Her mind reeling she stood up and walked back into the kitchen to look out the window, the last rays of the setting sun had just disappeared below the horizon raising the fear in her heart. She had to do something to protect herself but what? How did you keep out someone who could invade your very mind?
She grabbed her head and began to cry again, slouching onto the floor she curled up into the fetal position and cried until her eyes burned from her rubbing the tears out of them. She was helpless and could nothing about it, not now that the sun had fallen from the sky, her only net of safety was now completely gone.
Joy looked at the gathering stars and the darkening sky. Bright orange colors shown from the clouds painting a beautiful skyline over the sunset. Shadows grew in height to eventually engulf the entire city in darkness, a protective blanket for her killer to wander free through, inexorably making his way towards her house. She tried to rack her brain and think of some way to protect herself from this Darius. What could she do? How could she think him out of her mind? How could she fight against that trance he held her in so well that she enjoyed dying? She could think of no answers and as the last rays of sunlight dissipated into complete nightfall her fear grew into panic. If she stayed here she would be easy prey but how could she run from him, he could attack her without even being in the same room, would it matter if she ran? Could distance keep her safe? What about her bride to be, Devon? He knew about her, would she be next if Joy got away? Yes, he already said so. He also mentioned that Joy herself was changing into one of him, a vampire. Another killer to stalk the night and torture helpless victims like she was being tortured right now.
That more than anything was what bothered her about the whole exchange. Was it too late for her? Was she going to become a brutal killer like Darius was? If so Devon was probably better off if Joy ran away to never return, otherwise she might become Joy's first victim. The first of how many, and how would her disposition change if she was to become a vampire? Would she become heartless and cruel? Would she stop caring about human life and kill indiscriminately as if she was swatting flys? She couldn't bear the thought of loosing her humanity or compassion to this creature, if Darius was turning her into one of him and he was right she was doomed to a life of death.
Joy looked around the apartment and noticed for the first time that it was completely dark she hadn't turned any of the lights on while the sun was setting. Still crouched on the kitchen floor she simply curled up tighter resting her head on the tips of her knees and wrapped her tear soaked robe around her otherwise naked body. She was too terrified to think much less get up and turn on the lights in the house. Not like it would do any good, man-made light did nothing to vampires so why bother? She might not even see him coming and therefore, not even know she had died this time. She wondered about her changing though, it might explain the new sensitivity to sunlight and the comment Heaven had made about her being pale. She had once had a light tan all over her body. Not dark but definitely not pale, at the time she simply figured she had lost what little tan she had from the chill of winter but now she began to think again. If she really was becoming a vampire that would definitely be one symptom of her body dying.
She stood up and looked out the window into the night wondering where he was, if he was jacking off to the memories of killing her or if he had found a new victim, his work done on her. If so she had some measure of relief from him, but not what was to become of her, it was all too frightening for her to think about. And what about the pink haired girl he had entered the club with? She had obviously not liked Joy on sight and seemed even more upset after the attack although that could have been because of what Darius had done to her instead of anything about her specifically. He had dumped her for Joy after all so she could totally understand why the pink girl was so upset.
She stood up and dropped the robe from her body walking over to a full-length mirror. Turning on a hall light she examined her nude body carefully. She was awfully pale but otherwise had retained her athletic form gained from years in the gym working out with Francine. She checked her neck and shoulder for any signs of wounds but saw only smooth milky skin, no scarring, no marks, nothing. She walked over to the bathroom and washed her face trying to get the ruined makeup off. Not because she cared about her appearance she simply needed something to do, Devon had to work at the club that night and Francine was out of town with her husband so she was alone again that night. Because of that she was caught completely by surprise when someone knocked on the door.
Joy froze water dripping from her face into the sink, after a couple of minutes whoever was at the door knocked again. It isn't Darius she thought to herself, he never knocked, why should he, he could enter her very mind? Slowly she put on her robe and by the third knock had answered the door, the pink haired girl stood on the other side smiling warmly, genuinely.
"I'm sorry about the other night, I wasn't mad at you, I was just mad."
"You." Joy whispered, frozen in fear.
"Jesus, he did a number on you didn't he?" she said, examining Joy through the crack in the door.
"What do you want?" Joy was about to slam the door and call the cops, for all the good it would have done.
"I want to talk." She answered quietly.
"I don't believe you."
"If you close that door on me I will leave and never return. If you invite me in I will not harm you in any way, you have my word, I only want to tell you what's been happening to you."
Joy considered for a moment the girl's offer. She had given Joy her word that she would not be harmed if she invited the girl in, normally that would have been good enough for her but things were not normal at the time.
"What about Darius?" Joy asked, still quaking in fear.
"He can't harm you while I'm here. Do you want to know the truth? What's really happening to your body?"
Joy thought for a moment longer and then stepped back to let the pink haired girl in. After she walked in Joy closed the door believing she had just closed the door on her life and opened the door to her new future as a vampire.
