Tilting back her head, she gazed up at him with such tenderness and love that he thought his heart might break. Her lips gleamed with his blood.

"Now you'll always be with me," she said, her voice husky.

"You mean... you made me a vampire?"

A smile trembled on her red lips. "Nooo." Stepping away from him, she placed her open hand between her breasts. "From now on, you'll be with me here." She lifted the hand. She tapped her fingers against the side of her head. "And here. If you ever need me, I'll know it."

"I need you now."

"No. Not now, but maybe someday. And if that ever happens, I'll come back."

"But-"

She was gone. She didn't turn and walk away. She didn't vanish in a puff of smoke. She didn't dissolve. Suddenly, she was simply there no more. Larry stared at the daylight glaring in through the garage door.

"Oh, Bonnie," he whispered.

As tears filled his eyes, he lowered his head. There on the garage floor, between the hammer and the stake, stood a pure white sea gull looking up at him.

Larry crouched down.

With a quick flap of wings, the sea gull perched on his knee. It cocked its head to one side.

"You've got to be kidding," he murmured.

The bird pecked his knee. But not very hard. Then it took flight. It circled his head once, buffeting him with the soft breeze of its wings, then flapped its way to the garage door and soared into the sunlight.