The Power by Cynthia Roberts

beside him. She was an exceptionally tall woman, thin like a model with no breasts to speak of, but she had a nice little body all the same. If only she kept her mouth shut instead of constantly rambling on, Jack thought in agitation. Jack looked over at her, meeting her bright blue eyes.
    “Check his neck. There are two puncture wounds, just like before.” she blurted out, and it was all Jack could do not to roll his eyes heavenward. He peered down at the body making his own assessments. The man looked as if he had been in good shape, an athlete of some sort or a jogger perhaps? Jack stepped forward and crouched down low. Taking his flashlight, he nudged the victim’s head to the side and wasn’t surprised to see the two puncture wounds looking like two, tiny black holes in the man’s fleshy neck. Dr. Harold was a lunatic with her wild beliefs and theories, but she wasn’t a liar. She had told him that the holes would be there and they were.
    “That doesn’t mean the guy is without blood.” Jack flashed his light around on the paved ground for any sign of blood. Not a drop. How had that been accomplished? The last killing had been a bloodbath, red splattered everywhere like paint! This kill was different. It was more cleanly done. Simple. Clean. Precise. Puzzled, Jack stood to his tall height and continued to comb the area with curious, amber eyes.
    “Who found him?” Jack asked.
    One of the uniforms, a handsome young man who looked fresh out of high school, nodded back down the alley to where a Hispanic kid was being detained by two more uniformed officers.
    “The kid was screaming that a monster did this, Jack. He swears she drank the man’s blood.” Dr. Harold stepped in closer to whisper. Jack had to smile. It was just too insane. He turned, smiling at Dr. Harold. Her expression stayed the same however, drop dead serious as stone!
    “So, what? Your expert opinion, Dr. Harold, is that we’re dealing with a vampire here, a female vampire to be exact?” he scoffed in good humor.
    “He said that she had the man off the ground, Jack. His feet were dangling in the air. He said there was blood on her mouth, on her…” Nicole stopped; suddenly she seemed very aware that the two other officers had crept in closer to listen.
    “Her what?” Jack countered, feeling more than a little agitated by such nonsense.
    “Her fangs, Jack.” Nicole finished on an a low whisper. Jack laughed out loud and the other two men joined in at her expense. Her lips pursed with pride.
    “Good one.” Jack said with a nod that meant he was finished with this conversation and then he turned and walked back down the alley to where the other two officers and the short, Hispanic boy stood.
    “Good evening…?” he searched for the boy’s name as the boy’s round, dark eyes shot up and flew open wide on his caramel face.
    “Jose. Jose Gonzales.” The boy replied in a shaky voice as Jack waved the other two officers to back away. “Are you going to call me crazy too?” Jose snapped angrily.
    “Depends. Are you going to insist you saw a female vampire sucking some guy’s blood?” Jack returned sarcastically, flashing an amused grin.
    “Asshole.” Jose returned furiously. “I know what I saw! I’m not loco! She was there, and she was real. She was so strong. She nearly broke my wrist.”
    “Your wrist? Then you had contact with this woman?” Jack was suddenly interested.
    “She walked right by us. She was so pretty, man. I told her I could eat her alive, but it seems she was the one doing the eating tonight, eh?” Jose rambled as if suddenly lost in his thoughts.
    “God help me.” Jack mumbled as he grabbed the bridge of his nose and shook his dark, blonde head. This was getting him nowhere. All this talk of vampires was ludicrous.
    “You should listen to what he has to say.” Dr. Harold suddenly stepped to Jack’s side.
    “What he has to say makes no sense.” Jack returned, clenching his teeth. “Vampires do