Sometime in the night, long after he’d fallen asleep, quiet clicks emanated from the lock on his door. The sounds persisted for a minute, ceased, and then the handle turned slowly and the door barely opened. Beatrice peeked through the narrow space and, assured the Professor slept, she entered and closed the door slowly and quietly, resetting the lock from the inside.

She pocketed the little lockpick tools that she'd secretly made and learned to use in anticipation of escaping the next time they tried to restrain her. Copies of her tools were hidden throughout the estate, everywhere she imagined they could place her and believe she couldn’t get out.

She tiptoed across the room and stood by his bedside, looking down. A part of her contemplated how easily he could be killed, feasted on. Though taller, he was slightly built and lacked her unnatural strength. And she had the advantage of surprise. Her first kill would be so easy. But she also knew it was forbidden inside the estate. She would be cast out into the world of mortal humans. Without experience. Without allies. Eventually living like a near-animal, hunted by uncountable enemies. No, she had another plan for him. One she hoped would be better than that instant of gratification, so she settled herself comfortably on the floor by the bed where he slept.

A proper vampire possessing its full powers would have been able to easily reach into his mind and appear in his dreams. Having been turned too young, she lacked a fully developed vampire’s powers, but still she intended to try. She concentrated on imagining that she was speaking to him aloud in the room. Her lips formed the words silently.

"Life was good once. It can be good again. You're needed here. You're wanted here. Stay." She paused a moment, and began again, "Life was good once. It can be good again..."

She continued silently repeating her message for more than two hours. At last, she got up stiffly and stood watching him sleep. Nothing had changed about him. His positions, his breathing, all were the same.

She considered whether her efforts had been in vain and then decided that there might not be any outward sign even with success. Without thinking, she said half-aloud, "Please?" and then froze, afraid the sound would betray her. After another minute passed with no change in his sleeping, she turned and slipped out of the room, resetting the door's lock from outside.