Chapter Eight

            We stood outside the local Red Cross donor center. Eric had the bright idea to grab us some scrubs that we could change into prior to showing up here. I guess he had done his homework on which scrub colors they were. It looks like they had already closed for business, but I saw a car or two in the parking lot still. We didn’t have any way to get in, so I suppose we were going to have to wing it and wish for the best. Someone forgot the lock the side entrance, so we slowly turned the knob and walked in.        

            “Fake it ‘til you make it.  If anyone sees us, just walk like you own the place. I’ll handle the talking.” Eric said.

            We walked down the long hall and saw a computer light on in the front of the building, near the reception area. To the left we found a group of what resembled refrigerators. Score. Eric quickly opened some of the doors and found a variety of different blood bags grouped together. We tossed several into our huge scrub pockets and more into a bag we found near the closest refrigerator. We had gotten lucky so far that no one had come by. Luckier still to have come inside at the entrance closest to the refrigerated section. We peered down the hallway again and didn’t see anyone coming so we hurried outside. The door was gently closed, and we ran to the car.  Once we sat down in our seats, we were overcome with laughter. We did it! The adrenaline was still rushing.  An employee walked out of the side entrance, saw our car lights on, and stared for a moment. Eric rolled down the window, waved, and yelled out “Sorry, wrong place!” and started to drive away.

            Job well done.

            “Well?” Eric said. “Are you going to try it?”

            “Now?? Actually, yes. Yes, I am. I am starving.” I pulled one of the bags out of my pocket. It was freezing. Ew! But I must try! I need something. I pulled the straw out of an old cup that Eric had sitting in his cup holder and inserted it into the blood bag like it was a Capri Sun. “Don’t look” I told Eric.  I took my first sip.  Disgusting.  It’s exactly like what you would think it would be like. The nastiest thing ever. Like a mouthful of cold copper coins. Hopefully it was an acquired taste, maybe it will grow on me. I kept the first sip down at least. I kept going. It was awful, but with each sip I could feel that hangover feeling that I’d had since I woke up in a body bag dissipate. The sounds outside of the car became clearer, and my sense of smell came stronger. I looked outside and I could see even further into the distance. The colors around me looked even more vibrant. And Eric. He was a beautiful, beautiful man that had just saved my ass. The strong sense of hunger had finally been satiated.

            Again, Eric said “Well?”

            “Much better! It was awful, but I feel alive again. Better than alive. My senses feel more enhanced now.  Oh, I forgot to tell you when we were discussing things earlier.  I have super strength. Just call me Super Woman. I’m not sure how strong, but I know my usual light toss is like a professional baseball pitcher launching things now.  I haven’t fully tested it out yet.”

            “Maybe I should take you to one of those Ninja warrior training places for our second date. See what you’re like in action.”

            “Oh, there is going to be a second date?”

            “As long as I continue to stay off the menu.” Eric teased.

            “So far, so good.  I don’t want to get you into trouble though if I start looking into this Barton guy.  It sounds like you’ve already escaped a close call with him. I’d hate to land you into a second.”

            “You’re still on that then? Down with the man?”

            “Yes.  He killed me. I at least want to know why.  My house is at least an hour from his bar.  I wasn’t in the area at all, I never even go over there. I’m not sure if it was intentional or just an accidental run in, but why did it have to be MY backseat he decided to lurk in?”

            “I understand that you want answers. Hopefully you can find them without getting yourself into trouble. I might not have super strength, but I don’t plan to run away just yet.”

            We pulled into my driveway and Eric leaned over to unbuckle my seat belt. He walked me to the front door and said, “I have a gift for you.” He pulled an old, tattered notebook from behind his back and handed it to me.  He must have grabbed this from his car while we were getting out. “Russell gave this to me shortly before he disappeared. He found this at a local estate sale. The long-lost journal of a Mr. Anton Barton.  I haven’t opened it before because I figured it was just the diary of an old dead man. How right and wrong I was.”

            I took the book from him and flipped through the pages. It was full. I wonder if this was only kept while he was living. I flung my arms around Eric’s neck and kissed him. He had helped me once again. “Thank you so much! Hopefully I can find something useful in here. You’ve been a great help! I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

            He wrapped his arms around me in return and I felt the hunger feeling rising back up.  Or was that something else? Hunger and horny were very closely tied together now that I was dead. I wanted him. He leaned down and kissed me again. I felt his tongue enter my mouth slowly and I held him a little tighter. Right as I was about to invite him inside, he loosened his hold on me and said goodnight. I wasn’t ready for him to leave. An early end to the night might be for the best though until I knew I wouldn’t accidentally kill him somehow. I’d never be able to forgive myself for that.

            I walked inside and locked the door. Cooper was wagging his tail, happy to have company again. Even if it was just me. I sat down next to him to rub his belly and my phone started ringing. Mads! I had to catch her up.

            “Hey Mads! You will never guess what happened today!”

            “Let me guess, you woke up dead?”

            “What ELSE happened today, I mean.”

            “I was just checking to see if you were up. I’m coming over. You can tell me all about it.”

            I put my phone down and continued to smother Cooper with my love. He will like me again, I’m determined. My phone rang again, and I didn’t even check who it was. I just hit the green “answer” button.      

            “Hello?”

            “You better watch yourself Rachel.” A man’s voice I didn’t recognize was emerging from my phone’s speaker. Creepy.

            “What? Who is this?”

            “You can’t wake up as a vampire and just run all over town. They’re searching for you. Be careful.”

            What! Before I could say anything else, the caller hung out.  It was an unknown caller; they must have blocked their number.  It felt like a call straight out of a horror movie.  Who else would have known I was a vampire? Surely Mads and Eric didn’t tell anyone. Eric didn’t have time and Mads wouldn’t have repeated it.