Mike had stormed out of the Toronto Police Department, fleeing the scene of the crime, desperate to put some distance between he and the evil vampire-witch. He had no idea what Sinead would do when left to her own devices, but right now he just didn't care.
He had raced to Vicki's office, where he now stood outside her office window. It was dark inside, no signs of life could be heard. It was still relatively early in the evening - he doubted that Vicki would be home and sleeping. Maybe she was out looking for him? Mike knew he was kidding himself. Vicki would be with Fitzroy. If they were looking for him, then they'd be out looking for blood and vengeance. Therein lies the problem - no one ever came looking for Mike Celluci, no one was ever concerned about his well-being. He was never on the top of the list of anyone's priorities.
He bit down on his lip and realised he could still taste Kate's blood. It was addictive, intoxicating - he wanted more. He was scared by how much he had enjoyed it - unnerved by the pleasure he'd felt with Kate's body pressing up against his. An erection stirred in his pants as he relished the memory. He imagined it at a different time and place – Kate's clothes falling to the floor as he suckled at her neck, listening to her moan as he pushed his way gently between her supple thighs. But it wasn't Henry's body he saw in his mind, it was his own – Mike Celluci was the vampire in his imagination – body and soul. Mike growled to himself in torment - he'd so quickly turned into the very monster he so hated. First Vicki, now Kate, Mike feared he'd start to see all the women he cared about as potential feasts to satisfy his new found appetite for sex and blood.
He wanted this over with. If Vicki cared about him at all, then she would help. He pulled Henry's cell phone from his pocket and looked at the last dialled number.
Surprise, surprise, the number was Vicki's.
Mike sighed, put his feelings of jealousy aside and pressed the call button.
Henry stood at the window of the dimly lit hotel room as he stared out in to the night. It normally called to him - beckoning him to its mysterious depths. Now it just seemed like a big, black, ominous void. No wonder so many humans were afraid of the dark.
He poured himself a glass of red wine from the hotel mini bar. It had been centuries since he had appreciated a glass of red, but even with Mike's palate Henry could still identify cheap and nasty wine when he tasted it. It did nothing but add to the acid in his already uncomfortable gut. He gulped down another mouthful anyway, trying to wash down the regret that welled in his stomach.
It had been more than an hour since the incident on the couch, and Vicki hadn't spoken a single word to him. She'd disappeared in to the bathroom, eventually emerging half an hour later to stomp over to bed and slip under the covers fully dressed. He was unsure if he should try to talk to her, maybe even apologise, or just wait until she got over it. He looked over at her. Even with his inferior human senses he knew she was wide awake, sulking, ignoring him after the kiss.
Henry sighed as he remembered it, how incredible it had been. Never before had he seen Vicki so open, willing and needy...and he'd pushed her away.
Soon I'll be back in my body, and then I'll make up for it... if she'll let me.
Vicki stared at the wall as she lay in the uncomfortable hotel bed. It was impossible to sleep with all these clothes on, but she was damned if she was going to add to her humiliation by stripping off in front of Henry. She already felt embarrassed enough. Feeling like a fool, Vicki began to regret pouncing on him the way she had. Maybe Henry was right. Did she on some level keep thinking he was Mike? Would she have acted the same way if Henry had been himself? Even in a different body she could still sense he was Henry - his mannerisms, his language his behaviour - it made him who he was. There had been no delusions on her part when she kissed him, even if Henry had thought so.
As she pulled the blanket up around her neck her cell phone rang from the side table. She reached out and looked at the caller ID, then sat up quickly and pressed the answer button.
"Mike?"
"Vicki..."
"Mike where are you?" She was a little unnerved at hearing Henry's voice on the other end of the line.
Immediately Henry was on his feet, pacing back and forth in front of her, grinding his teeth in anger.
"So you know what happened?" Mike asked.
"Of course I know. What the hell did you do?"
"Vick... I'm sorry... I...I need your help."
She could hear the desperation in his voice. "Mike...I..." She took a moment to consider her words as Henry snatched the phone from her hand.
"Celluci you are a dead man" he spat angrily. "We're going to get this spell undone and then I'm coming after you. You stay away from Vicki, do you hear me?"Henry's brow was furrowed and his jaw was clenched. "Hello?... Hello?" He was fuming as he looked at the cell-phone display and threw it back to Vicki in a huff. "He's gone."
She put the phone to her ear just to be certain. "Mike? Are you there? Damn it Henry! What the hell did you do that for? He was asking for help!"
"It was a trick."
"No it wasn't!"
"Vicki he's trying to lure you out of hiding!"
As she attempted to redial the number she was shaking her head with disappointment. She put the phone to her ear and listened, then angrily snapped her phone shut and glared at Henry. "Are you happy now? It's going to voice-mail. He's not answering the phone!"
"Trust me on this one Vicki. I know what he's thinking! I've been through it."
"Did you ever stop to consider that maybe he's not like you?"
"He's a vampire now. It changes everything."
"Yeah well maybe you turned in to an arrogant son-of-a-bitch when you became a vampire, but Mike is still a good man."
Henry flinched a little at her insult. "Don't be so naive Vicki. Why did he do the spell in the first place?"
"I told you... I don't know..." Vicki sat back on the end of the bed as she pulled on her boots. "He's going through a rough patch."
"A rough patch? If he thinks he can steal my body and escape all the problems in his life then he is very wrong. He should seek a prescription for anti-depressants instead of playing with magic."
Vicki stood up and shoved her phone in the pocket of her jeans then grabbed her glasses and keys from a nearby table. As she headed for the door Henry stepped in front of her.
"Where do you think you are going?" he asked with a concerned expression.
"I'm going to find him."
"Don't be stupid."
"Wow, first I'm naive and now I'm stupid. Anything else you'd care to add to the list?"
"Look, I know you care about him, but right now I don't trust him. Please...wait until we hear from Bettie."
Vicki tried to side-step him. "Get out of my way."
"I won't let you go Vicki. I'll use force if I have to."
"Oh you think you can take me?" She put her hands defiantly on her hips. "You seem to be forgetting that you're in Mike's body, and trust me I can kick Mike's ass from here to next Tuesday."
"Good Lord you can be so infuriating sometimes!" Henry took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "Please...don't go out there...I'm begging you."
She sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "He needs me Henry."
Henry was still standing steadfast at the door. "I need you Vicki."
Vicki mumbled and looked down at the floor. "Could have fooled me."
"Do you honestly think I would lie to you?"
"I practically threw myself at you at dinner, and you ran a mile a minute!"
Henry's cheek twitched awkwardly as he looked into her eyes "It doesn't mean I didn't want you."
"You don't have to protect my precious feelings Henry. I'm a grown woman." Vicki continued to try to side-step him to the door.
He reached out and grabbed her gently by the chin, stroking her jaw-line with his thumb while moving in close to whisper to her. "Couldn't you feel how much I wanted you..." He pressed himself against her so she could feel his member as it began to harden inside his pants. "...how much I want you still?"
Vicki gulped and began to tremble. "Well it's too la-" she was about to let the insults fly when suddenly Henry's lips were on hers. His arms were sneaking around her waist and pulling her closer - his kiss slowly becoming more demanding. She craned her neck backwards and pushed on his chest with her fists. "What exactly do you think you are doing?"
"Vicki...for once in your life...would you just shut the hell up and let me kiss you?"
She didn't say another word.
Mike growled and threw the phone at the wall, shattering it to pieces. He knewHenry would go running to Vicki. That fucking son-of-a-bitch Fitzroy! It's my own damn fault. I made it too god damn easy for him! back and forth Mike angrily grabbed at his hair – feeling the urge to rip the pretentious brown curls out of his head.
Sinead stepped out of the shadows and walked quietly towards Mike. "She's with Henry isn't she?"
"How the helldid you find me?"
"You're incredibly predictable."
"Get the fuck from me Sinead. I'm not in the mood."
"Oh come now Michael. Don't be like that. Right now I'm all you've got." She stepped over to him and began to toy with the buttons on his shirt. "By the way...your captain is very bland, both in flavour and personality." She paused and waited for a response as she straightened his collar. "I tasted her if that's what you are wondering."
"I don't care." Mike muttered, as he continued to stare at Vicki's vacant office.
"You'll be pleased to know I took care of everything, told dear Kate and Captain Crowley to forget we were there. That's the correct thing to do is it not?"
Mike slowly became aware that Sinead was waiting for a response, or more so she seemed to be waiting for recognition of her 'good behaviour'. "Yes" he replied in a gruff tone.
Sinead leaned over and nuzzled in against his neck. "Did you honestly expect to find her here? Waiting for you?No doubt she's in his arms right now... doing who knows what with your body."
He'd been so distracted by Sinead that he hadn't acted on his initial plan – to make sure Fitzroy suffered the human existence that Mike had suffered for so long. "Help me find Fitzroy. I want to know exactly where he is."
Sinead slowly began kissing her way up along his neck. "There is a spell I can do, but it may take the rest of the evening to prepare."
"Then get started. It's about time I paid Fitzroy another visit."