TO ALL READERS: I'm toying with the idea of adding M rated scenes to this story. I would like to know, via reviews or PMs, if you would like to read some adult smut or if you would prefer if I keep the stories smut free. Since there are three versions of this story, what happens for one version doesn't influences what happens for the others. In other words, if the Tony-version's readers want the smut and the others don't want it, there will be a version with smut and 2 versions without. So people, if you want some hot action, let me know!!!

To: C3 and Suzie: thanks for the reviews. Your "side" seems to be winning the poll, at least as far as your favoured version goes. :)

To Lot56: thanks for the review! Please let me know your vote for the smut vs. no smut poll!

To the readers of the Tony and Jenny versions: Hey! No one is going to cast a vote for the poll?? I know there about 100 of you reading these versions and not a single one of you has left a review to answer the poll!

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Gibbs pressed the doorbell and waited, stomping his feet on the ground to warm them as he waited.

The house he was waiting to be admitted into was a non-descript building in Annandale, a well-kept place similar to many others in the area. But Gibbs knew that this house was different, for in a secret room in the underground, there was stored a very unique library, a collection of books the vampires had written along the centuries, to preserve and hand down their culture to the younger generations.

A chestnut-haired, brown-eyed man opened the door and smiled when he recognized his visitor. He didn't look to be a year older than 35, but Gibbs knew that, at 408 years of age, he was one of the first vampires ever born in America.

"Bill," he said with a smile and offered his hand.

"Leroy!" William Hendricks exclaimed, delighted, as he shook his hand with enthusiasm. He was one of the few persons allowed to call Gibbs by his first name, mostly because, as the people in Stillwater, Bill had known him since he was a child.

As a matter of fact, Bill had been the first vampire Gibbs had ever met beside his mother and the blond and he had also been the one who had made him understand most vampires were good people and not monsters like the one who had killed Joey's dad.

"You haven't changed much since the last time I saw you," Gibbs said, as he followed Bill into a well-furnished living room.

"You instead have changed a lot, Leroy," Bill replied, taking a good look at him as they sat down. Gibbs saw worry fill the brown eyes looking at him. "How many years have passed since you last drank?"

Gibbs tilted his head and set his jaws, "Enough."

Bill leant forward and squeezed his knee, blessedly the right one. "Leroy," he said softly, "you must drink. If you don't, the need will keep on building inside you, until the moment you won't be able to contain it and you might end doing something rash."

Gibbs just nodded. There was no use in denying something he knew to be true. How many times, in the past six months had he needed to walk away from a crime scene because the smell of blood was driving him crazy with need and making his fangs descend?"

Bill patted his knee, then retracted his hand. "So tell me, what does bring you here? I've the feeling this isn't just a visit to an old friend."

"Unfortunately not, Bill. Have you kept an eye on the local newspapers in the last two months?"

"I'm afraid not. I was in Europe for a tour of conferences—but at my return the others didn't report any suspicious fact. Did something happen that I should know?"

"Yes, but first tell me about these conferences of yours. What are you up to now?"

Bill smiled, "I teach American History at the university and I'm quite famous for my books about Washington and Lincoln."

"That's not surprising, considering you were friends with both of them," Gibbs commented, "but isn't it dangerous to be in the spotlight? People might notice you don't age, and it might be difficult to reappear somewhere else with a new identity…"

"That's what plastic surgery is for, Leroy," Bill joked. "Seriously, my friend, I'm just a professor, not a movie star. I'm not that famous that people will remember me for long. And despite all the new technologies, the world is still big—if a man wishes to disappear for 50 years or so, he can do it."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. After all, you've done this for centuries, while I'm still living my first life."

Bill touched his knee again. "Leroy, starting anew isn't easy, but it isn't too difficult either. Our people have done it since the night of times. Just remember that when the time comes, I and the other deans will be there to help you to relocate and begin a new life."

"I know…" Gibbs nodded, then shook himself and returned to the reason of his visit. "Bill, I asked you about the newspapers because in the last two months six men have been killed in the Washington Metropolitan area, all of them bleeding out from a slashed throat, but in all cases no blood was found on the crime scenes."

Bill paled. "Are you suggesting there is a killer in the area?"

"Yes. The last murder was committed two nights ago in Arlington and the victim was a Marine working at the Pentagon—this is how the case landed on my desk. The other five victims, instead, were all homeless, and it's probably why the news didn't spread much."

"Couldn't it just be a human serial killer?"

"No. My ME discovered that a knife wound was inflicted to mask the bite on the jugular that killed the Marine. As I said, the other victims were homeless, and I doubt the Metro PD ordered autopsies on them, not if they believed them to be victims of robberies as it often happens. Also, there was an unexplained blackout in the area where the Marine was found and I'm ready to bet my people will discover something similar happened when the homeless were killed." Gibbs took a deep breath and pressed on. "We have a killer in the area, Bill, and we need to catch him before he kills again—which, if he keeps his current pattern, should happen in 7-9 nights from today."

Bill nodded grimly. "I can vouch for all the vampires in the area; there are no killers among us. This one must be a foreigner."

Gibbs just nodded.

"I'll contact our people and tell them to keep their eyes open and report to me if they see a new face around. I'll call you if I get some news, so we can decide what to do."

"I already know what to do," Gibbs said.

Bill arched an eyebrow, "What?"

"You'll tell our people to approach the stranger and inform him the vampire leader in this area isn't pleased he is hunting in his territory, and that he wants to meet the stranger. Have them tell him that not all the cameras in Arlington were out of order, and that the leader knows his face. That, since he is a federal agent, he is going to put out a BOLO on him, and send his photos to both newspapers and TV news. It's a bluff, of course, but it should be enough to make the stranger come to meet the leader at Forest Park, Alexandria, the night of the 28th, at midnight."

"We don't have a leader…" Bill commented.

"I know, but he probably doesn't. I need him to come to me because I cannot chase him. And once he comes…we'll settle this matter properly," Gibbs' eyes flashed dangerously.

"This could be risky…"

"You can come too, and take someone else with you, but I'll act as a bait."

Bill shook his head, "I don't like it, but I know you well enough to know nothing I say will change your mind."

"That's right. So, we have an agreement?"

"Yes, I'll do as you ask. However," Bill stood up and Gibbs did the same, "I too have an order for you, Leroy."

Gibbs tilted his head. "What?"

"You'll drink at least twice before the 28th—and this isn't negotiable. I want to see you before we go to Forest Park and if I see you haven't drunk, I'll have you restrained while I and the others take care of this. Is that clear, young one?" Bill asked, eyes boring into Gibbs'.

Gibbs nodded. "Yes, it is."

"Good. Now let's go, we have work to do."

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