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go."
    Roberto said, "Thank you for your assistance." Juan replied, "I hope you know what you're Scent of a Vampire – Jude Stephens
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    doing." Roberto raised his eyebrow inquiringly.
    "With the girl. Are you sure you want to go down that path?"
    Roberto took a menacing step forward, "No. Are you sure you want to go down this path?"
    Juan put his hands in the air. "Just trying to divert disaster amigo."
    He turned toward me, "It was nice meeting you Olivia. I have never met a Sensay before. The experience has been quite stimulating." he said with a mischievous smile. With a small bow he got back into the car and drove away.
    "We better start walking. I don't like being out in the open." Roberto said.
    "You call this out in the open?" I asked disbelievingly.
    "Yes. These are the days of satellite images and Google earth. No one is safe from people who want to find you." I had to chuckle. "I have a hard time picturing you on Google earth."
    Roberto came and stood so close to me that his body was touching mine. "Why is that Miss Sherman? Is it because you think of me as a monster? What did you say earlier? Oh yes, a bloodsucking vampire. Well, believe it or not, I know about Google earth, and I know about kids dying from cancer, and the plight of our rainforests and carbon footprints. I have friends and family I love just like you love yours. The human race does not have a monopoly on that, neither do you as you are not human either."
    He began walking, with me just standing there with my mouth hanging open. I snapped out of it and started walking to catch up. I didn't want to be out here lost and alone. He was right. I had been dwelling on him being different, a vampire. And now I'm different too. When did I become so judgmental? My parents never raised me to judge others. They were always about love.
    Loving people, loving the earth, loving life. Why had I always been ashamed of that when I was growing up? Why was I afraid of being like them? The world would be a better place if more people were like my parents.
    Thinking about them made my heart ache. I had to make sure they were safe. Let them know I loved them and appreciated who they were and what they taught me. I became aware that I had lagged behind and could not see Roberto anymore. I started to feel a little panicky and I stepped up my pace as I began to sing. "Welcome to my nightmare, welcome to my breakdown...." Suddenly a hand clamped over my mouth and I tried to scream when Roberto whispered in my ear, "Be quiet." I nodded my head and he removed his hand.
    "Is someone out there?" I whispered back.
    "No. I think its best that we are as quiet as possible and your singing is not quiet."
    "Are you saying I sing badly?" I asked him with narrowed eyes.

    Scent of a Vampire – Jude Stephens
    Page 42 of 172
    "Not exactly. I'm saying it's inappropriate for this type of occasion."
    "Well, I'm sorry. I tend to sing when I'm nervous or upset or happy. It kind of slips out." I apologized. Roberto looked at me with his eyebrow raised and deadpanned, "Did you ever try eating chocolate like a normal woman?"
    I couldn't believe it. Mr. Stodgy himself was trying to be of all things, humorous. I gave him a smile. And in return he gave me a wide smile back. Good Lord the man was positively lethal when he smiled like that.
    We seemed to have reached a truce and the rest of the walk was in comfortable silence until I said, "I didn't call you a bloodsucking vampire. Janel called you that." He didn't reply but reached over and took my hand in his. We finally arrived at the safe house, which turned out to be a small wood cabin. I was glad to be there because all of a sudden weariness swept through my body. Roberto opened the door and we stepped inside. He found a light switch and flipped it on. Since the cabin was on the small side, it only took me a few seconds to glance around and take in the furnishings. My eyes stopped on the one and only brass bed that sat in front of