“Once I realized you were gay, I changed my plans. Instead of hiding in the shadows and following your every move, hoping you’d lead me to Napoleon, I took a different route. In 1949, I left you and Max in England and took a job with the City of Boston in their records division. I spent years digging up everything I could on you, Max, and all the properties and companies you owned. That’s when I found out about the brownstone, so I knew eventually that’s where you’d end up. I left Boston in 1964 and headed to Vancouver, where I purchased a storage unit. I knew I had time, and it was rare I could sleep for more than a few weeks since I wasn’t under the protection of a coven, so I locked myself in and fell asleep until 1984. When I woke up, I spent the next few years catching up on everything I’d missed. I contacted some forgers to get new ID made, and then I took a job in Washington in their archive department, and when it came close to when you’d be returning to Boston, I got the job I have now. It wasn’t long after that when I met Doreen.”

Bennett stiffened. “Are you saying Doreen is involved in this, too?”

“No,” Ruby said, shaking her head. “She has nothing to do with any of this. I didn’t even know she was such a geek about vampires at first, but when I found out, I used her…um…enthusiasm to my advantage.”

“How?”

“I started asking her questions or posing scenarios, like a game. She was more than willing to play along, and she’d rattle off all the things she’d ask a vampire if she ever met one, and later on, I’d write everything down so I could memorize it. I figured when you and I finally met, it would give me all the ammunition I’d need to appear like your run-of-the-mill mortal.”

“So she’s unaware you’re a vampire?”

“She has no clue,” Ruby said, looking over at Bennett. “I covered all my tracks, even down to feeding.”

“You’ve fed on her?”

“Absolutely not, but unlike you, I don’t have blood delivered to my apartment, so I have to go out for it. I compel my victims to forget when I feed on them just like you do, unless I push it too far. The only difference is I usually hit a lesbian hangout, hook up with someone, take them into the ladies’ room, and instead of giving them what they thought they were going to get, I bite them and then compel them to forget the whole thing.”

“I’m assuming by pushing it too far, you mean waiting too long between feeds?”