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shore； the hair on the back of his shoulders bristling； low growls
issuing from between his exposed fangs。
〃Bella； run！〃 Mike cried out again from behind me。 But I didn't turn。 I
was watching a light ing toward me from the beach。
And then Edward stepped out from the trees； his skin faintly glowing； his
eyes black and dangerous。 He held up one hand and beckoned me to e to
him。 The wolf growled at my feet。
I took a step forward； toward Edward。 He smiled then； and his teeth were
sharp； pointed。
〃Trust me；〃 he purred。
I took another step。
The wolf launched himself across the space between me and the vampire；
fangs aiming for the jugular。
〃No！〃 I screamed； wrenching upright out of my bed。
My sudden movement caused the headphones to pull the CD player off the
bedside table； and it clattered to the wooden floor。
My light was still on； and I was sitting fully dressed on the bed； with
my shoes on。 I glanced； disoriented； at the clock on my dresser。 It was
fivethirty in the morning。
I groaned； fell back； and rolled over onto my face； kicking off my boots。
I was too unfortable to get anywhere near sleep； though。 I rolled back
over and unbuttoned my jeans； yanking them off awkwardly as I tried to
stay horizontal。 I could feel the braid in my hair； an unfortable
ridge along the back of my skull。 I turned onto my side and ripped the
rubber band out； quickly bing through the plaits with my fingers。 I
pulled the pillow back over my eyes。
It was all no use； of course。 My subconscious had dredged up exactly the
images I'd been trying so desperately to avoid。 I was going to have to
face them now。
I sat up； and my head spun for a minute as the blood flowed downward。
First things first； I thought to myself； happy to put it off as long as
possible。 I grabbed my bathroom bag。
The shower didn't last nearly as long as I hoped it would； though。 Even
taking the time to blowdry my hair； I was soon out of things to do in
the bathroom。 Wrapped in a towel； I crossed back to my room。 I couldn't
tell if Charlie was still asleep； or if he had already left。 I went to
look out my window； and the cruiser was gone。 Fishing again。
I dressed slowly in my most fy sweats and then made my bed — something
I never did。 I couldn't put it off any longer。 I went to my desk and
switched on my old puter。
I hated using the Inter here。 My modem was sadly outdated； my free
service substandard； just dialing up took so long that I decided to go
get myself a bowl of cereal while I waited。
I ate slowly； chewing each bite with care。 When I was done； I washed the
bowl and spoon； dried them； and put them away。 My feet dragged as I
climbed the stairs。 I went to my CD player first； picking it up off the
floor and placing it precisely in the center of the table。 I pulled out
the headphones； and put them away in the desk drawer。 Then I turned the
same CD on； turning it down to the point where it was background noise。
With another sigh； I turned to my puter。 Naturally； the screen was
covered in popup ads。 I sat in my hard folding chair and began closing
all the little windows。 Eventually I made it to my favorite search
engine。 I shot down a few more popups and then typed in one word。
Vampire。
It took an infuriatingly long time； of course。 When the results came up；
there was a lot to sift through — everything from movies and TV shows to
roleplaying games； underground metal； and gothic cosmetic panies。
Then I found a promising site — Vampires A—Z。 I waited impatiently for it
to load； quickly clicking closed each ad that flashed across the screen。
Finally the screen was finished — simple white background with black
text； academiclooking。 Two quotes greeted me on the home page：
Throughout the vast shadowy world of ghosts and demons there is no figure
so terrible； no figure so dreaded and abhorred； yet dight with such
fearful fascination； as the vampire； who is himself neither ghost nor
demon； but yet who partakes the dark natures and possesses the mysterious
and terrible qualities of both。 — Rev。 Montague Summers
If there is in this world a wellattested account； it is that of the
vampires。 Nothing is lacking： official reports； affidavits of wellknown
people； of surgeons； of priests； of magistrates； the judicial proof is
most plete。 And with all that； who is there who believes in vampires？
— Rousseau
The rest of the site was an alphabetized listing of all the different
myths of vampires held throughout the world。 The first I clicked on； the
Danag； was a Filipino vampire supposedly responsible for planting taro on
the islands long ago。 The myth continued that the Danag worked with
humans for many years； but the partnership ended one day when a woman cut
her finger and a Danag sucked her wound； enjoying the taste so much that
it drained her body pletely of blood。
I read carefully through the descriptions； looking for anything that
sounded familiar； let alone plausible。 It seemed that most vampire myths
centered around beautiful women as demons and children as victims； they
also seemed like constructs created to explain away the high mortality
rates for young children； and to give men an excuse for infidelity。 Many
of the stories involved bodiless spirits and warnings against improper
burials。 There wasn't much that sounded like the movies I'd seen； and
only a very few； like the Hebrew Estrie and the Polish Upier； who were
even preoccupied with drinking blood。
Only three entries really caught my attention： the Romanian Varacolaci； a
powerful undead being who could appear as a beautiful； paleskinned
human； the Slovak Nelapsi； a creature so strong and fast it could
massacre an entire village in the single hour after midnight； and one
other； the Stregoni benefici。
About this last there was only one brief sentence。
Stregoni benefici： An Italian vampire； said to be on the side of
goodness； and a mortal enemy of all evil vampires。
It was a relief； that one small entry； the one myth among hundreds that
claimed the existence of good vampires。