I fight evil creatures, I don't date them (Preface)

The headlines in the paper the next day are somewhat suspicious. There were not one, but four suicides on the same night. I knew suicide happened all the time, but four in the same night in the same city at the same time? It was peculiar to me.

I keep a mental note of it as I walk to the deli. I sit down and start a log in my notebook, hoping to keep track of any more suspicious deaths.

“Back for more coffee?” I look up to see Reese holding a pot of black coffee. I can’t help but smile back.

“Something like that,” I respond.

“Oh, well then it must be to see Rachel, then.” His eyes glance towards the counter at the grimacing Rachel. I smile pleasantly at her and she turns sharply on her heel and walks back to the kitchen.

“Well, Rachel may be a very… nice girl, but no. It must be the coffee.”

Reese pours me a cup and takes a seat.

“Aren’t you working?” I ask.

“Actually, I’m on my break.” I raise my eyebrows in understanding. Now that I can get a decent look at him I see how attractive Reese really is. He seems to be around 19 years old and very tall. His build is a strong one, as if working out is one of his hobbies. He has a nice color to him, not at all pale like most of the men I am acquainted with. He has short brown hair and brown eyes to match. He drapes one arm over the back of the booth and I can see his muscles and his strong, capable hands.

“You went to my school,” he says, shifting my concentration from his arms to his face.

“Did I?” In all honesty I don’t remember him, or any students for that matter.

“You were in Ms. Harrison’s 5th period. I was, too”

I nod, recognizing his face now. He read a terrific essay on Charlotte Bronte, one of the better that I’ve heard.”

“Charlotte Bronte,” I say, letting him know I recognize him. “I remember you now.” He looks at me doubtfully. “I don’t remember you… very well, admittedly, but I do remember you.” He laughs and it’s a genuine one.

“Truthfully, I only remember you because of all that stuff you seem to know,” he says. I blush, embarrassed. I have a hard time keeping certain facts hushed when discussing authors and books especially in English. History is worse, though. It all seems so different when you’ve actually lived through most of it.

“Yes, I… know my trivia,” I say hastily.

“That should come in really handy college.”

“Oh, um… I’m not going.” His surprise is not odd – I get it from teachers every time I decide college isn’t for me. “I’m taking a year to study abroad.” I lie. Well, it isn’t a complete lie. I have been thinking about going back to Europe recently.

“Wow, and I thought I was the only one,” he says. I sense a hint of relief in his voice.

“You’re going abroad next year?”

“That’s the plan. I’ve been working here since I was a sophomore, so I’ve got a decent amount of money saved up. I just figure that’s what I should do.” He shrugs and leans back in the booth.

“What? Go off to another country and try and fend for yourself?” I can’t help but seem a little condescending. After all, he is only a boy.

“Of course, what’s life if you haven’t been to a foreign country knowing absolutely nothing about it?” he says. Reese’s blind optimism amuses me. In fact, it is even endearing to such an old soul like me. All I can do at his response is smile.

“Well, it isn’t much of a life at all, is it?” I say. My phone rings, making me jump. I look at the caller ID: Thomas. “Excuse me,” I say, getting up to take the call outside.

“I thought you weren’t going to make things difficult,” says Thomas on the other end.

“I tried, but things just didn’t work out. I told you it would be a bad idea.”

“And I told you that you should help William, not alienate him.”

“Alienate him?” I ask in anger. “He’s the one who doesn’t want to collaborate with a human on the sole basis that I am human and for no other reason than that!”

“That gives you no reason to not at least try to—”

I cut him off “Try to what, Thomas? I told you I would meet with him; I did. Consider the bargain completed.” I flip the phone shut.

“You don’t have to be so melodramatic,” says a voice to my left. I look over to see Thomas leaning against a street light, his hands in his pockets. I set my jaw and roll my eyes.

“Look, I told you, it just didn’t work out, all right? Now, unless you have anything useful to tell me, I’m going home.”

“To brood over the four homicides you read about in the paper this morning?” I stop in my tracks. “Oh sorry, they’re calling them suicides, aren’t they?” I turn around and Thomas, as expected, is standing right behind me. I look at him with a blank expression, waiting for an explanation. “We need your help,” he says. “Even William, although he won’t admit it.” I look down at the ground and sigh heavily.

“I’m going home, Thomas,” I say calmly. “If William needs to contact me, tell him he can find me there.” I walk back into the deli and back to the booth.

“That was my mom. I have to go home and do some chores.”

“Bummer,” Reese says getting up from the booth. “You should come by again, though.” He says this almost as an afterthought. “I don’t work Tuesdays or Fridays, but any day other than that.” He smiles at me that same contagious smile. I smile back and leave the deli.

I arrive home and sit at the edge of my bed. My cat Black jumps onto my bed and comes over to nuzzle my side. I’ve had so many cats that I just started naming them whatever color they were. Black is… well, black. She’s also wary of vampires and has been in hiding ever since William’s visit. I pet her head and scratch behind her ears as she purrs.

I know William will come as soon as it is dark. I hope then I’ll be able to find out at least a little of what’s going on.