over to a tree at the end of the building. “That was weird,” she muttered and unlocked her door, switching on her light as she stepped inside. Wondering where her cat was, she called, “Kitty…Kitty…Ginger?” But she didn’t see her anywhere. “Strange,” she’s usually right here to greet me.
Before Sally could close the door the bird flew back and landed in the threshold. She went to kick at it, but it quickly hopped out of her way. “You crazy bird! What’s wrong with you? If you were a good-looking man, the way I feel tonight, I’d say come on in! But a bird…I don’t think so. ”
To her astonishment, the bird suddenly hopped across the threshold and the door slammed shut and she heard the lock click. “What on earth?” She tried to unlock it, but it wouldn’t budge. The bird was now right behind her, and there was no way she wanted that bird staying in her apartment. She pulled on the knob with both hands in spite of the fact that she knew it was locked. All at once, she had this desperate feeling that she needed to get out (to run) inside her that she couldn’t suppress. The bird’s feathers ruffled and then she realized that not a bird but someone was standing behind her.
She slowly turned around, as she knew his scent, and stared into mesmerizing black eyes. “Klaus?”
“Thanks for inviting me in.”
Before she could respond, he had her by the neck, overpowering her. He was too busy enjoying his feast to notice the large yellow cat watching him from atop a high bookshelf to his side. The cat suddenly yowled and landed at the nape of his neck, biting deep into his flesh and furiously digging claws in. Klaus immediately let Sally go, grabbing behind for the cat.
Sally managed to regain her footing, turned and was glad when the door unlocked. She swung it open and ran out into the night screaming, causing her neighbors to rush out of their apartments to see what was going on.
In spite of Klaus’ supernatural strength, the cat clawed at him furiously and was all over his back and neck at amazing speed, just enough that it took him a few seconds to grasp it.
He finally got a good hold on her fur, pulling her off his neck and hurtling her across the room with such force that she would have been killed had she not landed against the back of the cushioned sofa. When Klaus’ realized that Sally had gotten the attention of all her neighbors, he transformed to the raven and swiftly flew out the door.
Ginger was temporarily stunned, but not hurt badly. Recovered, she ran out the door in pursuit of her mistress.
Sally was frantically trying to tell everyone what had happened. Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t remember who it was that had attacked her. She had briefly thought she knew, but as the seconds passed, she realized it was becoming more and more unclear as to what had actually happened. Her neck was squirting blood, and one of the women ran back to her apartment and grabbed a small towel from the kitchen, brought it back and pressed it on Sally’s wound.
Meanwhile another neighbor said he had phoned for an ambulance and the police.
In the light of the open apartment doors, Sally saw her cat coming towards her. “Ginger! Oh Ginger! You’re all right,” she cried. “I just knew you were a goner.” Speaking to the others gathered around, “She saved my life! That madman would have killed me! She saved my life!” Sally held out her arms and Ginger leapt into them and Sally snuggled her close to her heart.
A few minutes later an ambulance and several squad cars pulled up. Two paramedics jumped out of the ambulance, and a female and a male cop ran up.
As the paramedics applied a temporary bandage to her wound to slow down the bleeding, Sally breathlessly explained to the police that some stranger had come out of nowhere and attacked her just as she was going into her apartment.
Afterwards, as they were putting her in the ambulance, they tried to get her to leave Ginger at home, even with a willing neighbor, but she refused to leave her heroine. Under the extenuating circumstances, they deemed that it was okay. Soon, Sally and her cat were whisked away to the nearest hospital.
Paul was readying for bed and had the television on in his room. He couldn’t believe it when he saw the news. “Sally!”he said so loud that Judy came running in from her bedroom.
“What’s going on?” Then she saw Sally’s face on the television as she was being interviewed by a reporter at the hospital. She had Ginger in her arms. “Her cat saved her from some lunatic?”
“What she says.” Paul eased down on the foot of his bed. “What the heck is going on around here?”
“Maybe we should get a cat?” Judy quipped.
“What kind of nut would bite someone’s neck?” Paul asked.
Judy didn’t hesitate. “A vampire.”
“Huh?” Paul frowned and looked away from the set to his sister. “A vampire?”
“You never go to the movies, do you, brother?”
“Not often.”
“If you did, you’d know they bite people in their necks.”
“That book!” he said suddenly.
She had started to walk off but stopped in her tracks, half turning towards him. “What book?”
“Somebody left a book about vampires at Amber’s door.”
She did an about face. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Maybe it was the same idiot that attacked Sally?”
“You know…Think I’m going to call Grady…And the sheriff.”
“Are you crazy?” Judy gasped.
Her tone took him by complete surprise. “You don’t think I should tell them?”
“What is wrong with you, Paul? Think about it.”
“Oh! I don’t really think a vampire attacked her, Judy. If that’s what you’re worried about?”
She sighed as with great relief. “It was…”
“No!” he said, half laughing. “I mean that I think whoever left the book is a certifiable nut…and he could be the one that attacked Sally and bit her in the neck. I’m only suggesting that this mental case just believes he’s a vampire.”
“I see…Sorry…For a minute there I thought my normally cool-headed brother had lost it.”
He chuckled…Not yet, little sister.” He moved over to her and put an arm around her. “So…you think you want a cat now? Or are we gonna still see about getting that dog?”
“I like cats…but I was being facetious…I think a dog would be better for guarding the store…though I admit what Ginger did was impressive. But then, she is a really large cat.”
“You know…That’s an excellent idea. For guarding the store, I mean. I have thought about getting a dog for just that purpose a time or two.”
“Getting a dog is still on, then?”
“Gonna call Jerri first thing in the morning.”
She grabbed him around the neck and kissed his cheek. “Thank you! I’m so excited!” She headed out of the room, stopping at the door. “Night, brother.”
“Night,” he said with a big smile. He shut the television off, decided that calling Grady could wait until later and went to bed.
Paul was just opening up the store as Judy’s school bus pulled away and Grady walked in. Grady did his usual semblance of a hat tip, just touching the rim with his fingertips. “Morning, Paul,” he said, noticing the morning’s display of doughnuts as he approached the register.
Paul responded, “Morning to you, Grady.”
Referring to the doughnuts, “These fresh?”
“Yep. Have a couple…on the house.”
“Ya sure?”
“Absolutely. Believe I can eat sixty cents or so.” He nodded to the pot of freshly made coffee in the corner by the door to his living quarters. “Coffee just finished perking…You can wash those doughnuts down with a cup.”
Taking a napkin furnished alongside the doughnuts, Grady picked out a jelly-filled and a chocolate covered one.
“You’ve tempted me, Paul. Thanks!” He ambled over to the coffee machine and poured a Styrofoam cup full, poured in two packets or sweetener and some coffee creamer. “
Now,” he said, grinning in Paul’s direction, “I am ready for the day.” He took a big bite out of the jelly-filled, chewed a bit, swallowed, took a sip of his coffee and said, “Okay…What’s this information you wanted to give me?”
“You’ve known me all my life, Grady…So I know you know I’m not a kook.”
“Is that right?” Grady said with a stoic face, and then laughed at Paul’s confounded expression. “Just kidding. Gotta have some fun. Go on…Tell me what you need to tell me.”
Paul sucked in air and exhaled quickly. “The other night…someone left a very old… looked antique… and bound in red leather… book… about…well…vampires on Amber’s door.”
Grady held his stare on Paul, not saying anything for a minute, chewing the last of the jelly-filled.
Paul added, “I know it might not sound relevant to anything, but I was thinking about that nut that bit Sally’s neck…He obviously thinks he’s a vampire…I was just wondering if there’s any possible way the two incidents could be related?”
Grady sat his chocolate doughnut down on a napkin and took a long sip of his coffee, all the while, eyes focused on Paul. “Yeah…” Grady finally said, breaking the silence. “As you say, I’ve known you all your life. So, I’m going to tell you something.”
Paul nodded slightly. He’d never seen Grady look so serious. He lowered his voice. “What is it, Grady?”
“This is just between us for now. Don’t tell Judy…or that Amber girl…yet. But all those unusual deaths here about lately…”
“Go on.”
“All of them…And I mean all of them had every drop of
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