by C. L. Quinn
“Thank you. I can’t imagine my life without her and she’s really only been in it for two weeks. If I lose her, I don’t know how I’ll manage.”
“You won’t. We’ll do our circle thing where Tamesine controls the universe using our combined talents. You saw how well that works.”
“I did, in that instance. I don’t imagine that I’m too high on the universe’s list for miracles. But Zia must be. I hope that she is protected.”
“I know she is. So, she was fathered by a vampire whose body we found in the ice cave in Siberia? Damn, the impossible things that are possible these days. I wish I could have met him. He had to be extraordinary.”
“He was. No one will ever replace him. I’d thought that perhaps once I get past the pain of his loss, and raising our daughter without him, I might find someone again. But I don’t believe that I ever will. I told that damn vampire that I didn’t want to have sex with him because who in the world could satisfy me after that. And I was right.”
“I’m certain that he was an amazing lover, but I think it is also because you were falling in love with him.”
“Nothing has more power over our lives.”
“Never a truer word, my friend. Let’s go get that girl of yours, I’ll bring in some food and booze, and we’ll catch up. I have to tell you how things are going with my grandmother.”
“How are Dez and Zach?”
“Horny as hell! As her newfound granddaughter, it’s embarrassing, and for a vampire to say that, well, you know Dez.”
After several crazy days in Siberia, and several even crazier ones in the Orientales, she did.
Walking back from the balcony and seeing Zia in Naji’s arms, Zia wiggling, Sarah felt as if someone had lifted the weight of the world from her. It didn’t mean that everything was all right, but it meant that, for now, her daughter was well and happy and for that moment in time, so was she.
Park arrived two hours later from France, tired, but ready to do anything necessary to find out what was wrong with this new vampire child and to help her be healthy and safe.
She hugged Naji, Olivia and Sarah and took the baby immediately afterward. Holding her up, she perused Zia, intending to do an examination, but then that toothless baby smile got to her.
“You, young lady, you just want all the attention, yeah? That’s why you’re doing this, little imp. We’ll figure out how and we’ll just put a stop to it, right, mama?”
“Right. Please, oh, please, I hope that you are right.”
“You have the samples? Okay. Ladies, we leave you to do some research. If you need us, just give one of us a call. Sarah, I have a car waiting.”
After a last hug and kiss for Zia, Sarah followed Park out of the building to get into a local taxicab.
“We have a few hours before sun up to do this. I should have stayed when she was born. Cherise knew something wasn’t right, but she seemed so good. We will find out what is going on, Sarah, I promise.”
“We have to.”
Two hours of blood and DNA tests later, Park and Sarah sat at a work bench in the lab.
“You’re sure?”
Park nodded. “Sarah, it’s right here. It’s fact. At least we know now why Crezia has been sick. What Cherise sensed. To my knowledge, she is something that has never been before.”
“A vampire/human hybrid. Incomplete DNA. I…I don’t know where to start. What does it mean for her? Is she always going to be sick? Will she be mortal? Or is this a death sentence? How am I going to save my daughter, Park?”
“Sarah, this is new. I don’t have any answers yet, but I’ll find out. One thing that we do know is that vampire blood helps her. I don’t know exactly how it’s doing it, but I will. So, if nothing else, we can manage her symptoms using blood meals. You know that most vampire children live completely human lives until they’re mature, but it’s apparent that all bets are off when it comes to Zia. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and no, Sarah, I don’t think that this means a death sentence.”
“Fine. We’ll keep blood on hand in the refrigerator for her, but if it turns out that she needs a steadier supply, I’ll make the move to France. It all has to be about Zia now.”
“I agree. Don’t despair, Sarah. You’re a woman of science, and we’ll approach your little girl’s health logically and work the problem until we solve it. I’m just grateful we know what we’re working against now.”
Sighing, Sarah nodded. “Let’s go tell the others.”
Nikolai walked into the apartment, stunned to see the two vampire women. “What’s going on?”
Park, who he had said goodbye to two weeks ago, motioned him over.
“We have something to tell you, Nikolai. Why don’t you have a seat?”
Park lounged casually on the sofa. Olivia squealed, jumped up and gave him a tight hug, with Naji watching closely. Sarah sat on the loveseat with the baby asleep in her arms.
Hugging Olivia back, not quite as tightly, Nikolai joined Naji. “What is it?”
Naji slid her fingers into his as Sarah answered.
“The baby had another episode last night, Nikolai. A bad one. I called Park, who came right away, but not before she sent for Olivia. Olivia gave Zia a blood meal and probably saved her life. She’s okay now, though, so you needn’t worry.”
His eyes on the sleeping baby, he shook his head. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“We kind of had our hands full just figuring out how to help her. Plus, we didn’t know how it would end and decided, for that moment, to protect you until we knew what was wrong. I’m sorry, it wasn’t the best call. Forgive me.”
Sarah stood and handed the baby to him.
Nikolai held Zia tenderly, his fingers moving along her body. “But she’s okay?”
“Mostly,” Park answered. “But we found out why she’s sick. It’s because of the bizarre nature of her birth and that of the shared body. Nik, here is the unexpected result of blood tests we did tonight. This child should have the DNA of her father and her mother, but, strangely, she has your human DNA as well.”
“What? How can she have DNA from 3 people? My body had been converted to first blood. It wasn’t my DNA anymore, it was Mies’s, right?”
“It would seem so, but apparently not completely. I mean, obviously, your body retained your genetic code, too, and now we have this odd complication. I guess it isn’t much of a stretch considering the physical circumstances under which Mies and Sarah made love. What the unusual DNA is doing, though, is keeping this child from being either fully human or fully vampire. Even though she would not complete her conversion to vampire until maturity, she still needs her complete vampire genetic code to be intact. And it isn’t.”
“So what does this mean for her?”
“Nothing like this has ever happened before, and frankly, I have no idea. We think we’ve determined, though, that she can live perfectly well with frequent vampire blood draws. Unfortunately, she needs the blood now, unlike most first blood children who won’t begin blood meals until they reach maturity. Until I can find a way to help Crezia find her first blood balance, that’s how it must be.”
“But she’s okay for now? She isn’t in any danger?”
Park hesitated before she answered. “I can’t really say that. I have nothing to base this on, but my instincts are that the blood will keep her stable at this time. There is just no precedent for knowing her future. I can only tell you that we will do anything we can to make sure that she stays well.”
“Then that is what we must do.” Nikolai looked down at the baby sleeping comfortably in his arms. “Anything.”
Sixteen
Nikolai refused to go to work.
“I will wait for her to arrive. You haven’t finished a full week of work since you went back. Sarah, they’re going to fire you.”
“They understand. They know that I have a sick child and they’re pretty lenient.”
“Go to work, I will wait until Olivia arrives, feed Zia, a
nd take her to the museum with me. All I’m doing tonight is paperwork and she can stay in her bouncer until I’m finished.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure. You need to let me help more. Naji won’t be home until Thursday and you can’t do everything yourself.”
“You’re right. I’ll go in tonight, then, but I’m taking tomorrow off so that you can get in a full shift too.”
“I’ll take that deal.”
Sarah kissed Crezia on both cheeks and received a little giggle followed by two wildly waving plump arms.
The blood meals were working better than Park had expected. With one blood meal per week, just eight ounces, Zia was thriving. Her appetite was healthy, her coloring and activity level back to normal, and the spiritual connection with all three of her parents had heightened.
Sarah was beyond grateful for the support of the first blood community. Olivia came once a week to leave blood for the meals, and usually stayed to spend time in Boston. She was fast becoming a close friend with the three grateful parents. Park kept in touch every other day, pleased that her idea had worked, but Sarah could tell…she was also still concerned for Zia’s future.
“Have a good night, babycakes. Bye, Nik, I’ll stop by and pick her up after I’m done.”
Nikolai took Zia from Sarah as he shot her an urgent glance.
Sarah grabbed her bag. “Yes, I know, I’ll be late. Being a mother has made me less reliable.”
“Get,” Nikolai barked, his smile big.
“Later gators,” she called back as she headed down the stairs.
“Holy shit, mama’s on time tonight!”
“Funny, Tracy, I would laugh, but I’m too busy preparing to save lives.”
“Funny, I’ve been doing that all summer while you’ve been baking that cute little bun.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m back now. By way of penance, what would you like me to do?”
“Umm, rub my feet?”
“How about I hire a big sexy man to do that for you?”
“God, yes, please. My feet kill me after an all-nighter. Not this night, of course, it’s one of the quietest we’ve had in a long time.”
“How about I go get you some chocolate?”
“Twist my arm.”
Sarah left her bag in the dressing room and headed down the long corridor to the coffee counter. As she fished coins from her lab coat pocket, she sighed, a happy sigh.
This felt nice, finally getting back to normal, to a job she loved, to a peaceful, serene home, and to sharing the love and care of her own child. It would be nice if it could all remain calm for a little while.
Xavier was coming soon to see her daughter. His fascination with first blood children derived from the fact that in all of his centuries alive, he’d only seen three until the crazy rash of births over the past few years.
The coins dropped into the machine and began to dispense the first of two hot chocolates.
Xavier. Normal? Not quite. But when his visit was over, she and her two friends would settle down to live their lives as humans did, day to day, year after year, to allow Zia to have some type of normal life. It was just such a simple desire. Once she converted, all “normal” would be gone forever, but she’d be there for Zia’s future.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” she whispered to the walls that didn’t care. It was a promise, though, to her daughter and the memory of her father.
Tracy and Sarah had finished their second cups of hot chocolate when the overhead speaker came on.
“Trauma level 1, e.t.a. 5 minutes.”
Without delay, they headed to the trauma bay where a team of nurses were already donning face masks and gowns.
“What do we have?” Sarah asked the head trauma nurse as she and Tracy began the same prep.
“Skydiving accident. Chute didn’t open. Thirty-six year old male. He’s really messed up.”
“God,” Tracy murmured.
“Dr. Sato and a respiratory anesthesiologist are on the way.”
Sarah nodded. “We’ve got him until they arrive.”
Once the chopper landed, the emergency team wheeled the gurney in while apprising the waiting trauma staff of his stats.
“He’s unresponsive, had 2 rounds of acls, no shocks, pupils 6 and fixed, sats in the 60’s, he is in svt,” the EMT barked.
Trauma care wasn’t Sarah’s specialty, although she was completely confident of her ability to help any patient, regardless of the injury. All she and Tracy needed to do was assess and stabilize him until the trauma surgeon arrived in the bay shortly.
He was tubed, with fluids wide open, levo and epi running, but his injuries were extensive. Within minutes, Sarah and Tracy had done all that they could for the man.
Waiting for Dr. Sato, Sarah laid a hand on the man’s cheek, aware that he was well past any act of comfort, but her natural empathy made her try. There was nothing else they could do for him now; there was no doubt that he would go into surgery immediately. But even the top trauma surgeon on the east coast may not be able to help someone who fell from the sky.
Dark blonde hair covered with dirt and blood had pulled loose from a leather tie and covered part of his face. She gently pulled the dirty sticky strands away. His face hadn’t been injured in the fall, which was a miracle considering the speed at which he would have hit the hard earth. She noticed that he was handsome, with lines around his mouth that indicated he smiled and laughed a lot.
This was the hard part about her job, watching someone fight and lose their life. She thought about who he had been, the life that he’d lived, things he might have accomplished, things left undone. And how painful it would be for the people who loved him if he didn’t make it.
Footfalls and loud voices let her know that Dr. Sato and his team had arrived.
Sarah and Tracy filled them in on all they needed to know, wished them luck, and left the area now that the full trauma team was present.
Tracy shook her head. “I can’t imagine jumping out of an airplane, then the moment that you discover that your chute won’t open, you know that you aren’t likely to survive. What goes through your mind in a case like that?”
“Death comes to everyone at some time. Sky diving just makes the possibility a little more likely.”
“Ooh, doctor, a fatalist today?”
“No. Maybe a little. I feel bad for his family.”
“Yeah. He’s really gorgeous. Paula said that she thinks he’s a celebrity, but I didn’t recognize him. Did you?”
“No, but I wouldn’t know anyone in this area, celebrity or not. I hope he makes it, though.”
Tracy sighed. “Yeah.”
Twenty minutes later, after assuring a little girl that her mommy was fine, Sarah’s shift was finished, and she made her way back to the doctor’s locker room. As she finished putting her personal items in her locker, Tracy came through the door sighing.
“I am ready to drop into bed for sixty hours!”
As she pulled her lab coat off, Tracy lifted her hair to retighten her pony tail. “Did you hear? That skydiver? He didn’t make it. His lungs had collapsed, he had massive internal bleeding, and he went into arrest on the table.”
“I’m really sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. Joe told me that he was some important environmental activist and he was jumping for a charity with six other people. The others got down safely, but his chute failed to open.”
“Death doesn’t discriminate. It’s sad, though, that a man’s life is over in the middle of it.”
“I know. Whew, okay, I’m out of here. Even though I’m beat, I think I’ll swing into Shay’s for a cocktail. Care to join me?”
“I’d love to, Trace, but I need to stop at the museum and get the baby. Nik is keeping her with him until I arrive.”
“Ah, okay. See you this weekend.”
“We’ll do it all over again.”
The locker room empty now, Sarah looked at the padded bench near the wall and almo
st went over to lie down for a few minutes. It seemed like the more energy her adorable little brat got, the less she had.
“There’s a correlation,” she commented, well aware what that was.
Her bag slipped onto her shoulder, the taxi already ordered, she stepped into the corridor. Her mind was spinning on the events of the night, as they often were after a shift. The skydiver. How sad. She took a moment to wish him a safe journey as he passed from this life, to acknowledge him.
“Sleep well in the cradle of the stars. Your journey is over, it’s time to rest,” she whispered. It was important to her to never become the type of doctor that sees her patients as a number or the next in line. So taking the time to say a sincere goodbye to the man who’d lost his life tonight felt like the honorable thing to do.
There, she’d kept her humanity intact.
Now, though, she had her own life to continue. She needed to get to the museum to relieve Nikolai who had been off-the-charts supportive since all of this craziness with Mies had begun. She wished that she could do something really special for him.
“The man deserves a medal,” she said out loud as she passed the ground floor and continued to the basement level. “Or a car.”
That was it, she’d buy him a car. Now that she was back to work, and all three of them shared the rent on the apartment, she could afford to do that for him.
Things were going so well now. She would admit, for the first time in a long time, she was relaxed and happy. There were a lot of reasons that she was, but mostly, it was because everything seemed uncomplicated right now.
They wouldn’t stay that way, she knew it, but for this moment in time, she really was living, mostly, as she’d hoped to.
Her taxi arrived and Sarah gratefully dropped onto the back seat.
Jasper was the only forensic technician on duty right now, and he had to get the case file started on the accident vic from trauma before he could get his dinner. It shouldn’t take long, he didn’t have to establish the file for the police…this was obviously a tragic accident.
