The Story of Nikki’s Death

{In medias res}

Rhyaad sits back, his thoughts still on the events of the night before: “I wish I could say I felt good about last night, Nikki. But I just can’t. I’m mostly glad Medri was not killed.”

Aware of the effects upon him, Nikki sympathizes, “I know it must have been — hard for you — seeing as how you have given up the whole ‘killing nature’.”

Outside in the main office of Collins Investigations, Esther, aware that there are times when Rhyaad and Nikki need to talk, although she’s not really sure what it is all about, sets her notes down and picks up the newspaper to read.

Nikki suddenly asks, “What am I thinking, are you alright? I mean it must have been some battle”

“Patricia was kidnapping innocents and turning them into crazed newlings to be her . . . fodder, basically. We killed her victims, as it were. And I killed a little girl. ” He feels genuine regret, even though he knows he had no other choice, “A little girl who liked to drive people insane with her eyes and murder people while giggling, but none the less. Yes, I became the DaeArato again. I killed. It is unsettling. And it was a fairly large battle.” For a moment he sits silent, and Nikki sits looking at him. It is a comfortable silence. “I was hit with a lot of splinters, a few big cuts; nothing too bad.” He suddenly spoke up.

“Well knowing our natures, it was for the greater good.” Nikki tries to reassure him. “Little Girl? Do you think this was the same Little Girl I encountered in the cemetery nights ago?” Rhyaad nods, “It was the same, yes. The one with the purple glasses.”

Nikki, takes a sip from her wine glass of blood and looks over at Rhyaad.” I wonder why she was interested in me?”

Rhyaad shrugs, “Well, she wasn’t much of one for polite conversation.

Nikki falls silent, and Rhyaad looks at her. He is aware that she is lost in thought, she has been in thought now for sometime, about the time he began to discuss the terrible events from the night before. He is more than certain she is about to make some decision; he can feel it, but he is uncertain as to what it maybe be about.

“Okay,” turning now to look at him once more, her eyes beginning to shift into a much darker blue, “The more we talk. The more I think about it–the fact that this Patricia is still out there . . . knowing that I am about to set this up business , we both know what this will most likely mean — what it could lead to. And not even considering the mystery of who created me, or why, and when and if they decided to make some grand appearance. there are those that I may put in harms way. I lost Julia. Professor Stokes. And so,” Rhyaad well aware her mind is now made up is more than prepared to hear her conclude with, “I am going to tell Esther. I can’t lie to her anymore.”

“What you are? You mean.”

“Yes .”

In the outer office, Esther sets down her newspaper and takes another sip of beer.

“Indeed. I admit this is all very worrisome.” He nods in agreement. He cocks he head slightly, “Do you mean to tell Esther tonight? I will help you, if you want.”

“Thank you, yes, I may need your friendship and moral support , I have no idea how she will handle all of this–and so, to be honest, I have been sitting here trying to prepare myself , not only for painful memories, but as well for possible painful responses, and so, yes, if you would — please stay.”

Rhyaad nods, even as he his curious to hear more about the night Nikki was turned.

“Esther, ” Nikki calls out now into the outer office, “Would you mind coming in here I need to talk to you a moment, please.”

Rhyaad sat back. “Well, this is never easy. And it will be even harder with her. But it has to be done.”

Esther hearing Nikki’s call answers: “Oh sure thing.” And sets the beer bottle and the newspaper down, and returns to Nikki’s new office. She sees Nikki taking a long drink from the wine glass, drinking something dark red and very thick. Esther steps over to the empty chair and sits down, “So, what’s up Boss?”

“Esther,I know we have only known each other for a short time, but in that time I want you to know how much I have come to value our friendship and your support.” Nikki begins, “And so, I need to talk to you about something.”

A slight nod of the head, uncertain what is bothering Collins, Esther says, “Go ahead Nikki.”

Sitting forward to lean slightly on the desk, Nikki looks at Esther; her face is suddenly very serious, her blue eyes darken, “First of all, Esther, I am a bit frightened to have this conversation but I have to because of how much I care for you.”

Rhyaad looks over to Esther and nods.

Esther seeing the expressions on their faces is now confused and suddenly apprehensive. “O-kay?”

“So, let me tell you a story.” Nikki begins.

“I care about you also, Miss Friedman. Esther.” Rhyaad adds before Nikki begins, “I have been concerned for you. I’ve tried to tell you this.”

Nikki steels herself, ready to begin the story of her death.

“There once was a young woman, who having for years lived without her parents, lived with a good friend of the family, and so she grew up feeling very independent. She had a fabulous trust fund and wanted for nothing. Life gave her everything she wanted, and she wanted a lot. She lived in London and Paris and Berlin, and for the most part thought of life, if she thought of it at all as a one big party. And then one night, she discovered that the world as she knew it was only just one half of reality.”

As he listened, Rhyaad heard her beginning to tell his own story.

Nikki was silent for a moment and then continued, “That there was a deeper, darker, more horrifying reality just hidden from her in the shadows, one she lived totally oblivious to, until — one very horrifying night. A night that was so much like any other night of her life. She had gone to the Theater in Paris. The ballet. She loved to watch the ballet. It was a fall night, summer was just ending. The air, the air felt so wonderful as it blew through your hair. And so, stepping out from the theater, she and her friend feeling exhilarated from the performance decided to go to a small club they frequented. One that was small and loud and off the main thoroughfares. And so they had a few drinks. They talked. They kissed, and then it was late. It was time to go home. To bed. And so, left, and stepped out on to the narrow street and saw a cab waiting.”

Nikki reached over and took a drink and watched as she placed the glass oh so very carefully on the desk.

“And so, racing over to the cab together they got in. Young women having turned into silly girls, and there amidst their laugher there was suddenly this explosion of glass.”

Esther asks: “And this person was you right?

Nikki nods, “Yes, Esther, it was me.”

Behind the desk Nikki sits very still, the memory of that night haunting her as she can remember every detail, “The glass was the window of the cab driver’s side of the automobile. A pair of hands suddenly reached in and not only did they snap the poor man’s neck — they literally pulled his head off. My friend and I sat there frozen, terrified, blood was gushing everywhere.”

Silently Rhyaad sits and watches Esther to gauge her reaction.

Nikki continues her story, “My friend, she tried to get out of the cab. I can remember her screaming uncontrollably. And then, the hands, they suddenly grabbed her and just whipped her out of the car. She was tossed across the street. Her head smashed into the curb.

The memory brings to Nikki’s eyes an even darker shade of blue. Across from her Esther tries to imagine the scene Nikki is describing.

“I was so frightened I could not get the bloody door handle to work.” Nikki seemed to be looking away to a scene she knew all to vividly: one that never went away. ” I remember the torn neck of the driver as his body still sat in the front seat, blood like a fountain gushing to hit the roof of the cab. Wetness splattering on me. The motor of the cab still running. The door where my friend had been grabbed open, all I had to go was get out. Run. But then my door whipped open.”

Rhyaad watched, knowing how difficult this must be for Nikki. To remember the night of one’s… transformation is always a terrible thing. And hers was so particularly, terribly violent.

“There was this woman, tall, wild, her hair streaming in the wind, dressed in such a perfect evening gown, her shoulders bare, I remember she had such lovely collarbones, and then, she reached into the cab and grabbed me.” Nikki now seemingly trying to examine the detail as if to call into question in her own mind whether she could have done something, if she could have escaped: “I tried to fight, but she was so strong, so unbelievably strong. She pulled me out of the cab with one hand. I expected her to snap my head off like the driver, only instead she began to pull me struggling down the street to a darken area. I kept screaming and screaming — and no one came.”

Nikki stops for a moment, she is on that deserted street, sees the headlights of the cab, the back doors of the automobile open.

“I remember she just smiled. Not an evil smile. No, not really. Not even a hint of what was to come, just a smile. I remember her eyes, they were so, so blue, and then she said, ‘Blood is the Life’. And that is when she grabbed a fist full of my hair and she pulled my head back and she bit me.”

To this Esther looks skeptical.

Nikki does not notice the look of skepticism lost as she is in time and fate, “She had these long fangs that just appeared; they sank deep into my throat; like sharp razors; and she bit me once, sucking my blood, and bit me twice, my blood gushing, and she bit me a third time. I could hear her — hear her sucking, sucking my blood. I could feel it flowing down my neck, wet. Then, already weak, dizzy, I felt the sharp cut as she quickly raked a long fingernail to slit my throat.”

Rhyaad looks into Nikki’s eyes, trying to communicate his sympathy for the horror she must relive again and again, each time she remembers this. One might notice the striking similarity between their eyes, Rhyaad’s and Nikki’s, both a bit too blue, a bit too intense.

“She just dropped me there in the gutter of the street. I knew I was dying; she was bleeding me out. I remember trying to move but I was merely a rag doll left to lie where I had fallen. I tried to speak, but couldn’t. It was a horrible gasp. A gurgle. Blood was filling my mouth. I remember looking up at her and she just stood there silent, watching me bleed to death.”

Rhyaad shudders slightly, thinking of the horror of having your throat slit and bleeding to death.

Nikki sits silent for a moment.

In the moment of silence, a sudden recollection occurs to Esther, fleeting, and then it is lost.

Right hand rising, fingers to her ear, Nikki tells Esther, “I remember hearing my heart beating so loud in my ears. The world was growing so dim and distant. Then the woman bent down to me. Kneeling on one knee she bit her own wrist. Then she, then she, put her gushing wrist to my mouth and she said drink, drink now my dear departed daughter.”

Nikki’s hand trembles.

“And God help me, I drank, and drank and drank.”

Esther now returns to the skeptical look she had earlier.

“I remembered how wonderful her blood tasted.”

Rhyaad nods, trying to indicate that she could not have done anything else. That she was not to blame for what happened to her.

“And then, she pulled her wrist away from me, pulled her life’s blood away, and standing over me, she looked down and watched me die.”

Nikki blinks. “Some time later, I awoke. Everything was much too loud, everything was so bright, colour far too brilliant. I found I was being taken from a gurney and being put into a car. I was naked and there was a tag on my foot. Dr. Hoffman, the woman who raised me, knew what had happened.”

“To the luminous night… the hunger” Rhyaad mutters to no one in particular.

“You see, she had bribed a hospital guard to help steal me from the morgue.” Nikki looks at Esther now for the first time to see her reaction, “I am telling you this Esther, because you are a good friend and you need to know. I think you are very much aware that there are parts of this world had seem hidden.”

Rhyaad nodded. “You would find out eventually. It’s better we tell you.”

“I know you think something unnatural happened to your Grandmother. That you suspect there are other things that walk this earth than humans. Sweet, dear Esther, I hope you can understand, but all this talk you have heard about Vampires is for a reason.”

Nikki is silent for a long moment, she looks at her, scared of what she is about to say.

“Esther, I am a Vampire.”

Esther looks at Nikki, then at Rhyaad, and then back to Nikki: “Your Sh*tin’ me, right? This is all just a big practical joke on Esther. Rhyaad prolly put ya up to it, right? right?”

Watching Esther intently to see her reaction Rhyaad admits, “Actually, I did suggest she tell you.”

Nikki interlaces her fingers together, lying her arms on the desk, “No Esther, it’s not a joke. It’s why you don’t see me during the day.”

Esther trying to smile but can not, ” ‘Corse you did. Ain’t no such things as vampires. It’s not true.”

She shakes her head, “It’s not true!” And suddenly she bangs the arm of the chair. “Damnit mother. It’s not true!”

Esther looks very conflicted, wants to say something, wants to get up, wants to stay seated, and finally says, “I need a smoke.” She gets up to leave.

“There are those of us who are like the woman who attacked me, but there are also those of us who want to stop them.”

Esther heads to the door.

“Esther!”

“Damnit father…mother..no! it’s not true!” Esther says.

“I’m afraid it is all true, Esther. We are not lying to you. Eventually you will be able to accept this…” Rhyaad says, but Esther storms out of the office and exits the building. He watches her leave, then turns back to Nikki.

Esther stops short as she exits the building, walks a bit on the side walk, back and forth, fishing out a pack of cigarettes, pulling one out of the pack as she leans up against the wall and lights up to be left alone.

In her office, Nikki reaches for her glass, her hand trembling very badly.

“It will take her time… let her go.” He says to her, but Rhyaad is confused by something Esther said, “But what’s this about ‘mother’?”

“God, I remember that gutter, you die in a bloody gutter!”

He shook his head. “In my own backyard.”

“The person killing you just standing there watching you die. No emotion at all! Absolutely none!”

He said nothing, not wishing to recall his own night of horror, when his whole world was destroyed.

Returning from the horror of her memories, she looks at Rhyaad, “Dear departed daughter. what the bloody hell did that mean? It haunts me, I hear it all the time.”

“I wondered about that. It could be a reference to you being her childe. But if not, then it is very mysterious.”

“She won’t come back, will she?” Staring at the door of her office. “I do need her — I need to feel connected to someone human, and she is so alone, just like me.”

“I don’t know, Nikki. We have to let her do as she will.” Rhyaad offers, “Perhaps the words the woman spoke to you are some cruel clue as to why she did it. Why she turned you.”

“I think so,”  Nikki agrees, “but I can’t fathom it. She was — God she was so elemental.”

He knows her thoughts are on Esther, “She’s a strong woman. I hope she will face it. But you noticed her comments about ‘mother’. Did her mother speak of vampires?”

“She has never spoken to me about her family, only her Grandmother.”

“Hrm… her grandmother, but not her mother? Why not?”

“I gathered they passed early and she was raised by her Grandmother, that’s why, even though I took the Snow case, my first case is actually to look into Esther’s grandmother’s death.”

The door to Collins Investigations opens, and then slams. Esther suddenly re-enters the building, “F*ckin’ vampires.” Esther re-enters Nikki’s office and stands in the door: “You had to do it didn’t you. I spent 12 years of my godd*mn life telling myself they did not exist, and now my godd*amn best friend is one of the F*ckers. F*ck!”

She slams her fist on the desk, almost upsetting the glass.

Nikki looks up at Esther now, tilting her head as she can feel, knows . . . “Esther — what do you know about Vampires? I feel it, I know you know something. Something you have not told me!”

Rhyaad raised an eyebrow. “It seems she believes you, Nikki.” He peered at Esther. “Since Nikki was so honest with you . . .yes . . . what do you know? And what’s this about your mother?”

“My parents. Godd*mnit. I saw them.” Esther looks at him with a cold hard stare, “They told me to hide but I didn’t. And I saw them. F*ck!”

Esther, conflicted with emotions sits back down.

Nikki’s eyes grow so blue they almost become white: “Are you telling me your parents where killed by Vampires?”

“Did the vampires…. kill your parents, Esther?” Rhyaad also asks.

Esther looks at them, “The whole F*ckin thing. Didn’t tell a soul. The’d think i’m a f*ckin cookoo!

“Esther!” Rhyaad looks shocked, and his eyes brighten slightly. “I’m sorry. That must have been terrible to bear all by yourself.”

Esther fighting her emotions, “Din’t even tell bubby. I mangaged to forget th’ whole f*ckin’ thing till just now.”

Nikki looks at Esther and in the corner of her eyes there are growing tears of blood. “Oh, Esther!”

“D*mnit!”

“When , where did this happen?” Nikki asks

“IT was my birthday. My godd*mn f*ckin birthday.”

“How old were you?” Nikki shocked at the revelation.

“Again….” Rhyaad struggled for words. “I’m sorry. Oh, gods… your birthday…”

“Dear sweet Esther, God!” Nikki looks upward.

Esther sits in the chair memories coming back, “I just turned nine. Back in Somerset County. My father had built me a swingset. And then they came. Those f*ckers. Mother saw them, says. “Esther, go hide in the cubbord, and don’t come out till we say.”

“Oh, please, God please tell you did not see — you did not witness it. Please.” Nikki’s voice filled with growing sadness.

“And I ran alright, but not to the cubbard. Oh no. The godd*amn second story window. F*ck!” Esther slams her fist against the arm of the chair again. “Th’ whole F*ckin’ thing. The blood…the teeth. Yes I could see the d*mn teeth.

“My little brother was ten when he saw his family destroyed. I… I didn’t know what I was doing.” Rhyaad admits, “I almost killed him. It was only his kick to my face that snapped me out of it…” His face looked like stone.

Nikki shivers at the thought that Esther, only a child, had to endure the sight.

Esther continues, “Father got one of em’ in the chest with the shotgun. The same godd*mn shotgun I have. Was his. He got one of em. Right in the chest. Fat good that did.” Esther looks up at Nikki, “You know what good that did? F*ckin’ jack sh*t! And they didn’t just kill em eather. Oh no. They feasted. Riped em open. Th’ only thing that stopped me from screamin was the fear. So I dragged the bodies away. The police are still baffled as to their disappearance . . . and I forgot. After all this time I forgot all about it. Din think about it. till now. F*ck…”

“Esther I am so, so sorry,” Nikki wants to comfort her but fears Esther’s reaction to her cold touch.

Ester sits and stares off into some distant place in silence.

“I…. I’m sorry we brought all this back, Esther.” Rhyaad tells her, “I know how painful these memories must be.” He stared at the floor. “Please remember, we’re not all like that.”

“There are no words I can say to let you know how sorry I am that this happened to you, that you witnessed this.” Nikki tells her. She can see now the tears starting to well up in Esther’s eyes. “I am telling you Esther because you mean a lot to me, and I can’t lie to you anymore. But, the reason — my reason for existence now is to stop this from happening as best I can . . .”

Esther wipes her eyes with her sleeve.

“I need you to know what I am, because I am going to fight, I’m going to fight all the evil in this world I can. They made me, they turned me . . . into this . . . . and I will instead be God’s own Weapon turned against them. I have tried to figure out why, why I am what I am, what did I do to deserve this and I have only been confused and weak. But not anymore.”

Esther looks up at her, she sniffles. Tries to stop the tears that want to continue.

“Esther if you will help me, we will stand here in Collinsport and we will fight.”

“She’s been trying to protect you Esther.” Rhyaad tries to reassure her, “And learning to see the advantages in her situation. To become a force for good.”

Esther looks at her firend, “Oh Nik…”

“It won’t be easy, God the creature I am after is beyond a doubt the most powerful one of us I have ever met.”

Esther suddenly smiles, her eyes still full of tears: “Well then Nik . . . lets give em’ hell.”

Rhyaad now could only wonder about this woman who had turned Nikki , could it have been Patricia herself that turned her?

“Thank you Esther. Thank you for trusting me. I promise I will never let you down.”

Esther smiles weakly, “And I promise not to stake you in your sleep.” And she holds out her hand to Nikki. Only Nikki stands and comes around the desk and hugs Esther.

Rhyaad looks relieved. “Trust is the most difficult thing, between those of our kinds. It means a lot, Esther. You can never know how much.”

Esther looks at him, “As for you Mr. Rhyaad . . ”

“Yes?” He looks a bit apprehensive…

“I still don’t know you as much more than the annoying pr*ck that keeps asking me questions. Whaddya say we meet up for an evening hunt eh?

At that he grinned. “That’s an excellent suggestion, Esther. If you don’t mind… my habits. And I asked you questions because I wanted to protect you. From possible vampires.” “There *were* vampires in town. The little girl that attacked you was one of them.”

“I am still concerned Esther, from what I hear you were attacked, but your attacker spared you . That is not usual.”

“Yes… I noticed that too… that’s why so many questions.” Rhyaad admits to both of them.

“And I have found in this world I live in now, the one on the other side of the looking glass, one should beware the unusual.” Nikki tells him.

Esther looks at him, “Well, I told you, and many other people that asked the same questions, all that I know. I managed to drive off the women with my knife, or apparently so, and the little brat bit me.

“She let you live, for some reason. Now she’s dead, and we may never know why.”

“No idea.” Esther admits, “She is not one of those that attacked twelve years go. I’d know those faces anywhere.”

“She could have destroyed you just by looking at you. I know that now. She deliberately let you live.” He explains, not going into his experience with the Little Girl from the night before.

Esther says to no one in particular, “The F*ckers . . . I havn’t a clue.”

“That is why I have been so worried about you,” Nikki having returned to her seat says from across the desk, and now, now that I know what happened to your family, I am even more certain it was the right thing to do in telling you.”

“Perhaps there’s a connection between Patricia’s vampires and the ones . . . twelve years ago. Then perhaps not.” He says trying to think things through now that he was aware of Esther’s past. “Still, yes, we both have been worried for your safety for some time now.”

Esther has to admit, “Is it odd that I survived twelve years ago? I was not particularly well hidden…”

“There is evil in this world, true evil, it has shape, and lives and breaths, and until that night in the gutter I never knew it,and I so wanted to protect you from it, that is why we have been asking so many questions.”

“Hrm… I don’t know enough about the situation. It may be, yes.” Rhyaad answers her question about the oddness of her survival, “That’s why I pestered you, Esther. And insisted you take that ‘mace’. Which of course is not mace.”

“So, this Patricia, the one Medri Harker has been fighting so long, is there a picture or something of her?” Nikki turns to Rhyaad.

Esther nods, “Yes, your oddly specific instructions of “not to use it on anyone other than those that attacked you” kind of clued me in on that.”

“Which Sam tells me you almost had to use at The Blue Whale.”

“I shall definitely ask him for one, now that these suspicions have been brought out into the open.” Rhyaad told Nikki, “It’s a good thing we told Esther the truth. I now wonder if Patricia has not in fact been terrorizing this town for a long time. ” He nodded to Esther. “But what’s this about having to use it… almost?”

With a shrug Esther tells him that she “threatened to”. “The person I threatened was, unusually fast. She claimed to be a vampire, out there in the open like. Of course at the time I did not believe her…”

“Few vampires walk up and say “Hi! I’m a vampire”. If she was, she must be a nutcase.”

Nikki explains what she knew of the incident, “Sam said some woman was trying to act like she was a vampire, said some crazy things. Sam thought it was a stunt based on the recent attacks.”

“When you say unusually fast, Esther… how fast?” He asks.

Esther nods, “Well then, that must be the case. I’ll point her out if I see her again, but I don’t think anything will come of it. But she was fast enough to snatch the “mace” out of my hand before I knew it. ‘course I was a bit drunk at the time . . . ”

“That’s not inhuman, though, is it?” He suggests.

Esther shrugs.

Since she has come up in the conversation, Nikki looks over to Esther “Oh, at the moment, just to let you know, Sam does not know about me.”

“Huh.” Esther is shocked at the news, “And I thought you would have told her first.”

“Blame me, Esther.” Rhyaad tells her, “I told her not to tell Sam… yet.”

“Well why the hell not?”

“Because she could not have stood to loose her.” Rhyaad looks at Esther and tries to explain his reasoning, “If Sam had run away screaming… I don’t think Nikki could have handled that.”

“Hmm…”Esther goes not agree.

“I so want to tell her, you and Sam are the two people I just don’t want to lie to anymore.” Nikki explains, so wanting a drink right now but is afraid to do so in front of Esther , knowing now her past.

“Vampires have feelings too, you know.” Rhyaad feels that perhaps he would reconsider Nikki and Sam’s relationship, “What do you think, Esther?” He peered at her. “If Nikki told Sam, what would happen?”

“Do you think I will lose her if I tell her?” Nikki asks, “But I can’t keep seeing her and not tell her, you can’t keep secrets from the ones you love.”

Esther looks at Nikki, “Well, as for Sam . . . if you want to tell her, My advice would be to tell her. The sad truth of the matter is that if someone don’t love you for who you really are, then the whole thing falls apart sooner or later.”

“So true — brilliant advise Esther, and I know . . . ”

“What do you think, Nikki?” He looked into her eyes. “Could you face it, now, if the worst happened. If Sam never wanted to see you again?”

Nikki sat back with a sigh, “Esther is right, if, if we are meant to be, then she will understand , if not then it really wouldn’t matter anyway, as Esther said, it will come apart at the seams eventually. I just can’t lie anymore.”

He nodded. “Then if you feel so, it is time. Do you want Esther or myself to go with you, or not?”

Nikki seems to dodge the question as she says, “You know what bloody amazes me is that if you go to a book store today, if you can find one, and there are all these stacks and stacks of books on Vampires. And everyone thinks, oh, to be an Vampire is so wonderful, when it is just bloody hell.”

“I don’t understand it.” Esther admits, “One of these days, someone is going to make a soap opera about it.”

“I mean I still do not even understand how it happens, physically, how a human transforms into a Vampire, even though Julia Hoffman who found a temporary cure for my father tried to explain it to me after I was turned.”

“These days, we are romantic. We are sexy. Everyone desires us. Strange. But it is oh, so much better then them all believing and wanting to work up their mobs with wooden stakes and torches. Oh, believe me, it’s better today.” Rhyaad who has lived the life longer tires to explain — and then looks over at Nikki: “Temporary cure? What was this?”

“According to Julia, we are a blood transmitted virus that physically mutes the human DNA, transforming us into a species that existed perhaps even before man. She told me she was able to isolate the virus and had worked on a cure, but it had only worked briefly on my Father.”

“Well, I don’t know of anything about cures.” Esther looks at Nikki, “Sounds nice though. But think about it this way Nikk. You are strong. Strong enough not to murder everyone brutally. Strong enough not to become the monster that I saw, and strong enough to keep on existing.”

Nikki smiles, “Thank you Esther. I have to give a lot of credit here to Rhyaad, he has helped me a lot  and my father’s journals which I found after I had been turned — it was like I could suddenly sense them, know where he had hidden them, as if they had been there all that time waiting for when I would need them.”

“I have heard many theories, including viral ones, but I have never seen a cure.” Rhyaad says still thinking about a cure. He then looks back at Esther, “Yes, she is strong. I am proud of how well Nikki has been doing. She is a shining example.” And to Nikki he adds, “And the mystery of your parents… we hope to solve that eventually.”

‘”Its always the parents. your parents…my parents…” Esther considers how they have all lost parents.

“Well, Esther,” Nikki says, her voice soft, dropping a bit as if in shame, “My parents, they were not as innocent as yours. My mother was a Witch who cursed my Father and made him what he became. And then God this is horrible, the Collins Family really is cursed according to my Father’s journal, the entity that gave my Mother all her powers, then came for her when she died and raised her from the dead transforming her into a Succubus, this really is a Soap Opera. How was I ever intended to be normal?”

There is a brief moment of silence as everyone reflects on all the revelations that have just been given, when Nikki breaks the silence by saying, “Okay, one last thing you need to know Esther.” Nikki looks at the glass on the desk.

Rhyaad’s eyes are also drawn to the glass.

Esther not sure she’s ready for anymore surprises replies, “Yes?”

“The interfaith have people who donate blood to help those of us with this afflication. So-yes, this is Blood. But it is donated.”

“The interfaith…” Esther claps her hands together. “I knew it. I F*ckin’ knew it… There is more to them I knew they had a hidden agenda.”

“I know this is as horrid as it sounds, but I live on Blood. My attacker was correct, Blood is the life.”

“Well, I was told that if Nikki went out of control and killed someone, I would be eaten.” He said with a smirk to Esther’s comment. Then, “Yes, blood is our life. I hope you won’t be too disturbed by that, Esther.”

“Rhyaad will tell you, I have tried not to drink blood and it is a horrible agony that causes me to lose control, and so I have to have it, but I want you to know, this comes from someone who knows where it is going.”

He nodded. “Only from those who give it by free will.”

Esther looks at Nikki, “Naw, I don’t mind that. Thats whats to be expected. it comes with the territory. But those cultists have been the ones supplying you?”

“Yes. The Interfaith supplies her blood.”

“Miss Chiyo assures me that the people who donate are aware of our existence and do so freely to help us control the beast inside us.” Nikki explains.

Esther laughs, “Free will…bah. I still don’t trust the f*ckers. They may willingly give their blood, but still…. And pretending to be a religious group… I’m sure they help to keep you from becoming a monster…”

Nikki looks at Esther with a smile, “I know you don’t see eye to eye with them, and I don’t know all that is going on there, that is why I asked Rhyaad to help council me.”

Esther continues, ” . . . but I got a bad feeling about them. And Nik, that’s a good Idea. Having an outside opinion before they come in and form a monopoly. You know, that You can only get advice from us. There is no god but ours. You want more blood, better start tithing. Give me a break.”

“We will just have to keep an eye on them.”

“I don’t think they intend anything evil. And they *are* a religious group.” Rhyaad says in their defense, “But I also don’t think they understand what it’s like to be in Nikki’s position. They don’t feel what she feels.”

“I can tell you — they have a strict rule. A Vampire kills, then they kill that Vampire. Or,” Smiling at Rhyaad, “They eat them.”

Esther asks; “What are they the mafia?”

Still thinking about that unpleasant possibility Rhyaad nods, “And that would be most unpleasant.”

“I can only tell you want I know,they have been around a long time, and they have a group that hunts Vampires that kill.”

“And Esther, it’s obvious they have appointed themselves the righteous judges of all vampires, so regarding them with a bit of suspicion is perhaps a wise idea.” Rhyaad agrees.

‘Now what else they do? I think only David Collins knows about that and he is not talking.” Nikki informs them.

Esther nods, “Their up to somthin’ If I may give my two cents…”

“They build pyramids, study ancient cultures, and donate to charity.”

“I just know I was very confused and conflicted until I met Rhyaad — he has been so helpful to me.”

Esther suddenly says: “I’d just like to say one thing, if I may…”

Rhyaad smiles at Nikki. “I’m glad I could help you.”

Both Rhyaad and Niiki say, at the same time, “Certainly”

“12 years ago, there where only 4 jews in Collinport, including myself. I had to endure ridicule from my classmates and even some scorn from my teachers before I was able to move on. I endured rocks and sticks because of my faith. But then these f*ckers… They just show up and everyones all. “Oh look at them. They are soooo good . . . lets donate some money to them for charity . . . please. A religions group does not go get to be where it is now like that without some riducule. And the interfaith had none.”

Rhyaad nods, “It is a bit odd how much money they have.”

Esther sits back, “There. Thats all I wanted to say.”

“Thank you Esther. You do have some valid points. But if you feel in the minority about your religion, try being a Golcondan.” Rhyaad grins a little at that.

“And duly noted.” Nikki says, “And, I too have my suspicions about that they do beyond the educational center and charity to the poor and so I’m not saying I trust them. I’m just letting you know where I get blood from so you know.”

Well…what about you Rhyaad? You don’t get your supplies from them do you?”

“I will tell you they came to me,” Nikki adds, “they knew right off what I was, and wanted to help me.”

He shakes his head. “I have my own supply of donated blood. But often I get blood from animals. You mentioned hunting?”

“Oh, you need to go with Esther she is a marvelous hunter.”

“Thank you Nikk. Yes. I hunt animals. And in order to make meat kosher, all the blood must be drained from the animal. We may be able to work out an alternative source of food for you.”

“You would not be disturbed if I drank the animal’s blood in front of you Esther? And yes, that is a possible arrangement.”

“‘corse deer ain’t kosher to start with, but other animals are.”

Esther looks at her watch, “Well. I need to be going. I need to think some things over and what not.”

“Oh, I almost forgot — we have an official case.” Nikki informs Esther.

“Oh?” She asks standing up.

Rhyaad nods. “Yes, the film case.”

“A Miss Snow came in last night and hired us to look into some films she thinks were stolen from her great aunt who died in 1927.”

Esther nods, and smiles: “Well, I guess somthin’s gotta pay the bills for this place. I’ll be ’round tomorrow to help”

“Miss Snow is an Adult Entertainment actress.” Nikki says and finally takes a sip from her glass.

“This case has some, shall we say, sordid details.” Rhyaad adds.

“She’s staying at the old Cranshaw House — and yes it does. I will fill you in later. And Esther, thank you for trusting me.”

Esther stops in the threshold of Nikki’s office door, “Your my best friend in a long time, what can I say. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Esther leaves.

“My God I had no idea,” Nikki says to Rhyaad, “Want she must have gone through seeing her parents killed like that.”

“Well… Nikki, that turned out to be a cartartic experience overall. And we learned things. And now we know why she’s so strong.”

“I am just so glad she told me. I mean, I know first hand what it is to be murdered, but to be a child and see that horror, see it happen to your parents when you are nine . God I can only imagine what that did to her.”

“Me too.” He seemed a little nervous about something. “After tonight’s revelations, there is something I wonder if I should confess…”

“Well, this is certainly my confessional box.”

“Well…” he paused. “I have been guilty of ‘do as I say, not as I do’… you see… I do have the self-control to bite people and not seriously hurt them. And I do just that. But only those who *want* me to. You’d be surprised just how many people these days do want to be bitten. They think it’s sexy. I told you, these times are so much easier for us.”

“Well — You know we have moments of weakness. I have told you about mine.”

He nodded. “I am very careful. And I did much what you did, biting men I loved. Ones I knew I could never hurt. But I didn’t tell you that then.”

Cue Music end of Episode