Amoureux du Vampire

Serenity

Jakarta, Indonesia

Jacques watches Hope ... she's been relatively stable the last few months. Relatively.

Papillon and her mates thankfully didn't push the criminal charges. They were more concerned about their growing family than putting an emotionally and mentally disturbed woman behind bars. At least Larry felt that way, Papillon, not so much. Jacques knew better than to try communicating with her, she wanted blood.

He and Hope have been living in Southeast Asia, with Jacques going back home every month or so to tie up loose ends and try to protect Hope's reputation.  No one knows  just how unstable she was, their friends and family think Jacques took a resident position with Doctors Without Borders Asia.

The drug regimen had been working, but over the past few days Hope has been backsliding. She's been so paranoid.

Jacques POV

Hope how are you?

"Fine."

She goes to the window and closes the blinds.

"They're gone now."

Who?

"They're watching me, us. I'm telling you she wants to kill me. She hired someone to kill me! Jacques they're coming... I see them watching."

Did you see your doctor today?

"Yes, that's how I know ... I saw them following me. Don't leave me again. Please."

I won't, I'm back now, it's Ok  .... It's OK.

"Jacques, that new woman, the new one downstairs the one downstairs .... I liked her at first. She acts like she knows. She acts like she knows everything."

Hope she's a therapist. She does know things, she's here to help you ...

"Oh,  well, that makes some sense ... that's why she talks the way she talks. She says things to me. She says nice things but then once I knew, and I knew that they knew, everything changed."

What changed Hope?

"I'm not good with myself, I can't be by myself because they're watching. Jacques everything changed ... It was good for her to be here when you were gone but now .... She looks at me and you know. Jacques you know she locks me in this room. I trust her, but I don't trust her you know what I mean? Babe she's nice but ... but she could be in on it too. They want to kill me. I'm sorry. I didn't hurt her and I didn't hurt the baby. I'm sorry I hit her husband. But she has two, you know she has two right, but they still want to hurt me. They still want to kill me don't you understand? Ohhh, everybody knows. ..."

I hug her, and she begins to shake and cry.

This cannot go on.

Ma cherie, I think you need some time ... away.

"Yes. I think I do ... I feel it, it's getting stronger and stronger. I know she does too. I know it. We both know. Jacques we know."

Know what?  Please tell me.

"You don't understand. It's us, me and her we ... we ...."

Hope pulls away and sits by the window, she starts mumbling then curls into a ball and gets quiet.

I leave the room and close the door. I began to lock, but change my mind.

"Good choice, she panics if she hears the door lock. She's not going anywhere."