Chapter 3

A Familiar Face

*John*

Everything is hazy when I come to. My head hurts like hell and I can't move. I look down to see myself chained to a chair. As the room becomes clearer I realize the only things lighting the room are candles. The air around me is cold and damp and has a familiar feel to it, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I try getting loose from the chains but it's no use.

"Hey!" I shout with anger. "I don't know who you think you are or what you want, but let me go!"

I do realize whoever they are aren't going to let me go, but at least maybe they'll reveal themselves to me.

"Come on!" I try again.

"So…" a voice says from somewhere in the room. "The sleeping detective finally awakes." "What's going on?" I shout out. "Why am I here?"

I take another vague look around trying to find where the voice is coming from.

"It's all about the questions with you isn't it?" the voice replies. "Think about it John. Who would want revenge on you?" "So this is about revenge?" I call back. The voice begins talking again, this time louder. "Revenge. Payback. Whatever you want to call it."

I can start to make out a figure in the corner of the room. Something does look oddly familiar about the figure. And that voice.

"Well you've had your little fun. Knocking me over the head! Chaining me to a chair! Now let's just be done with this and let me go." "Oh detective" the voice says in a mocking tone.

The figure starts to walk closer, and closer. Something doesn't feel right about this whole scenario. Not only because I'm chained to a chair, but also just the feeling in the room sends shivers down my spine.

He continues to speak. "The fun is just beginning."

I can finally see who he is.

"That's impossible" I say shocked by who I see standing in front of me. "Oh John. You underestimate me."

My eyes must be playing tricks on me or I'm dreaming. The figure walks out and the only person I can see is myself. Only it's not me.

"Stephen Clay."

"Again as I said once before. Caleb. Caleb Morley" He replies correcting me. "I don't care what the heck you call yourself. How the hell are you alive? I killed you."

Caleb gives me a big sarcastic laugh.

"Ha! See that's where you're wrong. You just couldn't get the idea through your head that Lucy was actually right about something." "About what! That you're a vampire? Those teeth were fake, you were fake, your just pyscho killer who couldn't deal with the loss his wife!"

"Then explain to me McBain. If I'm just some random pyscho and you "killed me", how am I standing right in front of you right now?"

I just look at him because I truly can't explain that. I know he was dead.

"I thought so." He says walking closer to me. "Then explain to me…" I start to say. "Explain to me how you are alive."

Caleb has a look on his face that I'm not so fond of.

"Let's play a game shall we? What did the good detective go see the professor about? What was the one thing that made all of this possible again?"

I thought about it for a minute but then it hit me.

"The ring" I say. "Ding ding ding! We have a winner!" "This is still impossible. There is no such thing as magic, and there is definitely no such thing as a magic ring!" I say confused by this whole situation. "Again. You underestimate me."

This guy must really be out of his mind I think to myself.

"What? Not doing it for ya?" he asks me. "You're a tuff one to convince John. Need more proof?" Silence echoes across the room.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Caleb then opens his mouth to show me 2 sharp fangs exactly like the ones he used to bite Sam.

"So what?" I say. "You went on the internet and bought another set of fake teeth." "There's one distinct difference between these and the ones from last time."

Caleb then grabs his fangs and starts to pull on them kind of like a child eager to lose their last baby tooth.

"Unlike the other ones, these are real."

Nothing is making sense right now. I don't know if I believe him or not but there's something more to this than just isn't adding up. This is all just crazy nonsense.

"If you wanted revenge on me, then why didn't you just kill me on the docks? Or hell! Why not just kill me now!" "I could of" he starts. "And I can, but what fun would that be? No. I want to make you suffer. I want to make you feel what I felt. To just be out of reach of everything that matters to you."

I know what he's thinking. There's only one thing right now that matters to me more than anything, and he knows what it is. The one thing he wanted the first time he surfaced.

"No" I say. "Caleb you son of a bitch! Not again!" I struggle trying even harder to free myself from his trap, but it's no use. "And who's going to stop me? Livvie will be mine. And this time you won't be in my way. In fact I think I'd better get going. Wouldn't want to miss your….. I mean my date."

Caleb starts to walk away.

"Caleb!" I yell. Anger is taking over. "You won't get to Sam! She'll figure it out! "And when she does!…" Caleb cuts me off. "And when she does John… It will be too late."