Lips brushed the back of my neck. Soft fingertips traced a line from my shoulder to my ring finger. The lips planted a series of kisses from my neck to my ear. I felt a small nip at the lobe as a familiar voice spoke, “you're still wearing it,” my wife said. 

“You're dead. I saw your body.”

“Is one truly ever dead as long as they're remembered?”

“Tess, I—”

I felt her cup my breast, and I cut myself off with a frankly rather embarrassing noise. 

“You need to get up.”

“What?”

“Jane, you need to wake up.” When I didn't respond, she yelled loud enough to wake the dead, “JANE FARRIER, WAKE UP!”

I bolted upright. Alone. In the shitty little hole in the ground that had become my home. I checked my watch. 13:34. The fuck? Ever since the vampire thing, I had slept like the dead, nightmares aside, right to dusk without fail. I ran a thumb over the ring on my finger, remembering Tess’ caress. At least this dream had been pleasant. I heard the creak of the trap door leading down. Or maybe she had been warning me. Bless you, Tess. I quickly bundled my camping gear, and tucked it and myself into an out of the way corner.

A shaft of sunlight burned back the darkness, “oh right on,” a voice called out, “it’s unlocked!”

Shit. I could hear them descend the ladder.

“Okay gamers! For those of you just tuning in, we’re here at the Damen Silos! Haunted. As. Shit. We've explored a lot of the upper areas already, but the silos have an extensive tunnel system.”

Fuck. A youtuber. I was worried about that. They clicked on a flashlight to cover what the sun didn't. The beam crossed over the belongings I hadn't had time to stash.

“Looks like someone’s living down here.”

Yeah, you fuck. Me. You’re in my goddamn living room. 

“Oh what the fuck—” they had seemingly lost their presenting voice, “are these—blood bags? Oh my god.” 

Well. That’d do it. I was still freaked out about that myself, and I had had a week or so to come to grips with that. The flashlight beam waved around frantically. It stopped on my cooler, restocked now after my tunnel fight a few nights past. Fuck. The youtuber shuffled over to it. Shit. They flipped open the lid and managed to yell “IT’S BLOOD!” before I grabbed his shoulder, and shoved him towards the ladder.

“GET OUT.” I yelled at him. I hoped I wasn’t in his shot as he turned and ran. That’d be a fucking stupid way to get picked up by the cops. I'd have to find a new place to live. The silos had served me well, but couldn't have folk like that wandering in. In a few hours. After dusk. The shaft of sunlight beating down triggered something primal in me. A fear so profound. 

“C’mon! Raised in a barn? You didn’t close the door behind you!” I yelled at the hatch. Likely the guy was long gone, but it was still cathartic to express my frustrations. I packed my meager belongings. Everything fit into two backpacks. Depressing. Well, nothing for it but to sit and wait for the sun to go down. I’d walk along the shore and see if anything caught my eye. I knew there were a lot of old steel works in the area I might be able to hole up in. 

 

 —*—

 

The shot rang out, and ricocheted off the concrete, and flew into the darkness. “FREEZE!” a familiar voice commanded. 

I froze, and held my hands above my head. 

The voice continued, “PLACE YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK. LEAN FORWARD. WIDEN YOUR STANCE.” Then quieter, “you’re under fucking arrest, Jane.” 

Rather than following the directions, I slowly turned. I recognized the voice. Juliet Sharpe. “Jules—”

“Don’t fucking Jules me. I saw the crime scene. Saw what you did.”

“Juliet. It wasn’t me. I was framed.”

“Bullshit.”

“Think about it. For starters, you know me. You were best maid at our wedding. You know I’d never do—that. Secondly, why would I boost the door to my own apartment?”

“To set the scene. Get away with it. We both know you know how to fake a crime scene.” 

“True. Fuck. Look at me, Juliet. Trust me. Please.” 

Juliet was silent for a heartbeat. Two. Three. “What happened? Your side of it.”

“Came home from the office. Door was boosted. Cleared my corners, you know?”

Juliet nodded.

I took a step closer, “There was a guy trying to hurt Tess.”

“A guy?”

I cast my mind back reliving the trauma, “Six foot even. Caucasian. Black hair. Black pants. Leather jacket. Riding style with a hood. Heavy boots. 5.11 style.” 

“You shot him?”

“Yeah.” 

“I know the piece you carry. Folk don’t walk away from that.”

“Tell that to that fucking asshole.”

“What then?”

“Fuck if I know.”

“You’re not pleading your case well.”

“Guy kicked my ass. Knocked me out. I woke up covered in blood. Mine. Tess’. Probably at least some of that guy’s. He killed Tess and set the scene while I was out. Fuck. Jules. That was goddamn grisly. Do you think I'm even capable of that?"

Juliet was silent for a moment. Gears turning in her head. “Jane. We’ve known each other for years.” She kept her gun out at the low ready, but still took a step forward, “you suck at poker. So bad. I know your tells. Are you bullshitting me?”

“That’s the truth,” I said with conviction.

“The whole truth?”

I shifted nervously, “no.”

Juliet took a step back, and raised the barrel of her gun a few degrees. Not quite pointed at me, but still a little too close for comfort. "What aren't you telling me, Jane? Spill."

"You won't believe me."

"I already don't believe you, and hiding shit makes me believe you less."

"Vampires."

"Sorry, for a moment there I thought you said something incredibly stupid. Care to try again?"

I just stood. Hell, I barely believed that shit myself.

"Are you fucking serious, Jane?"

"If I was trying to lie to you, don't you think I'd have come up with something better?"

"I don't— I don't know. Probably?"

"Jules. The guy who killed Tess. He was a vampire."

"Bull. Fucking. Shit."

I paused, steeling my nerves, "I know he was a vampire, because he turned me into one during the fight."

"This is Bullshit. You're full of shit, Jane. Hands behind your back, I'm taking you in."

I concentrated. I had only managed this trick a couple times, and the last time in the tunnels had still ended with me getting my ass kicked. I wrapped the shadows around myself and disappeared. 

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Juliet yelled, and pulled the trigger. A shot rang out.

"FUCKING OW!" I yelled back, becoming visible once again, and falling to the ground, clutching at the fresh hole in my thigh. 

"What the fucking fuck? Jane? What the fuck?"

Through gritted teeth, I answered, "that's the whole truth"

 

—*—

 

We sat across from each other in a dingy diner. Steaming cups of coffee sat in front of us. Only mine remained untouched. 

"You were telling the truth." Juliet said, more a statement for her own affirmations, than directed at me. 

"Fuck of a thing, right? This whole mess."

"So what now?"

"Find the fucker. Put a couple rounds through his kneecaps so he knows I'm coming, and put a fucking stake through his fucking heart."

"I meant—well yeah. You would run your own investigation. But I meant you, like, drink blood now?"

"Apparent-fucking-ly." before Juliet could ask, "you know Tess. She'd flay me if I hurt anyone. Well. Anyone who didn't deserve it. Blood bags. I’ve been breaking into labs to eat.”

Juliet sighed, “goddamnit. That was you?”

“What?”

“Case I’m working on. Serial lab B&E’s.”

“Shit. Uh, sorry.”

Juliet shook her head, “it’s fine. At least I know I don’t have to actually work the case. The justice system doesn't exactly account for vampires."

"So you'll help me?"

After a sip of her coffee Juliet replied, "Yeah. I guess so."

"Can you shake the other cops off my tail? For the murder, not the labs."

"No." She continued before I could argue, "wish I could, but they pulled me off the case. Said I was too close to it."

"So earlier tonight?"

"Running my own investigation," Juliet said with a mirthless chuckle. 

"God, that's what Tess meant when she said we should've been twins."

"Guess so," Juliet paused, "can't slow down the other cops, but I can pass on lunch room gossip. Keep you in the loop. How the investigation is going, you know?" 

"Much appreciated, Jules. I owe you. And, thanks."

"Thanks for what?"

"For believing me. And for only shooting me in the leg. Instead of somewhere important.” I reached for the coffee on reflex, but grimaced as I remembered I couldn't drink it anymore. Instead I just held the mug, basking in the warmth. “How'd you find me, anyway?”

“The paramedics you held up. The description she gave sounded familiar, so I showed her a pic of you, and they recognized you. Mostly. Said you looked like death warmed over.”

“Ah, yeah. Turns out I have to make a conscious effort to not look dead nowadays.”

“Well that fucking sucks.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Did you know you've gone viral?”

“What? Wait. Shit. The fucking youtuber.”

“Yup.” Juliet took a sip of her coffee to hide her smug grin, “both the paramedic incident, and your YouTube debut happening in the same area helped me narrow down what part of the city to look in.”

“And the steel works?”

“Just luck, honestly. Happened to be driving by, and noticed someone trespassing.”

I leaned forward to rest my forehead against the table, “can’t believe a YouTuber is what did me in.” 

Juliet laughed, “well, you’re not done in yet, but that really is a fuckin’ stupid way to get caught.”

“Jules, I’m beggin’ ya. Don’t rub it in.”

“Fine, fine.” She paused to sip her coffee, “where are you staying now? I assume you’re not going back to the silos.”

“I don’t know.” I checked my watch, “but I’ve got about six hours to find somewhere out of the sun.”

Juliet sighed, “stay with me.”

“What?”

“Stay with me. You can’t go back to the silos.”

“You do recall that you’re a cop, and I’m still wanted for murder, right?”

“Yeah. Not forever. But you need somewhere to stay at least long enough to set yourself up somewhere else.”

“I’m tempted to take you up on your offer, Jules, but even a little bit of sunlight getting in would fuck me up.”

“My spare room is still set up from when I regularly worked nights. Windows are taped up tight.”

I hesitated. It was a bad idea. I would be putting my friend’s career at risk. “I—”

Jules cut me off, “Jane. Tess’ funeral is next week.”

A fresh pang of guilt and sadness pierced me. Tears welled up in my eyes.

“Cops’ll be watching the funeral for you, but I can video call you for it. Be there in spirit.”

“Fuck. Jules, I’ve had so much shit going on I hadn’t even considered a funeral. Guess I just kinda resigned myself that I’d miss it.”

“Besides. You need a shower.”

I rolled my eyes, “wow. Rude.” But Juliet's grin was infectious, and knocked me, at least momentarily, out of my funk.

Jules drained the last of her coffee and left a bill on the table, “it's settled then. Ready to go?”

“I—” I paused, “I better walk. I'm already putting you at risk as it is.”

She nodded, “Fair. Remember where the spare key is?”

I nodded. 

“See you in an hour or so?”

“Yeah.”

 

—*—

 

Jules did a load of laundry for me while I had what was probably the best shower of my life. Or death? Would it be death, now? Whatever. I was clean, and the amount of dirt, grime, and blood that washed down the drain came as a shock. I had been going largely on autopilot since Tess’— since Tess— for a while, and I hadn't realized how bad I had gotten. Nearly twenty minutes with a brush to get the tangles out of my hair, and I had always kept it pretty short. I pulled the shirt Jules had left out for me over my head. Well. Never thought I'd see myself in a CPD shirt. Despite being halfway down my thigh. I had at least six inches on Jules. This shirt must be truly voluminous on her. I left the washroom to move my laundry to the dryer. 

“Feel better?” Juliet asked. 

“Almost human,” I replied, then thought about the implications, “Yeah. Feels like a fresh start. Been on edge for two weeks. Haven't felt safe enough to let my guard down. To relax.”

“Kettle’s boiled if you want tea.”

I winced, “sorry Jules. Wish I could, but I'm on a strictly red diet now.”

“Right. Sorry. Forgot.”

“It's fine. Forget myself sometimes.”

“Anyway, I'm going to stay up a bit and read. Let me know if you need anything else. There's a new toothbrush for you under the sink. Guess I'll see you at dusk?”

“Yeah. And Jules? Thanks again. I needed this. Really needed this. I was starting to lose myself, I think.”

Juliet smiled, “hey! No worries. What are friends for?”

“Harboring fugitives?” I asked. 

“Apparently! Goodnight, Jane.”

Jules walked to her bedroom. Tea in one hand, kindle in the other. I returned to the washroom to retrieve the toothbrush. I realized I hadn't brushed my teeth in ages. God, my breath must reek like the hells. Can't believe Juliet didn't say anything. I stared into the mirror. At least that particular myth about vampires didn't seem to apply to me. I used a thumb to pull back my lip. There it was. A fang. Plain as day. I closed my eyes and brushed my teeth trying to ignore the fangs. The hunger. Everything.