“We need to follow the limousine,” Joe said.  

“Let’s go.”  

Nancy and Joe hurried to the van. Joe jumped in and started the engine as Nancy climbed in beside him. As soon as he heard the door close, he hit the gas.  

Joe pulled into traffic. He could see the limousine ahead of them. Nancy asked, “What has gotten into Frank?”  

“I don’t know. As he left, he had the same dazed look he had in school yesterday. I don’t think he knows what he’s doing.”  

“The limousine turned up ahead.”  

“I see it,” Joe said. He made the turn. The limousine was right in front of them. “I wonder where they’re going.”  

“Have you seen the limousine before?”  

“It’s the same one Frank got into after school yesterday. I didn’t find out where they went, but we will now.”  

The limousine made another turn. Joe was about to make the turn when a truck pulled in front of the van. Joe slammed on the brakes. The van stopped inches from the truck.  

Joe slammed the steering wheel with his hand. He couldn’t believe the limousine had gotten away again. He looked at Nancy.  

She said, “Come on. We’ll find the limousine. We’ll find Frank.”  

Joe knew Nancy was trying to be optimistic. Joe said, “I hope you’re right, but I’m worried.”  

* * * * *  

Someone was kissing his neck. Frank enjoyed the feeling. He slowly opened his eyes. He turned his head and realized he was resting on something soft. The woman was beside him.  

She was wearing a sleek black dress. She had her head propped up by her arm.  

Frank moistened his lips. He asked, “How long have I been asleep?”  

“Not long.” She reached over and touched his face.  

Frank looked at her. He wondered how he got there. He couldn’t remember anything and he didn’t care. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her lips were bright red. He hair was soft when he touched it. He eyes were bright blue.  

Frank said, “I’ve never met anyone like you before.”  

“You are just like a dream,” she said. “I dreamed we would meet. I’m grateful we did. We belong together.”  

She touched his arm. He could feel his arm start to tingle. Frank’s head began to swim. He saw her move closer. He closed his eyes. He felt her lips touch his.  

His body went limp. He knew there was something he needed to remember. There was someone he was supposed to remember, but he couldn’t. He felt her lips touch his. He could feel her am on his. He forgot everything else.  

She continued to kiss his neck. Frank said softly, “I don’t want to leave you.”  

She stopped kissing him. She said, “We’ll be together soon.”  

“It won’t be soon enough.”  

“We’ll soon be together. We’ll be together forever.” She kissed Frank.  

He knew this was the only place to be.  

* * * * *  

Frank slowly opened his eyes and blinked against the sunlight. The sun was bright. He shielded his eyes as he sat up. He pulled his hand away from his face and looked around. He realized he was sitting on the porch behind his house.  

As he looked around, he wondered how he ended up on the porch. He had been having dinner with Joe and Nancy. But everything after that was blank. He had no idea what had gone on.  

He hoped Joe and Nancy would be able to fill him in. He got to his feet and went inside. The house was quiet. He went through the kitchen and down the hallway to the living room.  

As he reached the threshold, he looked into the living room. Nancy was asleep on the couch. Joe was snoring softly in the armchair.  

Frank creased his eyebrow. He had no idea why they were asleep in the living room. He took a step into the living room and the floor creaked.  

Nancy and Joe jumped to their feet. They looked at Frank.  

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Frank said.  

Frank realized Joe was staring at him. Joe asked, “Where have you been?”  

“On the porch,” Frank answered.  

“That’s not true,” Joe said. “We both looked when we got home.” Joe moved over to Frank. “Where did you go in the limousine?”  

“What limousine?”  

“It was a black limousine. We followed the limousine after you got in, but we lost it.”  

“I wasn’t in a limousine, Joe. You must be mistaken.” Frank moved farther into the living room. “I was at dinner with both of you.”  

“You were, but you left. You got into the limousine. I saw you.”  

Frank shook his head. He said, “It’s not possible.”  

“It’s true,” Nancy said.  

“It can’t be,” Frank said.  

“It is.”  

“Nancy is telling the truth,” Joe said.  

Frank turned away from Nancy and Joe. He couldn’t believe what they were saying. It just didn’t seem possible.  

“Frank,” Nancy said, getting his attention. He turned to face her. She touched his arm. “What do you remember?”  

Frank moved further into the living room and sat down in the chair Joe had been sleeping in. He watched as Nancy sat down on the couch and Joe settled beside her.  

“I remember the three of us going to dinner. We had been talking about what we’ve been doing since we last saw one another.”  

“What else?” Joe asked.  

“I woke up on the porch.” Frank couldn’t believe he couldn’t remember anything else. “That’s it. My mind is blank.”  

“This is bad,” Joe said.  

“You have to remember something,” Nancy said.  

“I don’t,” Frank said looking at both of them.  

“Something weird is going on,” Nancy said. “It’s not like you to forget things.”  

“Then what happened?” Joe asked.  

“We’ll find out.”  

“But how?”  

“This may be the connection between the deaths.”  

“What deaths?” Frank asked.  

Nancy told Frank what she found out at the library. She said, “All the victims had the same build as you. All the victims could easily resemble you.”  

“But what does that have to do with me?”  

“I don’t know. All the victims died of blood loss.”  

“The news anchor said this was the work of vampires,” Joe said.  

“There is no such thing as vampires,” Frank said.  

“I don’t believe in vampires either,” Nancy said. “But there is something involved.”  

“It’s not a vampire,” Frank said.  

“Then what’s doing this?” Joe asked.  

They were all quiet. No one had an answer. Frank broke the silence. “There’s nothing involved. I must have blacked out. That’s the only solution. That’s the end of it.”