Always the Vampire

Sure enough, I found a few matches on people-search and business-directory sites. The name was spelled differently, but I clicked to the photos with fingers crossed. No hits.

Okay, if Lynn had begun shifting at the usual age of sixteen or so and had been shifting five years, that put her at between twenty and twenty-two years old. She and the roommates might still attend college, but I knew I wouldn’t find a public roster of current students. However, if Lynn had graduated, maybe I had a shot at locating a list with her name on it.

That shot went wide. None of the universities, colleges, or vocational schools published the names of their graduates for public consumption.

Last chance. I found four New Age stores in the general area, clicked on each website in hopes of finding a photo with Lynn in it. Again, no luck, but I sent carefully worded e-mails to the contacts, asking if Lynn worked there.

Which reminded me that I’d also written to several astrologers days ago. I opened my e-mail program to check for responses and found only one. That for a tiny discount on an expensive full reading.

I sighed and stretched in my swivel chair.

“No luck?” Saber asked.

“Not unless one of the New Age stores answers an e-mail. You?”

He smirked. “Take a look.”

I leaned sideways to see the two images on his screen. On the left, Lynn’s Florida driver’s license appeared. On the right, there were two mug shots of her. She was younger, but there was no mistaking that sleek hair.

“She was arrested at eighteen in Orlando for drunk and disorderly conduct during a spring break time frame and again that summer in Volusia County on a minor possession charge. She completed probation and has kept a clean record since.”

“Do you have a last known address?”

“It’s the foster parents’ address in Ormond Beach.”

“Is there a chance she’s still in touch with them?”

“I’ll find out tomorrow. Did you remember to cancel out of bridge club?”

“I talked to Shelly Friday, but I’ll check to be sure she has me covered.” I grabbed a notepad and scribbled that reminder. “We also need to talk about the couples shower.”

“The barbeque bash? It’s at four Sunday, right? I’ve got the cooking covered. Hamburgers and chicken breasts.”

“We’ll get the slaw and beans from the store. Oh, and remember that the rental company is delivering the tents, tables, and chairs about one o’clock on Saturday afternoon.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Uh, Saber, what are we going to do with Lia during the party?”

“I suppose we have to invite her or bring her here or ask if she’ll hang out with Cosmil.”

“I opt for door number three. Okay, when can we go food shopping?”

“Bring your master schedule up on the computer.”

I did, and with a printed copy for each of us, we moved to the sofa to coordinate our schedules for the next few days. We could shop tomorrow afternoon if Saber wasn’t paying a call on Lynn’s foster parents. Thursday and Friday before my eight o’clock ghost tours were also open, so we penciled in each possibility.

The looming question was when we’d be training again. And if Triton would be with us. Should we call to check on him?

“No, we won’t call. Cosmil will send Pandora with news.”

“Did you read my expression or my mind?”

“Both.” He plucked my pencil and paper from my hands, and put both our sets on the coffee table. “Want to read what I’m thinking?”

I peered at his forehead. “Hmmm. Is it bring beer and show up naked?”

“Not quite. No beer.”

I ran my fingertips up his arm. “Lia did say we should practice that energy exchange.”

“Then I say we should practice all night.”





Our lovemaking may not have been Lia’s idea of energy channeling, but it sure worked for us. Saber finally slipped into a peaceful slumber around three with no nightmares on the dreamscape horizon.

I got up to read my design-class lessons and do homework, but worrying over Triton took a big chunk of concentration. I hoped Cosmil’s and Lia’s healing would be successful, because I already had concerns that Triton wouldn’t be a reliable team member. Not if he had no fuse on his temper. Worse, I fretted that being around him would aggravate Saber’s infection. Not that the Void was an airborne virus, but then, could we take the chance it wasn’t? Last, I prayed hard that Triton would heal because I did love him. In spite of the way we snipped at each other, I didn’t want to find my old friend only to lose him again.

As dawn broke on Wednesday morning, I gave up on class work and crawled back under the sheets. Snowball’s rumbling purr and Saber’s soft snore were just the background noise to lull me to sleep.