If You Love Me

I love my wife above all else. I have loved her since the moment I first laid eyes on her. I would do anything for her and that has never changed after all these years.

We first met in college. We were both Theater majors and it was day one of Acting 1 class that our eyes met for the first time. She had chocolate brown eyes that were complemented by her dark brown curls. We stared at each other constantly that first day, and when we were partnered together, we knew that it was fate.

"My name is Margaret," she said to as soon as I walked up to her after class.

I took her by and hand and kissed it.

"Henry," I responded.

She then took one of my long dreadlocks and wrapped it around her finger, staring me in the eyes and biting her lip. It was an amazing meeting with an even better ending later that night.

The following night, we went on our first date, a theater production of Sueño. We held each other's hand through the entire performance, and afterward, I walked her to her dormitory. Every day after that was like a love story. We went through good times and bad times. We broke up and got back together. Through it all one thing never changed for me, I loved her and would do anything for her.

We got married after graduation and went on to become very successful in the stage acting scene. We were considered a power couple and were always cast in romantic roles opposite each other. It was easy to bring the true deep love that we felt for each other to the stage, and it was nice to make money from it.

One day, our lives took a turn. We had just finished a successful performance of the stage play The Clean House when we were approached by a member of the audience.

"That was an amazing performance," he said, a creepy English accent behind his words.

"Why thank you, you're sweet," said Margaret, gripping my hand.

I could tell this guy had creeped her out, but being a talented actress, she was able to put on a nice front.

"I've been watching you two for a very long time," he continued, his pale blue eyes staring into Margaret. "I am very much a fan of your work. Every performance is riveting, and I can tell that you put true passion into your exchanges. You two must truly love each other."

"We do," I said, stepping slightly in front of Margaret. "We love each other very much. I would do anything for her." I looked at her, and she gave me that beautiful smile of hers.

"That warms my heart to hear," he said as he put his arms behind his back, and looking up into the night sky. "True love is... a valuable gift that is often taken for granted. If you're not careful, you can easily lose it forever, and it can never be replaced, no matter how hard you try." He then looked at me, and I could see just how disturbing his pale blue eyes were. "Hold on to that gift. Cherish it forever."

He began to walk away before I asked the question that had been bothering me since we met.

"Who are you?" I yelled.

He stopped and turned his head. "Your biggest fan," he answered.

He then walked away. Margaret and I looked at each other, baffled at what had just taken place. Later that night, we were sitting on our couch watching a movie when suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Wonder who that could be," said Margaret as she got up to see who it was.

She looked at the peephole and froze in place before taking a single step back and opening the door. Standing just outside the door was the same man we had talked to earlier that night. He stood there with his arms behind him, his pale blue eyes shining like the moon.

"Honey?" I said, standing up from the couch to join Margaret at the door.

"Please... come in," Margaret said to the man, to my shock.

"What are you doing?" I yelled running to get to the door.

The man stepped inside before I got there, and began to stroke her face. When I finally got to them I threw my fist and connected with his face, knocking him back outside. I quickly slammed the door and locked it. I turned to Margaret, who was in some sort of a trance. I tried to snap her out of it.

"Margaret!" I yelled, shaking her. "Margaret! Wake up!"

There was nothing I could do to get her to respond. I shook her, slapped her, even splashed water in her face. Nothing. Nothing would work.

Suddenly, the lights in the house went out. I looked around until I said the silhouette of a man standing outside our living room window. I blinked and it was gone. I began to panic and ran to the gun safe in our bedroom. Despite being theater nerds, we were very well trained in self-defense and firearms. We could each hold our own if our lives were in danger, and if there was ever a time to put that training to use, it was now.

When I got back to the living room I immediately raised my weapon. There stood the strange man, holding Margaret by the face.

"Let go of her, motherfucker!" I yelled, aiming for his head.

He looked at me, and the only thing I could see in the darkness was glowing red eyes. He then turned his head to Margaret and I fired, hitting him directly in the head. He fell to the floor hard and I ran over. Margaret fell over too but I caught her before she hit the ground.

She still would not respond, her eyes wide open in a trance. I looked over to the man... but he was gone. I gently laid her on the floor and stood up quickly, readying my weapon once again. Suddenly, I felt a strong, tight grip on the back on my neck and I was then thrown across the room, hitting the wall.

I groaned in pain as I grabbed my gun and slowly stood to my feet, shaking as I raised my weapon again. Again, he had a hold of Margaret, but this time he pulled her head close to his. I felt my heart race and my blood boil as he put her lips to his, his glowing red eyes staring right at me.

"NO!" I screamed as I ran towards them. He then pushed her to the side and opened his arms to me, as if inviting me to fire on him again. I obliged and fired five rounds into him, but all he did was allow them to connect as he laughed. I ran up to him but he grabbed me by the throat before I could do anything. He pulled me close to his face and I could see every horrifying feature.

Not only did he have demon-like eyes, but his face was covered in disgusting, pulsating veins. In his mouth, were two sharp fangs and a long slimy tongue, which rubbed against my face, as if tasting me before taking his first bite. I lifted my gun to the arm that had a hold of me and fired twice. He growled in pain as he released me and I connected the butt of my gun to his face, repeatedly.

He fell to the floor and I mounted him, smashing his face more and more, harder and faster. I could feel the blood gush and spray all over as the bones in his skull crack and collapse. By the time I was done, there was nothing but smashed bone, brains, and blood. I panted as I stood back up and limped over to Margaret, who was now fully unconscious. I shook her and she finally opened her eyes, looking into mine with fear and confusion.

"Margaret," I said, feeling relieved that she was alright. I held her close and we laid there until I looked over to where the body of the stranger should have been. He was gone and panic arose once again and we both stood up quickly. I turned to face Margaret and screamed when I saw him standing behind her, still in the process of regenerating his face.

Before I had a chance to react he sunk his fangs deep into Margaret's neck. She screamed in pain as I screamed in rage, hitting the monster in the skull once again with my gun. I felt bone crack again as he released her. Again, I mounted him and went to work, growing exhausted the longer it went. I knew this wouldn't last, as he would surely regenerate again.

It soon became obvious what exactly I was dealing with. He had put Margaret into a trance, merely by looking at her, even looking through a peephole. It wasn't until he invited him inside that he actually got in. He had glowing red eyes and fangs, and he bit Margaret in the neck.

*"He's a god damn vampire, "*I thought to myself.

While he was down, I ran to the kitchen and grabbed an old wooden brook. I broke it in half and ran back to the body, where I rammed it as hard as I could directly into his heart. The body began to convulse and flail its arms and legs all over. Suddenly, it stopped and went completely limp, before melting away into deep red blood and other disgusting fluids.

After catching my breath, I slowly turned my attention to Margaret. She sat there in the darkness, legs folded and upper torso full erect.

"Honey?" I said, nervously approaching her.

In the darkness, I could only see her silhouette, until her eyes began to slowly glow red. There was only one thing I could think of to do. I love my wife. I would do anything for her. Even if that meant chaining her up in the basement, feeding her a pint of my own blood every day while I figure out what to do about her.

When the hunger would hit her, she became like a wild animal that cannot be communicated with. So, I fed her my blood and she became herself again. She understood the situation and never held it against me. It wasn't easy, but it was all we could do. Unfortunately, a pint only went so far, until soon it wasn't enough. So I gave more and more until the point that I was endangering myself with so much blood loss.

It was then that I decided to feed her... full meals. It started with small animals at first... and then cats and dogs. Soon I made the hard decision to invite homeless people into our home, knock them out, and give them to her. This went on for far too long before it really started to affect us. She felt like a monster and I did as well.

I love my wife and I would do anything for her, which brings me to now. I'm sitting here, writing this, shaking. There is literal blood on my hands as I try to compose myself. She asked me to do one last thing for her. I refused at first... because I loved her too much.

"If you love me," she began, looking me deep in my eyes, her now pale blues not blinking, "you will do this."

Tears fell from both of our eyes as I pulled her in close.

"I love you, Margaret," I whispered.

"I love you, Henry," she responded.

I could hear the squish as I drove the wooden stake in her heart. I trembled as I listened to her whimpers, gasps, and eventual silence. I broke down as her body melted away into liquid. I laid there in her remains, sobbing.

I sit here now, with nothing left but the warning about the creatures of fiction that are very much a reality. I write my confession of the crimes I have committed out of love. I say goodbye to any friends or loved ones that may be reading this. I loved her, and I did everything... for her.