CATCHING and LOOSING Rabbits

This woman's look inspired the character Beth Rider...I can't remember who she is. Sorry. She is a Miss America finalist I think. Maybe from North Carolina?? Anyway, she is lovely...

First, go to my novel web site if you haven't, you naughty reader... http://www.rabbitnovel.com/

Now...let us continue...

I am having too much fun. It has to be wrong. Every since I began writing the Loose Rabbits (chapters that exist outside the novel) I have been enjoying too much pleasure. You have to admit...it's a great idea. An author is pressured by industry standards, especially in this tough economy and when she is unproven, to make her novel as short and succinct as possible. But I have a lot more to say that could fit inside 90,000 words!

The first Loose Rabbit ended up in the novel. I wanted to write how a human becomes a Cow and what it is like for the Rakum as well. I chose to write about how Javier met Simon. I wrote the scene outside the novel thinking that I would post it on my web site after the book came out, and people could then learn some backstory of this curious duo. Then, as I worked on polishing the novel, this scene found a place inside.

Chapter 21 of RABBIT:CHASING BETH RIDER includes the entire Loose Rabbit (that is no longer loose, but captured, of course...). Now I couldn't go inserting backstory left and right after that, so I wrote them as they came to mind and have slowly leaked them onto the web site under the Loose Rabbits Tab...

So if you read the Loose Rabbits before you read the novel, my good friend Jen says that you will be intrigued beyond measure and be addicted before you get your hands on a full copy... So go for it! And if you read them after you read the novel, or during, they will bring another dimension and fullness to your appreciation of the characters in this wonderful novel.

Today the story behind Selene came to mind. Selene's name doesn't come up until Chapter 47, but she is such a powerful character that she makes a big impression from that chapter on. And I can leak a tiny secret here.... Selene will play a larger part in the Rabbit sequel (but you didn't hear it from me!!).

So ya'll go read those Loose Rabbits and leave me a comment on the web site or drop me an email if you like them. I have many more sitting here waiting to tickle your interest and entertain your curious minds. C-Ya my Rabbit pals!

BOOK COVER approved; Ecstactic Author throws a BONE

YES! I am on cloud nine again... I heard from the publisher and our book cover was approved exactly as submitted! They did an awesome job of creating the spine and back of the book to match the front cover we designed. I could not be happier with their work! Alas, though, I am enduring a little bit of a trial concerning it because I want to make a slight change and the link they gave me to make my suggested changes is not functioning... I put in a call to the right peeps and now have to wait. Oh well... I pulled out my hair earlier about it, but now I am calm. Calm... Calm... shalom... shalom... ahhhh... So here is the bone. I am sending out a delicious bone. I love this bone so much that I am only sharing one-third of it with you... The other two-thirds will be available on the web site under the tab LOOSE RABBITS... Here is the delicious meaty bone concerning how Rakum (vampire) Javier ended up with Elder Roman. In the novel, their relationship is important to the plot, so this sweet partial chapter will mean much more when you get to read the novel. But it is still tasty by itself. Have a bite if you like. This Rabbit is yummy...

(the following is a rough draft and will likely meet some changes before it is posted to the web site in December... it is a sneak peak Bone for you my sweets..)

REMEMBER what a Loose Rabbit is... [hyperlink] these chapters are NOT in the novel. They are LOOSE... providing info and back-story, and although perfectly in sync with the novel, they do not directly effect the plot of RABBIT:CHASING BETH RIDER. Think of them as 'deleted scenes'...

RABBIT: Loose Rabbits Roman and Javier / The Early Years Year 1877 It was midnight when eight-year-old Javier arrived at Roman’s secluded log cabin in the wild forests outside Montreal. All legs and arms, Javier stumbled through the front door, accompanied by a Rakum Senior student who had escorted him from their burned-out Group-Lair fifty miles South. The youngster took in the room with huge green eyes, his lips parted in a comical ‘O’. His overseers had trimmed his black hair short for the trip and his skin was milky white. He wore rough canvas trousers two sizes too big and a stained white cotton shirt with sleeves two inches too long. Roman regarded the wafer-thin pup with an amused grin and shooed off his chaperone leaving the two of them alone. Elder and proselyte. Barely a proselyte, really. At a new eight, Javier smelled more human than not and Roman breathed through his mouth more than once in disdain. He was not accustomed to such young ones, but soon enough, he’d begin to transform the boy properly. Purge the weak, beggarly elements and replace them with immeasurable, unstoppable Rakum gifts. Born to a mortal woman by a Rakum Father, Javier would grow much like a human boy until he reached thirteen. At that point, his metabolism would slow gradually until he aged only days as the years passed him by. As his appointed guardian and Elder, Roman was expected to prepare him for an eternity of life at the top of the food chain. Little Javier stopped in the middle of the room, took in the four walls slowly, his mouth still agape, and then faced his superior. When Roman did not acknowledge him for several long seconds, he shifted his weight to one foot and bent his knee, throwing his balance to one side. He looked like a tiny gymnast, double-jointed and loose-limbed, perhaps able to contort himself into any number of odd shapes. Roman pondered all this as he watched the kid bear up under the scrutiny. He wanted to know what kind of pup they’d sent him. What was he up against with this orphan? This would be the youngest Rakum Roman had ever discipled. Yet he was up to the challenge. The Fathers requested him specifically, and that had to count for something. Roman softened his gaze and attempted to send the boy a telepathic directive. “Come close, Javier.” Roman watched the kid’s face, but gauged no reaction. His eyes were wide and intelligent, taking in every detail; yet he heard nothing telepathically. “Come close, Javier.” Roman said, his voice low, and the boy stepped up without hesitation. “What stage did you complete before your Group-Lair was destroyed?” “Stage five, Sir.” Javier responded in a thick French accent. “Parlez-vous du français?” Roman asked and the boy nodded shyly. “Quelles langues parlez-vous?” If the kid spoke more than two languages, it would suggest a higher-than-average IQ. Roman spoke fifty mortal languages and was prepared to test the boy in each and every one if he showed a propensity for linguistics. “English, German, Spanish, French and Hungarian.” Javier answered in accented English, attempting to dazzle his new Elder by his accomplishments. Roman nodded with approval. “We will get along fine, young man.” Roman allowed a small smile and Javier’s eyes sparkled. Roman grimaced. The kid was a romantic. From that point forward, Roman made an effort to disguise his affection. Very rarely, a Rakum was born with an over-developed sense of joviality. Now he understood why the Fathers chose him. They wanted to test him. Roman had never missed with a proselyte and the Fathers were capricious. They sought to trip him up; or at least see if they could. Roman cleared his throat gruffly and laid a heavy hand on the youth’s shoulder. “Stage five. How efficient are you?” Stage Five was drawing blood from a human victim, eventually against their will. Even an eight-year-old Rakum was expected to procure his own food, and Roman wanted to know where to begin. “Top of my class, Sir.” Javier responded, and puffed out his narrow chest. “Are you ready for Stage Six, then?” Roman removed his hand from Javier’s shoulder and pushed up the sleeve on his right arm. Stage Six was initiated by an Elder’s blood. The immature Rakum would experience extreme pleasure at ingestion, but crippling pain as the Elder’s time-enriched blood seeped into his system. And the leeching effect of Stage Six lasted several nights. Despite knowing all of this, Javier’s green eyes widened and he nodded his head. “Let’s see. Show me.” Roman put out his arm and Javier hesitated. “Sir?” “Yes?” “Can I go to the bathroom.” Javier frowned and took on a puppy-dog expression. Roman sighed and nodded. “That way.” He gestured through the hall door and watched the kid shuffle out of the room at a trot. He was cute and worse, he knew it. Roman shook his head. Why didn’t they send him a brute? A wild-child that no one else could control? Roman looked up at the ceiling, memories of other Rakum he’d discipled over the years filtered down to him. There had been dozens. But somehow this one connected with him on a deeper level. Roman closed his eyes. Discipling a youth through First Ritual required vicious and violent instruction. It was easier with the brutes. So much easier.

RABBIT TRAILER has been LOOSED on the Public!!

By the grace of God and the Windows Movie Maker, RABBIT:CHASING BETH RIDER has a smashing professional Book Trailer, and it cost me nothing. My family and I did it ourselves... It is getting rave reviews and I expect big things from it! I love it so much... I think I'll watch it again... Don't forget to visit http://www.rabbitnovel.com for all the Rabbit info available. Pre-ordering is well underway, so order yours now if you need a signed novel by Christmas. I will have a limited quantity when the book is released, but won't get additional cases until January. The novel will be available in all bookstores and online, including Amazon and BAM...

BOOK TRAILERS and Loose Rabbits

Book trailers.

RABBIT:Chasing Beth Rider will have a Book Trailer created by the publisher. But today I am thinking about creating one myself. I have photos, quotes and ideas, but perhaps not the know-how to use the flash player program to create the movie...

My sister Marty is my webmistress and she created a flash movie for my novel THE JUDGING (see the movie on the home page at http://www.thejudgingnovel.com/). For all intents and purposes, this is a book trailer. Add appropriate words to steer the folks to the bookstore or website, and you have yourself a free and easily created book trailer!

I think the kicker is that you have to use images that you have a copyright to use. As a fine artist, I appreciate and adhere to all copyright laws. So I went into town and took some pictures of Montgomery to use in my book trailer, since my book takes place in my town. Then I had a model pose for some photos of the voluntary blood-letting that abounds in my novel... So today, I will go play with the flash player widget and see what I can come up with. If it turns out half-decent, I will post it here. For now, though... I will leak my favorite photo from my new batch (photos I OWN THE COPYRIGHT TO!).

Don't forget, RABBIT will be loosed December 2009. Catch (pre-order) yours now at http://www.rabbitnovel.com/ !!

Have a great day!

ellen

LUKE GOSS and the HIGH SCHOOL POET

I met some really terrific poets on Facebook recently. Then I remembered...I used to be a poet. Like nearly every single adolescent on the planet, I wrote poetry to express myself when yelling, kicking, screaming and punching were not socially acceptable outlets for hormonal tragedies.

I wrote about puppies, kitties, foals and butterflies.

I wrote about football games, parties, boyfriends, and my face.

And I wrote about vampires...

Wanna see the one I wrote about my face? (humor me, and nod your head) Thanks.

Here it is. Sixteen-year-old Ellen C McCraney writes:

MY FACE Look at my face. It's my acne that scars My pimples that mars That don't leave a trace Of a clean, clear face.

Pretty awesome, eh? I guess if your definition of awesome is really really generous...

Try this one (I'm going to get to the vampire one in a second...)

A CAT A cat is strange in many odd ways. He seems very bossy whenever he plays. He sits very tall and shaped like a pear You'd think he could scare off any old bear. But if danger comes near, he jumps up a tree And won't be seen by the likes of me.

Now you're getting the picture. Ellen C McCraney was a pretty pathetic poet. But sure I thought I was great! I am looking at a stack of poems from 10th grade that I saved. They are typed and put into a homemade booklet that I illustrated and everything!

Okay, you've waited long enough. Here is my vampire poem... enjoy... (or not) Oh, and by the way, this poem is in the same booklet as the Cat and the Face one. Go figure...

A VAMPIRE'S POEM You're bleeding my son, come close to me That life-giving red is all that I see. The devil's in me and I'm so unclean. I'm on the vampire's side, get what I mean? They came last night and emptied my veins. It's your blood I need, that's why I came. Don't look at me with puzzled eyes. Don't torment me with terrible cries. Soon you'll prowl in the night with me And son, that life-giving red is all you'll see.

So you can all go your merry way now. You've seen the poems of one 16yr old Ellen. Have I always been so inclined to write about the struggle of the vampire in all of us? I think I have. And it all started with DRACULA, the novel by Bram Stoker.

You gotta start somewhere.

Good night and cover your neck.

PS. Why is Luke Goss headlining my Blog tonight? No reason. He just looks nice. :)

"Author CONCEIVES Rabbit at SIXTEEN"

Sure RABBIT: CHASING BETH RIDER is being delivered, actually born in about 7 weeks... but when was she conceived? Well, like many authors, my story was conceived much earlier in life. The most basic element of RABBIT was conceived when I was in the 10th grade. I'll be 41 in 2 weeks...

I used to write many short stories and a lot of them dealt with vampires. If course, my favorite movies then were vampire movies, and my favorite books...you guessed it. One book that influenced me more than many at this young age was THEY THIRST by Robert McCammon. Yep-- that book was rated R, but I didn't understand all the sexy stuff... Just the vampire stuff.

Anyway, I digress.

Today I dug out those original stories that have tiny elements of RABBIT inside. I digitized them and when the time is right, I will post them on http://www.rabbitnovel.com/ but for now, we'll let them sleep. See, I was only 16, and my writing is well...embarrassing. It is probably better than some kids my age, but still too weak to post until you guys have had a chance to see what kind of author I grew in to. So when RABBIT is successful.. I will post those original stories.

You're not missing much.

But it is curious to see where this plot line was first thought up!

Now I will return to my reading of RABBIT on the computer. I cannot wait to hold the novel in my hand for the first time. I will do a dance for days when that happens!

Good night all!

RABBIT Novel's First Contest...Got FACE'd yet???

FACEBOOK FANS RABBIT Contest

http://www.rabbitnovel.com/current-contests.php

This Contest is open only to members of the FaceBook Fan Group. Membership is FREE…so why not join us today athttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=96952574559&ref=ts What ya gotta do… 1. Read RABBIT: CHASING BETH RIDER 2. Afterward, write a review of the book, 35 - 100 words (longer is not necessarily better) and post it on the DISCUSSION BOARD of the FaceBook Group. 3. Wait patiently. Contest runs from December 25th, ‘09 to February 25th ‘10. Author will choose three reviews as winners, and these will be used both on the website and in the next novel release to advertise RABBIT. 4. Receive your prize—and autographed copy of RABBIT: CHASING BETH RIDER to give away, keep or re-sell J You will be notified via FaceBook message system on or around Feb.26th. ** Every entry will receive a signed RABBIT: CHASING BETH RIDER Bookmark just for entering!

Run Rabbit, run…chasing you is so much fun…

Author LEAKED A LITTLE RABBIT on her blog...Get a Towel

New York Times Bestselling author Beth Rider has a problem. Jack Dawn, supernatural monster belonging to a race of vampire-like beings called Rakum, has taken exception to her novel series "The Corescu Chronicles" and has vowed to hunt down and kill the young writer; punishing anyone who gets in his way. Aided by Jack's Rakum Lieutenant who doesn’t understand his infatuation with the young novelist but is compelled to help her anyway, Beth takes the fight to their world. In the face of peril and certain death, Beth and her new supernatural allies carry an unpopular Truth into the darkest places of man’s soul. Finally kidnapped and taken to the shadowy underground they call The Cave, Beth will face the ten Fathers of the Brotherhood, alive since before Christ walked the earth, and state her case with bravado only the Spirit of God can provide. Who will live and who will die is always up for grabs, but Beth knows where she is headed, and she wants to bring as many of the Rakum with her as possible.

[read full prologue at www.rabbitnovel.com]

There you have the back cover blurb about the upcoming vampire novel RABBIT:CHASING BETH RIDER. The term 'Rabbit' is given to the human who the Rakum (vampire) deems deserving of a slow, torturous death because of some crime he or she committed against the Brethren.

That is where Beth Rider comes in. The lovely and innocent young novelist is attacked and marked as a Rabbit and then released to be chased by the rest of the Brethren. I am leaking Chapter 5 today to show how the hero enters the story. The unlikely hero is a Rakum, born in 1879, and not a known softy. In fact is reputation as a brute is well established. But our story picks up when his world is turned upsidedown.

Some of the best heroes start out as monsters...

CHAPTER FIVE

Rabbit:Chasing Beth Rider, release date Dec.2009, http://www.rabbitnovel.com/

Michael inserted his time card and was satisfied with the loud click it made as he was clocked out. His shift had been uneventful, as they all were, and he was ready for a quick dinner before sunup. Because of his need to stay in during the day, he put in six three-hour nighttime shifts a week as Airport Security Personnel; working 8:30 to 11:30 nightly. The pay was average and it kept him in his cozy one-bedroom house in the city. What else did he need? The work was never-endingly boring and in five years, he’d never had an incident.

Montgomery was a quiet Southern town, end of story. Excitement was for the large international hubs in the northeast and west, and Michael was old enough to appreciate peace and tranquility. Dannelly Field was equipped to welcome only regional jets so between arrivals, the various gates emptied often any given hour. Tonight’s Delta CRJ from Atlanta due at 10:50 arrived forty-five minutes late because of weather delays in Georgia. But now as he locked his sidearm and utility belt away he could hear disembarked passengers milling about seeking their luggage. He re-entered the terminal from the restricted area and immediately noticed a familiar and pleasing aroma.

Because he knew the scent well from past experience, Michael stopped walking and leaned against the wall to his right, if nothing else than to give the aroma his full concentration. His stomach responded and grumbled uncomfortably inside him. It was a glorious and fulfilling aroma that tickled his head with an agreeable buzz. Michael sighed contentedly without even realizing it, his eyes now darting over the heads of passengers coming and going around him. Inhaling deeply, Michael stood off the wall to concentrate fully on who it might be. He was seeking his prey now; following the unmistakable scent of a Rabbit. And it was headed his way. Michael smiled with confidence. He was the only one of his kind in the airport thus he was to have this Rabbit all to himself. What luck! Jesse who always came in on Tuesdays was expected within the hour. He had connected from New York City to Atlanta but his plane was also delayed by thunderstorms plaguing central Georgia.

Michael scrutinized the patrons as they filed past his position. A Rabbit was always easy to spot. They were contemptible creatures, the dregs of humanity, marked by the Elders for slow and deliberate execution by the Brethren. Michael had always been willing to be part of a Rabbit’s assassination crew.

It had been nearly a year since the last Rabbit came through the region, and Michael wasn’t the first on the scene that time. Boris caught the scoundrel, down at the old train yards, sneaking in and out of the abandoned warehouses like the rat he was. That particular Rabbit had been marked for treason. He was a pretty useful Cow before he turned on his master Rufus and tried to kill him. Michael heard through the grapevine that he had nearly succeeded by dousing his master with gasoline and setting him on fire. But Rufus was no mere Brother, but an Elder and an extremely powerful one at that. He had not been consumed beyond redemption, and in his anger, he tracked down and marked the Cow as a Rabbit for the others. Michael grinned as he remembered how they tormented the fat little man when Boris let them in on the game.

Me and Jesse, and that other guy…that loose cannon. What was his name? Tyson, yeah. We were merciless. That was a good time...

Michael allowed the vivid memories to come back fully as he waited for the new Rabbit to cross his path. They had gone at that guy again and again, even moving him to Tyson’s rented cottage for a few days to work him over even more. By the time the other brothers had their shot, the Rabbit was ready for the loony bin. The guy threw himself in front of a train the first chance he had to slip away. Broke his sorry back, severing his spine. One of the few ways to kill a Rabbit. It had been a shame to lose such an entertaining food source. But all of the brethren knew that despite the longevity and healing power the marking procedure provided, Rabbits had pretty short life spans.

Looking over the small crowd, Michael noticed a young woman standing across the wide hallway, a distraught look on her face. She was lovely and delicate; the kind of woman Michael enjoyed the company of when he had time, and she appeared to need some help. Her hair was long, wavy and dark blonde, and even from across the hall, Michael could see that she was beautiful by any man’s standards. He was also quick to note that she was shapely and attractive in a modest yet alluring pastel blue business suit, and she carried what looked like a laptop case in one hand and a soft leather briefcase in the other. Michael crossed the foot traffic to assist her and remained on the lookout for the Rabbit.

He was nearly at her side when the realization hit him full force. This beautiful woman, this innocent lamb, lost and alone in his busy airport terminal…this All-American beauty was his goal. Someone had marked her as a Rabbit. And as she turned into him to ask for help, Michael recognized the scent of the elder who marked her.

Jack Dawn.

His Elder. His Master.

It didn’t get any worse than that.

The PESKY VAMPIRE and a Righteous Dude

The Corescu Chronicles character Tony Agricola is a righteous dude. In THE JUDGING, he came to the aid of his former girlfriend Hope Brannen when she became entangled with a vampire named mark Corescu. In Book Two, DAMASCUS ROAD, circumstances outside of Tony’s control find him here, nearly a year later, living with a vampire spun off from Corescu. This young vampire, Paul Black, is impulsive and hedonistic, and oh-so-much fun to follow. He force-fed Tony his blood which made him immortal, but not a vampire; now he abuses Tony to no end.

But let's face it...that makes it really fun for the reader. Dear Reader, I offer to you Chapter 15 of Damascus Road for your pleasure and enjoyment. This Novel is not yet available, but coming soon. If you would like to be alerted when it is available, please join the FaceBook group (link below) dedicated to all of these great vampire tales. First, a few helpful shortcuts: THE JUDGING full prologue: http://www.thejudgingnovel.com/the-judging.php DAMASCUS ROAD full prologue: http://www.thejudgingnovel.com/damascus-road.php RABBIT:CHASING BETH RIDER prologue and Lost Books: http://www.rabbitnovel.com/ Join the FaceBook Fan Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=96952574559 Now…sink your teeth into this excerpt starring Paul and Tony… NOVEL TAGLINE: How far would you go to protect the innocent? Giving up your life to save a stranger is one thing, but subject yourself to constant torture in an effort to save some people you've never met? This is the kind of man you'd find in Tony Agricola; survivor of Book One:The Judging. Tony will sacrifice his very blood so the town can sleep safe at night. Would you? Novel Excerpt DAMASCUS ROAD The Corescu Chronicles: Book Two (contains spoilers from THE JUDGING, Book One) -Oh and…this is a rough draft. Both guys’ POV is inserted here while I choose which to go with- CHAPTER 15

“This is it?” Tony looked around the dusty store, and tried to think positive. Paul bought the store to serve as a mortal cover for him in his new identity but with the vampire’s self-control issues, Tony couldn’t imagine him working in a retail setting.

“I think it will do nicely.” Paul closed the front door behind him and shook the dust off his hands. The store had been closed for six months, although much of the inventory was still on the shelves. “I think the former owner died in a fire or something. I bought the whole thing, books, furniture. Everything.” Paul waited for Tony to turn and face him and then he laughed at the thoughts he gleaned from his partner’s worried mind. “No, silly, I am not going to run this store. We’ll hire a couple of college grads. They can keep the place going for me. I’m certainly not going to work anymore. My days of labor and servitude are over.”

Tony smirked and turned back to survey the room and then pointed to a narrow staircase. “Let’s see what’s up here.”

“I want you to take care of anything the hired help can’t do. You will be the general manager. I am just putting my name on the deed.” Paul followed Tony up the stairs, waiting to hear if he was going to agree or confront him on the issue. To his amazement, his partner simply nodded his head and opened the office door.

“I’ll take care of it.” Tony replied. “As long as you keep out of it completely. I don’t want you to even come in the store. If this is going to be my responsibility, I don’t want to have to think about you being in here messing things up.”

“Oh, I’ll around. I can’t agree to that.” Paul mumbled as they surveyed the office. There was one old desk and two chairs, and a few shelves on the wall. “You’ll have to call me boss and let me pop in once in a while…” Paul was not going to give the business another thought once it was open, but he did not like Tony telling him what to do. He would not accept orders from his new apprentice no matter how often and adamantly he tried to give them.

“Fine. Whatever.” Tony turned and squeezed past Paul on the steps to head back down. Paul was having his way; the bookstore was now theirs, the giant of a moving man was going to be coming over once a week to donate blood to the thirsty vampire, and Tony had no say in any of it. How did Paul convince that guy to donate his blood? Tony was curious about Paul’s plan to hire out blood donors but he did not want to know the details. If he knew the details, he might become involved. Tony vainly hoped that he could disassociate himself with Paul if the plans with the friendly moving man worked out.

Maybe God is going to let me loose of this monster soon. Maybe…

“Tony, Preacher Man, I wish you would keep all of that whining down to a minimum. You make me sick with all of your silent complaining …” Paul trotted down the steps and caught up with Tony where he had paused behind the cash register counter.

Tony did not reply and he kicked himself for forgetting that the monster could read his thoughts. I have to learn how to block my mind somehow…

“Yeah, that’ll be the day.” Paul returned telepathically and entered the small three-sided counter area where the employees would work when the store opened. He purposefully blocked the exit with his body and glared at Tony. “So, you know what day it is?”

Tony looked up from his daydreaming and shook his head. He knew it was Tuesday. He knew that tomorrow he had a pretty important meeting with the Pastorate of one of Montgomery’s largest Protestant congregations. But he did not know what either of these meant to his demented partner.

“Today we will have a little celebration. Here we are, two partners, six o’clock in the evening, about to open up our own business. Isn’t this exciting?” Paul stepped closer to Tony but was still cleverly blocking the opening behind him.

“Paul, what are you talking about? What kind of celebration?” Tony did not move from where he stood but he did know that Paul was menacing him again.

“Let’s have a drink.” Paul covered the distance between the two of them so quickly that Tony had not even seen him move at all. Once he realized that he was in Paul’s grasp as in times past, he glanced quickly to the front door.

“Paul! Someone will see you. Don’t you have any sense?” Speaking in a low whisper, Tony heard his voice crack a with fear.

“Why would someone see us? It is getting dark outside. We have the lights off in here…” Paul knelt down to the floor pulling Tony down with him. “The door is locked. We’ll just hunker down right here. Now how about that drink?”

“Please Paul, you can’t possibly be hungry again so soon…” Tony strained against the grip Paul had on his arm and attempted to stand. Without even changing expression, the vampire’s cruel grip on his arm tightened and Tony slumped back onto the floor and landed on his rump. “Tomorrow you’ll have that moving man. Tomorrow Paul.” Tony looked up to the white ceiling. “I can’t keep doing this!”

Paul chuckled and pulled Tony into an embrace full of false affection. “Oh come now, why are you being such a baby? Aren’t you just practicing what you preach? Aren’t you sacrificing your blood to protect the innocent? Hmmm?”

Tony put both of his hands to his own throat ineffectively covering the exposed skin and tried to stand up again. He knew that it was futile, but maybe, just maybe, if he could delay the attack, God might send help. It could happen.

But it didn’t.

Paul pulled back a fraction to look his partner in the eye and he grabbed his wrist tightly. Tony whimpered as he heard the bones in his wrist creak and then begin to fracture in Paul’s vise-like grip.

“My wrist, Paul. My wrist…”

“It’ll heal you big baby.” Paul yanked Tony’s hand away and buried his face in the preacher’s neck. As he opened his mouth wide and sank his now-elongated fangs into Tony’s neck he spoke to him telepathically. “Why do you make this so hard? Just be still and take your medicine. Shhh…”

Tony did become still as a few tears escaped from his eye and ran down his cheek. His broken bones were already healing, but they throbbed with a dull and alien sensation he never felt in his old life. His heart ached too as he realized that once again, God had not come to his rescue. Is this what I am reduced to? To serve as food for demons? Do I do this to protect the innocent as he said? If this is my sacrifice of love, I hope God accepts it. And I hope my tenure is over sooner than later.

He became quiet as the fiery sensation in his throat and the now dull pulse of knitting bones in his arm no longer distracted him. Tony relaxed in Paul’s embrace and concentrated on God’s purposes. When Paul released him and immediately began to tease him for praying to a deity who ignores him, Tony tuned him out stood shakily to his feet.

‘That’s okay, Paul. You will get yours.’ Tony thought as he waited for Paul to step aside and let him pass. His wrist was completely restored and he knew that the wounds on his throat would be closing as well. I guess it really isn’t so bad. It’s almost like it never happened… Almost.

“Yeah, like I said—you’re a big baby.”

Paul shoved Tony ahead toward the front door, smiling like a loon as he stumbled to catch his balance.

“Of course, I feel pretty good,” Paul rubbed his belly for emphasis, “for something that you pretend never happened…” Having a ready food source nearby all the time was a really good idea. Life had never been easier. And soon he’d have the giant too. “Let’s go home and see what’s on TV.”

Paul followed his partner out the door as he sulked in front of him. “Maybe we can catch an old Dracula movie on SCI-FI. You used to really like that stuff didn’t you Preacher Man? Isn’t that what you and that ridiculous Hope woman watched together?”

Tony ignored him and got into the truck. He did watch horror films with Hope in the past. Before he ever met a real monster. Before he knew that there were creatures out there that lived off human blood. No, he preferred comedies now. He didn’t care if he never saw another scary movie again. His whole life had become one long scary movie. And he sincerely hoped to make it to the ending alive and in one piece.