Watching Henry

The music was hot and so were the lights as the beautiful people laughed, drank, and danced. This was one of Henry's favorite clubs. This was where he came to have fun and to feed. Tonight was about both. He held her close, his hands resting on the full roundness of her buttocks. Her face was pressed into his shoulder and his lips were on her neck. They swayed in rhythm to the music, not paying attention to those around them, as he slowly moved her to the darkest corner of the dance floor.

"Well hell, Vicki. Is this how you spend your nights, watching Henry make out while you sit alone?" Vicki turned to the voice she knew so well. "Not always. Sometimes he watches me while I make out." She studied his unshaved face and loosened tie as she placed her hand on top of the one he had resting on the table. He snatched it away as though it had been burned. "Sit Mike. I get a stiff neck looking up. I wish I could say you look good, but that would be a lie."

Mike felt an unwelcome stirring in his crotch as he sat beside Vicki and snarled, "Turn the vamp down."

Vicki sensed his desire and discomfort, nodded and said, "As you wish." She tightened her control of vampire and felt his tension ease.

Mike rubbed his face and said, "God. You even sound like him."

Vicki sighed in exasperation, "Drop the attitude. You joined me, remember?"

Mike turned and watched Henry as he continued dancing, "What's he doing?"

She shrugged and whispered low, "Feeding."

Mike half rose from the chair not sure what his next move would be as Vicki grabbed his arm and pulled him back, "Sit."

"Is that how he feeds, in plain sight, with everyone watching? It that what you do?"

"What would you have us do? Sneak into houses, grab people and pull them into alleys to chew on their necks or maybe pull off heads and drink as the blood spurts up with the final heart beat. We feed as quickly, quietly and gently as we can. We give back acceptance, love, hope, and sometimes a lesson in the value of honesty and virtue. Don't presume to judge what you refuse to understand."

Rubbing the side of his neck Mike said, "Yeah, he was real gentle when he fed from me. I'll have nightmares for the rest of my life."

Her eyes silvered as she snapped, "You forget, it was you that put him a situation where he was starved, drained of blood and tortured. It's no wonder he lost control and fed from the nearest human, and still, he stopped his feeding when I asked him to."

"What happened to Mendoza? The last I heard of him was his scream."

"Henry took back what was his. Mendoza had been around for centuries, living on the blood of the vampires he tortured. What do you think happens to a 450 year old corpse?"

She was deep into her remarks and didn't feel Henry behind her until he rested his hand on her shoulder, bent down to kiss her cheek and whispered for her ears only, "Never let your guard down. I shouldn't have been able to get this close without you being aware." He looked at Mike, "Good evening, detective." He sat on the other side of Vicki and rested his arm on the back of her chair, "What brings you here?"

With hate in his eyes Mike said, "Looking for you."

Vicki asked, "You could have found us any evening at the agency. Why here?"

Mike looked down at his hands and then at Vicki, "I don't want anyone know I'm talking to you."

Henry looked at Vicki and answered, "The agency is closed tonight. We can talk there."

Mike slid out of his chair and headed to the door before the waitress could reach the table. When she arrived she said, "Your friend didn't stay long enough for me to get his order." Henry put a twenty in her hand and a fifty on her tray, "Don't worry about it. Keep the change."

Vicki reached over and wiped a bit of lipstick from Henry's cheek, "Mike thinks I should be jealous of the way you dance."

Henry's arm gave her shoulder a squeeze, "I take it he didn't see you dancing a few minutes ago." He stood and added, "Should we beat him back to the agency?"

Vicki gave him a sideways look saying, "Let's move. He needs an attitude adjustment." Henry drove within the speed limit but had a way of gaging lights so that they were always green when he approached.

The two vampires were sitting in their car waiting as Mike drove up and got out of his car. Henry rolled down the window and yelled to Mike, "What took you so long?"

Mike slammed and locked the door, "I hate you." He followed the two vampires into the agency and Vicki's office.

Henry laughed over his shoulder as he walked to Vicki's desk, "You're not very creative detective you've said that before." As Mike entered Vicki's office, Henry threw the stake that had been lying there for weeks so that it was stuck in the wall beside the first stake taken from Mike, "Feel free to use the new coat peg." Mike stared at it while saying, "At least I didn't use it on you." and hung up his jacket.

Mike looked at both of them, held up his hands and said, "Enough. Peace. I need your help."

.

Both stared at him as Vicki sat in a client chair and Henry leaned against her desk.

"What?" Mike looked uncomfortable, "I need your help. Are you going to give it to me or not?"

Vicki and Henry exchanged glances and Vicki asked, "You want us to help you?"

Mike nodded, "Yes. No. Yes."

Henry looked amused as he said, "Which is it, yes or no?"

Mike headed for the door, "I should have known better than to ask you for help."

Vicki pointed to the other client chair and said, "Sit down Mike. Talk to us. Tell us what you need."

Mike started pacing, "It's not for me. I don't want or need you in my life. It's my sister that needs your help."

Vicki remembered a laughing, happy woman that always greeted her brother with hugs and kisses. It was only one of the many things that kept Vicki from getting closer to Mike. The overwhelming family of his had made her feel like she was drowning in emotion every time she had been near them. She said, "Start talking fast and keep going until you run out of words."

"I need someone that can get into her head. Henry does that. Get into people's heads. I've seen him do it. I've felt him get into mine."

Henry stood straighter, about to deny his accusation, when Vicki shook her head no and said, "Keep talking Mike."

"She's in a semi vegetative state. On a ventilator. She'll start to wake up and try to write a note but when the therapist is done she falls back even deeper into unresponsiveness." Mike looked away, "I need to know what's going on. Can you help her, Henry?"

Vicki stood and went to Mike's side, "I like your sister Molly. I didn't know anything had happened to her."

Mike started whispering, "Last summer she dropped the kids off at camp and was driving home. There was a head on collision with a guy that fell asleep at the wheel and it put her in the hospital. She was doing well even with a broken leg, ribs, and pelvis and she was sent to a rehab facility to get her ready to go home. Molly was getting better but didn't like therapy and we were told that was common. That therapists make patients work. Well, one night she was found on the floor unconscious and difficulty breathing. We were told she tried to get out of bed without help and hit her head. From there everthing went down hill. Better mentally one day, then the next she is barely responding. Now there's talk of letting her die. Nothing makes sense so I need someone that can read minds."

Henry listened to the pain in Mike's voice, "I'm not sure if I read minds. It's more like reading feelings."

Mike headed for the door, "I was crazy to ask. I knew you wouldn't help."

With vampire speed Henry stood in the door way blocking Mike's exit. "I didn't say I won't help. I'm not sure I can help." Henry placed a hand on Mike's shoulder, "I'll try. Vicki and I will try together but no promises. How will you get us in to see her? Or are we to sneak in after visiting hours?"

Mike's face became hopeful, "Vicki knows my family. She can go in the evening as a friend and you go as her" he hesitated, " husband. That way, you're both in, and they quit bugging me about Vicki this and Vicki that." Said eyes looked at Vicki, "My family really liked you Vicki."

Vicki looked away, "Don't go there."

Mike left after they set up a time for the visit the next evening.

She watched him get into his car and drive away before speaking, "Vampires can't read minds, can they?"

Henry studied Vicki's face as Mike pulled away, "Not really but I was telling the truth about reading feelings. If I can pick up hers, maybe you and Mike can find the reason for them. Warn Mike though, I may have to taste her in order to make contact with her mind."

Vicki held out her hand to Henry saying, "You want to help don't you? I'm not pushing you into something you don't want to do?"

He took her hand and kissed her palm, "Whether or not Mike likes it, I am his friend because you love him. I'm doing this because of you and because I want to."

"Can the vampire in me help?"

"I won't know the answer to that until I see her."

Mike stood outside Moly's door waiting for Vicki and Henry, not sure if they were going to come or not. There was a tap on his shoulder and he turned to look, Vicki and Henry assumed positions behind him, startling him. As he turned back he startled "I hate you." was all he could manage to say.

Henry grinned, "You really are going to have to find a better greeting if we are to remain friends."

Mike looked to Vicki saying, "I'm not fond of you either." He then kissed her cheek, "Thanks for coming. She's alone. Let's go in."

Vicki placed a restraining hand on his arm saying, "Not yet. You have to know Henry may have to bite her wrist." Mike's arm jerked in her hand, "Not to feed, but to make contact." Mike pulled his arm away and opened the door.

She was lying in bed with the sheet pulled to her shoulders, the breathing machine wheezing and hissing in a steady rhythm to match the rise and fall of her chest. Eyes were closed and a feeding tube dripped as acounterpoint to the ventilator. She was waxy, and looked much older than Vicki remembered. Henry could see the family resemblance in the dark hair and bone structure. He walked to the bedside and Vicki joined him while Mike stood in the doorway unsure whether or not to turn his back. Vicki picked up a clipboard that had faint lines and looked questioningly at Mike who answered, "She tried to write a note the day before yesterday." Vicki studied it turning sideways and upside down. Henry placed his hand on her forehead and held it there. "She feels my hand. Mike, she knows when family is near. Different touches soothe or frighten her. Someone has hurt her very badly, and keeps hurting her when no one is around." Henry didn't say anything else, but picked up her wrist and looked at the faint blue veins. "I need to feed from her, if I'm to know more. Your choice Mike."

"What makes you think that will help?"

Henry looked him in the eye, "Your sister trusts me and she wants this."

Mike looked at Henry's face and said, "Do it." Mike watched Henry's every move as he took the wrist and licked the chosen vein, his bite was firm and deep.

As Henry's mouth filled with her blood, he felt her thoughts. The fear of being alone with her tormentor. Knowing what he had done to her roommate and knowing she was next. He thrived on the power of having women under him. He kept them sedated. He knew how to inflict pain while not leaving any marks. They could see him, feel him, but not move, talk or tell. Henry placed his tongue on the wound and gave her hope. He knew she felt peace for the first time in weeks as Henry stepped back.

Mike sneered, "Well Fitzroy, besides a snack, what did you get?"

Henry answered, "Someday Mike, I need to pound you into the ground. Mental sparing with the unarmed is getting boring."

Vicki held up the clip board and said, "Before you say anything Henry, she wrote it out right here. See."

Henry took the clipboard from her hand and saw what was written, "Mike, Vicki's right, your sister already told you. Here, read it yourself."

Mike took the clipboard he had studied previously and flung it on the chair. "Nothing but scratches. Just tell me."

Henry spoke first, "Her roommate was raped repeatedly over the last few days she was here before the family stopped all life support measures. Your sister saw what was happening one night and the abuser started on her. He used a medication that paralyzes the body while the mind remains conscious and e then has been raping your sister repeatedly. When she could move, she tried writing but you couldn't make it out."

"Damn it, tell me."

Vicki held up the clipboard, took a pen from the table and played connect the lines. "Here it is Mike. Read it yourself."

therapist THE RAPIST

Henry said, "Get your sister away from here tonight, and start some serious investigation detective. We're going home." Henry turned to Molly once more and kissed her forehead whispering, "You're safe now."