As Jenner directed Mohammad down the suburban streets of his mother's neighbourhood he couldn't help but glance in the rear view mirror from time to time.

"I assure you, she is not following us. Whether she is a vampire or not she is no faster than a regular human, there's no way she could have kept up with us."

"Forgive me for being paranoid," Jenner scoffed, "It's not like some sort of mystical, malevolent spirit that only I can see is trying to KILL me or anything!"

"We will do everything that we can to protect you, Mr. Costas, please do not worry."

"This is it, this is her place," Jenner said and Mohammad pulled to the curb a little too enthusiastically as the front left tire popped up over the pavement and onto the yard, the undercarriage of the vehicle scraping against the raised concrete, "Has anybody ever told you what a terrible driver you are?"

"It has come up once or twice in casual conversation." Mohammad brushed off the comment and Jenner opened the door to leave. "I will expect you to wait here while I do some research, if we are going to stop this vampire from killing you we will need to know what it is up to."

"And you just expect me to what? Sit around here doing nothing?"

"No, not nothing. You will be on your guard! Remember, Mr. Costas, safety first!"

"That's pretty ironic coming from the man who drives with a death wish." Jenner stood up on his mother's lawn while Mohammad's car bounced back down to the road and sped away. He shook his head, then turned to the large two storey home of his wealthy mother.

With a heavy heart, and even heavier feet, Jenner approached the door. He raised his fist, about to gently tap against the glass panel when it flung open and Mrs. Costas greeted him with open arms. "Carlos! What are you doing here? It's only been a few weeks since I saw you last, I didn't expect to hear from you for months!"

"I...I don't know, I just wanted to see you I guess."

"And what happened to my lawn?"

"Gee...I really have no idea..."

"Oh never mind, come in come in! Are you hungry? Have you eaten?"

Jenner grabbed hold of his stomach and realized for the first time how truly empty it was. "I could go for a sandwich."

"Well come have a seat in the kitchen, I'm so glad to see you...even though you still haven't gotten a hair cut."

"Yeah, and it probably won't happen anytime soon either." Jenner entered the grand house, it was lavishly decorated with expensive looking art and exquisite furniture. He'd forgotten how terribly he fit in with his surroundings here.

As Jenner led the way to the kitchen, his mother lifted his shirt to examine his torso. "Oh good!" She said as he protested, "No new tattoos."

"You could have just asked nicely you know!"

Mrs. Costas wagged her finger at her son, shaking her head. "Your mother knows you well enough by now to know you're an imaginative liar."

"I gave up lying when I gave up cigarettes."

"And I can smell those on you too so don't bother."

Jenner sniffed his shirt and rolled his eyes. "Look, should I just come over some other time?"

"No, please stay, I'll fry up some eggs and bacon and make you a drippy sammie, your favourite!"

"Mom, I'm twenty five now...I don't call it that anymore."

Mrs. Costas laughed while Jenner took a seat at the kitchen table. She busied herself at the stove while he pondered his life. "Carlos, shouldn't you be at work?"

Jenner blushed, he'd completely forgotten about going to work. "Uh...I...had an appointment this morning."

"Oh no, you're sick! I knew something must be wrong, you've got cancer? Multiple sclerosis?"

"What? No!"

"Don't tell me it's AIDS." Mrs. Costas' voice lowered as she turned over her shoulder to look at him.

"No, mother, I don't have AIDS, I was just given a clean bill of health, I promise."

"Why must you lie to me Carlos?" Mr. Costas asked as she dropped a plate in front of him, the sandwich was dripping with yellow egg yoke, and was cut into four small squares, prompting Mrs. Costas to say with a wink, "Cut into windows like you like it."

Jenner rolled his eyes. "Mom, you know I'm an adult, right? You don't need to hold onto these outdated, childish idioms anymore."

Mrs. Costas' face fell a little bit as she sat down across from Jenner. "You know, you are such an intelligent young man, why do you hide that behind your ridiculous clothing and hair cut? Why can't you dress as smart as you sound?"

Jenner rolled his eyes and ate his messy breakfast, secretly delighting in the fond childhood memories it caused to swim into his imagination. When he was done, he pushed his chair back and smiled at his mom. "Thanks...that was just what I needed."

"I know baby." Mrs. Costas touched Jenner's face with a look that reminded him of sadness. He had trouble interpreting it, but before he could ask his cell phone started ringing.

"Crap," he whispered to himself as he saw his boss' name flash across the screen. He answered the call with a quick apology that was cut off in no time.

"Mr. Costas! Where the Hell are you?"

"I just." Jenner stood up and his head spun, his words failed him and he tried again. "I'm naw feelin..." He touched his forehead as his unsteady legs carried him away from the table.

"Are you drunk?" Mr. Kohl scolded, "It's not even ten am and you're already drinking!? This is unacceptable!"

"I'm...not...dr-unk..." Jenner struggled to speak clearly, he tried to exit the kitchen but his right leg gave out under his weight.

"You know, I met a friend of yours the other day," Mrs. Costas said as Mr. Kohl continued to rant and rave about Jenner's inappropriate behaviour.

"Wha...?" Jenner's vision was blurring but he watched from the floor as Mrs. Costas stepped towards him.

"I'm sorry Carlos...I just need babies in my life!"

"I dun...huh?" Jenner's thoughts were disoriented, he had trouble comprehending what his mother was saying.

"Just sleep now son, I promise you'll be okay." Mrs. Costas smiled at her son while she knelt beside him, caressing his cheek as his eyes rolled back and blackness seeped in. The last sound Jenner could hear was the gentle cooing reassurances of his mother as his consciousness slipped away.

Before the life was fully restored to Jenner, he felt restraints tied tight around his wrists. He pulled against them but couldn't seem to free himself, his neck was weak and his head lulled back and forth as he struggled to open his eyes.

"Don't strain yourself Carlos." The gentle voice of his mother touched his ears and it was like she was speaking through a mass of cotton which muffled her words. "You don't want to hurt yourself."

"Wha's goin on?" Jenner managed to say, he was slowly piecing together the scene around him. He was in his childhood bedroom, it was almost exactly like he'd left it except for the leather straps attached to the ceiling which were wrapped around his wrists and painfully supporting his weight as his weak legs couldn't hold him up.

"I'm glad you're awake, I was afraid I'd given you too much."

Jenner tried to speak but his mother shushed him, then slapped a strip of duct tape over his mouth. "Don't speak Carlos, save your energy."

Jenner's eyes fluttered open as he stared around the room. Cheerful pictures of himself as a young boy mingled with baseball trophies and old gifts from his mother, all of which seemed to laugh at him now. He closed his eyes again as he asked himself how he got in this situation, replaying the events that led up to now in his mind.

"Baby, this is going to hurt but I promise it's for the best," Mrs. Costas said and Jenner realized he was standing in a large metal bucket, "I was told shallow cuts are best, that way you won't bleed out entirely."

Jenner registered his mother's words and tried to fight against his restraints, she shushed him again and he felt the sharp point of a kitchen knife against his ribs. He kicked out, but his weak muscles had barely enough strength to push his mother back.

"Please, Carlos, don't make this harder than it already is for me." Mrs. Costas sounded genuinely upset by what she was about to do, she stepped closer to her son and pressed the blade against his flesh again, hesitating as Jenner squirmed. "Oh goodness...I was told this would be easier to do..."

Mrs. Costas backed away now, quietly debating with herself. She waved the knife in the air as she paced back and forth, looking back at her son from time to time with conflict in her eyes, "I need to do this you know..." She said, then shook her head, "I'll never be able to convince you to give me grandchildren on my own..."

Jenner's breath grew frantic, he could feel some of his strength returning and he pulled against the leather tied to his wrists. His mother came closer again, the pastel colours of her loose fitting clothes seemed to be in direct opposition to the position she was now in. She placed the tip of her knife against Jenner's thin torso again and he tried to protest around the tape but no coherent words came.

"Just...let me try a little one first..." Mrs. Costas whispered to herself, tears in her eyes as she cut Jenner's skin. He screamed behind the tape and his torso convulsed as Mrs. Costas stepped back. "I guess it's not terribly difficult..." She said as she watched the red blood trickle down over Jenner's olive skin.

'Please,' Jenner thought to himself, tempted to pray for the first time since his confirmation, 'Don't do this, please mom...'

As Mrs. Costas pressed her blood stained knife against Jenner's skin again the window on the far wall shattered and the red headed woman tumbled into the room.