Beyond the Reach of Judgement

Chapter 2

“There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it.”

-Buddha

They drove quickly back down Independence Avenue and back to the corner where he had found her mere hours before. As he neared the run down motel, where he suspected the girl was staying, he was greeted with sirens and a flood of flashing lights passing him at high speeds.

“Shit, shit, shit....” the girl whispered beside him as she tried to duck from view.

“Tinted windows...” he muttered back wondering where she had learned such language. He was not accustomed to such foul-mouthed females. Of course, it had been a while since he has actually spoken at length with any women as conversation was usually not part of his ritual.

He rounded the block taking in the scene. Police officers stood everywhere. One of the second floor doors was flung wide open. Other officers searched a blue compact car in the parking lot.

She peeked up over the dash and then ducked down again. “Dammit!” Then she started mumbling to herself. “I knew this would happen...”

His mind was racing. He could not let her just get out of the vehicle and walk into the arms of the police. She knew too much. He kept driving although without any true direction. He stared up at the sky. “Forgive me for what I am about to do.”

She said nothing, which surprised him. When he glanced over at her, her face was twisted in pain.

“Mary, are you okay.”

“Oh, God, how did you learn my name?” She whined as she grasped her abdomen desperately. She curled into a ball in the seat. “Please, call me anything but that.”

“What then?”

“Ruth, call me Ruth!” She moaned.

“Okay Ruth. What is wrong?” He reached a hand over to her shoulder in an awkward attempt to comfort her, but she cringed in response.

“I don’t know. I've never felt like this.” She continued to squirm uncomfortably in the seat. “My stomach is in knots. I think I might be sick.”

“Could it be the baby?”

“Fuck, what else do you know?”  She spat. “Fucking vampire and a mind-reader?”

“No, just the former. The latter, I learned by going through your belongings. But how did you know?”

She stared at him with wide eyes. “So this isn't just some sort of sick fetish?” She shook her wrist in his direction.

“No, I am afraid not. I had every intent of killing you tonight by consuming your blood, and in fact consumed a fair amount of it before stopping. But how did you figure it out?” He studied her as he waited for her response.

“Because there was no blood...the bathtub, the bathroom, the hotel room. Nothing.” Again, she brought her wrist towards him.

“You are very observant. So I am sure your realize I will not be dropping you off at your current place of residence tonight.”  He said although he was not sure what alternatives he had. Could he just pull over and kick her out?  Could she be bribed? He certainly would not miss the funds. But could he trust her? Would anyone even believe her? Her wound was already well healed and clearly explainable by several other more believable situations.

“Attempted murder, now kidnapping,” she mumbled.

He glanced over at her again and could tell that her condition was unstable. He might as well just finish draining her now, if that was the plan. At least then, he would not need to worry about her revealing him to anyone. Saliva pooled in his mouth at the thought as his mind was flooded with the memory of that faint, innocent heartbeat.