by K. Aten
Keller shook he head. “I don’t know. Something is working on her or she wouldn’t be so healed. But it’s like something is missing.”
Jesse chimed in again. “It’s like two programs that aren’t compatible with each other crashing the system. How do we fix her?”
“She looks like she’s starving.” Jill pointed at Annie’s bony wrist and collarbone. “Could she be using too much energy, but maybe her body doesn’t know how to feed yet because there are two different viruses inside her?”
“Losh! You’re right! I have been so stupid!” Keller locked her blue eyes with Jesse’s chocolate brown. “She needs blood.”
The younger woman swallowed and paled slightly. “Mine?”
Keller nodded. “I have a theory. I think that the vampire in her is hungry and trying to heal her, but it doesn’t know how to feed because it’s confused by the werewolf side. The two sides aren’t balanced. She had a pint of Sarah’s blood, but only a scratch from Marie. I don’t really know how that equals out in the scheme of things but maybe she needs more wolf in her.”
Jesse looked at her fearfully. “How do we do this? I won’t bleed for long and she’s not even conscious.”
“Let’s see if her body takes over. Jill, can you watch the door?” Jill nodded and moved across the room to keep anyone from entering. “Now give me your wrist.” Jesse reached across Annie and before she could even protest, Keller brought the limb to her mouth and pierced Jesse’s wrist with her elongated teeth. The young werewolf closed her eyes tight to avoid seeing her own blood. She didn’t think it would be good to pass out while they were trying to fix her girlfriend. It took a lot of Keller’s self-control to pull back and not drink any of the warm flowing liquid that seemed to sing to her. Jill could smell the blood but kept her back to the hospital bed.
Sarah was also staring hungrily and when Jesse opened her eyes to see why the vampires in the room suddenly had increased heartrates, she began to feel uncomfortable and quickly shut her eyes again. “Um, guys, I’m going to drip.” Keller quickly turned the opened wrist over and placed it against Annie’s mouth. Sarah saw Annie’s finger twitch as the first few drops hit her tongue. Then the younger woman’s entire body convulsed and she brought her hands up to Jesse’s wrist and pressed it tighter to her mouth. Eye’s still closed tight, they could see Annie’s throat moving as she swallowed the blood that Jesse offered. As soon as the younger Colby’s hands had moved up to Jesse’s arm, Keller had moved hers out of the way. She kept them close though, in case something went wrong.
Abruptly Sarah gasped. “I just heard her!”
Keller looked at her sharply. “What did you just say?”
Sarah pointed at her sister. “I just heard Annie in my head. Words, Keller, not images or emotions. She said words.”
The veterinarian called out from the door. “Well, what did she say?”
“I called her a blood sucking freak.”
Sarah laughed and Jesse pulled her arm away from Annie’s face. “Um, babe?” With her left hand, she gestured at Annie’s lips where there was blood still coating them like lipstick.
Annie licked her lips and her eye’s widened. “Touché. Sorry, Sarah.”
“Guys! Not to break up the little reunion but there’s a nurse headed this way.” Jill stepped away from the door just before a petite blonde walked into the room.
“Don’t mind me ladies, I’m just here to check Miss Colby’s vitals.” She put her stethoscope into her ears and came around the bed only to be startled back when she met smiling hazel eyes.
Annie smiled at the surprised woman. “Good morning!”
“Oh! You’re awake, good! I’m going to go get the doctor. He’s going to want to run some tests on you. We’ve been calling you our little miracle!”
Almost as one voice, Sarah and Annie spoke. “No tests!” Sarah was startled a second later when she heard her sister’s voice clearly in her head again. Don’t worry sis, I understand. “I would like to speak to my doctor about getting released.”
The nurse looked shocked. “You can’t be released, you just had major surgery yesterday! You need to be monitored with twenty-four hour care!”
Annie sat up with no obvious discomfort. “Do I look like I need monitoring? Now please get the doctor.”
When she was gone, Jill helped disconnect Annie’s IV and various wires while Jesse gave her girlfriend the duffle bag full of clothes and shoes. Annie looked at her girlfriend with obvious love and Jesse startled. “How are you doing that?” She grinned at the idea, then abruptly frowned. “You can’t read my thoughts, can you? Oh shit!” The women around the bed laughed at Jesse’s discomfort but were interrupted when Dr. Reider walked through the door. He managed to be both surprised and annoyed when he saw that Annie was alert and pain free.
“I see you are feeling much better today and the nurse tells me you would like to go home. I’m afraid that is not possible until we run some tests, Miss Colby.”
“My name is Annie, and I will not consent to testing. I’m checking myself out of the hospital, against your advice if it comes to that.”
The man’s face darkened. “You’ve had quite a head trauma, Annie, and many people aren’t in the right mind for a while after—” He was surprised to be interrupted by her laughter.
“There is nothing wrong with my head and if you try to declare me mentally incapable of making my own medical decisions then my sister, who is my medical power of attorney, will surely agree with me. I’m going home. Are we clear?”
If he was surprised at the way she seemed to know what he was thinking, he didn’t show it. “I’ll have them draw up your paperwork right away. I wish you the best, Annie.”
Everyone blew out a sigh of relief when he left the room and Annie went into the bathroom to change into something that didn’t have a draft up the back. Although she did enjoy Jesse’s lascivious thoughts as she walked away from the trio.
AN HOUR LATER they found themselves back at the condo with bags of fast-food piled in front of the younger Colby sister. “Oh God, I’m starving!” After eating and filling Annie in on all the developments that had unfolded after she was injured, they all sat in silence and let her process the news. “So what does this mean? Am I a wolf or a vampire?”
Keller nodded. “Yes.”
Annie smacked Keller’s arm. “Smart ass!”
“Babe, you’re like a Vampwolf, or a werepire!” Jesse looked just as giddy as when she found out she was a werewolf. “And you can read minds. That is so cool!”
Jill cracked up laughing. “You say that now, but tell us again how you feel in a month when she’s talking your ear off both in and out of your head.”
Annie made a face. “Hardy har har, you’re a riot, Red!”
The nerdy werewolf was going to say something else but jumped instead. Sheepishly she pulled out her cell phone and read the incoming text. “It’s Sam.” She received blank looks from the three older women but Annie looked at her curiously.
“What does our neighbor want?” She looked at Keller, Sarah, and Jill to explain. “Sometimes we watch her dog when she’s out of town.”
Jesse groaned. “She says there’s a news truck parked in front of our house. What the hell?”
Keller stood and walked away. Sarah’s eyes followed her worriedly. “Keller warned us that the hospital would give us grief for not allowing them to run tests. I’m afraid that your miracle healing is a bit of a sensation. One of the nurses probably spread the word; I don’t know when it’s going to die down.”
“It’s not going to die down. She isn’t just a medical miracle, she is a miracle that they witnessed heal overnight. To them she did the impossible and that will never die down.” Keller had returned carrying a large orange envelope. After clearing the fast-food bags out of the way, she opened the envelope and spread the contents out on the table.
Sarah looked at the photographs and various documents that were spread in front of them, then up at her soul
mate. “What’s this?”
“This is how I’ve stayed alive and out of the spotlight for hundreds of years. Number one lesson is to always have a backup plan.”
Annie picked up two of the documents. “These are deeds.” She looked at a few other papers and shook her head in confusion.
Jesse cocked her head and sorted through the photos. “Where is this place?”
Something clicked inside Sarah’s brain and she sucked in a breath. “It’s in Michigan, the second largest city if I recall. You really did what I think you did?”
Jill looked back and forth between Sarah and Keller with a sinking feeling in her gut. “Did what?”
The younger Colby nodded, already picking up what Sarah knew. She couldn’t read anything from Keller, but she suspected it had more to do with Keller’s advanced training and mental shield. “She made a fresh start for us.”
The werewolf looked at her in concern. “I don’t understand. What do you mean fresh start?”
“I mean a new life, someplace else. A completely fresh start, Jesse.”
Terror skittered across Jesse’s face. “You’d leave me?”
Annie grabbed her girlfriend and held her tight. “No you idiot, you’re coming with us!
“But…” The young IT professional’s face was awash with confusion. She thought of her job and how much she loved it and her company. It was her first job since graduating college. “But what about our jobs here, what about our families?”
Keller shifted and got everyone’s attention with nothing more than a sigh. “All three of your lives changed irrevocably the minute you became infected with other blood. Having our powers, and all the benefits of the werewolf or vampire virus, is also balanced by the fact that we always have to take precautions. One of the major downsides is that our longevity makes it impossible to stay too long in one place. Eventually you have to leave your family and friends behind before too many questions are asked.” She cast her gaze to each of the three of them, meeting their eyes one by one. “But in exchange, we get to live many lives. We get to do whatever we want, to discover all of our dreams, try things that we would never have had the time, money, or health to before. So you can either stay here now and be hounded for years, or move on and try something new. But it has to be a personal choice for each one of you.” She looked at Sarah. “What do you think?”
“What are we going to do with ourselves there?”
Keller smiled. “Whatever you want to do. But I was thinking about running a recording studio.”
Sarah cocked her head curiously. “Thinking about it?”
“Okay, you got me. I’ve already bought a currently existing one and put together a layout for remodel. I got lucky because the previous owner wanted to retire and I made him an offer that was too good to refuse. Also, it’s the only recording studio on that side of the state. I just need people to run it and someone that knows IT to help set it up.” She looked at the younger Colby sister. “Annie?”
Annie looked around the table then settled her gaze on Jesse. “I don’t want to lose you, but you know I can’t stay here now. Will you come with me? Us?”
Jesse looked torn, and she sighed. “Annie, I have a job here that I love and a career. My brother was starting to come around.”
Annie gave her a sad smile. “I know baby, but he hasn’t called in months. Not since the time you went over there when Sarah was infected after the hit and run accident. I know it hurts, J, but I think they’ve all made it pretty clear how they feel. And I don’t have to tell you that we are your family too, every one of us. And you’re not going to lose us for a long, long time. Right Keller?”
Keller nodded. “The oldest werewolf I’ve ever met is nearly two hundred, and the oldest vampire I’ve ever met is ten times that. As for Annie’s longevity, I really have no idea. I’ve only met one other vampire hybrid but the blood of their other half was otherworldly.”
Sarah raised a dark eyebrow. “What exactly does that mean?
Jesse smiled. “I’m not saying it’s aliens…but it’s aliens!”
Keller shook her head, recognizing the popular quote from the History Channel. “No, not aliens. I was referring to a Manbo, or Vodou priestess, that was infected by the vampire virus centuries ago. She is still alive down in New Orleans but it doesn’t help me estimate Annie’s potential age since she’s kind of a—”
“She’s kind of a freak!”
Annie made a face at her sister’s teasing. “Really, Sarah? We’re trying to be serious here.” But Jesse started laughing.
“She’s right, babe, you are kind of a freak. But I love you and I’m going to follow you to the end of the Earth and back if I have to.” She turned toward Keller. “So do you really have a job for me?”
Keller smiled. “Absolutely! And if you don’t like it, we’ll get you something else. It’s a fair-sized city with a lot of job opportunities.”
Sarah looked at her ex, realizing for the first time how quiet the veterinarian had been. Jill’s face showed nothing but pain and sadness. Waves of loneliness radiated through her shield. “Jilly, you okay?”
Jill swallowed and her eyes teared up. “I can’t believe you’re all leaving. You and Annie are like family to me and I feel like we’ve just started to reconnect again. I love you guys.” She looked at the four other women around the table. “All of you.”
Sarah glanced at Keller, then back at Jill. “You could come with us you know. We consider you part of the family too.”
Jill shook her head. “No, I’m not ready to start over again. I’ve finally built myself up here. I have clients who trust me and depend on me, and I’m not certified to practice in Michigan. I’d have to go through certification all over again…” She trailed off and looked around the table at the faces that were staring back at her. “And then there’s Louve. I don’t think she can just pick up and move so easily and I can’t leave her behind. I’ve only just found her but there’s something there that I’ve always been missing. I can’t give that up.”
“Jill.” Everyone looked at Keller, surprised that she was smiling when the rest of them were so sad. “Take the time you need, there’s no rush. We’ll miss you but we can come back and visit any time. So what if you spend the next ten years here with your practice and Louve with her nightclub? You both can spend the next one hundred living near us, or traveling the world. You can go to school and become something completely different. The choice is yours and you have a long future ahead of you. I think you and Louve can be very good together, just remember not to rush things. You have plenty of time to take it slow.”
A look of wonder came over the doctor’s face. “I have all the time in the world. I don’t have to worry about retirement, or getting too old to practice, medical bills, minor accidents and injuries, rabies—”
“Rabies? Like Old Yeller?” Jesse made a face.
Jill looked pained. “Yes. And the vaccines are a real bitch. Veterinarians have to get a lot of different vaccines to stay certified.”
Annie blinked at her, never having liked shots. She shuddered then turned to Keller. “So tell me more about this music studio. It doesn’t involve vaccines does it?”
Keller laughed at the younger woman. “Not unless you want it to.”
“Kinky, babe!” Jesse rubbed her arm after Annie punched it. “Ow! Your hits hurt now!”
Jill smirked. “And she can read your mind. You better watch out, Jesse!”
“Damnit!”
They all broke up in laughter, finally getting the reprieve they’d been looking for. When they seemed to wind down, Sarah looked around the table. “So how do we do this? I mean, I can’t just pick up and leave, I have clients. I have to give them the news that I’m moving and I have to close the studio. You still have the condo, Annie has the house and her job at The Merge, and Jesse would have to put her notice in as well. This is a big undertaking. And Annie and Jesse can’t even go home because of reporters.”
Keller ran a h
and through her hair, thinking hard. “Okay, here’s what we should do. Sarah, you should start calling clients today and let them know that you’re closing. You can refund them money that they would be owed and maybe see if you can recommend them to another instructor in the city. Call the owner of your building and find out what the penalty is if you leave before your contract is up. “Jesse, you’ll have to put your notice in right away. Maybe do it tomorrow when you go back to work. Annie, the same thing goes for you. We can keep the house and condo for now. If you want, we can look into a real estate company to handle renting out the house, but I bet one of Louve’s people may be interested in another place right here in town. Especially one that has a reinforced room in the basement. I’ll keep the condo so that if any of us wants to come back and visit, we have someplace to stay. How does that sound for now?” She immediately got questions.
“How much notice am I giving them?”
“They need to find a replacement for me at the club.”
“Can we make a trip to Grand Rapids this weekend, to check it out?”
Keller held up her hand to quiet everyone. “We need to make sure everything is wrapped up with the Columbus Police first, which means Annie still needs to go down and give them a statement. But other than that, we should move as soon as possible. How about a two-week notice? Also, I think Bruce would be a great fit for your position at the club.” She turned to Sarah. “And I think a trip to our new city is a fantastic idea. It’s about five and a half hours from here, so if you don’t have any clients we can leave early on Friday.” When Sarah raised an eyebrow, she elaborated. “I know how far away it is because I did a lot of research on this before taking the steps I did. And if you notice, the house is massive. There is more than enough room for all of us to live together, and have friends stay. I didn’t throw down nearly half a million dollars on some shabby little apartment.” Shocked faces met hers around the table.
