Free Reginald Baxter the Vigilante Vampire by J.E. Shook Page A

dressed simply in a T-shirt and jeans, making her look mostly like a modern teenager. "What'd you do? Lose your phone or something."
    "I typed in the number wrong, I guess," Reginald said. "Sorry."
    "Quit apologizing, Dad," she said, reaching out her hand. "Well, let me see it."
    He handed his phone to her. "Quit calling me that."
    Maya took it and sorted through his numbers. "Sheesh, you put in a five instead of a six. No wonder you haven't called. Oooh, who's this Rachel?"
    "No one," Reginald said, snatching his phone back. "Just a coworker."
    "Come on," Maya said, smiling. "It's about time you settled down. I need a mother, you know."
    Reginald laughed. "Yeah, I guess you do."
    "I've got a friend named Cindy. You want me to introduce her sometime?"
    "No, no," Reginald said. "I'll meet someone eventually, don't worry."
    Maya shrugged as she began adding up the total on a calculator. "Alright, let me know if you change your mind."
    A silence hung between them for a minute. Eventually Reginald asked, "So have you been well, lately?"
    "I have," she said. "How about you?"
    "I can't complain."
    "Or you won't complain," she said, shaking her head. "You wouldn't complain about anything."
    Reginald just shrugged.
    "Are you still working at that burger place near you?"
    Reginald nodded.
    "If I ever get a night off, I might stop by and see you," Maya said, placing his items into a bag. "I used to love me some burgers before I was turned. I still can imagine the taste. I might would give in and eat one." She excitedly groaned at the thought
    "Don't do that, Maya. That would be a rough couple days for a few minutes of pleasure."
    "Yeah, I know, but it's still so tempting," she said, finishing up the bagging. "Your total is eighty."
    Reginald looked at her closely. "Now Maya, I know that this is supposed to cost more than that. You should treat me equally."
    "I am, but I'm also doing this for the past three Christmases. It's nowhere enough for a real gift."
    He frowned as he took out his wallet. "If anyone owes anyone for Christmases, it me. I have hardly been any sort of role model for you. Hardly been there."
    She smiled. "You're right, but it makes no difference. You're a part of my family, Reginald."
    He smiled and lightly chuckled. "I suppose that's right." He handed her the money and took the bag. "That is right. I shouldn't ignore you like I have been. Let me know when you want to hang out and we'll do it. You pick what we do."
    Maya's smile grew. "Alright. I should be able to next week. Be expecting me."
    Reginald waved and walked past the several customers who were standing in line. He made sure to avoid the aisle that he noticed Daniel was on as he made his way to the door. Stepping outside, he glanced at his watch. "It really is later than I thought. If I don't wrap it up soon, I'll need to find a place to sleep here." He looked towards the distant entrance. "I could just leave. I don't have to seek his counsel." Reginald sighed and started walking deeper into Requiem. "I won't feel better until I've spoken with someone else about this."
    As Reginald neared the central building several minutes later, he noticed a large crowd gathered around the platform just outside the entrance. He barely visited, but he knew that mostly officials used the platform to make announcements to the people of Requiem. The man standing before the crowd was clearly no official. He stood in nothing but his loincloth, revealing his muscular body covered in scars. His head was shaved, with a long forehead above angry gray eyes. 'If he is a vampire, why does his scars not heal?" Reginald wondered to himself as he stepped up to the back of the crowd.
    "The emperors themselves feared me, and some sought to take my head, but I have lived on," he continued shouting. "Through bloody wars and blood soaked battles, I was forged into a magnificent weapon. There is no other soul on this earth designed to kill as efficiently and quickly as I. I was feared and