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Proof of Existence	By : CainesSparkly Category: 1 through F > CSI: Miami Views: 2639 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: Miami, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Disclaimer: We all know I don’t own CSI: Miami or any of its characters; the great and wonderful CBS, Jerry Bruckheimer, and a few others I’m sure I’ve forgotten do and we should all worship them for giving us such wonderful characters to play with. Mara Hohlman, however, does belong to me and I’d like to be consulted before she’s used elsewhere.
Author’s Note: I am playing fast and loose with vampire legends here… any similarity to other works is purely unintentional. This story is set in an alternate universe… and I don’t think there are any spoilers.
Archive: If you want it, take it, but please tell me where my baby will be. I can be reached at djsparkles@insightbb.com.
Chapter Four
Alexx put a hand to Wolfe’s forehead. “Baby, are you feverish? You’d better sit down here and let me look you over again.”
“Alexx, stop,” Ryan ducked out from under her hand and swatted at her fingers. “I’m not sick and I’m not delusional. I… I wasn’t sure about it and didn’t say anything because I thought you’d react like this. But… she’s a vampire. She’s why I haven’t been sleeping. I can’t sleep, she’s always in my head, in my dreams…” Something in Horatio’s face stopped him and he swiveled the chair around to straddle it. “You think I’m crazy, too? I’m not. Look.” He pulled back his shirt collar to display an identical set of marks on his neck. “I measured them. They’re definitely from a human mouth. And short of filing her other teeth down to non-existence, she has to have fangs.”
“Then how do you explain mine?” Horatio growled. He couldn’t believe he was buying into this. “She was here for only a few minutes last night, Ryan, and we passed a few words, nothing more. She certainly didn’t bite me.”
“Did you dream about her?” Wolfe was blushing again. “Vampires can invade your dreams and it’s just like they’re in the same room with you.” He wouldn’t meet Caine’s eyes. “Not just personal experience talking, either. I’ve been doing some research.” He bounced up from his chair and went to his computer, picked up a large sheaf of printed material, and brought it to the table. He handed it to Horatio. “Documented cases over the last year. Each victim was found drained of blood with puncture wounds on the neck. After three days, the bodies simply disappeared right out of the Autopsy labs. No sign of forced entry, no one saw *anything* abnormal. All the guards and morgue attendants passed polygraph tests. Nobody knows what happened or saw anything, but the bodies were gone. Vanished.”
“Polygraph tests aren’t foolproof,” Caine returned as he scanned over the pages. “There had to be some evidence that was overlooked.” He had to admit, though, Wolfe had been thorough. These were actual documented cases. In one instance, the officers responding had apprehended the killer with blood dripping from his mouth. He had then disappeared from a maximum security holding facility apparently into thin air. No evidence of the lock having been opened, no evidence that anyone had even been in the vicinity; but the suspect was still gone. “I’m not certain I want to know how you obtained confidential departmental files, Ryan. Especially ones not from our jurisdiction.”
“There’s not any other reliable information out there, though. A couple of instances of people who claimed to *be* vampires, but it was never proven. Never disproved, either.” Wolfe dropped back onto his chair, watching the others, his expression guarded, for the moment glossing over his hacking skills. “There’s a lot of conjecture, a lot of theories, a lot of conflicting stories about vampires, but nothing concrete. A few of the things all of the ‘sources’ agree on are that vampires drink blood. Given, that’s the definition. Religious symbols might or might not work as a defense, given the level of faith one has in said religion. A vampire can, if you’ve made eye contact once, enter your sleeping mind and mess with your head. They can also feed during dreams, if they’re a strong enough vampire. Have to be very old to manage it. And age seems to dictate how powerful a vampire is. For instance, a hundred year old vampire can wipe the floor with one that’s newly risen. Control them, make them act as the older one wishes. Oh, and three days is the ‘official’ word on how long it takes a vampire to rise.”
“Sounds like you’ve really done your homework,” Alexx remarked as she read over Horatio’s shoulder. Her voice was indulgent.
“It certainly does, Mr. Wolfe. And when were you planning on bringing this to my attention?” Caine was intrigued despite himself. Vampires didn’t exist; but there was no hard evidence to prove one way or the other. And the evidence seemed to be piling up in favor of Ryan’s lady friend being, if not a vampire, then certainly delusional enough to believe she was. “Before or after she had bitten you again?”
Wolfe growled. “Don’t humor me, H, it isn’t funny. I know how crazy it sounds. But I’m telling you, she fits all the criteria. Here one minute, gone the next. She bites. And you don’t mind it so much when she does, either, at least I don’t. It’s really kind of…” He blushed from his neck to the roots of his dark hair. “Blows the mind, if you want the truth.”
Caine fought down his own blush. It had certainly been a… unique experience. “I’m not humoring you, Ryan,” he said firmly. “She certainly fits the description you’ve worked up. But I’m still not convinced of a *supernatural* angle.” He held up a hand at the protest he saw forming on Wolfe’s face. “Convince me.”
“If those police reports don’t convince you, if the fact that we’ve got identical bite marks doesn’t convince you, if the fact that Mara was in your dreams last night and you have bite marks this morning and the same symptoms I’ve been having doesn’t convince you, I can’t.” Wolfe shrugged. “You’ve got all the evidence I’ve been able to find, and that’s just in the last year. You’ve experienced the kind of mind games she plays. From what I can tell from those bite marks, you’ve experienced *her.* And no, I’m not upset. Confused, but not upset, at least about that.”
“That’s, um, that’s good to know,” Caine managed to say.
“Guys, this isn’t answering the question.” Alexx was trying to get them back on track; despite herself, she was intrigued with the possibilities. However, vampires weren’t in her lexicon. “Why is she biting you and drinking your blood? And how did she get hold of Horatio last night if she wasn’t even here?”
“I dreamed of her. Last night.” The tone of Caine’s voice didn’t lend itself to argument. It was flat, emotionless, a recitation of events. “During that dream, she insisted that we… that *I*… would need protection, and soon. Then she seduced me, and bit me. She was *not* in this apartment when it happened. It was a dream; but it felt real. And I woke up with fang marks.”
“Horatio, honey, that’s just impossible. You two are starting to creep me out a bit, here. Come on, guys, vampires don’t exist.” Alexx wasn’t certain she could handle the two of them if they were truly delusional; and they had to be, didn’t they? Vampires *did not* exist. Yet it was difficult to watch the two of them and not at least be tempted to believe.
Paranoid delusions? Not likely. Wolfe, maybe, but *not* Horatio. Or was he? She could feel her head starting to spin and she didn’t like the feeling. “Blood is an emetic. Drink enough of it, you throw up. So where’s the evidence? If she threw up somewhere in this apartment we should have smelled it by now.”
“Alexx, nobody’s ralphed in here, I can guarantee that.” Wolfe gave an exasperated noise at the look on her face. “OCD, remember? Not to mention I was a neat freak already. I’d know if anything was out of place, if anything was here that shouldn’t be. God I don’t believe we’re sitting here discussing whether or not my blood made somebody puke.” He threw up his hands. “I was afraid you guys wouldn’t believe me. So, I’ll just put garlic around all the entrances, revoke my invitation to her, and start wearing a cross. Something’s gotta work.”
“How deep is your faith, Ryan?” Caine asked nonchalantly. “Remember, you said that it depended on the level of faith the wearer had. If you don’t have enough, will it protect you?” It wasn’t important now that he didn’t believe in vampires, regardless of the evidence or lack thereof; what was important was Wolfe’s belief.
“You’re humoring me again, Boss.” Wolfe wasn’t having it. “You don’t believe me, even with what happened to you. Fine. But don’t treat me like I’m nuts, okay? Even if I were delusional… which I’m not and you know it… it’s a harmless delusion unless I start hunting people to put stakes in their hearts, right?”
Alexx’s voice broke in while the two men were eyeing each other uneasily. “Has she shown any signs of abnormal abilities? I mean, guys, if you’re going to sit here and discuss this, I can b.s. with the best of them. But my professional opinion is that you’re both nuts if you think a vampire did this to you.”
“Nuts. Is that a technical term, Alexx?” Caine gave her a rueful glance.
“Sounds like one to me, H, and she’s pretty convinced.” Wolfe cursed to himself. “The only thing I can’t make fit about Mara being a vampire is that she walks around in the daytime, too. Real vampires aren’t supposed to be able to do that.”
“Let’s see those ‘sources,’ Ryan,” Caine prompted firmly. “Maybe there’s something in them that would explain it.”
“Or perhaps you could learn straight from the vampire herself.” Mara spoke from the door. “Aren’t you going to invite me in, Ryan? After all, you revoked the invitation. I can’t talk to you properly through the doorway, now can I?” Her voice was rich with indulgence and a large amount of good humor.
“Come in, then, but no funny stuff, Mara, I know what you are,” Wolfe said quietly.
“Of course you do. I made no secret of it, did I?” Mara sauntered into the room, her dark hair unbound, laying in thick waves over the collar of the dress she wore. Sleek lines of lilac linen fell in tailored folds around her, giving her an expensive air. “And they do not believe you. What a shame.” She eyed Alexx warily, and then laughed.
“Sugar, at least let me share the joke,” Alexx replied evenly. Both men could sense her temper rising; they’d had enough experience with it to know. “I like to know why I’m being made fun of.
“Ah, cara, I meant no harm. You are a refreshing change for me, that’s all. The women I deal with, they are all determined to save their men at all costs, and so they fall victim to my plots. You, I think, would not be so easy to beguile.” Mara was watching her carefully. “You are a scientist, a dealer in absolutes. You do not believe the evidence of your senses; and yet you make so many decisions based upon them. Sight, touch, smell; there are so many ways of fooling them. Are you so certain I have not done so?”
Her eyes turned to Horatio. “And you, my brave one… you are as stubborn as she, refusing to believe the evidence before you. I was not in your bed last night, and yet you wake with my mark upon your skin. I was in your dreams, caro, and placed my mark upon you there in the dream only. Yet you wear it almost proudly in your waking hours.” She moved closer and he stepped back. She gave a soft laugh. “And you fear me, don’t you. You are afraid to meet my eyes, afraid to allow me too near, after the dream, is that not true? But why? Why fear me? Was it so terrible an experience?”
“The dream wasn’t, no,” Caine replied evenly, all the while keeping his gaze fixed at a point beyond her left shoulder. He wouldn’t meet her eyes again, not voluntarily. He still remembered the vertigo he’d experienced the first time. “The other… I’d like some explanations, Mara, and I would like to have them now.” He placed himself firmly between her and Wolfe, who was staring at her with something approaching awe. “Alexx, take Ryan and go into the bedroom, if you would, please, and close the door,” he ground out. “But be listening. You know what to do, if necessary.”
Alexx took Wolfe’s arm and he shook himself, as though he hadn’t fully been aware. “Come on, baby, let’s get out of the line of fire,” she said softly. Horatio waited only until the door was closed firmly and he heard the lock click into place before turning his attention back to Mara.
He raised an eyebrow at her, as if in challenge. He had gotten Wolfe away from her, at least for the moment; how would she take it?
Mara gave a throaty laugh. “So serious, so concerned for your friends. I give you my word, they have nothing more to fear from me. Especially the young one; I would not have him rise as a vampire. To feed from him again would kill him in his present state.” A moment’s sorrow flashed in her eyes, so quickly it might have been missed by a less observant man.
“So instead of feeding from him last night, you fed from me.” Careful, careful… Caine reminded himself that he was dealing with a delusional personality. No telling what she might do if he angered her. “So how did you get back in, Mara? You must have been here. And what did you do to me to keep me unaware of your presence?”
“I did not come back after you so rudely sent me away, Caine,” she snapped, all semblance of sorrow fled. “You should trust the evidence of your senses. It was a dream, no more; I was not here. It was all in your mind.”
“Now that is impossible. Unless you’re claiming the bite marks are psychosomatic.” He put himself more firmly between her and the locked bedroom door. “The truth, Mara. Now.”
Mara sighed and let her power fade out. Her face took on a dangerous beauty, an almost otherworldly quality, and Caine caught his breath when he saw the tips of fangs emerge from between her lips. “You see, Horatio? I am what I have said. I have not lied to you, nor to Ryan.”
“No, I guess you haven’t.” Had he lost his mind? There were any number of ways she could be manipulating him; he had to keep that in mind but it was becoming increasingly difficult to focus on logic when there was a vampire standing right in front of him.
She moved closer to him, and again he took a step back. She looked sad. “I give you my word, you have nothing to fear. You can even meet my eyes; I will not attempt to thrall you. But we must talk, you and I.”
“You keep saying that, Mara, but you never follow through,” Caine answered dryly. “Let’s start with why you are so interested in Ryan.”
“Because he is young, full of life, and oh so creative,” Mara replied with a throaty laugh. “But I think it is not your young Wolfe you wish to speak of. Very well, I will explain.” She sat down, fidgeting with the brooch on her suit.
Horatio took the chair Ryan had vacated; he couldn’t help a sense of anticipation. Maybe they were about to finally get some answers. But when Mara remained silent, he cleared his throat.
“Forgive me, please,” she said softly. “This is difficult. The last man I told of my nature, I was forced to kill. It brings up bad memories.” She shifted. “I supposed I must begin with how and when I became a vampire.” She rose, obviously distressed, and began to pace.
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Proof of Existence