Good Night Sweetheart

Walk You Home

I would be lying if I said I wasn't memorizing the way to her house because I am. We walk quietly, and she seems uneasy as she leads the way. I can still hear her heart rate, and I have been listening to the steady increase of the beats.

"Libby, is something bothering you?" I need to know; she chews her lip for a second, thinking. I want so much to free her poor bottom lip from the assault of her nervous habit.

"No, I'm just thinking." She looks at me from the corner of her eye. Now, who is lying to whom? I halt on the spot, and she takes a few steps before noticing I have stopped.

"Did I do something to make you uncomfortable?" I ask when she turns to look at me.

"Oh no, you didn't." Her eyes widen, "I was just thinking you are going to see where I live, and well…" She trails off as her cheeks flush. "I don't know."

I keep myself from smiling at how adorable I find her now. "It's just what?" I ask, walking closer to her.

"I'm embarrassed to show you my apartment, I guess." She starts walking a bit, and I catch up to her in a few strides. "And why is that embarrassing to you?" I ask, grabbing her sweater sleeve. "I won't think anything differently about you than I do now."

She rolls her eyes thinking I can't see her, but I step in front of her. "I'm only walking you home, remember. I won't go inside or even think of it. Though I will admit seeing where you live makes me happy. I'm glad I got to help you study, and I'm more than happy to do that again. I would do anything you asked of me." she looks up, and there on the empty street, my once empty heart feels full again. I feel alive looking at her.

"I don't know what to say." She looks at her feet, but I tilt her chin up with my fingers, and she lets me looking into my eyes.

"Say I can see you again," I mutter, looking deep into her ever-changing eyes.

"I would like that." She whispers, unsure of her own voice. When her teeth start in on her bottom lip, I can't help but take my thumb and free her poor lip. She's warm and smells so sweet. I can feel the darkness in me rise up; I want her more than she can imagine.

The moment of staring at her is broken by the sound of a car pulling up, and she steps back from me, blushing wildly.

"Come on, let me walk you home, it's getting cold." I smirk, hating that I can't touch her but loving the blush covering her cheeks.

We make it to her building, and it's the oldest building I have seen yet in this town. It hasn't been renovated since the fifties, I should know. True to my word, I hand her bag and don't even try to follow her into the building.

"May I see you the day after tomorrow?" I ask her as she fidgets with her keys. Fishing them out of her pocket. She goes to bite her lip again but thinks better of it, stopping herself.

"I'll be in class most of the morning, then work, but I'm free in the evening." She speaks softly, looking at the key in her hand.

"May I see your phone?" She asks. When I hand it to her, she smiles and hands it back to me, "There, now you have my number."

I smile back at her and lean in, "until tomorrow, then. Goodnight, Libby."

"Good night." She says, turning and unlocking the door. I stay there watching the light that turns on the soft glow illuminating the ground in front of me.

Now I'm no stalker, but it would be so easy to stay with her and watch over her all night. I don't want to leave, but I also don't want to scare the hell out of her. "Good night, Sweetheart," I mutter, turning and going like a gentleman should when all I want to do is stay.

***

The sun starts to come up as I get back to my apartment. I didn't go home. I couldn't be there alone. I took my aggravation out on the poor wildlife in the surrounding woods, draining a deer of its life. Better the deer than a person. I did reach a decision, and I will be moving out of town; the realtor I spoke with the few days thought they had just the kind of place I was looking for. So, I plan to keep myself busy with moving again and unpacking. I also needed a car, but that isn’t be a problem either. I have been thinking about all of this, and I don't know what made me decide other than needing a place more secluded than living in town.

It was easier to hide things in the city, and I had easier access to blood than I do here. I need to find a solution that doesn't involve hurting anyone here or losing my mind, so this is the best I could come up with.

Hopping out of the shower and dressing quickly to make arrangements to get things done as fast as possible is frustrating. The town moves at a much slower speed than I would like. Still, after a few hours, I have it all arranged, and they will be here to collect my things in hour and move them to the house I hope to be a perfect hideaway. It's a few miles out of town on a large piece of land surrounded by woods.

It sounds perfect to me. I haven't seen it other than the pictures the realtor sent me, and I thought the woman would faint when I paid for it outright. The same happened with the car dealer. I walked in, buying the car I wanted then and there, and I thought he would fall over. I have money to buy whatever I want. Working as a doctor as long as I have you build up a healthy sum. Not to mention I came from a wealthy family, and even my vampire family had money so I have never needed anything. I have always lived relatively simply, but now I want a little bit more.

I check the time, and it's a little past four. I messaged Libby this morning to wish her luck and so she would also have my number. She sent back thanks and said she would be at work until four-thirty. Would it be wrong to show up there and wait for her?

I ultimately decide I can't stand it any longer, heading for the door heading to her work. I have plans for this evening. Getting into the new car I now own, I drive to the deli, waiting to catch sight of her, but she never shows. I recheck my phone, but she never messaged me after this morning.

I walk into the deli expecting to see her there or something, but the owner, Jan, is the only one there. Doctor Thomas introduced me to her, and she's one of his patients. So, I have met her a of couple times now.

"Oh, hello, Doctor Morgan." She greets me.

"Good afternoon, Jan. Is Libby here?" I ask, looking around still.

"No, sorry, she called in sick," Jan replies, and I don't know why, but my heart stops. "Oh, okay, thank you. I leave before she can say anything else. I try to call Libby, but her phone goes straight to voice mail. My mind starts racing with thoughts. Is she avoiding me? Did my sister Claudia find her or another one of my family? I only know I need to find Libby.

Getting back in the car and speeding to her house just to see her friend at the door knocking and trying the door handle. I stop the car and hop out.

"I'm looking for Libby. Have you seen her?" I ask, and she gapes at me.

"You and me both. She didn't meet me after class, and I can't find her. That's not like her at all. The last time I saw her, Barns called her to his office." She glares at the thought. I know I shouldn't have let her go. She wanted to quit working as his assistant, but she was afraid of what he might do to her grade if she did."

Anger is surging through me as I get back in the car and get the directions to the college, speeding off to the university, desperate to find her. I have heard her mention the professor a few times in our conversation, and I know she doesn't like him, but if he did anything to her, I will see he pays for it.