The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires - Grady Hendrix Page 0,134

not any different than using a dialysis machine, except it’s more natural. And I promise you there’s no pain. In fact, from what I can tell it feels good to them. You have to understand, I would never do anything to hurt Korey. She agreed to do this. I want you to know that. After I told her about my condition she came to me and volunteered to help. You have to believe I would never make her do something against her will.”

“What are you?” she asked.

“I’m alone,” he said. “I’ve been alone for a very long time.”

Patricia realized it wasn’t repentance in his voice, it was self-pity. She’d heard Carter feeling sorry for himself too often to mistake it for anything else.

“What do you want from us?”

“I care for you,” he said. “I care for your family. I see how Carter treats you and it makes me furious. He throws away what I would treasure. Blue thinks the world of me already, and Korey has already done so much to help me that she has my eternal gratitude. I’d like to think we could come to an understanding.”

He wanted her family. It came to her in an instant. He wanted to replace Carter. This man was a vampire, or as close to one as she would ever see. She remembered Miss Mary talking in the dark all those years ago.

They have a hunger on them. They never stop taking. They mortgaged their souls away and now they eat and eat and eat and never know how to stop.

He’d found a place where he fit in, with a nearby source of food, and he’d become a respected member of the community, and now he wanted to have a family because he didn’t know how to stop. He always wanted more. That knowledge opened a door inside her mind and the bats flew out in a ragged black stream, leaving her skull empty and quiet and clear.

He had wanted old Mrs. Savage’s house, so he took it from her. Miss Mary had endangered him with her photograph, and he’d destroyed her. He had attacked Slick to protect himself. He would say anything to get what he wanted. He had no limits. And she knew that the moment he suspected she knew what he wanted, her children would be in danger.

“Patricia?” he asked in the silence.

She took a shuddering breath.

“I need time to think,” she said. If she got off the phone fast he wouldn’t hear the change in her voice.

“Let me come there,” he said, his tone sharper. “Tonight. I want to apologize in person.”

“No,” she said, and gripped the phone in her suddenly sweaty hand. She forced her throat to relax. “I need time.”

“Promise you forgive me,” he said.

She had to get off the phone. With a thrill of joy she realized she had to call the police right away. They would go to his house and find the license and search his attic and this would all be over by sundown.

“I promise,” she said.

“I’m trusting you, Patricia,” he said. “You know I wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

“I know,” she said.

“I want you to know all about me,” he said. “When you’re ready, I want to spend a lot of time with you.”

She was proud of the way she kept her voice calm and steady.

“Me, too,” she said.

“Oh,” he said. “Before I go, the damnedest thing happened this morning.”

“What?” she asked, numb.

“I found Francine Chapman’s driver’s license in my car,” he said, his voice full of wonder. “Remember Francine? Who used to clean for me? I don’t know how it got there, but I took care of it. Strange, right?”

She wanted to dig her nails into her face, and rake them down, and rip off her skin. She was a fool.

“That is strange,” she said, no life left in her voice.

“Well,” he said. “Lucky I found it. That could have been hard to explain.”

“Yes,” she said.

“I’ll wait to hear from you,” he