Dark Experiments

by Lana Campbell

  The poor man appeared as haggard as he, Christian thought, noticing his dark beard coming in much nicer than his own light blonde one. Neither of them had shaved or showered in three days. Noah reeked as bad as he.

  Christian heard the door to the lab open and turned. It was Asa. “Well, about time.”

  His friend and partner, a big, tall Texan with shoulder length dark, blonde hair and green eyes flashed a wide smile. He wore jeans, cowboy boots and a plaid western shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Denver must have done him good. He appeared, hearty, hale and rested.

  Lucky him.

  “You two look like shit. Fill me in so I can give the two of you a break.”

  “There will be few breaks for any of us until we discover who is behind these poisonings.” Noah stood and tugged at the lapels of his lab coat. “Come look at this so you can view what we’re dealing with. I know Christian has kept you updated. Unfortunately, tonight I discovered two more infected patients, but they’ve reported no problems. I sent the three previous samples to the VCDC, but they wouldn’t have had time to determine whether we are dealing with an isolated incident or something more widespread happening in other facilities. And the three patients we have here, well I’m afraid their condition isn’t much improved.”

  “I don’t even know what to say, but shit. For the welfare of others of our kind, I hope we are an isolated incident,” Asa muttered, as he made his way to Noah’s work station. He leaned down and stared into the microscope. After several moments, he straightened. “I’ve never seen anything like this in vampire blood either. However, right now it’s more important to figure out not only who put this into these women’s bodies but why in order to catch the person responsible.” He looked at Noah. “I know you’ve been working on this project around the clock. Any luck with motives?”

  “No. I’ve been studying charts for similarities. Aside from Miss Peebles, all received a transfusion and a subcutaneous vitamin booster their last visit.”

  Christian nodded. “That leads to the inevitable question, how was Tiffany poisoned? We think we know.”

  Noah slipped his hands into his coat pockets. “Asa, each of these persons have consumed food or drink here according to their charts including Miss Peebles. It’s the only common denominator because of course Miss Peebles did not have a transfusion or vitamin booster. As I told Christian earlier today, all of the blood units tested normal as did the vitamin vials. These women ingested the poisons. I can see no other explanation.”

  Asa scratched his chin. “Did the nurses chart specific foods or beverages?”

  “Mostly. Things such as juices, tea, mineral water, snacks we keep in the break room or cafeteria food. Some entries weren’t as specific. No one person gave all of these patients a beverage or snack. Some were nurses, some aides and kitchen staff for the ones who ate breakfast or lunch here. If the person behind this is part of the nursing staff they may have omitted dietary intakes on purpose. We have to consider that as a very real possibility.”

  Christian suppressed a chill imagining one of their nurses or aides doing this horrible thing to their patients. “We have to be more vigilant, gentleman. We either have to crack down on staff’s dietary intake charting or maybe we should just be done with it and quit offering any food or beverages to patients.”

  Noah shook his head. “We can’t do that. For one thing it would raise suspicions particularly with the person or persons we want to think we’re still in the dark about what they’ve been doing.” To Asa he said, “Christian probably told you, but we felt it would be in the best interest of our patients and the V clinic as a whole if they perpetrator doesn’t suspect we know the stillbirths were caused by these poisonings. As desperate as we are to catch this person, we can’t risk this information being leaked to staff. It will only cause pandemonium and possibly more incidents if the person responsible feels caged or threatened. They have a purpose and a motive in doing this. Granted an insane one, but nonetheless, I doubt fear of being caught will stop them.”

  Christian added, “Noah’s right. Plus our patients have come to expect this amenity. To stop it would become suspect. Maybe the three of us need to ask each patient what they consumed here while we’re visiting with them and who gave it to them. That way if there is another incident we’ll know immediately who our culprit is.”

  “Good thinking,” Asa said.

  “I believe that’s a good start, but I also think we should run tests on food products. Product tampering on a production level is still a possibility. We all know it’s happened many times in the past,” Noah said.

  Asa added, “Well, whatever we do, we’d better come up with something specific damned quick before we have more losses. I’ll get with you on this immediately, Noah. I think you’re right though. The next order of business is to begin testing every food and drink in this entire building. Some nutcase in a manufacturing plant somewhere could be poisoning spaghetti sauce for all we know.”

  “I’ll help,” Christian volunteered, his voice a little croaky from shear exhaustion. “Based on Noah’s recent findings, we need answers yesterday. I do know Tiffany ate a burrito from the cafeteria the day she fell ill. We can start with the ingredients in that I suppose, but I doubt we’ll find anything there since other employees would have eaten one too.”

  Asa frowned at Christian. “We will get answers. Not you though. You have your hands full and although my tail was on fire trying to get back here, compared to you two, I’m locked and loaded with rest. How’s Tiffany holding up by the way?”

  “Nothing’s changed since I spoke with you. Turning her was a giant risk under the circumstances but I had no other options to save her. If this backfires…” He swallowed hard, unable to finish the statement.

  Asa stared at him, his expression both studious and sympathetic. “Is she yours?”

  The guy knew him far too well, but then he’d been an emotional wreck for days and probably wore them on his sleeve. “Yeah.”

  Asa sighed heavily. “I always had a feeling you’d find your woman before I did. Congratulations. That being the case, I can’t believe it would end like this.”

  “Thanks. It better not.” He turned and strode out of the lab, his destination the doctor’s lounge for a transfusion and a quick nap before he returned to Tiffany.

  A while later when he walked through the open door to her room, he found Mia seated in a chair facing the bed, Nathan in one next to her, but her sisters and Dominic were absent. There was an open Bible on Mia’s lap and she held Nathan’s hand.

  “Hello, Christian,” Mia said.

  He tried for a warm smile. “Morning. The two of you look like you could use some sleep. Why don’t you both go on home?” They had a refurbished Antebellum in one of the historical districts, which he’d visited a couple times. However, they resided primarily in New York City because Davenport Enterprises corporate headquarters were located there and so was Mia and Julia’s catering business.

  Mia frowned and glanced back at Tiffany. “I hate to leave her.”

  He crossed his arms and approached her. “You aren’t going to miss anything. She won’t regain consciousness until I allow it.” Christian studied Tiffany’s monitor and was pleased with what he viewed. Her vitals had been good for some time now. The results of her last round of tests, which he’d checked before coming here had revealed a positive reduction of hemolysis in her blood and strong healthy vampire cells. His blood was killing off the infected human cells—the very thing he’d hoped for. She would pull through. He knew it in his heart and soul.

  If he could get one more miracle from God, it would be that their VHS vampire patients would respond to their particular treatments as well as Tiffany had.

  “I understand. Tiffany will be okay. I’m sure of it.” Mia’s tone was confident, her smile inspiring.

  “So am I,” Nathan added, then squeezed his life mate’s hand.

  “Yes, she will. I’m not saying that merely
as her doctor, but as her life mate and because well, God always answers your prayers. I never thought after all this time I would finally find my mate. From what Nathan said I guess I have you to thank for it. So, I reckon if God answered that prayer, he’ll bring Tiffany back to us.” There were no secrets between life mates. Nathan would have already told Mia what he’d confessed to him in the hall earlier.

  Mia smiled with understanding. “Christian, I had very little to do with it actually. God had this planned for both of you before the foundation of the earth. All I did was pray His will for the both of you, which is all anyone can do. She may not see things the way you do yet, but she will. This horrible thing that befell her, that the Enemy meant for her demise, God will use for His glory, I assure you. Just be patient.”

  He nodded. “I have been, but it hasn’t been easy. She didn’t want this.” He made a sweeping gesture toward her bed. “She didn’t want to be vampire and she doesn’t want a life with me.”

  Mia sighed and stared at her daughter for a few moments.

  The honesty cost him pain and tears stung his eyes. True life mates almost always found their way to one another, but it wasn’t always cut and dry. Sometimes circumstances or differences of opinion and thought processes could cause great difficulties between the two people, and years of unhappiness. Depending on how stubborn one or both were, the couple might never come together. And Tiffany was the epitome of stubbornness.

  Mia stood and approached him, taking his hand. “Christian you’re wrong. She might not yet know she wants a life with you, but she does. Opening her heart to anyone, especially a man, terrifies her. I’ve watched her watching you for years with doe eyes. She practically worships you, but she has so much pain and bitterness in her soul. You and I have talked about her past numerous times. Her wounds will heal. God will see to it and now she has a reason for them to heal quicker. You.”

  “Mia’s right on all accounts,” Nathan said, gaining his feet.

  Their words resounded with reasoning and he wanted to believe them more than anything but Tiffany’s determination to avoid a romantic relationship with him detoured hope. “You’re both right. I’m sorry. I should be comforting the two of you right now.” He’d never had such a professional moment of weakness, but Tiffany wasn’t a mere patient and these were two of his closest friends.

  Mia still held his hand, squeezed it again and gave him a bolstering smile. “We need to be comforting each other, Christian. God has a plan for both you and Tiffany. Together. She will live and she will love you the way you deserve one day soon.”

  He smiled. “From your lips to God’s ears.” He’d said those same words to her once before about his unmated situation and apparently she recalled that day many years ago because she laughed softly and winked.

  “We’re going home now. However, if her condition should change, I expect a call immediately.”

  “Of course. She has approximately thirty more hours before the turning is complete. If her blood work continues to look good, late tomorrow I’ll bring her out of the coma and remove the ventilator.”

  Mia nodded, glanced over him and frowned. “Well, get some sleep if you can. It’s apparent you need it.”

  After Mia and Nathan left, Christian went to the doctor’s suite to shower and get ready for the long day ahead. Asa and Noah were sequestered in the lab running tests and scouring charts for clues that might to lead them to some definitive conclusions. That left him to do as many monthly exams as time allowed, while checking in on Tiffany every chance he received.

  Fortunately, some or all family members would be at her bedside to watch over her since he couldn’t.

  Around dark that evening, he sent her family home and settled into a chair beside Tiffany’s bed with a pillow and blanket. Sometime later a noise woke him and when he looked up Mia and Nathan stood on the other side of Tiffany’s bed. Mia held her hand.

  He blinked at the clock on the wall across the room, shocked it was a bit after seven in the morning. Finally, he’d gotten a decent night’s sleep but he could have done without the crick in his neck.

  Christian stood and rubbed a small knot at the base of his skull. “Morning.”

  “How is she?” Mia asked.

  He felt bad because he didn’t know details, but he knew she’d had a good night or Betty would have woken him. Actually, she looked much improved. Her coloring was healthy, her vitals still strong. “Holding her own. I think I can safely say she’s going to be back to her old snarly self in no time.”

  Nathan chuckled.

  Mia heaved a sigh. “I can hardly wait for her to open her eyes. Thank you, Christian. For everything you’ve done to bring her through this.”

  He heard the door open. Chelsie walked in followed by Danielle, Dominic and his parents, Julia and Dimitri Chauvinski. All wore grim expressions as they gathered around her bed, but tears welled in Julie’s bright green eyes then streamed down her cheeks. The couple must have just arrived in New Orleans.

  “Oh, Mia, Nathan, I am so sorry, my Darlings.” Julie swallowed hard and looked at Christian. “How is she, Cher?”

  Julia had been a patient of his for years, she and Dimitri close friends for most of those and Nathan even longer to the couple. He offered her a bolstering smile. “Much better. In fact I’ll remove her breathing tube later today.”

  “That’s great news,” Chelsie said, then shared a smile with Danielle and Dominic.

  “Mia told Julia she had been poisoned. Do you know how it happened?” Dimitri asked. His silver eyes flickered with concern.

  Christian shook his head. “My partners and I are still playing detective, with no success. Unfortunately, aside from Tiffany, at least five of our patients were also poisoned within this last week.”

  Mia gasped. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry, Christian. I can’t even imagine what you must be going through.”

  Everyone offered their condolences. Christian thanked them. “I wouldn’t have mentioned it, but I want to make sure none of you consume anything here unless it’s from vending machines. At least until we know how all these women came in contact with these poisons. This cocktail of poisons is far more devastating to the human body, than to our species, but it’s affecting our babies. We’re terming this thing the Vampire Hemolysis Syndrome or VHS. The infected mothers’ blood work shows signs of a human condition called hemolysis which are ruptured red blood cells due to excessive fluid buildup. Vampires are supposed to be immune to the toxic chemicals causing this, but for some reason they’re not. We’ve yet to figure out why.”

  Chelsie cleared her throat. “Could there be another drug or chemical agent the tox screen failed to reveal which would result in hemolysis?”

  Christian offered Chelsie a tired smile, happy to know she’d be a part of the V clinic team very soon. “It’s a possibility. We’ve sent blood samples to the Vampire Center of Disease Control for more advanced testing and to match up our troubles here with any other medical facilities possibly facing this. Bottom line is we just don’t know much yet. The only thing we know for sure is these women and Tiffany didn’t poison themselves and it’s highly likely someone in this building is responsible.”

  “Obviously, some sick psychopath around here hates women or vampires in general,” Nathan snarled.

  “I hadn’t considered that but you could be right. We’re talking about patients who live hundreds or thousands of miles apart. Why them? They’re pregnant vampires. Why Tiffany? She’s human. All I know for certain is this started the day Tiffany arrived. I’m not saying she has anything to do with it, but I can’t rule out the coincidence. I can’t rule out anything.”

  Something akin to fear passed across Nathan’s face. He glanced at Mia and mind spoke to her for several moments.

  “Oh, God no Nathan!” Mia exclaimed, palming her mouth.

  This didn’t sound good. “You two wanna share?”

  Nathan inhaled deeply then his violet eyes rolled toward the ceiling. “It’s p
ossible this is my fault. I’ve been at odds with a certain real estate competitor for several years now. Nothing out of the ordinary in my arena. However, he had me trailed by a P.I. recently. I’m afraid he’s discovered I’m vampire and he’s been causing some trouble.”

  Christian rubbed a hand across his forehead, confused. “How?”

  Mia scowled at her husband, then supplied the answer. “You know Nathan is an old-world feeder. He got caught in the act, but didn’t know it. So of course, he didn’t void the witness’ memories. Pictures were taken and this nasty person has been blackmailing Nathan. He’s threatening to post those pictures online and take them to the media if Nathan refuses to meet his demands.”

  “He’s threatened some more violent measures as well,” Nathan added, then faced Mia with apology-ridden features. “I didn’t want to alarm you, but he’s threatened the family.”

  Christian shot Nathan a hot look. “Damn it, Davenport, why can’t you take transfusions like a civilized vampire?”

  Nathan returned one in kind. “If this incident with Tiffany and your patients involves this man I will ferret it out, and trust me, the human will end up in the Amazon, the honorary guest of a very hungry cannibal tribe.”

  Christian chuckled. So, did the others, but the light mood was short lived with the tragedy surrounding them. “It’s very unlikely this competitor of yours is the culprit, Nathan. The chances of anyone infiltrating our practice is next to impossible. Hell, like you, we mind test every employee. Aside from our natural abilities, vampire medical practitioners are very adept at covering their asses. To the outside world, we’re here to treat human OB/GYN patients. We abide by the letter of human law in every aspect so rarely do we have to deal with a nosey Nellie from some government agency. If and when we do, we deal with them like any vampire owned business. We mine their thoughts and delete anything there that could have a negative impact on the true nature of our practice.”

  “But obviously, someone has infiltrated the V clinic or this wouldn’t be happening,” Chelsie pointed out.