Chapter 10
Chapter ten
Ethan
Holy shit.
He was really doing it. He was going to hunt down and kill a vampire.
Three months ago, his biggest concern was stabilizing the chemical compound for the new plant extract that might actually provide a lasting cure for heart disease. Not a small thing, and definitely not something he intended to forget about, but still…
Did this make him a vampire hunter now too? Did he need to stock up on garlic? Should he get one of those tattoos the Winchester brothers had?
He couldn’t help but burst out laughing at that last thought.
It was a rare occasion when logic took a back seat to fantastical notions in his life, but considering those fantastical notions were quickly becoming less fantasy and more reality, he needed to start thinking with his rational brain again.
Which meant the first thing he needed to do was find out how much Tressa knew about vampires.
He highly doubted the stuff he learned from TV was going to be accurate.
No, scratch that. The first thing he needed to do was get out of this damn hospital bed. His brief conversation with the detective on his case that morning told him he already knew more than they did, so nothing was going to happen until he got out there and started hunting the vampire down.
He glared at the stoic nurse who had just stabbed a needle into his vein with little warning and zero attempts at a gentle touch, but he doubted she noticed or cared about his reaction.
Maybe she was a vampire for as much blood as she kept taking.
It all felt so unnecessary. He was awake, and he felt…
fine. More or less. He wouldn’t be signing up for VieTek’s annual half-marathon anytime soon, but he could mostly function.
What more did they need to keep him there for?
He didn’t want any more tests; he wanted to get out and hunt down that monster. Three months it had been roaming the streets, probably killing more innocent people. It could have gone anywhere in that time. It might not even be in the country anymore.
And these damn doctors didn’t even want him getting out of bed? Fuck that shit.
Turning away from the pseudo-vampire-slash-nurse, he fixed his glare on Dr. Kim. “You want me to do what?”
She clicked a few buttons on the hospital computer before turning the monitor away to fix Ethan with the kind of no-nonsense stare that came from years of dealing with combative patients.
“Ethan, we need to move you to a long-term rehab facility,” she said plainly.
“You’ve been in a coma for three months.
It’s going to require extensive physical and psychological rehab to get you back to one hundred percent functionality. ”
He scoffed and adjusted his glasses with the hand that wasn’t still trapped by the blood-stealing nurse. “No offense, Doctor, but I feel fine. Yes, I’m a little weak, but that’s nothing a few days in the gym can’t fix.”
The frown on Dr. Kim’s face deepened as she folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t think you fully understand the situation here, Ethan.
You can’t simply stroll out of this room and dive back into your old life and routine.
Beyond the physical atrophy of your muscles, you may experience issues with breathing, swallowing, and walking.
Not to mention the psychological impact.
Many coma patients struggle with lifelong post-traumatic stress disorder after a near death experience like yours. ”
As if on cue, the image of the vampire’s fangs descending on his neck popped into Ethan’s head, prompting a bead of sweat to form on his brow.
It was almost laughable to think any psychiatrist would be able to help him.
He highly doubted many people had an experience like his and lived to get therapy for it.
There was no diagnosis in the DSM-5 for vampire-related trauma.
Ignoring the queasy feeling in his gut that came from reliving his nightmare, he returned his attention to the haggard doctor, matching her unyielding expression. “I told you, I’m fine.”
“And I’m telling you that you have no way of knowing that,” she argued. “The body is a complex instrument, and many symptoms don’t show up immediately. You might think you’re fine, but all you’ve managed to accomplish so far is making it from the bed to the bathroom.”
Ethan gripped the sheets, channeling his annoyance into his fingers so he didn’t start shouting. “Yes,” he said in a razor calm voice, “and I was able to.”
“You fell twice.”
“And I got back up.”
“Ethan…”
He let out a small growl of frustration. It wasn’t that he lacked respect for doctors or their medical knowledge, he just knew from firsthand experience they weren’t always correct, and most of them rarely cared about the patient’s opinion.
“Listen, Dr. Kim, I’m not trying to be an asshole, but I know my rights. You can’t legally keep me here.”
The woman grit her teeth. “Legally, no. But you leaving goes so far against my medical advice that—”
“I don’t care,” he interjected before she could get started on another lecture. “I’ll sign as many releases or waivers as you want, but I am leaving.”
She evaluated him for a long moment, then shook her head, clearly disappointed in his decision. “Will you at least stay overnight for observation?”
A muscle ticked in Ethan’s jaw, but he nodded.
“Fine,” the doctor said, rising from her chair. “I’ll prepare the paperwork and send in a physical therapist to go over some exercises. Perhaps they can talk some sense into you and at least get you to commit to an outpatient program.”
Not bloody likely.
The door swung open just as the doctor reached for the handle, and Tressa strolled through.
Doctor Kim barely acknowledged her, which seemed strange, but the pain in Ethan’s arm kept him from thinking too much about it.
One down, one to go, he thought, flinching as the aggressive nurse all but yanked the needle from his vein.
Tressa stared daggers at the woman and muttered something under her breath he only partially caught, then sank down into the visitor’s chair. He noted her intense focus as the nurse wiped up the small amount of blood oozing from the minor puncture wound.
“I’m fine,” he told her. “They’re just running some basic tests.”
Tressa slowly pulled her eyes away from the assortment of blood tubes with different colored tops and met his gaze. “Of course. Standard procedure.”
They sat there awkwardly in silence as the nurse labeled the samples before leaving without a single word. As soon as the door closed behind her, Tressa dragged her chair over to Ethan’s side.
“Okay,” she began, her face a contrast in emotions, as if she was equal parts excited and nervous. “So, I talked to my cadre, and we think—”
“Cadre?” Ethan interrupted. He rarely stumbled across a word he didn’t recognize.
“Yeah,” she said, shrugging. “That’s just what we call ourselves.
I’m not even sure who came up with the term, but we’ve all been using it for decades.
” Her eyes flashed wide for a heartbeat, and she coughed a few times before adding, “Sorry, I mean to say they’ve been using it for decades.
I’m only twenty-seven, so obviously I haven’t been hunting for that long. That would be insane.”
He really shouldn’t think it was so adorable when she got all flustered, but he couldn’t help but grin. “Interesting,” he said, adjusting his glasses on his nose. “A cadre of vampire hunters. I like it.”
Tressa beamed. “I’m so glad you approve. Anyway, I spoke to them, and if you can just give us a few weeks to prepare while you heal—”
“No,” Ethan snapped, then felt bad when he saw her flinch at his abrasive tone.
Taking a deep breath to wash away the anger that lingered from his time with the doctor, he softened his voice before speaking again.
“Sorry, that was a little harsh, but I just got finished telling Dr. Kim I’m leaving in the morning. Please don’t make me fight you too.”
Tressa pursed her lips. “You need rest.”
“No, I need revenge.”
“Getting out there before you’re ready might cost you your life.”
He stared blankly at her. “Okay. And?”
Tressa’s mouth dropped open in horror. “Ethan, I won’t let you go on a suicide mission.”
He sighed, then tossed his glasses on the nightstand so he didn’t have to see the judgment in her eyes.
“I’m not planning on dying, all right? I still have work to do on a new medication that could help countless people, and I intend to finish it.
But seeing as I currently have no lab to work in, I’m not just going to sit around and do nothing while that vampire keeps killing.
My research might be on pause, but I can still save lives.
I understand the danger involved, and I’m willing to take that risk. ”
When Tressa didn’t respond right away, Ethan regretted removing his glasses.
Even if there was a little judgment on her face, he really did want to see all the nuances of her expression.
Ever since he called her out on the sunshine persona, he’d been noticing more of the real Tressa leaking through in their interactions, and he found himself craving those moments.
“Since you brought up your research,” she began, shifting forward in her chair, “I have to ask, what were you working on? I’m just curious since it might explain why the rogue targeted you.”
He waved a hand to cut off her train of thought. “It was just a new heart medication, and I can’t imagine vampires would care about that. You’d think they would want their dinner in better shape. Like swapping a burger for a salad.”
Tressa cringed and drew back. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”
“Either way, it wouldn’t make sense that my lab was targeted specifically. A lot of companies are working on heart medications. Maybe that thing was just prowling the streets for its next meal and saw the light in my lab was on.”
She picked at her cuticles for a minute, and something about the small gesture made him smile. Another reminder that no matter how perfect and polished she initially came off as, she was only human, just like everyone else.
“I suppose you might be right,” she conceded with a heavy amount of reluctance. “But if you would share your work with my organization, then…”
He shook his head. “Sorry. Can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Take your pick,” he replied. “I can’t share it because I’m under the kind of strict NDA that popstars in fake marriages use. Also, I won’t share it because it’s not ready yet. I was almost there when that monster attacked, and I intend to go back and finish it as soon as she’s dealt with.”
“I understand that, but—”
“No buts,” he insisted, crossing his arms. “I’m not sharing.”
Tressa scrubbed her face and let out an agonized moan. “Let me get this straight. You won’t take the time to heal so you can actually fight the rogue, and you won’t share your research that might help us figure out a motive. What are you planning to contribute to this mission, Ethan?”
He grabbed his glasses off the table and pretended to clean them while he considered her question. When he felt confident there was only one realistic answer, he slid them back onto his face and stared at her for a long moment.
“Passion,” he declared.
Tressa met his gaze, and her eyes widened, a flash of heat in their depths. “Passion?” Her voice came out barely more than a squeak.
“Yeah,” he said. “I’m passionate about killing this vampire.”
Tressa blinked, then sat back in the chair, her shoulders drooping slightly. “Oh, right. Of course. Vampire killing.”
“What else did you think I meant?”
“N-nothing,” she stammered, her deep bronze skin turning a pretty shade of copper from what could only be a blush. “I just… It doesn’t matter. If I can’t change your mind, I guess I’ll see you in the morning, then. It’ll take about five hours to get to the compound in eastern California.”
He settled back onto his bed and studied the captivating woman in front of him. The way her eyes glowed when he’d said “passion” intrigued him. And that blush…
Keep it in your pants, Ambrose, he scolded himself. You need to kill the vampire first. Then you can think about planting your zucchini in her secret garden.
If she was even interested. For all he knew, this strange connection he felt might only be one-sided and her uneasiness simply came from him seeing through her facade.
He kept his mouth shut, and Tressa must have seen the resolve on his face because she gave him a small nod and stood up.
“Get some rest, Ethan,” she said, pushing the door open. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
And then she was gone in a swirl of shiny black hair and a curious bubble gum scent.
Inhaling deeply to catch the last lingering traces of her perfume, he felt his dick hardening. Groaning slightly, he slid back down in the bed and pressed a hand firmly to his groin, as if he could will his soldier to stand down.
Mission first, he reminded himself. Keep your focus on what matters.