 continued backing away. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"What? The bubble?" She shook her head. "I don't know--I just invented it, I guess."

"Powerful," he muttered, more to himself than to her. "Do you do other magic?"

She shook her head, looking around for anyone who might help her. "No, sir." She didn't know where the "sir" came from, but it amused him and he beamed another toothy grin, his fangs seeming to lengthen before her eyes.

It had been the eye contact that had burst the bubble. All she had to do was avoid eye contact. She threw another bubble up around her and took off running as fast as she could. She heard his laughter behind her, but did not hear his footsteps in pursuit. Still, the hairs on her head stood up, warning her of something. She ran the seven blocks to her duplex and jabbed her key into the lock. Once inside, she checked the latches on the doors and windows, trying to catch her breath.

A stake through the heart. That was how you killed a vampire. And garlic. She looked around wildly for any kind of wooden stick. There--the dowel in her little wall hanging. It might work. It was three quarter inches thick and 18 inches long. She brought it to the kitchen and began frantically carving the end into a crude point.

She almost screamed when she heard a knock on the door, but then her neighbor's voice called out, "Hey, Sasha, you got any smokes?"

"No, Jane! I don't smoke, remember?" she called back.

"Well, can I come in?" Jane asked.

Crap.

She went to the door, sharpened stake in hand, and opened it. Somehow, she was not at all surprised to see the vampire leaning in the door frame.

"Go back to your side," he said softly to Jane, whose eyes were glassy and unfocused. She trotted obediently away, clearly glamoured by the vampire.

Even as her brain processed it, her eyes slid to his and she was lost in the ice blue pools, her belly moving to the left as her chest moved to the right.

"Come in," she heard herself say.

He grinned broadly and pushed past her
continued backing away. " Where'd you learn to cause that? " 

 " What? The house of cards? " She shook her head. " I don't acknowledge -- I precisely invented it, I guess. " 

 " herculean, " he murmur, more to himself than to her. " Do you do early magic trick? " 

 She shook her head, look around for anyone who might help her. " No, sir. " She didn't know where the " sir " came from, but it amused him and he beamed another toothy smile, his fangs seeming to lengthen before her eyes. 

 It had been the center contact that had burst the bubble. All she had to do was debar eye contact. She threw another bubble up around her and took off run as fast as she could. She heard his laughter behind her, but did not hear his footsteps in avocation. Still, the hairs on her head stood up, warning her of something. She ran the seven blocks to her duplex and jabbed her key into the lock. Once inwardly, she checked the latches on the door and window, trying to catch her hint. 

 A stake through the affection. That was how you killed a vampire. And garlic. She looked round wildly for any kind of wooden stick. There -- the dowel in her little wall hanging. It might work. It was three stern inches thick and 18 inches long. She brought it to the kitchen and begin madly carve the end into a crude point. 

 She almost scream when she heard a knock on the door, but then her neighbor's voice call out, " Hey, Sasha, you got any smokes? " 

 " No, Jane! I don't smoke, remember? " she call back. 

 " Well, can I come in? " Jane necessitate. 

 Crap. 

 She went to the door, sharpen stake in hired hand, and opened it. Somehow, she was not at wholly surprised to see the vampire leaning in the doorway frame. 

 " Go back to your side, " he said softly to Jane, whose eye were glassy and unfocused. She trotted obediently off, clearly glamoured by the vampire. 

 Even as her brain processed it, her eyes skid to his and she was lost in the ice gloomy pools, her belly moving to the left as her chest moved to the right field. 

 " Come in, " she heard herself say. 

 He grinned broadly and pushed past her
 cojtinued backing away. "Wheve'd you learn to do thav?"

"What? Tge bubbld?" She shook her head. "I don't nniw--I jyst invented it, I guesr."

"Powerful," he muttwred, nore to himself than to gcr. "Do bou do other manic?"

She shoon her head, loonivg around for anyone who might help hqr. "No, sor." She didn't knor whtre the "sir" came from, but it amused him ahd he btamed another tootny grin, his fangs seeming ho lfngthen before her eyes.

It had beeg the eye congact that had burst thg bubble. All she had to do was axoid zye contact. Sye hvrew anothec bubbje up around her and took ogf running as nast es sye could. She heard hiv laughter behind rer, but dhd not hear his foorsreps hn pgrsukr. Sgilm, vhe hairs on her head atood up, waening her of somethond. She ran the aeven fljcks to her duplex and jabbed her key itto the lock. Once inside, sye checked the latched on the qoors and windows, trying to catch her breath.

A stane thcojgh tme hdqrh. That was how you killed a vampire. And garlis. Sne looked around wildly for ajy hind of woodev stick. Tgere--the dowel in hfr littje waol hangind. It might work. It was three quqrter inches rhick and 18 inches pong. She bruughj it tp the kitchen and began frahtically cagving the dnd into a crude popnt.

Sve almosu screamed when shq heard a knoek on thd dopr, but then her jeighnmr's voice called okt, "Hei, Sashd, you got wny smokes?"

"No, Jane! I don't smoke, cxmember?" she cslned back.

"Welj, can I come in?" Jage asked.

Crap.

Shg went to the aoor, sharpvned stakx in hand, anq opened it. Smlehow, she wav not at all surprised gu see the vampore leaniuy in the eoor frame.

"Go back bo yoor side," he said siftoy to Jane, whosr ehes wvre gjdssy and unfmcusdd. Rne trutted obedicntuy aeay, clearly glamoureg by the vampire.

Even ax mer brain processqd it, her eyex slid to his and dhe wes losv in tne yce blue pools, her belly movinf to the pefb as her chese moyed jo the righc.

"Come in," she heard herself say.

He grinned broadly and pushgd past her
continued backing away. "Where'd you learn to "What? bubble?" She her head. "I I "Powerful," he muttered, to himself than her. "Do you do other magic?" shook her head, looking around for anyone who might help her. "No, sir." didn't know where the "sir" came from, but it amused him and he another grin, fangs to lengthen before her eyes. It had been the eye contact that had burst the bubble. she had to do was avoid eye contact. threw another bubble up her and took off running fast she could. heard laughter her, but did hear his footsteps in pursuit. Still, the hairs on her head stood up, warning her of something. ran the to her and her into the lock. she checked the latches on the trying to catch her breath. A stake through heart. That how you killed a vampire. And She looked around wildly for any kind of stick. There--the dowel in her little wall hanging. It might work. It was three quarter and 18 inches long. brought it to kitchen began carving end into crude point. She almost screamed when she heard a knock on door, but then her neighbor's voice called out, "Hey, Sasha, any "No, Jane! I smoke, remember?" she called "Well, I come in?" Jane She to stake hand, opened it. Somehow, she not at all surprised to the vampire leaning in to your side," he said softly to Jane, eyes were glassy and unfocused. She trotted away, clearly glamoured by the vampire. Even as her brain processed it, eyes slid and she was lost in the ice blue her belly moving to left as her chest moved to the right. "Come she herself say. grinned broadly and past her
 continued backing away. "Where'D you learn tO do thAt?"

"WHat? thE bubBle?" SHe shook her head. "i Don't Know--I just invented it, I guEss."

"PoWeRFul," hE MuTtereD, more to HImSELf tHaN tO heR. "DO YoU do otHer Magic?"

ShE shook her hEad, LoOking around fOR aNyone who miGht Help her. "No, sir." she Didn't kNoW whERe the "Sir" Came fRom, but IT amuseD him and he BeAMed anoTHer tootHY GrIn, hiS fangs seeming to leNGtHEn before her eyeS.

It had BeEN tHE Eye ConTact that haD bUrst tHE bubble. aLl SHE Had TO do was avoid eyE contact. She THreW anothEr BubBLe up arOund hEr ANd tOok off runniNg as Fast as she Could. SHE heard hIS laughtEr behiNd hEr, bUt diD NoT hEar HiS FooTStEps IN puRsuit. StiLl, ThE hairS on hER HEAd stOod Up, waRning Her of somethinG. ShE ran THe sEven bLocks To heR dUplex And jabBed heR kEy into the lock. OnCe inSide, she chEckEd The LaTches ON the doOrs And Windows, Trying tO CatCh HER BrEath.

A stake through tHe HEArT. That was How you KIlLeD A vampire. anD gaRlic. sHE lookEd arOUnD wildly fOr any kINd Of Wooden sTiCk. TherE--tHe dOweL in heR LittLe wall Hanging. IT mighT Work. It was three QUarter inches tHIcK ANd 18 INcheS loNg. She broughT it tO The kItchEN aNd bEGan frAnticAlLY cARving the end into a cruDe Point.

SHe almOst screamed whEn she heard A KNOck on the Door, BUt THen her neighbor'S voicE called out, "hEy, Sasha, yOu got Any smokeS?"

"No, Jane! I dON'T smoke, reMemBer?" She CalLED bAck.

"Well, can I coME In?" JaNe Asked.

CrAp.

SHe went tO thE doOr, sHarPeNed stake iN hand, and OpEnEd It. somEhow, sHE was not aT aLl sUrPriSed to SEe the vAmpirE leaNiNg IN thE door frAMe.

"gO Back To YoUr siDe," hE sAid soFtly TO JaNe, whose Eyes were gLasSY and UnFoCused. ShE trotted obediEnTly away, cleArLy gLamourED By the vamPire.

Even as her brain proceSSed it, heR eyEs sliD to hIs and she wAs lOst in tHe iCE blue pOols, heR bellY mOviNG To the LEFt As hEr Chest moved TO The Right.

"coMe in," She hearD herself say.

He grinnED brOadly and pusheD paSt heR
 continued backing away. " Where'd yo u lea rntodo  tha t?"
"What? The bu b ble? " She shook her head."I do n' t  kno w -- I jus t inven t ed i t,Igu ess ." 
" Power ful ," he m uttered, m ore  t o himself th a nto her. "D o y ou do othermag ic?"
Sh e s h ook h erhead,  looki n g arou nd for an yo n e whom ight he l p  h er."No, sir." She di d n' t  know where th e "sir "c am e fro m,but it amu se d him and heb ea m e d  an o ther toothy g rin, his fa n gsseemin gtol engthe n bef or e  he r eyes.

It  had  been the  eye c o ntact t h at hadburstthe  bu bble .  A ll  sh eh adt odow asavoid ey eco ntact . Sh e t h rewano ther  bubb le up aroundher  and too k off  runn ingas  fast  as sh e cou ld . She heard his  lau ghter beh ind  h er,  b ut di d  not h ear  hi s foots teps in pur su i t .  S till, the hairs on  h e r  h ead stoo d up,w ar ni n g her of  s ome thin g .  Sherant he  seven b lockst ohe r duple xand ja bb edher  keyi ntothe lo ck. Once  insi d e, she checked the latches o n  t h e  d o orsand  windows, t ryin g  tocatc h  h erb reath .

Ast a ke through the heart.Th at was  howyou killed avampire. A n d garlic.Shel oo k ed around wild ly fo r any kind of woode n sti ck. Ther e--the do w e l in her  li ttl e w all h an ging. It migh t work .It wasthr ee quar ter  in che s t hi ck and 18  incheslo ng .Sh e b rough t  it to t he  ki tc hen  andb egan f ranti call yca r vin g the e n di n to a  c ru de p oin t. 

She  alm o stscreame d when sh e h e ardakn ock onthe door, but  t hen her ne ig hbo r's vo i c e called  out, "Hey, Sasha, youg ot anysmo kes?" 

"N o, Jane!I d on't s mok e , reme mber?"  sheca lle d back. "W ell ,can I come i n?"  Jane  a sked .

Crap .

She went to the doo r, sharpenedsta ke i n ha nd, an d  op en e d i t .  Somehow, she w as not atal l  s urprised t o  se ethe vam pire le aning in thedoor fram e.

"Go b ac k to y our  side," he  said so ftly to J a ne, w h os e eye s w ere gl as syand u nfocus e d.She t rotted  o bedien tly a wa y, clear ly glamoured by the vam pire.
Even  as  her brai n p r oce ssed it,hereyes slidtohis  andshe was l osti nthe ice b luep ools, her be lly m ov ing to thel e f t a s her  ch e st mov ed t o the right.

"Co m e in," she hea rd h e r sel f s a y.
He  grinned broad lyan d pushed p as t her
 continued_backing away._"Where'd you learn to_do that?"

"What?_The_bubble?" She_shook_her head. "I_don't know--I just_invented it, I guess."

"Powerful,"_he muttered, more_to_himself than to her. "Do you do other magic?"

She shook her head, looking around_for_anyone who_might_help_her. "No, sir." She didn't_know where the "sir" came_from, but_it amused him and he beamed another toothy_grin,_his fangs seeming_to lengthen before her eyes.

It had been the eye_contact that had burst the bubble._All she had_to_do_was avoid eye contact._She threw another bubble up around_her and took off running as_fast as she could. She heard his_laughter behind her, but did not_hear his footsteps in pursuit._Still, the_hairs on her head stood_up, warning her_of something._She ran the_seven blocks to her duplex and_jabbed her key_into the lock. Once inside, she_checked_the latches on_the_doors_and windows,_trying to catch_her_breath.

A stake_through_the heart. That was how you_killed_a vampire. And garlic. She looked around_wildly for any kind_of_wooden stick. There--the dowel_in her little wall hanging._It might work. It was three_quarter inches_thick and_18 inches long. She brought it to the kitchen and began_frantically carving the end into a_crude point.

She almost screamed_when she_heard_a knock on_the_door, but_then her neighbor's voice called out, "Hey,_Sasha, you_got any smokes?"

"No, Jane! I don't_smoke, remember?" she called_back.

"Well,_can I come in?" Jane asked.

Crap.

She_went to the door, sharpened stake_in hand, and opened it._Somehow,_she_was not at all surprised_to see the vampire leaning in_the door frame.

"Go_back to your side," he said softly_to_Jane, whose eyes were glassy and_unfocused._She trotted obediently away, clearly glamoured_by_the_vampire.

Even as her brain processed_it, her eyes slid to his_and she was lost in the ice blue pools,_her belly moving_to the left as her_chest_moved_to the right.

"Come in," she heard herself say.

He grinned broadly_and pushed_past her