The night had become still, or perhaps Ruben felt so much anticipation at what he was abut to witness that he'd blocked out the shadow-song. He wondered if Dorothy's world tunneled down to the size of a narrow corridor as his did when he was about to take a life. When he got close enough, he could hear tinny music coming through the girl's headphones. She had a tattoo on the back of her neck.

"Hey! What..."

"Hush yerself," the vampire said, tightening his grip on her arms as she bowed upwards, trying to break free. "This ain't gonna hurt for long. I don't think."