The not scaring her plan didn’t work because she nearly jumped out of her skin. She put her hand on her chest breathing heavily and said, “God you scared me.”

“I just noticed you were walking around here by yourself, and I really think it’s not safe,” I said gently, “I can guide you to the path if you want.”

The girl’s features formed into an unexpected smirk and she said, “Do you really think I would commit a felony and sneak into a National Park in the middle of the night just so you could send my right back from where I came?”

My brow furrowed and my body tensed in a defensive position. The only people that ever came looking for me were vampires or demons trying to get me to return to the dark side, but I haven’t been a lean mean killing machine since the mid-19^th century, and I had switched even before the curse.

The girl raised her hands in the air slowly, “No need to get defensive.”

“Who are you and what do you want?” I growled defensively.

“The name’s Tina,” she said, “You’re Elizabeth I’m assuming, you look different than in your picture.”

“Picture? Why did you see a picture of me?” I snapped.

“Just calm down Elizabeth…”

“Don’t call me that,” I growled.

Tina smirked, “so what do I call you then?”

I sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of my nose, this girl was obviously a handful. She was about to open her mouth and say something else but I interrupted her, “Bette! Call me Bette!”

“Bette,” Tina repeated with a sly smile, “Not Lizzie, or Liz, or Eliza, or…”

“That’s enough!” I snapped in frustration.

Tina chuckled teasingly and said, “okay, okay. I probably shouldn’t piss off a vampire.”

With an angry growl and I marched forward towards Tina who just smirked. Wouldn’t normal people be scared? “Who are you and what do you want?” I growled ferociously reaching forward to grab her arms.

When my arms swiped I felt nothing but air. I looked in front of me and there was nothing. In confusion I swirled around but the clearing was completely empty. From behind me I heard a twig snap and I swung around towards the sound.