Title: The Care and Feeding of a Vampire (01/01) Author: Cousin Shelley and Arletta Asbury Time: After "Lost & Found" Shelley looked at the infernal machine again. This *couldn't* be right. Pushing her card in and saying a little prayer to whatever deity controlled personal finances and cash machines, she asked for $20 this time. She *had* to have $20 in there, she reasoned with herself. Opening one eye a crack, she peered at the tiny screen. It read: *****TRANSACTION DENIED, INSUFFICIENT FUNDS***** Shelley kicked the machine. It was an infantile gesture, but it made her feel *a lot* better. Except now her toe hurt and the machine was beeping incessantly. "Nooooo" she groaned, grabbing her card and flying out the door. She jumped into the van and started the engine as fast as she could. "What's wrong?" Arletta asked. "I, uh, think I broke the machine," she stammered out. "Did you get the money for the liquor store?" "Ummmm, no, not really," Shelley sighed. They drove in silence for a while, with Nick humming some strange tune in the back. 'I wonder where he picked *that* up from?' Shelley thought. Then, remembering he had been missing almost all day, she thought better of asking. "Maybe he'll forget about the liquor store?" Shelley finally ventured hopefully. "Not likely", Arletta replied. "Besides, CERK is out of liquor, he won't like having none at all." Shelley drove, trying to think of an answer to this problem. There should be money in her account, after all, payday was the 15th. It hit her suddenly like a ton of bricks...it was still the 13th until the time rift closed. This was *not* good. She had to feed a vampire! She briefly imagined calling her husband at home and having him wire her some money out of the savings account, but then turned a rather interesting shade of pale at the thought of telling him it was to buy alcoholic blood for a vampire. No, that wouldn't go over well at all. There had to be another way. As the van was nearing CERK, both Shelley and Arletta saw a small store that sold "All Types and Brands of Booze", or so the sign said. Both of them got the same idea, and looked at each other with a mixture of fear and delight. The store was so close, it was likely the cousins had an account with it. Of course, this meant some explaining would be due when the bill came, but it solved the problem for the moment. Shelley applied the brakes and halted the van in front of the store. Looking at Nick, who was now singing words to that strange song, she hoped he wouldn't notice where they were. Just then, he called out "Isssh a Bloody Mary ssshtore!" Shelley just groaned, while Arletta sighed and covered her eyes with her hand in a gesture of pain. They got him into the store, one on either side of him holding an arm. Arriving safely at the aisle that catered to the more unusual tastes in the city, they located the Bloody Mary's in a bottle that he was so fond of. Unfortunately for all of them, Nick located them as well. With a cry of delight, he grabbed one off the shelf and began to drink it down. The store manager was eyeing them carefully and Shelley cringed. "Nick," she said quietly, trying not to attract any *more* attention, "let's wait until we get back to the van, okay?" The last was said in a pleading tone that Nick missed entirely. "Isssh rather drinksh itsh now" he slurred, and downed another bottle. The store manager cleared his throat and glared at the trio. On his third bottle, he swayed a little too close to the shelf. The resulting crash had the effect of turning the store manager a deep shade of purple and he walked slowly and purposefully towards them. Shelley gulped, Arletta sighed, and Nick hiccuped. "Hiya" Nick slurred at the manager with a happy grin. "Havsh a drinksy?" Arletta and Shelley prudently decided it was time to leave the store. Shelley grabbed Nick, Arletta grabbed a case of the Bloody Mary's, and they both yelled "Charge it to the cousin's" on their way out the door.