Vampire in Conflict

by Dale Mayer

  ***

  Taz raced from room to room on the second floor of the hospital. There was no sign of Tessa. She couldn’t have been missing for long. He'd seen her barely thirty minutes ago downstairs. He hoped she was walking home.

  He walked back to her friend's room. Catherine still slept. And the room was empty of visitors. He checked the other patients, surprised to see no visitors. When he'd been here an hour ago, there'd been a good half dozen family members. And…he paused, casting his mind back. They'd been angry, restless. And very volatile about what had happened to their kin.

  Could they have seen Tessa and recognized her as the vampire she was? Vigilante justice wasn't good for anyone, but when a person was angry and saw a likely target…someone who could as easily have been one of the assholes who'd hurt their family, emotions were easily overloaded.

  Could one of them have attacked her? Just taken their rage out on her and run? They might have been scared of their own actions. He'd seen people pull some pretty crazy stunts and then been horrified afterwards. Rage and grief often showed up as anger. And anger made people do all kinds of things.

  He searched the whole second floor. There was no sign of Tessa.

  He called Sian back. "She's not here." He ran a tired hand over his rumpled hair, wishing this last week had never happened. And very much afraid things were going to get much worse before they got any better. "I can't find her anywhere."

  Chapter 4

  Tessa moaned softly. Damn, her head hurt. What had happened? She'd been injured somehow, that much was obvious, but her mind drew a blank over the actual events. And that wasn't good. She'd barely recovered from the week from hell and now this. She opened her eyes to find herself lying on a cement floor. Stairs going up appeared on her left. She lifted her head slightly. And damn if stairs didn't go down to the right. Had she fallen down a flight of stairs? That wouldn't be unheard of, but she'd hoped that she’d moved past that awkward stage.

  She slowly stood up, gasping as the inside of her head pounded from the movement. If someone had attacked her, they hadn't done a good job. Or they might have believed her to be dead and had run. Neither scenario made any sense right now. She lifted her hand to her head and winced more from the stickiness than actual pain. She checked her fingers.

  Blood. Of course.

  She'd been injured enough, damn it. Moving carefully, she struggled up the flight of stairs and opened the fireproof door in front of her. Where the hell was she?

  There was a long white hallway in front of her.

  She froze…and swallowed hard. It couldn't be. Don't panic. More than one building had white walls. And as her gaze roamed the area, she realized these weren't tiled walls. She wasn't in the blood farm.

  Of course she knew that. The blood farm was gone. She closed her eyes and swayed in place. Her mind instantly argued that there were supposedly four blood farms. And she had no idea if all had been destroyed when the mountain collapsed.

  From the looks of the hallway, she was likely still in the hospital. She remembered sitting at Catherine's bedside and getting up. That was where her memories stopped. She gave herself a mental shake. Had someone knocked her out and thrown her over the stairs thinking that it would look like the fall had killed her? Of course it wouldn't have, but would her attacker have known?

  She tried to contact Cody, but her mind was too fuzzy. She couldn't focus.

  She needed to find Taz and have him check her head. She hated stitches, but it was better than waiting for a gap in her scalp to close. She paused. Or maybe not. She closed her eyes briefly and instructed her vampire genes to kick in and heal her head injury. Then started down the hallway. All she wanted at this point was to get home safely. At the first corner, she turned to look back the way she'd come. The stairwell said fire exit. So an exit, but likely not the most commonly used one.

  As in out of the way and with minimal traffic. She could have lain there for a long time before anyone found her. If she'd been human, that fall could have killed her.

  Had her attacker not known she was a vamp? Or hadn't realized how hard vamps were to kill? Or had he been interrupted before he finished the job?

  After having been chased by too many people looking to kill her already this month, she'd figured she'd run through her quota of good luck. She needed to be very damn careful. She had no idea who to trust.

  Up ahead was a wall of elevators. Her heart stalled yet again. This all looked so much like the blood farm that her stomach was twisting into knots. Please not…

  But anything was possible.

  She needed to go home. Her family had to be worried about her. Oh wait, they were busy at the Council instead. She'd been deemed to need rest at home. They'd come and check on her eventually. And possibly already had. How would she know? She hadn't even made it home today. She had gone to school this morning and had yet to return. She had left a note though. Just to make sure, she pulled out her phone and checked. Missed calls and texts. Great. Now she was going to have to explain what she was doing that she didn't answer.

  Sighing, she stepped into the elevator after noting she was still on the second floor she let it take her to the ground floor.

  With the blood oozing down her temple, she should fit right in.

  When the elevator doors opened, the noise almost brought her to her knees.

  ***

  Serus walked into hospital and almost threw up. The smell. Rot. Antiseptic. Pain. Anger. Grief. Dominating all the rest was that insidious aroma of fear. He hated even being in the vicinity of it no matter what the reason. It was only when he saw the features on the first human that he realized with Rhia at his side and Goran and Cody behind him, they must have looked a fierce sight.

  The mass of humans took one look, cried out, and the sea of people parted. Actually, they pretty near ran in the opposite direction screaming. He rolled his eyes. "We're not going to get much help from anyone here."

  "We need to find Taz," Rhia said as she slowly turned around, trying to find someone recognizable in the shifting wall of humans.

  "Taz," Goran bellowed. "You here?"

  Serus shook his head at his friend's bullish but effective methods.

  "Yes. Hello." Taz rushed through the crowd toward them. "Goran, you're looking better." Taz grinned at Cody. "I bet you're not flying yet, are you?"

  Cody shook his head. "Need to heal a little longer. Tomorrow I should be good to go."

  "Taz," Rhia said anxiously. "Any sign of Tessa?"

  His worried gaze shifted back to Rhia. "No, not yet."

  He motioned toward a wall of elevators behind him. "I can take you to where she said she'd be going, but I checked the area over and she wasn’t there."

  Serus said, "We'll be checking for ourselves."

  Taz nodded. "And I'll be going with you. Some of those people have been traumatized. I don't want your presence to set them off even more." He waved a hand at the crowd standing in clusters, watching from what they hoped was a safe distance.

  "Good. Let's go. The sooner we find her, the sooner we'll be gone."

  Taz pushed a button and they waited for the elevator to reach them. The one on the left opened first. Serus was stepping toward it when Tessa, blood dripping down the side of her face, stumbled out.

  Rhia cried.

  Serus growled.

  Goran howled.

  Cody moved. And caught her before she hit the floor.

  ***

  Cody cradled Tessa in his arms. "Easy Tessa, take it easy. I'm here."

  She opened her eyes to stare up at him. "Sorry. Got taken unawares." She moaned. "I don't feel so good."

  Taz spoke, "Cody, let me take a look at her head."

  Cody clutched her closer to his chest. His father placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Let Taz take a look."

  Cody shifted her slightly so that the doctor could check out her injury. From what he could see, it wasn't that bad. Still, she'd had more than her fair share of them lately. Too many.
She needed time to recuperate. She should never have gone to school today. And she should be living on a vampire schedule so he could be with her and protect her when she wasn't in school. "How is it?" he said abruptly, glaring at Taz.

  Taz glanced up at him, smiled slightly, and patted him on the shoulder. "She's starting to heal already."

  Cody gave an abrupt nod. "Good."

  Taz looked around. "We're causing quite a disturbance. Do you want to take her home or for me to find a room for her here to finish her healing?"

  Rhia started to speak, but Cody cut her off. "Home. She's safer at home."

  "You may be correct." Taz grimaced. "I wish I knew what happened here, but we're going to have to wait until she wakes up and tells us."

  "Do you have security cameras?" Rhia asked.

  "Of course." Taz looked at Rhia. "Ah, you want to check the camera feed?" He thought about that. "I should be able to arrange something." He glanced at his watch. "Give me a moment." And he disappeared into the sea of curious faces.

  Cody turned to Serus. "Let me take her home. You two can stay behind and figure out what happened."

  "I'm coming home with her," Rhia snapped. "You're not going to be alone with her in my house."

  Silence.

  Cody turned slowly to face her. He drew himself up tall and straight. It was on the tip of his tongue to blast her for that unfair accusation.

  But both Goran and Serus stepped in. Goran said, "Cody, easy."

  Serus stepped in front of Rhia. In a quiet but determined voice, he said, "That's not fair. You have no reason to speak to Cody in that manner or imply he'd be anything other than proper with our daughter. I will not let you speak to him this way."

  The silence shimmered with tension, then Rhia gave an abrupt nod. "I'm sorry, Cody. The news of your relationship to my very young daughter has come as a surprise. I'm not happy about it."

  Cody hated that he didn't get a chance to snap at her, but how could he when Rhia had stepped right up and apologized? He could do no less. "The issue at the moment is Tessa," he said. "I have never wanted anything less than to keep her safe." He glanced at his father. "I'd fly her home, but with my wing…"

  "No way. And that means I am flying her home." Goran turned to Rhia and Serus. "You two see what you can find out. We'll keep her safe. Like Taz said, she's healing on her own. And in this last week, we've seen her do some amazing things. She just needs a bit of time."

  Appearing torn but as if grudgingly realizing the sense of his words, Rhia nodded. Serus said, "Thanks, Goran. We'll be there as soon as we can."

  Just then, Taz called them over. Rhia and Serus raced to join him.

  Goran and Cody walked out of the hospital. The evening darkness had fallen. Thankfully.

  Cody carefully transferred his precious burden to his father. They both took to the air and headed home. Goran strong and sure, Cody weaker and lagging behind with a bum wing but keeping up as best as he could. He'd be damned if he was going to be separated from Tessa again.

  ***

  Ian woke up with a slammer of a headache. He glared around his tiny ass room – a room he didn't recognize. Somehow while asleep they'd moved him, and he didn't know why or where. He'd never been in a hospital his entire life, and now every time he woke up, here he was. Who knew a vampire hospital even existed? Seemed pointless to him. He'd have healed on his own just fine.

  If they'd left him alone.

  The longer he was here, the grumpier he was getting. Damn doctors and their needles. He wasn't signing up for any more of those in this lifetime. As soon as Wendy returned with some clothes for him, he was getting the hell out of here. He could finish healing at home where he should have been the whole time. At least he was no longer hungry all the time, but the blood tasted medicinal here. Nasty stuff.

  He sat up, hating the grogginess. So what if he'd been drugged a time or two? His body should have thrown those off in no time. He lifted a hand to brush his hair back. And froze.

  From his arm dangled a long skinny tube.

  His heart seized. He swallowed several times. And followed the tube to the back of his hand. And the needle in his arm.

  "Holy shit." What happened next was normal, he told himself. Anyone who'd been through what he'd been through would have done the same.

  He ripped the needle out of his arm. And growled as it took a bite out of his arm at the same time. He flung the nasty mess onto the ground then added the tape that had been holding it onto his skin.

  "Where the hell am I, and where the hell is Wendy with my damn clothes?"

  Realizing he'd seen both David and Wendy here made him feel better. He had to be safe. She wouldn't have been here as a guest if he was still in the blood farm. That was foolish thinking. The blood farm was gone. Blown up. Collapsed in on top of itself. Everyone inside was all dead.

  He had escaped with his friends.

  He was in this place because of all the drugs he'd received. Relieved, he tried to lie back down, but the needles and tubes on the floor made him want to run as far away as he could. Wondering why he had to have needles at all, he kicked the mess out of sight under the bed.

  Then he heard footsteps. Not the soft gentle ones of a woman, but the hard clip of someone in a hurry. A large someone in a big hurry.

  Hating the fatalistic attitude swarming through him, Ian sat and waited.

  Friend? Or foe?

  Chapter 5

  Tessa woke with the hard jolt of a landing. The shaky movement caused her stomach to revolt. She struggled, only to realize she was being carried.

  Her heart surged, hoping it was Cody. But the man was too big. Too strong. Yet familiar. Goran.

  "How is she?" she heard Cody ask beside her. She fought back the nausea, feeling her throat wanting to seize up before upchucking. She struggled to be put down.

  "She's awake and fighting to get on her own feet, so I'll take that as a good sign." Goran put her on her feet, keeping a steady hand on her shoulder. She took several stumbling steps, stopped for a few deep breaths as she fought the nausea, and realized where they were. She took two steps to the bushes at the side of her house and vomited.

  And then again.

  "Jesus." Cody laid a hand on her shoulder, "Tessa?"

  "I'm all right," she whispered, "Give me a moment."

  "Ha, she's obviously not all right. Probably should have left her at the hospital with Taz."

  Another shudder rippled through her at his words, but she managed to keep the nausea back. Slowly, with Cody's arm under hers, she straightened. Taking a long deep breath, she let it out in relief when the queasiness seemed to have faded. "I think that's it."

  "Time to go lie down." Cody said firmly. "I'll bring you a glass of water."

  She really wanted to brush her teeth, but the thought of doing so brought her queasy stomach to life again. "Thanks. Lying down sounds good at the moment."

  Goran hovered behind her and Cody as they made their way inside. "Didn't you see anything when you were at the hospital?"

  "No," she whispered. "I found Catherine but I couldn't see the other occupants as their curtains were drawn for privacy." She stopped at the top of the stairs, feeling sweat roll down her back. She paused, gathering up her energy, and added, "I remember being beside Catherine then my head exploded in pain." She thought for a moment. "I think someone threw me down the stairs."

  Cody's grip on her arm tightened, and she gasped. He loosened it immediately. "God, I'm sorry. It's just the thought that someone threw you away like that..."

  He guided her down the hall to her bedroom.

  From behind her, Goran said, "They'd have to be strong to carry you that distance."

  "Or there was more than one person," she said. "I honestly don't know."

  Cody pulled the covers back on her bed. "Lie down. Dad and I will keep watch."

  "Thanks," she whispered. "If Mom catches you in here, there's going to be hell to pay."

  "Yeah, I got that."


  The sour tone in his voice made her lips twitch. "Are you going to open the door between us or keep it closed?" She knew Goran was still in the room, but damn it, having that door closed all the time was irritating.

  "It's open on my side, sweetie. I figured you'd closed it and just kept it that way."

  She frowned, trying to remember. "I closed it at the hospital because of the horrific noise." She could barely remember anymore. "Obviously I forgot to open it again."

  "Don’t worry about it. Just rest."

  With a heartfelt sigh, she lay down on her bed and closed her eyes, smiling when she felt the covers being gently placed over her shoulders. "Thank you," she whispered.

  Cody placed his lips against hers in the sweetest of kisses. He always made her world right.

  And she slept.

  ***

  "What am I going to do with her?" Cody asked his father. Both stood quietly in the darkened room as she slept. There was something off about the way she slept. Her breathing was too deep. The sound a little too raspy. Her body lying too heavy and still. Cody hated that she'd been injured again. "I thought she'd be safe now."

  "I'm not sure any of us are yet. Her in particular. She brought this blood farm mess to light, so you could say she caused all this. And those assholes trying to save their butts are going to blame her."

  "And yet she insisted on going back to school today – human school, no less."

  "What else was she supposed to do? She was trying to step back into a normal life." Goran stared down at the sleeping girl. "Chances are good she didn't realize how much her normal had changed. She won't think she fits in with the vampire world yet either as she hasn't fully made that transition."

  "Will she ever?" Cody wanted her to fit in, for his sake and hers. He couldn't imagine anyone not liking her.