Call of the Vampire by Gayla Twist Page B

I’d had crushes in the past, even a few short-lived relationships, but they were nothing like my attraction to Jessie. And I’d only met him briefly. It was maddening. I wanted him out of my head but frequently indulged in fantasizing about seeing him again. I dreamed about him every night and started keeping a dream journal next to my bed. When I woke up, I would quickly write down every detail I could remember from my dream.
    The dreams were frequently quite similar. Things kept happening at the same locations. It was like in the old movies where they’d use the same set over and over, just changing it slightly for the next film. Frequently, I found myself in the field of wildflowers. It was my point of accessing the field that shifted from night to night. Monday night, I had a variation of a dream that was familiar from childhood. I don’t know why, but I’ve always had dreams that take place in libraries. Or maybe it’s always the same library. It’s hard to tell with just shelves upon shelves of books. I told Blossom about my book dreams once, and she said, “I wouldn’t tell anyone else about that dream. That just proves you’re a geek.”
    My newest version of the book dream had much more detail. I was in a very elegant library. One like you’d picture Mr. Darcy having in Pride and Prejudice . I was up on one of those sliding ladders libraries used to have, and I was doing something, although I’m not sure what. I had something in my hands, but I couldn’t remember what it was once I woke up. Anyway, I was up there doing something but also kind of browsing through the books as I went. The library door opened, and in walked Jessie.
    I was immediately embarrassed for some reason, like he could look up my skirt or something. But then he smiled at me, his eyes so kind that I felt a warm glow all over. He said something and then lifted his hand up as if to help me down from my perch, and then the dream got blurry, and I wasn’t sure what happened after that.
    Mr. Schwartzman stopped me on the way out of class on Tuesday. “What’s going on with you?” he asked. “Everything okay at home?”
    “Yeah. Fine. Why do you ask?”
    “Well, your homework has been excellent; you’re in class on time; you pay attention; you even volunteered to answer a few questions today. It’s got me wondering what’s come over you. Not that I’m complaining, just wondering. Is everything all right?”
    “Everything’s good,” I told him. “Just trying to be a little more serious about getting into a good college. I can show up late tomorrow, if that would make you feel better.”
    He chuckled. “No, that’s okay. Just wanted you to know, I’m impressed. Keep it up.”
    Thursday evening, I drove to the library and stationed myself in the same chair I had occupied the week before. I felt pretty confident that Jessie wasn’t going to walk through the door, but I kept a lookout anyway. At a quarter to nine, I headed out to my car while there were still plenty of people around and cars in the parking lot. I was not a complete idiot. I could usually learn from my mistakes. But I didn’t drive away. I sat in my VW with the windows rolled up and the doors locked. By ten minutes after nine, the parking lot was empty and the lights to the library were off. I rolled down the VW’s window a few inches and said in a clear voice, “I still have your jacket.”
    Nothing happened. There was a slight rustling in some nearby trees, but that was it.
    “I also have your watch,” I called.
    I heard the flapping of fabric and then suddenly there he was, standing next to my car. Jessie gave a small but amused sigh then bent at the waist to look in at me through the driver’s side window. “You never give up, do you?” the vampire said with a grin, his fangs on full display.
     

Chapter 12
    I couldn’t believe it. Everything was going according to plan. Jessie was there, standing next to my car. He was in dark suit pants with a