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  We step outside into the heat of the New Orleans air. Even at 1:00 am, the street is still filled with people. I turn around to see Andrew’s guy in the lights of Bourbon. Immediately I recognize him. I did not know his name, but I did know he lives in the dorms.

  “Hi,” I wave at him with a smile before turning to Andrew.

  “Michelle wants to go find Daniel. He is somewhere on Bourbon Street.”

  Andrew rolls his eyes. I can tell he doesn’t want to, but if I know him like I think I do, he won’t say no. I wait for an answer.

  “All right,” he says. “Lead the way Michelle.”

  I did not need to ask to know that his little friend is coming with us. I look at Michelle who points in the direction we need to go. We begin walking. I wonder what people are thinking as Michelle and I walk hand in hand followed by Andrew and his new guy doing the same. We take a turn off Bourbon Street and find an Irish pub steps away. Immediately we spot Daniel through the glass windows. He hops out of his seat as Michelle waves at him.

  “Hey,” greets Daniel.

  He nods his head at all of us before leaning in and giving Michelle a kiss on the lips. Michelle smiles at his romantic gesture. I can see all the worries of this past week flush away as hope for her future replaces it. As the two of them begin small talk, I survey the bar. It is literally a hole in the wall fitted between two shops. It is like they had extra space they didn’t know what to do with so they put a bar there. The crowd is a bit rougher than Bourbon. Men with gnarly beards wearing biker like t-shirts stare out at us. Immediately I know this would not be a place that Andrew and his friend would be walking into. I look at the two of them. Andrew is smiling but they are no longer holding hands. An invisible line has been drawn and this is not an acceptable place for Andrew to show emotion towards another man. I bite my lip as I think about how unfair it seems, but then again, I am sure there are many places in the world where it is unacceptable for anyone to show emotion.

  “Sorry about the scene,” apologizes Daniel. “I am hanging out with some high school friends. They are a bit different than my college friends.”

  He shrugs his shoulders apologetically at the group. Then he continues talking.

  “We can go somewhere else if you like?”

  I wait for Andrew to respond. I want to see what he is comfortable with. He thinks for a moment and then looks at his new guy friend.

  “I am actually getting tired,” replies Andrew. “I was thinking about heading back to campus. That is if everyone is ready.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Michelle shoulder’s drop in defeat. I am conflicted. I can always stay out with Michelle and we could catch a cab home, but I am tired and ready for sleep. I stand there pondering what would be best.

  “Michelle and Kimber could stay out with me. I could give them a ride if you want to go back,” replies Daniel.

  Michelle looks up at Daniel. It is her knight in shining armor to the rescue. I cannot help but smile. She looks at me secretly willing me to say yes. However, fatigue is draining my body. The tequila shots are affecting me quick.

  “Do you think you two could go without me?” I ask. “I am really tired and I think I will just catch a ride back to the dorms with Andrew.”

  I glance at Andrew. He nods his head. Michelle seems to be on the edge of a cliff ready to jump off as the excitement builds up in her expressing itself through her smile. Secretly, this is what she wanted. To be alone with Daniel even if it meant having to hang out in an Irish pub turned biker bar with some of his high school friends. I shoot her a ‘you’re welcome’ look before turning my attention to Daniel. I take a step forward toward him as my face gets serious.

  “Now you’re going to take care of her right?” I ask

  He is a bit taken back by my forwardness. I can feel him shrink a little under my intense scrutiny. He pauses then nods his head in agreement.

  “Yes, Ma’am,” he responds courteously.

  I give him one more stern look before relieving my gaze. I whip my phone open and take down his number just in case I need to check up on them later. Then, just to be on the safe side, I call him while standing there to make sure he gets my number. I give Michelle a hug before departing with Andrew and his newly acquired man.

  We walk away from Bourbon Street and onto the side streets leading towards the Mississippi. The crowds have thinned out. Now the only people we see are the stragglers. Some of them sing loudly fueled by alcohol. Others walk quietly as they retreat into the night. I take a deep whiff of the air. The winds must have shifted as the smell of the brackish Mississippi ascends upon the city. Fog rolls off in the distance blurring out the street lamps. The gentle light filtering through the fog reminds me of a child’s night light and I am all too aware of my tired body. I let out a sigh. Andrew’s car is clear across the French quarter and walking seems a daunting task that I am reluctant to complete.

  The task is made even more difficult by the company I keep. Andrew is giddy. It is a side of him I haven’t yet seen. I look back at him and his friend holding hands. Every so often, they disappear in a crevice of a building no doubt sneaking kisses. The walk to them is nothing more than a form of foreplay. I shudder as my mind thinks about things it has not been introduced to yet. I am barely getting used to seeing boys and girls making out freely in public. I walk forward allowing as much space in between me and the two love birds as I felt comfortable with. I wait patiently as they disappear into the side of the building then pop back out.

  Eventually my patience runs thin as I walk further and further ahead of them. Slowly, I place one foot in front of the other moving slower than a snail as I wait for them to catch up. I am beginning to become annoyed with Andrew. When I am a block ahead of them, I stop and wait. When they pop out I start walking again. I pass a small alley. I glance down it to catch a couple locked in a tender embrace in the shadows. A tall slender man with jet black hair has his back to me and his arms wrapped around a woman with brown flowing hair. Her face is hidden as they share an intimate embrace.

  Is everyone finding dark corners to make out in? Jeez! I think to myself a bit frustrated.

  Quickly I pass the alley giving the couple their privacy and look back. Andrew is nowhere to be seen but I can hear his laugh. Patiently I wait for him to pop back out and begin walking. It is then that I hear it. The sound of pain comes out of the alley way I had just passed. The woman’s voice sounds urgent to cry out yet too weak to be loud. My heart begins to race as my mind thinks of what I should do. I look around for anyone, but I am alone on the street. The only other people are the two sets of couples hiding in the shadows, but one of them sounds all wrong. I hear another small cry that causes my heart to stop.

  A voice of reason rises up in my head fighting my emotions. It could be my imagination getting away from me, but for some reason I know this to be false. My mind struggles with what to do in this situation. I know I cannot cower away. I cannot leave and do nothing. If the woman really is in danger and I find out later from a sad news story, then I will be haunted by guilt. Within a few seconds I muster as much courage as I can willing my weak knees to bare weight as I move forward. I walk back to the alley and look down it. My heart drops as I see the look of pain on the woman’s face and a man latching on to her. Her eyes find mine pleading for help. In the alley, I find a pipe beside the garbage. Without thinking I grab the three foot piece of metal out of the pile of waste and bang it against the trash can.

  “Hey asshole!” I yell making as much noise as possible.

  The man’s body straightens. He let’s go of the woman. She crumples unnaturally to the ground. My heart races as adrenaline replaces some of the fear. I tense up as it pumps through my body. I look at the lifeless person lying in a pile beneath the man’s feet. Is she dead? I cannot think of that right now all I can think about is landing this metal pipe into his head. All I can concentrate on is fighting this guy to get him away from the woman. I need to know she is ok.

>   Slowly his thin frame turns around revealing the face of the blacked haired man. My heart stops as I watch glowing red eyes lock onto mine. His skin is pale white causing the red in his eyes to reflect. A smile creeps upon his face revealing long pointy canines jutting out of his mouth.

  What have you gotten yourself into? Where the hell is Andrew?

  “This must be my lucky night,” hisses the man through a very toothy smile. “Very rarely does someone as succulent as you walk so willingly into my midst. I’ll have you know miss, I like my women with some spice.”

  “What have you done to her?” My question demands an answer.

  “Same thing I am going to do to you.”

  With speed faster than my eyes can catch he is running towards me. Without hesitation I swing the metal rod. Contact! I feel the metal vibrate painfully shaking through me as I send my assailant flying back into the alley. The act would have perhaps knocked out a normal man. However, it only angers him. He jets back toward me. I swing one more time. This time the attacker is ready. He dodges to the side and grabs me by the throat and shoulder dragging me deeper into the alley. I hit him with the pipe one more time, but it does no real damage. It only seems to anger him more.

  Where the hell is Andrew?! The attacker slams my back up against the wall.

  This whole thing is happening way too quickly. It feels like hours but in all reality it is probably only a minute. I struggle and kick my feet fighting against him for what seems to be my life. I look down at my assailant. There is a cut across his face from where the metal rod made contact. Blood unnaturally gushes out of the wound. Rage sparks from his red glowing eyes as he lifts me higher. I take one more deep breath before my air supply is cut off completely. Pain fills my senses as white stone hands close tighter around my neck. My feet dangle helplessly. I look into the eyes of a demon. I will never regret the decision I made to try and help someone. Even if it means I will be lying right next to her in only a few short minutes.

  “I am going to enjoy this more than you will ever know,” hisses the demon. His fangs begin to grow longer as he opens his mouth and pulls my neck towards him. I look away. I will not have my last vision be him.

  Before his fangs can pierce my skin I see a flurry of fur. My body collapses to the ground. On the way down, I feel the back of my head slam into the brick wall and I am in a pile beside his other victim. Through blurred vision I look at the lifeless mass of the woman. I cannot see her face. Her head is turned the other way. I want to reach out to check on her, but the action going on around me mixed with my fading vision causes my body to still on the ground.

  My eyes close in hopes this is all just a bad dream. My other senses heighten allowing me to decipher what is going on around me. I hear the scuffling of feet as two things fight unrelentingly. I hear the growl of a dog or beast. Then I hear what sounds like the tearing of wet clothes. A gurgling sound rises up met only by the growl of some huge animal. The scuffles die down. I chance a look. Through my limited sight, I see my attacker lying on the ground in front of me with a giant wolf like dog tearing his flesh apart.

  This must be a dream. The bump on my head must have instantly knocked me out.

  Through swirls, I see the demon become limp then dissipate leaving nothing but a pile of clothes. His flesh gradually shrinks turning to dust. My eyes flutter then close. My brain wants me to rest. The adrenaline plus the bump on my head is making me sleepier than before the attack. I will my eyes open. The air in front of me looks like it is vibrating as the form of a man appears. My eyes flutter open and all I see is Ty’s face in mine.

  I must be dreaming. Maybe I am not dreaming. Maybe I am dead. Maybe the demon of a man finished me off and somehow my afterlife is finding peace with Ty as my guide.

  “Kimber,” I hear the urgent, worried voice of Ty. “Are you ok?”

  “Am I in heaven,” I whisper.

  All around Ty’s face is swirling. I cannot make sense of it. I feel Ty’s hands touch the back of my neck. He feels around for a few seconds. His attention then goes to the woman beside me. Within seconds he is back with me.

  “Kimber!” I hear my name called out in the distance.

  “Kimber, who is that?” demands Ty as he continues checking over me.

  His words are deliberately slow so I can process them. The demand in his voice forces me to stay with him until I know I am completely safe.

  “Andrew,” I say my breath no louder than a whisper. I am so tired. “My neighbor… my friend.”

  I hear Ty hustling. My eyes are droopy as I lie on the ground where I fell. I think I see him grab the clothes of the attacker and put them on, but I can be wrong. This cannot be real. Why would Ty need more clothes? My mind is in a haze. This one is not caused by alcohol. There is something seriously wrong. It is as if my mind and my senses are detached. One cannot make sense of the other. I close my eyes willing the two to work together. Then I feel my body lift off the ground. The air moves around me as I feel myself being carried forward.

  “Kimber!”

  Andrew’s voice pierces through the muddled haze in my mind. I hear the fear and concern as footsteps rush closer. Ty draws me into his chest holding me tighter to him.

  “Is she ok?” Worry and concern etches through Andrew’s voice.

  “She fell,” replies Ty. “I think she has a bit of a concussion. Why weren’t you with HER?”

  Ty’s voice is angry. I can feel the rumbling building up in his chest as my head presses into it. He is tense. Every muscle in his body seems to twitch with anger, yet his hold on me is gentle and sure. I touch his chest with my hand hoping to calm him. His body stiffens under my unexpected touch.

  “We were,’ replies Andrew. “We just got caught up a bit and she was ahead of us.”

  Andrew’s excuse sounds like that of a reprimanded child. I hear pain in his words.

  “Who are you?” Demands Andrew finally finding his voice

  “I am Ty. Kimber, Michelle and I are all in class together.” His voice etched with disgust towards Andrew.

  “YOU’RE Ty,” scoffs Andrew.

  A long pause follows. My eyes remain closed. I can feel my body slump in fatigue. My mind drifts off. I want to sleep. Ty repositions my body. My head falls closer to his heart. He wraps my arms around his neck. I do my best to hold on.

  “She needs to be checked out,” states Ty. “I am taking her to the doctors.”

  “I can do that,” interjects Andrew.

  “Clearly you cannot,” Ty’s angry voice rings out in my ears, “Otherwise she would not be in this state. Now, pull out your phone and take down my number. Give it to Michelle as well.”

  I fall asleep as Ty begins to shout out numbers. No longer can I stay awake or control my body. I am completely helpless. My thoughts drift to Ty. I am in his arms. He has rescued me from only God knows what kind of fate. However, there can be no more thought of that. All I can do now is rely on Ty. I am helpless in his arms.

  Chapter 6: The day after

  I jerk awake. The sun filters through the window shedding light on an unfamiliar room. I am in a bed I do not recognize. My head is pounding. Where am I? My mind tries hard to think back to last night. I remember Bourbon. I remember a dark alley, the woman, and then… Ty.

  Ty was there. He rescued me. I look out the window trying to grasp my location. My eyes lock onto the long poles reaching for the sky. I look past them to see boats tied up onto rows of docks. The poles must be from sailboats. The only place I can think of is the Marina. I must be in one of the boat houses in the Marina. A knock on the door startles me and my heart takes flight. Last night’s events are a blur in my mind, but the few fragments I remember cause me to be on edge. The door cracks open a bit as Ty pops his head into the room. He doesn’t look at me just yet. He looks at a wall nowhere near me as if waiting for my permission.

  “Do you mind if I come in?” asks Ty.

  “Please come in,” I say.

  I sit up right in the bed.
I quickly run my fingers through my hair. I feel like a hot mess and am sure I look it too. Ty opens the door revealing a tray he is carrying. He sits it next to me on the queen size bed. On the tray is a plate filled with toast, eggs and bacon. Next to the plate are two glasses. One has orange juice and the other water. I also notice the little packet of Tylenol resting on the napkin. This is the first time a guy has brought me breakfast in bed. I feel my face flush at the thought even though the circumstances are beyond ideal.

  “Thank you,” I reply.

  I grab the juice first and take a drink. The liquid soothes my throat. Ty walks around the bed and sits in the chair by the window. I begin to dive into the food. My stomach growls welcoming the nourishment it is about to receive. I bite into a piece of bacon. Ty watches me eat.

  “Did you eat already?” I ask

  “Yes,” replies Ty with a crooked smile.

  “How long have I been asleep?”

  “For about eight hours,” replies Ty. “After the attack, I brought you to my home. I was worried about letting you sleep, but my sister Sarah said your concussion was only minor and as long as we monitored you, it should be ok. Sarah is a nurse in the ER. She has seen enough to know if we needed to take you to the hospital or not. That’s why I brought you here. You were lucky I was walking past. I had been out with my friends... Do you remember any of last night?”

  I search my head for memories as I take another bite of bacon. The food is incredible satiating something deep in me. I think hard about the events of last night. There is nothing but fog. I rack my brain trying to remember but all it does is cause my head to hurt more. One thing I do remember is the woman.

  “Is the woman ok?” I ask.

  I can see Ty noticeably tense up at the question. He studies my face. Cautiously he begins to answer my question.

  “She is fine,” he states hesitantly.

  “I was so worried about her,” I reply, “and what of the attacker?”