By Sarah D. Hunter

     (Rated PG-13 for small language and violence)

    

        "Did you ever just get the feeling that something's just so terribly wrong," Steven began slowly, deliberately choosing each word, "but you just couldn't put your finger on it?"

    Joey shot a look at him, he knew what he meant. "Yeah, sure. Bad Karma."

    Steven stood there, with his thin hands upon his thin hips, staring at Joey. Joey just kept on fiddling with his drum kit. He didn't want to meet Steven's eyes. He just didn't want, or need a confrontation.

    Steven had tried to do this take all morning, but he just couldn't lay down the beat. Either too fast or much too slow; he had just finally threw down the sticks and stormed out. The others had gone for lunch, he'd come back figuring that Steven had gone too.

    Joey thought that if he'd practice it in the meantime, maybe they could finally record this and move on. He was trying his best, but he wasn't cutting it with Steven.

    Steven wasn't about to back down; he knew that there was something definitely wrong here. He was trying very hard to be patient, he gave a sigh. Joey's nervous tic had returned.

    "Joey, what's up? Is everything all right? You're off-"

    "I know, Steven, I'm sorry." Joey cut him off , his eye twitched, "I didn't get a very good night."

    More silence: Steven hated it. Joey had just come back from the Steps in California; he had put the breakdown behind him. He'd been the 'old Joey' for a week, confident, very capable of picking up the songs, but today it was as if he'd never left. Steven just didn't quite know how far he could push him.

    "Wanna talk?" Steven pulled up a chair and sat down beside him.

    Joey gave a shrug, "I don't think that you'd believe me."

    "Hey try me," Steven gave a smile, "I've heard it all."

    Joey gave a deep sigh, "Last night, I had this dream that there was this woman in my hotel room."

    Steven raised an eyebrow, but kept quiet.

    "I don't know, every time I'd almost get to sleep, I'd think that she was standing over my bed. I even got up a couple of times and checked the place over, I was alone."

    "So, what did she look like? Scary?"

    "No, she's beautiful. I just got freaked out by it. Well, more than 'freaked out'," Joey was trying to find the exact words for the feeling, "Evil."

    "Evil?" Steven repeated. "What happened? There had to have been more than her just standing over your bed."

    Joey shook his head, "It wasn't like she had a chainsaw," he stood and paced. "I just got this feeling that I was in some sort of danger."

    Steven drew a deep breath. It was rare that he was at a loss for words. Was Joey beginning to crumble? Another breakdown? His tic had been going all morning. He really didn't believe that a strange woman was lurking over his bed-but Joey did.

    "I think that we should notify the hotel security." Steven finally stated. "Maybe we gotta fan that's getting too close."

    "I was thinking of going to a different hotel." Joey said, "I just don't like that room." The others were returning, Joey added, "Don't tell anyone, okay."

    "Yeah, sure." Steven nodded.

    The afternoon went smoother, the track was down. Steven really didn't like it, but he wasn't about to push Joey. "Clean it up later," he murmured to himself. He called the hotel himself and reported the incident and was reassured that Joey's room was to be inspected.

    When he told this to Joey, he seemed a little more relaxed. "Thanks, Steven; I can always count on you."

It was an late night for Steven, he gave up trying to write another song, the one he'd promised for Joe. He was lying on the couch reading the newspaper, he couldn't stop thinking about Joey, and hoped that he had a better night.

    He had drifted off for a few minutes, when he was awakened by a rapid knock.

    He opened the door to see Joey standing there, absolutely ashen.

    "Joey! Jesus Christ!"

    Joey flew in, he was shaking. "Steven she's in there." His voice was ready to break.

    "Joey, just calm down," he sat him on the couch. "Was it the same woman?"

    Joey nodded, "She's just pure fucking evil."

    Steven got him a glass of water. "So was she just standing-"

    "No, not this time. Steven, she said that was going to get all of us."

    Steven felt his blood drain out of his face. "What?"

    "She said that we were hers, that there would be no escape."

    "Joey, stay here. I'm going to go get security, they are going to check this whole fucking hotel-" he turned to see a woman standing beside the couch-beside Joey.

    Joey dropped the glass, stood and walked backwards, until he was near Steven, "That's her."

    She was tall, slender, with a mass of long dark curly hair. She was about the same age as Liv. Her skin was pale, making her eyes look almost black. She tilted her head to one side, then the other, in a snake-like fashion. She was dressed completely in black, a neatly taliored suitcoat and slacks.

    Steven shivered. He now knew what Joey had meant; she was evil.

    "Who the fuck are you?" Steven demanded.

    "I am called Lilith." her accent was not quite English, but somewhat European. "I already know who you are."

    "How did you get in here? I locked the door!"

    "My little secrets will soon be yours."

    "What do you want?"

    "You," she sat down; then she looked at Joey, "And you." She gave a slight smile, "I am sorry for the theatrical nature of our meeting," She stared at Joey, she seemed to lose her train of thought, but quickly recovered. "I have been a fan for some time now. I have admired you for your courage in the face of adversity, for the way you got clean and sober, and, I've always had a thing for drummers." She gave a shrug.

    "I've been watching the band, you're getting older."

    Steven thought that this was a stupid thing to say, but don't annoy the crazy woman.

    "It beats the alternative," replied Steven.

    Lilith stood, "Does it? You are more talented now than ever, all of you have sharpened your skills-each of your are masters of your respective crafts. How sad that this industry is dominated by inexperienced youth! Face it gentlemen, how much longer will Aerosmith be around? How many more albums and tours will there be?"

    "We've got alot of years left in us!" Joey said with anger.

    "You can have more with me," her eyes fixed upon Steven's cross, then into his eyes. She didn't blink, she never blinked. "I know that in your heart, you fear looking into a mirror, you fear the wrinkles that have begun to appear on your face."

    "I'm not afraid of getting older," Steven retorted.

    "Yes, you are. You've taken to wearing large sunglasses, to cover the lines under your eyes," She raised an eyebrow at him, a slight challenge. "It must be hard to compete for the title of 'sex symbol' with a bunch of twenty year olds-"

    "Look, everyone knows that I'm pushing 50, if wrinkles did bother me, I'd go get a fucking face lift."

    "But you would still be old. What about this blond chunking? Covering the gray?" Another challenge.

    "Hey, I've earned every one of them," he knew it was a cliche, but it was the truth.

    "Will you gleefully put up with arthritis? Your hands look like they have a touch of it."

    "It's part of getting older, everybody has aches and pains." She had hit a nerve, his knuckles had been stiff and sore.

    "I can stop it," she held his hand, it was like ice, he involuntarily shivered. "You'll learn to tolerate my touch."

    "I think that you'd better leave, Miss Lilith." Steven pulled his hand away. "I'll call security."

    She turned to Joey, "I am sorry to cause you such grief, it wasn't my intention."

    "Well, you did. What do you want?"

    "I want to make you happy, I want to make all of you happy, and then you make me happy. That's all, I want to take the tedious bordom out of your lives, to take away fear, lonliness, the pain in your lives. All I ask in return, is for your souls.

    "I am a vampire, I will take you into my circle, I will make you immortal." Lilith stated. "No harm will come to you if, you do as you are told."

    Joey just looked at Steven in absolute disbelief.

    Steven broke the silence. "This is the end of the 20th century, vampires don't exist."

    "Really," Lilith sneered. In a moment her eyes flashed from black to a gold, her mouth opened to reveal two prominent fangs. "I've been in this form for over nine hundred years. How good is your ancient history?"

    Lilith returned to her normal state, "I was born in 982, near Oxford, my father was a Danish merchant, we lived well, for the time anyway. The English hated and fear the Danes, the king taxed us, made special laws on us, and why? Because we were Danes, that was the only reason.

    "On Saint Brice's Day, the 13th of November in the year 1002, King Ethelred ordered all Danes in England to be executed. I, my family, the entire community were hiding in a church. My entire family was slaughtered, including my husband. I would have died from my wound, but I was saved by a vampire, he showed me the ways, as I will with all of you. "I have seen empires rise and crumble and be lost to the ages. War, famine, plague, death, there is nothing new under the sun. I know your fear, for it is the fear of all mankind.

    "This is not a gift that I give to alot of people. It is an honor to be inducted into the circle. Imagine, no more pain, no more suffering, you'll feel like you were twenty again."

    "Honestly, I don't really remember being twenty," Steven was amazed at how calm he sounded; he could feel the blood drain from his face again, he managed to look at Joey, he was ashen again.

    "Why us?" Steven added, "Why not some younger men?"

    "Why not you, darling! All of you are very sexy, intelligent, talented. I love your music, I love what you stand for, having a great time, and having sex!" she took a step forward, "You think sex is great now, there's nothing more erotic, more sensual, than when you drink someone's blood, and they drink yours. You learn everything about them, there are no secrets, nothing to hide. No fear of disease, pregnancy, nothing to stop you from doing whatever you want to do."

    "What if we say no?" Joey asked.

    "I know that this is hard for you to fathom, and I sincerely hope that you do say yes. I will show you the ways, I will take care of everything."

    "Everything?" Steven echoed.

    "Well, you can go on for a while, but after a few years and you don't die, people will get suspicious, so I'll take care of your deaths. Then you'll stay with me. You can still record, the others in the circle love CDs, too."

    "What about our wives, our kids?" Steven asked.

    "They will get your life insurance policies. Probably write some books, they will learn to live without you." She walked a bit closer, "The first century is always the hardest."

    Steven was terrified, he'd been in some bad scrapes, but he'd never come face to face with the undead. "Can you give us some time to think this over?"

    "Of course. I will see you tomorrow night," she walked to the opened sliding door, "and I hope that you keep this to yourselves."

    "You have our word." Steven said, then added, "Besides, whose gonna believe us?" In a flash, she was gone. They both raced to the ledge, she hadn't jumped. She was simply gone.

    "Steven," Joey murmured, "What the fuck are we gonna do?"

    "Buy some crosses, garlic, get a priest." Steven had been hoping that this was all some elaborate hoax, until he'd seen her disappear off the balcony. "She can't be a vampire, she has to be some sort of insane illusionist. Either way, I think we're in deep shit."

    They both stood there, silently looking over the city.

    "Should we tell the guys?" Joey finally asked, "She's after all of us."

    Steven shook his head, "Not yet, I think that this has to be some sort of prank."

    "Well, somebody's got a sick sense of humor."

    There was a knock at the door, both instinctively jumped. Steven went to the door, and opened it just enough that he could look out.

    "Mr. Tyler?" A blond man stood before him, about thirty, dark overcoat.

    "Yeah, who are you?"

    "Christian Thorpe, I think that you might need me."

    Steven wasn't convinced, "It's late, I've got an early morning-"

    "Did she say her name?" Thorpe asked, "The woman that was here."

    "How did you know-"

    "Please, sir, let me in. You need me."

    Steven opened the door, and let him in. This night couldn't get any weirder. Thorpe entered and sat down, Joey joined him as Steven locked and bolted the door.

    "I have reason to believe that a woman has been harassing you, that she left here very suddenly, and that she may return."

    "That about sums it up," Joey said. "How did you know that she was here?"

    "I am a vampire hunter, I track them down and destroy them before they can destroy anyone else. I tracked one here last night, and I have reason to believe that she returned tonight. Did she say her name?"

    "Lilith," Steven answered as he sat down.

    This hit Thorpe, "Lilith?" he repeated. "You have a definite problem, my friend. Please tell me of the events of this matter."

    Steven finally just held his head in his hands, it hit him like a freight train. It was true, it had to be true. No one in their right minds would stage such an elaborate hoax. He pulled himself together and held his head up.

    They repeated their stories, Thorpe sat there listening, not interrupting.

    "There is one important question that must be answered," Thorpe finally said, "What do you think of this?"

    "What do you mean?" Steven asked.

    "Are you willing to go with her? Are you tempted by her offer?"

    They both sat there, silent.

    "I must know what I'm up against," Thorpe looked at both, trying to see an answer.

    "I have to admit," Steven said softly, "It's tempting."

    "Steven!" Joey exclaimed in shock.

    "If what she says is true," Steven began, "I sounds perfect. She was right, I'm afraid of getting old, I am afraid to die. Is that so wrong? Is it wrong to want to live forever? I've messed up so many years, so much of my time has been lost in a haze, maybe this is a way to get it back."

    Joey was unable to speak, he couldn't believe it.

    "What about your wife?" Thorpe said, "Wouldn't you miss her?"

    "Why couldn't I bring Teresa along?" Steven stood, "I can't see the harm in it."

    "Lilith won't stand for it. She wants to love each of you, she won't share with any wives!"

    Steven sat back in his chair.

    "And what about you, Joey?" Thorpe asked.

    Joey's eye twitched, "I'm scared to death of her, I'd rather die tonight than be with her forever. I remember learning about Lilith from my rabbi."

    "She's not the same Lilith," Thorpe said, "But just about as vicious."

    Steven frowned, "What?"

    "Lilith was Adam's first wife, according to the Talmud," Joey explained, "She and Adam got in a fight over who should be on top during sex, she fled from Adam, with a band of demons. When she returned, she haunted him, and when Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden, she and her demons attacked them."

    Steven paced like a tiger in a cage, "That's a folklore. I just don't see the problem, Joey-"

    Joey stood and angrily faced him, "Steven, this is not a game! This woman wants your soul, your very existence! I'll back down from you in the studio, I'll back down from you in a lot of arguements, but Goddamnit Steven, I won't change my mind on this! We would be damned forever!"

    "Like I'm not already! Look at all I've done! Look at all the people I've hurt, all the lives I ruined! So OK, I lose Teresa, I lose the kids, they're strong, they'll be alright, I've got enough in the bank that they'll never have to worry. I haven't been the most religious person you know."

    "God gave you a second chance," Thorpe said quietly, "Didn't He? If He hadn't forgiven your sins, if He hadn't cared, then why would you have lived? Didn't He help you through your addictions? You speak of all the people that you hurt, what of all the ones that you have helped? Your friends, your fans that faced their own adversities because of your honesty. Alot of people look up to Steven; they look up to all of you."

    Steven wasn't expecting that. He could feel his eyes well up in tears. He had always given a lot of credit to a 'superior being' for helping him through the rough spots, and he had received hundreds of letters from fans, telling him the same exact thing.

    Thorpe continued, "Lilith didn't tell you all of being a vampire. Did she warn you about the sun? You'll have to grow accustom to it, that takes about a hundred years. I know that you were both into a lot of drugs, well you know when you're jonesing, that's what it's like for the first fifty years. You can't stop that hunger, the first blood you have is what you crave. You can't stop the pain; I don't care what line she fed you. It tears you apart."

    "She said the first hundred years were the hardest, I thought she meant knowing that you were losing everyone," Steven replied he looked at Joey, "You're right, man, it's wrong."

    "Are you sure about that?" Thorpe asked.

    Steven nodded, "The minute I saw her, I knew that Joey was right about her. She just got to me, she got inside my head," he looked at Joey, "I'm sorry."

    "I understand, Steven."

    "Thanks, Joey," Steven gave Joey a hug, and wiped his tears away.

     "If your bandmates," Thorpe began, "Were asked the same thing, what would they say?"

    Joey shrugged, "I don't know, I can't speak for them."

    Thorpe slowly nodded, "You haven't said anything to them?"

    "No, she had just left, and you came," Steven answered, "Should we tell-"

    "Absolutely not!" Thorpe interrupted him. "We will have to destroy her, if she gets away, none of you will be safe. Chances are, she will go after your families as well, if she can't be happy, then neither will you."

    "Oh, my God," Steven whispered. A chill ran down his spine, he pushed the thought of any harm coming to his family into the dark corners of his mind.

    "I should tell you this," Thorpe continued, "I've been watching her for a while. She may be a fan, and she may lust after you, but she really wants your souls."

    "Yeah, she said that; all she wanted was our souls," Steven tone was dark.

    "Well, some people are addicted to alcohol, cocaine, heroine; most vampires are addicted to blood. Lilith is different, she's old, she needs a new thrill."

    "Thrill?"

    "Alcohol, cocaine, heroine doesn't effect vampires, but if it's in the victims blood, well, that's a completely different story."

    "She's addicted to addicts?"

    Thorpe nodded.

    "But we're clean. We've been clean for years."

    "That's my point. You're still an addict, any drug abuse permanently changes your chemestry, even if you haven't done anything in years. It's still in you, if you went with her, she would get a high off of everything you've done.

    "I think that's why she's waited all these years, if you take drugs, it's in your blood, most vampires don't like it. I think she has been waiting, making sure that you're clean. I saw her take out a recovered crack addict in Toronto, she loved it." Thorpe hung his head down in shame, "I was too late to help him, but I swear that I won't let her do that to you."

    Steven shook his head, out of all of them, he had been the most fucked up. He would be the main course.

    Thorpe recovered, "I must admit, I've heard that one of them had been asking about all of you, but I didn't know who it was."

    "How long have you known?"

    "About two months," he stood and walked to the other side of the room, "I wasn't sure, so that's why I never told you. I doubt if you would have believe me."

    He was right: they wouldn't have.

    "So, what can we do? You said you can help," Joey sat again, Steven followed.

    "When she returns tomorrow, go along with her, to an extent: act like that you want her to take you into the circle. She will want to take you with her, but don't get into a car with her, you do and you're dead. If she gets you away from here, I can't follow, she'll be able to sense it. She hasn't survived this long on just good looks.

    "I'll take care of her." Thorpe declared. "She's not invincible." He pulled out a nice little beretta with a silencer. "I've had some experience with them."

    "Shouldn't we have some garlic hanging around?" Joey tried to remember the plots from every B movie he'd ever seen.

    "Garlic only works if you eat it, they don't like spicy foods."

    "Maybe that will save Joe," Steven gave a slight smile.

    "Forget everything that you think you know," Thorpe continued, "Sunlight won't destroy her, not now, she's too old, it will just weaken her; stakes through the heart, well, that will just piss her off. Crosses, holy water, religious objects will keep her at bay, but not completely, especially if she really wants something, or someone."

    "So a bullet will stop her," Steven was trying had to grasp this entire situation. "I thought that was for werewolves."

    "It's a phosphorous bullet. You see, the vampire's bones are hollow, like a bird. These bullets will shatter their bone, and release phosphorous into their bloodstream. It's about the only real sure way of stopping them." Thorpe gave a slight smile, "My partner handles werewolves and ghosts."

    "Forgive me for asking," Steven said, "but how do you know so much about them?"

    "My family has been hunters for centuries; it's passed down, from father to son." He replaced the gun, "Actually, Lilith," he stopped, "Let's just say this is somewhat personal."

    Thorpe continue with the plan, "You will be in here with Joey, when she returns, the first time she's going to do is ask you if you want to be in the circle, you say yes. I will be waiting in the bathroom, and I'll take her out. You have to be strong, don't let her get into your mind."

    Thorpe spent several minutes checking the room over, then sat back down. "I suggest that you try to get some sleep, and return to your usual habits tomorrow. I'll bring in my partner, and set things up."

    "That's gonna be a hard, just pretend that everything's normal," Joey spoke for both of them.

    "You will have too, you don't want to raise the suspicion of your friends, it's bad enough that two of you are involved in this." He leaned forward, to make his point, "The only real weapon we have is secrecy.

    "I will see you tomorrow at sunset. Goodnight Joey."

    Joey reluctantly left and returned to his room, but Thorpe remained with Steven.

    "Are you certain, about your decision?"

    Steven nodded, "Yes, I know that you and Joey are right. She has to be stopped."

    Thorpe looked at him, he believed him.

    "May I ask you something on a more personal note?" Thorpe had some hesitation in his voice. Steven gave a nod.

    "Joey; has something happened to him recently?"

    Steven sighed, "He's just come back from an emotional breakdown."

    "I though so. Lilith found the weak link in the chain. In her mind, if one of you goes, the rest will follow. In her mind, Joey's the one that would probably resist the least."

    "Yeah, but Joey saw through her.""She's going by past experiences, Steven. She is a predator, just like a lion hunting a pack of gazelles, she will find the weak one to take down. That's why she went after you."Steven's eyes widened with surprise.

    "Speaking to him, she knew that he was steadfast, but she found a weakness in you. I think that she thinks that if you and the rest go with her, Joey would follow.

    "Remember what I said, I'll be here at sunset."

    Steven sat there watching the TV all night. Neither he nor Joey slept.