Those people going to the church in the evenings are good people too," Ruthie pointed out, "you don't seem interested in them."

"I want to find someone who might appreciate becoming a member of our family," Amy said and after a pause admitted, "and I don't want to hurt someone the way I hurt you when I forced you into becoming what you call 'a tool of the devil.'"

"How do you know those factory people aren't good Christians like me?"

"When we point out one we like, we'll stalk her or him for a while to find out."

"At least you're learning to think about the consequences of your actions," Ruthie led Amy away from the rumbling textile mill they had been passing and headed back downtown, "you're becoming a very reasonable girl, Amy."

"Why, thank you, Ruthie," Amy was pleased with the compliment, "Robert will be very proud of me when he returns."

Amy remained disappointed as the nights passed and the workers of the city remained quiet and obedient leaving her to hunt for blood along the alleys and wharves of the waterfront. Few newcomers arrived in town on the night train the past few nights, which relieved Ruthie from seeing Amy taking advantage of innocent people made vulnerable in unfamiliar surroundings. At least the barely conscious incoherent alcoholics staggering or sleeping in the alleys were soon to expire from their own vices anyway and Ruthie could rationalize Amy's murdering as an act of mercy or simply speeding up the inevitable.

In their search for vagrants and unconscious drunks on a chilly cloudy night that hinted at the coming winter frost, Amy and Ruthie agreed to pay more attention to the sober people passing in the street. Mostly sailors and fishermen traveled the sidewalks at night as they looked for entertainment and company on their short stay in town. Any women who might be out were prostitutes or barmaids in the taverns and the streets hoping to profit by helping the sailors find the entertainment and companionship that they sought. In the past, these working people didn't interest Amy and Ruthie because they didn't fall into their category of possible victims. However, the two vampires were hunting for a new family member, not a murder victim.

Standing in the shadows between two shops that were closed for the day Amy and Ruthie watched two prostitutes loitering in front of a hotel. Ruthie was repulsed as one of them approached a young fisherman as he passed. She couldn't hear the conversation but she saw the prostitute smile seductively and put her hand on the man's shoulder as she spoke.

"I know we're as bad of sinners as anybody else, maybe more so," Ruthie said to Amy who watched the prostitutes with interest, "but I don't want one of those girls to share our lair. How do we know she still won't be a prostitute after she becomes a vampire?"

"She wouldn't need to be," Amy and Ruthie watched the prostitute walk away with her arm through the sailor's arm, leaving her coworker uncomfortably alone on the sidewalk, "she wouldn't need to make a living anymore since she'll be dead."

"They don't have to make a living that way," Ruthie said, "They must like that kind of life. They could get a job in a factory or sewing or laundering-anything but that."

"In other words, you think those girls are simply evil and immoral and they enjoy prostituting themselves?"

"They must like it," Ruthie answered, "why else would they do it?"

"I suppose you have a good question, Ruthie, but as you know, I'm unfamiliar with the working world and what makes a person take one job over another or how they make a living at all."

"Well," said Ruthie with disgust, "that's one job you never would have seen me doing, that's for sure."

"They must get paid very well," Amy observed, "those girls were certainly dressed quite richly."

"Wearing clothes bought with dirty money."

"Come along, Ruthie," Amy moved down the block toward the closest alley, "I'm hungry."

Buildings built of brick or stone or wood tightly lined both sides of the street, leaving little room for alleyways. However, every block had an alley separating the buildings that ended one block and began another. On the west side of the street, instead of wide alleys, each block was separate with a street leading westward toward Main Street and away from the shore. Unlit and strewn with refuse and filth mostly from vagrants and drunks who sometimes slept in the alleys and hid there in search of shelter, all of the alleys on the east side opened out to the rear of the buildings where the ash cans and other trash was stored. The properties butted up to the railroad tracks and the river beyond the tracks. In some areas along the train tracks there were buildings that were also commercial buildings like those on the main street mostly associated with boat repair and services and abandoned at night.

Amy chose one of the wide alleys to hunt for her blood. The wider alleys were more likely to house a sleeping drunk and easier to move into a position conducive to feeding. Ruthie followed Amy as they both slowly moved through the dark alley searching for the delicious scent of warm blood and watching that they didn't stumble over debris. This particular alley was unoccupied by humans, so they came out between fenced in properties on either side of them and the railroad tracks ahead.

"It must be almost time for the night train to arrive," Amy said as they stood on the tracks, "let's continue to the station."

"Fine," Ruthie answered having already fed on rats, "I've got all night."

Standing in the shadows at the far end of the platform the vampires would have a clear view of passengers departing and arriving, "It seems the train is late tonight, Ruthie," Amy complained impatiently.

"It could be," Ruthie said, "or you're so hungry you just think it is."

"Maybe," Amy agreed and then expectantly remarked, "I think I hear it."

Sure enough, after a moment the train could clearly be heard as it slowly approached the station. The girls stepped back closer to the building as the train came into the station and stopped. Several people trickled out of the passenger cars, gathered their boxes and other belongings and entered the station. Unfortunately for Amy, they all appeared to know exactly where they were going and didn't appear to be new in town. No one seemed to be leaving the station and boarding the train so Amy and Ruthie felt it was safe to cross the empty platform to search elsewhere for blood. Just then a middle-aged man disembarked from one of the last passenger cars carrying a large case. He was unkempt and disheveled but certainly not a vagrant stealing a ride. Amy and Ruthie panicked and quickly tried to regain their hiding place, but were too far across the platform to escape before being seen by the man. Even though the hoods of their cloaks were drawn up, their figures were visible in the light of the glowing gas lamps along the platform.

"Don't run away, ladies," the man called through his bushy gray beard, "what are you doing alone and out of the house this late at night?" Without waiting for an answer or even for them to turn around because he wasn't really interested and didn't really care why they were out, he continued, "Since you are here, do you know where I can get a room for the night?"

Ruthie and Amy looked at each other and Ruthie could see by Amy's hungry smiling face that she had found her victim of the night. They turned toward the traveler and Amy replied, "Of course we can, sir." Amy smiled without showing her teeth while Ruthie remorsefully stood by accepting that this man would be dead in a matter of minutes and she would be an accomplice to his murder. In her mind she was already beginning to pray for the man's soul as well as for her own and Amy's.

"I'm new in town you see," he explained amiably, "I tried to get here sooner while it was still daylight, but I ended up staying in Philadelphia to close a sale and had to take the later train."

"So, you're a man of business," Amy observed as she and Ruthie led the man away from the station and away from the main street and the closest hotel.

"Why, yes, I sell tonic," the man raised his case to show that he kept his wares in the case even though he followed behind Amy and Ruthie and knew they couldn't see it.

They approached a commercial area a block north of the city center and led the man behind a large building that housed riding gear and related hardware for carriage repair.

"It seems exceedingly dark and quiet around here," the man remarked, "are you certain there's a hotel or a rooming house nearby?"

"I'm certain there isn't," Amy answered gleefully as she abruptly turned toward the man with her sharp teeth glistening in the moonlight.

Ruthie casually stepped back out of the way as Amy lunged at the man and attacked before he could comprehend his predicament. His case crashed to the gravel as Amy pushed his back up against the building with only her mouth doing the pushing. His panic stricken body stiffened briefly as she fed until he was drained of life and she let him slump over onto the ground, permanently relieved of his terror.

Ruthie said a small quiet prayer for his soul and her own as Amy licked her lips and straightened her cloak, "Where are you going to hide the body?" Ruthie asked.

"We're only a block away from Widows Row," Amy pointed out, "we can leave him here and set a dead animal across his chest."

"But he's a stranger," Ruthie countered, "It will be suspicious. Why would a stranger be so far away from the station and the hotels?"

"There may be many reasons why a stranger would have wandered here," Amy suggested, "maybe he was lost."

Ruthie glowered at Amy from within her hooded cloak, "Now you're just making excuses not to carry him somewhere. You killed him and now you want to leave him here. Sooner or later someone is going to start noticing those bite marks in the necks of these dead people and know they aren't the bite marks of rats and dogs."

Amy pouted at Ruthie's scolding, "All right Ruthie," she sulked, "I'll take him to the river and drop him off a pier. He's a rather large man and it will be very awkward."

"I'll help you," Ruthie offered as she knelt down to help Amy lift him. In a second Amy had him over her shoulder and Ruthie carried his case, "this inconvenience is going to muss my hair horribly," Amy whined as they started back to the waterfront.

"Messy hair is an easier problem to solve than having someone figure out that vampires are in the city."

"Once again, Ruthie," Amy sighed as she walked directly toward the river just beyond the train tracks behind the station, "You are right. I don't know what I would do without you."

"You probably would have had your head chopped off by now, Amy," Ruthie watched carefully to make certain there were no witnesses as they crossed the street to the station, "you've been a little careless lately, wanting to mingle with people and now wanting to leave that dead white man right where you killed him for anyone to find."

In a dark corner along the far wall of the railroad station Amy knelt and let the body roll off of her shoulders onto the ground against the brick wall while she and Ruthie stepped silently to the docks to make sure no one was there to witness them dumping the body into the river.

Having departed the station moments after the salesman followed the vampires to the street, the train was gone and the tracks were now dark and deserted. Fortunately, the tide was high and the body could be dumped closer to the shore and would, hopefully, be pulled out to deeper waters when the tide went out drawing whatever lay below toward Long Island Sound. With this in mind, Amy and Ruthie carried the dead salesman to the closest wharf and rolled him into the cold black water. Ruthie dropped his tonic case in after him and they stood watching the body bob along the pier as the medicine case floated along behind him.

"I don't know why we bothered dumping the body in the river," Amy said as they watched the floating corpse, "he's sure to be lodged against one of the ships and be found in the morning."

"At least he won't be found on the ground with a dead animal nearby," Ruthie answered, "too many of those will get people suspicious soon if they aren't already."

"Well, it was very inconvenient carrying that big man to the water," Amy pulled her hood up over her hair, "it would have been much easier to leave him where he died."

"Don't get lazy," Ruthie warned, "we can't keep leaving dead bodies, rest their poor souls, in the streets of the city. Sooner or later someone is going to find us out."

With a sigh of surrender Amy agreed with Ruthie and suggested they return to the lair for the night.

Chapter 20

A key turned in the lock and the heavy chains rattled to the ground as Raul lifted the lid on Robert's coffin, "Well, brother," he greeted Robert and tossed him a nearly dead animal to feed on as he had almost nightly since he returned Robert to their father's lair, "have you changed your mind tonight?"

Robert watched his older brother's arrogant expression as he spoke, "No," Robert replied stubbornly, "I have not."

"Sooner or later you'll have to," Raul said with confidence, "and when you agree to marry Lisa, I will allow you some time out of your casket to feed on some good quality blood. Until then," Raul turned his gaze to someone Robert couldn't see on the opposite side of the coffin, "Esteban will once again secure the chains."

Raul closed the lid returning Robert to the darkness he had known since his abduction and he heard the chains being drawn up and over the coffin and the locks clicking closed.

In anguish over his own imprisonment and his anxiety over Amy's unknown situation, Robert angrily ground his jaw and beat against the satin lining of his casket. After months of imprisonment he now hated Lisa and the idea of marrying her. He also hated his cruel and selfish brother who only cared about his promise to the two elder men and had no respect for the life of his own brother. Robert knew that there must be a way to escape his predicament but he couldn't think of one. He would need help to escape from his coffin and help escaping St. Augustine with a good lead on Raul. He realized that if he were fortunate enough to escape all the way back to New London he would have very little time to find Amy and flee town with her before Raul would undoubtedly catch up to him.

For the thousandth time it seemed Robert considered his chance of escape if he were to attack Raul during his next visit, but realized that even with the element of surprise the fight would be in Raul's favor since he always brought Esteban, one of his human guards, with him. Even if he were to escape the lair chances were he wouldn't get very far. He also considered playing along with Raul by agreeing to marry Lisa and convince Raul that he could be trusted outside of the lair where he could eventually escape. But he didn't believe Raul would be so easily convinced of his trustworthiness after spending five years searching for him. He wouldn't want to have to repeat that lengthy search again.

While these thoughts filled Robert's frustrated mind he heard a tapping on his coffin. The chains rattled slightly and he heard two of the chains fall and realized someone was unlocking them. Raul had yet to visit twice in one night and hoped he hadn't decided to bring Lisa to him in another attempt to change his mind. He heard the last chain slide to the floor and the lid began to rise, but instead of the cruel arrogant face of Raul he saw his loving mother.

"Oh," she cried when she saw Robert, "my baby boy! So, it is you Raul has been hiding here. I'm so happy to see you!"

"Mother!" Robert was overjoyed to see his mother again and embraced her so tightly she was almost pulled into his coffin, "it's so wonderful to see you! How I've missed you."

"And I you, Robert," she sighed pulling away to see his face, "I'm so sorry I expected you to marry Lisa. I had no idea you were so strongly against the idea. Raul led us to believe that you were agreeable. We were all so hopeful to put this feud behind us that we didn't notice how miserable you were. That's why he's keeping your hiding place a secret from us. After you left, your sisters and I told him we would never force you to marry Lisa."

"But how did you find me?" Robert asked as he sat up for the first time in more than a year.

"After being away for almost five years, Raul returned but wouldn't tell me whether he had found you or not. He was very evasive when I asked which made me suspicious, so I began to watch him closely and to follow him. I realized he made nightly trips down here to the wine cellar and almost always came back empty handed. I had to know why he was visiting the wine cellar so often. Tonight I had my chance after he went out for the evening."

"But the key to the locks," he asked, "Where did you find them?"

"They were on a nail outside the cellar door," she held up a small silver ring that held three keys, "the cellar door, and the two locks on your horrid chains."

"Mother," Robert said hopefully as he stood and stretched, "can you help me to devise and carry out a plan to escape?"

"Of course, my dear boy," his mother replied lovingly, "of course."

Chapter 21

Cold misty rain fell the following evening as Amy and Ruthie departed from their lair in search of blood and possibly a new member of their family. They crossed several blocks to once again search the main street they had surveyed the night before and found many a victim in the past in the dark alleys. Moving stealthily along the streets' shadowed edges, they soon arrived at their destination and savored the delicious aroma of the passersby as they traveled from hotel to pub and back again.

Two whalers had returned to port that afternoon after several months at sea and the crews were exhausted but hungry for civilization and impatient to spend their wages. Music and laughter spilled out into the drizzle-dampened street along with the cheery sailors as they pursued refreshment and women.

"We'll not have to look far to feed tonight," Amy observed as she and Ruthie slipped slowly up the street with their hoods pulled low over their faces.

"I don't suppose we will," Ruthie replied, "but we need to be especially careful not to be seen feeding. There's men everywhere tonight," As she spoke she narrowly avoided colliding with two staggering sailors who stunk of whiskey and tobacco as well as blood as they traveled in the opposite direction as the vampires.

"Let's find a less crowded hunting ground," Amy suggested, "perhaps the alleys toward the rear of the two hotels across the street."

"That's probably where I'll find some big fat rats tonight," Ruthie said optimistically, "I'm sure there's more trash and food scraps than normal back there tonight and if there's no rats there'll be some other animals for sure."

"We may even find some unconscious men back there tonight," Amy hoped.

Dread flooded over Ruthie as she followed Amy up a dark side street toward the rear alley behind the nearest hotel. No matter how many men they victimized and murdered, Ruthie still dreaded the act and was overwhelmed with guilt and doom as she imagined their souls being condemned to burn in hell for eternity for their murderous acts. If Amy found a man in the alley, helplessly vulnerable in a drunken stupor, there would be no persuading her from feasting on his alcohol saturated blood; Instantly making Ruthie accomplice to one more murder. Silently, Ruthie prayed that the alley would be deserted as they slipped through the dark narrow passageway from the side street toward the rear entrance of the hotel.

After searching through the dampened debris and behind the ash bins Ruthie breathed a sigh of relief and gave thanks to the Lord that the alley was vacant while Amy stomped her delicate foot in disappointment, "It must be too early in the evening for sailors to be drunk enough for eviction by the tavern owners."

"I'm glad for that," Ruthie remarked, "and I'm going to find me some rat blood."

"Rats are bad enough, Ruthie," Amy said with disgust, "but wet-furred rats are even worse."

"At least I won't be murdering," Ruthie crept toward a corner where rubbish was piled, her back toward Amy and the back door of the hotel.

A loud crash made the girls abruptly turn toward the hotel as the back door violently slammed open and the alley briefly filled with light, music and laughter along with the stench of tobacco smoke and spilled alcohol before the door closed again. Amy quickly joined Ruthie in the corner just before the door slammed open once again knocking against the wooden clapboards of the hotel. This time, though, the door remained open long enough for two struggling people to tumble out and fall into the alley.

Hidden in the dark from the two people on the filthy wet ground, Amy and Ruthie stared in surprise and curiosity at the two writhing figures on the ground.

"Get off of me!" the bottom figure shrieked as she struggled to free herself.

"I've got you right where I want you," the man on top of the woman laughed in triumph, "you think you'd be happy to make some extra money. You don't think you can make a living on a barmaid's wages do you?"

"If I wanted to be a prostitute, I wouldn't have taken a job as a barmaid," the woman still struggled uselessly as the drunken man held her to the ground.

"Don't act dumb," the man said, "you're old enough to know what would be expected of you here."

Realizing she couldn't free herself without help, the trapped barmaid began to call for help while the man rubbed his sweaty stubble covered face into her neck and her hair that had come loose in the struggle.

"Nobody will help you now," the man said as he held her wrists keeping her from freeing herself. She began to sob as she continued to call for help, "but keep wiggling around like that and I'm sure to get my money's worth."

Amy and Ruthie watched in horror from across the alley. Feelings of shame and rage raced through Ruthie as memories of her own victimization at the hands of her former master forced their way without warning into her consciousness and she fiercely dove at the attacker and with a hand on each of his shoulders tore him off the barmaid and threw him sprawling against the brick wall where he landed stunned at Amy's feet. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was Amy's dark form falling toward him as she bent to swiftly lift his neck to meet her open mouth.

With the attacker out of the way, Ruthie offered the barmaid her hand, but the barmaid still fearful and untrusting, shrunk from Ruthie's offer of help and brought herself to her feet under her own strength before confronting her rescuer.

"Are you all right?" Ruthie asked from under her dark hood.

"Yes," the barmaid replied shakily and her eyes darted around the alley in search of her attacker.

Without even a glance behind her, Ruthie knew Amy would make a meal out of the man she tossed in her direction, "you won't be bothered by that man again," she assured the woman just as the frightened barmaid's eyes glancing over Ruthie's shoulder saw Amy triumphantly drop the body of her former attacker in a heap behind the ash cans.

Realizing the barmaid was looking past her and seeing her expression turn from fear to terror, Ruthie turned and followed her gaze and was appalled at Amy's carelessness, "Amy," she scolded, "what are you doing?"

"You threw him to me," Amy said in defense as she approached the two women.

"You," the barmaid stared wide-eyed at Amy as she casually approached, "you killed him?"

"Did you want him to live to victimize you or someone else again?" Amy asked.

"They'll hang you for it," the barmaid felt a different kind of fear now, "they'll hang all three of us. You didn't have to kill him."

"They won't hang us if they don't catch us," Amy stated confidently, "we need to leave here before someone sees us here."

As the three fled the alley the barmaid said, "Everyone in the room saw me leave with him. I'll be suspected as his murderess."

"It's all right," Ruthie assured her, "you didn't kill that man and you won't pay for the crime."

Passing through the shadows of the back streets, the two hooded vampires fled the scene with their new acquaintance between them as Reverend Williams exited an adjacent alley just before the three women rounded the corner at the end of the street. Curiosity and a glimmer of familiarity caused him to take notice of the retreating figures and then recognition set in as he recalled the two caped figures he saw moving away from the site of the massacre at the cotton gin mill a few months earlier. Women were evil and untrustworthy in his opinion, all spawned from the original Eve who had defied God's orders and made men's lives on earth a living hell by causing God to expel all men from paradise as punishment for her sinful ways.

Continuing his nightly search through the dark wet side streets and alleyways, the stern young reverend entered the side street the three women had recently fled. He saw the passersby crossing the mouth of the side street as they traveled the main street and heard the sounds of the music grow louder as he moved closer to the rear of the busy hotels and taverns the vampires had stalked earlier. Reverend Horace William's recently nonexistent congregation had grown significantly since its inception more than a year ago on his arrival from his father's farm in his hometown of Salem. His congregation of fifteen consisted of mostly street people who simply couldn't or wouldn't conform to the demands and constraints of society. People whose families had enjoyed generations on farms that had now become unproductive or bankrupt and couldn't endure the drastically different lifestyles offered in factory work or shipping became alcoholics, beggars and vagrants in the city. Reverend Williams tried to save their sinning souls and give them hope for the afterlife even though they had lost all hope for their earth bound lives.

Entering the trash-strewn alley the three girls had recently fled, Reverend Williams stopped to listen for any signs of movement. He had to strain his ears to hear anything over the music and laughter inside the hotel tavern. Hearing nothing he moved further into the darkness to peer into the dark corners and shadows. Accidentally kicking an ash can he heard a gurgling noise, someone gasping for air behind the can. On closer inspection he found himself leaning over the barmaid's attacker. Alarmed he knelt over the injured man and tried to raise him, but found it was useless. The heart was barely beating.

"Who did this to you?" Williams asked.

"Her," the dying man breathed with his final breath.

"Her," Reverend Horace Williams hardened with hatred as though the dying man had only confirmed his suspicions instead of simply offering a clue. Then Williams recalled the three women fleeing the area and became certain who the murderers were, "Of course."

Continuing a few blocks beyond their lair, Amy and Ruthie guided the confused, frightened barmaid to the city's colonial burial ground, which would be deserted and safe to hold a discussion regarding the barmaid's predicament. Amy knew what her solution to the barmaid's problem would be and Ruthie suspected Amy's plan.

"Who are you?" the barmaid asked as she sat on the dead wet grass to catch her breath, "you two aren't winded at all after that brisk walk."

"Never mind about us for the moment," Amy spread her cloak around her as she sat on the ground opposite their new acquaintance while Ruthie nervously remained standing. Leaves lay matted and damp around them, but the drizzle had subsided, "who are you? You apparently aren't an experienced barmaid judging from the scene we witnessed."

"Tonight was my first night at that job and my last," she answered sullenly, "my name is Susie and until a couple of months ago I worked at the cotton gin mill."

"The one where the mob was attacked?" Ruthie asked.

"That's the one," Susie answered, "and that's the reason I no longer work there. To teach the other workers a lesson on what could happen to protesters, some of us who were accused of organizing the protest were fired to set an example."

"Several of the protesters were killed in the street," Amy interjected, "those people weren't enough of an example?"

"I don't suppose so," Susie answered, "in addition to being fired, our names were given to the other mill owners in town as troublemakers so none of the other mills would hire us."

"Don't you have a husband?" Ruthie asked as she joined Susie and Amy on the ground.

"No," Susie replied, "I'm a widow. My husband died a while back when a mysterious sickness killed several men in my neighborhood."

Amy and Ruthie looked at one another and knew the mysterious illness that killed her husband was vampirism.

"Roger wasn't a good husband," Susie continued, "he spent most of his wage in the taverns, came home drunk and beat me, but he was better than no husband at all."

"You would prefer to have a living husband who kept you in poverty and beat you than be free of his abuse?" Amy asked incredulously while Ruthie gave Amy a knowing look.

"We have three children to feed," Susie said, "the oldest is six and not quite old enough to work regularly. I have to leave them home alone while I work now that Roger is gone and, of course, my wages aren't close to what he earned."

"Good Lord," Ruthie exclaimed, "and now you're in an even worse fix," she looked at Amy, "and it's all our fault."

"No," Susie replied, "it's not all your fault. Only my being prime suspect in that patron's murder."

"Patron!" Amy exclaimed, "I could think of several more suitable names to describe that horrible man."

"He seemed to be an average man, in my opinion," Susie said sadly.

"Average man maybe," Amy said, "but certainly unlike any gentleman I've ever been acquainted with."

Susie suddenly noticed Amy's manner and means of dress and it occurred to her that Amy's style didn't reflect at all the circumstances and environment she met her in, "What the devil was a young lady like you doing in a back alley of a hotel this time of evening?"

The two vampires exchanged glances before Amy answered, "I am no longer the lady I was born and raised to be. I myself have had a severe life transformation and now must frequent places such as the alley in which we met."

"All right," Susie's curiosity was pacified for the moment, but not completely. She turned to Ruthie, "and why are you accompanying a lady who isn't a lady anymore?"

Ruthie opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted when Amy became defensive, "Ruthie is not my servant. Ruthie is the most intelligent God-fearing woman I've ever met. In fact, we consider ourselves to be sisters. She is not to be assumed to be my servant simply because she is a Negro."

"What else is a person to assume?" Susie replied in her own defense, "you're prim and proper and dressed for a ball while she's dressed in a housedress. Don't be angry with me. I'm sure anyone else would think the same. Besides if anyone should be angry, it should be me. You got me in a lot of trouble. I've lost another job and will be wanted for murder."

"Would you rather have been ravished by that animal?" Amy asked.

Dropping her eyes to the ground between them, Susie said, "No, I suppose not. I don't even care that he's dead. I only care that I'm going to hang for it."

"If anyone hangs for his murder, it won't be you, Susie," Amy spoke softly but with conviction as she bared her fangs before Susie.

Susie raised her eyes toward Amy and they grew with terror and surprise as Ruthie quietly looked on having suspected since their meeting in the alley that Amy had chosen Susie as their next family member.

Before Susie could collect her wits and try to escape, Amy was looming over her and as she grasped Susie's arms it was too late for Susie to attempt an escape, futile as it would be. As Amy fed and Susie began to lose consciousness, Ruthie on her knees moved closer to Amy. Amy sensing Ruthie's nearness surrendered Susie to Ruthie just as Ruthie had surrendered to Amy her denial to bring another member to their dark secluded lair.

Amy instructed Ruthie in transforming Susie by having Ruthie bite open a vein in her own arm and forcing Susie to feed from it. As with Ruthie, Amy had to jostle and fight Susie into vague consciousness to make her drink the blood that would cause Susie to rise again in immortality.

Chapter 22

Amy rose to the same dark filthy church basement lair she had shared with Ruthie for several weeks. Nothing could be heard from the church above. She lit candles on their table and saw the shadowy image of Susie sleeping peacefully in the coffin from which she had just risen. She turned slightly to see Ruthie's coffin still closed and still. Amy generally rose earlier than Ruthie and used the time for extra primping and caring for her precious dresses. Tonight, however, Amy was too anxious and excited as she waited for Ruthie and Susie to awaken to be able to concentrate on her usual waking activities. She carried one of the candles to her coffin and gazed happily at Susie as though she were a proud mother watching a beloved child sleep. She was excited to have brought a new vampire into their lair and was looking forward to explaining Susie's new life to her and taking her out into the night to teach her how to hunt and feed.

Susie's eyes slowly opened to find Amy smiling down at her. Exhausted and confused, Susie showed no sign of recognition of Amy and without rising, scanned the dust and cobweb-ridden ceiling above her. Finally moving her hands and turning her head, Susie deduced that she was in a padded box in a cellar.

"Welcome to our home," Amy smiled.

"Home?" Susie asked and sat up staring at Amy.

"Let me help you up," Amy held Susie's arm as Susie climbed out of the coffin.

"How did I get here?" Susie asked finally remembering Amy, "You're the girl I met last night," With horror the memories of the previous night caught up with her groggy mind, "You're the one who killed that man. You and your friend took me away. We were in the cemetery," Susie put her hands over her face, "I don't remember anything else."

"Why don't you sit here at our table and we'll have a nice talk," Amy led Susie to a chair at the table. "Ruthie will join us soon."

"Have I been here all night?" Susie was concerned, "I have to take care of my children."

"All night and all day," Amy replied, "you're safe from the men who are undoubtedly hunting for that repulsive man's murderer."

"I can never go home, can I?" Susie asked knowing the answer, "what will become of my daughters? I can only shudder to think what will happen to them without me to protect them."

Never having been a mother, Amy couldn't empathize with Susie. Her childhood memories of having been a privileged daughter of one of the city's most affluent men left her unable to comprehend what dangers might await unprotected daughters of a working class family.

"Don't worry," Amy tried to comfort her new friend, "I'm sure someone will take them in."

"Good Lord," Ruthie exclaimed as she rose from her coffin behind Susie and took a seat at the table, "three daughters left alone unprotected. How old are they, Susie, honey? I think last night you said the oldest is six?"

"Yes, the oldest is six, the middle one is four and the youngest is three years old," Susie was consumed with worry and anxiety, "and they've been alone for at least twenty four hours. Who knows what may have happened to them already."

"My goodness," Amy didn't understand the need for such anxiety, "what could possibly happen?"

"The oldest was used to fending off her drunken father," Susie replied, "but the others are just babies. They'll be put out on the streets and starve to death or fall into the hands of the predators that use orphaned children for profit, either in the mills or on the streets as prostitutes or thieves."

"Prostitutes!" Amy exclaimed in disbelief, "but they're only children."

"That doesn't matter to some," Susie explained to the two horrified vampires, "and to some it's a preference."

"Good Lord!" Ruthie said again, "Amy, what have we done now?" Ruthie became as distraught as Susie.

"What are you talking about?" Susie asked, "maybe they won't blame me for the murder after all. That's my only hope."

"I'm afraid you've got more circumstances to adjust to than defending yourself against a murder charge," Amy spoke softly and glanced at Ruthie, "we need to explain something to you."

"Explain quickly," Susie demanded, "I need to see to my children."

"Susie," Amy solemnly looked Susie in the eye, "the reason you don't remember last night and how you arrived here with us is because I rendered you unconscious."

"How? Why did you do that?" Susie asked impatiently and with anger.

"We believed we were helping you to escape being blamed for the murder I so carelessly committed," Amy paused, "we inducted you into our little family so as to give you the power to escape your difficult life."

"I never asked the two of you for any help," Susie was insulted, "I've always taken care of myself without asking for anything from anyone, especially strangers," After a short pause she asked, "what power? What are you talking about?"

"That is what we need to tell you," Ruthie explained.

"Well, then, tell me," Susie demanded.

Amy and Ruthie together bared their vampire teeth to Susie whose anger and impatience melted away into a look of surprise and fear. She stood up knocking her chair backwards into Ruthie's coffin. For the first time since rising, Susie took a good look around the room and saw the two coffins and realized she had been sleeping in one of them, "Good God, what are you and what did you do to me?"

"That is what we've been trying to tell you," Amy stood and helped Susie back to her seat after Ruthie righted the chair, "you are now one of us."

"What is that?" Susie demanded as she put her fingers to her mouth to feel her own teeth. She sat in shocked silence as Amy and Ruthie explained all of the benefits of being vampires, such as the immortality, the extreme physical strength, the ability to vaporize and the end of being victimized, unless discovered and beheaded or staked.

"Well," Susie whispered after a few moments digesting the news, "I suppose I won't be tried and hung for murder."

"No," Ruthie answered, "that is why we chose you."

"How am I to raise my girls now?" Susie said aloud as she turned the problem over in her mind.

"Do you have any relatives nearby?" Amy suggested, "or a trustworthy neighbor?"

"No," Susie answered, "that's why I had to leave them home alone."

"Don't worry, Susie," Amy promised, "we will find a solution to your problem."

"Yes," Ruthie agreed, "we caused your problem, so we'll do whatever we can to help you."

"But right now," Amy continued, "we must feed and we must teach you how to feed as well. We'll show you how we feed without being discovered. In other words, how to get away with murder."

Ruthie gave Amy a scornful look, "We still believe that murder is a sin, even though we need to kill to survive. I prefer to feed on animals, but have killed either on my own or as Amy's accomplice."

"I," Amy added, "on the other hand, despise feeding on furry animals and prefer the blood of drunken sailors, vagrants and confused newcomers."

"How do you keep suspicion from falling onto you?" Susie asked, "There are plenty of superstitious people in this town who believe in vampires, werewolves and other monsters."

"We attempt to make the murders look like animal borne diseases or accidents," Amy answered proud of her ingenuity.

Susie's eyes opened wide in realization, "The two of you are responsible for all the mysterious deaths in Widow's Row. You killed my husband."

"Yes," Ruthie answered, her eyes lowered in guilt and shame, "that's another reason why we felt obliged to help you by making you one of us."

"Oh," Susie's mind was absorbing and sifting all of this information. Amy and Ruthie watched her face as she processed everything they told her waiting for a reaction of some kind. Finally, she said, "Is there anything else you need to tell me?"

"I think we've given you enough for you to accept for now," Amy rose from the table, "we need to feed and find you a casket of your own before solving the problem of caring for your children."

The two vampires, now being three, extinguished the candles and made their way out into the night.

Dark and still the evening air was foggy and motionless as the three young women passed silently through the churchyard toward the main street and the waterfront. Smoke and dust hung in the fog as the mills pumped out pollution as well as products.

Looking around to orient herself to her new surroundings, Susie scoffed, "We spent the night in a church?"

"Yes," Amy answered, "our lair is the cellar of a church. Isn't that ironic?"

"I still think it's sinful," Ruthie remarked.

"Sinful?" Susie said, "I think it's fitting."

"Fitting?" Ruthie was surprised, "How so?"

"All those holy men preaching to us about morality and sin and saving our souls," Susie replied caustically, "while we're trying to stay alive from day to day. Trying to feed our families and keep them safe and healthy. Husbands demanding from us all the time and hitting us and knocking us down and threatening to kill us because they had a bad day or too much to drink or both."

"What does any of that have to do with churches?" Amy asked.

"The church people don't want to hear any of that," Susie replied, "they think praying and reading the Bible is going to make life better even if it only gets better after we die."

"You have to have faith in Jesus," Ruthie said solemnly, "you have to believe that if you live by his teachings, you'll live forever in the kingdom of God."

"And his teachings tell me to be a good slave to my husband and go to church every Sunday as though I deserve to be beaten by my miserable husband."

"He'll never beat you again," Amy said.

"No, he won't," Susie said, "because you killed him. Yes, I think the church deserves to have vampires living in the cellar. It only proves that the so-called Christian teachings and holiness is all false."

"No!" Ruthie exclaimed, "I cannot believe that."

"Pardon me for interrupting and changing the subject," Amy lowered her voice and slowed her pace as they neared the waterfront, "we need to find a victim and we need to be very discreet."

Ruthie was very unnerved by Susie's hostile attitude toward Christianity and worried what kind of vampire Susie would transition into without the fear of God in her. At least Amy, although not a devout Christian like herself, had strong morals but believed it was normal for her to sin because she is a vampire. She rationalizes that murdering is part of her nature and, therefore, not really a sin. How would Susie respond to the scent and taste of blood?

The three vampires slipped into an alley between two buildings along the waterfront as a small group of shipbuilders passed by apparently on their way home from work. Sawdust clung to the tar on their clothes as they trudged along the docks.

"Can you smell the blood, Susie?" Amy whispered to Susie as they watched the men walk by.

"Yes, yes, I can," Susie answered in amazement, "I thought that whole story about drinking blood was a joke, but now I see that it's real," She raised her fingers to feel her sharp teeth.

"I wouldn't be so cruel to lie about your future and your new life," Amy answered.

"Then what about the other things?" Susie asked, "the extreme strength and the immortality, and turning to vapor on a whim."

"Don't worry," Amy said, "we will teach you about all of those things, but first we need to feed."

They exited the alley and moved toward the docks where the fog hung like a blanket over the anchored ships and dimmed the lights on the main street.

Whether because of the fog or other circumstances, no victims could be found along the wharves, so early in the evening, which wasn't uncommon. The girls couldn't wait for the train so they left the docks for the main street hoping to find some loiterers in the alleys.

"I suppose the two of you spend a lot of time in alleys," Susie remarked as they sidestepped trash difficult to see in the thick fog, which rolled off the river and through the alleys into the main street.

"Yes," Amy replied, "Ruthie finds most of her rat victims in these alleys. I often find a human victim here as well. Sometimes I drag or carry my victims into an alley for privacy and self-preservation. We mustn't allow anyone to recognize us or discover what we are."

Amy's casual conversation about murder and corpse disposal made Susie nervous. She may not have been much of a God fearing woman, but she wasn't comfortable about murdering and hiding bodies as though they were eating a loaf of bread and sweeping away the crumbs. Even though Amy needed to feed to survive, her careless description of the process seemed unnatural to Susie. It seemed as though Amy and Ruthie had protected her from being hanged for a murder she didn't commit only to transform her into a being who must murder to survive.

Slowly exiting the alley, the vampires saw the two prostitutes they had seen earlier in the week across the street looking for work. Susie shuddered with disdain at the sight of them having so recently been treated as though she were one of their low and ruined kind. Ruthie was as repulsed by the blatant sinners as she had been the first time she had seen them and Amy reacted as unaffectedly as she had the first night they noticed them soliciting in front of the nearby hotel.

"Those wretched sinners are still looking to do some more sinning," Ruth remarked with contempt.

"I'm glad I didn't end up like them," Susie remarked, "I'd rather be dead."

"You got that, didn't you," Ruthie said, and then realizing the harshness of her remark said, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Susie, I'd die before selling myself that way too. I just meant to say that I know how you feel. I feel the same way."

Overwhelmed and confused with her new companions and all that they had revealed to her, Susie answered, "That's all right, I think."

"Since we all agree how horrible a life of prostitution would be," Amy said, "I think we should put those two hopeless sinners out of their assumed misery."

Ruthie rolled her eyes at Amy's suggestion as Susie froze, shocked at Amy's careless suggestion.

"You use any excuse to find someone worthy or unworthy to be a victim," Ruthie scolded, "I can't make one bad remark about someone and you decide to make a victim out of him."

"We have an agreement, Ruthie," Amy argued, "if we find a person who is a bad person in some way, he-or in this case she-is considered to be an acceptable victim."

Susie witnessed the vampires' argument with interest and confusion. Myths and legends described vampires as vicious beastlike killers unable to control their murderous instincts, but here were two creatures of the night having an argument involving morals and sin. Huddled on the sidewalk at the edge of the alley with Ruthie and Amy, Susie enjoyed the scent of blood as passersby walked within inches of her.

As usual, Ruthie gave in to Amy's persistent argument and they traveled further up the street to find a darker less crowded area to cross over to their intended victims' position. The prostitutes stood at the end of an alley that the vampires could enter from the opposite direction to approach the victims from behind.

As they made their way up the deserted alleyway, Ruthie detected the scent and movement of rats foraging in the mounded trash and wished she were stalking their blood which would leave her feeling guilt-free instead of the human blood which would reinforce her fear of spending eternity burning in the flames of hell.

Amy was fearless and thrilled with anticipation as she ignored the fragrant, yet not tempting, scent of the rat blood as she moved closer to her intended prey. Keeping her senses focused and alerted for the sight, sound and smell of the victims, Amy also remained alert to prevent the possibility of being witnessed and discovered during the attack. Her carelessness of the previous evening couldn't happen again.

Anxiety and hunger clouded Susie's mind as she followed Amy and Ruthie through the alley. She didn't know what to expect and still wasn't wholly convinced that what Amy and Ruthie had told her was truth or some insane delusion shared by them both. Was she about to become accomplice to two more murders and surely be hung or did they truly need to drink blood to survive? The entire story seemed impossible, yet she developed fangs and her senses seemed affected, somehow reset for the detection of blood. She was sure she smelled a delicious unfamiliar aroma wafting from beyond or within the accumulated trash toward the rear of the alley.

Susie watched as Ruthie and Amy, with split second speed and unbelievable strength, skillfully and silently extended their arms from the alley and lifted the prostitutes up and into the darkness sinking their teeth into their throats before the unsuspecting victims had a chance to scream. In those few seconds Susie realized the truth and enjoyed not only a feeling of empowerment and satisfaction as she followed her two mentors' lead and sunk her own teeth into the throat of Ruthie's victim, but the sensation of being at one with herself which she had never experienced or even came close to experiencing before. The feeling was powerful, liberating and intoxicating.

"Susie," Ruthie's sense of urgency pulled Susie from her new found sensitivities. Susie reluctantly raised her head from the depleted prostitute, blood clinging to her lips before licking it away, "we have to hide these bodies so no one knows they got vampires in town and start hunting us."

"Yes," Amy agreed as they stood looking down at Susie who still knelt beside her victim, "lingering over our victims is a luxury we cannot afford. You've done very well, Susie, but now we must hide the bodies."

Rising slowly as though awakened from a wonderful dream and wishing it could continue forever, Susie helped the others lift the bodies, surprised and pleased with her new strength. Amy and Susie, draping the corpses over their shoulders, pressed their backs as close to the alley wall as possible while Ruthie peeked out into the street to judge the possibility of carrying them across the main street and into the alley across the street from which they had watched the prostitutes earlier. From there, the walk to the docks would be safe as long as they were as deserted as they were earlier.

After draping her cloak over Susie's shoulders to help hide the body she carried, Ruthie helped Amy with her own cloak and after determining the street was too crowded led her two accomplices back through the alley and they returned to the opposite side of the street by retracing the same route they had taken during the hunt. Walking to the edge of the water they discreetly slipped the bodies out from under the cloaks and into the river while Ruthie said a prayer for the souls of the murdered and the murderers.

As they walked toward Susie's home to tend to her children Amy asked, "Susie, how do you feel after your first kill?"

"Like a sinner?" Ruthie asked hopefully.

Susie hesitated a moment before answering, "It's hard to find words to describe it. It was all so incredible."

"Yes," Amy said, "it is overwhelming at first, but you will become accustomed to it."

"I don't think I'll have trouble getting used to it at all," Susie smiled. "I've never felt so powerful! This must be what it feels like to be a man."

"Oh!" exclaimed Amy, "we are much more powerful than any man."

"The only part of being a vampire I'm not happy with," said Amy regretfully, "is having to hide away forever. I would love to live in bright rooms in a spacious house instead of hiding in dark cellars and attics."

"That's the only thing?" Ruthie asked incredulously, "what about all the killing? That's the only thing I'm unhappy with. All the sinning and killing and having nothing to look forward to except burning in hell for eternity."

"You need to do whatever you must to survive," Susie stated.

"That's the attitude I favor," Amy agreed with Susie, "those morals were created for humans who have no good reason for murder. We are not humans. We need to feed on blood to survive. Therefore, in our case, murder is not sinful."

"That reasoning seems logical to me," Susie said as they entered the familiar old neighborhood of poverty and destitution.

"Good Lord," Ruthie muttered.

"And another thing," Amy suddenly remembered, "I deeply regret not having a reflection. It's so difficult to know when I have my hair and my skirts just so without being able to see myself."

Ruthie chuckled to herself at Amy's vanity, "Now that's one of the things I like about being a vampire. My looks only got me a lot of trouble. It got so I hated my reflection. Seeing my reflection just reminded me of how much people hated me. I would look and look and look at myself trying to figure out what it was about my face that caused people to have such a bad reaction to it."

"It isn't your face, Ruthie, it's the color of it," Amy replied, "and you know it. Remember how Michael loved your face? There is not a single reason for anyone to think badly of you. You are the sweetest person I've ever known. Besides Robert, of course."

"You're going to have to tell me about this Robert and Michael," Susie said.

"We'll be happy to," Amy answered enthusiastically.

Chapter 23

Susie led her new companions to her rented rooms which like all the others on the street opened out onto the rocky dirt road where men passed on their way to night shifts and taverns while women called from windows to the passing men and to one another as squabbling and crying children begged for attention in the rooms behind the windows. Many of the voices came from recent immigrants speaking several foreign languages and it seemed as though there was a local tavern catering to each language spoken. Animals skulked along the edges of buildings roaming the trash-strewn alleys for what passed for food. Amy and Ruthie were well acquainted with the alleys of this area having been their former hunting ground for blood.

Their faces hidden in their hoods, Ruthie and Amy kept Susie from being recognized by keeping her behind them and toward the run down walls of the buildings. Reaching a building pinned tightly between two others, Susie stopped and, still hiding behind Amy and Ruthie, peeked into the front window. Two steps to the left brought Susie to the heavy front door where she tested her newly acquired strength by forcing it open.

Puzzled by Susie's sudden aggressive behavior, Amy and Ruthie exchanged surprised glances as the door slammed shut behind Susie.

"Why did she enter so forcibly when she could have turned to vapor and been discreet?" Amy remarked, "or simply walked inside of her own house."

"I don't know," Ruthie replied, "maybe because of what she saw when she peeked into the window."

From inside the house babies cried, a little girl screamed and loud thuds could be heard, though not the thuds of children being harmed. While the wild thudding ensued the children's cries never wavered or lost strength as they would have if they were being thrown or beaten.

After a quarter of an hour or so the thudding ceased after growing louder and closer to the front of the house and two or three thuds landed on the front door as though someone was attempting to escape.

"What is going on in there?" Ruthie wondered aloud, "She isn't beating her babies is she?"

"Those last thuds were close to the door and the children's cries haven't moved closer," Amy hoped her logical guess was true, but still couldn't find a clue as to what was actually happening.

Eventually after the loud thuds ceased, the girls' screams ceased also subsiding into soft sobs.

"Should we go inside and see if Susie is all right?" Ruthie asked when no sound at all could be heard from inside.

"No," Amy replied, "let's wait for Susie to invite us."

Just then the front door opened slowly and Susie beckoned for Amy and Ruthie to enter quickly. Upon entering the dark musty rooms Susie closed and locked the door. The little girls seemed inconsolable as they sat huddled and whimpering on the only bed in the apartment. Susie was shaken and close to tears herself as Ruthie and Amy looked around trying to find the cause of so much upset.

"Look," Susie's trembling hand pointed to something on the floor behind them.

The vampires all looked at two mangled bodies on the floor.

"Susie!" Amy asked in astonishment, "what happened? We heard the banging as we waited outside. Now I see what caused it."

"That is my landlady," Susie replied angrily, "and the man is a stranger."

Susie sat on the edge of the bed and put her arms around her children, "my landlady was about to prostitute my children! We got here just in time."

"Oh, Susie!" Amy exclaimed in disgust and astonishment.

"Oh, good Lord!" Ruthie groaned, "thank God we did get here in time."

"Well, she got what she deserved," Susie said, "but how will I protect my children? I can't leave them alone again. I wish I knew someone who could take them in."

"Take them in!" Amy said in sudden realization, "I know who can help us."

"Who," Ruthie asked, "your family?"

"No," Amy replied, "they would send them to an orphanage. The Quakers will take them in and protect them!"

"The Quakers?" Susie asked.

"Yes!" Ruthie agreed, "they help runaway slaves, they'll help motherless children too."

"Motherless?" Susie said, "I suppose they are motherless now, aren't they?"

"Mother," the oldest daughter said, "I'm afraid. What's happening? Who are they?"

"These are some friends, Mary," Susie muttered, "they're going to help us," Susie searched for words, "I'm sick and I'm not able to live with you anymore."

"Sick?" Mary asked worriedly, "Like our father was?"

"No," Susie started to say, then thought again, "yes, like your father was. That's why we have to get you to people who can take care of you."

"Mother," Mary hugged her little sisters, "you hurt those people. You're so strong. I think you killed them."

"Try to forget about that," Susie said sternly, "They were bad people who wanted to hurt you and your sisters."

Susie scanned the dark room for the thin coats, which doubled as blankets for the bed while Ruthie and Amy remained close by witnessing the awkward scene. She found the coats on the floor and handed them to Mary, "Help me get these coats on your sisters and put yours on as well."

Mary obeyed her mother, but remained confused and frightened, "why do we have to go? I can care for the girls myself."

"You're not safe here, Mary," Susie explained, "more people would find you alone and try to hurt you if you don't starve to death first." Susie picked up the baby and took the four year old by the hand as they turned toward the door, "My friends know some nice people who will give you a good home and you'll have a much better life than you would here."

Susie led the children toward the door glancing worriedly at Amy and Ruthie as she passed, "get the door, Mary."

Mary opened the door while Amy and Ruthie closed the gap behind the family to block the view inside to any passersby.

"We can't leave these," Ruthie whispered to Amy, referring to the corpses.

"We'll take care of them later," Amy whispered back.

Amy and Ruthie led the way north to the Quaker's house that they had seen the runaway slaves enter. Ruthie carried the three year old while Susie carried Mary and the middle daughter. Very little was said during the emotionally difficult trip. Ruthie gazed down at the baby who slept peacefully from the motion of Ruthie's' smooth and gentle gait. She felt the warm weight of the helpless tot and was sad she could never have a child of her own. The thought reminded her of Michael and that if she were still human they could be together and have a family, but there was no chance of that happening. In fact, if she were still human and alive she never would have met Michael and could only dread the possibility of being impregnated by her former master.

While Ruthie tried to push her sadness from her mind and enjoy the feel of the warm sleeping baby in her arms, Amy divided her thoughts between Susie's need to make her children safe by abandoning them and the problem of disposing of the bodies in Susie's apartment without being seen. Each step took them closer and closer to the inevitable scene where Susie must say goodbye to her children forever.

Susie followed her new vampire sisters through the dark streets carrying her children for the last time. With her new strength the children were no longer a burden on her back and arms and she felt that she could carry them forever. Not knowing exactly where the Quaker family lived, Susie hoped it was a long distance. Once they arrived she would be saying goodbye to her children forever, but there was no other safe alternative. She hoped with all of her heart that this was indeed safe and that her girls would be better off with a new family than if she had never become a vampire and was able to remain living with them.

Keeping to the shadows of the trees Amy and Ruthie led Susie to the familiar house and stood behind the tree where they had first seen the slave hunters and revisited many times in the hopes of ridding the world of even more of the evil slave hunters.

"These people protect runaway slaves, Susie," Ruthie said, "They'll surely help three little white girls."

Susie set Mary and the tot down and took her infant from Ruthie to hold one last time while the two older children clung to her skirt. After a few moments Susie sadly handed the baby to Mary, "You have to take care of your sisters for now. We'll wait until you're inside safe. Go take your sisters and knock on the door."

"Why, Momma," Mary cried, "Why do we have to go?"

"It's really me that's going, Mary," Susie became agitated with the difficult situation, "you can't live without an adult to protect you. This nice family will make sure you're safe and fed. I'm not able to do that anymore."

"I'm hungry!" announced the toddler.

"There you go, Janey, these nice people will give you something to eat," Susie hugged and kissed her children while tears streamed down Mary's face, "go ahead, Mary, give your sisters and yourself a chance to eat."

"All right, Mother," Mary agreed reluctantly as she turned and left the shadows and brought her little sisters to the front door. A moment later the door opened to a warmly lit home and the three little girls were welcomed inside and the door closed behind them.

"Well," Amy said, "they should be well taken care of now. We need to do something about the bodies in your house, Susie."

The mention of the bodies renewed Susie's anger and brought her thoughts away from the empty front stoop where she saw her children for the last time, "I know what I'd like to do to those bodies. I'd like to tear them to pieces and burn them."

"Good Lord!" Ruthie exclaimed, "You already killed them. Isn't that enough?"

"You didn't see what they were about to do to my children," Susie turned to Ruthie with rage in her eyes.

"I can imagine," Ruthie said, "people can be very cruel to children."

"Yes," Amy said to Susie, "Ruthie was a victim of child cruelty herself."

"Some people think money can buy anything, even the use of an innocent person for their own pleasure."

"It makes me absolutely ill to think of what some deranged people consider pleasure," Amy remarked.

"I'd rather not talk about it anymore," Susie said as she followed Amy and Ruthie back toward town, "let's get rid of those bodies. It's much too painful looking at the house where my children are lost to me now."

"We'll follow the tracks back to town in case anyone saw us come this way," Amy lead the way, "we don't want anyone becoming suspicious."

Chapter 24

Fog crept over the tracks from the river as they approached Susie's street without incident. Susie remained silent in her angry determination to rid her former house of the bodies of her daughters' would-be abusers. Ruthie and Amy moved along peeking out from under their hoods always wary of being noticed and recognized by townspeople. Tonight they were even more careful as Susie accompanied them with no cloak and hood yet of her own to hide within. They shielded Susie from her neighbors again the same as their earlier visit to the house.

Once inside the apartment, they spoke freely.

"How do you suggest we dispose of these filthy corpses?" Susie asked her companions as she angrily kicked the landlady's head.

"I'd rather not carry them to the river," Amy looked at Ruthie, "just look at the size of that woman."

"Since there are two of them," Ruthie said, "we can make it look like they killed each other."

"Fine," Susie readily agreed.

"Or," added Ruthie, "I can find a stray dog and set up another false animal attack."

"I much prefer your first suggestion, Ruthie," Amy said, "It's more original and will cause less suspicion. Besides, we would have to move the bodies outside to suggest an animal attack. No one would keep a crazed animal in their house."

"Look at those injuries!" Ruthie exclaimed as she lifted the man's arm from where it was draped over his crushed head, "Are the authorities going to believe a woman did this?"

"A woman did do it," Susie said as she laid the bodies side-by-side as though they fell fighting instead of being thrown against the walls.

"Do you have a heavy object, Susie?" Amy asked, "That we can rest near the bodies to give the appearance that the woman used a weapon to crush the man's head that way?"

"Yes," Susie quickly went to the other room and returned with a cast iron skillet that she set on the floor by the landlady's lifeless hand.

"I believe that will suffice," Amy said happily, "Now we need to get you a hooded cloak of your own, Susie."

"It's getting late," Ruthie announced, "we better hurry."

Arriving at a row of dark deserted shops a block or two away, Amy demonstrated to Susie how to vaporize and direct herself under doors or through keyholes to gain entrance through locked doors. Susie's demeanor was reduced to quiet mimicry as she followed Amy's lead without comment. Even as an immortal being Susie had been through such a range of extreme loss and gain in one short night that she seemed almost unable to mentally absorb anymore.

After choosing a highly polished deeply padded coffin, Susie learned the technique of reducing its size for ease of transport. Another shop was selected for the acquisition of a fine hooded cloak that Amy and Ruthie helped Susie to put on and they led her back to the twin-spired church where the lair awaited them.

Amy laid out Susie's new coffin in the dark dusty room along with the other two and helped Susie to rest. Without speaking or even acknowledging her two sires, Susie expressionless with exhaustion, pulled the lid closed on her first night as a vampire.

The next night sunset shown cold and gray in the late autumn sky that held clouds of black waste from several smoking mills of the small city mixed with smoke from the fires of the waterfront boatyards that were heating tar for sealer. Some workers were able to leave work at sunset while others, depending on their jobs, worked well into the night by the artificial light of oil lamps and candles and were given only a short time off for a meal. Sailors in port frequented the establishments in the commercial area near the docks while city residents patronized the neighborhood taverns or churches of their choice.

Only the wind could be heard in the church basement as Amy rose from her coffin and lit a candle on the table. She scowled at the sound of the wind whistling through the chimneys and wood-framed windows in the lower level of the building when she imagined the damage her hair would suffer outside. Dismissing the thought of her hair for now, she hummed to herself as she chose a dress and cloak for the evening. Ruthie rose and dressed before sitting down to her evening Bible reading.

"We should take Susan shopping for a new dress tonight, Ruthie," Amy suggested, "she will feel much better in a new dress."

"If that's what she wants to do," Ruthie assented without looking up from her studies.

Both vampires looked up with a start as Susie's coffin began to thump and bump on the ground and muffled wails escaped from inside.

Ruthie rushed to Susie's coffin and quickly raised the lid to find Susie wide-eyed and hysterically returning her gaze. Susie's dark hair flew free from her bun, her teeth were bared and her hands flew and waved as though she were fighting off an invisible assailant. Her moans turned into howls as Amy rushed to Ruthie's side to help pull her from the coffin.

"Susie, Susie!" Amy and Ruthie held Susie by the arms and pulled her to her feet.

Susie shook herself free and fell to her knees on the rocky dirt floor reaching her hands to the ceiling, howling uncontrollably as though to the heavens.

"Good lord," Ruthie said to Amy, "somebody is going to hear her and find us all."

"Let's hope that no unscheduled activities are being held upstairs today. The church should be deserted."

"We've got to get her to be quiet," Ruthie knelt down facing Susie and tried to console the tormented vampire by rubbing her arms and making shushing soothing noises. Finally she began to sing a hymn and Susie's howls subsided to sobs as she lowered her hands to her face.

"Imagine!" Amy remarked as Ruthie lifted Susie to her feet and led her to a seat at the table, "a vampire having a nightmare."

Eventually Susie's sobs diminished and Ruthie's singing died out and the three of them sat silently at the table as the wind blew and the flame slightly flickered. Susie's hands still covered her face as her elbows rested on the tabletop. Amy and Ruthie watched her expectantly waiting for her hands to drop to reveal whatever expression her face wore.

After several minutes passed and Susie's position remained unchanged, Amy gave Ruthie a questioning look and resumed brushing and arranging her hair. Ruthie's concerned eyes moved from Amy's face to Susie and then rested on her open Bible to study patiently until Susie composed herself enough to reveal the reason for her torment to her companions.

Eventually, Amy was ready to leave the lair for the night and still Susie sat motionless with her hands covering her face. Ruthie was prepared to leave as well, but patiently prayed and studied her Bible while waiting for Susie.

"Are you all right, Susie?" Amy asked cautiously, hoping Susie wouldn't relapse into her howling fit in response.

Susie's hands moved slightly as Amy and Ruthie watched questioningly.

Gradually, Susie lowered her hands to the table and looked at Amy and then at Ruthie, her face solemn and still.

"Are you all right?" Amy repeated.

Susie looked up at Amy and replied, "I've had a lot to try to understand about what happened to me. Last night doesn't seem real. I'm not even sure if I remember everything that happened. It's all very hard to understand and accept," she looked at Ruthie and back to Amy, "I don't know if I'm all right, to be honest. The two of you seem to have adjusted to this situation, so I think I will too."

"Well," Amy seemed relieved, "I think you will too. It is a lot to get accustomed to, but you will, I'm sure. We'll do all we can to help you too, won't we Ruthie."

"Of course we will," Ruthie patted Susie's hand, "it took me a while to get used to being a sinner and I don't know if I'm completely used to it yet. I've accepted it, but I still don't like it."

Amy gave Ruthie a quick disapproving look, "We're supposed to be encouraging her, Ruthie."

"Oh, that's right, I'm sorry. Just remember how strong you are now. You don't have to worry about being a victim ever again. You can live forever and never have to be told what to do by anyone again. Also, you don't have to worry about going hungry or being cold anymore."

"Yes," Amy encouraged, "that's right, Susie."

"I have too much confusion right now," Susie rose from the table, "I can't think about all that right now."

"That's fine, Susie," Amy replied, "why don't we all go out and take a walk."

To Amy's relief and delight, Susie agreed to leave the lair. Amy's need for blood was causing her anxiety and Ruthie was ready to go out hunting as well. Neither of them knew what Susie was thinking, but her need for blood must have been as strong as theirs whether she recognized it yet or not.

As they walked toward the river Susie asked, "Are my children all right?"

"Oh yes, Susie," Amy assured her, "I'm sure they are."

"Warm and fed," Ruthie added, "those are some good people we left them with."

"That will always be something I painfully regret," Susie sighed, "having to give up my poor children. I'll never forget the look on Mary's face when I made her walk up to that door last night."

"Have faith in the Lord, Susie," Ruthie nodded under her hood, "he'll be sure to watch over them."

"I don't have any faith in anything anymore," Susie glided along beside her companions. Her hood covering her disheveled hair and shading her stony face, "least of all the Lord. He never seemed to watch over us in the past."

"I have to have faith in something," Ruthie replied, "I can't just go on killing and stealing forever with nothing to hope for. If someone someday ends my life, I hope to walk with Jesus in the kingdom of God. I probably won't, being the heathen that I am, but at least I can have hope and faith and try to repent."

"I won't waste my energy on hoping for heaven if I happen to have my head removed," Amy announced, "I look forward only to being reunited with Robert so we may all live happy ever after, forever on this earth."

"Then you do have hope and faith in the future," Susie observed without feeling, "your dreams may or may not come true, but you both have hope for the future. Maybe I will have that too someday."

"I'm certain you will," Amy said happily as they drew near the riverbank.

"Someone smells delicious," Susie murmured tensely as they approached a wharf where a few men prepared to make their way home.

Amy laughed quietly at Susie's remark as they passed the wharf while Ruthie remained silent, if not alarmed, by Susie's provocative attitude. Even though their faces and physiques were hidden by their cloaks and hoods, the men's eyes followed the vampires' movements with interest. Women weren't often seen along the dark dangerous riverbank, especially unescorted by men.

"How do you continue to get away with murder?" Susie asked, "This city is small. Do the murders go unsolved or do you cast suspicion on innocent people by planting evidence like we did last night?"

"Oh, no, Susie," Amy answered emphatically while Ruthie gasped in horror, "we never attempt to blame innocent people for our crimes. In fact, Ruthie and I have an agreement, as you know, that we only prey on sinners and abusers. We try to avoid hurting or killing innocent people."

"So," Susie considered, "in a sense you see yourselves as heroes who rid the city of criminals and evil."

"No," Ruthie said, "not at all. Jesus loves everyone and forgives sinners. That's why I hate to even feed on people who take pleasure in causing others pain and sorrow."

"But you do feed off them," Susie argued, "I witnessed it last night."

"Yes," Ruthie admitted sadly, "I try to resist and feed only on river rats and other animals, but there are times when the urge is irresistible."

"I rather like being called a hero," Amy said gaily "I could fancy myself as such."

"Now, Amy," Ruthie cautioned, "thinking that way can only bring us trouble."

"Well, that's exactly what we've been doing," Amy defended herself, "ridding the city of undesirables. We've talked of it in the past."

"Maybe so," Ruthie acknowledged, "but the fact is we're murderers and sinners."

"Yes, we would be what you say, if we were human," Amy pointed out, "but we no longer are. Their rules do not apply."

Ruthie sighed in defeat as she recognized the same old debate that never ended.

"It seems you've had this discussion before," Susie observed as they entered the darkened shipyard of the workers whom they had passed moments ago.

"Yes, it's quit tiresome for both of us," Amy acknowledged, "I doubt that we'll ever agree on the subject."

"But neither of you have answered my question, "Susie urged, "how have you been getting away with murder?"

"One example," Amy replied, "is your husband. I drained him so slowly that it appeared as though he died of an illness."

"Yes," Susie agreed, "but you don't kill everyone in that manner."

"No," Amy went on remembering that she and Ruthie had already explained this to Susie but explained it again since Susie was still recovering from the shock of becoming a vampire, losing her children and rescuing them from certain unspeakable abuse, "often times we make the death appear as an animal attack by killing and placing a dead dog or other local animal near the body."

"Yes!" Susie exclaimed, "now I remember several of those 'animal attacks' in my neighborhood. The authorities advised us to keep our children indoors for safety."

"Oh," Amy replied, "that wasn't necessary. We would never have hurt innocent children."

"But an animal would," Ruthie pointed out, "Our ploy worked, Amy."

"Oh, yes," Amy giggled at her mistake, "so it would."

"Last night we simply dumped the bodies in the river," Susie added.

"Of course," Amy explained, "prostitutes, drifters and other types of disrespected or strange people can be treated more loosely. They have no value to society and their deaths aren't investigated or even questioned as carefully as a more prominent person."

"Did Robert teach you this?" Susie asked.

"Of course," Amy replied proudly, "he taught me everything I know."

"Where is he now, then?" Susie asked.

Amy relayed the entire story of Robert just as she did for Ruthie, including her unshakable faith in Robert's return. Ruthie, having heard the same story countless times before, wandered the desolate shipyard in search of rats, leaving her two companions to continue the discussion, each enrapt in their role as orator and listener. After draining several rats of their blood, Ruthie returned to the others as Amy described the evening she suffered the loss of Robert and soon after the gain of Ruthie.

"That's an amazing story," Susie remarked as she considered all the elements, "so Robert is the only vampire you ever knew until Ruthie's and my conversion?"

"Yes," Amy answered, "he was the one and only."

"What are you thinking?" Ruthie asked Susie, "that more vampires are living in the world somewhere?"

"If not," Susie queried, "then how did Robert become what he is? He couldn't have been born that way."

"His family is in Virginia," Amy inserted.

"Are they his blood family," Susie asked, "or his vampire family?"

"Or was that just the story he told you and your family?" Ruthie asked.

"To be honest, after his mysterious disappearance I don't know what to believe anymore," Amy said,

"I'm sorry, Amy," Ruthie sympathized with Amy even though she never fully trusted Robert's story. She didn't trust white men, vampire or not. In fact, Robert being a sinning murdering vampire caused her to trust in him even less than a live white man.

"There isn't anything for you to apologize for, Ruthie," Amy said, "I still have the utmost faith in Robert's love for me."

"You once told me you found his story to be untrue, that's all", Ruthie replied.

Amy sighed, "That's true, Ruthie," Amy looked at Susie who took the whole scene in with great interest, "We should find our dinner, Susie. It will calm my nerves."

"Who will be our prey tonight?" Susie asked as they strolled along the tracks away from the deserted shipyard toward a cove filled with boats smaller than the freight and whaler ships of the larger wharves. This section of town was darker and quieter than the commercial district even though factories and shipyards did business there as well. Sawdust and bits of wood mixed into the dirt along the tracks behind a large lumberyard. Freshly sawn wood could be seen and smelled under the smoky haze from the factories.

"I don't smell any blood here," Susie announced.

"No," Amy agreed, "neither do I-only some rodents and maybe a few cats."

"Maybe we can save a life tonight," Ruthie suggested, "I bet there are plenty of cats for the two of you."

"I'm going to find a human, Ruthie," Amy replied stubbornly. She knew Ruthie was trying to manipulate her into settling for animal blood to avoid another murder. "We'll have to try another place. We should turn back toward the city."

Retracing their route toward the city center, Susie asked, "Just how much strength do we have?"

"How do you mean, Susie?" Amy asked as her skirts swept along the tracks.

"I know we can carry human bodies without any difficulty, but can we move objects as well?"

Amy and Ruthie gave each other a puzzled look and Amy replied, "Why would we care to? We've rearranged some heavy furniture in our lairs, but that's all we've attempted. Moving heavy things isn't fit for ladies."

"The two of you have never tested your limits?" Susie asked in amazement, "you could have strength and abilities you aren't aware of."

"We have to remain hidden and unnoticed," Amy replied, "We can't do anything that could draw attention to us and become known and hunted and ultimately killed."

"Therefore, you'll spend all of eternity cowering in basements and attics in fear of being found when you could possibly have more strength and power than you've ever dreamt of?"

"Strength and power are not in my vocabulary," Ruthie panicked at Susie's attitude, "we are nothing but murdering sinners and don't deserve any strength and power."

"Ruthie," Susie sighed in exasperation, "stop thinking like a slave."

"Susie!" Amy scolded, "Ruthie knows she is not a slave and that was a very rude remark."

"She may know she's not a slave, but she still thinks like one," Susie explained, "she follows you like you're her mistress and lives her life expecting to be punished."

"That's not true," Ruthie spoke up, "there have been many times Amy has been dead wrong about things and I've told her so and she has followed my advice or changed her mind and agreed with me. We've done things my way plenty of times. You've only known us one day. You don't know."

"That's right," Amy agreed, "we make compromises and respect each other's opinions."

"That's not the way I see it," Susie insisted.

"Let's find dinner, Susie," Amy stepped ahead to lead the trio.

A man's loud and hardy laugh came from further up the tracks near the wharves. As they cautiously moved closer to the laughing man, incoherent words were heard between the laughs suggesting the man was not only happy, but drunk as well. Soon the man came into view but he didn't see the three stalkers moving stealthily toward him through the foggy shadows.

"Is he with another or is he talking to himself?" Amy whispered to her companions.

"We're not close enough to tell," Ruthie replied.

Hiding behind a large shed one-wharf width away from the man, the three vampires studied the man and his surroundings. He was a large bearded older man relieving himself at the river's edge as he laughed and spoke to himself.

"Is he speaking English?" Ruthie asked, "I can't understand a word he says."

"Neither can I," Amy said.

"I think he's simply babbling," Susie suggested, "my drunken husband would act that way at times."

By this time the man had finished relieving himself and staggered and swayed toward the train tracks.

"He must be returning to the main street," Amy said, "we will follow him to the alley he will attempt to travel."

"Attempt?" Susie asked.

"We will certainly overtake him before he's halfway through," Amy stepped out from behind the shed and followed the bearded drunk, who began to sing as he walked.

"He's drawing attention to himself. Don't get too close," Ruthie warned as the man tripped and fell on the tracks.

His singing stopped as he struggled to get back on his feet.

"Pathetic old drunk," Susie muttered in disgust, "He probably has a long suffering wife at home."

"Why would any girl marry a man like that?" Amy asked in disbelief.

"Maybe he wasn't always like that," Ruthie said.

"Ruthie, you always think the best of people," Amy remarked.

"Not of slave hunters," Ruthie responded.

"Look," Susie said, "he's up and moving again."

"I hope the fall took away his mood for singing," Amy said as they slowly followed at a distance.

The area along the tracks was deserted, but the girls kept their senses sharp for the scent, sound and sight of anyone who might be lurking in the foggy darkness.

Amy and Susie became excited and thrilled with the hunt as their prey stumbled toward the back entrance of an alley just as they had hoped. As he set foot into the alley, in the direction of the main road, the vampires quickened their step but Ruthie remained a few steps behind to guard the rear by watching for any potential witnesses. She had already satisfied her hunger with the lumberyard rats and wanted no direct part in another murder.

Once in the alley, Amy and Susie caught the old drunk by coming up on either side of him and attacking together. Susie, having been half a step ahead of Amy, caught sight of the man's surprised expression, which increased to horror when he saw her sharp white teeth glisten in the dark. His expression increased the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of the conquest for Susie as she sunk her teeth into his neck while Amy punctured his neck from the opposite side. The two vampires drained the old man, quickly ravaging his neck during the vicious attack.

As the lifeless body slumped to the dirt in the trash-strewn alley, Ruthie made her way through it to look down at the corpse, "Good Lord," she shook her head in sympathy, "there's no animal wild enough around here that can do that much damage."

"We'll have to dump him off the end of a pier," Amy said.

"But look at his neck," Ruthie said, "it's torn apart. When his body washes up to shore, people will see his neck and know he didn't drown."

"All right then," Susie said, "we'll just have to cut his head off so no one will see his neck. We'll tear the damaged skin off completely."

"What!" Ruthie and Amy both looked at Susie in shock and disgust.

"Cut his head off?" Amy asked, "the idea is repulsive, Susie. What would we use for a tool if we did?"

"Amy!" Ruthie exclaimed, "Would you even consider doing such a horrible thing?"

"How do you suggest we dispose of the body without casting suspicion, Ruthie?" Amy asked.

"The train will arrive soon," Ruthie suggested, "let's lay him in its path."

"Fine," Amy agreed, "but not here. We'll carry him down river where there is less chance of witnesses. We will have to wait and watch to be sure the train comes and does its job."

"Don't I get to give an opinion on this subject?" Susie asked, "Maybe we have the strength to tear off his head with our own hands. Or perhaps simply tear the skin away from his neck."

Amy caught her breath in surprise and disbelief while Ruthie trembled in fear and revulsion. They both stared wide-eyed at their new companion until Amy regained the ability to speak, "What will the townspeople think when they discover his mutilated body? How could you even entertain such a gruesome thought? When you kissed your babies farewell did all the human feeling leave you entirely?"

"How dare you judge me!" Susie angered in self-defense, "you are the one who made it necessary for me to abandon my children. How do you know how I feel at all? This filthy fat old drunk is our victim and he's now dead. What matters how we hide our attack on his body as long as no one sees any evidence of vampirism?"

Ruthie leaned over an ash can as though she were about to vomit. A rat passed behind the can, but Ruthie was too upset to notice. She straightened slowly, breathed deeply and said, "What we need to do immediately is hide the body. The train idea will work and won't make me feel any worse for my sins. Tearing a murdered man's head off with our bare hands or tearing pieces of flesh from his neck will only worsen our sins. It would add a new and hideous charge to our full list of heathen acts. The train will arrive soon. Let's work together to lay his body across the tracks with his neck on a rail."Yes, let's," Amy knelt down to lift the corpse, his head hanging backward unnaturally from the severe damage, "we'll take him where the tracks run over the cove. That way if we're lucky, the train will destroy his neck, or what's left of it, mangle his body and push it into the cove."

Ruthie removed her cloak and draped it over the dead man and followed Amy toward the tracks. Susie followed behind Ruthie, "Tell me the difference between my idea and yours. Why is it all right to put him in the path of a train to be torn apart but not all right to simply use our own hands for the job?"

"Hopefully," Amy answered over her shoulder as she walked, "the train will cover and destroy any evidence of an attack and the townspeople will assume he was crossing the cove on the tracks and was hit without causing any suspicion of murder."

"That's not the only difference, Amy," Ruthie added, "tearing apart a human body with our own hands makes the destruction very personal. It's sinful and gruesome enough to kill a person out of hunger, but to further mutilate the corpse is a new horror."

Susie was tempted to continue the debate but remaining quiet followed Amy and Ruthie through the darkness along the tracks to the cove, which was deserted and calm with only the lapping of the water against the railroad bridge pilings and the occasional howls of a neighborhood dog to break the silence of the night. Ruthie pulled her cloak off the corpse as Amy laid it on the tracks, placing his brutalized gaping neck on one rail. Just as silently as they'd arrived on the bridge they turned and retreated to hide behind a pyramid of barrels stacked several yards away at the edge of the water and waited for the midnight train to pass and destroy the evidence of their violent crime.

While waiting for the train to pass Amy dreamed of being reunited with Robert and thought how fortunate she was to have her precious companions at her side during her lonely, difficult wait. She rested loving eyes on Ruthie, watching her crouch in hiding using the time to pray for the dead man's soul and those of the vicious killers. Her dreamy eyes passed from Ruthie to Susie, her new companion who stood stiffly watching the bridge with her blank stare. Amy didn't know what Susie could be thinking, but she was thankful to have a new companion more accepting of the vampire lifestyle and condition than Ruthie. To Amy, Susie seemed more ready and willing to adapt to the fact that she needed to drink blood and kill living beings to survive.

Finally, the train came thundering into the city shaking the ground under their feet and puffing smoke into the already polluted air. Because of the noise the vampires didn't hear the impact with the body as it fell into the water in pieces, the old man's remaining bodily fluids smearing the tracks. Their eyes followed the slowing train pass toward the station before stepping out of their hiding place. The body on the tracks must not have been visible through the fog and darkness to the train engineer because the train continued without stopping to the station.

Let's make sure the tracks are clear and the body fell to the water below," Amy suggested and began walking back to the bridge.

"Yes," Ruthie followed, "we should."

"I'm sure the tracks are clear," Susie remarked, "what could have survived that?" she paused, "except maybe us."

"Good Lord, Susie," Ruthie said, "you sure get some frightening ideas."

"Delightful!" Amy exclaimed as they reached the spot on the bridge where the body had been, "he's gone and with luck the train rendered him unrecognizable."

"I should think so," Susie agreed.

"Good Lord," Ruthie shook her head in regret and they turned back in the direction of town and their lair.

"What about the man you killed in the alley behind the hotel?" Susie asked, "The man you murdered to rescue me? You left his body in the alley."

"We had to get you away from there at once," Amy explained, "we couldn't have taken him with us, could we?"

"We were very careless that night," Ruthie added, "Amy shouldn't have killed him the way she did."

"Yes," Amy agreed, "that entire situation was unplanned and came upon us all at once."

"I suppose I'll be thought of as his murderer since I've disappeared," Susie sighed.

"Ruthie often finds a newspaper to read when we return to the lair. Perhaps she will find one tonight," Amy said, "that will certainly have news of the murder."

"I'm sure I can find one tonight," Ruthie responded, then added, "Let's pray no one sees the marks on the pieces of his neck, or the authorities will be looking for us."

Chapter 25

Amy undressed and brushed as much of the street dirt from the hem of her cloak and skirt as possible as soon as they returned to the lair. Ruthie and Susie were more interested in what the newspaper had to inform them about the murder behind the hotel two nights earlier than the dirt and dust on the hems of their skirts. Susie lit the candles while Ruthie spread the crumpled newspaper and tried to smooth the folds and creases it had suffered in a city trash bin.

"I've found something!" Ruthie exclaimed.

"What does it say?" Susie leaned forward in anticipation.

"I'll read it to you," Ruthie said.

Search Continues for Murderer

The search for clues continues in the murder of John Strapper a crewmember of the whaling schooner, Cheer, after being found in the alley behind the Bacon Hotel. According to the Reverend Horace Williams who found Mr. Strapper clinging to life behind a row of ash cans, when asked who had attacked him, Mr. Strapper answered, "Her," before succumbing to death. Officials have learned from witnesses at the hotel tavern that Mr. Strapper was last seen exiting the rear of the tavern with a recently hired barmaid named Susan Burdick who has not been seen since. Officials do not believe Mrs. Burdick capable of overpowering and murdering a man but would like to question her about the crime. It is feared that Mrs. Burdick may also have been a victim of crime. In addition to her disappearance, a visit to her residence found her children missing as well and two more bodies, the apparent victims of a brutal fight amongst themselves. The victims have been identified as Mrs. Burdick's landlady Marjorie O'Malley and an unidentified man. Anyone with any information is asked to visit the city hall.

"Well, now," Amy smiled, "they don't believe you had anything to do with the murder after all."

"Yes," Ruthie said, "isn't that a relief, Susie?"

"In a way it is," Susie frowned, "but how is it they readily believe Mrs. O'Malley could kill an 'unidentified man' but I'm not capable of killing John Strapper?"

"What difference does it make?" Amy sat at the table to her nightly hair brushing.

"It's just curious," Susie said as she glared into the candle flame.

"Mrs. O'Malley was a big strong woman, Susie," Amy explained, "you are quite petite."

"I suppose," she leaned back in her chair.

"That man was white and had some money," Ruthie noted, "he wasn't dressed like a dockworker. He was more of a business man."

"What are you saying, Ruthie?" Amy asked.

"I know what you're saying, Ruthie," Susie realized the truth, "the officials are hiding that man's identity to protect his reputation. They don't want anyone to know he was in my apartment with my landlady. It would be very suspicious for a respectable man to even be in my neighborhood."

"I see," Amy replied, "the important thing is you aren't suspected of murder, Susie."

"Even though the man's dying word was 'her,'" Ruthie whispered.

"Well, he shouldn't have had enough breath in him to speak," Amy sulked, "he should have been already dead."

"You were even more careless than we thought," Ruthie said.

"Yes," Amy, frowning, slowly brushed her hair, "I suppose I was."

"Why was this Reverend Williams in the alley anyway?" Susie wondered.

"I don't know," Amy replied, "I'm sure I didn't see him. Did either of you see him?"

Ruthie and Susie shook their heads as all three of them thought hard to remember any possibly forgotten details of the scene from two nights ago. Stunned by the incredible events taking place at the time, Susie couldn't hope to remember any details about that night such as strangers lurking in the shadows of the dark side streets as she was rushed away from the murder scene by the killers.

"It does seem strange that a man of God would be out in the streets so late at night," Ruthie commented, "maybe one of his flock sent for him and he just happened to find Mr. Strapper on his way by."

"But Mr. Strapper was on the far side of the alley behind a row of ash cans," Amy reminded Ruthie, "he must have been purposely looking for something or someone."

"We will have to be much more careful in the future," Ruthie said, "now that we know there's a preacher who visits alleys at night."

"Maybe we should find Reverend Williams before he finds us," Susie suggested as she rose from the table and moved to her coffin.

"What!" Ruthie clutched her Bible to her chest in alarm. After Susie suggested tearing the most recent victim's head off with her own hands to hide his disfigured neck Ruthie was fearful of any suggestion Susie might have about ridding themselves of anyone else.

"And what do you suggest we do when we find him, Susie?" Amy asked bewildered.

"Instead of us fearing his finding us," Susie explained, "we should find him first. Then we will know where he is and be able to learn why he seems to frequent alleys at night."

"I don't see what harm that could do," Amy said, "if we know where he is and why he is there we won't have to fear him finding us."

"I'm not too happy with the idea," Ruthie said, "I'm afraid you two will decide to make a victim of him. Then we'll be guilty of killing a man of God!" Ruthie also rose from the table and carried her Bible to her coffin, "I could not live with that, no chance at all."

"You'd be surprised at what you can live with," Susie replied casually, "we don't have to kill him. We simply need to know why he is spending nights patrolling alleys."

"Then it's settled," Amy opened her coffin in preparation to rest, "we will find Reverend Williams and discover his motives. We will not drink his blood because, Ruthie, we have an agreement that I only victimize bad people. If he truly is a man of God, then he is a good person," she climbed into her coffin and lay back, "goodnight, ladies."

Chapter 26

The night air on his skin had never felt so luxurious to Robert as it did as he fled north away from St. Augustine after his escape from the wine cellar of his father's house. Moonlight shimmered off the manes of the two dark horses that Robert drove relentlessly northward with his coffin and two guards on the wagon in the back. His mind was only on Amy and their reunion and nothing else. Would she still be in the lair that they had shared, the lair he was abducted from? Was she alive and waiting for him? Would she be angry over her abandonment and reject him after being away all this time? Perhaps she was already with another man. Jealousy overwhelmed him as he considered that scenario and he urged the horses to fly as fast as possible over the dusty road in the dark. He must find her, if only to see her, hear her voice, to touch her once more.

The escape plan he and his mother devised and carried out together worked wonderfully with the help of his loving sisters. It had been more than a year since Robert was free to feel the night air and move freely outside of his coffin. After his mother found him in his hopeless prison, she came to visit whenever possible allowing Robert some relief from the confines of his coffin if only for brief moments while they planned his escape. Robert's mother, Ana, was eager to see her youngest son become free again and be reunited with his only love and passion in life, Amy, and find the happiness Raul would never have allowed him to experience.

To initiate the plan Ana needed copies of the keys that hung outside the wine cellar, which she instructed one of the guards to acquire during the day while the family rested in their lair. Once this was done and the other preparations were made Ana and two of her daughters locked themselves in the wine cellar where they hid until Raul's nightly visit. Once Raul and Esteban unlocked Robert's coffin, Robert attacked Raul, but before Raul and Esteban could overpower him Ana and Robert's sisters quickly sprung to Robert's aid and the four of them subdued the two abductors. Ana drew a sword she had hidden behind a wine cask and beheaded Esteban while Robert and his sisters locked Raul into Robert's coffin.

The women rushed Robert upstairs and to the carriage house where the horses and cart were waiting with a fresh coffin and two guards aboard. Before Carlos ever knew what was happening Robert had escaped and was already beyond the city border. Once the entire story was revealed to Carlos the women were finally able to convince him how cruel and unfair the forced wedding between Robert and Lisa would be. However, he was enraged that Raul had been imprisoned in Robert's place in the wine cellar but after hearing how Raul had trapped and tormented Robert for so long and hearing about Robert's love for Amy agreed to keep him imprisoned long enough for Robert to reach New London.

Robert longed to abandon the cart and horses and simply fly to New London, but needed the protection of the two guards his mother had chosen for him to watch out for him while he rested during the daylight hours. He knew Raul was stubborn and would be even angrier than he could ever imagine when he became free again. He feared that Raul would no longer be intent on Robert's marrying Lisa but would only be intent on seeking revenge for Robert's escape and his own humiliation. Robert's only hope for freedom from Raul's wrath would be if Ana would be able to persuade Carlos to order Raul to let Robert be free to live his life as he chooses. Of course, Robert couldn't know if his mother and sisters had persuaded Carlos to keep Raul imprisoned and had to live by the assumption that Carlos would have released Raul immediately after learning his fate.

Chapter 27

Susie awoke calmly unlike the previous evening, although she was again the last one of the three to rise. Amy and Ruthie were already dressed and performing their early evening rituals at the table; Ruthie studying her Bible and Amy making sure her hair was arranged the way Robert preferred. Every evening she rose with the hope that that would be the night that Robert would return.

"Susie!" Amy exclaimed in delight, "I'm so happy to see that you rose so peacefully tonight."

"Yes," Susie felt her hair and face with her hands as though still acquainting her mind with her new identity.

"We can get a new wardrobe for you later tonight if you like," Amy offered, "I'm sure you're tired of wearing the same dress every night."

"I've rarely owned more than one or two dresses at a time," Susie explained groggily, "it would be nice to have a spare."

Ruthie silently hoped that Amy and Susie had forgotten their bedtime conversation and in an attempt to keep them away from the subject said, "Oh, yes," that's a nice idea, Amy. We can take Susie where you like to find your dresses."

"Yes," Amy finished her hair, and reached for her cloak, "but we need to find our Reverend Williams first and, of course, feed." When she noticed Ruthie's uneasy expression she added, "not in that order, of course."

"Yes," Ruthie calmed herself, "of course and closed her Bible and stood to put on her cloak as well.

Outside the evening autumn air was crisp from a recent shower that caked the fallen leaves with soot from the many chimneys of homes and the smokestacks of factories.

"What a lovely night," Ruthie remarked as they walked toward the scene of Susie's alleyway mauling.

"A lovely night for the hunt," Amy smiled, "but then every night is fine for hunting."

"Tonight we hunt a preacher," Susie said, "Ruthie, did the newspaper say which church Reverend Williams leads?"

"No," Ruthie recalled, "it's strange isn't it?"

"Yes, very," Amy agreed, "I wonder why the important fact wasn't mentioned."

"It would have made our search much easier," Susie pointed out.

"This may end up being a very long night," Ruthie said, "perhaps we should show Susie the livery stables before we begin."

"Oh, Ruthie," Amy pouted, "you know how I hate to feed on animals."

"I know you do, but it's a quick and easy way to feed," Ruthie argued, "we'll have more time to find Reverend Williams, if we even find him tonight." Ruthie thought she could at least save one human life tonight by persuading Amy to feed on livestock to free up some more time to search for the Reverend, even though she wasn't enthusiastic about that idea either. Amy promised not to harm him, making his life already safe for the evening.

"If we have to feed on animals until we find him," Amy declared, "then we MUST find him tonight."

"Why do you dislike feeding on horses, Amy?" Susie asked as she followed her sires to the stables, "does the blood have a sour flavor?"

"No," Ruthie answered before Amy, "the blood is fine and satisfying. Amy is sickened by the animal hair."

"It makes you sick, Amy?" Susie asked incredulously. She thought it hard to believe that Amy should find that a few hairs in her mouth could be more perverse than draining the blood from a living being.

"I simply dislike it," Amy pouted, "I dislike it vigorously. Pulling all those animal hairs from my mouth afterward severely detracts from the pleasure of feeding. However, to save time I will resort to feeding from animals, but it must be more respectable animals such as horses or other such farm animals. I have never stooped to drinking from rats or other such vermin."

"Always the lady, aren't you?" Susie condescended.

"Yes, I am at that," Amy's nose lifted under her hood, "imagine if Robert ever witnessed me feeding on a rat or rabid dog, he would be completely repulsed by my lowly actions and leave me for good."

"If he hasn't already," Susie remarked in a whisper too low for Amy to hear.

Close to the horse stable the vampires slowed and waited a few yards away to see how many people might be in the area. They needed to move unseen to the building and determine how many men are inside. At this late hour there should only be the evening stable hand unless travelers or a coach had recently come into town. Then a driver or horse owner may still be inside supervising the stable boy.

While Amy and Susie waited in the shadows Ruthie quietly moved along the outside of the stable inspecting all four sides and listening intently at both doors for voices and human movement inside. Finding no sign of humans inside Ruthie motioned to her two accomplices and they swept in close to the door and turning to vapor entered under the locked door.

They quickly chose two horses that were quietly feeding on some hay and didn't notice the vapors entering their stalls and manifesting out of their sight. The horses whinnied and kicked as the hungry fangs assaulted their skin and the mouths violently sucked pints of blood from their veins. Just as quickly and deliberately as they had entered the vampires escaped and with hoods drawn low slipped across the street and behind a nearby building as the victimized horses continued to snort and whinny inside.

Amy spit out and pulled horsehair from her mouth in an exaggerated manner while her companions were less affected by the presence of a few hairs.

"That wasn't as bad as you described, Amy," Susie said, "in fact, it was quite tasty and satisfying."

"And much less sinful," Ruthie added.

"Let's get on with the task at hand," Amy suggested, "the stable boy will be investigating the odd behavior of the horses. Perhaps Reverend Williams will also be intrigued by the uproar."

Reverend Horace Williams was not attracted by the horses' excitement although the stable boy and one or several neighborhood dogs were mildly interested for a short time. When the excitement died down into the normal sound of a typical evening, the vampires struck out to search the streets for the mysterious preacher. After several uneventful hours of scouting the side streets and alleys of the center of town the girls decided to use the last hour of the night to find a new dress for Susie.

Since Amy was familiar with the shop and its wares, she quickly found skirts and blouses in Susie's size and urged her to try them on for fit and feel. Without being able to produce a reflection, the young women had to depend on their sense of feel to determine how well clothes fit. If it made them feel fine or comfortable the outfit was a success.

"How does that feel, Susie?" Amy asked expectantly as she stepped back to view Susie in the flowing linen skirt and silk ruffled blouse she had helped her into.

"It feels fine," Susie answered in awe, "I never knew how wonderful clothing could make me feel." Her eyes sparkled for the first time since her transformation, "I've never worn such luxurious clothing."

"We could find much finer things than those," Amy said, "there may be some velvet here somewhere."

"Yes," Susie said, "let's find something in velvet!" The closest Susie even hoped to feel velvet on her skin in the past was to work in a velvet mill. She never dreamed of wearing it herself.

Ruthie sat up on a counter watching the fashion show, "I see you have a much more agreeable model this time, Amy," she smiled.

"Oh, goodness, Ruthie," Amy said as she sifted through racks of skirts looking for one in velvet, "Susie, do you believe that Ruthie chooses not to wear beautiful clothes, but prefers her old housedresses?"

"No," Susie frowned, "why would you do that, Ruthie?"

"I'm simply more comfortable this way," she replied, "I didn't feel comfortable in all that finery. I don't like dressing like someone I'm not," she motioned downward to her dress, "this is who I am and this is how I like to dress."

"Well, I've never dressed this extravagantly in my life," said Susie with a twirl, "but I will from now on."

Amy enthusiastically rushed back to Susie with a brown velvet skirt, "This will go very well with that blouse."

It did go well with the blouse and Susie wore it back to the lair never to wear her old worn clothes again. The sensation of her new velvet and silk attire against the plushy upholstered satin of her casket brought on feelings of pleasure and peace that she had never felt before. She closed her eyes to sleep wondering what other luxuries her new powers could bring.

Chapter 28

"Ruthie," Amy announced with certainty the next evening, "I have a good feeling that we'll find our elusive Reverend Williams tonight."

Ruthie was rising from her coffin and went to the table where Amy was lighting the candles in preparation for dressing. Susie hadn't risen yet but the lid on her casket moved slightly as Ruthie sat in her chair.

"And what makes you so certain, Amy?" Ruthie pulled her Bible toward her from across the table.

"I'm just being optimistic, I suppose," she said happily as she held two dresses up for comparison, "I'm anxious to find him before he finds us."

"Perhaps tonight we should ask someone about his whereabouts," Susie suggested as she joined her companions around the table.

"What!" Amy and Ruthie exclaimed together.

"We can keep our hoods low," Susie answered, "No one would see our faces."

"That is far too dangerous," Amy said, "we mustn't bring attention to ourselves in any way."

"After we question this person, whoever it may be," Susie continued, "we will feed off his blood and that will be the end of him. He won't be alive to describe us to the authorities or anyone else."

"Good Lord," Ruthie groaned.

"You know, Susie," Amy said, "that sounds like it could possibly succeed."

"Yes," Susie said enthusiastically as she stroked her velvet skirt against her thigh, "since Reverend Williams frequents alleyways, the common alley dwellers must be acquainted with him."

"That makes sense," Amy agreed, "and we don't have to feed off horses again."

"Wait now," Ruthie cautioned, "aren't we suppose to be silent killers and not speak to anyone at all for any reason?"

"Yes," Amy answered, "but there are exceptions. Remember the salesman from the train and the pirate in jail?"

"Yes," Ruthie agreed, "I remember, but the pirate wasn't one of our victims."

"True," Amy said, "but it still proves that we can, on rare occasions speak to people. Since we plan to kill this person at once after speaking to him, there's no harm in it."

"Only the harm of using him to get information and then murdering him," Ruthie added.

"It's very simple, Ruthie," Susie explained, "there will be no problem at all. The biggest problem is inconspicuously disposing of the corpse and that is our constant problem anyway."

Ruthie sighed and opened her Bible for some solace and strength, "You two have already decided and will follow through no matter what I say. I won't drink the man's blood."

"Fine," Susie said lightly as she twirled in her velvet skirt.

"I'm sorry you feel so strongly against our plan, Ruthie," Amy said sympathetically, "but we had no luck in finding Reverend Williams last night. Maybe this plan will help us with our search."

"Maybe," Ruthie sighed again without looking up from her study.

Cold drizzle fell and covered the vampires' cloaks as they slowly passed through the city toward the lair Amy had introduced Ruthie to after losing Robert. It had been some time since Amy had been behind the house to make sure her ribbon still flew as a welcoming sign for Robert should he return and fear that she was lost to him forever. The house itself was completely changed, but the woods behind it were still intact. Amy's ribbon still hung limply on the cold tree branch where she had tied it, but was quite worn. She vowed to bring a fresh replacement soon.

"Let's find our victim now," Susie suggested strongly as they left the woods, "it should be late enough for a few drunks to be fallen into their favorite alleyways," Susie felt it a waste of time crossing town to be sure a sign still flew for a man who selfishly turned Amy, a young beautiful rich girl with opportunities to live out her life as a respected lady, into a blood-thirsty killer and then abandoned her when he grew bored. She was annoyed with Amy's stubborn and ignorant fairy tale logic that allowed her to believe that somehow Robert was taken from her against his will and that someday he would return to her and they would live happily together throughout eternity. Susie knew from real life observations that when a man left a woman it was for his own selfish reasons and that the only reason he would return would be that he had absolutely nowhere else to go. It seemed to Susie that Amy was wasting her power and beauty and relinquishing control of her life to a man who she would never see again.

"Yes," Ruthie reluctantly agreed, "I need to find some blood myself, Amy," Ruthie didn't believe Robert would ever return to Amy again either, but she practiced patience and empathy towards her friend and believed that someday Amy would realize the truth on her own and she would need a sympathetic friend to comfort her.

"I apologize for killing your husband, Susie," Amy said, assuming all marriages were based on the love and devotion she had for Robert, "you must have loved him to marry him and bear three children for him."

Susie's impatience with Amy's romantic fantasies was near its end, "You're wrong, Amy," Susie answered in annoyance, "I never loved my husband and never grieved for him after he died."

"What!" Amy exclaimed, "Why did you ever marry a man you didn't love?"

"My father was an alcoholic who spent all his wages on drink. My mother experienced years of suffering from him," Susie answered angrily, "I thought I could escape my family and have a better life if I got married. When I met my husband he promised me a good life. He was visiting our neighbors on his way to a new job at a textile mill in Rhode Island. He invited me along so I ran away with him. We never got as far as Rhode Island, though. When we entered Connecticut we met a man who is a supervisor here at the coffee mill factory and he offered my husband a job here. If he hadn't spent all his money on cards and drink we could have had a much nicer life together. He was a terrible disappointment as a husband. Never seeing or hearing from my family again was the only good thing that came out of my marriage."

"Where are you from, Susie," Ruthie asked.

"New Hampshire," Susie answered.

"Why did you have three children with a husband who couldn't properly care for them?" Amy asked.

"Life is not the fairy tale you seem to think it is," Susie answered, "there are certain duties and obligations a wife is expected to perform as a married woman whether she wants to or not. Bearing children is one of them. There is really no way to prevent having children when a woman is married."

"Oh, Lord,' Ruthie said, "this conversation has gone on long enough. Amy, your innocence is incredible."

"Fine," Amy pouted, "maybe I do have fairy tale fantasies regarding romance and marriage. I'm sorry you had such a hard life, Susie, but I'm relieved that you don't miss your husband and his death was not hard on you."

"Oh, it was hard on me all right," Susie said, "without him I needed to work to pay the rent and feed my family. You saw how difficult that was for me and what my little girls could fall victim to without me to protect them. My husband may have been a bad one, but he was better than none at all."

"Yes," Amy said, "I understand. I truly thought I was helping you when I killed him. I also believed I was helping you when I transformed you into one of us. I suppose I was a little thoughtless."

"Well," Susie sighed, "it's all over and done with now. Perhaps I can use these new powers of mine to better my life at least."

"How is that?" Ruthie asked.

"We will see, won't we?" Susie replied.

"I know I'm better off, " said Ruthie, "except for all the murdering and sinning, but I got away from my life of being a victim."

"Oh, yes," Amy smiled, "it's much better to make someone else the victim instead of yourself."

"That's not what I meant, Amy," Ruthie scowled, "I hate victimizing others and you know it. But I am glad I'm no longer a victim."

"I've taken a genuine liking to victimizing others," Susie announced sternly, "it's sweet revenge to be the one in power after living my life fearing the unpredictable and cruel actions of others like my father and my husband and my employers."

"Is that how you think your new power will improve your life?" Ruthie asked.

"Yes," Susie answered, "that's one way."

"Pardon me," Amy interrupted, "but we need to watch for the Reverend. We're close to the waterfront."

"I hope we find a victim soon," Susie announced, "I'm starving."

"Yes," agreed Ruthie, "I'll keep my senses open for rats or other blood that doesn't flow through a man."

"Suit yourself, Ruthie," Amy slowed her pace to match Ruthie's.

"I think I saw a skunk a moment ago, Ruthie," Susie smirked in contempt.

"Susie!" Amy exclaimed, "That was a very rude thing to say! Ruthie wouldn't be so unthinking to try and feed on a skunk and risk becoming covered in that horrible stench. Why would you say such a thing to sweet Ruthie?"

"I thought it was humorous," Susie defended herself, "obviously, you two don't see the humor."

"I'd rather feed on a skunk or any other animal than kill another man," Ruthie said, "but you're right, Susie, I don't see the humor of your comment."

The hungry vampires moved methodically and deliberately street by street through the city spying slyly from inside their low hoods for any man resembling either a man of God or a fallen drunk. Ruthie found blood among the endless supply of vermin within the city's dark corners while Amy and Susie held out for human blood. Chilly drizzle kept many people inside for the evening and the numbers who were out moved quickly to their destinations to lessen their exposure to the elements.

"This weather is working against us," Susie remarked after searching another abandoned alley.

"Yes," Amy agreed, "if we don't find anyone soon here in the streets we may have some luck finding blood when the train arrives. We won't be finding the information we're hoping for though."

"Let's keep searching the streets in the meantime," Susie suggested as they moved along Main Street.

"There!" Ruthie exclaimed as they approached an ice company, "behind that tree!"

"Yes!" Amy exclaimed as she saw the gray lump of a prone man on the ground between a large elm and a low stonewall.

Slowly, so as not to attract attention on the normally busy street, Amy and Susie gracefully moved toward and surrounded the form on the ground while Ruthie kept watch on the sidewalk.

Susie nudged the sleeping man with her toe and he moved in an attempt to push her away but only managed to weakly raise his arm an inch before it dropped back to the ground. Repulsed by the familiar odor of stale alcohol and tobacco emanating from the man Susie kicked a little harder. This brought the man angrily to a slouched seated position against the wall, "Go away!" he slurred.

"Why," Susie replied sarcastically, "are you comfortable here?"

"I was," replied the man trying to see who he was speaking to but only saw black figures leaning over him.

"We're looking for a Reverend Horace Williams," Amy said, "do you know of him?"

"Leave me alone," the man whined, "stop asking questions."

"No," Amy replied, "we won't leave you alone until you answer our questions."

"I don't know anyone," the man slumped over some more, "leave me alone."

Susie reached down and grabbed the man by the throat lifting him to his knees. His eyes opened more but he still couldn't see her face within the hood, "Do you know Reverend Williams or don't you?" she demanded.

Whining and gasping in fear the inebriated man's bladder let loose and he whimpered, "Yes, I know him."

"Where can we find him?" Susie asked still gripping the man's throat.

"I don't know," he answered, "he finds us."

"Who do you mean?"

"Street people," the man said, "he wants to save us for Jesus. He gives us food if we listen to him preach."

"Where can we find him?" Susie repeated.

"I don't know," the man whined.

"I really don't think he knows," Amy said.

Ignoring Amy's remark Susie asked, "Where do you go to hear him preach?"

"He stays in the City Hotel," the man tried to cough but Susie's firm grip prevented it and he only made a choking sound.

"He knew," Susie said to Amy as she lustfully drew his neck to her mouth and drank his blood.

Amy fed at last after Susie finished and the three vampires disposed of his wet filthy body in the river. Although Amy felt satisfied with their newfound knowledge of Reverend Williams and with Susie's method of extracting the information from the victim, Ruthie was uneasy about Susie's aggressive behavior and lack of remorse. In fact, Susie seemed proud of her actions and more confident about herself than ever.

"We have a little time left before we need to return to the lair," Amy said as they crossed the tracks after leaving the river, "shall we go to the City Hotel and look for Reverend Williams?"

"Should we risk being seen so close to the scene of the murder?" Ruthie asked, "it's only been a few days."

"If we want to find the reverend," said Susie, "we need to be where he lives. I can keep my hood over my face and I won't be recognized. Besides, it's not that close."

"Your confidence makes me nervous," Ruthie told Susie, "it borders on recklessness."

"Ruthie," Susie sighed, "you are always nervous. Everything makes you nervous. Are you that afraid of having your head chopped off?"

"Aren't you?" Ruthie replied in amazement, "you want to go back near the scene of the murder the authorities want to question you about."

"Yes, Susie," Amy joined the discussion, "it is very risky for you to be spending time in such close vicinity of the place of Mr. Strapper's murder."

"I'll keep my hood pulled down, as I said, and the two of you can shield me from the public," Susie was getting impatient, "we are wasting precious time standing here discussing it."

"Fine," Amy agreed, "be sure to remain behind us at all times."

Amy and Ruthie led Susie up State Street and lurked behind a large tree across the street from the hotel. Because of the weather and the lateness of the hour barely any passersby were seen. The passersby decreased to a straggler here and there and finally the streets were empty, dark, cold and wet.

"He must have stayed in tonight," Ruthie remarked.

"Or we missed him while we discussed the safety of the plan by the tracks," Susie said.

"We may as well return to the lair before we are seen here," Amy suggested, "it's difficult to remain hidden and unnoticed when we are the only ones out."

"I'd like to find a newspaper on the way back," Ruthie said, "there may be more information about the murder."

"It may be hard to find a dry copy," Susie remarked.

"Oh, I've read them wet before," Ruthie replied, "or I can wait until it's dried out."

To Ruthie's delight she found a fairly dry newspaper crumpled at the bottom of an ash can on the way back to the lair. It was torn, dirty and damp but still mostly legible. Seated at their table with the candles lit she began pouring over it for any news about the murder investigation.

"Here!" Ruthie exclaimed pointing to an article. Amy and Susie looked up from laying out their dresses and hanging up their cloaks.

"What does it say?" Amy asked anxiously.

"It says:

Self-proclaimed minister, Reverend Horace Williams reported to authorities today that one of his congregants has been found dead. The Reverend has labeled the death as mysteriously violent. The deceased, whose identity has not been confirmed, was found by Reverend Williams at the edge of Shaw's Cove, decapitated and otherwise mangled. Authorities state that the death appears to have been caused by a train."

"Delightful!" Amy exclaimed clapping her hands in glee, "the authorities believed our trick!"

"Only because they couldn't be bothered investigating the death of a man with no identity," Ruthie said.

"You see, Susie?" Amy twirled around to face Susie, "what would they have thought if Reverend Williams found the man in the alley with his head torn off as you suggested?"

"He still seems to believe the death is 'mysteriously violent,'" Susie replied, "he will still be searching for the killer, don't you think?"

"That could be why he's been spending time in alleys at night," Ruthie said, "maybe this man isn't the first of his congregation that we've killed."

"That's a very good point," Amy's smile faded, "but at least the authorities are satisfied that the death was accidental."

"Don't you think Reverend Williams is an authority?" Ruthie asked.

"No," Amy answered, "he's noted there as a 'self-proclaimed minister.' He apparently isn't affiliated with any church in the city."

"That explains why he lives in a hotel and not a parsonage," Susie said.

"Therefore," Amy said matter-of-factly, "his ideas and opinions won't hold much credence in town."

"The authorities may even consider him one to be taken lightly," Susie added with a chuckle, "would you take seriously the word of a man who claims to be a minister but has no credentials and only has nameless vagrant alcoholics as parishioners?"

"It would depend on what he's saying," Ruthie replied solemnly.

"One thing is for sure," Susie said "we certainly killed another one of his flock tonight."

"Oh, good Lord!" Ruthie exclaimed with a groan.

"Well," said Amy, "if he wasn't suspicious before, he certainly will be now."

Chapter 29

The next evening Amy woke with a pout, angrily brushing her long blonde hair in the dusty candlelight.

"What's the matter?" Ruthie asked as she rose from her coffin.

"I woke this evening wondering whom I am to feed on now if we can no longer feed on the loathsome alcoholics who roam the alleys and waterfront," Amy set her brush on the table and began putting up her hair in the style Robert preferred. She had already dressed for the evening and laid out her cloak.

"You're asking me that question?" Ruthie responded, "I'm not even happy with you feeding on social rejects. We can't go any lower than that."

"I suppose we'll simply have to return to stalking violent husbands like Susie's or killing people and leaving dead animals nearby," Amy suggested, "Susie confirmed that that trick worked."

Susie rose still wearing her new clothes and joined them at the table, "What are you talking about?"

"Amy is upset that we can't feed on drunks on the streets anymore, since they all seem to be members of Reverend Williams' flock," Ruthie explained.

Susie contemplated the problem and replied, "If we kill Reverend Williams we can get our blood supply back."

"Good Lord, Susie!" Ruthie said, "We cannot kill a man of God."

"But he's only a 'self-proclaimed' man of God," Susie explained, "he's not a real man of God. He doesn't have a church."

"That doesn't matter," Ruthie argued, "if he's a man of God, then he's a good man. Besides, don't you think the authorities would start to be interested if Reverend Williams was killed after he's been complaining about his members being killed?"

"That could be," Susie replied as Amy looked on with interest, "but if his body is never found no one would even notice or care about his disappearance."

"Yes," Amy seemed hopeful, "if his body simply disappears, the authorities would simply assume that he went back to wherever he came from."

"No!" Ruthie jumped from her chair knocking it over, "you cannot kill a man of God!"

Susie and Amy exchanged dismayed glances and Amy said, "What if we prove that Reverend Williams is a bad man?"

"He's a reverend," Ruthie insisted, "it's not possible that he's a bad man."

Amy glanced confusedly at Susie and said to Ruthie, "We need to remove Reverend Williams one way or another. If we can prove him to be bad we can remove him permanently, but first we must find him."

Annoyance over the unresolved dispute over the fate of Reverend Williams caused tension between the three vampires as they set out into the windy late autumn evening determined to find the man whose suspicions of murder in the city could expose and destroy them. Even Amy had readily agreed to visit the city stables again to feed so they could focus the entire night to finding Reverend Williams. Leaving the frightened horses neighing and stamping in their stalls, they slipped directly into the shadows of the large old trees across the street from the City Hotel. Silently they waited as the gusty winds blew their cloaks around them, picking up and carrying leaves, debris and dust along the street.

As they waited watching for any man resembling a minister leaving the hotel Amy fretted about the damage the wind must be doing to her carefully arranged hair as her hood was pushed and pulled by the gusts. Susie watched the hotel as a cat watches a mouse hole, hoping to quietly stalk the interfering reverend. Even though she would love to kill the man tonight and be done with him, she was reluctantly willing to respect the agreement between Amy and Ruthie that the self-proclaimed reverend would need to be proven bad before they would allow themselves to kill him. Ruthie, although confident Amy would adhere to their agreement, dreaded the entire situation and somehow knew that Amy would find a way to convince her that Reverend Williams was indeed a bad man who fell into Ruthie's definition of an acceptable victim. Then Ruthie would have the unbearable guilt of having been accomplice to murdering a man of God.

"Could that be him?" Susie asked excitedly gripping Amy's arm as her eyes followed a pale man in black exiting the hotel and walking in the direction of the wharves.

"What do you think, Ruthie?" Amy watched the man as he held his hat to his head during a strong gust of wind.

"That could be the reverend," Ruthie assented, "I've seen them wearing that type of flat hat before."

Let's trail him before he gets too far away," Susie stepped forward.

"Be careful, Susie," Amy warned, "he's already suspicious and must be watching carefully for suspicious people or odd behavior."

"Yes," Susie agreed, "we can follow in the shadows and at a distance, but we need to be close enough to hear his conversations."

"Maybe hearing some preaching will keep the two of you from killing him," Ruthie suggested as she trailed behind her companions.

"No chance of that," Susie laughed.

Following safely at a distance the three vampires were soon certain that this man was indeed Reverend Horace Williams as he searched every dark alley and corner of the city for his congregation members. They watched while he handed out bits of bread to the wretched men whose souls he hoped to save and deliver to Jesus.

After a few hours of this Amy became bored, "I don't see any way of accusing this man of being cruel, immoral or self-serving."

"Stop pouting," Susie scolded, "we haven't been watching him for very long. What could be his purpose in caring for these useless men?"

"Because he's a man of God," Ruthie explained, "I told you he has to be a good man. He's following the example of Jesus by helping the less fortunate. His only plan for himself is to spend eternity in the Kingdom of God. He's cleansing his soul."

"What did he do to feel his soul needs cleansing?" Susie wondered out loud.

"Oh!" Amy exclaimed with renewed hope, "you think his past holds an evil secret for which he is now attempting to repent?"

"Of course," Susie said, "why else would he be performing these useless acts?"

"The two of you don't understand Jesus at all!" Ruthie exclaimed in exasperation.

"I know what you're saying," Susie said, "but this is a real man not Jesus. There has to be some sort of reward for him."

"I told you what the reward is," Ruthie insisted, "a clear conscience and eternal life in heaven."

"There must be something bad about him," Amy said, "we must continue to watch him to learn his motive."

"Why can't you believe he's an honest man of God?" Ruthie argued as she continued to follow Susie and Amy.

"For one thing," Susie said, "he's only a self-proclaimed man of God. Who knows why he has chosen to pretend to be a minister. Because he's not a real minister he can only hope to recruit the people who were cast out of respectable churches or people who cannot fulfill the requirements of being a church member. They are considered to be immoral and unrespectable. For another, if he truly wanted to become an ordained minister, why doesn't he become properly educated and thereby earn the status of a real minister? There must be something he hopes to achieve by simply proclaiming himself reverend with no authority."

"Yes," Amy said, "I agree."

"Of course you agree," Ruthie said to Amy, "you want any reason to discredit him to be able to make a victim of him."

"Just as you would look for any reason not to," Amy argued.

"What are you so terrified of, Ruthie?" Susie asked, "Why are you so dedicated to denying yourself, and us as well, the need for blood? I've only known you for a few days and I'm getting a little tired of your constant restraint. I have never known anyone in my life as full of self-hatred as you!"

"Susie!" Amy was astonished, "how can you speak to Ruthie so? She is the sweetest person I've ever met. How can you accuse her of self-hatred?"

Ruthie seemed more hurt than surprised at Susie's accusations, "I am nothing but a tool of the devil. We all are. Why wouldn't I hate myself?"

"Ruthie!" Amy said and led her two companions into an alley, "how can you feel that way?"

"How could you have not known it?" Susie asked.

"Well," Amy looked down in shame, "we have discussed this before. We've accepted who we are and what nature has forced us to do to survive. I've also deeply apologized for transforming Ruthie into what she is. I still deeply regret it, but knowing Ruthie has made me a better person."

"And I've forgiven you," Ruthie looked at Amy and then at Susie, "but it doesn't change who I am and I can still do whatever I can to repent and hope that God will forgive me someday. But I know he won't forgive me if I simply accept the idea that because of what I am I have the freedom to kill whoever crosses my path."

"What about the idea that you're already a sinner and there is no way to repent?" Susie asked.

"I cannot believe that," Ruthie said, "I have to have hope. Without hope there is no reason to live."

"And I respect Ruthie's beliefs," Amy said, "Ruthie is like a sister to me. She's the best friend I've ever had. I had hoped that when we transformed you that we could be good friends as well, Susie."

Susie looked at the both of them, murderers, yet so full of hope and the desire for peace and friendship. Her life had been so full of hardship, abuse and sacrifice. She had always felt so powerless and resentful, but with her new physical power she felt strong and eager to take advantage of this power. She couldn't understand why her two sires were so inhibited and so determined to hold onto hopes and dreams that were so unrealistic. Amy dressed and behaved in the way her former lover preferred in the hope that he would return and find her unchanged and appreciate her for staying faithful to his wishes. Susie was certain Robert was gone forever, having tired of Amy and no doubt sired himself a new girl for his entertainment. She thought Amy was wasting her life missing a man when she could be using her power and strength to control her own life instead of waiting for the return of a man to dictate her life to her. Ruthie harbored superstitious hopes of going to heaven even though she was now a natural predator and murderer. The God she so deeply yearns for and obeys is one for humans, not for beasts and monsters such as herself, if there really is a God or heaven at all. Susie never hoped for much in life and was often disappointed when she did. She learned to live day-by-day only hoping that she had something to feed herself and her children each day. She became very practical, never having time or energy for friends since real true friends were scarce when they were all struggling and competing for the same scarce resources. Because of Amy and Ruthie Susie had to sacrifice her children, which she probably would have had to do eventually anyway. Leaving them alone while she went to work put them in more danger than waiting to starve to death and she convinced herself that the little girls were being cared for much better now than she could have done by herself.

"All right, Ruthie," Susie reluctantly relented, "I'll respect and follow your guidelines. Who knows, maybe there truly is a God in heaven."

Reverend Williams found what was left of his tiny congregation to be alive and safe this evening. He gave them all a warning about the recent deaths of the men he had reported to the authorities and called on God to protect the survivors through the night. He promised them each a cup of hot broth the following day if they visited the hotel for a short sermon. New members were always welcome so he offered bread with the broth to anyone who brought a guest. He didn't notice he was being followed the entire evening by the three vampires who lusted after the blood of his congregation. When he returned to his hotel room his stalkers returned to their lair to plan for the following evening when they would make another attempt at learning what kind of man he truly was.

Chapter 30

"I don't think the man is evil," Ruthie remarked the following evening as the vampires prepared to go out and once again find Reverend Williams.

"We already are quite aware of that, Ruthie," Amy answered patiently as she pulled her cloak on.

"How long do we plan on following Reverend Williams?" Susie asked, "maybe we should consider other victims if the drunken alley dwellers are too dangerous. Who did you feed on before, besides my husband?"

"We've told you," Amy replied, "strangers just arriving on the late train, cruel husbands like yours, cruel employers."

"Slave hunters!" Ruthie exclaimed, "Those are the only people I've killed that don't weigh heavy on my conscience."

"As long as our victims are not prominent citizens," Amy said, "people whose deaths would be investigated. The people we kill don't merit a murder investigation. Their deaths are assumed to be accidental or an animal attack or an illness. The authorities don't want to waste their time investigating deaths that won't bring them profit or prestige."

"How sad," Ruthie shook her head.

"Sad yes," Amy said, "but advantageous for us."

Susie was looking pensive as she pulled on her cloak, "I know of a very cruel employer who deserves to die."

"Really?" Amy asked with interest, "who would that be?"

"Mr. Smith, the owner of the cotton gin mill."

"Where those men trampled the workers in the street?" Ruthie asked.

"Yes," Susie replied, "and then fired me and prevented me from being hired at any mill in town."

"Yes, I agree, Susie," Amy said, "he certainly deserves to die. He was responsible for much death and suffering."

"Even I can agree to that," Ruthie was ready to leave for the evening as well, "after seeing it with my own eyes."

"But he is very prominent and his death would be cause for outrage and investigation," Amy warned.

"We could kill him slowly," Susie explained, "the way you killed my husband. It would appear to be an illness."

"Do you know where he lives?" Amy asked, "We would have to be extremely careful not to be seen. I'm sure a rich man like Mr. Smith lives in an area that doesn't see much activity at night."

"Like your father's house?" Ruthie asked, "We were never seen there. Maybe he lives nearby."

"I don't know where he lives," Susie said, "but I'm sure it won't be difficult to learn."

"It's better than feeding on animals," Amy frowned, "besides, the stable boy will be paying closer attention now that we've stirred up the horses so often."

"I prefer to feed on animals," Ruthie remarked, "one man isn't enough blood for the three of us anyway."

"Suit yourself, Ruthie," Amy replied.

"Finding his address will be more dangerous than finding his house," Susie declared, "we will have to go to his office at the mill."

"But the mill he owns remains open at night," Amy said.

"That is why it will be so dangerous."

"Good Lord," Ruthie groaned.

"I know exactly where his office is," Susie offered, "and that part of the building is closed at night. It's set away from the main workrooms. As long as we stay in that part of the building we should be safe."

"Well, let's get this over with," Ruthie sighed as she led the way out of the lair.

Moonlight filtered through the clouds as the girls moved silently toward the mill staying deep inside the shadows of the trees and buildings. Dim light glowed through the filthy windows of the massive brick building and the din of machinery could be heard from inside. People passed quickly along the street on their way home to escape the chilly air while the three vampires remained unaffected by the weather enjoying the aroma of the warm blood of the passersby.

"Do you know where the least used entrance is?" Amy asked Susie.

"It's around the other side," Susie pointed toward the far side of the building, "there's a narrow alley there that's only used by the supervisors. There will only be one supervisor working at night. The entrance should be deserted and locked."

Amy surveyed the area from under her hood, "We must not be seen. Follow me," she led them down the far side of the street past the mill and waited in an alley for a small group of homebound men to pass. Then she led them across the street and back toward the mill slipping swiftly into the narrow alley Susie had described.

"I hope no one is living in the alley tonight," Ruthie whispered as they made their way toward the door.

"I'm very hungry," Susie replied, "I tend to hope there is a meal here."

"Is this the door we must use, Susie?" Amy stopped in front of a heavy wooden unmarked door.

"Yes," Susie stepped forward and tried the knob finding it locked as suspected. She turned herself to vapor and seeped under the door with Amy and Ruthie behind.

Once inside they could make out a long corridor traveling in either direction. There was very dim light at the end of the corridor to the left suggesting the busy production area was in that direction since the end of the corridor to the right was dark. Susie led her companions through the dark to the right, then up a narrow flight of warn wooden stairs to the second floor. During the busy workday clerks worked along this corridor keeping the books. At the end of this row of offices was Mr. Smith's office, which was locked. Once again the vampires turned to mist and slipped under the door.

"How will we find his address in the dark?" Ruthie asked, "We didn't bring a candle."

"I have some matches," Amy replied as she went to the large desk at the far end of the room.

The others joined her as she lit a match and held it over the desktop and they scanned it for an envelope or card that might have his address.

"Here!" Ruthie snatched a card from the scattering of papers and envelopes, "this is it."

"Amy read it from over Ruthie's shoulder: "I thought he would be away from the noise and odor of the city."

"What is his address?" Susie asked anxiously.

"It's the address of our first lair," Ruthie replied, "well, the first lair I ever had."

"So, Mr. Smith is the man who rebuilt that house," Amy said with a growing smile, "I wonder how he reacted to the body in the cellar?"

"What?" Susie asked with interest.

Amy giggled, "We arrived at the lair to find a stranger inside the house which was otherwise burned and deserted. I hoped it was Robert returning to me, but it wasn't, so we killed the man to protect ourselves from discovery."

"But you left his body there?" Susie inquired, "Did you leave a dead animal nearby?"

"No," Amy replied, "we were in great haste. We had only returned to the lair to retrieve our belongings and move to a new lair. We had awakened that evening to find someone had done some yard work while we slept. Another night spent there would have cost us our lives, I'm sure."

"We should leave here for the same reason," Ruthie suggested as she moved toward the office door.

Once they were out of the building and on their way to Mr. Smith's house Amy cheerfully said, "I will hang another ribbon on the tree in addition to the ribbon that already hangs to welcome Robert's return to me. Since we will be visiting that house more often, I may bring a ribbon to add to the tree each time. Robert will be sure to get my message that way."

"Won't too many ribbons draw attention to the tree by others?" Susie asked, "Someone may begin watching to find out exactly who is tying all those ribbons."

"Oh," Amy's smile faded, "do you think that might happen?"

"It's very possible," Susie answered, "what do you think, Ruthie?"

"I think I agree with you," Ruthie replied, "I think one or two ribbons will be enough," Especially since Robert was likely never to return anyway, she thought.

"Fine," Amy pouted and then regained her smile, "One ribbon to represent Robert and the other to represent me."

Susie rolled her eyes unseen by Amy in reaction to Amy's blind faith in a man who Susie was certain had coldly abandoned the foolish Amy and probably never thought of her at all.

"How do we proceed from here?" Susie asked, "Do we go to Smith's house now or wait until he's had his supper and gone to bed?"

"Yes," Amy replied, "he may not even be home at this early hour. It would be better to wait until the city has quieted for the night and he's full and drowsy."

"That shouldn't be much longer," Ruthie gazed up at the moon peeking out from behind a clump of thick clouds.

"We can find out what Reverend Williams is doing this evening," Amy suggested, "I would be interested in overhearing one of his sermons."

"You would?" Ruthie asked in surprise, "you've never been interested in sermons before."

"We may still find proof that he's not the man of God he claims to be."

"Wouldn't that be lovely if he were organizing his drunken congregation to do evil deeds?" Susie laughed.

"How could a sermon be evil?" Ruthie was annoyed with her companions' cynicism, "you insist on thinking badly about a man who wants to deliver poor wretches to Jesus and introduce them to the glory of heaven."

"Those men are sinners who neglect their families and selfishly drink themselves to death," Susie replied.

"Yes," Ruthie agreed, "and I'm certain Reverend Williams is trying to make them atone and become responsible people."

"Let's find out for ourselves," Amy stopped and stood in the shadow of the old sycamore tree they used for cover the previous night.

"Let's continue to the alleys where I can find a rat or other animal," Ruthie suggested, "the good reverend has probably left his room by now."

"Fine, Ruthie," Amy said, "you're probably right."

"At least we have an idea of the route he takes," Susie said, "we may come upon him if we follow his route of last night."

"Good idea," Amy agreed and they moved toward the main street.

Cautiously peering into alleys before entering, the three vampires looked for Reverend Williams as Ruthie feasted on the rats, which remained plentiful in the whaling city. No matter how many she killed, there were a seemingly endless population scampering along alleyways and searching the waterfront scavenging for food.

After passing through several alleys Susie became impatient, "We're not going to find him tonight. He must take a different route each night."

"Perhaps you're right," Amy agreed, "that could be why he seems so elusive. I suppose we must follow him from his hotel nightly to discover his routine."

"Yes," Susie replied, "and I'm thirsty for the blood of Mr. Smith. Let's go to his house."

"Fine," Amy said, "I am very hungry myself."

"I'm sure I've had my fill," Ruthie said as she followed her companions.

As they neared their former lair Amy whispered, "Whenever I come here I become so nervous and hopeful that Robert will be here waiting for me and we'll see each other from across the street and our eyes will meet and the longing and sadness will be gone. We'll be together forever never to part again."

"That's a wonderful story," Susie muttered, "It sounds like a dream." Susie believed that's all it was. A dream that would never come true.

"Did you bring a fresh ribbon?" Ruthie asked Amy with a twinge of sadness for her friend's desperate and impossible dream accompanied by a wave of guilt for helping to encourage the dream by suggesting a fresh ribbon. A ribbon that will at first be tied as a bright shiny banner of hope and rot away neglected and unfound by the man for which it hangs.

"I just happen to have one with me," Amy smiled and felt the smooth velvet ribbon in her pocket.

"Good," Susie said, "we should be able to get a closer look at the house from the tree. We need to be sure which room Mr. Smith spends his night."

"Susie," Amy asked after attaching the ribbon to a cold dry branch on the tree, "are you sure you have the control to only drink a small amount of Mr. Smith's blood in order to keep him alive?"

"Of course," Susie was insulted that Amy would question her self-control.

"You are still very new and inexperienced with this," Amy defended her question, "we've already discussed how dangerous it would be to kill such a prominent man in the city. I will drink from him first and you can follow my example."

"Fine," Susie was still insulted but understood Amy's concern, "lead the way."

"What if he sleeps with his wife?" Ruthie asked.

"Then we must wait until both of them are asleep," Amy replied, "let's go inside and investigate."

Amy turned into mist and the others followed creeping up the back of the house and in through a window on the second floor where heavy draperies could be seen from the outside. They materialized behind the long drapes and stood deathly still listening for human breathing and sniffing silently for the scent of blood. When humans couldn't be detected Amy peeked around the drape and found that they were in a cold dark bedroom. The room was dusty and sparsely furnished, probably a guest room or the former room of a grown child who was away or living independently.

Moving to the door she pressed her back against the wall, listening for movement in the house still searching the air for the scent of blood. With none to be detected yet, she motioned to Ruthie and Susie to follow and she turned to mist again and drifted into the hallway outside the room where she detected a faint aroma of blood and followed it to the next bedroom along the hall.

The three soft trails of vapor traveled under the door of the bedroom where one settled and materialized between an armoire and the far wall, another behind a window drape and the third behind the drapery of a second window. Mr. Smith slept in a large bed with the curtains tied to the four posts. He wore a lightweight sleeping cap that matched his nightclothes. Lace trimmed his pillowcases and sheets. Light blankets protected him from the late autumn chill as he slept peacefully on his downy mattress. The sight of him slumbering in luxury maddened Susie even more when she remembered the punishment and suffering his greedy business decisions had caused her and her children. He gladly paid for the ruthless horsemen to intimidate and even kill her coworkers for demanding improved working conditions, then used her as an example by having her fired and blacklisted to frighten the remaining workforce into passively working from dawn to dusk six days a week to keep himself rich and pampered while his workers were exhausted and barely making ends meet.

She wanted to throw herself on him and tear his throat out with her hands catching his warm blood in her mouth, bathing in the runoff, laughing at his final facial expression of surprise and terror. Then she gradually calmed herself enough to think rationally and used all of her strength to control her urge to kill as she followed Amy to his bedside and watched as she silently and smoothly pulled back the sheet to expose his neck. Amy gave Susie a steady serious look as a reminder to heed her early instructions before bending forward and slowly feeding on Mr. Smith. As her teeth punctured his skin, his body stiffened slightly and he inhaled sharply. After a moment his body went limp and Amy rose and made room for Susie to feed.

Susie stepped forward, using all of her strength to restrain her violent impulses and slowly bent over Mr. Smith, seeing the two shining wounds Amy left and smelling the alluring aroma of the exposed warm blood. She paused a second and began to drink. The desire to drain him dry was extremely difficult to resist, but she pulled away just as Amy was about to intervene. The three of them returned to mist and exited the room through a window and met behind the ribbon-trimmed tree.

"You showed an amazing example of self-control," Amy said to Susie in admiration, "that was wonderful."

"You don't know how difficult it was not to tear that evil man to pieces," Susie replied still trembling with fury.

"Good Lord," Ruthie muttered, "not even he deserves that."

"And more!" Susie turned sharply to Ruthie.

"Perhaps," Ruthie whispered when she thought of all the families he had devastated with his greed.

"I'm looking forward to the night when I drain the final drop of life from his body," Susie walked toward the street with her companions behind.

"Let's hope we're rid of Reverend Williams by that time," Amy said cheerfully, "we will need our alley dwelling blood supply liberated to us by then."

"Unless we find ourselves another prominent man to feed off for a while," Susie suggested, "perhaps the good Reverend himself."

"Oh, no!" Ruthie exclaimed, "that is not going to happen. Remember our agreement."

"Yes, yes," Susie impatiently relented, "we need to prove his motives evil in order to kill him."

"Don't anyone forget it," Ruthie demanded.

"Mr. Smith will be drained bloodless in a matter of days, so we need to be more diligent in our pursuit of the Reverend," Amy said, "maybe the evening newspaper will give us some news of him."

"I'll find a newspaper," Ruthie volunteered.

Later, as the three vampires sat in the candlelight with the newspaper spread out in front of Ruthie, Amy brushed her hair while Susie sat impatiently waiting to lay herself to rest. She was anxious for the next night when she could once again feed on the man she hated, destroying his life as he had damaged hers and destroyed many of her former co-workers.

"I don't see anything relating to the Reverend," Ruthie announced as she folded the newspaper and opened her Bible.

"That is probably a good sign," Amy surmised, "Without the deaths of any of his congregation, he has nothing to complain about."

"I hope Mr. Smith doesn't notice those bite marks on his neck," Ruthie worried, "he may have a doctor examine him in the morning when he finds he isn't feeling well."

"Oh, Ruthie," Susie sighed, "you worry too much. Why would he relate bite marks to being unwell?"

"Even if he did," Amy added, "he would assume he is sick from spider bites or some other insect."

"I hope you're right," Ruthie began her evening prayers.

Chapter 31

As the autumn chill became more wintry and frosty the vampires spent those nights attacking Mr. Smith as he lay in his sick bed. More care was taken to slip in and out of the house, as now a servant was nearby to tend a small fire in the bedroom fireplace and care for Mr. Smith in his weakening physical state. Susie fought back giggles of glee and satisfaction as she controlled and savored the once strong and powerful man's declining health and imminent descent toward death. She loved the feeling of power and the control she had never known in her life before her transformation.

Ruthie, on the other hand, was alarmed at Susie's growing lust for blood and her uninhibited joy in her new power and her feeling of conquest and self-satisfaction that accompanied it. Ruthie feared this was an extremely dangerous combination that could eventually draw discovery and death to them all. Susie had hinted at using their power to annihilate all oppressors and even asked Ruthie the whereabouts of her former master. It still gave Ruthie chills to even think about the violent abuse she suffered from her master and never wanted to see him again. Becoming a bloodthirsty vampire was not her choice but she preferred living her present life as an evil being to her former life as a victim and helpless servant, helplessly allowing herself to be submissive and dependent on a man who used her and abused her. She was happy to leave the past behind and was adamantly averse to seeking him out even for revenge.

Next, in an attempt to hunt down Amy's oppressor Susie tried to raise some anger in Amy by describing her perspective on Robert's disappearance. She coldly told Amy how she believed that Robert had abandoned her intentionally, probably after planning his escape for some time. The devastating pain on Amy's face melted Ruthie's heart and she tried to comfort her the best she could. The next evening Amy woke up with her faith in Robert fully restored but her mistrust in Susie had grown to equal Ruthie's.

"Don't you blame your father for your being a vampire?" Susie asked Amy after she rose for the evening.

"No," Amy asked warily, "why would you even ask such a thing?"

"He forbid you to see Robert and promised you to a man of his choosing," Susie explained, " you must carry some feelings of resentment toward your father, don't you?"

Ruthie nervously looked up from her Bible. She guessed Susie was still trying to raise anger in Amy and feared Amy's reaction. She felt that Amy was already in enough pain caused by the loss of Robert. She didn't need Susie bringing up more unpleasant memories of Amy's past.

"No," Amy replied sternly, "I do not. When Ruthie and I used my father's cellar as a lair I resolved any feelings of anger or resentment that I had for my father. I would have been with Robert as a result of any situation my father was responsible for. I would have happily repeated my actions even knowing then what I know now. Robert will return to me no matter what anyone else believes."

Disappointed at her failure to manipulate Amy and Ruthie into seeking vengeance from their former oppressors, Susie sat down with a sigh, "Then who will we use for a victim next? We've been following Reverend Williams with no luck at finding him evil. It's too dangerous to feed on his flock and feeding on the Reverend, which would solve our problem, is forbidden."

"Yes," Amy replied, "tonight will be the final night of Mr. Smith's life."

"Yes," Susie grinned, "what a wonderful night this will be."

"I don't like the way you've been acting," Ruthie spoke up, "you love murdering too much. It can only end up bad. You're going to forget to be careful and get us all killed."

"What do you mean?" Susie asked in defense, "that's what we are now, murderers, sinners, tools of the devil as you refer to us?"

"That is true," Ruthie replied, "but you are enjoying it too much."

"Why can't I enjoy it?" Susie asked, "Amy enjoys it, don't you, Amy?"

Amy looked uncomfortable. She didn't want to admit her enjoyment, even though she and Ruthie had discussed it before, "Of course I enjoy it, Susie," she answered reluctantly, "but that's what we are. We need to drink blood, but we have to remain logical and self-preserving. If we give in completely to our lust for blood, we are certain to be discovered and killed."

"What good is having all of this power; strength, invulnerability to things that would kill a mortal human-lack of food, the elements, disease-if we don't have the freedom to take advantage of it?"

"I don't think anyone has ultimate freedom," Ruthie said, "I dreamed all my life of being free from my master and mistress. I know my mother did too. But now I realize that nobody is completely free. Even now that I'm free from my past and have more power and strength than the strongest man, I have to be careful how I use that power or I won't have it for long. Eternity is a long time to be burning in hell. I don't want to die any sooner than I have to."

"Yes," Amy agreed, "we still have a responsibility to ourselves. If we allow ourselves to use our power freely, we would draw attention to ourselves and soon be discovered and destroyed."

Susie sulked in her chair seeming to process the advice of her two companions and abruptly changed the subject, "I have an idea to have Mr. Smith die in a most humiliating manner."

"What is your idea?" Amy asked with apprehension.

"We could carry his body to one of the alleys and allow the authorities to find it instead of him dying in his soft bed at home," Susie smiled in appreciation of her plan.

"The authorities would only hide his identity like they did the man in your house," Ruthie said.

"I agree with Ruthie," Amy said, "besides it would be dangerous to transport his body into town. It would also raise questions among his family and the authorities. He's been unable to rise from his sick bed for days. How would he arrive downtown on his own? They would be sure to conclude that he had help traveling."

"Yes," Ruthie added," it would appear that he was murdered. That's what our plan was seeking to avoid."

"Yes," Amy said, "the whole plan of draining him slowly is to disguise his death as a mysterious illness that causes him to weaken and die gradually."

"Fine," Susie relented, "I was simply looking for a way to destroy his reputation."

"Isn't killing the man enough?" Ruthie stood in agitation, "you want to ruin his reputation as well?"

"Yes, I do," Susie replied passionately, "I want to destroy him completely."

Ruthie and Amy exchanged looks of displeasure.

"Susie," Amy stood and joined Ruthie across the table from where Susie sat, "you must keep control of yourself. You mustn't allow your lust for revenge and blood cloud your reason. We must retain control of our senses."

"The two of you have no imagination and no sense of adventure," Susie accused.

"Any impulsive acts on our parts only end in problems and regret," Amy explained, "in fact, I was acting on impulse the night we met. I was careless in murdering your Mr. Strapper and careless in leaving him alive to attract Reverend William's attention. I was also careless in bringing you away and transforming you into one of us before learning exactly what circumstances you were suffering."

"Are you saying you regret knowing me now?" Susie demanded angrily, "Am I not living up to your standards and expectations?"

"Not at all," Amy explained, "I'm simply trying to make you realize the dangers of acting on impulse. Much, much worse things could happen to us than possibly attracting the attention of a powerless minister."

"Of course," Ruthie interjected, "his power could rise considerably if he solves the mystery of his parishioners' murders and exposes our identity."

"Then he would become a hero," Amy said, "perhaps even a legend. We certainly don't want that to happen, do we?"

"No," Susie was subdued, "we certainly don't."

"I'm very happy that you understand," Amy smiled with relief, "now let us visit Mr. Smith for the final time."

A warm flickering glow from the fireplace could be seen in Mr. Smith's bedroom window as the vampires traveled by mist up the rear of the house for the final time. Inside the room the sound of crackling embers accompanied the glow of the flickering flames while the girls stood still and silent behind the window drapes waiting for the nursemaid to leave the room. She sat wearily next to the bed waiting for her employer to either awaken and need her attention or give in to his affliction and end her term of employment. Eventually, she rose stiffly and left the room after a momentary stop by the fireplace to stir the ashes andadd a log.

Susie hastily approached the bed to administer the final attack that would kill Mr. Smith and allow her the vengeful satisfaction she had been looking forward to. She paused over him, her mouth open and ready to inflict the fatal feeding. At that moment she realized she wanted as much satisfaction as possible during the final attack. In her greed for having Mr. Smith punished for her suffering, she became determined that he didn't drift quietly into death. With her mouth still open, sharp fangs shining in the firelight, Susie shook Smith until his eyes opened weakly. As she enjoyed watching the drowsy expression on his face change from confusion to terror she greedily bent over him and drank the remainder of his blood. When she rose she was not only satisfied physically from the feeding, but satisfied emotionally by the expression of terror still frozen on Smith's lifeless face.

Outside the house moments later Susie laughed a deep satisfying laugh while Ruthie and Amy stood by concerned, but not surprised, with Susie's disturbing reaction to Mr. Smith's murder.

Susie ceased her selfish enjoyment when she noted their disapproving expressions and Amy said, "That was quite a shameful display, Susie."

"What do you mean?" Susie asked as they quickly moved toward the city center.

"For one thing," Amy pouted, "you were extremely selfish and left nothing for me."

"Oh," Susie frowned, "I'm sorry. I was so consumed with the ecstasy of the act that I forgot. I really do apologize, Amy, but there really wasn't enough in him for two people anyway."

Ruthie looked shaken and angry at Susie's sinful joy, "You have to start repressing your love of murder, Susie. I know you believe that it's natural for us to murder, but murder is murder no matter how you explain it."

"Yes," Amy added, "that is the other thing. We talked about this before leaving the lair tonight."

"How dare you scold me about this again," Susie glared, "do you want to know how severely I controlled myself? My impulse was to tear his head off and drink the blood from his gaping neck, then strip off his skin and lick the blood that coats its walls."

Amy and Ruthie stared in horror.

"Yes," Susie said, "that would have raised some very serious questions by the authorities. Therefore, I settled for waking him long enough for him to see the attack approach and for me to enjoy the look of horror on his face. I'm sure the authorities will mistake the expression for the pain of his soul leaving his body or some other nonsense and we will remain safe. I'm not ashamed for taking pleasure in the power I had to take that evil man's life and the power I had to cause such an expression of pure terror. The same expression of terror my dead coworkers suffered the night they were trampled by the horses in the street."

"Good Lord!" Ruthie exclaimed shakily, "I don't know if any amount of prayer will help cleanse your soul of that confession."

"But I'm sure you'll try anyway, won't you?" Susie said sarcastically.

After a few minutes of silence Amy said, "I suppose you are gaining control over your impulses, Susie, if what you say is true."

"Are you questioning my honesty?" Susie asked.

"Certainly not," Amy replied, "I've just never known such hatred."

"Neither have I," Susie said.

"I hope you never hate that strongly again," Ruthie said, "I hope instead you can learn to forgive."

"What fun is that?" Susie muttered.

"Well," Amy brightened, "tomorrow evening we should find a front page story detailing Mr. Smith's life and death in the afternoon paper."

"Maybe a special edition," Susie laughed, "being the prominent businessman he was."

"Presently, Ruthie and I need to feed," Amy announced as they entered an alley leading to the wharves. The alley harbored only a cat and a few rats, which Ruthie skillfully gathered and drained as she passed through. Her hunger quenched, Ruthie was eager to walk along the wharves and feel the cold air in her hair and on her face and pray for Mr. Smith and Susie. She hoped Amy would be able to find a suitable victim in the area to leave more time for strolling and praying along the waterfront. Keeping their hoods on as always to hide their faces, the three vampires slowly slipped along the river bank in the shadows of dark, silent buildings and occasional trees searching the air for the scent of blood and cautiously watching for anyone who might be loitering or working late along the wharves.

Suddenly Amy signaled her companions to halt and they pressed their backs against the clapboard side of a carpenter's building. They all heard the low voices of a man and woman from behind an overturned rowboat on the shore and waited for one or both of them to emerge from their hiding place. From the bits of conversation that was overheard, the woman was a prostitute waiting to be paid for services performed. Amy looked toward Ruthie who stood on the other side of Susie waiting for Ruthie's signal that one of these sinners would be an acceptable victim. After a moment the man and woman appeared from their secluded space and the man passed by ahead of the woman. Ruthie nodded reluctantly to Amy and Amy's arm swiftly reached out and she caught the prostitute by the throat as she passed. The man never looked back or noticed the prostitute disappear as he hastened back to his everyday life.

Amy swiftly pulled the middle-aged woman's throat to her waiting mouth and sunk her teeth into the skin, which was trapped under her vice-like fingers before the woman had a chance to scream out. The sudden gasp of air she had taken when she felt herself being pulled off her feet by Amy's supernatural strength was the only sound she made before dying. In moments the prostitute was lying dead and drained of blood at Amy's feet.

Susie knelt down and began searching the woman's clothing and pulled out a few coins, "Look at this!" she exclaimed as she rose.

"Money," Ruthie said when she looked at Susie's palm "what do you want with money. We just take whatever we want."

"Do you want to live in cellars and attics forever?" she looked from Ruthie to Amy.

"What are you suggesting?" Amy asked.

"We can have the means to rent a decent room," Susie explained as she pocketed the coins.

"That would be much too dangerous!" Amy replied, "We would be exposed and unprotected during the day. Just remember how your landlady made herself at home in your rooms while you were away."

"We could get ourselves a guard, Amy," Susie explained, "he could keep out anyone who tried to enter during the day."

"No," Ruthie said, "I won't make an innocent person a slave to me. That would be as bad as murder. It would still be denying another person his own life to lead."

"How is that as bad as murder?" Susie argued, "We wouldn't be killing him. Besides, maybe it would be an improvement over his present life, depending on who we choose."

Amy looked pensive, "It would be so nice to have decent furnishings and a fire in the winter."

"Amy!" Ruthie scolded, "We've discussed this before when you wanted to stay in our first lair, remember?"

"What?" Amy's mind was forced from her fantasy of luxury and fireplaces, "yes, that's right," she remembered, "yes, it's much too risky. Just imagine what might have happened if we had acted on that idea. Mr. Smith or his construction workers would most certainly have overcome our guard eventually and found us."

"But you weren't renting that house," Susie pointed out, "you had no legal claim on it. If you were renting or owned the property you would have been safe."

"Maybe so," Ruthie said, "but that still leaves the problem of forcing someone into a life of slavery."

"That's correct," Amy sighed, "we cannot take away a man's life unnecessarily for our comfort."

"I'm glad you agree," Ruthie was relieved.

"The way the two of you waste your power and give up all that you could gain by it is absolutely incredible," Susie seethed, "you are more powerful than anyone in the world, but you cower in fear living in dusty cellars when you could be luxuriating in mansions filled with servants."

"Let's dispose of this body and discuss this later," Ruthie suggested.

"Yes," Amy lifted her victim and peered out from behind the building before stepping out into the open. The area was deserted as she carried the lifeless body past the overturned boat and dropped it lightly into the cold quiet river.

After a short walk along the riverbank the vampires returned to the silent dark cold church and their lair below. Ruthie immediately lit the candles and continued the prayer she began by the river. Her cold hands lay faithfully on her Bible as she whispered her prayers for the souls of their victims as well as the killers.

Susie and Amy quietly hung their cloaks and Amy drew Susie aside so as not to disturb Ruthie's concentration.

"Susie," she looked into Susie's angry face, "you must realize once and for all that we mustn't do anything to bring attention to ourselves. For one thing, it would be dangerous for anyone to recognize us. We are all considered to be missing. People would be filled with curiosity and demand explanations for our sudden disappearances and reappearances. That wouldn't even be the worst thing to happen. How could we even begin to explain how three girls from three completely different backgrounds and parts of town came to disappear but find each other? The worst thing would be for people, unbeknownst to us to discover and recognize us and keep their knowledge a secret, but follow us to find our lair and our true identities. If we were to attempt to live like civilized residents and take a room of our own it would soon become known to our neighbors that we are unseen and unavailable during daylight hours. Even a guard couldn't prevent curious meddlers from attempting to learn our secret. Do you understand?"

"I understand that we must live in fear of being discovered for eternity," Susie resentfully replied.

"Yes," Amy said, "we must protect ourselves forever."

"Perhaps," Susie suggested, "if we move to a larger and strange city we could try to rent rooms."

"I will stay in this city until Robert returns," Amy vowed, "I only hope and pray he can find me here without being in the lair where he left me."

"What if he never returns?" Susie asked.

"I know he will," Amy began her bedtime grooming.

Susie sighed, "I suppose I have no choice but to live in dark cellars and attics forever," she took the coins from inside her skirt and set them on the table quietly so as not to interrupt Ruthie's prayers.

Chapter 32

An early flurry, barely visible, greeted the vampires the next evening as they left the lair. The faint hint of snow was a preview of winter with the season's reclusiveness of potential victims. More and more people would be staying inside by the fire only leaving their homes to go to work and run necessary errands. The river would freeze along the shore making it more difficult to dispose of bloodless corpses.

"This is so strange and liberating to be out in the cold and not feel it," Susie observed.

"Yes," Ruthie agreed, "isn't it wonderful not to fear the cold?"

"If it weren't for shielding our faces," Amy said, "we wouldn't need our cloaks."

"Amazing," Susie wondered. Her anger of the previous evening had dissipated slightly during the day as she rested. Upon waking she realized reluctantly that Amy's lectures of the previous evening were filled with truth whether Susie liked it or not. She decided to learn as much as she could from Amy's experience as a vampire and find ways to take advantage of her power and strength without the risk of bringing attention to herself and her companions.

"I do miss seeing my breath come out in little puffs though, don't you, Ruthie?" Amy asked.

"Just a little," Ruthie admitted, "but I sure don't miss feeling cold."

Changing the subject Amy said, "Now that we are finished with Mr. Smith, let us continue our observance of Reverend Williams."

"When will you leave that poor man alone?" Ruthie asked.

"When we have enough evidence that he is the holy man of God you believe him to be," Amy answered.

"Or the false man Amy and I hope that he is," added Susie as they moved in the direction of State Street and the City Hotel.

Before very long the flurries ended and Reverend Williams emerged from the hotel with a companion, "He must be one of his congregation," Amy said.

"He may be," observed Ruthie, "he's dressed like one of them."

"I believe that man is sober," Susie said, "he's walking straight and tall."

"Oh!" Ruthie exclaimed, "The reverend's good work is seeing miracles! He was able to save that man from drunkenness."

"We need to follow closer to hear their conversation," Amy hurried away from the cover of the shadow of a tree where they had been hiding until she was directly behind the two men as they walked briskly toward Bank Street. Ruthie pulled gently on Amy's cloak to remind her not to get so close that either man could quickly turn and see her before she had a chance to duck away. Susie closely followed Amy, annoyed at Ruthie's persistent caution.

"The death of Mr. Smith is most suspicious," Reverend Williams remarked to his companion.

His companion chuckled, "You believe every death in the city to be suspicious."

"Mr. Thomas," Reverend Williams scolded, "I thought you were a friend of mine. Please don't scoff at my theories, which are completely rational. Your attitude resembles that of the so-called authorities in this city who have yet to take me seriously."

"I apologize, Reverend," replied Mr. Thomas, "I only laugh because of my admiration for your remarkable ability to see clues of a crime where the authorities don't."

"They simply don't want to see clues," Williams said, "however, I am hopeful that the mysterious circumstances of Mr. Smith's death will change their attitudes."

"How so?"

"The symptoms of Mr. Smith's illness mimic the same symptoms of several men formerly of Widows Row, a very poor part of the city," the reverend explained, "the authorities claim not to have the manpower to investigate fatal illnesses of men who would likely have drank themselves to death or be killed in an industrial accident eventually anyway. Mr. Smith, being a wealthy business owner, is different. While the poor citizens of Widows Row possessed little value to the city, Mr. Smith was an asset, employing many people and donating funds for city projects. The city will suffer his loss. I'm sure the city will want to avoid losing any more men like him."

"So, you're saying these men were all murdered?"

"That is what I am saying, Mr. Thomas," the reverend continued, "in fact, I believe other murders in the city should be investigated as well."

"What other murders?" Mr. Thomas asked in alarm, "I haven't heard of any murders."

"No," Reverend Williams continued angrily, "because most of the people murdered were of little or no social standing. Many of the deaths occurred in the poorest sections of the city or along the riverbank. Some were strangers, newcomers to town who had no family or acquaintances here to speak for them."

"Well, how do you know they were murdered?"

"For instance, many of them were found lying lifeless in alleyways with a dead animal close by."

"So, the animal was presumably mad and attacked the victim in the dark," Mr. Thomas presumed, "it has happened before."

"I was raised on a farm, Mr. Thomas," Reverend Williams explained, "a mad or vicious animal will attack other animals as well. No dead animals were found in such a condition, only men were killed."

"I suppose you have a point."

"Other deaths were assumed to be accidents, such as a night supervisor at the biscuit factory being hit by a train and one of my parishioners also being hit by a train."

"What is suspicious about those deaths?" Mr. Thomas asked, "Trains are relatively new to the city. One could probably be caught by accident on the tracks at the wrong time."

"I inspected the tracks after the bodies were found and there was no blood on the tracks where they were hit by the train."

"Did you bring all of these facts to the authorities?"

"Yes, of course," Reverend Williams replied, "they refuse to take me seriously."

"Well," Mr. Thomas said, "do you know why you aren't being taken seriously?"

"No," Reverend Williams replied hotly, "I do not and it's very frustrating to know so many men are being murdered in this city, my parishioners among them especially, and nothing is being done to find and arrest the murderer."

"So, what do you plan to do?" Mr. Thomas asked.

"As I said, now that a prominent man has died, the authorities may take action if I can convince them of his murder. I'm planning to take my story to the newspapers and to the city hall."

"And if they still refuse to take you seriously?"

"There is an evil haunting this city that apparently can only be detected by a chose man of God like myself and as God is my witness, I will apprehend the murderer myself and save this city from the evil that is killing it one man at a time!"

Amy slipped into the nearest alley closely followed by Susie and Ruthie, "I suggest we feed now and quickly return to the liar."

"Feed on the Reverend and his friend?" Susie asked hopefully.

"No!" Ruthie exclaimed.

"No," Amy replied, "not just yet anyway."

"What!" Ruthie exclaimed again.

"We do need to discuss what to do with the good Reverend though. He may be more of a problem than we first thought."

"I know how to solve that problem," Susie bared her teeth.

"Don't be foolish," Ruthie told Susie.

"Yes, Ruthie, that just might be foolish," Amy said, "since the Reverend has suggested to the authorities that some of the deaths in the city may be murders and not accidents, illnesses or animal attacks, the authorities may begin investigating if the Reverend is himself killed by one of those same methods."

"Is that what he said?" Ruthie asked.

"Yes," Amy replied, "he has been noting every one of our victims' deaths and believes them to be mysterious and intentional murders."

"Well, if that's what he believes," Susie asserted, "he's the only one. The general public accepts the authorities' explanation as accidents, illnesses and crazed animal attacks."

"He's a good man," Ruthie murmured shaking her head.

"Why do you say that?" Susie asked.

"Because he's obviously trying to speak for those murdered victims who can't speak for themselves."

Susie rolled her eyes, "Maybe he's simply trying to get attention by causing fear in the public and causing trouble for the authorities and for us."

"Yes," Amy agreed, "his motives may be selfish, but whatever his motives, he is a danger to us. Let's discuss this later at the lair. We need to feed at the present."

"I can smell rats all along this alley," Ruthie said, "I can feed right here."

"I'll wait," Amy said, "you know how I feel about rats."

"I say we stalk in the opposite direction of wherever Reverend Williams was traveling," Susie suggested, "even if he covers that end of town, we will be safe in the lair before he finds the body."

"You mean we feed off one of his flock?" Amy asked.

"Yes," Susie answered, "the drunken street dwellers are the easiest human prey, unless you'd care to visit the stables."

Amy watched Ruthie skillfully capture, drain and discard rats as she contemplated the risks, "The Reverend is already convinced the deaths are murder. If he finds another corpse or a parishioner goes missing he will consider it another murder."

"No matter who or where someone dies," Susie said, "he will consider it murder."

"You're right," Amy decided, "let's head north and find a victim."

"Wait!" Ruthie joined in the conversation as she dropped a dead rat at her feet, "you just said that another death would only cause Reverend Williams to be more suspicious, so you decided to leave a victim intentionally to make him more suspicious?"

"Well," Amy replied, "not to intentionally make him more suspicious. However, there is no way to now revoke his suspicions, so what more damage will another murder do?"

"That is exactly how I feel," Susie added.

"Another murder will do a lot of damage," Ruthie said excitedly, "for one thing, another sin will be committed putting another mark of Satan on our souls. For another thing the Reverend will become even more committed to hunting down the murderer, which is us!"

"Well, what do you suggest we do?" Amy asked impatiently.

"Stop murdering people until he has no more accusations to make and no one to pursue."

"Then how will we feed," Amy retorted haughtily, "and don't suggest animal blood."

"What if we took the blood from the animals without having to bite into their fur?" Susie suggested.

"How will we accomplish that, tear their heads off with our hands?" Amy asked, referring to Susie's previous night's fantasy regarding Mr. Smith.

"It isn't the same as tearing off a man's head, is it?" Susie asked defensively, "it's no different than killing a farm animal for Sunday dinner."

"The difference is," Amy replied, "is that servants do that sort of work, not ladies."

Susie laughed, "You might have been a lady once, but now you're a hunter. Besides, ladies are boring and powerless."

"That may be, but I still avoid tasteless activities." Amy replied ignoring Susie's opinion of ladies.

"Like murder?" Ruthie asked, "I think Susie's idea might work. It will be messy, but better than murdering people."

"Thank you, Ruthie," Susie said, "what would you suggest, Amy, sitting in the lair waiting for Robert to rescue you?"

"How I do wish Robert was here!" Amy exclaimed, "He would know just what to do!"

Ruthie knew the conversation was not leading to a solution for the present evening and arguing in an alley would eventually call attention to themselves, "why don't you two visit the stables for blood and after that we can have that conversation you suggested back at the lair."

"Fine," Amy sulked.

"Yes, fine," Susie sighed.

Ruthie was relieved to return to the lair safely with her companions and her newspaper. She tossed her cloak over her coffin as she passed to the table and lit the candles.

"I hope that newspaper holds some useful news for us," Susie said as she and Amy both hung their cloaks and prepared for the day's rest.

Ruthie sat at the table and spread the paper out in front of her, "I'm sure Mr. Smith's death will be announced."

"I wonder what killed him?" Amy asked playfully as she brushed her hair.

"Or who?" Susie smiled.

"Yes," Ruthie said somberly, "it says he died of a fever."

"A fever?" Susie said, "he didn't feel hot like he had a fever. I wonder why they say a fever."

"They had to say something," Amy replied, "I suppose they didn't want to write that he died of unknown causes or that he died of something mysterious."

"Maybe they are calling it a fever because the doctor or the Smiths don't want to report his death as a vampire attack," Ruthie said.

"Do you think anyone recognized the bites on his neck?" Amy asked nervously.

Susie giggled, "They were pretty deep!"

"You shouldn't be proud of your sins," Ruthie scolded.

"Ruthie, do you ever enjoy yourself?" Susie asked angrily, "Feeding myself is not a sin."

"I agree," Amy said, "but we should hope that no one recognized those bite marks all the same."

"Does the paper mention our good Reverend?" Susie changed the subject.

"I'll look," Ruthie turned the page. "If it does it's probably not right on the front."

"Yes," Amy agreed, " it's a good thing for us the authorities don't take the Reverend's ideas seriously. From what he told his friend, he hasn't spoken yet to the authorities about his theory regarding Mr. Smith's death."

"I say we kill him before he has the chance," Susie suggested.

"No!" Ruthie exclaimed.

"I think it's too late for that," Amy said, "he will certainly go to the authorities today while we rest."

"He's a man of God," Ruthie reminded her friends, "there is nothing evil about him. You won't kill him."

"Maybe he isn't evil," Susie said, "but he is dangerous nonetheless."

"Yes," agreed Amy, "he may become a threat to our survival."

"There must be another way to solve our problem," Ruthie insisted.

"The only other way I can think is to leave town," Susie said knowing the argument was futile.

"I will not leave town," Amy said stubbornly, "I will stay until Robert returns."

"You'll risk your life and ours to wait for a man who abandoned you, possibly forever?" Susie challenged angrily.

"How dare you suggest that Robert has left me forever," Amy replied, "he was taken from me against his will and one day he will find his way back."

"You are living in a dream," Susie accused, "a dream that can only end as a nightmare."

"Stop!" Ruthie demanded as she moved between the two adversaries, "there must be another way to rid ourselves of Reverend William's suspicions without killing him or leaving town. We need to think hard and stop fighting."

Amy and Susie continued to glare angrily at each other over Ruthie's head. Momentarily, Amy took a deep breath and removed her gaze from Susie and said, "There is one other thing in this world I have faith in besides Robert's love for me and that's faith in Ruthie's gift of reason," She looked at Ruthie affectionately, "you are always right, Ruthie. We do need to stop fighting and think harder for a solution to this problem."

Frustrated by Amy's unshakable faith in a man who betrayed her and Ruthie's stubborn denial to kill a self-proclaimed man of God, Susie angrily took a seat at the table, put her head in her hands and said, "Fine, then, you geniuses invent a way we can stay in town and rid ourselves of our enemy, Reverend Williams."

"All right, we will," Amy and Ruthie joined Susie at the table. Amy picked up her brush and stroked her hair while Ruthie put away the newspaper and held her Bible.

After a few moments of meditation Amy said, "let's list our limitations. We cannot kill him, we cannot make him our servant."

"Hmmph," Susie grunted into her arms, "no matter how attractive both of those options seem."

"Only to you," Ruthie pointed out.

"What else is left?" Amy wondered.

"We can make him leave town so we won't have to," Ruthie suggested.

"What?" Amy looked at Ruthie, her brush in midair.

Susie raised her head from her arms in curiosity, "How do we accomplish that?"

"I don't know," Ruthie replied, "it's the only way to free ourselves of him without murdering him."

"It makes perfect sense!" Amy exclaimed, "we only need to remove him from our hunting ground. We don't need to kill him to do so."

"We could terrify him enough to make him flee the city forever," Susie suggested excitedly.

"Hmm," Amy considered the idea, "that might only reinforce his belief in his theory that the deaths in town were murders. He might believe that the murderers are trying to drive him away."

"Which would be true," Ruthie said.

"Even if we attempted to frighten him enough to leave," Amy added, "we could accidentally reveal ourselves to him. Then he would run to the authorities with our descriptions."

"They haven't believed him so far," Susie said, "why would they believe him when he tells them that three young women are the mysterious murderers?"

"They probably wouldn't," Amy conceded, "but he won't rest until he achieves satisfaction for the murders of his parishioners."

"Yes," Ruthie said, "that would be too high a risk."

"His parishioners," Susie scoffed, "the city's human refuse. I suppose those are the only people he can attract being a self-proclaimed Reverend without a church."

"Yes," Amy agreed, "it is quite humiliating to be threatened by such a low form of a man."

"He's a man of God," Ruthie insisted, "no matter who his followers are. The authorities didn't take Jesus seriously either in his time."

"Are you comparing Reverend Williams to Jesus?" Amy asked Ruthie.

"He's doing the work of Jesus," Ruthie replied, "that man he was with tonight seemed to be healed from his drunkenness."

"That gives me an idea!" Amy exclaimed after a moment of thought, "We could write the Reverend a letter inviting him to take over a congregation in another city. Certainly he wouldn't refuse."

"Wouldn't he be suspicious?" Susie asked.

"We write that his reputation for healing drunken men has reached them and they are in need of a talented man of God to rehabilitate the men of their city and convert them into productive Christians."

"The only risk we would take would be in delivering the letter to his hotel," Ruthie said.

"What happens if he goes and when he gets there discovers the letter was a lie?" Susie asked.

"We send him so far away that perhaps he will stay there and settle," Amy replied optimistically.

"He may stay there out of shame," Susie laughed, "imagine the explaining he would need to do upon his return. He would have to admit being fooled."

"No one respects him now," Amy said, "he would be nothing but a joke and never be respected in this town after this."

"It's a cruel plan," Ruthie admitted, "but it's better than killing him. At least his life will be saved."

"And we will be free to feed without notice once again," Amy rose from the table, "we can find writing paper and ink upstairs in the church."

Ruthie held the candle and led the way to the narrow dusty steps that led from the cellar to the upper floors of the church. Cobwebs had reformed since the last time she and Amy made the trip for fresh candles weeks earlier. Although the risk of anyone being in the church in the morning hours past midnight long before dawn was low, Ruthie was still extremely cautious. Amy patiently followed behind Ruthie trying to prevent her hands and clothing from brushing up against the dirty damp stones of the foundation. Susie, unsure of her footing on her first trip to the church, fearlessly yet carefully followed Amy up the foreign stairs, finding each step with her toe before allowing the entire weight of her body to follow.

After successfully ascending the steep narrow stairs, Ruthie was able to move more quickly toward the second set of stairs that led to the sanctuary and the supply closet where the candles and other altar supplies were kept. The beauty of the altar and its purpose filled Ruthie with feelings of hope and peace and joy even though she believed that as a being composed of sin and condemned to sin she didn't deserve to kneel at God's altar especially this resplendent altar. Kneeling with head bowed Ruthie held out the candle for Amy to take.

"You must be quick, Ruthie!" Amy exclaimed in a whisper as she took the candle from Ruthie.

"What is she doing?" Susie asked as she looked around the enormous room.

"She says a prayer at the altar when we visit for supplies," Amy whispered, "it's very important to her and we rarely visit for fear we will be discovered."

"Wouldn't it be delicious to have to rid ourselves of a witness here in God's house?" Susie smiled baring her teeth.

"No," Amy replied gravely, "it would absolutely destroy Ruthie."

Ruthie rose from her position of prayer and they continued to the far side of the room where the supplies were kept. Amy entered the closet and quickly returned with a few sheets of paper, envelopes and a small amount of candles.

"You didn't take much," Susie remarked when Amy emerged from the small room.

"We don't want them to notice anything amiss, Susie," Amy replied, "let's hurry back before we're noticed."

Ruthie turned to lead her companions back through the sanctuary toward the stairs when Susie changed direction and climbed the steps past the altar and took a position in the pulpit. To the shock of Ruthie and Amy, Susie bared her teeth and filled the cavernous sanctuary with her low evil laugh.

Ruthie began to tremble in fear causing Amy to catch the candle as it wavered precariously in Ruthie's trembling grip. Amy clutching the supplies in one hand and the lit candle in the other left Ruthie quaking and crying by the door to the stairs and angrily made her way to Susie's side.

"Sorry," Susie looked into Amy's alarmed and angry face, "I simply couldn't resist the temptation to laugh in the face of Christianity."

"Follow me," Amy whispered between her teeth and returned to where Ruthie was waiting fearfully.

Susie still snickering, obediently followed Amy and Ruthie back to the lair where Ruthie took her seat at the table and Amy set the candle back in its place on the table, then put the new supplies down next to it.

"How could you, Susie?" Amy stamped her foot furiously at Susie who sat at the table looking offended and annoyed, "Just look at poor Ruthie. I've never seen her in such a state. You've hurt her badly and could have brought attention and ruin to us all."

Susie's eyes moved to Ruthie who clutched her Bible to her chest, still visibly shaken.

"It was just for fun," Susie replied, "I didn't mean any harm. I thought it would be fun to poke fun at the ministers who are always so quick to accuse us of sin and shame us into following their rules."

"So it was a simple rebellious act against authority, was it?" Amy asked.

"Yes," Susie admitted, "an authority which no longer has any power over me."

"Well, it's an authority which has ultimate power over Ruthie," Amy explained, "Ruthie has the utmost fear and respect for Christianity and spends every waking moment attempting to serve God."

"Why waste her time with that when she has power and immortality," Susie argued, "more power than God."

"It's not a waste of time when one is a person of faith," Amy continued to defend Ruthie even though she agreed with Susie, "and Ruthie has a very strong faith in God and heaven."

Susie watched Ruthie hugging her Bible and felt a pang of regret, "I'm sorry I hurt you, Ruthie," She said, "I was being thoughtless. I should have realized how much my little joke would upset you."

"It was not a joke," Ruthie glared angrily at Susie, "it was blasphemy. It was an insult to God to laugh at Him in His own house. You should apologize to Him, not to me."

"That I will not do," Susie replied.

"I wouldn't expect you to," Ruthie said, "especially since you think you're stronger than Him. You're not stronger than God or Jesus. God is your creator. You can't be stronger than the God who created the earth and everything on it."

"We will never agree on this topic," Susie said as she stood and went to her casket, "I'm going to rest."

"Oh, Ruthie," Amy knelt beside Ruthie after Susie drew her lid down for the day, "will you be all right? I've never seen you so upset."

"Yes," Ruthie sighed, "I'll be all right, but I don't think Susie will. She's going to burn in Hell for sure if she gets killed. And with her carelessness, she won't survive for long."

"Oh, I agree," Amy sat in the chair closest to Ruthie, "no matter how seriously I warn her, she doesn't seem to comprehend the consequences of the risks she's taking or the peril she's putting us in as well."

"I fear for her soul more than ours," Ruthie said.

"We should rest as well, Ruthie," Amy suggested, "It must be near dawn."

"We will have to work on the letter tomorrow," Ruthie said as they went to their caskets.

"Yes, we will," Amy agreed.

Chapter 33

The smell of the damp rocks of the church foundation and the earth of the cellar floor blended with the scent of whale oil candles and mingled with the odor of ink after Amy opened the pot to compose the letter the vampires hoped would rid them of the suspicious Reverend Williams. As usual, Ruthie and Amy were groomed and dressed for the evening before Susie emerged from her coffin. Ruthie read her Bible while Amy dreamed of her future reunion with Robert as they waited for Susie. Now that Susie had finished her primping they were ready to begin.

"So, we've agreed on what we shall write," Amy dipped the pen into the ink, "but where should we send the good Reverend?"

"We could send him to California to preach to the gold miners," Susie suggested, "the trip there would take him months. The return trip would take months as well, provided he returns at all."

"He may not have enough money to return if he spends all his money to get there," Ruthie added.

"Let's hope that would be the case," Amy said, "We don't want him to return at all. Then we would need another plan to rid ourselves of him again."

"Yes," Susie agreed, "we need to be rid of him permanently."

"Do you think he would risk such a long trip without knowing anything about where he's going. Or who is inviting him?" Amy asked.

"Maybe this isn't such a good plan after all," Ruthie said, "how will we know whether he accepts the offer or not. What will we use as a return address?"

"I never thought of that!" Amy set the pen on the table and sighed.

"We can invite him to a false address in a closer state," Susie suggested, "perhaps New York or Pennsylvania. Ask him to leave immediately because of the urgent need of his services. Then if he is still here in a day or two, we know he declined the offer."

"That may work," Amy sounded hopeful.

"It might," Ruthie agreed, "we can write that this false person in another state read a copy of the newspaper article describing his opinions about the suspicious murders. We can say these suspicious murders are being experienced there too and they need his help in exposing the murderer."

"Or," Susie said, "they have captured the murderer who seems to be overpowered by demons and the Reverend's help is needed in ridding the man of his demons."

"How could he resist such an offer?" Amy said excitedly.

"That might not rid us of him permanently, though," Ruthie pointed out, "as soon as he realizes he's been tricked he will come back to not only search for who tricked him, but he'll continue his search for the killer, especially when he discovers even more of his congregation are dead."

"Winter will be here by then and the freezing weather blamed as the cause of death for those men," Amy replied.

"That's what the authorities will assume, at least," Susie said, "The Reverend may still be suspicious of murder."

"At least we will be rid of him long enough to devise a new plan," Amy began to write, " Robert will most assuredly have returned by that time and he will know what to do."

After the ink dried Amy folded the letter into an envelope addressed to Reverend Williams at the City Hotel. The three vampires left the lair with the letter hidden under Amy's cloak until they could find a way to deliver it to the Reverend without being noticed.

"Remember when you stole the bread from the kitchen of another hotel?" Ruthie asked Amy, "Maybe that's how you can deliver the letter. Instead of taking bread you leave a letter."

"Why would you need bread?" Susie asked Amy.

"We needed to feed the pirate that we rescued from jail," Amy replied, "we told you about the pirate, didn't we?"

"Oh, yes," Susie recalled, "you didn't tell me how you fed her though."

"Well, that's how," Amy said, "in fact it was the hotel where you were working as a barmaid."

"I'd rather not be reminded of that," Susie groaned, "That was a terrible situation."

"Worse than the situation you're in now?" Ruthie asked.

"Yes," Susie replied, "it was."

"That's right," Ruthie said, "you think you're more powerful than God and being a murdering sinner is a joke."

"You wouldn't know what a joke is!" Susie said in an accusing tone, "you'd rather mope around hating yourself."

"At least I have hope of going to heaven someday," retorted Ruthie, "there's no hope for you."

"I'm never going to die anyway," Susie replied, "so I need not worry about going to heaven or to hell."

"That's enough!" Amy whispered sternly, "you will draw attention to yourselves with such conversations."

"Fine," Susie said softly.

Ruthie remained silent until they reached the tree from which they had been watching for Reverend Williams to emerge from his hotel, "So, how will we deliver the letter?"

"We will wait until he departs on his evening patrol then deliver the letter to the rear of the hotel just as you suggested, Ruthie," Amy replied.

"He should be leaving anytime now," Ruthie replied.

"There he is!" Susie exclaimed as the Reverend exited the front door of the hotel, looked down the sidewalk first to his left then to his right and walked to his right as he pulled the collar of his thin coat up higher to protect his neck from the cold night air, "he's alone tonight."

"Mr. Thomas was only with him last night, then," Amy said, "we won't be overhearing his conversations tonight."

"We have work to do anyway," Ruthie said.

"We will go to the rear of the hotel a few minutes after he's rounded the corner," Amy said, "he will surely be far enough away not to be seen by him by then."

"I do hope this plan works," Susie said, "even though I do like my plan better."

"You're not killing a Reverend," Ruthie growled.

"No, I'm not killing a Reverend," Susie replied disappointedly.

"I think it's safe to begin," Amy announced and they left the shadow of the tree to cross the street and walk toward the corner the Reverend had recently passed. To reach the back door of the hotel, they needed to travel a block past the corner and turn west along a side street.

The wooden hotel was sandwiched between two modern brick buildings that extended higher and longer than the hotel creating a small alleyway that led to the back door of the hotel. Stacks of empty kegs from the kitchen along with other various pieces of trash littered the alleyway attracting rats, roaches and other scavengers.

"I can smell the blood of the rats here," Ruthie observed, "can't you?" she asked her companions.

"It smells delicious," Susie replied.

"Let's follow our plan," Amy said as she led them toward the dark door at the rear of the hotel, "then we can feed."

"I hope no one comes to that door," Ruthie said.

"If someone does," Susie said lustfully, "I'll have him for dinner."

Amy paused and looked at her companions, "I'll go alone while the two of you hide behind those kegs. Then if someone does happen to find us here, you can take care of him so I'm not caught and the letter is delivered."

"Fine," Ruthie agreed.

"I'll be happy to take care of anyone who happens by," Susie smiled hoping for an intruder.

Ruthie and Susie each took a position on either side of the alley crouching low behind the kegs and debris. Rats scurried past their feet and brushed against their hems as they kept their attention divided between Amy's progress and the mouth of the alley.

Just as Amy's hand reached from under her cloak to open the back door of the hotel a voice from the street echoed through the alley, "Stop there!" demanded the man who now took determined strides into the alley toward Amy. Amy's hand disappeared back into her cloak and her eyes still shielded by her hood grew wide with fear as she heard his steps approaching rapidly. As she turned to look at the intruder, Susie jumped from her place behind the kegs becoming slightly airborne in her haste. Ruthie, still secluded behind the kegs was rising to see who the intruder was. She recognized him and tried to order Susie to stop but it was too late. Susie had already sunk her teeth in Reverend William's neck before Ruthie or Amy could intervene. In the urgency of the moment, Susie herself didn't realize who her victim was until she had drained most of his blood. Ruthie and Amy now stood in horror over Susie and her victim.

"Don't kill him!" Ruthie exclaimed as she tore Susie away from the Reverend.

"He knows us now, Ruthie!" Amy said in horror, "he knows us and now knows what we are."

"Oh no!" Susie exclaimed in remorse, I didn't see who it was before I attacked," she sat on the ground next to Reverend Williams, her cloak draped around her and partially over her victim. His hat lay several feet away in the trash of the alley, "Ruthie, I didn't mean to."

"What will we do?" Amy fretted, her eyes searching Susie and Ruthie for an answer, but they were just as dumbfounded and shocked, "we are ruined."

Suddenly Ruthie dropped to her knees and laid the Reverend's unconscious head into her lap. She raised the sleeve of her cloak and bit into her own wrist causing blood to ooze and run from the wound.

"Ruthie, no!" Amy exclaimed.

"We can't kill a man of God!" Ruthie exclaimed urgently as she forced her bloody wound into the Reverend's mouth.

"You're insane!" Susie exclaimed not understanding what Ruthie was doing.

"She's making him one of us!" Amy said to Susie who looked up at Amy in horror.

"Are you stupid!" Susie said to Ruthie, "he will be even more dangerous to us now."

"Susie's right, Ruthie," Amy pleaded, "You must stop this. It was an accident."

"He won't be a danger if he's one of us," Ruthie reasoned, "He won't be able to survive without us."

"Oh, Ruthie, no," Amy groaned.

"I cannot let him die!" Ruthie said, "we need to carry him to the lair."

"Ruthie, that is far too dangerous," Amy insisted, "he cannot know where that is."

"Let's leave him here," Susie suggested as she got to her feet.

"No," Ruthie stood holding the unconscious Reverend, "the sun will kill him."

"Unless someone finds him before morning and puts him to bed," Amy said, then added, "he will kill the first person who wakes him, if the sun in his window doesn't kill him first."

"And if he kills the person who wakes him," Ruthie said, "he will certainly be put in jail if the city men can overpower him. Then he will be tried and hung for murder. The sun would surely kill him first then."

"The entire city will know there are vampires here when he dies from sunlight," Amy added sadly, "I suppose we must take him with us."

"How will we get him there without being seen?" Susie asked, "It's quite a distance."

"I will guard him here until later when the streets are deserted," Ruthie said as she carried him behind the kegs, "then the two of you can lead the way back while I carry him."

"Fine, Ruthie," Amy agreed regretfully, "Susie will come with me to find myself a victim while we wait."

"Wait!" Susie exclaimed causing Amy and Ruthie to turn back to face her, "what if we leave him in the river like our other victims. The sun will burn his body, but his ashes will simply float away."

Amy gasped in glee, "Susie, that's a wonderful idea!" She happily spun toward Ruthie who sadly looked down at the Reverend's unconscious body by her feet.

"What do you think of Susie's idea, Ruthie?" Amy asked hopefully, "Reverend Williams will be free to go to heaven and we will regain our blood supply."

"Yes, Ruthie," Susie added, "He won't have to become a murderer like we are. That's not what you want for him, is it? To make matters worse you would have to live with him and know you were the one to transform him into a sinner."

"Only because you tried to kill him!" Ruthie angrily stepped over the Reverend to reach Susie, "how dare you try to make me feel responsible for his situation. I was trying to save his life. You're the one who tried to kill him."

"It was an accident, Ruthie," Amy softly reminded Ruthie, "Susie didn't know who he was when she attacked. She was only trying to protect me and make our plan a success."

"She was hoping for any reason to attack anyone," Ruthie accused, "she doesn't care who she kills. She just loves to kill."

"Perhaps I should have been more careful and looked closer at who I was attacking," Susie said in defense, "but what would have happened if I had recognized him while still hidden? He was quickly approaching Amy. Could she have escaped unmolested? What would he have done if he had reached her? Perhaps Amy would have been forced to kill him herself."

"That could very well have happened," Amy agreed, "I'm sorry Ruthie, but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Would you have allowed him to reach Amy?" Susie asked, "He seemed determined to identify and interrogate her."

"Oh!" Ruthie moaned and put her face in her hands, "Why did this happen?"

"I'm sorry, Ruthie," Amy said, "I hate that you're in such a difficult position."

"I'm sorry too, Ruthie," Susie said, "I truly am. I know I made a lot of jokes about wanting to kill him, but I only did so to rile you. I wasn't serious. I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"No," Ruthie was annoyed, "you didn't mean to hurt my feelings in the church either, but you still had no trouble doing so."

Susie turned away in anger, "I'm trying to apologize to you and you mistrust my sincerity."

"We need to leave this alley," Amy said, someone else is sure to pass by soon."

"Fine!" Ruthie lifted the Reverend onto her shoulder, "one of you drape your cloak over him so he won't be recognized and I'll carry him to the river."

"Oh, thank you, Ruthie!" Amy exclaimed, "This really is the best solution."

"It's the only solution," Ruthie replied as Amy covered the Reverend with her cloak and Susie reached down to pick up his hat and hide it under her own cloak, "the two of you wanted to kill him from the beginning and now you have."

Chapter 34

Amy guided Ruthie to the waterfront slowly and carefully so as not to be seen by anyone along the way. Susie followed behind keeping watch for anyone who may have come upon them from the rear. Before long they had made their way past the main street, through an alley that led to the wharves beyond the shipbuilding shops and other tradesmen shops that sat dark and abandoned for the night before the tracks. Over the tracks the vampires were now close enough to the river to hear the dark water gently lapping against the shore and the ships creaking against the wharves. Seagulls cried overhead searching for food. Ruthie felt as though the gulls sensed the impending death of Reverend Williams and cried for his sake, just as she cried over her unwanted participation in his murder. She carried her burden further south along the shore where the body would drift until dawn when the sunrise would finally end the life of the Reverend.

Ruthie cradled his body, which contained their mingled blood, against her and prayed for his soul before gently lowering him into the cold black water. Susie dropped the hat in after him and the three vampires silently watched his body drift slowly away among the filth and waste that had accumulated in the river from the city during the day.

Sobbing into her bloodied hands Ruthie fell to her knees while Amy knelt and put her arms around her friend in sympathy.

"We can't stay here," Susie urged, "someone will notice us soon."

"She's right, Ruthie," Amy whispered, "We mustn't stay here."

Ruthie slowly rose to her feet, "I don't care. I deserve to die and burn in hell for eternity," She sobbed as she allowed Amy and Susie to lead her away from the shore toward the city streets.

"No," Amy consoled, "no, you don't. It was an accident. We made a mistake."

"You mean she made a mistake!" Ruthie pointed in anger at Susie who was beginning to feel annoyed at Ruthie's grief.

"You know I didn't mean to kill him" Susie tried not to let her annoyance reveal itself in her voice, "I assure you it was an accident and I deeply apologized. There's nothing more I can do. I cannot bring him back to life. I would if I could, but only for your sake, Ruthie. I don't care at all that he's dead. He was a fake and a problem for us."

Anger, grief and regret filled Ruthie as she silently sobbed and followed Amy's guidance as they returned to the lair. Ruthie wished she had never met Susie, that they had never brought her home to join them. She wished they had left her in the alley to be accused of Mr. Strapper's murder. Reverend Williams would never have died and she wouldn't have the unbearable guilt of being an accomplice to his murder. God could never forgive such a horrendous sin as this, the murder of one of his messengers. This was the act that would doom her to burn in hell for eternity with no hope for forgiveness.

Amy remembered that she and Ruthie would be returning to the lair without feeding, but even though she would be hungry for blood, the following evening would bring freedom to feed without fear of interference or discovery from Reverend Williams. She would never admit it or let Ruthie know, but she felt the same as Susie about the Reverend's death. She looked forward to freely drinking enough blood the following night to satisfy her hunger for both nights.

Susie was also looking forward to feasting freely without concern for Reverend William's whereabouts. She was relieved to be liberated from his suspicions and irksome presence in the alleys obstructing the vampires from their supply of blood. She believed that Ruthie would eventually recover from her grief and perhaps even learn to take advantage of her situation instead of hating herself because of it.

Upon returning to the lair Ruthie closed herself into her casket before the candles were even lit. Amy, quietly and somberly went about her nightly rituals of brushing her hair and tidying her wardrobe concerned for Ruthie's well being. She thought she had seen Ruthie at her saddest the previous night when Susie upset her in the church, but tonight Ruthie seemed to be completely destroyed. She didn't know how or if Ruthie would be able to recover from her involvement in the violent murder of a man of God.

Susie hung her cloak over a rod near the wall and surveyed her velvet skirt hoping none of the Reverend's blood had dirtied it, "Perhaps we can visit the dress shop tomorrow. I'd like another dress in case this one becomes soiled."

"It's a shame Ruthie doesn't care to shop for dresses," Amy sighed as she brushed her hair at the table, "dress shopping always cheers me so. It would be wonderful to know of a simple way to cheer her."

"She'll be all right," Susie said hopefully, "she'll accept that the Reverend died by accident."

"I've never seen Ruthie so distraught, Susie," Amy looked at Ruthie's Bible on the table, "she has never retired without a Bible reading and a prayer."

"Possibly she's praying now," Susie said.

"I hope so. It seems to be the only thing that gives her any peace."

After a few moments Susie asked, "What if the Reverend's body sinks, Amy?"

"No one would ever find it if it sank," Amy replied without any consideration as she redirected her attention from her hair to her dresses.

"But Ruthie had him drink her blood. Would that make a difference?"

"I shouldn't think so," Amy started to consider the possibility, "are you asking if he could still survive as one of us?"

"Yes, exactly," Susie replied, "if we can only be killed by a wooden stake through the heart, decapitation or sunlight, then he would be able to survive drowning."

"Oh, my," Amy finished with her wardrobe and returned to her hair brushing at the table, contemplating Susie's suggestion, "Well, even if he did survive, as soon as he rose from the river the sunlight would kill him just as we intended."

"Oh, yes," Susie agreed, "it would be certain to, I'm sure."

Icy winds blew into the city from Long Island Sound as winter arrived. The crisp freshness of cold winter air was masked by the smoke billowing from the mills and the fires burning on the riverbank for warmth and for the heating of the tar to seal and mend the many whalers and other vessels in port. Susie and Amy spent the following weeks after Reverend William's death freely victimizing the drunken men collapsed in alleys or on the riverbank with Ruthie quietly following behind. They attempted to hide their joy of having been rid of the Reverend's suspicious patrolling of the dark corners of the city in respect for Ruthie's grief. Ruthie had barely spoken or opened her Bible since the Reverend's death. She merely followed the others as they stalked victims and shopped for clothing.

Amy, although enjoying her rediscovered freedom to feed again on humans without certain fear of capture and possibly death at the hands of Reverend Williams, still worried constantly over Ruthie's emotional state. She tried to tempt Ruthie with her Bible, even reading it aloud to her. She carried home newspapers knowing Ruthie enjoyed reading about current events in the city, but it seemed nothing could give Ruthie the motivation to emerge from her deep state of mourning.

Susie was happy that the Reverend was gone and had no regrets about the method used to dispose of him. In fact, she didn't think of him at all anymore unless Amy brought him up in reference to Ruthie's listless mood. Susie wasn't as concerned with Ruthie's depression as Amy when she considered Ruthie's options. Eventually, Ruthie would overcome her grief. She was immortal. If Ruthie chose to grieve for decades it didn't matter to Susie, since her life was eternal so why not allow Ruthie a few decades of misery. She would have the rest of eternity to be happy.

"I still want to rent rooms of our own someday, Amy," Susie said as she sorted through and examined her several skirts, checking for dirt, blood or any other debris that might need to be removed.

Amy had just finished doing the same and finding everything to her satisfaction sat at the table with Ruthie to brush her hair, "Maybe one day we will safely be able to do that. Maybe one day after Robert returns."

"Do you plan to live in filthy basements forever?" Susie asked.

"I'm not planning anything until Robert returns," Amy smiled at the thought of Robert.

"What do you think, Ruthie?" Susie invited Ruthie into the conversation hoping to find something to interest her.

"I don't need any fancy rooms," Ruthie muttered.

Encouraged by Ruthie's apparently growing desire to talk Amy said, "I found a newspaper tonight, Ruthie, why don't you read us something. Maybe there is something interesting."

Ruthie reluctantly pulled the newspaper toward her and spread it on the table laying it over her Bible, "Oh," she said softly and read aloud:

"Mysterious Death to be Investigated"

Amy's eyes grew wide in alarm and her hand stopped mid-stroke to give her full attention to Ruthie. Susie turned from her wardrobe and sat at the table as Ruthie continued to read:

Two young women of the city were found dead recently. The first was discovered last week in the Antientist Cemetery with severe damage to her throat. The cause of death is reported to be from extensive blood loss. The second woman was found today beneath some shrubbery on Tilley Street. She also had severe damage to her throat and neck. Authorities believe the murders to be related due to the similarities of the wounds. Both women are reported to be women who frequent the streets. Authorities advise women to remain indoors after dark and to travel with a chaperone if they must go out.

"Good Lord," Ruthie said as she finished reading, "who do you think is the murderer?"

"Well, I wouldn't be so careless as to leave the bloodless bodies for the authorities to find," Amy said, "Neither would Robert. It cannot be him."

"So, there must be a vampire in town who we don't know," Susie said. All three vampires looked at each other in sudden realization.

"I made him drink my blood," Ruthie said in amazement, "he must have survived."

"How could he have survived?" Amy asked, "even if he rose from the river at night, how would he know to avoid the daylight. How could he survive without anyone to teach him about his new identity?"

"Where could he be spending his days?" Susie asked, "Perhaps it's someone else."

"Whoever it may be," Amy declared, "he is endangering us all."

"We finally rid ourselves of the suspicious Reverend Williams," Susie said in frustration, "and now we already have a new threat."

"Reverend Williams was a man of God," Ruthie reminded her companions, "It couldn't be him. He wouldn't allow himself to be a vicious murderer."

"You have a point, Ruthie," Amy said thoughtfully, "judging from your aversion to murder as the ultimate sin, if the Reverend was as pious as you believed him to be, he would rather burn himself to death in the sun than commit such a sin as murder."

"Unless he isn't the pious man Ruthie believed him to be," Susie said.

"Nevertheless, tomorrow we must seek this careless vampire out," Amy stated determinedly.

Chapter 35

Soot-covered snow blanketed the churchyard when the vampires left the lair the following evening. To prevent leaving footprints in the snow they turned to mist and moved low along the blackened snowy surface until they reached Church Street. They materialized behind a large elm, and stepped over to the clear walkway.

"I wonder if we could have flown above the snow without turning to mist," Susie mused.

"How could you wonder such a fantastic thing?" Amy exclaimed.

"Please pardon me, Ruthie, for reminding you of that horrible night, but when I attacked Reverend Williams it seemed as though I were actually flying," Susie admitted.

"What!" Ruthie exclaimed, "You're saying you flew at him?"

"It seemed that way," Susie defended herself, "it all happened so quickly that I may not remember correctly."

"I think that if we were able to fly," Amy argued, "Robert would have taught me. He at least would have told me of the ability."

"Perhaps the opportunity never arose," Susie considered, "or maybe he didn't want you to know. Men don't like their women to be strong and forceful. They like to be superior."

"Why don't you try to fly, Susie," Ruthie suggested sarcastically, "then we will know for sure."

"Oh, Ruthie," Amy laughed, "are you making a joke at Susie's expense? That isn't like you at all."

"No," Ruthie's expression was stern, "I'm not making a joke. Susie believes she's more powerful than God. Why wouldn't she believe she can fly?"

"I never believed vampires existed until I became one," Susie explained, "I'd believe anything now."

"All right, then," Ruthie challenged, "when we find the first empty alleyway, you try to fly. Then we'll know for sure."

"Fine," Susie quickened her pace toward Main Street and into an alley between two mill buildings that were closed for the night. The three vampires searched the alley for life and finding none took a place several yards back from the street to conduct their experiment. Ruthie and Amy having no confidence in Susie's claim stood together amongst the debris expecting to see Susie, at the most, fall and soil her cloak on the slushy dirty ground.

Susie, with confidence in her immortality showed no fear as she stepped upon an upended ash can, lowered herself slightly at the knees and launched herself into the air. Amy and Ruthie's eyes grew wide as they watched Susie travel twenty feet through the alley before landing on her feet and turning triumphantly toward them smiling, "It wasn't my imagination, was it?" she asked her companions who stood staring.

"Good Lord!" Ruthie whispered.

"You can fly!" Amy exclaimed.

"Try it," Susie said when she walked backed to Amy and Ruthie, "it's wonderful."

"How can it be?" Amy asked incredulously, "How did I not know this?"

"I told you," Susie replied, "Robert didn't want you to know everything he knew. He had to remain your superior by keeping something a secret."

"Maybe he didn't know he could fly," Amy defended him.

"Then how did he get up to your window?" Ruthie asked, "He flew up there."

"Oh!" Amy replied, "I can't believe he would withhold such important information."

"I can," Susie said, "that's how he kept you dependent on him."

"Well, you'll be sure I'll question him about this as soon as he returns," Amy stamped her foot and pouted.

"Why don't you try," Susie suggested, "go on."

Amy nervously climbed onto the ash can, collected herself for a moment and jumped. Her eyes widened in surprise and a smile spread across her face as she flew a few feet and dropped to the ground landing on her feet, "It's your turn, Ruthie."

"Yes," Susie urged, "go on, Ruthie."

"All right," Ruthie responded, "I might as well try," She slowly climbed up onto the ash can just as the two before her and launched herself into the air, "I can fly!" she exclaimed as she drifted down the alley and dropped to her feet several yards past the ash can.

The others rushed to meet her as she landed out of breath and laughing in excitement, "It's unbelievable!" Amy said.

"Amazing!" Susie agreed.

"Why wouldn't Robert tell me about something so wonderful!"

"I'm glad we discovered it," Susie said, "do you realize how much more powerful this makes us?"

"We can search the streets from above," Amy suggested.

"Won't someone see us?" Ruthie asked.

"We will need to be very discreet," Amy replied, "fly short distances up high. We will go from roof top to roof top."

"We will find the vampire who killed those two women much faster now," Susie said.

"The dead women were found not far from where we are now," Amy reasoned, "perhaps the vampire is close by."

"He must have taken the women to those locations," Susie suggested, "women who frequent the streets wouldn't be found there. They would be near the waterfront."

"He must also frequent that area," Amy decided, "if he's stalking ruined women to feed upon."

"That sounds right," Ruthie agreed.

"Then we're bound to find him," Susie said, "because that's where we do most of our hunting."

"Then I suggest that's where we go now," Amy led the way to the river.

Frigid temperatures moving into the city after the snowfall resulted in the waterfront being mostly deserted by nightfall. The three vampires traveled within the shadows close to the assorted wooden buildings of the craftsmen between the railroad tracks and the rear of the buildings on Bank Street. Many men had walked this route during the daylight hours trampling the snow flat into a slippery walkway of blackened snow and ice. Footprints were impossible to single out or even recognize as such rendering the vampires' steps invisible.

"There's no one out in this weather," Ruthie observed, "maybe the vampire won't be out either."

"Or he may be the only person out," Susie said, "I suggest we fly up to a rooftop and get a better view."

"I suggest the roof of the Custom House," Amy said, "we should find quite the view from there."

Walking back toward the Custom House on Bank Street, Amy asked Susie, "Why did you wait so long to voice your suspicions regarding our ability to fly?"

"I didn't think flying was possible and had almost convinced myself that it was my imagination," Susie replied, "I was also reluctant to remind you and especially Ruthie of my accidental attack on Reverend Williams."

"Then why did you decide to talk about it tonight?" Ruthie asked.

"The problem of leaving footprints in the snow led me to wonder how we could avoid it," Susie replied, "then I again began to question myself on my experience that night with Reverend Williams."

"Poor Reverend Williams," Ruthie said, "he only wanted to lead misguided people to God."

"I'm sure he helped a lot of people to find God, Ruthie," Amy comforted Ruthie but hardly believed her own words.

"I'm sure he did," Ruthie said as they reached the north wall of the Custom House, which bordered a narrow alley.

"Let's search the alley for any inhabitants other than the usual rats and occasional stray animals," Amy suggested, "we certainly can't have anyone, drunk or sober, witness our flight."

Once they were confident no one would see them fly the three vampires launched themselves easily up through the frigid air to the roof of the Custom House where they met smiling at their newfound discovery.

"I wouldn't dare attempt that as mist," Amy admitted, "one strong gust of wind could spread one in several directions."

"How would we reform if that were to happen?" Susie asked as she scanned the skyline.

"I don't know," Amy replied, "I limit myself to second story house windows."

Susie turned toward Ruthie, "I've never seen you smile as much as you have tonight, Ruthie."

"Yes," Amy agreed smiling, "I was afraid I'd never see you smile again, Ruthie."

"I have to admit I have never felt so free," Ruthie lowered her hood to feel the wind blow through her hair, "I feel like I'm queen of the world!"

Amy laughed happily sharing Ruthie's joy. "The world would be privileged to have you as its queen."

"It's good to see you enjoying yourself for a change," Susie remarked, "you can't change who you are so you may as well enjoy yourself."

"I will never enjoy murdering like the two of you do," Ruthie said, "and after killing Reverend Williams I will never get to heaven."

"Well, perhaps we should look for the vampire," Amy changed the subject as she turned toward the river, "but what a wonderful view from here!"

"Imagine it in the daylight," Ruthie said, "we could see the whole city from here."

Susie walked to the edge facing Bank Street, "We can choose a victim easily from here," she said smugly, "as we stare down at the weak humans as they pass, ignorant of our superior presence."

"Yes," Amy joined her and peered over the edge of the roof to the street below, "being up here is an excellent advantage."

"Susie," Ruthie said, "you are not superior. God could put out his hand and brush all of us off this roof like we were crumbs on a table."

"Yes, but it wouldn't kill me," Susie replied confidently.

"It would if you fell on a stake of wood, or if you fell onto a saw blade and cut your head off," Ruthie argued, "He could push you onto it by choice."

"All right," Amy interrupted, "we must look for the vampire. That was our purpose in flying up to this rooftop. We need to find him to protect ourselves."

"And when we find him," Susie said, "I will kill him. Surely, you can't disapprove of killing a vampire, Ruthie."

"No," Ruthie sighed, "I can't."

Silently they stood on the roof in the frigid breeze unaffected by the temperature watching for anyone who might be stalking passersby or women out alone. To get a different view they flew to an adjacent rooftop then moving from rooftop to rooftop they surveyed side streets and alleys. They could monitor an entire section of the city much more efficiently than if on foot in the streets.

"Look at that man who just came around the corner, Susie said to her companions as they returned to the roof of the Custom House, "he is walking very slowly as though he's not affected by the cold. Most men take hurried steps toward someplace with a warm fire."

"When he's closer we will see him better," Ruthie said, "maybe he'll raise his head a bit."

However, they didn't see the man lift his head or come closer because he slipped into the first alley he reached.

"Let's follow!" Susie said as she stepped away from the front of the building before dropping to the alley below. Amy and Ruthie quickly followed and they headed toward the alley into which the suspicious looking man had disappeared.

"Now, Susie," Amy warned as they entered the alley, "this may not be the vampire. Let us remain concealed within our hoods to investigate. If this isn't the man we're looking for we must keep our identities hidden."

"It was my haste which caused this problem," Susie replied impatiently as she led them deeper into the alley against the wind, "I won't endanger our safety."

"Where is he?" Ruthie asked, "This alley seems deserted."

"Perhaps he's hiding behind those barrels near the opening at the far end," Amy replied, "it doesn't seem that his slow pace would have brought him out on the other side this soon."

"Unless he made haste once in the alley out of the public's view," Susie suggested.

Slowing their steps they approached the stack of barrels and peered behind them as the wind blew in from Long Island Sound funneling in through the alley and whipping their cloaks around them. Just as the three vampires were satisfied that he hadn't hidden behind the barrels, they heard a muffled cry from beyond the alley. Moving quickly toward the exit facing the waterfront, they walked as fast as they could through the slippery snow and found the victim of an apparent attack barely alive in the trodden snow.

Susie ran past the victim in search of the attacker but seeing none knelt in the snow with Ruthie and Amy to look for wounds on her neck.

"She's still breathing slightly," Amy announced as she pulled the young woman's cloak away to find the familiar vampire wounds on her throat confirming that the strange man was, indeed, a vampire. Greedily, she put her mouth to the wounds and drank, "There's plenty of blood remaining," she reported after a moment.

Amy relinquished her position to Susie as she rose and began searching the snow for clues to the attacker's escape route. Finding nothing in the snow, packed down and filthy from the many travelers during the day, she returned to find Ruthie draining the final drops of blood from the corpse, "We must hide the body," she said as Ruthie rose to her feet.

"Let's hope this was the only victim tonight," Susie said as she lifted the body, "we can hide this one."

"Yes," Amy agreed, "let's drop her in the river near the ferry slip where the ice will be broken, "hopefully there are no other victims for the authorities to find in the morning."

"Do you think the vampire knows he's been seen?" Ruthie asked, "he sure moved a lot faster once he got into that alley."

"He certainly escaped quickly as well," Amy said, "it didn't take us more than a few minutes to reach the alley where he found and attacked his victim, then escaped."

"He's good," Ruthie acknowledged.

"If I hadn't seen him for myself, I'd think he was Robert," Amy said, "he's so elusive."

"Perhaps he imagines he might be watched and behaves as though he is," Susie suggested as they neared the ferry slip and they all looked around to make sure there were no potential witnesses before slipping the body into the icy river.

"That's possible," Amy agreed, "but it's strange that he didn't move the victim to a more remote area such as the two we read about in the news report. He barely drank any of her blood either. Perhaps he was aware he was being followed, after all."

"Perhaps there are two vampires in town we don't know of," Susie suggested.

"Oh, Lord, no," Ruthie groaned as they walked toward their lair.

"It may be that he also read the newspaper and is changing his habit to fool the authorities," Amy said.

"I hope that is true," Susie replied, "there aren't enough victims in this town for many more vampires."

"Nor lairs," Amy added, "it would only be a matter of time before we were found and destroyed."

"How so?" Ruthie asked.

"Well," Amy explained, "the authorities would have to investigate the murders since this vampire is exceedingly careless, and when they do, they may stumble upon our lair in their search for the other vampire."

"Or vampires," Susie added.

"Yes," Amy continued, "only after they destroy us and the murders continue would they begin a new search for the true killer."

"Unless they find the other vampire first," Ruthie said.

"Yes, there is that chance," Amy replied, "but I think you'll agree that we'd rather not take the risk. We need to stop this vampire and his careless attacks. This is far more dangerous to us than the suspicious Reverend Williams was."

After returning to the lair Amy repaired the extreme wind damage to her hair while Susie and Ruthie followed their regular nighttime rituals. Ruthie returned to her Bible reading while Susie arranged her growing wardrobe. She had become just as particular about her clothes as Amy. Susie luxuriated in her new ability to dress as richly as the local shops allowed-something she never dreamed of ever being able to do in her past life. They retired for the day with a plan to continue their relentless search for the new vampire in town. They agreed that finding him the following night was their first priority before he carelessly left the authorities new corpses to find and examine.

Chapter 36

Learning she could actually fly gave Ruthie back the hope she had lost after the murder of Reverend Williams. Being able to fly, bringing her closer to Heaven was to Ruthie a sign from God that He hadn't lost all faith in her. The freedom that being able to fly to rooftops and possibly beyond with the wind in her hair and the feeling of power and freedom revived her faith in God and the hope that when her judgment day arrived there was still a chance she may be forgiven and perhaps realize her lifelong dream of experiencing the glory of God in heaven.

Susie, who already relished her superhuman power, felt even more powerful knowing she could fly. She savored the thought of feeling superior to all humans and stalking them from above. She dreamed of flying like a bird of prey, swooping to the ground to attack her victims, carrying them up and away with her to some secluded area where she could slowly drink their blood in total absorption, savoring every long moment and every luscious drop without feeling the need to feed quickly and discreetly to avoid being caught in the act. Then, afterward, feeling full and satisfied, rise slowly and leaving the limp bloodless corpse where it lay instead of having to dispose of it to hide the attack.

Amy, although thrilled with her newfound ability, was more perplexed over the question of why Robert didn't tell her about such an important and useful skill. She couldn't bear to believe as Susie did that he intentionally kept the knowledge from her to maintain his superiority over her. As Ruthie pointed out Robert must have been aware of the ability and used it the night he came to her room to carry her away. No, Amy could not believe that Robert would intentionally deceive her by keeping such important knowledge to himself. She would rather believe he kept the truth from her in order to protect her somehow. Perhaps he felt flying was a dangerous activity and wanted to keep her safe by shielding her from the danger of it and protecting her by not teaching her the skill at all.

Reverend Horace Williams was not only thirsty for blood but also thirsty for revenge against the evil woman who transformed him into the heathen monster he now was. He remembered being attacked in an alley by a wild looking woman with gleaming fangs. However, his memories failed him from the time he was attacked until he awoke floating under a private dock toward the south end of the city. Panicking when he awoke to find himself in water he attempted to pull himself up onto the dock, but the fierce burning of the skin on his face and hands forced him back under the dock where he stayed until sundown when the excruciating burning sensation finally ceased.

Ever since that day he had been searching the city for the crazed monster who had assaulted him and abandoned him after transforming him into a blood thirsty abomination like herself. Only knowing his intolerance to sunlight and his lust for blood, he took cover wherever he could during the day and stalked victims at night for blood. Plenty of animals of all kinds could be found in a city such as New London where the busy shipping companies transported cargoes of livestock as well as textiles and lumber. Even more plentiful than livestock were small animals such as dogs, rats and cats, which he also found useful in quenching his insatiable craving for blood.

Reverend Williams was certain that the same woman who had attacked him was the same creature who caused all the other deaths in the city. He now was convinced that he knew the causes of the mysterious murders throughout the city that the overworked or uninterested authorities had labeled illnesses, accidents or attacks of rabid animals. Only tonight did he know for sure that she wasn't a lone attacker but had two equally bloodthirsty accomplices.

Rounding the corner onto Bank Street last night, he had glanced up quickly at the moon from beneath his hat and saw her standing on a rooftop, her cloak billowing in the wind, her dark hair escaping her hood here and there. Then two other cloaked and hooded figures joined her and he crossed the street and entered an alley to escape from their view. Fearing they would pursue him, he ran through the alley plowing into a lone woman passing by the exit. He was unable to resist the luscious aroma of her warm blood and impulsively attacked her but left a good amount of blood as a diversion for his pursuers. He was then able to quickly hide himself behind a pile of crates and other debris and study the actions of his stalkers. Now he became the stalker as he watched them drain the remaining blood from unfortunate victim and discreetly carry away the corpse.

Following them to the ferry slip and watching them scan the area for witnesses before dropping the corpse into the river he learned how he came to find himself in the river the day after his attack. Would that woman have the same experience? He remembered that she must have been completely drained of blood so couldn't possibly awaken again. If these mere women had the power to create more monsters from their victims, then he must possess that power as well. The realization renewed his anger when he remembered how until recently he had been a man of God working to deliver sinners into the way of righteousness with the word of Jesus. Now because of this woman, this hated replica of Eve, he was not only the most evil form of sinner but had the power to corrupt and create more blood thirsty murderers just like himself.

His anger and desire for vengeance consumed Reverend Williams so much so that he denied himself any acknowledgment of the superhuman strength or the invulnerability to the frigid weather or even the fact that he survived the attack at all. Nor did he acknowledge or even wonder how he survived the entire night after his attack unconscious in the river. All of his attention was focused on the fact that he was attacked and overpowered by a woman, then discarded and left for dead by that same woman. Because of this wretched, evil woman his life was irrevocably transformed from what he thought to be a life devoted to the Lord to a life in the service of Satan. Even though in the Reverend's mind all women were evil for being descended from Eve who was the original evil woman for blatantly defying God's command, taking the side of the serpent and seducing poor innocent Adam to do the same, this woman was the most evil woman of all. The Reverend swore he would find her and satisfy his need for vengeance and thereby prove his allegiance to the Lord and atone for his sins. While searching for his sire, he restricted himself to taking only females as his human victims believing God would forgive his sins if only committed toward lowly women.

Now he stood in the churchyard staring at the cellar door he had watched the vicious women enter. He saw them turn to thin streams of fog and slip under the door, but he could barely believe it. He tried the knob and found the door to be locked from the inside. How dare they defile the sanctity of this church by entering it in such a satanic manner? How dare they enter it at all! He felt unworthy to enter it himself, but he must if only to cleanse God's holy house of these evil trespassers. If they could transform themselves to fog then he should be able to as well. He stared at the door and concentrated on becoming a thin mist and moments later found himself inside the dark musty scented cellar. He opened his eyes wide and strained to hear any movement but could not hear or see a thing. For a second he became disoriented and began to panic wondering if he even was inside the church or perhaps in some unknown location. A dog barked outside and the wind whistled helping him regain his composure, assuring him of his location as he reached back and felt the inside of the door behind him.

He slid his foot an inch or two in front of him and felt the loose dirt of the floor underfoot. Slowly and carefully he moved to the right keeping his back to the wall until he reached the corner, then just as carefully began to move forward along the wall toward the front of the church. As he inched his way forward he noticed a dim slit of light from under a door but didn't leave hold of the security of the wall as he continued forward. When he reached the furthermost wall he moved more swiftly toward the slit of light, but before he reached the door the light went out and he stopped walking and stood silent and still. He wondered if they had heard him sliding his feet in the dirt toward them, turned out the light and were waiting in the dark for him to approach. The Reverend stood as still as death waiting for a sound or a sign from within the darkened inner room as he stared at the space under the door that was now as dark as the rest of the cellar. It seemed as though a long time passed and nothing could be heard except for the wind and the barking dog and a few other dogs that occasionally answered. Beginning to move toward the now darkened doorway he felt along the wall as he passed the first two doors of the other storage rooms along the front wall.

Soon he was standing in the blackness facing the door that separated him from his hellish attacker. He entered the room as mist and materialized just inside. He stood still once again listening for movement. He was blinded by the darkness but could smell the smoke from the recently extinguished candles. Moving forward even more carefully than before, he walked into what felt like a velvet curtain or at least a large length of fabric hanging from the ceiling and slowly pushed it aside as he passed. The smoky smell grew stronger as he blindly took tiny steps holding his hands out ahead of him. His coat brushed against something, perhaps a piece of furniture. He dropped his hand cautiously to feel the smooth wood and ran both hands along it to discover a coffin!

He gasped at his discovery and became confused not realizing the significance. Continuing deeper into the room he found another and finally a third before the answer formed in his mind. He had found them. One casket for each means they must be inside. He could kill them all. Vengeful joy and the feeling of success flooded over him as he imagined strangling each evil demon one by one. He almost laughed in triumph, barely stifling a sound in his throat as he slowly raised the lid on the first casket.

His expression turned from triumph to horror as two powerful arms shot upward from within to violently clasp his throat forcing his eyeballs to bulge from his face. As he flailed backward Susie's grip remained strong as she flew in fury from her coffin and forced him to the ground. The commotion rapidly brought Amy and Ruthie to her side and the three of them stared down in rage and horror at the intruder writhing and groaning under Susie's force.

"Reverend Williams!" Ruthie exclaimed after lighting a candle, "he's alive!"

"His face!" exclaimed Amy, "his hands!"

"May I finish him off?" Susie asked.

"How did he find us?" Ruthie asked, "No, Susie!"

"Put him in a chair," Amy said as she dragged a chair closer, "we need to know how he found us."

"Then I will kill him!" Susie said hungrily as she lifted him high with one hand and forced him into the chair as he glared in hatred at her.

"Amy!" a man's voice called from beyond the door, "are you there?"

Amy's expression of anger melted to joy as she fled past the drapery toward the door. Susie and Ruthie exchanged looks of confusion and alarm, "What is happening?" Ruthie asked. Amy's muffled sobs from beyond the old tapestry was the only response.

Amy's sobbing grew louder as she returned on the arm of a man, "Robert?" Ruthie asked in disbelief as Susie watched in annoyance.

"I followed this strange man here," Robert explained, "I have been searching for you, my love," he looked lovingly into Amy's tear-stained face as she remained enclosed in Robert's embrace, "I saw him following the three of you. Your disguises serve you well. I didn't know for certain that it was you but I hoped it was. I was going to return tomorrow evening to be sure, but I saw him enter the building and feared for your safety."

Susie, unimpressed by Robert's arrival and still holding her belief that men only return to former lovers as a last resort when they've nowhere else to go said, "As you can see we have the situation well in hand, but you may stay to watch him die."

"No, Susie!" Ruthie ordered, "He's our responsibility."

"Why are you here?" Susie asked the Reverend.

"To kill the evil being that attacked me and threw me into the river to die," Williams angrily replied.

"Oh, Lord!" Ruthie groaning fell to her knees, "we deserve to die! A man of God! I tried to save him, but look what he's become!"

Susie turned to Ruthie, "And if you hadn't tried to save him we wouldn't have him here now!"

"Oh, but Ruthie!" Amy pulled Ruthie up from her knees and hugged her, "if you hadn't Robert may never have found us."

Susie looked at Amy in disgust, "We need to rid ourselves of Reverend Williams - again. Please keep your mind on this problem."

"You are by far the most evil being on God's earth," Williams hissed at Susie, "your hostility makes the ultimate sinner, Eve, the source of all suffering of man, appear to be a saint! You don't deserve to be alive."

"Reverend Williams," Amy said, "the fact that you did not die in the river proves that Ruthie's desperate attempt to save your life succeeded. Perhaps you should be grateful to Ruthie rather than hateful to Susie. After all, she attacked you unaware of your identity until it was too late. It was then that Ruthie attempted to spare your life the only way she knew how, by transforming you into a vampire. You are one of us now, you must accept it."

"Vampire!" Reverend Williams exclaimed, "I am nothing more than one of Satan's minions."

"I'm so sorry, Reverend," Ruthie said.

"I refuse to believe that," Amy continued, "Ruthie was unable to read the Bible until after she became a vampire."

"That's true," Ruthie said, "the word of God became my own to read only after Amy taught me to read the Bible."

Robert looked at Amy with pride.

"I look around this room and see nothing but evil!" Reverend Williams spit out as Susie still held him in place, "women are evil by nature. Women vampires must be the most evil beings alive."

"What kind of Reverend are you?" Amy asked, "You harbor an unnatural hatred of women, Reverend Williams. Is that the reason you have only drunken street dwellers for a congregation? Is that the reason the authorities refuse to take your suspicions seriously? I understand men may become annoyed with women's inferior intellect or weak physiques, but I don't understand utter hatred of women simply because of their sex."

"Why do you think these men are drunkards forced to sleep in alleys and streets?" Reverend Williams replied "because Eve's evil acts in the Garden of Eden caused poor Adam and all men after him to be forced from the heavenly garden into the cruel world of difficulty, illness and torment."

Susie laughed, "Then why has every difficulty in my life, every bit of pain and suffering in my life been inflicted by a man?"

"Because those men know that women deserve to be treated thusly," Reverend Williams explained passionately, "men are closest to God, created in His image, and they were simply exerting God's will. God's will be done!" He paused, "How do you women know about my holy work? How do you know about my dealings with the authorities in this town?"

"We read the newspapers," Amy replied, "your so-called congregation was our blood supply until you began complaining to the newspapers."

"My dear," Robert said, "I had no idea what suffering you've endured in my absence, but I'm so happy and relieved to find you alive."

Susie rolled her eyes at what she perceived as Robert's feigned concern, "We need to make a decision regarding the fate of the 'self-proclaimed' Reverend. He will only be a hindrance to our safety. We cannot trust him. He has no interest in acclimating to his new existence as one of us and only wants us destroyed. I say we destroy him before he learns how to destroy us."

"I must agree," Amy said, "Ruthie, now that you've heard the basis for his so-called religion and his opinions of women, are you still convinced he is a holy man of God?"

Ruthie turned her back on the Reverend, "No, I understand now why he didn't have a church of his own. He was just pretending to be a Reverend to spread his own hatred instead of God's love."

Amy nodded at Susie and as Susie enthusiastically turned her attention back to the Reverend and was about to eagerly tear his sun-scarred head off with both hands, he turned to mist causing her to lose her balance and fall forward onto the chair that she had him trapped seconds earlier.

Growling in anger Susie saw the mist quickly wafting toward the door and pursued it, pushing roughly past the three vampires who witnessed the scene and hastily followed after Susie in fear that she would allow her anger to cloud her reason and attract attention to them in her determination to catch and destroy Reverend Williams.

"Stay here where it's safe, my darling," Robert held out his arm to bar Amy from leaving the lair, "I will take care of this."

"No," Amy responded and noticed Robert's expression of surprise. She had never contradicted him before, "Susie is my responsibility. She will listen to me."

"Good Lord!" Ruthie worriedly exclaimed as she raced after Amy.

Robert regained his composure and followed Amy and Ruthie out of the lair and into the churchyard, "Then I will help," he offered, confused by the independent quality that seemed to have come over Amy in his absence.

"There!" Amy exclaimed while looking up.

Robert and Ruthie followed her gaze upward to find Susie flying to the church roof. Amy immediately took flight after Susie while Ruthie and Robert looked around for any neighbors or loiterers who might be out. Robert now watched Amy in awe as she flew to the roof before him. As he and Ruthie followed to join her and Susie on the rooftop he wondered how she had discovered her ability to fly when he knew he had not shown her.

"Susie!" Amy called a warning as they approached her, "be careful!"

Susie turned angrily, "He's escaped! By the time I reached the yard he was gone."

"It will be light soon," Ruthie reminded them.

"I will be able to find him from up here," Susie replied, "we can't wait another day."

"Susie!" Robert warned, but Reverend Williams had descended from one of the spires and knocked Susie face down on the cold stone of the church roof.

"Murderess!" Revered Williams called and he attempted to grasp Susie's throat from behind as he kneeled on her back, "I now see that I have the same physical abilities as you, so you will not overpower me, devil woman!"

Struggling to escape the Reverend's grasp, Susie rolled him off and over the edge of the roof where the four vampires heard his body hit the snowy ground below with a soft thud. Susie dove off the roof with the others close behind and pinning the stunned Reverend to the ground, tore off his head.

Ruthie turned away in disgust and Amy ran to Robert's open arms as Susie held up the Reverend's head and drank the dripped blood from the ragged edges of his neck in triumph.

"Good Lord, Susie," Ruthie managed to mutter, "please, let's get rid of the body."

"We must hurry," Amy said, her voice muffled as she buried her face into Robert's shoulder. In Robert's arms she felt as though her heart was whole again and life had finally returned to her aching empty soul.

"My guards can perform the loathsome task," Robert offered, "we need to take shelter from the dawn."

"Oh, Robert," Amy kissed his parted lips, "you'll never know how happy I am that you've returned."

"Only if you're as happy as I am to have found you safe and have you back in my arms after all this time," Robert tightened his arms around her and kissed her again.

"Where are the guards?" Susie interrupted and tossed the Reverend's head in the snow beside his lifeless body.

"I've called them. They are close by," Robert looked toward the street as a cart pulled by two horses stopped in front of the church.

"You called them?" Ruthie was confused, knowing Robert hadn't spoken to anyone except Amy since he suggested his guards dispose of the Reverend's corpse.

"They're his guards," Amy explained, "they hear his call without Robert having to speak."

"Do you mean you speak in your mind and they hear you?" Susie asked expectantly.

"Of course," Robert replied as two men silently approached from the cart.

Ruthie's eyes grew wide in horror as the men came closer and prepared to carry away Reverend Williams, "Michael?" she said to the man closest to her.

Amy looked away from Robert's face, which she had been staring into adoringly when she heard Ruthie speak, "That is Michael!" she exclaimed, "Robert, Michael is your guard?"

"Well, yes," Robert replied in amazement and turned to Amy, "my dear, how do you possibly know Michael?"

Michael vaguely glanced at Ruthie when she called his name, but continued with his task.

"What happened to him?" Ruthie frantically turned to Robert and Amy while Susie watched the scene with intense interest.

"Michael has become Robert's guard, Ruthie," Amy explained, "he only answers to Robert and his memory is clouded by his enforced allegiance to him."

"No!" Ruthie exclaimed as she rushed away to catch up to Michael who was now helping his partner load the body into the cart," Michael! Don't you know me?"

Michael quickly looked at Ruthie again but showed no recognition and returned to the cart and tucked Robert's shrunken coffin under his arm and walked back toward Robert through the snow while the other guard climbed onto the driver's seat of the cart.

Ruthie ran back toward Robert following Michael, "He can't be a guard," Ruthie told Robert, "he dreamed of being at sea and buying his own land. Now he's just a slave again. He bought his freedom once. You need to set him free again."

Robert looked confusedly at Amy, "You know this man? Is what she says true?"

"Yes, Robert," Amy explained, "Michael and Ruthie were lovers but she let him go without telling him what she was so he could follow his dream."

"My mother acquired these two guards to help me escape my brother's prison in St. Augustine and find my way back to you," Robert looked at Ruthie and then to Michael, "I didn't inquire where she found them. He must have been a crew member on one of the ships in port."

"There!" Amy exclaimed happily to her friends, "I knew he had to have been taken against his will. Isn't that what I said all along?"

"Yes, it is," Ruthie replied while Susie still didn't trust Robert's word.

"Can you free him?" Susie returned to the subject of Michael with more interest in increasing her knowledge of her own powers than in justice and freedom for Michael.

"I could free him if I so choose," Robert replied, "or I could transfer his allegiance to Ruthie if I so desire."

"You must free him," Ruthie pleaded, "he deserves his freedom."

"I suppose I still have the other," Robert considered, "and I could find a replacement for Michael if need be."

Ruthie watched Robert's face expectantly hoping his decision would free Michael again.

"Fine, then, I shall free him," Robert relented. Ruthie smiled in relief, Susie smiled expecting to learn more of her new powers as she planned to watch Robert release Michael from his power, and Amy smiled in love and admiration of Robert's generosity and self-sacrifice, "However," he continued, "I won't free him until this evening. We now must hurry to avoid daylight and don't have time to explain Michael's situation before sunrise."

"He won't remember being a guard?" Susie asked.

"He will be confused and disoriented, once he regains control of his will and his mind and, no, he will not remember being a guard or knowing that vampires exist."

"Fine," Ruthie replied as she led the group back to the lair leaving Michael and the other guard just outside the door to the storage room where they rested.

While Ruthie and Susie returned to their coffins as soon as they entered the lair, Robert set his coffin beside Amy's before enlarging it just as they had them arranged before his abduction. Amy watched Robert perform this task full of happiness. She could barely restrain her desire to be back in his arms when he lifted the lid of his coffin and offered his hand, which she passionately grasped allowing him to lead her before him into his coffin.

Chapter 37

Ruthie was the first to rise that evening. Instead of her usual bible study after the candles were lit, she immediately carried one of the candles out into the open church cellar where the two guards were posted per Robert's orders. They both turned to make certain that Ruthie wasn't an intruder or a potential danger to their master. When they recognized Ruthie as a non-threatening presence they returned their attention back to guarding the two entrances into the cellar.

Ruthie situated herself directly in front of Michael and stared sadly into his strange emotionless eyes that had once looked so lovingly and longingly into her own.

"You'll be free again soon, Michael," Ruthie reassured him. "Strange that I could have made you evil like me or made you my guard but I wanted you to be free, but somebody else took your freedom away anyway."

Michael barely acknowledged Ruthie as he kept watch to protect Robert. After a few more seconds of looking into his vacant eyes, Ruthie sighed and returned to the lair to wait for the others to rise.

Joyous laughter preceded Amy and Robert as the lid opened and the two vampire lovers rose from Robert's coffin. Ruthie looked up from her bible as Amy and Robert joined her at the table. Robert, standing behind Amy, picked up her hairbrush and began to carefully caress and brush her long hair.

"Oh, my darling, how I've dreamt of finding you again and touching your hair the way I used to do," Robert murmured as he bent to kiss the top of Amy's head.

"She kept it the way you like faithfully every day," Ruthie smiled.

"That's right, Robert," Amy added, "Ruthie would help me make certain it was just so."

"Ah," Robert replied, "Ruthie's been a very good friend in my enforced absence."

"My best friend," Amy smiled lovingly at Ruthie who returned the smile.

"Perhaps, my dear," Robert pulled Amy's hair up the way he preferred, "you'll tell me just how you and Ruthie and Susie met and became such good friends. I was so worried imagining you here all alone. I'm so glad you weren't."

"Oh!" Amy exclaimed, "how silly of me! Of course, Robert. With all the excitement over Reverend Williams and your returning to me, I completely forgot that you know nothing of what I endured and the friends I acquired after your horrible disappearance."

By the time Amy and Ruthie filled Robert in on everything that transpired while he was away, Susie had risen for the evening. They left nothing out including the violent aggressive acts committed by Susie and Susie's discovery of flight.

"I was very surprised to find you had mastered our ability to fly without having been shown," Robert said.

"Why did you withhold that from Amy?" Susie asked accusingly, "and what other powers are you keeping from her?"

"My, you are a bold one, aren't you?" Robert asked, "Amy has filled me in on your adventures, but I had hoped she exaggerated. Now, I fear, she has not."

"I'm stronger than any man on earth," Susie replied defensively, "I'm more powerful than any man on earth. Why shouldn't I be bold and make full use of my powers?"

"Because it's very dangerous," Robert sternly replied, "if anyone became aware of your extraordinary powers he would know at once what you are and would seek to destroy you. You mustn't do anything that might allow anyone to discover what you are. It would mean death for us all."

"Yes, yes," Susie said impatiently, "so I've been told many times. Even though we are supremely powerful we must hide in cellars and attics always in fear of being discovered."

"That is true," Robert said, "this is simply the way it is."

Ruthie took advantage of the pause in the conversation to raise her subject, "Will you free Michael now?"

Susie's attitude changed from one of exasperation and frustration to anticipation when Ruthie asked the question. Both Susie and Ruthie looked hopefully toward Robert.

"Yes, of course," he replied, "but we must leave the lair first. We can't anticipate his reaction and we don't want him guessing what we are and knowing where we sleep."

"What do you mean by his reaction?" Ruthie asked, "you said last night that he won't have any memory of being your guard."

"No, but we don't want him being released in the lair and have him guess what we are."

"Where shall we go?" Amy asked.

Susie smirked at Amy, "Now you can have Robert do all your thinking for you again and make all the decisions."

Amy, not comprehending Susie's sarcasm replied with a smile, "Isn't it wonderful!"

Robert smiled and patted Amy's hand, "We will take him to the wharves where it will be familiar ground for him from what Ruthie says. Once Michael is released, we will feed and then make plans to remove ourselves from New London. We must be gone from here when my brother Raul arrives."

Chapter 38

The wind of the previous night had died down and a fresh thin layer of snow whitened the old blackened coat beneath it. Michael obediently followed his master and his companions to a dark secluded area of the waterfront among the closed and quiet workshops. Robert had left his other guard, Ramon, to watch over the lair in his absence. He feared Raul would be close behind and find his new lair while he was away. Finding Ramon murdered outside of the lair would be the warning Robert would need to know that Raul had arrived. Ruthie and Susie watched Robert intently as he faced Michael and placed both hands on either side of Michael's head. He stared into Michael's eyes for a moment and when Michael's eyes fell away from Robert's face, Robert dropped his hands and took a step back returning to Amy's side.

Looking at each of them one by one with a groggy perplexed expression, Michael finally achieved some orientation when he exclaimed, "Ruthie!" His eyes brightened with joy as he drew Ruthie into his arms.

Happy and relieved to see that Michael's will was restored, Ruthie returned his hug feeling as though she had just returned to a beloved warm home after a long cold pointless journey, "Oh, Michael," she cried, "I'm so happy to see you."

"But, Ruthie," Michael looked down into her tearful eyes, "what are you doing in St. Augustine?"

The other vampires were slowly and silently moving deeper into the shadows of a nearby building to keep Michael from getting a clear look at their features as he became more alert.

Not knowing how to explain the situation, Ruthie hesitated before replying, "Michael, this isn't St. Augustine."

"I don't understand, Ruthie," Michael said, "I remember sailing on a ship with a load of cargo to St. Augustine. I remember helping to unload the cargo and walking into the city with some of the crew."

"What else do you remember?" Ruthie asked.

Michael thought as hard as he could, "That's all," he replied worriedly, "I don't remember anything else. Ruthie, we can't be in New London, can we?"

Seeing Michael's look of confusion and hating to lie to him, Ruthie reluctantly affirmed his suspicions.

"How did I get here?" he asked, "and why can't I remember the trip? What day is this, anyway?"

Ruthie panicked over how to answer these questions without telling him the truth. She had painfully accepted the fact that they could never be together, even though he had vowed to return to her. She had made herself a vow to stay away from him so that he could follow his dreams-dreams that could never come true if he were to join Ruthie as a murderous creature rising only at night. She hated to have to lie to the man she loved but she knew she was going to have to think of something to explain that she couldn't see him again.

"Ruthie," Michael looked concerned when she didn't answer him right away. He softly ran his fingers along her face and she felt her heart breaking again just as fresh as the first time she allowed him to sail out of her life. "You look as confused as I feel. Do you know how I got here?"

Terror tore through Ruthie as Michael's body was violently pulled away from her and enveloped in a flowing mass of dark fabric landing hard on the snowy ground several feet behind her in the shadows where Amy and Robert stood together aghast at the speed and violence of Susie's latest impulsive act.

"Susie!" Ruthie turned and flew at Susie who crouched over Michael's prone body drinking his blood. She grasped Susie by the arms from behind pulling her away from Michael, blood running from the corner of Susie's mouth and her eyes blazing with lustful triumph, "stay away from him!"

Amy and Robert rushed to Ruthie's side when Susie jerked herself free from her grip and threw her against the dark wall of the building, leaving her momentarily stunned in the snow, her cloak falling around her and covering her face, "Ruthie!" Amy gasped as she knelt over her with Robert beside her, "Robert, will she be all right?"

"She will be fine," Robert assured Amy and pulled the fabric away from Ruthie's recovering face.

"Get her!" Ruthie pleaded to Amy as she pushed herself from the cold ground, "she's going to kill him."

Susie had, indeed, returned to her position over Michael, but she had satisfied her need for blood and was now satisfying a different desire. She had already punctured her own arm with her sharp bloody teeth and was forcing the wound into Michael's open mouth.

"No!" Ruthie exclaimed as she flew at Susie a second time, this time held back by Robert.

"It's too late, dear," he murmured regretfully, "if we don't let her proceed now, Michael will die."

Ruthie fell to her knees sobbing in agony over her failure to protect her lover. She helplessly watched him being transformed into the same wretched tool of Satan as she was by the wicked vampire who had done nothing but torment her since her own transformation. Amy slowly fell to her kenes and put her arms around Ruthie's sob-wracked shoulders.

After a moment Susie stood wiping the blood fromher face with a corner of her cloak and turned to Ruthie, "You can have him now. I wanted the experience of transforming someone too, but hie's yours. I did it for you."

"How can you say that you did it for me?" Ruthie sobbed and moved nearer to Michael, cradling his unconscious body in her arms, "you ruined him. He's a tool of the devil like the rest of us. He was the most innocent part of my life, now his soul is doomed to burn in hell like ours."

"You can't honestly say that you didn't want to be with him," Susie argued, "did you really want to make that sacrifice twice?"

"Yes," Ruthie replied, "I was going to send him away again. Of course, I wanted to be with him, but not if I had to give his soul to the devil. Now he's going to hate me forever."

"Perhaps he won't, Ruthie," Amy tried to console her friend, "maybe he loves you so much that it won't matter, like Robert and me."

"But now he'll never live his dreams," Ruthie hugged Michael, pressing her cheek against his.

Amy turned angrily toward Susie, "If Michael does forgive Ruthie for withholding her true identity, it still does not excuse your wild and violent behavior, Susie."

"I'm not asking for anyone to excuse my behavior," Susie answered arrogantly, "You never asked me to excuse your behavior when you transformed me. You killed my husband and made my children orphans. Now you scold me and criticize everything I do. I acted recklessly at the church when I didn't consider Ruthie's feelings in the sanctuary, then I accidentally killed Reverend Williams in the alley. I thought giving her Michael would make up for my past. Obviously, that was wrong as well."

"You think that committing another murder will make up for the first one?" Ruthie asked, "Even if Michael forgives me and accepts his new cursed existence, I will always hate you for everything you've done."

"Ruthie!" Amy exclaimed, "I never dreamed you would be capable of hatred."

"Neither did I," Ruthie lifted Michael, partially concealing him under her cloak, "I need to carry him to the lair where he'll be safe."

"We will escort you, Ruthie," Robert offered, "so that you won't be noticed. Then Amy and I must feed."

Susie angrily followed the group back to the lair helping to shield Ruthie and Michael from the public. Once inside thelair Ruthie carefully laid Michael in her coffin, then lay along side him while Amy and Robert went out to feed. Susie, having had her fill of Michael's blood remained in the lair. Robert warned her to leave Ramon at his post and not attack him in any way.

"Now I can't be trusted alone in our lair?" Susie muttered after they were gone, "I cannot abide by these extreme restrictions."

Chapter 39

Ruthie rose from her coffin carefully so as not to disturb Michael who remained peacefully unconscious. Lighting the candle on the table she carried it back to her coffin holding it at the angle that gave her the best view of Michael's face without disturbing his rest. Tears ran down her cheeks as she sadly watached his peaceful expression which, she expected, would soon be altered to one of pain and betrayal when she explained to him the new life that was so violently forced upon him.

"Are you all right, Ruthie?" Amy was suddenly next to Ruthie.

"Amy!" Ruthie exclaimed in a whisper, "I didn't hear you come out."

"I didn't want to wake Robert," Amy answered, "he's been through such an ordeal. He needs his rest."

"Yes," Ruthie murmured, "quite the ordeal."

"Ruthie," Amy asked, "you don't blame Robert for Michael's situation, do you?"

"No, Amy," Ruthie clenched her jaw, "I blame Susie. Robert set Michael free after learning about his past. It was Susie who killed Michael's dreams forever."

"At least you won't have to face Michael alone," Amy began lighting the rest of the candles in the lair, "I will be right here with you helping to explain. I'm certain Robert will assist in any way that he can, as well."

Ruthie still gazed sadly at Michael's sleeping face when Amy exclaimed, "Ruthie! Susie is gone!" She quickly turned toward where Susie's coffin had stood and saw the empty space.

"Good Lord!" Ruthie exclaimed, "where is she?"

"Do you think she went off to be on her own?" Amy asked.

"She was mighty angry last night," Ruthie turned back toward Michael in her coffin, "maybe she decided she would be better off on her own. I'm glad she's gone."

"Well, I hope she doesn't bring attention to herself or us with her wild, vicious behavior," Amy said.

"Amy!" Robert's coffin opened as she called, "Are you here, my darling?"

"Yes," Amy rushed to him, "I'm here. I was talking with Ruthie and allowing you some much needed rest after your long trip."

"We won't ever be parted again," Robert held Amy in his arms. He kissed her and said, "Now that I've found you again, there is nothing that will pull us apart."

"I believe that with all my heart," Amy replied, "Even when we were apart, you were still with me. I knew you would find me. I could feel you in my heart."

"Where I will always be, my darling," Robert kissed Amy again, "forever."

"Michael is waking," Ruthie announced from across the room.

Robert and Amy rushed to Ruthie's side to help her guide Michael out of the coffin and lead him to a seat at the table.

"Where am I?" Michael asked in a groggy voice when he recognized Ruthie, "Ruthie? What happened? I remember we were talking and then my memory stops."

"So, you do remember talking to me last night?" Ruthie asked nervously.

"Yes," Michael replied, "and here's Amy, but do I know this gentleman? You seem familiar, Sir."

"He does?" Ruthie was surprised Michael would have any recollection of Robert. Robert had said Michael would forget everything about being a guard.

"He will remember now," Robert gently explained to Ruthie, "because of what Susie did," Robert glanced around the lair, "where is Susie?"

"She's gone, darling," Amy replied, "she must have gone away while we rested."

"This could be a problem," Robert worried, "she is very wild and careless. She could draw attention to us all."

"Yes," Amy agreed, "let us hope she doesn't."

"Who is Susie?" Michael asked, "and where am I?"

"Let us help Michael for now," Ruthie suggested, "and talk about Susie later."

"Michael," Robert sat facing Michael at the table, "you remember being my guard, don't you?"

"Yes," Michael answered, "I was forced to guard you. I was in St. Augustine and a woman enslaved me to your service."

"Yes, that was my mother," Robert explained, "I was being held prisoner by my brother, Raul, and my mother and sisters helped me to escape. My mother knew I would need guards to help me during the daylight hours when I'm unable to help myself."

"You're not human!" Michael's memory was quickly being restored, "you attack and murder people for their blood! You're a vampire!"

"Ruthie!" Michael looked into Ruthie's fearful face, "why are you in his company?"

"Michael," Ruthie whispered shamefully, "I'm the same as Robert."

"No!" Michael exclaimed, "not you! Not my sweet Ruthie!" He then looked at Amy, "you? You are also like him?"

Amy's expression as she looked lovingly at Robert answered Michael's question.

"Michael," Ruthie said softly and a bit reluctantly fearing his reaction, "now you are like us too."

"What?" Michael replied in disbelief, "that can't be."

"I'm sorry, Michael," Ruthie continued, "I tried to save you. Robert freed you from being his guard, but Susie attacked you and made you one of us before I could stop her."

"I'm confused," Michael puthis hands over his face, "who is Susie? How could this happen?"

"I'm sorry," Ruthie began to sob, "you hate me now and I deserve it. I betrayed you by not telling you what I was when we first met."

"You were a killer then, Ruthie?" Michael said in astonishment, "I never would have guessed. You hid it well. But your skin was very cold, now that I think about it."

"Please, Michael," Ruthie begged through her tears, "don't hate me. I love you. I only wanted you to live your dreams. I never wanted you to become like this."

After a few moments of silence except for Ruthie's sobs, Michael slowly removed his hands from his face. Amy and Robert moved across the room to give them some privacy as Michael looked into Ruthie's sorrowful face, "Ruthie," he said sincerely, "after I met you, my only dream was to return and be with you forever. If I have to be a murdering creature of the night to be with you, then I will." He stood and took her into his arms.

When Ruthie finally allowed Michael to let her out of his grasp, Amy and Robert explained to Michael everything he could expect from his new physical existence along with the basic rules they followed to ensure their survival. All the while Ruthie held tightly to Michael's arm as though he would hear something that would change his attitude and he would begin to resent or even hate her for being dishonest and then reject her completely, but he did not.

"We must now feed and aid Michael in his first feed," Robert said as they rose from the table, "then we must leave this city tonight."

Amy took Robert's arm while Ruthie still held Michael's and they exited the lair together.

######

About the author

Alison Fish was born and raised in Waterford, Connecticut, in New London County. She received an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Three Rivers Community College and a Bachelors Degree in English at Eastern Connecticut State University.
