Thanks to all the reviewers I could reply to privately. I really appreciated your words and I hope you'll like this chapter too.

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The ride to Manassas took far longer than Abby had hoped. There had been a car crash that had almost blocked the traffic until the police had arrived to put some order among the drivers.

By the time Abby arrived at the Manassas Historical Cemetery, darkness had already fallen and the full moon was high in the sky. As a matter of fact, the moonlight was so bright that it more than compensated for the lack of street lamps in the area.

The cemetery was surrounded by a broken down, low rusty fence, so it was quite easy to find a way in. As she walked, turning her head left and right as she looked for Gibbs, Abby thought it was a place she wouldn't mind visiting again, because it was really pretty—for a cemetery, that is. The tombs were scattered here and there, not lined one near the other as in more modern cemeteries, and some of the gravestones were very artistic. Silence reigned, broken only by the cry of some night bird, and the silvery-bluish light cast by the moon bathed the place in an almost magical atmosphere. For a moment Abby felt transported in time, back to the early nineteenth century, long before the Civil War, when the first tombs had been dug. How would it have been to live at that age? Would have she liked to live back then? She remembered how hard had been to cope without electric power a few weeks before and shook her head. No, she didn't think she would have liked to live in an old American town.

Abby was about to circle a large grave stone when two arms shoot out from behind a nearby tree and seized her. Taken by surprise, she let out a cry and a calloused hand quickly covered her mouth.

A calloused hand. A familiar hand—as familiar as the musky sawdust scent surrounding her.

Gibbs.

Abby relaxed and the arms loosened their hold on her. Gibbs made her spin around and exclaimed. "Abbs! What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," she answered smartly, as she took in his completely dark attire, "but I won't, 'cause I know what you are doing here."

"And that would be?"

"You're waiting for a serial killer," she took a deep breath, "a vampire serial killer."

Gibbs' face showed no reaction to her words, but she saw the shock flash in his blue eyes.

"Vampires don't exist, Abby," he said in a chiding tone.

"Oh really? So I guess the fangs you and your friend Bill were sporting at the Moonlight Shadow last Friday evening were fake?"

This time Gibbs couldn't contain his reaction. "You saw us?"

"Yep. I saw you...and I heard you talk about the serial killer that murders homeless people. One of you used the word vampire, and well, I thought you wouldn't use it lightly..."

Gibbs looked stormy now, but Abby had the feeling he was angry with himself and Bill for mentioning vampires, not with her.

Then his eyes narrowed. "How did you know where to find me? This place wasn't discussed Friday evening..."

Abby swallowed hard and looked down at her boots, unable to answer.

"Abbs?" Gibbs growled, posing his hands over her shoulders.

"I bugged your phone," she mumbled, still looking down.

"What?!"

"The new phone I gave you after you took a dive at Norfolk...it's bugged. I listened to your phone calls," Abby explained, finally rising her head and facing him.

Gibbs stared at her, clearly confused. "Why?"

"Because of something you said at the Moonlight Shadow..." her voice trailed off but a look from Gibbs made her continue. "You said you're in love with a younger woman you work with and I wanted to know who she is." There, she had said it. Now she could only hope she hadn't just ruined their friendship for good.

Gibbs stared at her for a long time, his expression unreadable, and Abby sustained his gaze as she waited for the verdict.

He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could utter a word, his head whipped to the right. Abby followed his gaze, but she saw nothing. Then she heard a strange noise; it sounded like a bird cry, but was different. It took her a moment to realize it was some kind of signal Bill was using to communicate with Gibbs.

He turned towards her and there was an urgent look on his face. "This isn't the time to discuss it, Abby. You must leave now. Return to your car and go home; we'll talk later."

"It's the serial killer, isn't it?" She asked. "Has he arrived?"

"Yes, he is coming in from there," Gibbs pointed to the right, toward a group of low trees.

"You plan to fight him?"

"Yes."

"You can't, Gibbs! You aren't up to it. Bill ordered you to drink, but I know you didn't!" Abby grabbed his black jacket and he had to gently pry her fingers open.

"Abby, I won't face him alone. If you listened to our conversations, you know Bill and I aren't alone. Also, I'm in very good shape. I'll be safe."

"Promise?"

"Yes. Now go home, I'll come to visit you as soon as I'm done here."

Abby nodded slowly, and then with a last look at Gibbs, she turned around and walked back to her car. She had almost reached the fence when a dark figure stepped out from behind a tall gravestone and blocked her path.

It was a man—no, giant was a more accurate description. He was at least 7 feet tall, broad shouldered and muscled. But what really scared her were his teeth. His fangs.

This guy was a vampire and Abby realized in a flash he wasn't one of Gibbs' friends. This one was with the killer or perhaps he was the killer.

"GIBBS!" Abby shouted, turning on her heels and running back toward the clearing. "Gibbs!"

The guy let out a noise that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a roar and began to pursue her.

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Uh-uh! Big cliffhanger! *ducks to avoid flying objects* What will happen next? Let me know what you think! And remember that reviews make me update faster!