Bite Shift

40

The confidence was gone by the time we reached the parking lot of the Pittsburgh Medical Center. I had called the girls on the way there, while Rhys drove, and told them I was coming home. The shrieking was excruciating with my new, sharper, hearing, but I was happy that they were happy. It was a school night but their Dad told them they could stay up until I was able to swing by and see them. It would be around 9 when I reached the hospital. I figured I could see them between 11 and midnight. Tom hadn't even argued. He said he would take them to school late if he had to so they could see me. Even his wife yelled in the background that she couldn't wait to lay eyes on me.

I hung up just as the large, red brick building came into sight.

Rhys pulled into the parking garage and ignored several open spots on the first two levels. I was going to ask why but decided to just let him do whatever he wanted to.

I guess I am maturing. No more picking small fights. I'm saving my energy for bigger battles.

And, I was glad I was silent. His plan became clear when he pulled his little Civic next to my beat-up minivan. It felt like a month since I parked that van and head into, what I thought was, a normal shift. The woman that had parked that van was dead. A new woman would drive it away tonight. I made the conscious, and firm, decision to get a new car. I had hated that old van for a long time but didn't have a solid reason to get rid of it, as long as it ran. Now, I knew it was time for it to go.

You cannot be a respected, sex-goddess, creature of the night, vampire..... in a freaking minivan. Besides, the girls are older. You don't need this Mom-mobile anymore.

"Do car dealerships stay open late?"

Rhys laughed out loud and threw his head back. I guess I asked that out loud.

"Are you second guessing the minivan, now?"

Now, it was my turn to laugh. "Hell yes, I am."

Once we regain control of ourselves, Rhys asked a question that threw me a little off guard. "Do you have makeup? I mean, I've never really seen you wear it."

I thought about it for a second. He was right. I rarely wore it anymore. I don't know when I had stopped caring about myself but, I had. "I can get some. Why?"

"You will need to use it to look more human. Buy a foundation that is close to your color. Cover your face and neck to give yourself a more muted look. No eyeshadow, eyeliner or mascara. It will bring more attention to your eyes. A muted color lipstick to dull the pink fullness of your lips. Use some blush to look a little less.... well, like a corpse. Stick to ponytails and buns. If your hair is down, they will notice how healthy and shiny it is. Unless you have a good product to recommend, keep it up. Dry shampoo on top of it helps to dull it down. It will take time to get contacts to dull your eyes. I'm sorry. I should have made it a priority. Stay away from wearing black when around humans. It will make your skin look paler and more flawless, by comparison."

"I'm officially panicking. I can't pull this off. They're going to see. They're going to know."

"No," he insisted. "They won't. No one wants to accept their friend or loved one has changed. They will see you as the Kate they loved and missed. You will only see Alex, and your children, tonight. You have time to pick up makeup and prepare. I'm giving you pointers but you are smart and quick on your feet. I know you can do this. I am not worried... even a little. Please call me when you are home safely. I will see you tomorrow night, at work. You know how to reach me."

I did not want to get out of that car. Getting out would be like stepping out of a bubble of safety and into the harsh world, alone. What if I mess up? What if I do something to out myself and put us all at risk? Vampires had stayed in hiding since the dawn of time and I was certain I would be the screw-up that ruined it all and put everyone at risk. I looked at Rhys for, what felt like, the last time. What if I say or do something that gets him killed?

"Kate," he looked so serious. "You will be fine. I will see you tomorrow. Go see Alex and then go hug your kids."

"Okay. Okay." I nodded, a little too hard to look like I believed him but, fake it til you make it. "I can do this."

My shaking hands pulled on the handle, opening the door wide open and stepped out. "Rhys," I spun around and bent down to face him. "I love you."

The resulting smile was so big that it closed his eyes a little. I would have given anything to know that the joy I saw on his face stayed forever. He had been through so much and done so much for me; I wanted to erase his pain and only make him laugh until the end of time.

"I love you too, kid. Please, breathe and just be yourself. You aren't a different person inside. You are just stronger and faster; Kate 2.0."

Kate 2.0...I like that. Makes me sound like the Terminator or some action hero.

"Yeah, I have survived things a lot harder than this. You're right." With the new found belief in myself, I shut his door and started my journey to the physicians' offices. I heard him pull away and felt a breeze on my back.

The 3rd level of the garage had a crosswalk that took you to the main building. It protected you from cold and rain. I always parked on that level for that very reason. The crosswalk was glass on both sides and the night sky opened up as I crossed to the hospital. Were there always these many stars? Had I never really looked or does my new vision make the starry sky more beautiful?

The glass door at the end of the walkway revealed the hallway on the other side but, from 10pm to 6am, you would need a badge to access it. Since I was before that window of time, the door slid open for me. Sounds of the hospital swarmed around me. The sounds don't start to die down until midnight. Until then, there would still be families visiting, call bells going off and people coming up from the ER to their overnight room. After midnight, you only hear the beeping of heart monitors and the whispers of the night shift trying to keep each other awake. The overhead paging system stopped at 8pm so that, at least, wasn't going off.

Since I work on the fifth floor, there was a good chance I could get in and out unseen. To my right was the ortho unit. It was always less crazy than my unit. Most of the patients were broken bones and post-joint replacements. Emergencies and codes were much rarer on this floor. I didn't know anyone from this unit so I was not worried about being seen. I turned to my left and the office hallway spread out before me. The offices were on this floor to make it easier for the patients, and the physicians to access them from the garage. The hospital wants the doctors and patients to have favorable experiences. They don't give a crap if the nurses are happy or not.

Alex's office was at the end of the hallway and I could see that his door was open. I took a big breath and let it out audibly. Walking down the white hallway was the most surreal experience I have had in a long time. I never thought I would work, one on one, with Dr. Kitchner. I, definitely, never imagine I would count on him to protect and continue my existence. It felt like some cosmic joke. I had spent so many hours avoiding him and now I needed him more than anyone else.

I thought about his sister and the story he told. She had been so young when she was turned. I couldn't imagine what he went through; telling everyone the truth, no one believing him and too young to make any difference for her. It was so hard to imagine him as a little boy, or as a brother. He seemed so uncaring and utterly without a need for anyone or anything. I wondered if she was still alive and where she was. She had never come back for him so, maybe, it's because she was truly dead. I held onto the fact that he needed me to find a cure and save his sister. That kept us from betraying each other. I needed him and he needed me.

With that thought, I turned into his office and faced my new partner in lies.