Bloodsucking fiends: a love story

room two-ten. Is there a guy in the lobby waiting? Yes, that's him. Would you tell him I'll be down in a few minutes?"
    She put down the phone and went to the bathroom, where she turned off the shower and wiped down the mirror. She looked at herself in the mirror and fought the urge to burst into tears.
    This is a project, she thought. She turned her head and looked at her bald spot. It was small enough that she could cover it with a new part held by a couple of hairpins. Her bruised chin might require some explaining.
    She started to run her fingers though her hair to facilitate the preliminary untangle, fighting the tension in her arms that seemed to be increasing every second. A large moth buzzed into the bathroom and went for the light above the mirror. Before she knew what had happened, she snatched it out of the air and ate it.
    She stared at her reflection and was horrified by the red-haired stranger who had just eaten a moth. Even so, a warmth ran though her like good brandy. The bruise on her chin faded as she watched.
    The first thing she saw when she turned the corner at the lobby was Tommy's grin.
    "Good," he said. "You're dressed for moving. I like your hair pinned up like that."
    Jody smiled, and stood awkwardly in front of him, thinking she should greet him with a hug, but afraid to get too close to him. She could smell him and he smelled like food. "You found a place?"
    "An incredible loft, south of Market. It's even furnished." He seemed as if he would burst with excitement. "I used all the money; I hope that's okay."
    "Fine," Jody said. She just wanted to get him alone.
    "Get your stuff," he said. "I want to show it to you."
    Jody nodded. "I'll be just a minute. Have the desk clerk call a cab."
    She turned to leave. Tommy caught her by the arm. "Hey, are you okay?"
    She motioned for him to move within whisper range. "I want you so badly I can hardly stand it."
    She pulled away and ran up the steps to her room. Inside she gathered what few belongings she had and checked herself in the mirror one last time. She was wearing jeans and the chambray blouse from the night before. She unbuttoned her blouse and did a straitjacket escape from her bra, then buttoned the blouse halfway up. She stuffed the bra into her day pack and locked the room for the last time.
    When she returned to the lobby, Tommy was waiting outside by a blue DeSoto cab. He opened the door for her, climbed in, and gave the driver the address.
    "You're going to love it," he said. "I know you are."
    She moved closer to him and held his arm tightly between her breasts. "I can't wait," she said. A tiny voice in her head asked, What are you doing? What are you going to do to him? It was so faint and foreign that it might have come from someone outside on the street.
    Tommy pulled away from her and dug into his jeans pocket, coming out with an envelope. "Your check's in here. I didn't open it."
    She took it and put it in her day pack, then moved on him again.
    He scooted to the door and nodded toward the driver, who was watching them in the rearview mirror. "Forget him," Jody whispered. She licked Tommy neck and shuddered with the taste and warmth of his flesh.
    "I couldn't get your car out of impound. It has to be the owner."
    "Doesn't matter," she said, nuzzling into the space under his jaw.
    The cab stopped and the driver turned to them. "Six-ten," he said.
    Jody threw a twenty over the seat, reached over Tommy and opened the door, dived out and dragged him out of the cab after her. "Where is it?"
    Tommy just had time to point to the door before she pushed him at it. She climbed on his back as he unlocked the door, then bolted past him and dragged him up the steps.
    "You're really excited about this, aren't you?" he asked.
    "It's great." She stopped at the fire door at the top of the stairs. "Open it," she commanded.
    Tommy unlocked the door and threw it open. "This is it!"
    She went through, catching the front of his shirt and pulling him in.
    "Look at all these bookshelves," he said.
    She ripped his shirt off and kissed him hard.
    He pulled up for air and said, "The bedroom doesn't have any windows, just like you wanted."
    "Where?" she demanded.
    He pointed to the open door and she pushed him through it. He fell face down on the bare mattress. She flipped him over, hooked her hands into the waist of his jeans and ripped them off him.
    "So you like it?" he asked.
    She ripped her shirt open and held him to the bed, one hand on his chest