She had been happy in her new found life; or death rather. Passing over had been an excruciating process. Her maker, only a neonate himself seemed to find delight in holding her thrall over her. Allowing her to reach the depths of insanity and need; only to give her enough of his blood to bring her to enough reality to know that he was what she needed. She discovered a weakness of his own. Silly boy that he was, always ruled by his hormones. Slowly, she had convinced him in those hours of sanity, to change her completely.

What a strange relationship it had been. Each satisfying a need the other had, delighting in the torture of withholding their deliverance. Somehow in the course of this twisted life, they had fallen in love. Melissa convinced Matt that in order for their lives to be complete, he had to give her all she needed to change. She in turn was able to fulfill his desires as well.

At first, the arrival of Gabrielle was a welcomed change. It was nice to have some female companionship. Someone new to hunt with. Someone to share secrets, dreams, girly things Matt couldn’t understand. Often he’d hear them giggling like schoolgirls in another room, only to have it cut off when he entered. Melissa had no idea that sharing those secrets with Gabrielle would lead to the demise of her perfect life.

Gabrielle and Matt had gone off to find some prey of their own. Melissa thought nothing of this, as they were good friends from a previous time, not too recently passed. She had heard the stories, knew of Jeff’s death at Gabrielle’s hand. She knew of the pain Matt faced everyday at the loss of his brother, his best friend. She understood the power under which Gabrielle had been at the time of the murder. She knew of the guilt that Gabrielle faced every day at the thought of it.

What she didn’t know, was that leaving the two of them alone to hunt that night would result in the fall of all she loved.

She had wandered out that night alone. Fed up with nothing on TV, and nothing to eat in the house. She knew where Gabrielle and Matt would be, as that was their favorite nightclub to hunt. The hunger was gnawing at her insides, forcing her to seek someone to feed. As she passed the alley by the club, she could sense Matt and Gabrielle’s presence. Knowing they were feeding, she went into the club to await their return.

Half and hour, then an hour passed. The hunger was growing, and so she chose her prey. Easy as it was that night. She simply took the fool next to her who had been buying her drinks since she arrived. As they entered the alley however, Melissa saw something she never expected to see. Matt and Gabrielle were there, together. Their shared prey lie at their feet.

Melissa closed her eyes, turned her head, and looked back again, unbelieving. Gabrielle was pressed against the brick wall; her short skirt pulled up around her waist. Her legs were wrapped around Matt and her panties dangled off one ankle. Matt’s pants sagged in the back, obviously unfastened and pulled down a bit. He was tenderly sucking on Gabrielle’s open neck. Melissa knew this well. It was the feeding ritual that took place after sex.

She rudely told her prey to get lost, that she had changed her mind. One look at the fury in her eyes and he didn’t even question her. Melissa took what seemed to be one giant leap towards the couple. Grabbing a handful of hair, she forcefully pulled Matt’s head back.

"What exactly do you think you are doing?" She snarled.

Matt blinked, recognition crossing his face, and shamefully hung his head.

"I…. I…"

"Oh for Christ’s sake! At least put that thing away and pull up your pants. As for you, you little bitch," she addressed Gabrielle, "Get the hell out of my sight!"

Gabrielle squatted, pulled up her panties and ran out of the alley. Melissa turned back to Matt. He sat crouched against the wall, running his hand through his hair. Melissa just shook her head.

"I should have known. How could I have been so dumb? Christ, Matt! You couldn’t control yourself long enough to wait until you got home?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but Melissa put up her hand, stopping him.

"I don’t want to hear it right now. Get up. We’re going home."

That night Melissa made Matt pay for his sins. Methodically, she punished him. Feeding on his desire and lust. Letting it build higher and higher until he was begging for her to release him.

"You know this is what you need Matt. I’m all you need." "I know, I know! Please, Melissa, the passion is too strong. Please, let me take you now."

"Not yet," she replied wickedly, grasping his erection in her hand, "Not yet."

She lowered her head, taking him into her mouth. Slowly, she scraped her

teeth up his hardened penis. He moaned in pleasure and pain all at the same

time. "Please, please…"

"What did you say? I don’t think I heard you," Melissa teased, slowly massaging his testicles.

His eyes rolled in his head. "Melissa, I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to… Please, Melissa."

"I don’t think so," she replied, abruptly getting up, leaving him alone in the room.

Later that night, he found her alone in the darkened den. She sat in the bay window, staring out at nothing. She heard him enter, but didn’t turn to look at him.

"Tell her to get her things and leave. She has no place here any longer." "Melissa, please, it was a mistake. A moment of weakness… we… we were both hurting, both missing Jeff. It was a way of comfort, nothing more…" "Bullshit. Tell her to leave."

"Melissa, you have to listen to me. It won’t happen again, I promise. Please, let her stay." He approached her and dropped to his knees beside her on the floor. He grasped one of her hands, bringing it to his cheek. "Please?"

"No," she replied pulling her hand from his and leaving him alone once again.

It was never mentioned again. Gabrielle had left without word one to Melissa. But deep in the recesses of her mind, Melissa could still feel her presence somehow in their home, wherever they went. She knew what she had to do.

Some twenty years later, word came of Gabrielle’s return to her boys in New Orleans. Melissa had bided her time, and it had paid off. She made up some story of needing time alone. Time to travel. Matt asked to go with her, but she knew that if he were there, she couldn’t finish it once and for all. If he had any inclination of what she had planned, he didn’t lead on. But if she would have been listening, as she pulled out of the driveway, she would have heard him say, "Be easy, make it quick."

Now she sat in this smoky bar. Waiting yet again. She had been following the trio around for a week or so now. She knew they could sense her presence, but never allowed them to see her. Finally, Gabrielle had left the house alone. Melissa wasn’t sure why, as Gabrielle would no longer kill her prey. Perhaps Melissa had driven her crazy with the knowledge that she was there, and why.

Gabrielle sat at the bar, nervously looking around. Melissa opened her mind to her, revealing to her where she was sitting in the corner. Gabrielle stood up and walked directly to her and sat down.

"Melissa?"

"Gabrielle…" Melissa let the name fall off her tongue singsong like, dripping with sarcasm, "How nice to see you."

"Why are you here Melissa?"

"I think you know why."

"That was years ago. You’ve held on to it for that long?"

"Yep."

"That’s crazy!"

"Maybe it is, but all the same, things were never the same after your little incident with Matt. It’s time to set things right again." "What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean."

"So what, right here? You’re going to kill me right here? It’s a bit crowded don’t you think?"

"Not here. In due time."

Melissa stood, laying some money on the table for the waitress, and started for the door. She paused by a young, well-built man. Whispering in his ear, he smiled and looked at her, then over to Gabrielle, who still sat, watching. Somehow as he looked at her, it were as if he were transformed. When Gabriele looked at him, she saw the one who haunted her every dream. Jeff. Melissa laughed wickedly and led him out the door as Gabrielle sat stone still, mouth hanging open. If there were any color in her face, it would have been drained out. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the vision.

Suddenly she jumped up and ran to the adjoining alley. It was empty. The street was empty. They had disappeared.

Something had changed in Gabrielle’s mind. No matter where she went, she saw Jeff, heard his sweet voice, always questioning her, "Why?"

Some time later, she had finally gone over the edge. She was afraid to leave her room. She sat clutching her knees, rocking back and forth on her bed. Edge and Christian begged her to come out with them to finally feed. She would look at them and only see Jeff. Shrieking, she would pull away crying, "I’m sorry, I’m so sorry." Edge and Christian didn’t know what was going on, couldn’t get her to talk. Her thoughts were garbled and confused to them, they were not able to decipher what was happening to her.

Melissa stayed, ever patient, just out of sight, out of detection. Smiling with satisfaction. She would make her move soon. Tonight even. She knew that Edge would go out to feed, leaving Christian to watch over Gabrielle. But Christian was always the weaker one. She could trust him to easy fall under her spell.

As Edge headed off into the night on his bike, Melissa quietly crept to the window of the old house. She didn’t allow herself to be detected. She slowly raised her head to peer into the window. Christian lay prone on the couch, late night TV droning in the background. Opening her mind to him, she placed suggestions in his mind. Thoughts of sleeping deeply. Of nothing awakening him until morning. Christian rubbed his eyes and yawned. He pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and curled up underneath.

Soon he was fast asleep.

Melissa opened the door and made her way to the attic, opening a window to allow her on the roof. From there she called to Gabrielle. But the only voice Gabrielle heard was Jeff’s beckoning her to meet him on the roof. In a daze, Gabrielle stood and walked to her glass door. Opening it and walking out to the small balcony, she called to him.

"Jeff? Is that really you? Jeff?"

She climbed up to the roof, searching. Melissa stood, revealing herself. Gabrielle blinked, slowly coming back to reality. Confusion washed across her face as she realized her surroundings.

"No, no, no…. I heard him. He was alive, he wanted me to come here to meet him."

"Oh, you’re going to meet him alright, but not here."

"Then where? I thought he was here…"

Melissa chuckled at how easy this had been. What a silly weak being Gabrielle had turned out to be. She almost was disappointed, looking forward to more of a challenge.

"Ah, well, se la vi," she thought to herself as she approached Gabrielle.

"Look over there… is that… I think it is… look, it’s Jeff!"

Gabrielle turned, walking dangerously close to the edge of the house.

"Where? I don’t see him… JEFF? JEFF, IS THAT YOU?"

She stumbled on a loose shingle loosing her balance. "Help me!" She called out to Melissa. Melissa stepped forward and grabbed her hand as Gabrielle dangled precariously off the roof. She looked below her at the greenhouse below, and back to Melissa. Desperation crossed her eyes. "Please, don’t let go!"

Melissa laughed. "You know what Gabrielle. I’m really doing everyone a favor. You were nothing but a nuisance to everyone you came in contact with, especially me. You never should have messed with Matt and I. Oh sure, we’re still together, but somehow your spirit had still hung around, even though you weren’t with us. It’s time for us to be alone Gabrielle. Matt and I deserve this. Edge and Christian deserve this. The way you always play them against each other, jumping from one bed to the next. That’s just sick you little slut. They will be… we all will be so much better without you. Say hello to Jeff for us."

Melissa let go of Gabrielle’s hand and watched as she plummeted earthward, crashing through the glass roof. Her head was severed by the sharp edges and she turned to dust and blew away before she even hit the ground.

Christian jumped at the loud crash and ran to Gabrielle’s room. The curtains blew in the breeze of the open door. He ran out and quickly scaled the roof. He called her name, frantically searching for her. He stopped short when he saw the broken greenhouse below him. Falling to his knees he cried out, "NOOOOOO!" Melissa was no where to be found.

A week later, back in North Carolina, Matt greeted Melissa at the door of their quaint cottage.

"I missed you," He breathed in her ear.

"I know," she whispered back as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to their room.

She smiled as he slowly undressed her.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing. Just noticing how alone we are," she answered, taking him in her arms, "it’s nice."

"Yeah, it is," he replied slowly beginning to make love to her.