Not diamonds, not pictures in the sky, not guides, or any other such foolishness. Just burning balls of gas that could explode at any moment and kill us all. He took a long drag off a cigarette. He didn't enjoy it; the nicotine didn't have a bloodstream to travel through, but cigarettes became his bored accessory long ago, and it remained as such.

Bad habits die hard even in death. Gemini smirked, flicking his cigarette onto the sand. It glowed angrily, then faded, becoming another piece of uncollected trash along the beach.

I miss Jazz. Non-existence is so boring without his perpetual chatter. Wonder if he's got the investigation off his trail yet? Gemini shook his head, rust-colored locks of hair falling dryly against his face. He'd come back in the first place to forget the city and everyone in it. The political intrigue, cloak and dagger crap he and Jazz were connived into "for the good of the council" wasn't doing any good to the fragmented remains of his psyche. He shoved his hands into the worn pockets of his patched trench coat and rested his back against the dilapidated wall of one of the abandoned houses on the beach strip. He leaned his head forward, letting his hair cover his face and closed his eyes. He forced air into his lungs. The salty air still stung.

At least something's remained the same. Gemini lifted his head and pondered the twisted shacks along the shore. They could house a drunk, a killer, a child, a ghost, or a demon. Or all five. I'll believe anything, now. He returned his gaze to his scuffed hiking boots. What's happened to Hererra? Winos in every doorway, beach is trashed; the people seem even less alive than I am. It's worse than it was ten years ago. With two lopsided apartment complexes, a random scattering of houses, a greasy McDonald's, and a 7-11, Hererra barely registered as a stray mark on any map of Southern California.

A trashy beach town in its heyday, it reminded Gemini of a vine clinging to life. Maybe it's just me. Maybe Jazz was right. Death makes everything seem rotten and decayed. I know I didn't always feel as though everything around me was a Hollywood horror movie-reject. And where's the wind? Some of my fondest memories consisted of getting sandblasted whenever I'd walk outside. Well, my fondest next to being on the beach with Cataline. He growled at himself. He thought he came back to forget, but memories kept washing up onshore.

Scratching the back of his neck absently, he moved beyond the beach houses to what Hererra considered its major street. With effort, one car could fit in it. Gemini walked up the empty road, footsteps crackling on the gravel. Red-eyed drunks eyed him from the curb, and paranoid vagabonds watched him from their fires. He reached the end of the street. A few trailers lay ahead, and beyond that, wilderness. Gemini looked to his right. The deflated apartment complex he once resided in seemed to have sunken into itself even more. The drab, yellow brick walls-missing entire chunks in places-barely held the building upright. Rotting green doors hung exhaustedly from their hinges and a flimsy iron staircase led to the second story. A railing guarded the balcony, but the occasional drunkard would manage to fall off anyway. Gemini lifted his gaze to the middle door of the second story.

Cataline. You still around, even? He doubted it. She hated the puny rat-hole town more than he did.

Even if she was still here, think she'd care about you now? Ten years, come on. Don't bother checking to see if she's still here, you've dealt with enough disappointment. Turn around, hunt, get some sleep, and go back to Mettasse. You're a corpse, Jim! You're dead to her and everything you knew. Let it go. He turned his back to the apartments and started for the beach.

Well. Just checking to see if she's here won't do any harm. He jogged back to the staircase and clanged up a few steps. Glancing to his left, he met gazes with a local tough-a slab of muscle that couldn't outwit a barbell. This particular one had a chain wrapped around his neck and eyed Gemini with a smug smirk and a hand resting on a bulge at his hip-a pistol, likely. Gemini continued up the stairs. His appearance remained that of a scrawny, redheaded geek, such as he was ten years ago. A façade, and nothing more.

Trailing his hand along the cool metal of the railing, Gemini halted in front of a door that immediately refreshed memories of extended kisses goodnight and, occasionally, bored philosophical discussions outside peoples' doors. He bit his lip, feeling a twitch of anxiety, and knocked on the door. Taking advantage of the lack of lighting on the second floor, he sank into shadow.

The door swung open, revealing a woman, possibly in her late twenties, wrapped in a blue terrycloth bathrobe. Curly blonde hair fell limply around her thin face, emphasizing tired, red eyes and sunken cheeks suggesting infrequent eating. The beginnings of a hopeful smile lit her face a moment after opening the door, but gave way to confusion. She look up and down the row, and, seeing no one, shut the door with a soft click.

Gemini reappeared and leaned his forehead against the door. So she did stay. Well, now you know. You get to be miserable for the rest of the night because you can't say a word to her. Congratulations! You're an idiot. He wrapped his arms around his stomach, fighting an urge to lash out at his own stupidity and returned to the staircase. The mortal with the chain stood at the foot of the stairs, pointing a pistol at him.

"Alright, pal, drop all your money and I won't blow your puny head off."

Gemini laughed. "How about you drop your little toy there... and I won't give you a real reason to shoot?"

His perplexed attacker backed up a step, shaking the pistol.

"H-hey! I'm the one with the gun! And I'll use it, too! Drop your money, or I-I shoot!"

"I fail to be impressed. Well, at least your blood's still good."

Gemini leapt down the staircase. Two bullets slammed into his shoulder and chest. A definitely unpleasant sensation, but one he was forced to ignore as he came down on the mortal. Pinned beneath a force stronger than he, the mortal could only squirm as Gemini withdrew his revolver-a treasured Colt with as much history as he had-and put an end to his prey's life. With the resistance gone, Gemini was free to feed. One virtue of Hererra-for a vampire, anyway-was a noticeable lack of nosy neighbors.

The body disposed easily enough into the ocean. The ones there to see it were the drunks, and a quick explanation consisting of flamingoes, Catholics, and the Beatles (in no particular order) was enough to confuse them into letting it be. Gemini headed back to the apartments and located his old place. He tested the knob. As he suspected, the lock had been long since torn out. He pushed the door open to discover a completely barren, cramped apartment. Yeah, I'm sure some hobo just had to have my lava lamp and collection of Vampirella comics. He sat down in a corner with a low chuckle and closed his eyes. He heard footsteps outside the door, but no scent of blood. Another vampire? Here?

He snapped his eyes open and rolled towards the door, drawing both his revolvers, and stopped to find himself at the business end of a shotgun wielded by Mickey Harpfield.

"Got yourself a pretty little trinket up there, Jim." Mickey kept the shotgun level with Gemini's head, though he didn't seem to intend to use it.

"For the love of-damn, Mick, not content with being a regular burden on society, you've got to suck its blood, now, too?" With a snort, Gemini put his guns away and folded his arms over his chest.

"I'd keep my toothy mouth shut if I were you. I've been trailing you for three months ever since I got vamp-ized. I'm gonna get my little taste of vengeance on you for pinning all those murders on me. We both know they were just snacks for that idiot friend of yours." Mickey tossed a greasy strand of black hair out his face, and formed what he thought was a menacing sneer.

"Mm, well, yes, but you see, I've hated you ever since I left here, and Jazz needed some cover. End of discussion. Not put down the shotgun before I impale you on it. Move." Gemini shoved the muzzle of the gun away and forced Mickey aside. He didn't resist.

When Gemini was a few feet away, Mickey called after him. "Y'know, Jim, that Cataline chick is a real looker."

Gemini froze and glanced over his shoulder. "How the hell would you know?"

"Oh, I was up there talking to her all nice just a few minutes ago. Bet she woulda taken a shine to me if I hadn't gone ahead and sucked her dry." Mickey grinned, three front teeth missing and the rest blackened.

Gemini's first instinct was to kill. He rushed forward and slammed the surprised vampire in the gut with his knee. Mickey fell to the ground. Gemini picked up the shotgun and broke it in two on Mickey's back. The young vampire groaned, barely moving.

Gemini's second instinct directed him to Cataline. He left Mickey and ran up the stairs, making the frail construction waver several times. He felt a dead weight in his chest as he opened Cataline's door. It was as close to cold terror as he could feel. He spotted Cataline in the front entryway, sprawled on the dirty wooden floor. Blood formed a pool around her head, turning locks of hair crimson. At the slightest hint of blood, Gemini felt his hunger tug at him with an almost unbeatable force.

It's Cataline! Not some hobo in the street, not a victim of random violence, not a regular person, it's...Cataline... Gemini forced his appetite aside. He dropped next to her body and searched for a heartbeat. Dying, but not dead.

Just enough time. Hang in there, darling.

Outside Cataline's apartment, Gemini looked over the railing to see Mickey limping away from the complex. With a growl, Gemini balanced himself atop the weak ironwork and pounced. Mickey turned around and barely registered a look of shock on his face as Gemini came down on him, fangs bared. Rage sent the blood of the mortal he'd fed from into his arms, powering him with strength, and Gemini battered Mickey with his fists until most of the young vampire's facial bones were broken. Gemini picked him up, tossing him over his shoulder, and hurried to the beach house. There, he managed to find a spare rope and a few jagged pieces of wood. He tossed Mickey onto the beach and set to work, imagining he heard Cataline slipping away from him. The stars overhead continued shining, but not as bright as the sun would in only a short while. The night sky began fading to gray.

Mickey regained awareness just as Gemini finished tying his ankle to the last stake. Even his limited knowledge realized the significance of the sun rising, however. He moaned.

"Come on, Jim, don't do this, no, no, no, no..."

Gemini cut him off, eyes blazing with green fire.

"Take it like a man, Harpfield. Thought that would be too much to ask, wouldn't it? There's one rule in vampire society, and you spat on it. Don't piss off your elders." He jammed a year-old piece of garlic into Mickey's mouth to quiet his whimpers.

"For superstition's sake. Enjoy the sunrise, and see you in Hell."

Mickey tried to scream. The tidewaters that would carry away his remains after he disintegrated washed over him as he looked helplessly to the east.

Gemini ran back to Cataline's apartment, mind focused on getting to her. On his way up the stairs, they finally screeched and gave out. The entire staircase clattered to the ground, and Gemini clung to the edge of the second story. He heard people rustling inside their apartments, and knew that it would be a matter of minutes before they came to investigate. He had time enough to escape.

No. Cataline. He yanked himself up and opened Cataline's door, closing and locking it behind him.

Even as he knelt beside Cataline's newly dead body and opened her mouth, his mind argued with him.

You can't honestly be considering bringing her with you! You love her, remember? Don't do this! Be content with the memory; don't ruin it...

Gemini slashed his wrist with his fang and placed it against Cataline's cold lips. Life stirred within her again, and she drank.

Outside, a collection of people in robes and sleepwear collected around the complex, complaining about the terrible construction in Hererra. After several angry phone calls, the town eventually returned to their beds. It was a Sunday morning, after all.

On the beach, sunlight glittered off the ocean waters. One particular patch on the beach shone. Glass, apparently created by a sudden burst of flame. It wouldn't be there long enough to mystify any of the locals, much to Gemini's good fortune, as the tide seemed to strengthen enough to pull it off the beach.

Back in the apartment, Cataline writhed on the floor as the fabric of her body changed dramatically.

Gemini lay beside her, eyes closed, praying.