Henry pulled another dust bunny from his hair as he worked his way out from under Vicki's bed. He sensed she was not it the apartment and from what he could tell she hadn't been there for awhile. He went into the kitchen for a bottled water and looked for note telling him where she went. He was relieved when he found the note taped to the refrigerator. "Got a lead on Raymond – should be back by 8:30. L U V." He looked at the over sized clock on the wall as saw that it was a little after seven and decided to use the time working on a new graphic novel. He'd been postponing developing an idea for several months, but now the time was right to put it on paper.

He sat at Vicki's computer typed out an outline then started in on a few rough sketches.

He was so lost in thought, that he didn't hear Vicki until she placed a hand on his shoulder. He jumped up, turned, snarled and was about to rip her throat out when his senses caught up with instinct. "You know better than to sneak up on me!"

Vicki, equally startled, landed on her butt. She looked into his vampire face and laughed, "How could I have gotten this close without you knowing?"

"You're more vampire than human now. Since you're a part of me, I couldn't sense you. It looks like you have less time left as human then I thought."

"How much longer?"

"A week, maybe less. We'd better move to Renelle's sanctuary tonight."

"I've already put what's important in the box by the door. I don't need or want anything else but my laptop and a few clothes."

"That's good. What did you find about Raymond?"

Vicki told Henry that Raymond had quit the priesthood shortly after the awful last night in the condo and he'd been moving around the Provence starting a cult movement named The Final Summons. It attracted in disenchanted youth, people with a history of violence, the criminal element, the lonely and the lost. Where ever a group was formed there was unexplained sickness in the region, deaths, disasters, and family violence. Nothing and no one was immune. Plants, people and animals sickened and died. The authorities weren't able to prove that the source was the cult, but circumstantial evidence pointed in their direction. The 'Great Ray' would call his followers to 'The Final Summons' and then fade into the darkness. The cult was forming an ever tightening coil around Toronto and at the very center, according to Vicki's logic, would be Henry's former condo.

She had looked into the condo's current owner and found that it was empty again. No one could stand to live there more than a month. The excuses for moving out were varied but always came back to the idea that there was blood on the floor of the master bedroom that couldn't be cleaned away. The smell lingered even if the 'spot' was invisible.

Henry listened to Vicki, nodded and asked a few questions then said, "We need to go back. You, Mike and I are easy to get there. What about Coreen?"

Vicki shook her head from side to side, "Not going to happen. She left town shortly after I cut back on the agency. She'd had enough of the Goth Scene and moved on with her life."

"Renelle can stand in for her. She'll do what needs to be done to keep our kind safe." Henry put the last of Vicki's clothes in the trunk of his car and said, "It's time for you to call Mike."

"I'd rather not. Our last conversation didn't end on a happy note."

He took her into his arms and rubbed his cheek against hers saying, "It's necessary. Have him meet us some place neutral. Don't tell him I'm back. I'll do that myself."

Vicki's eyes started to silver and she snarled while dialing Mike's number, "Don't hang up. Listen without asking questions. I need to see you. How about the "The Golden Cup" near the station." She listened then looked at Henry raising an eyebrow in question, "Now works. See ya in 20 minutes." Vicki broke the connection and said to Henry, "It takes 10 minutes from here. Let's go."

Henry got in the car and headed straight for the restaurant without asking directions and said, "I used to watch you and Mike. Okay, I was a little jealous of him, he shared something with you I never could."

Vicki placed a hand on his knee while he drove, "You could have joined us. I always welcomed your company."

"Mike didn't and if I had been in his shoes, I wouldn't have wanted a 500 year old dead guy hanging around my girl either."

Vicki removed her hand, "That's what always pissed me off about the two of you. I was happy having you both close to me. As far as I was concerned, if given a choice, I'd've kept both of you."

"Vicki, Mike and I couldn't share you."

"I know that now, but it was different for me then. I couldn't commit to either one of you for fear of losing the other and losing myself in the process."

Henry parked the car half a block down from the Golden Cup and opened the door for Vicki. She smiled into his face and said, "I'm beginning to like having you open doors for me."

"It will always be my pleasure."

Vicki walked into the restaurant and saw Mike sitting at their favorite booth talking on his cell. She slipped into her usual seat without him noticing.

Mike looked up from his phone with a surprised look, "You're moving silently these days."

Vicki tilted her chin, "Is that a wisecrack?"

Mike shrugged, "I guess not. It's been awhile. You're looking good. Now the pleasantries are done, why am I here?"

Henry sat down beside Vicki and said, "I asked her to call you."

Mike started to stand and Henry looked at him with black eyes and said, "Sit, be quiet and listen."

Mike sat and shook his head trying to clear it and said, "Damn it Vicki, he did it again. Why's he back? Why're you with him? Didn't you have enough the last time he came around?"

Vicki put a hand on Henry's knee and looked at Mike with sad eyes, "Mike, I can't give you the answers you want to hear. Listen to what Henry needs to say, then if necessary, we'll talk."

Mike gave a curt nod, "Say what you came to say, then I'm out of here."

Henry said, "Do you want to end what was started almost a year ago? Astaroth/Raymond needs to be removed. You know what I'm talking about. You've suspected it for some time now and don't bother denying it."

Mike glanced down at his cell phone. He had been talking to one of his fellow officers about another domestic violence case where children and a wife were killed by a crazed husband. He claimed it was the final summons. Mike made a mental list of all that had happened in and around his city. He acknowledged to himself what Henry said was true.

"Okay. I get it. We have a demon loose in the city and it's up to you to kill it."

Henry glanced at Vicki and gave her hand a squeeze under the table, "You're partly right. It's up to all three of us, plus another to get rid of Astaroth once and for all."

Mike said, "Coreen's left town, she called me to say goodbye. Who else is there that would believe you?"

Henry said, "I have a friend in the city that's willing to work with us, but you'll have to be open minded for a change."

"Me open minded? Listen you, I've put up with you and your crap for two years. You've ruined my life and the life of my best friend. Ever since that creep Norman started playing with things he didn't understand you've been hanging around and mucking up everything. I've kept my mouth shut because no one would believe there's a vampire in town but a half blind, has been cop and her faithful dog Mike."

Vicki snarled, "Half blind, has been cop? I expected more from you. I thought you respected my work." She turned to Henry, "I told you it was a bad idea. Let's get out of here and go for plan 'B'."

Henry's voice dropped below a whisper, "Please, Vicki. There's no plan 'B'." He turned to the cop, "Mike, get over yourself. This is about the city and not us. Let's get rid of the demon. Once it's gone, I promise your life and the lives of all those around you will get back to normal."

"You're leaving out details out."

Henry sat with regal dignity and said, "You don't need all the details to do your part. Renelle will be joining us in a few minutes. She'll add an element of confusion to tomorrow evening's events. You'll need to get a my former place of residence just before midnight. There's no owner at the present, but there is something, someone living there that is a person of great interest. I'm betting you haven't been able to pin down the cult leader for the Final Summons. Great Ray will be available and in no shape to argue with you."

Mike's mind tumbled with all the rumors, events, and bulletins about being on the look out for Great Ray. "Say I play along with you on this, I need to know who Renelle is."

Henry stood as a tall redhead stood in the door way looking around. Her green eyes and ruby lips lit up when she saw Henry and Vicki.

Her deep throaty voice said, "Henry, Vicki, it's good to see you again. I'm in the right place." She looked into Mike's eyes and smiled, "Is this the friend you were telling me about?"

Henry made the introductions, explaining that Renelle was an entertainer but left out certain details about her eating habits and daylight issues.

Mike gazed into her face, then his eyes dropped to her ample breasts and narrow waist. He felt a stirring in his groin that reminded him of his first time with a girl. The need, the want, and the anticipation of release came back to him in a rush of desire. He wanted this woman as he never wanted a woman before. He gulped a few times then stood only half way and gestured for Renelle to sit next to him as he said, "I'm in love."

Renelle sat down and touched his cheek saying, "We can explore that thought once Henry's business is done. I have all the time in the world to spend with you. I'm a true believer in love at first sght."