Isn’t he just so cute? Peeking out from behind the bookshelf, Katie couldn’t help but sigh as she watched her history professor scan titles. A shy small-town girl, she wasn’t the kind that knew how to flit from guy to guy. In fact, she’d only ever dated one guy, and she’d broken up with him in her junior year of high school. Jim had been a self-centered jerk who put on like he wasn’t. But Mr. Finch… he was so studious and considerate. He always had a nice word to say when she saw him in class—and he knew who she was.
Unobtrusively, she worked her way towards him, “accidentally” bumping against him. “Oh, Mr. Finch, I’m sorry. I’m clumsy.” She apologized.
He smiled at her, making his blue eyes—so dreamy—crinkle at the corners. “That’s fine, Katie.” One finger holding his page, Romax turned to her, looking at her like she held his complete attention. Her heart fluttered. “How are you this evening? Picking up a good novel?”
She laughed slightly. “Oh, I wish. My roommate spilled her Red Bull on my copy of Perrine’s Literature, so I was going to check one out until she buys me a new one. How about you?”
“Nothing so industrious, I’m afraid.” He held up the book he’d been reading so she could see the cover. “The Mephisto Club by Tess Gerritsen. I have a soft spot for murder mysteries.” He smiled, flashing even white teeth.
“I’ve heard of her. I read one of her books. It was about, um, an expedition to space and a lot of the astronauts died. I liked it.” As it turned out, Romax had read the book as well, so he and Katie spent a few more minutes discussing it before she had to leave. Smiling, she checked her literature book out, then headed out of the library into the pitch-colored night. "They really need to replace that light." Katie thought with tired annoyance, glancing up at the burned-out lamp.
Suddenly, an arm grabbed her, sending her book and purse flying. She opened her mouth to scream, but a strong hand clamped over her mouth before she could make a sound. Even as she kicked and clawed, the arm around her was like an iron band, dragging her off the sidewalk and deeper into the shadows. She could hear heavy breathing at her ear, and terror bloomed black in her chest. Oh, God, no. Katie doubled her frantic efforts to break free, throat working as she screamed against her attacker’s hand, unable to make any more sound that panicked gasps. Painfully, her head was wrenched to the side, and tears dripped from her eyes as a sharp pain stabbed her exposed throat. Gradually, as she lost more and more blood, her struggles ceased, her eyes unfocused. The pain was still there, but it slid beneath a comfortable haze—in fact, it was oddly pleasurable.
The palm pressing against her mouth relaxed as her hands dropped and she stopped struggling. Dimly, she was aware of the pressure on her neck alleviating, and a vague sense of disappointment.
He didn’t like hurting anyone. But he had no talent when it came to mentally manipulating those he fed from. Gently, Romax laid the girl on the ground, wiping a few spots of her blood from his lips. Picking up her book and purse, he laid them beside her.
Leaving her there, he walked to a payphone and called for an ambulance. They would come and give her a couple of stitches and some iron supplements. Most likely, she wouldn’t even remember what happened. Ducking into the shadows, Romax waited for security to arrive.
