John sat bolt upright, forehead bearing beads of sweat, mind racing to register his whereabouts. Moonlight filtered in through the thin curtains, shedding faint illumination on the room. His bedroom, in his flat, safe and secure. He glanced about. All seemed to be as it had been when he went to bed, nothing was changed. It must have been a nightmare, some troubled dream which had shattered his peaceful sleep. The clock beside his bed showed the hour in a dull red glow, like dying embers, 2.00 am. He had been asleep for only three hours. Annoyance seeped into his thoughts. Work again tomorrow, must get back to sleep, never feel on top form with less than eight hours shuteye. He was calmer now. Whatever shocked him awake had now retreated into his subconscious once more. Fatigue was fighting to reclaim him, making his eyelids heavy. He lay back, bidding sleep to carry him off again, but as he did something caught his eye. There in the corner. Where the door was shrouded in shadow, cast by the wardrobe, a dark shape loomed. He held his breath, eyes straining to see more clearly and aching with the effort. There was no movement from the figure and, as his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness filling the room, he realised why. The now familiar outline belonged to his dressing gown, hung as always on the back of his door. Fear faded, to be quickly replaced by a feeling of foolishness, and relief that no one had witnessed his fright. Once more he lay down to reclaim sleep. A cloud crossed the moon, casting the room into absolute blackness. His eyes gently opened and closed, in the manner of one whose mind is beginning to surrender consciousness. Open to darkness...close. Open to darkness.... close. Open to two amber specks...his mind jumped to attention, eyes at once focused on the air in front of him. The amber specks glowed brightly now, each centred by a black dot. Each briefly disappearing, then reappearing a fraction closer. Eyes!!! They were eyes!!.............................. Terror tore through his body, it twisted his guts and clutched at his lungs. He tried to run, but movement eluded him. He tried to scream, but sound would not come. The eyes were nearer now, and with them came a weight on the end of the bed. The weight touched his feet, his shins, his thighs as it moved ever closer. The moon came out from its cloud hiding place, and shone into the room once more. He saw the owner of the eyes now, it was larger than the weight would have suggested. Long hair tumbled around the eyes, and long fangs glinted in the moonlight. It was so close now that he could smell it, not unpleasant exactly, the odour of damp earth and the essence of night. His body still refused to assist him, but his mind whirled. It couldn’t be could it….a vampire! Why did you never go to church you fool?? Why did you refuse to wear the cross Aunt Ethel brought you??? You could have stopped the vile creature!! But as he stared into the glowing eyes he saw no malice, no hate, no rage. All he saw was a pitiful hunger and sorrow. The features which held those fangs were sharp, but not cruel. The lips around those fangs, soft and scarlet. With growing amazement he realized he no longer wanted to run, or scream. His body relaxed, and he lay silent and still. A taloned hand approached his face, but the talons were set on soft, gentle fingers. The hand turned his head, and the lips kissed his neck before the fangs sank in. The sharp features moved gently as they worked to suck down the bloody nourishment, and all the while the red, glowing eyes shed silent tears. For the life that was ending. For the lives that had gone before it. For those that would surely follow in the years to come........