"Hey, have you heard about a cure for vampirism...?" Unknown number, but I knew who'd sent me the message as soon as I read it shortly before switching the bedroom light off, Kyle already fast sleep next to me.

You're supposed to be focusing on making your marriage work, I scolded myself as I settled back on the pillows. But the picture Justin had sent me matched the one I'd seen on that paper marked confidential. Shouldn't we pool our knowledge? The Lois and Mabel story alongside what Justin had heard.

Given today's shouting match, how would Kyle react to me announcing I was off to meet Justin...? The best-case scenario? A volcanic eruption that made today's screaming seem tame.

I'd sleep on it. No, better that that, I would discuss it with Kyle in the morning. Hadn't I promised honesty? Then, he could decide for me if I spoke to or met Justin. Veto such a discussion or meet-up if that was what he wanted. I would offer him the opportunity to come along to any meeting. That would prove how harmless it was.

Even better, what if I suggested Justin bring Letitia with him? The minute Kyle set his eyes on her, he would know Justin had no intention of pairing up with me again. Not when he had La Gorgeous hanging on his arm.

Solution worked out, I closed my eyes. Sleep would be a long time coming.

The alarm woke me just after seven o'clock. There was no sign of Kyle, nor Mirac. When I checked my phone, he'd left me a voice note. "I forgot I had an early start at the Academy. ☹ Have a great day. Love you xxxx."

Damn him. How did I explain Justin's message now? When I tried his number, the phone went straight to voicemail, and much as it was tempting to leave him a breezy message ('Love you too 😊I'm going to talk to Justin. Nothing to worry about!'), it would be the cowardly path to take. In the meantime, the latter had sent me another message, suggesting we meet up to discuss what we knew.

"When?" I typed back. I would run whatever he suggested past Kyle first before I did anything.

"This morning? I'm working the rest of the week."

The speed of the return message almost made me drop the phone, too thrilled that across the city Justin sat somewhere—in the old kitchen at Vamp Towers I remembered so fondly?—thumbs hovering above the keypad as he waited for me to reply.

"Me too. I'll ask Kyle and get back to you."

When Kyle didn't pick up the second time round, I paced the floor, hoping activity might direct me to the right thing to do. So much for last night's resolution. Was this like alcoholism? Every brain cell ordered you to resist, while every other cell in your body whispered go on, go on, go on...

Affirmative answer sent to Justin, I spent far too long in the shower shaving my legs even though they'd be covered, and applying a heavy-duty conditioner to my hair, even though no-one would stroke it.

Foundation, concealer, bronzer, eyeliner and lipstick applied, the taxi driver who picked me up—one of three, all of them in beat-up old cars as the Liberal Life Party's budget didn't run to plush vehicles—met my eyes in the mirror as I got into the back seat.

"You look nice, love. Are you going anywhere special?"

"No, no, nothing special at all. I've got another busy morning at the assembly. Though can you drop me at Libby's first? I'm meeting someone for a quick chat."

Libby's was a café near to the assembly building, and beloved of everyone who worked nearby for its all-day breakfasts. While I could have suggested Justin and I meet in the assembly building, discretion might be wise.

Though if anyone saw us in the café, they wouldn't think it a mystery assignation. Libby's had not romantic overtones at all. As I opened the door, tinny music from the decades-old jukebox belted out. The glare from the overhead lights picked up the well-worn lino, and the faded yellowing of the flower-print wallpaper. Someone must have burnt toast as the smell of it dominated everything else.

And yet all of this didn't detract from Libby's prime attraction this morning... I sensed him way before I saw him, my feet taking me, trance-like to the farthest away table, moving between people all squeezed tightly together, their noisy chatter indiscernible.

How are you...?

We could still talk to each other in our heads then.

To your left.

I turned my head slowly, determined to savour the moment. And there he was, so central in the room I didn't understand why I hadn't seen him the second I opened the caff's door. Blast it; that footage I'd seen of him when he'd been arrested the other day hadn't prepared me at all.

You look good.

Stop it, I don't.

Don't fish for compliments.

The familiar words made me grin far too broadly; a gesture he returned. The sight of the teeth didn't faze me at all. I did that head-to-toe sweep thing—the green-tipped short dreads, the jut of his forehead and the bump of his Adam's apple, all the pointy bits of his profile falling into place exactly as I remembered them. The way his shoulders curled around when he sat down, hands clasped together, and the power that radiated off them, and even the way he planted his feet on the floor.

Too late, I remembered that if he was in my head reading my thoughts then the desire bit would be all too conspicuous, but the eyes that met mine signalled the same filthy thoughts loud and clear.

We better stop this.

Yeah.

I took the seat opposite him, wondering if I would need to sit on my hands to stop them reaching for his. A waiter headed our way. "What can I get you?" he asked. "Breakfast for one?"

As my stomach fluttered so much, I'd have trouble swallowing. But for old times' sakes, I nodded. Justin would love watching me eat and describing every mouthful.

Libby's temperature levels always verged on tropical. I slid out of my coat, wondering if I'd chosen too obvious an outfit. The stretchy top featured a low-cut neckline, one highlighted by the push-up bra I'd picked out. Justin's eyes flickered downwards and back up again.

We exchanged small talk; Justin telling me he worked in Club Sapphire and did I know of it. (Of course. Because I keep track of you.) Wasn't the place famous for terrible comedy? Absolutely. For reasons unknown to Justin, far too many people found Robin funny.

The waiter returned with a full fry-up—crispy bacon, sausages, mushrooms, potato scones, beans and toast. I speared my fork in the sausage, involuntarily lifting the whole thing to my mouth. Oh God. No mistaking the phallic imagery there. Justin widened his eyes as his mouth twitched. I put the sausage down and cut off a bit of bacon instead. Much safer.

"What do you know about a cure?" he said.

This bit of the conversation would be safer carried out in our heads. I continued to chew bacon while I relayed what had happened when Kyle and I got married, keeping the Nell/Cheryl secrecy bit to myself.

The women I met aren't aware of exactly what the whacky professor did to cure Lois, so there isn't that magic solution available yet. The bacon is delicious, by the way, though not quite crisp enough.

The woman I met was called Janette. She said nothing about other vampires being cured, and whoever cured her is still out there somewhere. The lab's in a top secret location down south apparently.

And the lab that cured Janette hasn't been blown up...

The lab's in a top-secret location. You said your two women claimed they were being followed? There are plenty of groups who will hate the possibility of a cure being out there.

What?

Justin clapped me on my back as I choked on the second mouthful of bacon.

Yup. Think about it, Maya... What are the potato scones like?

I jammed a corner of one in my mouth—mostly to stop it hanging open.

Amazing. Maybe a bit salty. Who doesn't want a cure?

Well, the immediate problem of dealing with unvaccinated humans still stood, as a cure would create loads of them. But in the long run, humanity would be much better off, right?

If vampires accept the cure, there is no need for that expensive vaccine. Or fake blood. Who has the incentive to keep vampires in the world?"

Sunshine Health.

The makers of that super-expensive vaccine and exclusive supplier of fake blood to countries all around the world.

Them, yes, Justin nodded. Anyone else?

Vampire Security.

Also true. If there were no vampires, what need would humans have for over-priced protection and insurance services?

No wonder Lois and Mabel worried about the people following them. Global corporations worth billions of pounds had all the incentive in the world to suppress any cure and kill those who tried to come up with one.

Danger, danger.

Justin entertainment or not, I pushed my plate to one side. Justin and I had plenty of reasons to hate Vampire Security. If we put them out of business for once and for all would score right up there in the greatest achievements of all time.

I loathed Sunshine Health too. Ever since finding out how they'd spread misinformation about the vaccine, making people think it couldn't be used on older children, and the way they had manipulated the market to make it super-expensive, I'd dreamt of revenge.

We should work on this together. Justin's thought.

Impossible to resist. I'd tried the legit route through working at the Assembly to do things the legal way. We'd changed rules, laws and policies, but not enough of them. Our taxation increases had hit the poor much harder than the well-off.

Yes.

When you come to an agreement, you shake hands with someone. I longed to stand up and throw my arms around Justin, bury my head in his shoulders and push my breasts against his chest. I settled for the handshake. We kept hold of each other far longer than necessary.

"Maya?" The guy who'd picked me up earlier.

"Mmm-hmm?"

He held his phone in the air. "Your assistant contacted me. She couldn't reach you on your mobile. It's urgent. Can you call your husband?"

The half-chewed bacon in my stomach threatened to reappear. Kyle must have found out, and now this was him shouting his mouth off and furious, and even if I explained to him I'd planned to run today's meet-up past him, so that...

Are you okay, Maya? He won't hurt you, will he?

Damn it; I'd forgotten Justin's mind-reading abilities.

No, no, it's fine.

I took the call outside, bracing myself for that volcanic eruption. Instead, I got a teary Kyle, his voice frantic. "Maya, can you come home please? Mirac's ill. It's bad. Please hurry up."

AUTHOR'S NOTE - thanks for reading! The next update will be Friday 23 April 2021. For those of you who don't know, potato scones are a particular Scottish/British delicacy traditionally served with bacon, eggs and baked beans for breakfast. I could eat them until they're coming out of my ears...