Fang Hospital (Dr. Gabriella Van Court, Book 1) (3 page)

Their laughter abated.

“So tell me, how did it happen to you?” Barbara asked, her eyes soft and her forehead wrinkled with sympathy.

Gabriella shook her head and waved her hand.

“It happened to you when you were fishing, right?”

Now who was reading whose thoughts.

“It’s not important. It happened centuries ago.”

“But it is important. It changed you. Go ahead and tell me. We have all night. And fair is fair. I told you my story.”

“Not much to tell. My Uncle Claude and I set out to fish as usual. We had pulled in our best net full of clams ever when Volk surprised us.”

“Volk?”

“Yes, the vampire who made me, and Uncle Claude. He wanted me, but first he had to kill Uncle Claude. My uncle blocked me from Volk, protecting me from him. But a mortal is no match for a vampire. Especially a king, like Volk. He slew Uncle Claude, and turned me. I promised to be his mate, his queen, if he spared my uncle. So he turned him as well. My dear Uncle Claude secured my escape to the new world, placing himself under Volk’s wrath. I never saw Uncle Claude again. I’m sure he has met his true death.”

Tears rolled down Barbara’s cheeks. “You must have been terrified. And your uncle, he was such a hero. I bet you miss him and your whole family awfully. I wish I had a family like that, an Uncle Claude who’d risk his life for me.”

“I had no choice in who I’ve become, but Barbara, you do.”

“Yes, I do have a choice. I choose to stay with you, to become like you. I have no family. No job. Please, I beg you.”

Fueled by the nightmare of her past, Gabriella’s hunger consumed her. She hadn’t fed in hours. A surprise attack would be best. Barbara wouldn’t have time to fear what was about to happen, her transformation. In a moment of weakness, Gabriella lunged at Barbara’s neck and released her from her mortal misery.

Chapter Four

Barbara grew heavy in Gabriella’s arms. As she sucked the last drop of blood from Barbara’s neck, Gabriella eased her pale and lifeless body to the floor. She’d done it. There was no turning back. Gabriella had to work fast. Sinking her wet fangs into her wrist, Gabriella dripped her vampire blood into Barbara’s mouth, completing her transformation. Barbara belonged to her now, a fact they might both soon regret.

Barbara coughed and then went rigid. Her eyes flashed open. She let out a howl that pierced Gabriella’s already sensitive ears. Thankfully, the house was secluded. No one but the animals in the woods were the wiser. Barbara flung her head back, and her eyes rolled back into her head, leaving glossy white slits. Panic gripped Gabriella. The pounding in her chest caught her by surprise. She hadn’t felt that way since she was mortal. This was bad.

It had been centuries since she had turned anyone, and that was because Volk had insisted upon it. It had made her stomach clench every time. She couldn’t wait to get it over with. Volk had supervised her, and most importantly, he had assumed responsibility for the newly feral vampires. But Volk wasn’t here, thankfully, so she would have to tend to Barbara.

Gabriella paced while Barbara gurgled in between her spasms. She knelt down beside her and brushed her blonde bangs from her cold forehead. Barbara’s eyes curtained back into place.

“See? I warned you there’d be pain involved.”

Barbara clawed at her, her fingernails rivaling Gabriella’s.

Gabriella reared back. “Easy now. I know you’re starving.” She held up her palms. It was like talking down a psychotic patient before hitting him with a Haldol dart, except no tranquilizer would put Barbara down. The only fix for a feral vampire was blood, and lots of it. The stash in her refrigerator wouldn’t be enough, but it was a start. She’d have to recruit K.L.

Gabriella sprinted to the fridge and grabbed six pints of blood. She tossed them one at a time to Barbara who emptied them in succession, throwing the collapsed bags over her shoulder. When Barbara was sucking on her fourth bag, Gabriella picked up her cell. Answer, you tardy vamp! She had listened to four bars of “Thriller” before she heard his voice.

“K.L., I swear, you are the slowest vampire ever.”

There was a thud in the background.

“Sorry, Gabriella, I was busy. It’s been a slow night in the lab, and I had a hankering for a fresh snack.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Doubtful. It’s some new guy from radiology. A real dream. He’ll definitely be a repeater. I thought you would be busy with that hunk of yours, Maxwell. But you know I don’t poach.”

“Yes, I know. Unfortunately my evening with Max ended prematurely. I’ll fill you in later. Right now, I need your help.” Gabriella clutched her cell. “I turned someone. Actually, she was our waitress, and she followed me home. Long story short, I put her out of her mortal misery.”

“Aha,” K.L. said. “And now you have a feral vamp on your hands.”

“She’s crawling on my floor at this moment, and I’ve emptied my stock. I need an emergency supply.”

“I’ll be over with the goods as soon as I dump this gorgeous specimen back in radiology.”

Gabriella shoved Barbara away with her foot. “Hurry. And bring some padlocks.”

“Gotcha.”

“Thanks, K.L.”

“No problem. I’d do anything for you.”

That anything had only just begun.

****

A gust of wind heralded K.L’s arrival.

“Sorry about calling you tardy,” Gabriella said.

“No offense taken.” He slid the backpack from his shoulders and zipped it opened. It was overflowing with bags of blood from Fang Hospital. He looked at Gabriella. “Enough?”

“Wow. Looks like you emptied the whole blood bank. What if a mortal needs a transfusion?”

“Taken care of. I’ve managed to recruit a couple donors. And once I had a little nosh of my radiology prince, he refilled my O neg cache.” K.L. stared at Barbara, who was disheveled and writhing on Gabriella’s floor.

“More!” she rasped.

“She doesn’t look good. Oh, my. What’s with the hair?” K.L. shot his hands to hips. “We better work fast.”

Barbara grabbed his ankles.

“Hey, now. Don’t touch the King.” K.L. waved a bag of blood over Barbara’s head. “Especially if you want something good to drink.”

Barbara let go of him and knelt at his feet. She panted steadily.

“That’s a good little subject.” He tossed the bag of blood across the floor. “Fetch, my darling.”

While Barbara busied herself with her “food”, Gabriella bowed before K.L. “Genius! All hail, King Louis the Hundredth.”

Gabriella recalled when she had first met K.L. New at the hospital, she had wandered into the lab and discovered him sucking down a bag of blood. When he revealed his real name, Gabriella chuckled. Born in Germany, he’d never been to France, but he was crazy about French kings, and chose the moniker, King Louis the Hundredth. He joked that all the other “king numbers” were taken. But his hospital ID covertly read as K.L. Hundruth; her ID displayed Dr. Gabriella Van Court. M.D. Aside from being vampires, they shared the same mission: hiding among the mortals at The Fang. They’d become fast friends.

As promised, K.L. had come to the rescue.

K.L. dumped the padlocks from his backpack. They clanked onto the kitchen table. Barbara’s head shot up. A ring of blood circled her mouth. But then her feral voraciousness yanked her back to her bag of blood. She smacked her lips loudly.

“We’ll have to work on the manners as well as her hair.” K.L. pointed to the front door. “But you know what we need to do first.”

Darn! Gabriella really loved that planter. Once Barbara’s belly was full, Gabriella would have to lock her in her coffin. Dawn was approaching, and K.L. and she needed the rest. They couldn’t babysit Barbara. It would be a disaster if she got loose. She’d stockpile prey, and Gabriella couldn’t afford to garner attention to Barbara or herself.

“She’s slowing up. I’ll get the coffin. Keep an eye on her, will you?”

“All right. But don’t be long. It’s going to take both of us to put her down.”

Gabriella sighed. “There goes my snapdragons and ivy.”

“Too late now, deary. You could have just brought home a dog, or even maybe a werewolf.” K.L. pointed to Barbara, blood smeared across her face. “She’s yours now.”

“I did it in a moment of weakness.”

“We’re all inhuman, aren’t we?” K.L. joked.

“Thanks for making me feel better. But Barbara isn’t going to feel better for a while.”

“She’ll get over it. We did.”

Gabriella shook her head. “Don’t remind me.”

Gabriella pushed the front door open and stepped out onto the porch. She paused and sniffed the crisp night air. She should’ve had Max in her bed, where she wanted him, to playfully nip his neck and reap the rewards of a mortal man’s passion. But she created Barbara, and she was responsible for her.

“Down, woman! Down!” She heard K.L. command.

She’d better not dally. Gabriella yanked the flowers and ivy from her coffin. The weight of the coffin was inconsequential to her; she grabbed it by the handles and tossed it into the house.

“We need to be quick about this,” K.L. said.

Barbara, sated, lay on her back, clutching the last emptied bag of blood to her chest.

“Here’s our opportunity,” Gabriella said. “I’ll grab her arms, you grab her legs, and on the count of three, we’ll toss her into the coffin.”

“Sleepy time, sweetie,” K.L. crooned to Barbara.

Gabriella counted. “One, two, three.”

They flung Barbara into the casket, slammed the lid, and bolted the padlocks.

Gabriella leaned on the sealed coffin. “Thank you, K.L. That’ll keep her, I hope.”

“A feral vamp is hard to contain. I’ll sleep here, just in case Barbara makes a surprise debut.”

Gabriella hugged him. “You’re the best.”

K.L. stroked her cheek. His fangs peeked out from his grin. “I know,” he teased. “After all that, I’m starved. I’ll help you clean up the mess your pet left behind. Then we’ll sit and have our own snack. I’m dying to find out how your evening ended with Barbara instead of Max.” K.L. chuckled. “No pun intended.”

Gabriella and K.L. picked up the collapsed bags of blood Barbara had left in the wake of her new vamp hunger and dumped them in the red hospital biohazard bags Gabriella had stored up. Between Gabriella working in the E.R. and K.L. employed in the lab, they took turns getting rid of the remnants of their blood bank meals. They sank into the kitchen chairs.

“I’m sorry, K.L., but Barbara plowed through all the blood I had in the fridge.”

Gabriella tapped her talons on the table. Neither a bang nor a howl came from the coffin. Barbara dozed like the dead. “Looks like we’ll have to go out to eat.”

She’d only drawn a snack from the woman in the restaurant’s restroom, and had counted on Max to supply her with the rest of her demands. But a taste of Max was unfortunately on hold. Gabriella’s body craved more. Barbara should stay put for a least few hours.

K.L. opened his backpack. “No need.” He reached inside and pulled out his stash of reserved blood and loaded Gabriella’s refrigerator. A vampire grin graced his face. He set two pints on the kitchen table. “I saved the best for us, AB neg.”

Gabriella’s eyes widened, and her fangs grew with anticipation. AB negative was to vampires what a bottle of Cristal was to mortals. Rare in every population, it was near impossible to randomly find a mortal with the type, especially on short notice. It normally took a lot of screening to find this gem.

“K.L! I can’t. Save this for a special occasion.”

“But this is a special occasion. You just turned a mortal.”

“This calls for my best stemware.”

Gabriella pushed back her chair and reached into her cupboard. Retrieving two crystal goblets, she set them onto the table. K.L. poured them each a glass, filling them to the brim. He raised his glass.

“Cheers, my friend.” He glanced at the coffin. “And cheers to our newest vampire.”

Gabriella clinked her glass to his. Perhaps turning Barbara wasn’t a mistake.

Chapter Five

Gabriella woke with a start. It was sundown and Halloween, the biggest vampire holiday. Instead of reveling in the spirit, she had Barbara sealed in her coffin and K.L. curled up on her couch. She rose and whisked into the living room. Knocking came from under the casket lid. Shoot! Barbara was awake. But K.L. continued to snore. Gabriella walked over to him and shoved him.

“K.L.!”

K.L. stretched and blinked. “What?” he mumbled.

“It’s Halloween!”

K.L. sat up and his eyes sprang open. “I can’t believe I overslept! Happy Halloween!” He stood and kissed Gabriella on the cheek. “I know we have to go to work, but I already decorated the lab. We’ll celebrate together. I’ll bring my hunk from radiology, and you can bring your hunk, Max.” He winked. “I have enough blood stashed away. We’ll go easy on the mortals.”

The coffin rattled.

“Well, look who’s awake,” K.L. said.

Gabriella winced. “That’s my fault. I’ve messed up the festivities. I’ll have to call in sick. I can’t leave her here by herself, especially on Halloween.”

“We’ll take her with us. I’ll dress her up in a lab coat. She’ll stay with me in the lab where I can feed her.”

“You don’t have to babysit her. Barbara is my responsibility.” She waved him on. “Go have fun.”

K.L. shook his head. “Not without you.” He took her hands. “Stop furrowing your forehead. It’s not becoming! Everything will work out. She’ll be fed. She’ll be happy. We’ll be happy.” He shrugged. “What could go wrong?”

“For starters, she could kill my patients.”

“If she gets antsy, I’ll lock her up in the morgue. She can’t do any damage there.”

Gabriella chuckled. “You’re right.”

K.L.’s blue eyes glowed in the dim evening. “That’s my girl. Go get ready. Then we’ll spring Barbara.”

Not only did K.L. and her Uncle Claude have the same shade of translucent eyes, they looked after her in the same fashion. K.L. had become her comforter. How fortuitous it had been for her to accidentally walk in on him in the lab that night. He was just like her, blending in with the mortals to the chagrin of his vampire clan. He distanced himself from them, but he was careful not to sever ties; he arrived bearing bags of blood as an appeasement at their gatherings. Gabriella was not a member of the family. They let her be. She was more useful to them as a vampire doctor. K.L. and Barbara were her family now.
That suited her fine.

Gabriella rocketed into her bedroom and threw on a pair of crisp maroon scrubs. After cinching her hair into a ponytail, she tied it with a black silk ribbon. Her hair was as thick as the day she died. Her uncle used to give it a teasing yank as they walked along the shore. Gabriella grinned. She thought of Claude and tugged her hair. Her heart clenched. She missed him so!

She returned to the living room with a cheerful bounce. It was her favorite holiday, and soon she’d see Max. She’d find an empty and secluded room, and pull him inside. Then she’d make up for lost time last night. She’d be vampire quick. He’d be mortally exhausted. He’d also be the perfect date to K.L.’s shindig in the lab. Afterwards, she’d tuck Max into a hospital call room bed. She rubbed her hands with glee. He’d think he dreamt it all.

Gabriella strode into the kitchen to find K.L. putting the final touches on Barbara’s chignon while she sucked on a pint of blood through a straw.

She grinned. “Now, there’s a picture!”

“Yes, I’d say she’s picture perfect.” K.L. shook his head. “I couldn’t take that rat’s nest hair any longer. And we couldn’t bring her to the hospital in her former condition. They’d take her straight up to the pysch ward where she’d drain the staff and patients.” K.L. looked at Gabriella. “I think she’ll blend. What do you think?”

Barbara slurped the last drops of blood mixed with air bubbles through her straw. Sated, she stared at Gabriella, giving her maker a fang-toothed grin.

“A little bronzer to polish off your fine work, and we’ll be off.”

Gabriella took the bloody juice box from Barbara and patted her on the head.

“Hey, watch the hair,” K.L. protested. “I worked hard on that.”

She cocked her head toward him. “And it looks stunning.”

K.L. shrugged with faux humility. “I did what I could.”

Gabriella twirled her ponytail with her finger. “Maybe you can do me next.”

“My dearest, you look beautiful as you are.”

Her heart pinged. Uncle Claude used to say the same thing.

K.L. snapped his fingers. “Earth to Gabriella!”

She startled to attention. “Yes, um, you’re right. It’s more practical this way.”

Her blonde creation was certainly no Bride of Frankenstein. Barbara’s new updo revealed a milky slender neck any mortal or vamp man would surely drool over. Even Max would probably take a bite of it. Her vampire confidence plunged. That hadn’t happened before. Suddenly, feeling truly pale in comparison to glam Barbara, Gabriella searched for her normal seductive self.

“I’ll be right back,” K.L. said. He returned from the bedroom with another black silk ribbon. K.L. reached around Gabriella’s neck and swung her ponytail across her shoulder. He tied the end of the ponytail with the ribbon. The two black bows not only neatly upgraded her standard “doctor-do” but they added just the right holiday flare.

K.L. raised his palms with pride. “Perfect.”

That’s exactly how she now felt. Her mojo was back! After locking her front door, she snuck up behind Barbara and mussed her hair. She would not risk her protégé upstaging her. The problem was that her uncalled for move made Barbara look even more seductive.

She roved a consternated glance to K.L. “You are going to keep her in the lab, aren’t you?”

“Absolutely, sweetheart,” he lovingly replied.

Appeased, Gabriella shot past K.L. and Barbara and spun around to face them. She shoved out her hands in a halt gesture. “Wait. I have an idea. If we really want to blend in, especially tonight, we should arrive at the hospital in mortal fashion. Let’s take Barbara’s car. She told me she left it at the top of the road.” Her eyes met Barbara’s glazed over hazel ones. “Barbara, do you remember where you left your car?”

Barbara nodded.

Gabriella swung out her hand. “Lead the way.”

K.L. nudged Gabriella. “Did she talk much before you turned her?”

“Enough to take our orders,” she joked. “I think her catharsis last night wore her out. For now, let’s enjoy the quiet. I have a feeling that once she settles into vamp life, we won’t be able to shut her up. Besides, it’s best if she keep mum tonight. That way, it will be easier to sneak her into the hospital.” She waggled her finger at K.L. “Remember, take her straight to the lab.”
And away from Max!

K.L. bowed. “Yes, my queen.”

Her green eyes glowed in the dark. “Don’t call me that!”

“Sensitive about that, are we?”

“Not we. Me. And you know why.”

“Easy,” he said softly. He put his arm around her shoulders. “Relax. He hasn’t found you in centuries. You have me, and now Barbara.” He hugged her tighter. “I won’t let anything happen to you. You also have those vampires you’ve tended to on your side. You’re not as alone as you think.”

Gabriella shuddered.

“What’s the matter?” K.L. asked.

Barbara stopped.

K.L. ushered her along. “Keep going, dearie. Trust me. We’re right behind you. Go get your car.”

Barbara walked ahead of them to find her car.

“You’re tense, Gabriella. I know we’ve been distracted with Barbara, but something’s up. Something you haven’t told me.”

“I think I saw Volk last night, in the parking garage.”

K.L. shook his head. “He wouldn’t slink around. Volk would surely make a grand entrance.”

“You’re right. It was just my imagination.” Gabriella willed her heartbeat to slow. “It was probably Barbara stalking me.”

“You did luck out that she was an avid follower. She’s loyal to you, and you will be an exemplary...” His voice faltered, “and a generous progenitor.”

K.L. paused. His hand slid from her shoulders. “We better get going,” he said flatly.

Gabriella recognized his pain. K.L. had once divulged his past to her. He had loved and respected Nicholas, his progenitor. Not every vamp was as lucky. But his fortune fell to grief when he discovered townspeople rallying joyously around a burning barn where Nicholas and he had taken up residence. He’d left Nicholas to hunt for prey. While he was gone, his beloved maker was incinerated. He hadn’t killed or turned anyone since. He’d only snacked on victims, pilfering the Red Cross for his sustenance. Landing a primo position in the lab at Fang Hospital was perfect.

Grabbing his hand, Gabriella pulled K.L. out of his funk. She kissed him on the cheek. “Happy Halloween, my friend.”

K.L. nodded with renewed spirit. “Same to you, sweetheart!”

They caught up with Barbara. She halted and grinned, pointing to none other than a Volkswagon Jetta. “There!”

Gabriella pumped her fist in victory. “Bingo!” Now she could truthfully tell Max she had a Volkswagon in her garage. What a perfect way to start the holiday! She and Barbara were indeed meant to cross paths.

They scurried to the car. Gabriella grabbed the driver’s side door handle and gently clicked the door open. If she’d given it a vampire tug, she would have broken it off its hinges. That would be hard to explain to Max. She peeked inside. Kismet! Not only had Barbara left it unlocked, but the car keys were dangling from the ignition.

“Hop in, everyone,” she cheered.

Gabriella slid into the driver’s seat while K.L. ushered Barbara into the back seat.

“I’ll sit next to her in case her urge to feed causes an impromptu evacuation.”

“Good idea.”

K.L. tightened the seatbelt across Barbara’s lap. He patted her thigh. “Safety first.”

Gabriella and K.L secured their seatbelts. Not that it mattered for vampires, but she couldn’t risk getting stopped for a traffic violation. Then they’d have to subdue the cop, making matters more complicated.

She tapped the steering wheel with her talons.

“Remind me to trim these,” she said to K.L.

“No problem. Pass the clippers when you’re done to me and Barbara.”

“Car, go!” Gabriella commanded.

“I think you need to navigate it the old fashioned way.” K.L. sighed loudly. “This is what happens when you insist on traveling as mortals do.”

“Okay, keep your cloak on! Remember, we’re traveling with a “baby vamp.” If we morph, we may lose her along the way.”

“Good point.” He tapped the back of her seat. “Carry on!”

Gabrielle stared at the steering wheel. The last car she’d driven was a 1955 Ford Thunderbird. She searched around her seat. “Where’s the clutch?”

“Sorry, I can’t help. I’ve never navigated an automobile. Nicholas always drove.”

“Barbara?”

“I don’t think she’ll be of much assistance to you. The woman is still gurgling. We’ll have to feed her soon. Let’s take our chances and morph.”

Gabriella shook her head. “No. No.” She paused and then snapped her fingers. “I got it. There must be a manual in here.” She popped open the glove box. “And here it is!”

She flipped through the pages in seconds, absorbing all the details.

“Hmm. The human’s have made such progress. Car’s are so simple now.”

Gabriella twisted the key in the ignition and the Volkswagon engine roared to life.

“Next stop—The Fang!”