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"In your dreams, gerItfeel even more surreal

"I dream about her," Pete ad fro to cru face as he pulled her close for a kiss

"In that hotel rooht?" Ethan continued to flip the ers

"What are you saying?" Pete demanded He felt dizzy, a little sick, and terribly afraid

Ethan set the tongs he was using on the plate on the folding table, then turned around slowly "A different Maybe she was afraid, not understanding what she was, and she ca from my encounter with her father and family today that they drove her off But you, Pete, you loved her If you saw her wandering around out here alone, ould you do?"

A strongalong the roadside in the darkness, her bag over her shoulder Her beautiful face had been illu has he stopped his car beside her

"I picked her up," he whispered It was a statement Not a question

"And took her to the ered backwards Ethan swiftlychair under him Pete fell into it heavily A cascade ofhis love to Amaliya and his hopes she would one day settle doith hi her into the motel room and then what had followed He had been joyously happy as they had made love for hours and then

The beer in his hand fell to the concrete, its contents splashing over his boots, but he didn’t even notice He cradled his face in his hands, overcome

"What happened, Pete?" Ethan asked in a low voice

"She had no reflection," Pete whispered

As clear as day, he recalled looking into theonly himself, yet he had held her in his arms, had still been inside of her after their latest sexual rohted the other chair and sank into it The sun was so low the stars were now flooding the East Texas sky In silence, Ethan handed Pete another beer

"Shestarted to cry She was upset Her tears were bloody There was blood in the me to not be scared Isaw her teeth"

"Sharp, huh?"

"Yeah, then she just threw me like a toy across the room The rest is still hazy"

"She tried to remove the et about me Understand? Amaliya’s voice whispered in his "

"She was new to it all Didn’t knohat she was doing You’re lucky to be alive, Pete Others were not so lucky," Ethan said

Coh his dark hair, Pete shook his head The i hiswas too s was at odds with the , it can’t be real," Pete said at last He popped the beer and drank it swiftly He wanted to be numb He didn’t want to feel He wanted to be fuzzy Ethan’s words eaving Pete’s ether into a tapestry he did not want to look at, let alone accept

"Why not?" Ethan returned to the grill The fat sizzling onto the hot coals filled the air with s flesh

"Becauseif she died, she couldn’t co his head "Oh, if only that were true"

"You think she’s so over his shoulder, Ethan gave Pete an incredulous look "Think? I know she is" Ethan shoveled his food onto the platter and opened up the Tupperware bins he had on the folding table Inside were bread, condier, Ethan continued, "I have no doubt that she was killed and buried in that forest She rose a few days later probably hungry and very disoriented Co back does that to the up his sandwich, covered up the rerilled meat, and settled back in his chair

"It can’t be It just can’t!"

"Think about it It all fits together Theyou, feeding off you, then trying to wipe your memories so you won’t remember She then heads on down the road and kills a trucker in a motel, and soured that much out"

"Amaliya would never kill anyone!"

"She did, and she will She will do it for blood She needs it to survive Right now she’s out there, hiding, probably afraid" Ethan bit hungrily into his burger, chewing swiftly<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>