I grumbled a bit, but it did give me more time in the lab. Weeks later, it was business as usual. “All right, Goth Boy, put the nice man down.” The young villain put down the homeless man from whom he had been draining energy and frowned. “Count Cranium! My name is Count Cranium!” I burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it. “Like that’s any better.” Luke appeared out of the shadows. “Whatever your name is, step away from the civilian.” Seeing Luke, the psychic vampire edged toward the mouth of the alley. I frowned. Just a teenager, and already a criminal with a bizarre moniker. What was the world coming to? “Don’t you dare run.” No sooner did the words leave my mouth than Goth Boy tossed the bum at me. I collided with a mound of alcohol-scented flesh and went down. Luke stopped to help me up, and I got a glimpse of the edge of a cape disappearing around the corner. Goth Boy’s outfit proved he took the vampiric portion of his powers a little too seriously. “I’m all right, just go!”
