o record of a family anywhere； and believe me； Miss Perne； I have looked far and wide。〃
〃I believe you。 Tell me； whom did you contact to gather this information？〃
He enjoys that he has my interest。 〃My sources are of course confidential。〃
〃Of course。〃 I stare at him； my stare is very powerful。 Sometimes； if I am not careful；； and I stare too long at a flower； it shrivels and dies。 Mr。 Riley loses his smile and shifts uneasily。 〃Why are you researching me？〃
〃You admit that my facts are accurate？〃 he asks。
〃Do you need my assurances？〃 I pause； my eyes still on him。 Sweat glistens on his forehead。 〃Why the research？〃
He blinks and turns away with effort。 He dabs at the perspiration on his head。 〃Because you fascinate me；〃 he says。 〃I think to myself； here is one of the wealthiest women in the world； and no one knows who she is。 Plus she can't be more than twenty…five years old； and she has no family。 It makes me wonder。〃
〃What do you wonder； Mr。 Riley？〃
He ventures a swift glance at me； he really does not like to look at me； even though I am very beautiful。 〃Why you go to such extremes to remain invisible；〃 he says。
〃It also makes you wonder if I would pay to stay invisible；〃 I say。
He acts surprised。 〃I didn't say that。〃
〃How much do you want？〃
My question stuns him； yet pleases him。 He does not have to be the first to dirty his hands。 What he does not realize is that blood stains deeper than dirt； and that the stains last much longer。 Yes； I think again； he may not have that long to live。
〃How much are you offering？〃 he ventures。
I shrug。 〃It depends。〃
〃On what？〃
〃On whether you tell me who pointed you in my direction。〃
He is indignant。 〃I assure you that I needed no one to point me in your direction。 I discovered your interesting qualities all by myself。〃
He is lying； of that I am positive。 I can always tell when a person lies； almost always。 Only remarkable people can fool me； and then they have to be lucky。 But I do not like to be fooled…so one has to wonder at even their luck。
〃Then my offer is nothing；〃 I say。
He straightens。 He believes he is ready to pounce。 Then my counteroffer； Miss Perne； is to make what I have discovered public knowledge。〃 He pauses。 〃What do you think of that？〃
〃It will never happen。〃〃
He smiles。 〃You don't think so？〃
I smile。 〃You would die before that happened。〃
He laughs。 〃You would take a contract out on my life？〃
〃Something to that effect。〃
He stops laughing； now deadly serious； now that we are talking； about death。 Yet I keep my smile since death amuses me。 He points a finger at me。
〃You can be sure that if anything happened to me the police would be at your door the same day；〃 he says。
〃You have arranged to send my records to someone else；〃 I say。 〃Just in case something should happen to you？〃
〃Something to that effect。〃 He is trying to be witty。 He is also lying。 I slide back farther into my chair。 He thinks I am relaxing； but I position myself so that my legs are straight out。 If I am to strike； I have decided； it will be with my right foot。
〃Mr。 Riley；〃 I say。 〃We should not argue。 You want something from me； and I want something from you。 I am prepared to pay you a million dollars； to be deposited in whatever account you wish； in whatever part of the world you desire； if you will tell me who made you aware of me。〃
He looks me straight in the eye； tries to； and surely he feels the heat building up inside me because he flinches before he speaks。 His voice es out uneven and confused。 He does not understand why I am suddenly so intimidating。
〃No one is interested in you except me；〃 he says。
I sigh。 〃You are armed； Mr。 Riley。〃
〃I am？〃
I harden my voice。 〃You have a gun under your coat。 You have a gun on your desk under those papers。 You are taping this conversation。 Now； one might think these are all standard blackmail precautions； but I don't think so。 I am a young woman。 I don't look dangerous。 But someone has told you that I am more dangerous than I look and that I am to be treated with extreme caution。 And you know that that someone is right。〃 I pause。 〃Who is that someone； Mr。 Riley？〃
He shakes his head。 He is looking at me in a new light； and he doesn't like what he sees。 My eyes continue to bore into him。 A splinter of fear has entered his mind。
〃H…how do you know all these things？〃 he asks。
〃You admit my facts are accurate？〃 I mimic him。
He shakes his head again。
〃Now I allow my voice to change； to deepen； to resonate with the fullness of my incredibly long life。 The effect on him is pronounced； he shakes visibly； as if he is suddenly aware that he is sitting next to a monster。 But I am not just any monster。 I am a vampire； and in many ways； for his sake； that may be the worst monster of all。
〃Someone has hired you to research me；〃 I say。 〃I know that for a fact。 Please don't deny it again； or you will make me angry。 I really am uncontrollable when I am angry。 I do things I later regret； and I would regret killing you； Mr。 Riley…but not for long。〃 I pause。
〃Now； for the last time； tell me who sent you after me； and I will give you a million dollars and let you walk out of here alive。〃 He stares at me incredulously。 His eyes see one thing； and his ears hear another； I know。 He sees a pretty blond girl with startlingly blue eyes； and he hears the velvety voice of a succubus from hell。 It is too much for him。 He begins to stammer
〃Miss Perne；〃 he begins。 〃You misunderstand me。 I mean you no harm。 I just want to plete a simple business deal with you。 No one has to 。。。 get hurt。〃
I take in a long； slow breath。 I need air； but I can hold my breath for over an hour if I must。 Yet now I let out the breath before speaking again； and the room cools even more。 And Mr。 Riley shivers。
〃Answer my question；〃 I say simply。
He coughs。 〃There is no one else；〃
〃You'd better reach for your gun。〃
〃Pardon？〃
〃You are going to die now。 I assume you prefer to die fighting。；〃
〃Miss Perne…〃
〃I am five thousand years old。〃
He blinks。 〃What？〃
I give him my full； uncloaked gaze； which I have used in the past…alone…to kill。 〃I am a vampire；〃 I say softly。 〃And you have pissed me off。〃
He believes me。 Suddenly he believes every horror story he has been told since he was a little boy。 That they were all true： the dead things hungering for the warm living flesh； the bony hand ing out of the closet in the black of night； the monsters from another page of reality； the unturned page…who could look so human； so cute。
He reaches for his gun。 Too slowly； much too。
I shove myself out of my chair with such force that I am momentarily airborne。 My senses switch into a hyper…accelerated mode。 Over the last few thousand years； whenever I am threatened； I have developed the ability to view events in extreme slow motion。 But this does not mean that I slow down； quite the opposite。 Mr。 Riley sees nothing but a blur flying toward him。 He does not see that as I'm moving。 I have cocked my leg to deliver a devastating blow。
My right foot lashes out。 My heel catches him in the center of the breastbone。 I hear the bones crack as he topples backward onto the floor； his weapon still bolstered inside his coat。 Although I moved toward him in a horizontal position； I land smoothly on my feet。 He sprawls on the floor at my feet beside his overturned chair。 Gasping for breath； blood pouring out of his mouth。 I have crushed the walls of his heart as well as the bones of his chest； and he is going to die。 But not just yet。 I kneel beside him and gently put my hand on his head。 Love often flows through me for my victims。
〃Mike；〃 I say gently。 〃You would not listen to me。〃
He is having trouble breathing。 He drowns in his own blood…I hear it gurgling deep in his lungs…and I am tempted to put my lips to his and suck it away for him。 Such a temptation； to sate my thirst。 Yet I leave him alone。
〃Who？〃 he gasps at me。
I continue to stroke his head； 〃I told you the truth。 I am a vampire。 You never stood a chance against me。 It's not fair； but it is the way it is。〃 I lean close to his mouth； whisper in his ear。〃Now tell me the truth and I will stop your pain。 Who sent you after me？〃
He stares at me with wide eyes。 〃Slim；〃 he whispers。
〃Who is Slim？ A man？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Very good； Mike。 How do you contact him？〃
〃No。〃
〃Yes。〃 I caress his cheek。 〃Where is this Slim？〃
He begins to cry。 The tears； the blood…they make a pitiful bination。 His whole body trembles。 〃I don't want to die；〃 he moans。 〃My boy。〃
〃Tell me about Slim and I will take care of your boy；〃 I say。 My nature is kind； deep inside。 I could have said if you don't tell me about Slim； I will find your dear boy and slowly peel off his skin。 But Riley is in too much pain to hear me； and I immediately regret； striking so swiftly； not slowly torturing the truth out of him。 I did tell him that I was impulsive when I'm angry； and it is true。
〃Help me；〃 he pleads； choking。
〃I'm sorry。 I can only kill； I cannot heal； and you are too badly hurt。〃 I sit back on my heels and glance around the office。 I see on the desktop a picture of Mr。 Riley posed beside a handsome boy of approximately eighteen。 Removing my right han