Last Bitten (The Emerald Night Series) (4 page)

The ICU door slammed back open, “She’s right here
, Mrs. Flynn. She’s here for the time being.” The old nurse showed Nia’s mother into the room.”

A
dark shadow lingered in the corner, surveying.

Mrs
. Flynn was in shock: tubes everywhere, the awful click of the breathing machine, the smell. She covered her mouth. “What happened to her?”

“We’re not sure
. She’s lost a lot of blood; we’re almost caught up. Her heart couldn’t take it. She coded twice. She’s critical.” The nurse hung another bag of fluid and checked the IV pump rates.

“What’s this on her lip?” Mrs
. Flynn accused, sad and angry all at the same time. “Is that blood? Why is there blood on her lip?” Nia’s mother flashed her cobalt-blue eyes at the nurse; she looked similar to Nia except old—black hair splashed with grey and weight up from menopause.

“I’m not sure
.” The nurse was nervous, scampering around for a cloth. She donned some gloves and wiped the spot away.”It must be from when I removed the last bag of blood. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, I’m just
. . . my husband . . . her father, he’s on the East Coast on business. I called him; he’s on his way, but . . . I . . .” Mrs. Flynn began to cry but stopped as she felt an uneasiness surround her. She scanned the room. “Are we alone here?” she asked, panicking suddenly.

“Yes
, it’s just us. Are you all right? Can I get you anything? Water? Tea? I can set you up a cot so you can sleep here, be with your daughter.”

“No
, don’t leave me alone in here. I don’t know what it is. Something is wrong.” Mrs. Flynn went to the window and watched the green moon disappear under the clouds, along with all the light. The room turned black with just the blue and reds from the vital signs monitor. She felt cold. She pulled her long, purple raincoat tighter around her. “Can we not turn on a light?”

“I would, but we
shouldn’t interrupt her body’s biorhythms, except if absolutely necessary. Come, I’ll get you set up, something to eat and drink maybe. You can come back in when I get the cot set up. It’s overwhelming, I know. Take a minute alone with her, and I’ll meet you outside here.”

Nodding, Mrs
. Flynn stood by her daughter’s head, “Can I touch her?”

“I would prefer you not
, with all the lines and such.”

“I can’t even touch my daughter
. She may die, and you won’t let me even touch her.”

“It’s for safety, infection reasons
. Please, I don’t mean to be strict—she is extremely unstable. I cannot emphasize that enough.”

“Fine
.” Mrs. Flynn clenched her jaw and her fists. “Leave us.” The nurse did.

Taking her only daughter’s hand in hers and caressing her forehead, Mrs
. Flynn gave her daughter a soft kiss.”I’m sorry I was so hard on you. I didn’t mean to be so hard on you. My girl.”

“
My
Nia
,”
the voice whispered.

Mrs
. Flynn jumped back, bumping into the IV lines, knocking the IV pump over. The lines ripped from Nia’s body, blood splattered the white sheets, and the alarms wailed as Nia’s vitals tanked. Mrs. Flynn screamed running into the hall, “Emergency! I have an emergency! I need help!”

The
black shadow quickly swept over Nia’s bed and dripped dark-red blood into Nia’s mouth—delivered at last. The shadow then retreated, out the door along the floor, as the bodies rushed in. The fight began to save Nia’s life.

“I’m so sorry
. It’s my fault, it’s all my fault. It was an accident.” Mrs. Flynn cowered in the corner as the ICU staff attempted to save her daughter’s life for the third time. They pumped her chest until there were no more compressions to be done and no more drugs to be injected. The worn, red code cart sat awry.

I
t was too late. The lines on the monitor went flat as heads hung low. Mrs. Flynn cried to the unforgiving world.”My baby, my baby. What have I done? What have I done?”

The old nurse flashed Mrs
. Flynn a malicious glance, and Mrs. Flynn took it, because she knew the old battle axe was right.

“Time of death 0101
,” the young, brunette ICU doctor stated. He turned to Mrs. Flynn. “I am very sorry for your loss.”

“What do I do now?” Mrs
. Flynn was frantic; she stood hands out to the ICU code team. “What do I do? It was an accident. I didn’t mean to. I’ve killed my daughter.”

The
doctor approached her. “There will be an investigation. You will need to remain here. I’m sorry.”

In shock
, Mrs. Flynn fell back, fell to the hard, white, intolerant floor. She didn’t know what to say. It was a nightmare—a parent’s worst nightmare. They all stood in silence, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened.

BEEP
. . . BEEP . . .

They all looked up at the vitals monitor
. The reds, the blues, the greens emerged from left to right—proof life’s lines.

BEEP
. . . BEEP . . . BEEP . . . BEEP . . .

“She has a rhythm,” the
doctor yelled. “She has a rhythm.”

The sound
s picked up, and the medical team ran about the room not knowing exactly what to do—total chaos erupted.

“She’s alive? She’s alive
!” Mrs. Flynn cried out.

“No—stop
, don’t open the blinds.”

“Why not? It’s beautiful out
. You should see the view.”

“Just don’t
. Please.”

“
Very well, Nia. I’m reluctant to release you today,” said the tired Doc. His shift was hitting the thirty-six-hour mark, and he was beginning to think he’d imagined the night.

“Why? I feel fine
. Can’t I just go? Haven’t you all tortured me enough?” Nia said, surveying the young doctor. He looked awfully tasty. She felt a pang hunger and tried to push away the unusual new thoughts—this urge to bite, yank into flesh, and—

“How about we at least wait till this evening?
We need to run a few more tests,” he approached her bed and put a hand on her shoulder.

H
is move—the intimacy—excited her, and she felt her heart racing. It boomed through her ears as she watched the pulse on his wrist bounding, thriving; his life force was strong—nubile. She could sense it. Nia leaned forward for a kiss.

“What are you doing?” he asked
, lulled by her sensual touch.

She batted her long
, black lashes catching his striking, brown eyes. “Do you want me?” she asked with an innocent smile.

He closed his eyes
. “Yes, I—”

“Shhhhhh
,” she hushed, kissing his wrist, licking his pulse lightly. An urge washed over her to take a bite, just one bite.

Not yet
.

“I must, I must
,” she argued.

Wait
, my Nia.

Nia
withdrew from the doctor’s tempting wrist. “I don’t want any more tests. I want to go home tonight. I must leave tonight.”

“Okay
,” the doctor agreed, under her spell. “You may go tonight. I will write the order.”

“Yes
, go write the orders. And tell my mother I want to see her. She’s out there, yes?”

“Yes,” he answered like a robot
.

“Tell her to come in
, as I’ve heard what happened.”

“I will
,” he said, unable to take his eyes off the white-skinned angel. She was all-consuming. “Anything else? Anything at all? Tell me . . .”

“Go.
I need my privacy.”

He didn’t want to leave, but he did
as he was told—the good little doctor.

The door remained open
, and Nia’s mother guiltily ambled in.

“Mom
.”

“Nia
.”

Nia shook her head.
“Mom, Mom. I didn’t know you were out for blood.” Nia watched the blood pumping through her mother’s aging body—a strong heart and a strong will this woman had.

“I’m sorry
. It was an accident. I heard something in the room. I was startled. I can’t express how sorry I really am. I love you. You’re my girl. I know I’ve been hard on you these past few months. I’ve been under a lot of stress with your father traveling, and money has been tight.”

Nia sighed and reached out a hand to her mother
. She took the warmth of her in.

“You’re so cold
, Nia. The doctor told me you want to go home later. I really think you should stay here. You didn’t see what happened last night. It was. . .” A single tear dropped down her fine-lined, heavily painted cheek.

“I died
. I know. I died. I saw Grandma.”

“What?” Nia’s mom backed up
, disbelieving.

“
Willy was there too—her cat. That cat was always fat.”

“Why are you saying these things? Are you trying to hurt me?”

“Of course not. I only tell the truth. You know I’ve never been a good liar.”

A new, younger blonde nurse popped her head in the door
. “You have a phone call; just press the red button there. Phone is on your table.”

Nia
glanced at her mother, who had backed up near the door. “You don’t have to stay. You can go. Really, I’ll be fine.

The woman
hesitated, then nodded and left, walking as if the weight of the universe was upon her shoulders.

Nia
picked up. “Yes.”

“Are you
okay? Do you need me to come get you?” It was her Andy.

Nia smiled now as s
he knew exactly what she wanted. “Yes. Come get me, Andy. Please. I need you.”

“You do?”
He sighed in relief.

“Yes
, Andy. You’re all I think about, though I’ve denied it all this time. I need you, Andy.”

She heard him stumble over some furniture.

“
Tonight, Andy. I want you tonight.”

He stuttered
, unable to get a word out. “Uh . . . uh . . .”

“You know it
, Andy. You can feel it, can’t you?” She giggled slyly, but certain that they both knew what was about to dawn.

“Yes,” he said
.

“Come
, Andy. Come.”

Dropping his c
ell to the floor then retrieving it, Andy sputtered out an almost incomprehensible sentence. “I’m coming . . . uh, uh . . . there . . . I mean, soon. Tell me when.” His voice sounded frenzied.

“
Focus, Andy. I need you. Seven. Bring me something to wear.” she said. “When it’s dark. You know I like the dark. I’ve always enjoyed the dark.”

“I do too,” he said, “and the stars in the sky
. I love stars. I love—”

She hung up on him
, smiling and tapping her red nails.

***

“Faster. Drive faster,” Nia demanded.

“I’ll get a tick
et. Campus police is always out,” Andy argued. .

Nia touched him
. “Do as I have asked. You must.”

He pressed down
on the pedal and glanced over at her, as if trying to figure out a great mystery.
Surely I seem different to him
, she thought. He must be wondering . . .

“
What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked, honestly concerned.

Slipping her hand down onto his
scrawny thigh, she answered slowly with intent. “I must say this: there is something wrong. You’re very observant. I’ve always known that about you.” She yanked her hand away and pulled down the old Civic’s vanity mirror. The holes on her neck were gone. She flipped it back up. “I’m not sure exactly. My memories of it all are blurry. I remember . . .” Nia paused, glancing up at the full, friendly moon. “As I told my own mother, I remember my grandmother. She said something to me. She said, ‘Stay in the light. Come with us. ’ She seemed happy at first, but then she was scared, like a terrible fear washed over her silken, wrinkly face. I’ve never seen her like that before.”