A startled silence fell over the room as Damon burst through the door. Half a dozen dical staff turned toward him, surprised by his sudden entrance. Mark jerked up from his seat at Kate’s side, wide-eyed. The attending doctor—an older man with silver-frad glasses and a tired face—straightened, already preparing to protest.
But Damon didn’t waver.
"Can we take her ho and wait for her recovery?" he asked, eyes flicking briefly to the monitors, then to the stunned faces of the team, "or does she have to stay here?"
One of the nurses opened her mouth, but the doctor beat her to it. "I... That depends. This level of recovery is unheard of. We’d like to keep her under observation, at least for the next 24 to 48 hours. Her condition was critical just hours ago. We can’t release her until we understand what changed."
"She’s off everything," Damon pointed out flatly. "She’s breathing on her own. Her vitals are stable. If there’s no dical intervention left to perform, you’re just waiting and watching."
"That’s not incorrect," the doctor admitted cautiously, then frowned. "But it’s still protocol. There are procedures—forms, risk disclosures—"
"Mark will sign whatever you need." Damon stepped closer to the bed.
Mark looked between Damon and the doctor, visibly torn. "Maybe we should stay, just for one night—just to be safe."
Damon did not relent. "I have read many news articles about how these types of patients recovered faster in their own hos rather than a hospital bed. How about we pay for a nurse to take care of her at ho? Kate’s recovery is what matters."
"Just where did you read these news articles, young man?" The doctor raised a brow.
"Are you saying I am wrong?"
The doctor shook his head. "Well, ultimately it’s up to her brother."
Everyone looked at Mark for a decision, and the poor guy was in no position to make any decision.
Damon knew he had to take drastic actions. "Mark, can I talk to you outside?"
Mark looked confused, but he followed his friend nevertheless. Damon knew now he had no choice except to co clean about everything he had done. Otherwise, things were going to beco exponentially complicated for everyone.
After a few minutes of discussion, the two of them walked back to the room. Mark still had a dazed and confused expression on his face. He also had a fang mark on his arm that was already fading.
The doctor looked up. "Have you made your decision?"
Mark hesitated, then nodded slowly. "We’re taking her ho. I’ll sign whatever you need. Damon’s right. I... I just have a feeling she’ll do better there."
The words were shaky but firm enough to silence any protest. The dical staff exchanged uncertain glances, but the doctor finally sighed, rubbing his temple. "Fine. I’ll begin the discharge paperwork, but I want a full-ti nurse on call and a follow-up in twenty-four hours. If anything changes, call this number imdiately."
"Rember. You are discharging her against the doctor’s orders. You will be responsible if sothing happens to her. Police will be inford."
"Understood," Damon said.
Behind him, Mark sat beside Kate again, gently brushing her hair with shaking fingers. He hadn’t said much after Damon had explained it, explained her condition, what she might beco, what he had done to save her.
It all sounded ridiculous, like so sort of fantasy story, but Mark still chose to trust him.
The ride ho was quiet. Damon and Mark sat in the back of the ambulance along with the newly appointed nurse. Kate lay strapped gently to the gurney, pale but peaceful, her breathing even as the soft hum of the ambulance filled the space.
Damon had asked for a VIP check out and ntioned several tis that he would foot the bill. This made sure all the procedures were quickly taken care of, and they were en route to Damon’s apartnt in no ti.
Mark’s and Kate’s apartnt was even worse than his so temporarily he brought them all to his cramped space.
Mark kept glancing between her and Damon. His face was a disbelief and confusion, still struggling to wrap his head around what Damon had told him just monts earlier. About blood. About awakening. About vampires.
"I don’t get it," Mark whispered, not for the first ti. "How is this possible?"
Damon nodded. "I will tell you everything in detail. Just not here."
When they arrived at Damon’s apartnt, the nurse helped move Kate to the only real bed while Mark followed behind with an overnight bag the hospital had rushed together. Damon directed them calmly, efficiently. He offered the nurse food and drink, and an extra 1000 dollars if she could leave and co back the next day at 6 in the morning.
The nurse hesitated—clearly, it was against protocol—but after a glance at Kate’s vitals and a cheque for 1000$ in her hand, she finally nodded. "She’s stable. Just keep her resting. Call if anything changes."
With that, she left, and Damon locked the door behind her.
Now it was just the three of them.
Mark hovered near the bed, fingers twitching, eyes flitting constantly to his sister’s face. Damon pulled the blinds tight, casting the room in a dim hue, and then finally turned to Mark.
"Alright," he said, voice low. "No more dodging. I’ll explain everything. What I did. What she’s becoming. And what we’re up against. It will be easier to explain inside the ga."
Damon didn’t waste ti. "I will be back in fifteen."
Mark nodded, barely looking up, still seated beside Kate, his expression tight with exhaustion and disbelief. Damon didn’t bla him. The guy had just been told that vampires were real, his sister might beco one, and the person he trusted most had just fed her literal blood.
If Mark had looked up, he would have seen Damon disappear into thin air.
Damon activated Blink and reappeared in the dim, cluttered living room of two college students two buildings over, the scent of instant noodles and old pizza boxes lingering in the air. The two guys both did part-ti jobs with him and were definitely not ho during the dayti.
Just like he thought, the place was completely empty. The first helt sat on the desk, and a second helt sat on the bed. He hurriedly grabbed the two helts and activated Blink again. They’d be returned. Eventually. Maybe.
He could have gone to a shop to buy, but all he helts were sold out at the mont. The stock would only be refreshed next week, and he did not want to wait until then.
Within five minutes, he was back in his own apartnt, two helts in hand. He dropped them gently onto the table and glanced over at Mark, who hadn’t moved.
"Alright," Damon said, his voice cool and steady. "Let’s log in. I’ll show you the world I’ve been living in... and what you need to prepare for."
It was already 6.30 in the evening thanks to the tedious procedures in the hospital. They did not have to wait any longer. They could log in imdiately.
Mark took a helt in his hand, still unsure of what was going on. Damn had already picked up his helt. But there was one more helt left?
"I want to try sothing," Damon said as he gently placed the gaming helt on Kate’s head. "By the way my na inside the ga is Blood God."
User Comments
0 comments from readers