Page 57 of Once Bitten, Twice Mine

“What do you mean?” She hadn’t thought Valeria had left last night, but she hadn’t watched her the whole night. Still, she couldn’t help her disappointment.

“We discovered a casualty early this morning. Dr. Gardner is performing the autopsy now with Mrs. Montgomery. He died either last night or the night before. A neighbor found him this morning when dropping off milk.”

“Who?”

“Mr. Hall. I think he was a builder. I didn’t know him well, but he was a bachelor who lived on the edge of the village.”

Caroline’s head spun as nausea hit her full force. Mr. Hall had been in her home only days ago, and now he was dead.

And she feared she knew the murderer.

“Do you think he was a victim of the vampire?”

“I’m not sure. Gardner wouldn’t let me examine the body before the autopsy.”

“Do you think he will try to obscure the results?” He hadn’t made it a secret that neither he nor his research assistant believed a vampire was behind this, and she wasn’t sure what lengths he would go to prove himself right.

Murnau shook his head. “He’s an honest man. He’ll relay his findings accurately, though we may interpret the findings differently.”

It should have been comforting that they were dedicated to finding the truth, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to know their findings.

“I do have another job for you, Miss Blythe, if you think you’ll be able to handle it. I want you to track down the vampire.”

Well, she had certainly been given more difficult jobs in her life.

“Why me?”

“I may be the doctor of this village, but I’m still an outsider, while you were born and raised here. You’re one of them in a way I never will be. You’ll know new faces or ones who are behaving strangely. You’re their lifeline.”

“I’m not sure that I’m qualified to hunt a vampire.”

“Hunting will come later. For now, I only want you to track. See if you can locate anyone who is new in town or displaying newly nocturnal habits and bring the information to me.”

It would be so easy for her to tell him about Valeria. That she had even admitted to being the vampire they were searching for, and she would be asleep and perfectly defenseless in her guest room for many hours.

Instead, she remained silent. Even as guilt settled in, she accepted his assignment and told him she would keep him abreast of her findings. At least she had earned some time away from the hospital to begin her search.

Or pretend to begin her search. It would be easier to lie to Dr. Murnau if she didn’t have to see him nearly as much. And it would give her time to figure out what to do with the vampire living in her home.

* * *

Sunset came quickly as she spent her afternoon dozing in a dark room. She went directly to Valeria’s room after returning from the hospital. She pulled in a creaky rocking chair from an adjacent room and placed it in front of the door in case she slept for too long and Valeria tried to sneak out.

“Why are you holding a fire poker?”

Caroline jerked up, gripping the poker before she remembered where she was and relaxed. Until she remembered who she was with and her panic returned.

“Protection,” she said, her face heating. It made sense when she grabbed it, but now she had her doubts.

Valeria laughed. “Do you think that would stop me?”

The knob of the gas lamp clicked before a warm amber glow illuminated the room. The lamp was on its lowest setting, but it was enough for her to see Valeria and the wicked glint in her eye as she snatched the fire poker as if it were a dandelion.

“See,” she said as she bent the poker without any effort. “Not very effective, is it?”

Caroline scrambled back, the rocking chair tipped back, and loudly squealed at the indignation of being forced into such momentum, before lurching forward and sliding from the wooden seat to the floor.

“I don’t think this calls for hysterics.”