Bloodsucking fiends: a love story

said.
    She snuggled against him. "We've got to get up. There's things to do."
    "You're cold. Are you cold?"
    "I'm never cold." She rolled out of bed and went to the light switch. "Eyes," she warned as she flipped on the light.
    Tommy shielded his eyes. "For the love of God, Montressor!"
    "Poe?" she said. "Right?"
    "Yep."
    "See? I can talk books."
    Tommy sat up. "I'm sorry. I didn't give you a chance. I guess we were always talking about – about your condition."
    She smiled and snatched a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt from the pile of clothes on the floor.
    "I talked to the other vampire the other night. That's why I left the note."
    Tommy was wide awake now. "You talked to him? Where?"
    "In a club. I was mad at you. I wanted to go out. Show off."
    "What did he say?"
    "He said it's almost over. Tommy, I think he's going to try and kill you, maybe both of us."
    "Well, that sucks."
    "And you've got to stop him."
    "Me? Why me? You're the one with X-ray vision and stuff."
    "He's too strong. I get the feeling he's really old. He's clever. I think that the longer that you're a vampire, the more you can do. I'm starting to feel… well, sharper as time goes on."
    "He's too strong for you, but you want me stop him? How?"
    "You'll have to get to him while he's sleeping."
    "Kill him? Just like that? Even if I could find him, how would I kill him? Nothing hurts you guys – unless you have some kryptonite."
    "You could drag him into the sunlight. Or cut his head off – I'm sure that would do it. Or you could totally dismember him and scatter the pieces." Jody had to look away from him when she said this. It was as if someone else was talking.
    "Right," Tommy said, "just shovel him into a garbage bag and get on the forty-two bus. Leave a piece at every stop. Are you nuts? I can't kill anyone, Jody. I'm not built that way."
    "Well, I can't do it."
    "Why don't we just go to Indiana? You'll like it there. I can get a union job and make my mom happy. You can learn to bowl. It'll be great – no dead guys in the freezer, no vampires…
    "By the way, how'd you… I mean, where did you thaw out?"
    "In the morgue. With a pervert all ready to live out his wet dreams on me."
    "I'll kill him!"
    "Not necessary."
    "You killed him? Jody, you can't keep -"
    "I didn't kill him. He just sort of died. But there's something else."
    "I can't wait."
    "The vampire killed Simon."
    Tommy was shaken. "How? Where?"
    "The same way as the others. That's why the cops let you go."
    Tommy took a minute to digest this, sat for a moment looking at his hands. He looked up and said, "How did you know I was in jail?"
    "You told me."
    "I did?"
    "Of course. You were so tired last night. I'm not surprised you don't remember." She buttoned up the flannel shirt. "Tommy, you've got to find the vampire and kill him. I think Simon was his last warning before he takes us."
    Tommy shook his head. "I can't believe he got Simon. Why Simon?"
    "Because he was close to you. Come on, I'll make you coffee." She started into the kitchen and tripped over the brass turtle. "What's this?"
    "Long story," Tommy said.
    Jody looked around, listened for the sound of turtle claws. "Where's Scott and Zelda?"
    "I set them free. Go make coffee."
    Rivera and Cavuto sat in an unmarked cruiser in the alley across the street from the loft, taking turns dozing and watching.
    It was Rivera's turn to watch while Cavuto snored in the driver's seat. Rivera didn't like the way things were going. Weird shit just seemed to follow him. His job was to find evidence and catch bad guys, but too often, especially in this case, the evidence pointed to a bad guy who wasn't a guy at all: wasn't human. He didn't want to believe that there was a vampire loose in the City, but he did. And he knew he'd never convince Cavuto, or anybody, for that matter. Still, he'd dug out his mother's silver crucifix before he left the house. It was in his jacket pocket next to his badge wallet. He had been tempted to take it out and say a rosary, but Cavuto, despite his growling snore, was a light sleeper, and Rivera didn't want to endure the ridicule should the big cop wake up in the middle of a Hail Mary.
    Rivera was getting ready to wake Cavuto and catch a nap when the lights went on in the loft.
    "Nick," he said. "Lights are on."
    Cavuto woke, instantly alert. "What?"
    "Lights are on. The kid's up."
    Cavuto lit his cigar. "And?"
    "I just thought you'd want to know."
    "Look, Rivera, the lights coming on is not something