Jenner returned home with the weight of the night's events still heavy on his mind. He still hadn't decided what to do; Gloria was right that the cops would suspect him, but that poor woman must have had family somewhere that missed her. Trying hard not to think about it, he climbed the stairs into his apartment, only to be greeted by Duchess' screams of frustration.

"Whoa, Duch, what's happening?"

"I can't find my earrings, those dangly ones with the fake diamonds, you know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah, but what's with the screaming? You never act like this."

Duchess tossed some magazines off the coffee table and stomped back down the hall to her bedroom. "I swear, that little bitch took them I bet! If I ever see her wearing them I'll tear her throat out!"

"You mean Matilda?" Jenner asked, trying to push aside the images of dead bodies with torn necks. "Where is she? Can't you just ask her?"

"She's at work, every damn night she's at work, probably getting my beautiful stuff all covered in crap and sweat. I swear Jenner if she takes one more thing from me!"

"Duchess, calm down --"

"Calm down? I am fucking calm Jen, this is what I'm like when I'm fucking calm about someone stealing my shit."

"I've known you your entire life Duch, I know that this isn't like you. You don't care about material things and you're NOT violent."

"Well you obviously don't know the REAL me then do you Jenner? Just leave me alone for fuck's sake, I'm so done with this bullshit!" Duchess slammed her bedroom door behind her and within moments Jenner could smell weed seeping out through the crack above the floor.

He took a deep breath and shook his head, Duchess had been strange lately and he didn't think he liked it. However, he had more pressing matters to deal with. Sitting at the desk in his room he pulled out his phone and scanned through his received calls. There it was, the mysterious number of his creepy fanatic, the man who warned Jenner of vampires and demons, the one he now figured might not be so crazy after all.

After a moment of internal debate, questioning his own sanity, he pressed the call button then promptly hung up. Was he really about to call the man back? Did he want to hear what he had to say? After another attempt to gather his emotional strength he called the man and listened to the other line ring.

"Hello?" The man sounded like he was just waking up. "Hello?" He asked again after a drawn out silence.

"You really believe in vampires?" Jenner finally asked.

"Mr. Costas? Is that you? I'm afraid I do not have caller ID."

"How many guys have you been warning about blood sucking demons?" The man made quiet sounds of contemplation before Jenner finally cut him off. "Never mind man, just tell me what you know."

"Well sir, that is quite the loaded question, I am afraid I could not answer it over the phone."

"Fine, then tell me why this is happening to me? Why do I keep finding these victims?"

"Victims?" The man said, sounding morbidly excited, "Have you discovered another?"

Jenner considered his options, did he trust this man enough to tell him about Gloria and the body in the woods? "Let's say I did find another one," he finally said, "Would that mean something?"

"Oh dear, that could mean a great number of things. It could be pure coincidence, which I do not believe in, or it could mean the beast is toying with you." The man stopped speaking abruptly, but Jenner knew he had something else to say. "Mr. Costas, I'm going to have to request that you meet with me."

"What? No way, I don't even know your name, let alone whether or not I believe you."

"My name is Mohammad Hajjar, and I assure you Mr. Costas if you don't believe me yet you most certainly will soon."

"What makes you think that?"

"Have you met any new people lately who seem...strange? Or has anyone close to you suddenly shifted in behaviour?"

As Mohammad stopped speaking Jenner heard the sound of Duchess's jewelry box hit the wall and his mind started spinning. He could feel the world crushing in against him; Matilda, Gloria...Duchess...

"I will take your lack of response to mean this that something like this has happened?" Mohammad asked, then after another long silence he said, "Mr. Costas, are you still there?"

"I...I'm here..." Jenner's throat was getting dry, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "When can we meet?"

"There is a quaint little cafe near my building." The man gave Jenner directions and asked, "Can you meet me there tomorrow morning? Around eight am?"

Jenner sighed and rolled his eyes. "I do have a job you know."

"Mr. Costas, may I remind you that this is a matter of utmost importance? If you don't meet with me, you will not need your job. If I am right, this vampire may be hunting you and you will need my help to survive."

"Fine! I'll figure something out."

"Very well, now stay inside for the night Mr. Costas, you will need to stay safe. Have a splendid evening!" And with that, Mohammad's line clicked and Jenner was disconnected.

"Who was that?" Duchess asked, lighting a cigarette as she leaned against the doorframe behind Jenner.

"Jesus Duch, you scared me!"

"Who was that?" She asked again, exhaling a long stream of smoke into the room.

"It was...my mother."

"Why were you talking to her so late?" Duchess didn't enter the room as she spoke, she flicked the ash from the end of her smoke onto the carpet and Jenner watched it fall.

"She just...knew I had a date tonight, she wanted to know if there were suddenly grandchildren in her future."

Duchess stared Jenner up and down, sucking her teeth. "Right, your creepy admirer. How was that?"

"It was fine."

"Anything exciting happen?"

"No."

Duchess cocked a brow and tapped her toe. Her arms crossed over her chest, smoke trailing behind her right hand as it moved. "You're real talkative tonight."

"I'm...just tired. I think I might go to sleep now."

"What ever." Duchess took another long drag of her cigarette then turned to leave as Jenner rushed to close the door. What was happening in his life? Why was he suddenly so paranoid? Why was he meeting a maniac he didn't even know after things went to shit with Gloria?

He climbed into bed, stripping his clothes off and raising his knees up below his chin. Every time he closed his eyes he saw the decaying woman from the woods and her face mingled with the woman from the alley as sleep took over.

Jenner was in the trees of the park again, he was having sex with Gloria but she was cold, dead. He stopped and pulled away, but Gloria's dead hands grabbed hold of him.

"Fuck me Jenner!" She said, her curls started to fall loose from her scalp as her skin was peeling away.

"Get away from me!" Jenner screamed and rose to his feet. He was in his apartment now and Matilda grabbed hold of him from behind.

"God you make me wet, I just wish I had the guts to say it." She laughed as Jenner pushed her away and Duchess leapt into his arms.

"Aren't you so happy with our new family?" She whispered and nibbled on his ear.

"Get off of me!" Jenner demanded, tossing Duchess to the floor. She laughed as her skin started to lose its colour, the smells of blood and decay were everywhere.

Jenner's apartment stripped away from his dream, he was left in a black void while Duchess, Matilda and Gloria circled around him. He got dizzy just following them with his eyes as they laughed and grabbed out for him. Bit by bit their bodies began to fall apart and fade away and as they disappeared the blackness intensified. Swirling shadows whipped out at him, whispers echoed from the darkness and Jenner fell to his knees.

"What do you want from me!?" Jenner called out and it was met with laughter that came from every direction. Jenner fell to the ground and assumed the fetal position, through heavy sobs he finally managed to repeat himself. "What do you want?"

The whispers drew closer and closer, the shadows closed in on him and he felt claustrophobic. He'd never been afraid of tight spaces, but this one consumed him. As the whispers joined together into one coherent voice Jenner could just make out the words. "I want...to be you..."