Chapter 2- The Stalker and the Fiend
A/N: Hello, everyone! Sorry for the delay; I was unsure as to whether continue the story but since I got some reviews I didn't want to let anyone down! Thanks again for the support and if you get the chance, please review and tell me what you think!
Lenore sighed for the umpteenth time, burrowing her head in a heap of files. How does one explain that the corpse they were supposed to do an autopsy on walked out during dissection?
"Someone kill me," she groaned, pulling at strands of her blonde hair.
"That can be arranged, you know."
A figure emerged from the dark corridor, bright eyes shining maliciously.
"Ragamuffin? Good thing you're here! How do I explain that you walked out of here alive?"
The man frowned, adjusting the collar of his white dress-shirt. "I just threatened you. Aren't you a tad bit scared? Did you hit your head as a child or something?"
She stuck out her tongue childishly, "I never hit my head, but my mom did say something about chewing on the lead bars of my cot… never mind. I just don't find you all that scary. You're gonna have to try harder than that; my job makes me nearly immune to all types of horror."
She smiled, pushing the rim of her glasses further up her nose. The vampire sneered, eyes fixed in a tight glare. "You want scary? How about—"
"Lenore, my love, I've stopped by for a visit!" The girl let out a scream as the man opened the door, greeting the pair with a smile.
"Ah, my sweet flower, who is this… guest? He looks oddly familiar…"
He had begun to frown, walking over to the shaking girl.
"Mr. Gosh—"
"Ah, ah, ah, I told you Lenore, you can call me Willi—"
"I'd prefer to call you an idiot." She mumbled, shutting the manila folder on her desk.
"What was that, my darling?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Mr. Gosh, this is Raga- I mean Roy. He's an old friend of mine. He came to pick something up."
She reached under her desk to pull out a black suit on a hanger. Plastic had been wrapped around it, with a little dry-cleaning tag stuck to the hanger.
"Here you go, Roy."
She handed him the clothes before patting the confused vampire on the back, guiding him towards the door.
"W-wait, I wasn't done talk—"
"Sorry, Roy, but I'm pretty busy right now. In fact, I don't have a second to spare. Mr. Gosh?" The blonde man perked up, returning his gaze to Lenore.
"Could you do me a favor and leave as well?"
"Of course! I'd do anything for my love! Battle monsters, drown, drink a glass of arsenic, burn, be stabbed thirty-seven times, stung to death—"
"I understand but I really need you to leave." She slammed the metal door behind them, sighing in relief.
The blue-eyed woman fell to the floor, hugging her legs to her chest. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax. It had been a really long day, between the paper work, Mr. Gosh, and Ragamuffin. Lenore bit her lip. Something was different about that man, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She shook her head; no use dwelling on questions she couldn't answer. Instead, she closed her eyes, lulled to sleep by the faint music drifting in from the hall.
"Oi. Wake up."
A light tap on her forehead caused the girl to startle awake, smacking her head against a hard surface."
"Oww…" She mumbled, rubbing the red spot on her forehead.
"Geeze! Why'd ya hit me for?" The vampire nearly growled, clutching at his forehead as well.
"S-sorry, I'm somewhat of a heavy sleeper."
The man made a noise that sounded like a snort.
"You don't say? I've waited forever for you to wake up. I even shook you but you didn't move. I can't believe a tap on the forehead when a freaking scream didn't. For a second I even thought you were dead."
"Shut up…" She glowered, cheeks dusted a soft pink.
"Why are you here, anyway?"
"I wanted to tell you I got rid of your little problem." He smirked, adjusting his tie. He had changed back into his suit and Lenore had to admit, he looked good in a weird zombie-corpse kind of way.
"What problem?"
"That guy, Gosh. Let's just say he won't be bothering us anytime soon. After you shoved us outside I invited him to dinner. I told him I wanted to talk to him about you."
"And he agreed?"
"Of course. We had a great dinner, or at least, I did. O+ is my favorite."
The girl laughed, patting the man on the back in what she assumed was a comforting motion.
"You can stop with this 'vampire' nonsense. Unless you actually have Renfield Syndrome… did you kill small animals as a child?" She drawled, returning to her desk.
Lenore pulled out her briefcase (a gift from her father), pausing to shuffle files into a neat pile. A pale hand grabbed her writs, startling her.
"I am not lying, Lenore." Ragamuffin stared straight at her, eyes poised at the beating pulse of her wrist.
"N-no, I still don't believe you!"
"Not even now?" He questioned, pulling her wrist to his mouth. A spike of fear rose from her gut as Ragamuffin opened his mouth, exposing a set of fangs.
"R-Ragamuffin, stop! I believe you, let go!"
But the man seemed transfixed on her pulse, lapping at the pale skin.
"Stop!" She slapped him with her free hand, leaving a red imprint on his cheek. This managed to snap him out of his trance, eyes wide with shock. He let go of her wrist, gaze fixed to the floor.
"Lenore, I'm sorry… I just wanted to show you the truth—"
"I think you need to leave, Ragamuffin." Tears had begun to drip down her cheek, face flushed red.
"Lenore—" He started, reaching towards the girl.
"Leave. Please…" She begged, walking away from the raven-haired man and returning to her desk.
In moments he was gone, leaving the girl to crumple into a heap against the tile floor. Paper scattered across the room as she let out choked sobs.
A finely dressed man walked the streets of Nevermore, darting between old buildings and warehouses. He made his way to an abandoned apartment, jiggling the handle until it unlocked. In too bad a mood to hunt, the man laid against the mahogany coffin, eyes drifting towards the cracked window. He could make out faint stars through the faded glass as he removed his red tie.
Before he left the room he had managed to catch a glimpse at the blonde's signature. Lenore Lynchfast… why did her last name seem so familiar? The question left a sour taste in his mouth. The vampire fell into an early, dreamless sleep.
Somewhere, the corpse of a man twitched, fingers grasping at loose dirt. A strangled moan fell from his lips as the man clawed at his grave.
"Lenore…"