"Then what? That's not so bad." Robbie asked."I was on my way to second period and a freshmen stopped me. Felicia something, she was an office aide. K...nda cute."I felt a hand on my forehead."Just slightly feverish," Robbie said. "Pretty soon he'll come to his senses and realize he can't handle what he already has."She was right, but I sure wasn't going to admit it, so I ignored her. "She had a note that Mr. Reed wanted to see me. When I got there, he and Butz were waiting for me in the. " Why not?" I asked. "It's the truth. And why should I want one of them? They have no minds, no curves, they just try to be who they think they should be instead of who they are, like you. And they aren't you, mom. I only want- only need- you." But it's wrong," she whispered, resolve wavering in the face of my obvious desire."You keep saying that, mom, but just saying it won't make it true." I've seen those girls. They're much better-looking than I am. And ... and we still shouldn't be doing. . Maybe this medium of yours could contact my darling Andrew for a time. It's not been a year, and we were married for twenty years." There! Yes, dab at the corner of your eye, she'll fall for that! The old woman was always one to fall for tears. "Oh, Lydia!" The older woman whipped out a handkerchief of her own, and dabbed at her own face. "I'll tell you what, two o'clock tomorrow, clear your appointments. I'll give him your card, and have him come over for an appointment." * * * The bell. . slay your dragon."For the first time, the woman's confidence and swagger seemed shaken. It was as if she suddenly realized that she, a mortal woman of great physical attraction but unlikely physical strength, had just challenged a vampire of 300 years experience to a duel to the death. Of course, that was Ka'lath's goal - to put that doubt into her mind, to ramp up the fear and anxiety. To him, tasting that was almost as satisfying as the taste of the blood.The woman made no move to charge.