Page 43 of Blood Lust

Curiosity?

Maybe.

She doesn’t know she knows me.

But shefeelssomething.

Back on AIM, our chats stretch longer. A few lines turn into hours. Thoughts become confessions. Neither of us says it, but we both understand:

This isn’t harmless anymore.

MoonDance77: Over the years, I’ve become something else, and I’m afraid… but not of the change. I’m afraid I’m beginning to like it.

Fang950: Maybe what you’re becoming isn’t so bad.

MoonDance77: Oh, it’s bad. I feel almost as if something is living inside me, like a demon. And she wants out.

Fang950: Or maybe you just want freedom?

MoonDance77: What if the price of freedom means losing everything that I am and love?

Fang950: Then decide which parts of you are worth keeping, and the rest was probably never real anyway.

***

It ends one night with nothing more than:

MoonDance77: Thank you.

Fang950: For what?

MoonDance77: For really seeing me.

She signs off without waiting for my reply.

I sit in the glow of the screen, fingers resting on the keys, breathing shallow.

I don’t know where this is going. But I know it’s goingsomewhere.

And I know I’m probably not ready, but I’ll follow her anywhere.

Epilogue One: Samantha

The Next Morning

I cradle a cooling cup of coffee between my palms. Pointless habit, really. I can’t drink the stuff, but I sure do miss it. These days, I can only drink water, white wine... and blood, of course. Always blood. Gag.

The kids’ abandoned cereal bowls glare at me from the table. Nearby, the screen of my laptop glows softly.

I should close it. I should move on.

But instead, I read the message again.

Fang950: Then decide which parts of you are worth keeping. The rest was probably never real anyway.

He doesn’t know me; not really.

And yet… somehow, he sees everything.

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