Dead Before Dawn: The Vampire Curse

Chapter 19 - Out in the Open

Until he went home, Max had only done a few small interviews. He'd kept his head down and his mouth shut, but it was time to get back on the horse. It was also time to come clean about one aspect of his character that he had never publically spoken about before.

Terisa booked his first major public appearance with Eileen, the most famous, gay chat show host of all time. Max had been on her show before, more than once, where she always teased him relentlessly about his penchant for nerd characters. It had always been fun. The new interview wasn't likely to be as entertaining, but he trusted Eileen as a host.

He waited nervously backstage as Eileen did a link and his palms were all sweaty. TV in front of a live studio audience was not his most favourite thing, but he refused to be anything but professional. Wiping his hands on a cloth he had just for that purpose, he waited for his cue.

"Now everyone, I'd like you to give a big welcome to my next guest. He's been hibernating for a while after some very bad things happened to him, and we're lucky enough to have landed his first big appearance. Put your hands together for Max Statton."

The audience really did give it up too; Max walked on to wild applause and cheers. He smiled and waved before walking up to Eileen and shaking her hand. They sat down as the clapping continued.

"Well, Max," Eileen said as the noise finally died down, "it's great to have you here and looking so much better than the last pictures I saw of you."

"Thank you for having me," he replied, "it's good to be back. It almost feels like a lifetime since everything happened."

"I can only imagine. For those at home who have been living under a rock, Max went missing for five days in Moscow and, for a while there, we thought we had lost him. I'm very glad to say he was found in one piece. Max, would you like to talk about it?"

All the topics of conversation had been agreed in advance, so Max was perfectly happy to nod. That was one of the reasons Terisa had booked someone he trusted; another reporter might have taken advantage just to get ratings.

"There's not a lot I can say really," he said, "because I don't remember much of it. I was attacked by a man in an alley after I was an idiot and got lost. He drugged me."

"Do the police think he was a stalker?"

"That's the current theory, but no one can find any trace of him. I still don't remember anything about him other than he was big and he sounded Russian. I don't remember anything else until I walked into a police station and fell at a poor police officer's feet. I didn't even know how long I had been gone until they told me in the hospital."

"It must be really unsettling not knowing what happened."

Max nodded.

"I keep trying to remember, but all I get are impressions. It's been so long now I doubt the police will ever find anything."

"Let's hope your escape scared him into obscurity."

Max nodded a second time: "You can say that again."

"But you're all better now?" Eileen carried on.

"Fit as a fiddle," he replied, smiling this time.

"Isn't it true that when you were found you had been shot?"

"Right here," Max agreed and pointed to where he had the only scar from the whole business.

"And your attacker assaulted you in one more, rather unusual way, correct?"

"He tattooed a cross on my chest."

That had appeared in the papers a lot, but they had agreed to cover everything in the interview.