Change of Heart 2

Chapter 38

His fingers reached for the doorknob then slowly retrieved without making contact. He knew it was wrong to come; he knew the danger; but he couldn't help himself. Changing his mind, he left the doorstep and made his way to the back of the house. It was quiet; unusually quiet. The moon was full which meant that the night was brighter than usual. The vines that slid up the wall were wet and a bit slimy but they had to do. Using both hands he grabbed a handful of the rope like plant and pulled himself all the way up to her bedroom window. Her window was unlocked like always and for this he was thankful. Without any sound at all he slid the glass open and quietly entered the room.

She didn't look as though she was having a peaceful slumber. In fact, he thought she was having a nightmare by the way she turned and twisted under the covers. This was all he came for; just to see her for a minute. To get a small glimpse of her face; the face he missed so much. The face he longed for. But just seeing her wasn't enough anymore. Scolding himself in his head, he walked to her bed and easily sat down next to her. Even when she was asleep and having a nightmare, she was still the most beautiful thing in the world to him. A smile was cast on his lips for the first time in days and his hand reached out and touched her so softly that it barely touched her at all. She twisted once more in her sleep and then very unexpectedly her eyes opened. Immediately she sat up with her mouth slightly opened.

"Ian?"

"Jennifer...I'm sorry I−I shouldn't have come."

She smiled and whispered. "You're really here." She touched his face which was a bit cold. "I missed you." A tear slowly slid down her flushed cheek.

"Don't." He said hesitating before he touched her but when he did he wiped the tear away with his thumb. "I didn't come to make you cry."

She laughed a little and locked her fingers in his hair bringing his lips to hers.

"Jennifer...I can't." He pulled his face away from her.

"You can." She whispered getting on top of him while kissing him so hard that she could feel her lips bruising.

"No, I can't." He pulled his lips away.

Her forehead cringed. "Why not?"

"I didn't come here to kiss you."

"Then why did you−

"I came here," he said moving her hair aside. "to kill you." he whispered in her ear then moved his lips to her neck biting into her skin while she screamed as he drained every drop of her blood.

"Hey!"

He gasped and woke up realizing he was lying on the ground in an alley under the pouring rain.

"Hey! What's wrong with you?" A blond haired girl stood over him with an umbrella.

"Where am I?" He shouted so that his voice would be heard over all the rain.

"In a very dangerous alley at 11:30pm." She shouted extending her hand. "Come on, get off of the ground!"

As usual he hesitated at first but then he took her hand and walked with her as they both tried to fit under her umbrella. "Where are we going?" He asked.

"Any place where water isn't pouring over our heads." She said. "Here this way." She led him into a late night coffee shop. The shop would have been empty if it wasn't for the petite old lady behind the counter who probably owned the place. She acknowledged them with a small smile but her attention seemed to be elsewhere.

The girl set the umbrella on the floor then turned to Ian who was shivering on a chair.

"Here, take this." She said shrugging off her coat. "It's a bit damp but it'll keep you warm."

"It's ok I don't−

"Take it." She demanded putting it around him.

"Thanks." He pulled the coat around him tightly. She left for about ten minutes then returned with a cup of hot coffee.

"Drink it." She said handing him the cup.

"You're demanding." He said taking a sip.

"You're stubborn." She replied digging in her pocket and fishing out a pair of glasses. "Now, how about you tell me why you were sleeping on the floor of an alley in the rain." She dried the lenses and put them on.

"Honestly, I don't know how I even got there." He sighed finishing the coffee.

"Short term memory loss?"

"Uh, something like that I guess."

"Ok...so what were you dreaming about?" Her cat like grey eyes stared at him through her glasses.

"It's nothing...just a bad dream."

"Before anything else, I have to ask." She leaned in closer over the table. "Are you on drugs?"

"What? No, no I'm not."

"I just needed to make sure. I don't wanna be associated with a nut job."

"Look I am not a nut job." He leaned into the chair. "But you shouldn't associate yourself with me."

"Why not? Oh wait lemme guess...you're a bad boy." She laughed.

"This isn't funny and I am. So...stay away from me." He got up.

"Whoa, I probably just saved your life and that's how you thank me?"

"You should've just kept walking." He said walking for the door.

"No wait! Hey!" She walked after him and grabbed his shoulder. He stopped and looked at her hand on his shoulder then his eyes slowly went to hers. It was strange but for a moment, Ian finally felt like himself again. No evil being possession. Just himself.

"Stop staring at me like that it's weird." She said and finally he snapped out of it.

"Thank you."

"Well that's better." She smiled and let go of him.

He returned the smile. "The rain stopped."

She looked outside. "Yea I guess it did." She took up the umbrella and closed it. "It's late I should get going."

She turned and began walking but then stopped and walked back to him. "Do you have somewhere to go tonight?"

"Uh, yea don't worry I'll be fine."

She laughed. "When a guy says don't worry...it usually means to worry. Come with me."

"But, I don't even know your name."

"It's Madeline. Now can we go? I'm tired." She said extending her hand again. He laughed softly and took it.