Bite Shift

39

Let me take a moment, here, to explain what waking up feels like for a vampire. If you have ever been starved for oxygen, drowning or choking, and started to lose consciousness, only to be resuscitated, then you understand. Waking up, as a creature of the night, feels like someone gave you mouth to mouth and brought you back from the edge of death. Consciousness snaps back into you and you take a sudden, desperate breath for the air around you. Any ideas you may have in your head of a beautiful vampire slowly opening their eyes, stretching and rolling over to smile at you...... is a lie. We come to, like frantic animals fighting for life. At least I did. Here's hoping it gets better as I get older.

Sorry to ruin the fantasy for you, folks.

Once the shock of waking up was over, I remembered where I was and the terrible dream that had been the unexpected intermission of my slumber. I hate nightmares. Seems stupid to say that to you. I don't know anyone who loves having their worst fears brought to life by their own brains while they are in their most vulnerable state. Do you?

I tried to focus my thoughts and did what I knew best; made a plan for the night. The nurse in me knew that the only way to approach chaos was to have a master plan and accept that it may change. First, I needed to dress. Then, I needed to call my kids. I didn't want them to worry about me. Next, I needed to eat. I couldn't focus on much until I fed myself. Sometime tonight, I needed to see Alex. Last, I needed to go home. It was time to stop avoiding my old life and start figuring out how I would adapt to my new life. The thought of leaving Rhys, and the unending source of knowledge, scared me. But, there are cellphones and Facetime and texting and emails. Not to mention the fact that we worked in the same building on the same shift. I knew he wouldn't be far.

You gotta go back to work tomorrow night, Kate. You better get ready to face everyone again.

That thought propelled be out of bed. It didn't take long for me to slide into new underpants, the yoga pants from yesterday and a bright, bright blue sweatshirt. I swung open the bedroom door and saw that Rhys's was already opened. The smell of hot blood drifted down the stairs and mixed with the sound of music. Tonight, Rhys had chosen Elvis Presley. I smiled. What a weird way to start the night but, it also made everything feel so normal. I envisioned the journey across the jungle room and found myself already at the bottom of the stairs looking up.

Yes! I did it!! I'm fast!!!

I tried to picture myself in the kitchen. I looked up the stairs and focused on the way the kitchen looked, the counters, the breakfast nook and the sink. I pictured myself looking out of the small window that sat behind that sink.

"Hey, Kate!!"

I looked at Rhys. He was in front of the counter, stirring blood in the slow cooker and looking surprised. "You're starting to get the hang of it, kid!"

"What did I do?!" I was way more shocked than he seemed to be. Did I move that fast or did I teleport?

"It's a lot," he started. "I know. Keep practicing and you won't have to even think about it, you will just move faster when you need to. For now though, save your energy. Moving like that can wipe you out when you're young and definitely when you haven't fed. I promise to teach you when I can."

He ladled blood into a large coffee mug. It made me think of the morning coffee that used to be my first thought when waking up. I couldn't function without it. My kids even knew to not talk to me until I had sipped the first few sips. It was such a familiar thing, to sip from a mug, that I didn't care that it was blood now. For the first time in days, I started to believe that I could do this. I could still me a mom, a nurse and a person; I just drank AB positive instead of Starbucks. I sat at the table and he followed me to sit on the other side.

"Normally, we would have been spending the first few days just teaching you how to be a vampire. Your turning and training have been quite unorthodox. I don't know anyone else who has spent the first, precious week with their progeny, trying to catch a serial killer, and not teaching them about their powers. This will be a very good story for parties, someday."

"Rhys," I began but then stopped. I didn't want to ruin his night.

"What is it?" He looked puzzled and worried.

I looked down at the table. I didn't want to see his face when I told him. "I need to go home tonight. I'm supposed to work tomorrow and my kids need me. I can't hide here forever. I need to figure this all out."

I saw his hand come into view and lay over the hand cradling the mug. "I know. It's okay. I already planned on taking you to the hospital to see Alex. Your car is there. You need to go see the girls and try to get ready for tomorrow. I have called work and they are thrilled I am coming back tomorrow night. You need to leave but you are never alone."

The relief washed over me and I jumped to my feet. I was around the table, on my knees and hugging him in seconds. I started to cry and I wasn't even sure why. Fear, maybe. Happiness, maybe. Gratitude, definitely. I had so many emotions flooding me the last 72 hours and they just all slammed together and overwhelmed me. Under it all was hope; hope that I could be a vampire and still be a mom.

He rubbed my back and then pushed me away. "You need to finish your food, clean up and get to the hospital. The night will be gone before you know it and you have a lot to prepare."

"You're right," I admitted. I stood, went to the counter to refill the mug, and headed for the bathroom.

The giant mirror showed me that I had cried a little more than I realized. Red was smeared on each cheek, making me look like an extra from a horror flick. I ran the water and took a wet washcloth to my face. When it was clean, I examined my reflection; searching for any blood I had missed. Instead, I had a realization and stood up straight, turning to give my profile to the glass.

I forgot a bra. I forgot a bra yet my boobs are perky and firm. Damn! I look like I had plastic surgery and did two years of chest presses in the gym.

That shallow, vain awareness gave me a surge of confidence. You can do this, Kate! You can face the world and not flinch. You are a badass vampire heroine, like something out of a comic book. Nothing is gonna bring you down again.

With that thought, I practically skipped out of the bathroom to find Rhys and head to the hospital.

I was ready.