Sekhmet's Curse (Pearl Vampire Chronicles)

by Dara Nelson

  Cameron looked up as I walked into his office, “Oh, hi, Sarah. How’s Matt doing?”

  “Ummm, he just asked for a burger?”

  Cameron’s head whipped around to me, “He what?!? He, he asked for a burger? Why in the hell would he do that?”

  “Well, apparently he’s lost all memory of who he is and even what he is, Cameron. What am I supposed to do?”

  “I don’t know, Sarah. I haven’t seen or heard of this happening before. We can stall him for now. I’ll tell him that food is not something that he’s ready for. And I’ll bring a pint of blood with me to see how he reacts. If he doesn’t seem interested in it, I’ll hang it on his IV and give it to him intravenously. It won’t help him as much as he needs, but at least that will keep him alive. In the meantime, you go talk to David, see if he’s heard anything like this happening. Then maybe talk to Aquila? Find out if there’s anything like this in seraphim history. And dig into your head too. Maybe there’s something in there. And call Carlos, maybe he knows something.”

  I nodded as I sat down and put my head in my hands, “I will,” I mumbled.

  Cameron gently placed his hand on my back, “Never a dull moment in a vampire’s life, is there?”

  I tried to smile as I looked up at him, “I guess that’s too much to ask,” I said as I fought back my sobs.

  Cameron grabbed two pints from the microwave. I watched him as he slowly made his way into the clinic towards Matt’s bed. I wiped a bloody tear from my cheek as I reached my mind out to Carlos, ‘Baby? You there?’

  ‘Always for you. What’s up, hun? Wait! Are you crying? What’s wrong?’

  ‘It’s Matt. He’s awake, but there’s a problem.’

  ‘His memory? We expected that, Sarah. We’ve seen that before. It’ll come back.’

  ‘I know that and it’s not his memory. Well, not exactly.’

  ‘What do you mean? Tell me what’s going on.’

  ‘Well, not only does he not remember who he is, Carlos. But it seems that he doesn’t remember what he is.’

  ‘What do you mean, he doesn’t remember what he is?’

  ‘He doesn’t know that he’s a vampire, Carlos. He asked for a burger when he woke up.’

  ‘He did not.’

  ‘Yes, he did.’

  ‘Holy shit. A vampire who doesn’t know he’s a vampire. He’s like a newborn all over again. You’ve got to be delicate, Sarah. Tell him everything too quickly and he might become angry and bitter. Look, you’ve never help someone adapt who’s been turned without knowing first, I have. I’m going to come home right now. I’ll catch the first flight home in the morning.’

  ‘But don’t you still have to go to Istanbul? You only just got to Paris. Have you even met with, what is her name again? Oh yeah, Sissy. Have you found her yet?’

  ‘She’s with me right now. And that’s going to have to be enough. This is different, Sarah. Matt could get his memory back but be a completely different person. Angry, vengeful, uncontrollable and without a speck of love in his heart. Do you want that? Do you really want to risk that?’

  ‘No, of course I don’t, honey. I just don’t want to seem selfish in the eyes of the others.’

  ‘Sarah, nobody could ever see you as selfish. Ever. I’ll be there as quick as I can. Whatever you do, don’t tell him what he is before I get there, okay? Promise me that he won’t find out.’

  ‘I promise. I love you, Carlos.’

  ‘I love you, too, Sarah.’

  I inhaled as I felt him leave my head. I missed him so much right now that it left an ache in my heart that made it hard to concentrate but I knew that I had to focus on Matt. I glanced out into the clinic and saw Cameron hanging the pint on the IV stand. Even with the scent of blood there, Matt still didn’t know what he was, he didn’t event glance at the blood. God, this is so weird. I glanced at myself in the mirror on the wall and wiped away the last traces of blood from my face. The last thing I needed now was for Matt to see me crying bloody tears. As I walked out I listened to Cameron’s conversation with Matt, “I know you’re hungry, Matt. But, I’m telling you, if you ate right now, you would just throw it all back up a few minutes later. Your stomach isn’t ready for food, and the medication we’ve got you on wouldn’t help either. Just lie back and relax for a bit. Your hunger will go away soon, I promise.”

  “But, Doc. I’m frickin’ starving. How is this just going to ‘go away’?”

  “Trust me. Please?”

  Matt glanced over at me as I walked up to his bedside. I blushed slightly as I saw him ‘check me out’ “Um, it’s Sarah, right? So, tell me, Sarah. Does this guy really know what he’s talking about?”

  “Who, Cameron? Absolutely. I trust him with my life. And he’s saved mine more than once.”

  He stared at both of us for a few seconds, then finally nodded his head, “Okay. But somebody is going to have to keep me distracted from this hunger.”

  Cameron looked at me and we both smiled. “I’ve got other patients to see,” he said.

  “That’s fine. I can keep you company.” I said.

  “You sure? There’s not a husband or boyfriend who’s going to get mad?”

  Flirting? I thought as I smiled. He’s flirting with me? Awesome. I decided to flirt back, and play coy. “Don’t worry about me, Matt. I’m here to help you get better. Getting better is all you need to worry about.”

  I saw him smirk, but then his expression changed to fear. “Why can’t I remember anything, Sarah?” he whispered.

  “You were really sick, Matt. You almost died. Healing completely will take a little time. Your memory will come back. You just need to be patient.”

  “But, not knowing who you are really sucks, Sarah.”

  “I know, h…..mmmm, Matt. Why don’t we try this. Why don’t you tell me what you do remember. Do you have any memories at all?”

  “I keep seeing a waterfall. And a shower. I’ve seen a beach in a few of my dreams. And a guy with a funny smile and dark brown hair.”

  I smiled, “That’s your best friend, Carlos.”

  “And he’s someone very special to you. I can tell because your face just lit up.”

  “He is, to both of us.”

  “And you? You’re what to me?”

  I gently placed my hand on the back of his, “Matt, don’t push this too hard. Your memories will come back soon enough.”

  He nodded and laid his head back on the bed. Suddenly his hands balled up into fists. He pounded them on the bed and cried out, “Ahhhhh, damn it, this sucks!”

  I stopped myself from reaching for him, “I know it does. But you’ll get through this. I promise you will.”

  “But you know everything about me. And I know nothing. I can’t remember anything, Sarah. I don’t even remember when the last time was that I went to the bathroom! Or when the last time was that I ate. I’m having a hard time remembering what food even tastes like. How stupid is that?”

  “It’s not stupid at all. Healing takes time, Matt.”

  “Fine, whatever. Can you help me to the bathroom? I have to pee.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I have to pee. Will you help me or not?”

  “Umm, let me check with Doc Cameron first to see if it’s okay for you to get out of bed. Can you hold on a second?”

  “Okay, but hurry please? My bladder feels like it’s going to bust. Honestly, I feel like I haven’t peed in years.”

  “Okay. I’ll hurry.” I turned and moved through the clinic and found Cameron checking on Stacey, who was still unconscious, but doing better. “Cameron?”

  “What is it, Sarah?”

  “Well, Matt says he has to pee and he wants to know if it’s okay for him to get out of bed.”

  Cameron stared at me, open mouthed, for a full thirty seconds, “You’re kidding me, right?”

  I shook my head, “No, I’m not. What’s happening to him?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “But the treatment we’
re giving him has a lot of seraphim blood in it, Cameron. Aquila still has many human bodily functions, including urinating. Is it possible that he’s mutating? Becoming part seraphim?”

  “I don’t know, Sarah. I suppose it’s possible that he’s getting some of those abilities temporarily. But I’m going to have to run some tests to confirm. And if he is I doubt it will last. But I don’t want him peeing in a toilet. If he’s producing urine again, I need it for samples. Bring him a bed pan and bring it to me when he’s done, okay?”

  “Are you sure you can’t do it?”

  “Sarah, you’re married to the guy. You can help him with this.”

  “But he doesn’t remember that we’re married. I don’t want to embarrass him.”

  “He’ll get over it. I’m busy here. The nurses are all busy with other patients. And David is doing an autopsy on Taylor.”

  “Taylor? But he was doing better yesterday. I thought we caught it in time.”

  “I thought so too. But we only slowed the damage this time. It didn’t stop it. He died last night. This blend of yours and Seraphim’s blood seems to work on many, but not everyone. We still don’t know what it is about your blood or seraphim’s that seems to make you immune to the disease. We’re still studying that in the lab. Which reminds me. You need to feed soon. It’s time for another blood draw. I need you to feed on Aquila again.”

  “I will. As soon as Matt falls asleep. I promise.”

  I grabbed a bed pan from the shelf, thought for a second then grabbed two more, before I headed back to Matt’s bed. He watched me as I approached, then rolled his eyes when I was only a few feet away. “Seriously? He won’t let me get up to pee? But I feel fine. I feel fantastic actually. Strong. I feel like I could run a marathon.”

  “I know. But he needs your urine for samples. He needs to run some tests.”

  He grabbed a bed pan from my hand, “Fine. But turn around please. And have another one ready. I’m probably going to fill at least two.”

  I nodded and turned around as he pulled the lid off and brought the bed pan under the sheet. I expected to hear nothing. I expected him to act frustrated because nothing was happening. I didn’t expect to hear pee going into a bed pan. I gasped then quickly clamped my hand over my mouth. “What? You’ve never heard a man pee before? Hand me another, this one is almost full,” he said as he grunted when he stopped his flow. I handed him an empty one as he handed me the full one. I put the lid on it, set it on the table then readied the third one, just in case. I caught Cameron staring at me. I nodded my head then turned back to Matt. “Need the third one, please,” he said, grunting again as he cut off his flow. We switched out full for empty once more. “Do you think you might need another one?” I marveled.

  “No,” he said as his flow finally slowed to a trickle, “I think I’m almost done. God, that felt good. I feel so much better now.” He handed me the half-full third pan. I put the lid on it then picked up all three. “I’m going to get these to the lab. I’ll be right back.”

  As I turned to go, he placed his hand on my wrist, “I’m sorry I don’t remember you, Sarah,” he whispered.

  I smiled at him, “Don’t be sorry, Matt. Just get better. Okay?”

  “Okay,” he said, nodding as he slowly pulled his hand away. “Take your time at the lab, Sarah. I’m exhausted. I think I’m going to try to sleep for a while. Thanks for keeping me company.”

  “No problem, Matt. Would you like me to come back to see you in the morning?”

  He opened his eyes and stared at me for a moment, “Honestly, Sarah? I don’t know what I like or don’t like. I don’t know what I want or don’t want. I don’t know much of anything right now. But I do know that it makes me feel good when you’re around, so, yes, I think I’d like you to come back to see me in the morning. If you don’t have other plans.”

  I smiled, “No plans, Matt. Sleep tight. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Night, Sarah. And thanks, again.”

  “Goodnight Matt. And you’re welcome.”

  Carlos’ lips gently closed on mine. I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. “Welcome home sweetheart,” I mumbled.

  “I had to come here and see you first before I go and talk to Matt. God, I missed you so much, Sarah,” he whispered as he pulled his shirt over his head. I arched my back and groaned as he began kissing my neck.

  We both cried out and then collapsed onto the bed. We rolled onto our sides and Carlos pulled me in close to him. I was blissfully happy….for a moment. I tried to hold it in, but the crying couldn’t be stopped. Carlos tried to make me smile by making a joke, “That bad, huh? I’ll try to do better next time.”

  I wiped a tear from the bridge of my nose and tried a feeble attempt at a laugh. He quietly handed me the box of tissues that I now kept by the bed, ever since I started crying tears again. I didn’t want to get the sheets bloody. He kissed my cheek, “Aww, honey. It’ll be okay. I’ll bring him back.”

  “But what if you can’t, Carlos? What if he comes back different? What if he doesn’t love me? What if he hates both of us? Or what if he loves me but isn’t okay with you and me anymore?”

  “Sweetheart. You’ve got to stop doing this. I will do everything that I can to bring him back the same as he was. If he isn’t then we’ll deal with it, together.”

  “Okay.” I said, choking back sobs, “Where, where are you going to talk to him?”

  “In here. I need him somewhere where there are a lot of familiar things around him, but also a place that I can keep him from escaping if he freaks out. Do you know if he’s well enough to leave the clinic yet?”

  “I’m not sure. We had an incident yesterday.”

  “An incident? What happened?”

  “Well. He peed.”

  Carlos shot up in the bed, “Shut up! He did not!”

  I nodded my head, “Yes he did. I was there. He filled two and a half bed pans.”

  “Holy shit. So he’s changing somehow? Does Cameron have any idea what it is?”

  “He thinks it might be because of all the seraphim blood that’s in him right now.”

  “And you? You’re feeding on Aquila. Are you changing at all?”

  “Well. There are the tears.”

  “Yeah. But that happened before all of this. Is there anything else?”

  I hesitated slightly. Carlos crossed his arms across his chest. “Sarah,” he said like an angry father, “tell me.”

  “Well. My boobs hurt. I almost feel like I’m about to get my period.”

  “Have you talked to Cameron about this?”

  I shook my head.

  “So you’re going to talk to Cameron about this, today,” he said. It was a statement, not a question.

  I nodded my head.

  He kissed my forehead, “Good. Now how about you introduce me to my best friend, Matt, okay?”

  I nodded, “Okay,” I said as I threw the covers off of me then I gasped. The sheets between my legs were soaked with blood. Carlos gasped, “Dios Mio,” he muttered..

  “Honey, calm down. Could you please bring me a towel from the bathroom?” I said as calmly as I could. He did and I wadded it up between my legs. I pulled the sheets off of the bed and was glad to see that I had caught it before the blood soaked through to the mattress. I took the sheet into the bathroom and rinsed the blood out in the sink then threw it in the hamper. Then I climbed into the shower. Carlos just stood in the doorway watching me. “I’m okay honey. Really I am.”

  “Bullshit. When you get out of the shower, you and I are going to see Cameron right now.”

  “But you need to talk to Matt.”

  “Sarah. You’re passing out when you stop yourself during feeding. You throw up. You’re crying bloody tears. And now you’ve apparently got your period again. You are not okay. For a vampire, you are not okay at all. I will talk to Matt, AFTER we talk to Cameron, understood?”

  I quietly nodded as I climbed out of the shower. I dried off then grabbed mor
e tissues to put between my legs, got dressed and we headed to the clinic together.

  “Well,” Cameron said as he guided the ultrasound over my abdomen, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it appears that your ovaries and uterus are functioning again.”

  “Oh is that all,” I said sarcastically.

  “Well, not exactly. I’m hearing digestive noises in your stomach and intestines too.”

  “You are not.”

  “Yes I am.”

  I looked from Cameron to Carlos and back again several times. Suddenly an idea popped into my head, “Cameron, check him too, would ya?” I said as I tilted my chin towards Carlos.

  “What? Me? Why me?” Carlos said.

  “Because that shot that Cam gave you was a highly concentrated dose of mine and Aquila’s blood, was it not? Matt’s peeing again. I’ve got my period. I want to see if you’re having any symptoms too.”

  “Sarah’s right,” Cameron said as he started rummaging through the cupboards. “Here, Sarah. I don’t have many of these around, but I do have a few for our human patients,” he said as he handed me a box of tampons. “Gee, thanks,” I mumbled as I grabbed them.

  “Don’t mention it. Now, Carlos, it’s your turn.”

  “I’ll be right back.” I ducked down the hall and into the restroom. As I walked back in, Cameron was moving the ultrasound wand over Carlos’ abdomen. “I really did not miss having to do that. Hey doc, is it a boy or a girl?” I said, smiling.

  “Ha ha,” Carlos said.

  “Well I’ll be damned,” Cameron said.

  “I’ll be damned, what, Cameron?” Carlos said.

  “Your stomach and intestines have blood flowing through them again.”

  “You mean, I could eat something? Yuck, I think I’m going to puke.”

  “Welcome to the club,” I said then I turned to Cameron, “Are these changes permanent Doc?”

  “I’m not sure. But we do need to know how far they are going to go. Let’s take Matt some breakfast this morning. I want to see how he does with it.”

  “Really? Okay. And when can you release him? Carlos needs to break the news to him that he’s a vampire in a controlled environment.”