The Vampire and The Paramedic by Jamie Davis

underground fringe elements, who work to rid their
free, God-given society, of the satanic monsters among them.”
    “What, groups like the KKK?” Brynne asked
    “Exactly like the KKK,” James said. “They
were formed to get rid of the powerful African shamans and spirits
who led the ex-slaves to freedom in their new lives. They were sold
into slavery right alongside the African humans, and they worked
within that community to get their human and Unusual brethren
freed. The white Ku Klux Klan groups hunted the leaders of these
communities because they were usually Unusuals.”
    “But that was a long time ago,” She said. “It
happens still today?”
    “You watch the news, Brynne,” James said. “Of
course it does. The FBI and other human agencies work to control it
and break up hate groups when they can. We have people in those
agencies working right alongside them to stop it. They know that we
are integrated and valuable members of their communities, but hate
crimes against us can and do still happen.”
    “I had no idea,” Brynne said. “I’m sorry that
we’re like that.”
    “It’s not your fault,” James said. “For every
person who knows about us and hates us there are a hundred who
don’t and who like having us living among humans. It’s much better
now than it used to be, even a few hundred years ago, we were much
more secretive and far fewer humans knew of us outside of myth and
legend. We had to hide and live apart completely lest we were
discovered and eradicated from a community.”
    He looked at her deep brown eyes. “Let’s
change the subject to a more pleasant one,” He said. “Tell me
something I don’t know about you. Why did you agree to go out this
evening with me if you knew so little about me and the rest of
us?”
    She smiled and took another sip of her wine,
popping a piece of the fried calamari into her mouth and chewing
slowly. He could tell she was mulling over her answer in light of
his recent revelations about Unusual-Human history.
    “I suppose I was flattered, first of all,”
She answered. “You’ve always treated me with respect. You've never
shown me any sign that you’re dangerous in any way, so I suppose
when you asked me out for tonight I was just happy you wanted to
take me out. I’m pretty ordinary after all.”
    “Oh, Brynne,” James interrupted her. “You are
anything but ordinary. In fact, you are unlike any woman I’ve ever
had the pleasure of taking on a date like this. You’re strong,
independent, and possess a self-assurance and confidence that few
men or women have. I’m not sure you’re my type at all based on my
past experiences, except that you intrigue me in a way that no
woman has before.”
    “Well,” Brynne said. “I’m not sure what to
say to that. If you’re trying to flatter me, you succeeded.” She
looked around the restaurant. “Am I blushing?”
    “Not much,” James said, smiling at her. “I’m
serious, though. What drew you to go out with me this evening? You
knew it wasn’t a professional outing as our other travels have
been.”
    “Well,” She said after a few more moments. “I
haven’t been out on a date in a while. You’re easy on the eyes,
rich, and well respected. A girl could do worse for a night out on
the town.”
    “Yes, I suppose so.” He took a sip of his
drink, savoring the life-giving fluid as he swallowed. “What about
your co-workers? Did you tell them you were going out with a
vampire?”
    “I told Tammy, my partner on the ambulance.
And I told my supervisor, Mike,” Brynne said. “Mike didn’t say
much, just to be careful. He’s the one who gave me this pendant,
though, so I wasn’t surprised. He almost seemed a little
disappointed in me. Tammy was a little excited. I think she would
love to have a forbidden boyfriend of her own, if she weren’t
already married. She said she’d just have to live vicariously
through me.”
    “I hope you have something positive to share
with her,”