He saw a table that offered some moderate privacy for their talk. Raymond let Alex lead the way and they situated themselves for a long stay at the place.
Deafening silence loomed over the two as Alex quietly sipped her coffee. Raymond enjoyed her delicate beauty. She sipped her coffee and carefully blotted her lips with a napkin, soiling it with her lipstick. She shifted in her seat and crossed her legs, that’s when he became aware he was staring at her. But it wasn’t just her physical appearance which attracted him. She seemed intelligent as well. The whole package was a turn on. This outing transpired into the closest thing to a date he had been on since … well he couldn’t even remember ever having a real date. Again he mentally reminded himself this was business. He wasn’t ready to start dating anyway, so it should be a moot point.
“Why didn’t you burst into flames when we walked out into the sunlight?” she finally asked, breaking the spell which had caught hold of Raymond.
He turned to look at Alex and answered, “Myth.” She appeared almost embarrassed asking. Her adorable smile said as much to him. He could only imagine how awkward this conversation was for her.
“You look about 22 or so. And I know you fought in the Civil War. How old are you?”
“My 200th birthday is coming up soon”
Alex’s mouth dropped open and a slight gasp escaped her lips. “That’s a long time.” She drank a sip of her latte. “I’ve seen you before, many times. I’ve seen you at the White House, at the Pentagon … I’ve seen you also at the FBI headquarters. Now that I think about it, I’ve seen you everywhere. And yet, I didn’t remember you at all. How is this possible? I know I would have remembered seeing you, so don’t lie to me. What is going on?”
“Your memories of seeing me are flooding back. We’re predators, Alex. We slip into the background and are forgotten immediately. It's just part of our nature. Unless you talk with one of us directly, you won’t notice us. Well, your short–term memory does, but your long–term memory soon forgets us.”
Weird. Even from across the table he picked up on the fear from her thoughts. He wondered what caused such a response. He thought about touching her hand for a better reading, but as he put his hand on the table the fear intensified.
“Does garlic repel you?”
What an odd question. He expected a question about humans being turned into vampires. Even a question about his lack of body warmth seemed fitting. Garlic? Weird. “Garlic smells bad. Tastes even worst. But it does not repel us.”
“What would repel you?” Her face turned white. Panic threatened to overtake her. He felt the wave of fear hit him like a tidal wave.
“Are you asking what would kill us, Alex?”
“No.”
He sensed the lie as it radiated off her thoughts. “Why the falsehood? It’s a valid question. The answer to which the director should know.”
She cleared her throat. “OK. So how do you kill a vampire?”
He smiled and shook his head. “I respectfully reserve the right to abstain from answering that question until you officially accept the position. I’m sure you understand.”
Her eyes narrowed and it took a while for her response. “OK. What if I were attacked by a vampire, what would help me escape? Holy water?”
Raymond shook his head. “Holy water would only make your attacker wet. If you accept the position you will be given weapons to aid you in subduing a vampire.”
“Subduing? Not killing?”
“Again. That is for a later discussion.” He noticed sweat forming across her brow. “Alex, are you afraid I will attack you?” Her silence was not reassuring. Hell, she didn’t look like she was breathing.
She sat motionless until the coffee cup slipped through her fingers. Coffee splashed onto her lap and she jumped up in response. When Raymond offered to help her, she brushed off the offer. “I’m fine. Thanks for the coffee, but I
Deafening silence loomed over the two as Alex quietly sipped her coffee. Raymond enjoyed her delicate beauty. She sipped her coffee and carefully blotted her lips with a napkin, soiling it with her lipstick. She shifted in her seat and crossed her legs, that’s when he became aware he was staring at her. But it wasn’t just her physical appearance which attracted him. She seemed intelligent as well. The whole package was a turn on. This outing transpired into the closest thing to a date he had been on since … well he couldn’t even remember ever having a real date. Again he mentally reminded himself this was business. He wasn’t ready to start dating anyway, so it should be a moot point.
“Why didn’t you burst into flames when we walked out into the sunlight?” she finally asked, breaking the spell which had caught hold of Raymond.
He turned to look at Alex and answered, “Myth.” She appeared almost embarrassed asking. Her adorable smile said as much to him. He could only imagine how awkward this conversation was for her.
“You look about 22 or so. And I know you fought in the Civil War. How old are you?”
“My 200th birthday is coming up soon”
Alex’s mouth dropped open and a slight gasp escaped her lips. “That’s a long time.” She drank a sip of her latte. “I’ve seen you before, many times. I’ve seen you at the White House, at the Pentagon … I’ve seen you also at the FBI headquarters. Now that I think about it, I’ve seen you everywhere. And yet, I didn’t remember you at all. How is this possible? I know I would have remembered seeing you, so don’t lie to me. What is going on?”
“Your memories of seeing me are flooding back. We’re predators, Alex. We slip into the background and are forgotten immediately. It's just part of our nature. Unless you talk with one of us directly, you won’t notice us. Well, your short–term memory does, but your long–term memory soon forgets us.”
Weird. Even from across the table he picked up on the fear from her thoughts. He wondered what caused such a response. He thought about touching her hand for a better reading, but as he put his hand on the table the fear intensified.
“Does garlic repel you?”
What an odd question. He expected a question about humans being turned into vampires. Even a question about his lack of body warmth seemed fitting. Garlic? Weird. “Garlic smells bad. Tastes even worst. But it does not repel us.”
“What would repel you?” Her face turned white. Panic threatened to overtake her. He felt the wave of fear hit him like a tidal wave.
“Are you asking what would kill us, Alex?”
“No.”
He sensed the lie as it radiated off her thoughts. “Why the falsehood? It’s a valid question. The answer to which the director should know.”
She cleared her throat. “OK. So how do you kill a vampire?”
He smiled and shook his head. “I respectfully reserve the right to abstain from answering that question until you officially accept the position. I’m sure you understand.”
Her eyes narrowed and it took a while for her response. “OK. What if I were attacked by a vampire, what would help me escape? Holy water?”
Raymond shook his head. “Holy water would only make your attacker wet. If you accept the position you will be given weapons to aid you in subduing a vampire.”
“Subduing? Not killing?”
“Again. That is for a later discussion.” He noticed sweat forming across her brow. “Alex, are you afraid I will attack you?” Her silence was not reassuring. Hell, she didn’t look like she was breathing.
She sat motionless until the coffee cup slipped through her fingers. Coffee splashed onto her lap and she jumped up in response. When Raymond offered to help her, she brushed off the offer. “I’m fine. Thanks for the coffee, but I
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