CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

Aric waited in his car outside the bordello, watching as other vampires came and went, but he still couldn't bring himself to join them.

The notion of caressing another lady had been appealing on the way there, but he quickly lost interest once he arrived.

Sitting in his car, he mused, "What has she done to me?"

When someone rapped on his window, he leaped startlingly.

As he looked up, he realized Henry was gazing at him from behind the pane of glass.

He sighed and pushed open the door, leaving the warm inside for the cold outside.

Henry slapped his pal on the shoulder and said, "Hey, Aric." "Are you going to come inside, or are you just going to sit in the parking lot and observe people like some kind of crazy weirdo?"

Aric said with a forced chuckle, "I intended to be the strange eccentric."

His pal questioned, "What's wrong?" as he sulked.

Aric groaned; his best buddy knew the truth about how he felt.

I feel like I've made a huge mistake," he sobbed against his automobile.

Henry ex