Timeless (14/?)
by Elisa P. Black

  He had taken to staying up through the night and into the next afternoon. 
He had to do that now since his children were being killed off too quickly. 
By using some daylight hours, he could make more children even as the other
vampires slept.  No other one was old enough to stay out in the light like
he could, so they could not kill his newborns during the day.  That was why
he awoke so late this night like he had done on other nights. But this 
time, something was wrong.
  His children!  Where were all his children?!  There had been so many
yesterday, but today, he could feel the links with only a few.  No vampires,
no humans could have destroyed so many during the day.  Someone or something
new was in town and he'd better find it quickly before all of his plans were
ruined.  He let out and snarl and headed out into the night. 

  Natalie watched the vampire carefully, wanting to anticipate any sudden
moves he might make.  Of course, she knew that it was useless, since she
wouldn't be able to avoid anything he might do.  He caught her eye and held
her gaze, trying to hypnotize her.  But, of course, she was immune.  He
turned away in frustration. 
  Holding tightly to her arm, he tried Scully.  With her free hand, Natalie
undid the latch of her necklace and wrapped the chain around her fingers,
dangling the tiny cross.  Putting the hand in her pocket, she turned to see
how her friend was doing. 
  Scully's eyes started to glaze over.  Nat crossed her fingers and held out
the cross between her friend and the vampire.  He fell back as if stricken
and growled at her.  She advanced with the cross in her shaking hand. 
  A ding! filled the silence as the elevator doors down the hall opened to
expel an old woman and a young girl.  Oh, God, no, not this, thought Nat in
a panic. 
  "Get out of here!" she yelled at them.
  Too late.  The vampire had them.  "I don't want to hurt them," he called. 
"But if you and your friend don't come with me quietly, I'll be forced to!" 
  "What guarantee do I have that you won't hurt them?"
  "I'm a man of my word and you'd better decide quickly before more people
get involved." 
  She looked at the two fearful hostages and made up her mind.  No one else 
should have to get involved in this mess.  She pocketed the cross.
  Suddenly, she felt her self being swept into the elevator.  It began
moving upwards as the vampire successfully hypnotized the old lady and young
girl.  Since, there wasn't much room in the elevator, she didn't dare take
out the cross and threaten the man.  Scully seemed to be waking up from her
trance. 
  When they arrived at the roof, the brown-haired vampire grabbed Nat and
Scully by their waists and took off towards the magnificent vista of stars. 
Nat wanted to see where they were going, but was afraid to look down as they
soared higher and higher.  There was no way she would pull the cross out on
him now.  Scully observed everything silently. 
  Finally, he landed them at an abandoned warehouse, and tied them up
against adjacent poles.  Pacing up and down in front of them, he wondered
aloud, "What should I do with you ladies?  You," he turned to Nat, "I can't
hypnotize, and you," he turned to Scully, "are far too hard to hypnotize.  I
got a headache and almost hypnotized myself trying, and all I got was your
attention.  That leaves me no choice but to kill you, but how?" 
  He stopped pacing.  "I know, I'll let you decide.  How do you want to
die?" 

	End of Part 14