The Vampire Stalker

Chapter 4

LAST NIGHT. The attack. Alexander.

Had I dreamed it all? Or was Alexander, right now, sleeping on the lumpy pullout couch in the den?

I shifted to look at the clock, wincing at the soreness all over my body. Pushing the covers back, I saw bruises on my arms where Vigo had grabbed me. It was all the assurance I needed that last night had really happened.

7:39 A.M. My second Saturday waking up way too early. But there was no chance of falling back to sleep. I was surprised I'd slept at all, since I'd lain awake for hours, my mind spinning.

I opted for jeans and a knit top, slowly pulling the clothes over my sore body. After brushing my teeth, I went back to my room to put on lip gloss and brush my hair. I glanced around. As always, my room was messy, spilling over with books. A sign hung on my door: Creative minds are seldom tidy. Still, I threw the scattered socks and T-shirts into my hamper.

What was I doing? A guy from Otherworld would never enter a girl's bedroom. It would ruin their reputations.

My face got hot.

The apartment was quiet. Mom and Chrissy were still asleep — they both liked to sleep in on Saturdays. I peeked in the den, and saw that the sheets and pillow were still stacked on the couch. I heard some noise in the kitchen, so I headed that way.

And there was Alexander, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, engrossed in Otherworld.

He raised his eyes. "Good morning, Amy."

Hearing my name spoken in his soft, deep voice was startling.

"Did you sleep well?" I asked, trying to compose myself.

"I have not slept yet. I went out hoping to regain his trail. Then, at dawn, I returned and started reading. I hope you do not mind that I used your keys."

"It's okay." I spotted the keys on the table by the front door, where I'd left them. I should have known that Alexander would be keeping vampire time. It made sense, if you were a vampire hunter. I hadn't heard him leave or come back, but stealth had always been one of his strong points.

"I sleep in the afternoons," Alexander explained. "But then, I suppose you know that. I suppose you know a lot about me." His mouth tightened. "It seems there is no detail of my life too minute for Elizabeth Howard to share with the world."

I managed a smile. "That's what makes Otherworld so fascinating. The details."

"I am sure she would be glad of your approval."

"Where did you go last night?"

"All over this city of yours. It is a funny thing. Some streets go by the same names as in my Chicago, others are different. Some areas I recognize, others have changed irrevocably. I will have to study maps before going out again tonight." With that, he turned his attention back to the book.

I saw a plate with bread crumbs and the butter dish in front of him. Last night, I'd told him to help himself to food in the morning, but I wasn't sure bread and butter would do the trick. "I'll make us some eggs."

"Do not trouble yourself. I have had my sustenance."

"I'll make them, anyway." I felt like I needed a more substantial than usual breakfast myself.

Deciding scrambled eggs with salsa and cheese was the way to go, I put a pan on the stove and got the ingredients from the fridge. I was no gourmet chef, but I'd done a lot of cooking. With Mom having so many irregular shifts while I was growing up, she often wasn't home at dinnertime, and Dad could've happily had us live on hot dogs and baked beans.