After my encounter with Peter I spent many days locked in my room obsessing over learning about vampires. I felt like I was going crazy. There was a part of me the wanted to just get my shit together and go kill the creature, which explained why I spent almost half my time carving stakes, and there was a part of me that liked him, liked the mystery of him and the mystery of the whole situation. The more I thought about slaying him the more I realized there was something holding me back. A simple conclusion would have been that he had merely caught me in his vampire trance but I had a feeling it wasn't just that, it had something to do with his charisma, the way he spoke with that lazy sarcasm, the way he smiled, the way he started at you with that intense gaze...or was it just me, was I the only one he did that to? Looking back he never really acted that way around other people, he acted almost normal around my mom; I guess that was the point huh? To mess with me, it was my mind he wanted to play tricks on. I was his little toy.

One day it all finally wore on me, I had grown mentally exhausted in my paranoia, not to mention I was at a loss as to how to carry on with my life. I had done nothing in the past week or so except for brood and plan of ways I could get out of this nightmare. So lying on my bed all I could do was think of how trapped I felt. I had no friends because as far as I knew both of my closest ones had been killed, I pretty much didn't have a girlfriend because I stopped hanging around her not wanting to give her depression with my sallowness, I went to school a few of those days but only if I was able to hitch a ride there, I didn't want to walk because I didn't want to risk him following me, so unfortunately I had to find ways of avoiding her, and the only person that could have helped me was a self-absorbed asshole who almost took my virginity.

It all seemed hopeless as I stared up at my ceiling. In that moment I had never been more bored in my life, I'd already read every article about vampires that existed online, made as many stakes as I could without breaking any blisters I had acquired, and thought of as many solutions that could come to mind, I decided none of them would have worked; also the sad truth was that I was too tense to do anything a normal person would do when bored.

With all of this running through my head and as my vision blurred, because all my eyes were seeing at the time was a white surface, I felt myself starting to nod off; my eyelids drooped and every muscle in my body went completely limp. As I began to drift off I noticed a dripping sound coming from somewhere in the room, jolting my head up in groggy surprise I strained to figure out where it was coming from. As soon as my head lifted though it was gone, but I kept my head held up for a couple seconds just to make sure before letting it drop heavily back down. Again I started to nod off, this time drifting deeper into unconsciousness, and oddly enough the sound returned. The dripping came back louder than before, growing louder and louder the more I fell into a deeper sleep. There was nothing but darkness to accompany the noise, I saw nothing until eventually the sight of a red substance appeared, dripping from apparently nowhere; red dripping against a black backdrop, it was blood. The sound was soothing to a point rather than eerie as what might be expected.

Soon the image of a balcony came into focus, it was surrounded by darkness and the balcony itself was crumbling, it was the object of which the blood was dripping from; the liquid hit the dust covered floor below. The drops seemed to be moving downward in slow motion, and dispersing as it hit the ground in the same fashion. In a moment the view expanded, the addition being a staircase leading up to the balcony; blood streamed down the steps like a think river, flowing smoothly but also moving in slow motion. The whole scene chilled me to the bone even though I knew it was just a dream. I moved toward the staircase and began to ascend it step by step in rhythm to the dripping blood; I could feel my heart beating faster as I did so and my vision went in and out like I was going to pass out. At the top I stood on the balcony looking to my left to see a doorway, looking into it my gaze was met by a room filled with towering flames. Suddenly I felt like I was going to die and fell to my knees, an incredible pain in my chest.

The dream ended and I shot my eyes open, my heart still beating at an insane speed. It was the strangest dream I ever had, it felt so real but also at the same time I knew it wasn't really happening. Due to being a bit freaked out and being overcome with cold sweats I bolted off the bed and opened my window needing fresh air, I stuck my head out and gasped a few times before leaning against the frame to enjoy the night; it was better than doing nothing. On impulse I shot my eyes over to Jerry's house, scanning it. As I looked to one of his windows he just happened to be walking past it and stopped to look out at the night as well. When he noticed me noticing him he just stood there with a blank expression and a stiff posture. I wanted to look away because it was quickly becoming awkward and his gaze was so intimidating but for some reason I couldn't, my gaze held fast as did his; the only difference was that my expression probably looked far from as stoic, being instead dopey and stupid. After a lifetime it seemed he smirked and raised one of his arms, waving at me with just his fingers.

I have to be honest it startled me but I didn't get to find out what I would have done (most likely I would have waved back dumbly) because right then my phone rang causing me to jump. My eyes didn't leave Jerry as I backed away to grab my phone from its stand.

"Hello?" I answered sharply.

"Is this by chance Charley?" The voice was clearly tinged with a British accent so that could only mean one thing, it was Peter.

"Yeah…" It was more so a breath than an answer because I didn't even care about the man on the other end, Jerry was still staring at me with that smirk. Why wouldn't he go away? As if he could read my mind he ominously pulled his curtains over his window, finally leaving me be; I was still quite shaken though.

"This is Peter." No, really? I sat down in my chair panting.

"H-how did you get my number?" There was a pause.

"Oh…I don't know…maybe you put your number on the back of that picture." He taunted me with a voice that meant he thought I was stupid. So what if I forgot I put my number on the picture? I couldn't think straight at the moment.

"Uh…oh yeah…ha…forgot…about that." I stated between gulps and pants.

"Hey, um, Charles, do you mind if I call you that? I didn't happen to catch you in the middle of a private moment did I? It sounds like your breathing a bit hard." Wow, that was embarrassing; leave it to him to be blunt.

"No!" I heard him crack up. Crap, once again I found myself being a tad too defensive for my own good. I decided to restate that a little more calmly. "No, you did not catch me in a 'private' moment Mr. Vincent."

"Peter will do just fine mate or Vince if you're feeling adventurous." Great, just what I needed, him flirting with me at a time like this; I was steadily growing more and more impatient.

"What's this about Peter?" I couldn't help but to growl his name.

"Woo…are you going to bite me Charles? Too bad I'm not there with you so you can." I could pretty much see him wink at me through the phone line.

"Stop that!" God, I felt like I was going to start hyperventilating.

"Ok! Jesus Christ! The reason I called is because this photograph is very interesting mate. It's proof of the existence of a super old species of vampire. So that means that this neighbor of yours is one of the oldest vampires to still be alive." I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"So you believe me now?"

"I never said I didn't."

"But you kicked me out of your room! You treated me like a lunatic!" I heard him sigh.

"I was having a bad day alright? Then when I thought I was going to get some and didn't…it just ticked me off, I snapped and I'm sorry. Do you still want my help?" Thinking back on that day got me slightly aroused but he didn't have to know that.

"Yes, I could really use some help right about now; I sure could have used it back then!"

"Once again I'm sorry. Now, we should get together ASAP, how does tomorrow at noon sound?" I didn't answer because I dropped the phone; there was no doubt that Peter heard a shuddering thud when it hit the floor. "…Charley? Charlie, are you there?" Something had taken over me; I wasn't in control of my body. It felt like I was hypnotized, not that I would know what that felt like since I'd never been hypnotized but I would assume this was what it was like to indeed be hypnotized.

I walked across my room mechanically and opened my door for the first time in, I'd like to say, a week for something else other than to use the bathroom or to get food. I went downstairs and out my front door involuntarily. It's the weirdest thing to see out of your own eyes but feel like you're not in your own body. I watched as I went over to Jerry's house and rang his doorbell. I began to panic, why was I doing this? I was unable to stop myself! When Jerry opened the door his shock at seeing me mirrored my internal shock at being there, his face scrunched up in confusion.

"Charley?" before he could stop me I took a step forward and put my hand on his chest, something I'd wanted to do for a long time; I could feel how toned it was through his tight black t-shirt. A jolt of heat passed from his chest up through my arm and back again at the touch. Jerry closed his eyes due to the sensation and his chest heaved. His hand came up, cupping my neck, to yank me closer to him; his face now right at the crook of my neck. His cheek brushed against mine as he breathed in the scent of my hair and neck. I wrapped my other arm around his waist and pressed against him, I felt him begin to shudder. I could tell he wanted to bite me, badly, but he was restraining himself, why? Without warning I pushed him away, he let me do it and he barely moved a muscle when I did like he was in shock at having me so close, especially at my own will; his eyes remained closed too like he was savoring what now was a memory. Seeing that he wouldn't follow me I walked calmly back to my house and went to my room.

I had snapped out of the trance and I knew it happened but I found myself questioning it as I stood in the spot where I dropped the phone, it had been so vague, so dreamlike; but the only proof I needed to tell me that it did indeed happen was the trail of dirt across my floor. It had felt so good and so right that I wish it was really me who chose to do it; I was disappointed that we didn't kiss. I actually thought about running back and kissing him. That idea left as quickly as it came when I heard Peter's voice.

"Charlie?" he was calling my name from the phone. I slumped back into my chair and bent over to pick the phone up.

"Hey…"

"Jeez kid! What the hell? You left me hanging for a while, where did you run off to?" There was no explaining myself.

"I'm sorry; I haven't felt very good all day."

"I'm sorry mate…did you vomit? That's rough." I let him think that was it; it actually might turn into the truth soon.

"So, um…plan…yeah, that's where we left off. Noon sounds good to me. I'll meet you at your place."

"Alright, see you then Charles!" I rolled my eyes though there was no point.

"Ugh, please don't call me Charles."

"Fine, I guess I'll just have to call you love instead." That made me blush, thank god he couldn't see it.

"Or…you could call me Charley!" I yelled.

"Aw, you know you like it."