I have to laugh. "You sure picked me up easily enough."
Kalika screams again.
Ray loses his dark expression and looks pained. "Please," he says. "She's all we've got. You're the only one who can save her."
Fed up with arguing, I stand and grab my black leather coat, the one I used to wear for hunting. Heading for the door, I say over my shoulder, "We used to have a lot, Ray. Remember that next time you order me to go out and kill."
7
I drive around for an hour before ending up at a local park. There are a couple of basketball courts, a baseball diamond, a circular pond with white ducks in it, and a wide field where children fly long-tailed kites. Sitting between the pond and the basketball courts, I try to think how I can fix my miserable life in one brilliant stroke.
For the last twenty-four hours I have considered taking Kalika to Arturo's secret laboratory, where the paraphernalia that completed my transformation is located: the crucifix-shaped magnets, the long copper sheets, the colored crystals. Yet the attempt, I know, to make Kalika into a human, would be a desperate act at best. One of the few times Arturo experimented on a boydear Ralphethe results were disastrous.
Ralphe was transformed into a flesh-eating ghoul, and I had to break his neck with my own hands to stop him from killing. No, I realize, I cannot experiment on Kalika, not until every other alternative has been explored.
Which means I need human blood. Now.
A young man on the basketball court glances over at me. I may not be a vampire anymore, but I know I'm cute. This guy is maybe nineteen, with blond hair and a strong build, an easy six-two. His size is important to me. The more pounds he has, the more blood he can stand to lose. Yet the more difficult he will be to contain. But my daughter is screaming at home. I heard her screams as I drove away in the car, echoing in my ears like the cries of a thousand past victims.
I catch this young man's eye and smile.
He flashes me a grin. Heisinterested, doomed.
When his game finishes, he strolls over to say hi.
"Hi," I say in response, nodding to the court, to his companions. I sit with my profile to them I don't want them to get a good look at me. "You know, you're pretty good. You have a great jump shot."
"Thanks. I still enjoy these pick-up games."
"You used to play in high school?"
"Yeah. Just got out last year. How about you?"
I laugh softly. "I was too short to play basketball."
He blushes. "I mean, did you just graduate?"
"Not long ago." I pause, let my eyes slide over him. "What's your name?"
"Eric Hawkins. What's yours?"
I stand and offer him my hand. "Cynthia Rhodes. Do you come here often?"
"I usually play at Centinela. This parkI haven't been here in ages."
That's good, I think. "What brings you here today?"
He shrugs. "Nothing in particular. I was just out driving around."
That's also good. The other guys he's playing withthey're not close friends.
"I was just doing the same," I say.
He glances at the ground, fidgets shyly. "Hey, would you like to go have a Coke or something?"
"Sure. I'm not doing anything."
We go to a coffee shop, and I order coffee. I have become a big coffee drinker since becoming human. It does wonders for my insomnia. Eric has a hamburger and french fries. I am happy he eats heartily. He will need his strength. Yet as he talks about himself, I begin to feel sad. He seems like such a nice boy.
"I'm taking a year off from college, but I'll be in school next year," he says. "I just got accepted to SC. I'm going to major in pre-med. My old man's a doctor and he's encouraged me to follow in his footsteps since the day I learned to talk."
"Why didn't you go straight to college?"
"I wanted to travel a little, work a little. I spent the summer in Europe. Spent a month in the Greek islands alone. You ever been there?"
I nod as I sip my coffee. "Yes. Did you visit Delos?"
"The island with all the ruins?"
"Yes. It's supposed to be the most sacred island in the Aegean Sea. Apollowas born there." I lower my voice. "At least, that's what the stories say."
"Yeah, I was there. When were you there?"
"A few years back." I pause and catch his eye, and hate myself for the blatant manipulation. "I'm glad I went to the park today."
He smiles shyly and stares down at his hamburger. "Yeah. When I saw you sitting there all by yourselfI don't knowI just felt like I had to talk to you." He adds, "I don't usually go around hitting on girls."
"I know, Eric."
We chat a while longer and he finishes his food, and then glances at his watch. "Boy, I better get going. My dad's expecting me at his office. I help out there Tuesday and Thursday afternoons."
I feel a moment of panic. I cannot imagine returning to Kalika's screams empty-handed. Reaching across the table, I touch his hand. "Could you do me a quick favor?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"It's kind of embarrassing to explain. You see, I have this ex-boyfriend who is sort of stalking me. He's not violent or anything like that, but if he sees me return home he immediately jumps out of his car and runs over and starts hassling me." I pause. "Could you follow me home in your car? Just to make sure I get in OK." I add, "I don't live far from here."
"You don't live with your parents?"
"No. Both my parents are dead. I live alone."
Eric is troubled. "Sure, I can come. But I won't be able to stay."
"I understand. If you can just walk me to my door."
Eric is agreeable, although his reluctance remains. As a human, I'm not the actress I used to be. He likes me, but he is slightly suspicious of me. I have to wonder exactly what I'm going to do with him once he's in my house.
To my immense bad luck, Paula is standing on my front porch as I drive up and park. Waving to her, I quickly run back to Eric's car, which is in the middle of the block. I ask if he can wait a minute, but he's anxious to get to his father's office.
"He loses his temper if I'm even ten minutes late," he explains.
"I'm grateful you followed me this far," I say. "But I'm still worried my ex is around. He could even be in the house."