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"Well I'll be damned." The voice that drifted down to him on the hot night air was cool and careless, and lifted the hairs on the back of Jared's neck. "So you came back after all."

The figure took a step toward him. Jared shot a hand into his bag, drawing out a fistful of talismans and brandishing them in front of him.

"Back off, vampire!"

The vampire paused. "Why? What have you got there?"

"Just about everything."

"Oh? And what's that? Crosses? Holy water?"

"For a start."

"And for an end?"

"How about a stake?"

The monster chuckled—a dry, voiceless sound. "So that's it, is it? You fancy yourself a vampire slayer?"

"I could use a new hobby."

"Have you considered cliff diving? It would be far safer."

"This might be rocky going, but I'll take the plunge."

There was a long pause.

The vampire tipped back its head, the hood sliding down onto its shoulders. "You do understand you're...risking your neck?"

Jared blinked, then returned: "I get it's a grave situation, but you don't seem to have your heart in it. Leave it to me to hammer the point home."

The grin tugging at the corner of the monster's mouth broke free, spreading across its face, and all four canines caught the light as they lengthened. "Then why not raise the stakes? Have at thee!"

Jared started forward, a tangle of crosses raised in one fist. The vampire's smile curled into a snarl, and it moved toward the opposite wall, maintaining the distance between them. Jared fished with his free hand in his bag, fingers wrapping around a length of splintered wood as the creature reached the bricks and latched onto them, about to climb out of reach. Bracing himself, he rushed for the wall, shoving the talismans up at the vampire. It dropped off the surface like a bat, landing in a crouch and rising to face him.

Leaping at it, Jared knocked it back into the bricks, thrusting the crosses under its nose—it flinched back, fangs withdrawing, the black retreating from the eyes locked on the talismans. Jared raised the stake, but he wasn't getting a scrap of fence post, however jagged, through bone and muscle without a hammer, and he had no hand free for the rock weighing in his bag. He tried anyway, driving the stake forward with all his might. The vampire caught his arm, absorbing his force, and held it steady, flicking its eyes to its grip for a beat before flashing a sneer down upon him.

"Where are your warding powers now?"

It bent his arm sideways until he dropped the stake with a gasp. He pressed the crosses to the creature's hand, forcing it off. Keeping it at bay, he rummaged in his bag for another shaft of wood. His fingers found one, but the vampire had taken up his distraction to drop its show of repulsion and duck past the crosses. Grabbing his satchel, it unclipped the metal clasp from the ring that held the strap in place. The strap snaked off his shoulder, and with a heave the monster sent the bag flying out of reach.

Leaving Jared no time to process what had happened, it flung its arms wide, palms facing back, catching hold of the wall behind and hefting both legs to plant its feet in his chest. A powerful shove sent him sprawling halfway across the alley, back scuffing on the asphalt—he managed to keep hold of the crosses while the second stake clattered away. He scrambled to his feet as the vampire pushed off the wall and approached, backing him into the wall opposite. When it reached him, he lifted the crosses again. The vampire stared at them—then began to laugh.

"Here's a tip for you, Mister Slayer," it hissed. "You can't cross me."

Jared took this in stride. "Then I'll have you seeing stars." Discarding the crosses, he pulled the necklace out from under his shirt.

"A Star of David?" the vampire said, eyes alight with tolerant amusement. "If that worked—" It cut off, drawing back its head as Jared forced the pendant closer to its face.

"Looks like you got a problem with this after all."

"Perish the thought. No, the form is immaterial; the material is not."

"What?"

"Your little star is sterling."

"Silver repels ya?"

"A sliver of silver is not enough to save you, alas. It does nothing of substance. Is that really all you had last night?" It snorted. "Then it seems...you have no weapons."

So Jared reverted to his default. Letting the star fall, he slugged the vampire across the face.

It appeared stunned, holding its head at the angle he had knocked it to, gingerly moving its jaw. As it began to turn its head back, he struck it again, then let loose, pummeling its face and stomach. The vampire rocked for a moment under the barrage before sinking a fist into Jared's chest with such force he doubled over and dropped to the ground, gasping for air.

Soft laughter from overhead. "You've got nerve, I'll give you that."

He made to get up. Fingers curled in his hair and assisted him.

"What else have you got? Garlic, by the smell of it. Aught with teeth?"

By way of reply Jared tried to plant a fist in the vampire's, but the creature was ready for him this time, catching his hand in a crushing grasp and planting a knee in his stomach. The hand in his hair was all that kept him upright.

"Well enough sport. If you're out of tricks, let's try again, shall we?"

The flawless face, bearing no mark of Jared's assault upon it, broke into a leer as it angled to access his neck. The fangs protruded again, the eyes darkening, the nails pressed against his scalp sharpening into claws. But no sooner had its cold breath touched his neck then it fell back, its grip on him loosening, and Jared slumped against the alley wall.

"So ye have something after all," it snarled. "Biting's forbidden, is that it? Fine." Without ceremony it snatched for him, claws driving at his neck, then his head, then his chest, but everywhere finding the empty air a barrier. "What? But I could touch you before!" The black eyes widened as if at a sudden thought, and it reached out again, encircling both his wrists in a loose grasp. "I can touch you...if I'm not hurting you?" Its lip curled. "Well really, what's the point of that?"

Jared, regaining his senses, raised a hand in resistance, dragging the vampire's hand with his. Even in the dim light, the red cord on his outstretched wrist was visible, now that he wasn't in long sleeves, and as the monster shifted its hold, its fingers failed to make contact with the string. It turned keen attention on the band.

"What have ye got there?"

Jared wrenched his wrists sideways, and it released him, taking a step back.

"That's it?" the vampire asked, its tone strained with incredulity. "That's what saved you? A string?"

"Not just a string. A boundary against the profane."

"Well Christ alive, I never," it murmured. Then it snorted, its look of astonishment morphing into a sneer. "But really, it doesn't matter. It's not going to save you to-night."

Jared tugged at the string, edging back along the wall. "How d'ya figure?"

It gave a short laugh. "If a length of twine could prevent a man's getting murdered, this city would surely have heard of it. Still. It is annoying. Let's find out if it works...on the dead."

Retracting its fangs, eyes clearing, it shot out a hand, and powerful fingers clamped about Jared's throat.

"Aha! So it can only ward off 'the profane' when it's on display."

Jared clutched at the cold grip but found it immovable. It squeezed tighter, cutting off his airflow. He choked, panic threatening to overwhelm him. But as he moved to fight back, a thought surfaced in his mind.

What am I doing? The symbols don't work, but the string does, and that must mean...

And a softer voice, echoing:

If there's evil...

Over panic came a surge of something new. He plunged his hand into his pants pocket and drew out the scroll Judy had given him, raising it to the vampire's face.

And here was the reaction of legend. The creature's mask of humanity slipped loose, its skin blanching to a deathly pallor, the nose wrinkling, drawing up the lips and baring the fangs into a hiss as it released him, tumbling back as if buffeted by a blast from a hurricane.

And they stood there, each panting and gaping at the other, until the vampire found its voice.

"What, in the name of the Lord, is that?"

"Funny you should ask..." Jared took a step forward, brandishing the Seal of Solomon. A peculiar warmth eased his tense muscles. He felt calmer. Stronger.

The vampire fell back farther, putting its hands over its face as if shielding its eyes from the sun. "The name of the Lord? It can't be!"

"Never seen it before? Here, have a closer look!" He jumped at the monster, his outstretched hand bringing the paper into contact with its chest. A puff of smoke went up and the creature cried out, leaping back and up, attaching to a steel support column and scuttering out of reach. Black eyes burned down at him in a glare of mixed malevolence and disbelief.

"Who are you?"

"Just a kid from—" He cut himself off.

The eyes narrowed. "From...? Brooklyn, by the sound of it."

Jared swallowed, and the movement was uncomfortable. "It's a big place."

"Indeed it is. Midwood, are you? Perchance Williamsburg?"

"You gonna stay stuck to that fucking pillar all night or you gonna come down and fight me?" Even as he said it, he regretted the words—his body ached from the beating he'd taken, and fatigue was leaking in where adrenaline was sapping. Keeping the Seal aimed at the monster, he stepped sideways to retrieve his satchel.

"Well it doesn't seem as though I can come down...and what would you do if I could?" It cast him a look of contempt as he winced stooping for his bag. "Faint on me?"

Jared scooped up the satchel and straightened. "C'mon down here, I'll show you how well I can feint."

The vampire scowled at the bag. "Well why don't we call it for to-night? Live to fight another day?"

"What, I'm just supposed to letcha get away?"

"Me?" The creature chuckled. "I was talking about you. But no, I'm simply proposing we...reschedule."

"What, are ya serious?"

"Deadly. To-morrow night. A duel to the death."

Jared considered this. He should finish this now. But as worn out as he was, he might not keep the upper hand, and he certainly couldn't finish it climbing up a support column. He should take the time to recover. He'd need more than a day—he knew that well. "Make it next week. Same time next week."

"Pleases me. I'll be hungry. And where are you going? How are you going to find me again, Mister Curious? I don't loiter around the docks every night, you know."

"You don't?"

"Of course not. I was only here...to find you."

Jared's grip on the scroll tightened. "Then you can be here next Saturday."

The vampire shook its head. "No. No, this is rather too publick. We wouldn't want yet another good Samaritan stumbling upon us." Its grin returned. "Unless you'd like to end up negotiating a hostage situation."

"Yeah? Then whaddaya suggest?"

"If Brooklyn's your haunt, why not the abandoned power station in Gowanus? It's just off the canal, nigh Washington Park. It's been decommissioned for years now—easy access, no security."

"And you're obviously familiar with it. I don't think so."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Whaddaya so interested in changing venues for, anyway?" he demanded. "Wouldn't you like a hostage situation? What's in it for you?"

The grin receded. "Simple. I don't want any interruptions...when I'm killing you."

He held the Seal higher. "I'm not waltzing into your territory."

"My territory?" The vampire laughed. "This whole godforsaken city is mine, since long before you were born."

"What, you've been here for years?"

It raised its brows. "I'm a New Yorker."

Jared stared up at the creature suspended effortlessly on a vertical surface. "Then...why haven't people noticed you before?"

"People notice me all the time. A lead that leads them to...disappear...before they can cause a panic."

"Like the guy last night?"

"I shouldn't worry about him. I'm sure he'll get a Christian burial." Its humor abated. "So how about the power plant? You're free to get familiar with the 'territory' beforehand. You'll have all day."

He thought this over. "Gowanus, huh? Near the canal?"

"You can't miss it. A red brick box with broken windows. Your typical urban decay."

"Sunset next Saturday? Then I'll see you there, vampire."

A mocking smile escorted him from the alley. "Will you be man enough, Mister Hero?"

"Count on it, Dracula."

Keeping an eye out over his shoulder, Jared beat a new path to a different subway station, the Seal of Solomon at the ready, riding the train out to Times Square and again losing himself in the crowd. This time no hooded figure hounded him. He descended again to get a train home, settling in a populated car, and here, with time to think and a throbbing in his gut, he took a breath and began to address some belated questions.

Can I really do this? What if I screw up? Shit, I don't even know what I'm doing. What if I get killed?

He'd nearly been killed twice in as many days, and he'd just gone and agreed to a death match.

I am such a fucking idiot.

He looked down at the paper clutched in his hands. He'd never been a religiously inclined person, and he didn't feel like he could start now, in spite of everything.

It'd be kinda hypocritical anyway, wouldn't it?

But something had saved his life tonight. Something that had accepted him as he was, and that, he felt, he could wholeheartedly accept in return. Feeling a swell of warmth, Jared closed his eyes. Anxiety opened them again.

Uh, Lord?

He dipped his chin to his chest.

Are you listening?

The train rattled on.

I've never really, um—I don't really know how to do this.

He grimaced at the floor of the car.

I'm, uh, I'm sorry for not really believing before—that sounds pretty lame, but...I mean, I always hoped. I just—it never had any immediacy to it before. It was like a story, I didn't see how it fit. Like, I wanted to believe, I really did, but all I saw were people. I didn't see anything lower. Or anything higher. But it's funny. I'm glad. I mean I shouldn't be glad there are vampires. But if there's evil...

He pulled at the red cord.

Is this—is this what I'm supposed to do? My purpose? Repairing the world?

There was no answer.

Right. What'd I expect? ...uh, sorry. I guess I'll figure it out.

Stung with a sudden anxiety, he looked up. The car was as it had been, a few people here and there, sitting in silence. Nothing outside the windows but the walls of the encompassing tunnel. He sighed and adjusted his bag on his lap. His head began to droop to the lulling rhythm of the rails. The thump of someone kicking the seats jolted him back to attention. He opted to stand for the rest of the ride home.

✶✝ Still with me? Am I amusing you, confusing you, offending you, befriending you? Did you follow how the red string works? Leave me a comment. I'd love to hear from you. ✶✝