Night Owl

Night Owl Ch. 17

The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as they stood outside the hospital room, hearts pounding in their chests like drums on the verge of breaking. LaRae's pale figure lingered in their thoughts—how could anyone have gotten close enough to do this? 

Poisoned blood. In a hospital. It didn't make sense.

"Jin." Rae's father's voice was a low rumble, cutting through the tension. "Tell me everything you remember about that nurse."

Jin's throat tightened, and he hesitated, trying to steady himself. He began to speak, recounting their first encounter—the way the nurse had moved, the words she'd spoken—right up until she disappeared. Every detail replayed in his mind, but nothing seemed out of place.

"Nothing else seemed suspicious?" Rae's mother's voice broke the silence, her gaze piercing through him.

Jin's brow furrowed, combing through his memories as though each one might reveal something new. And then it hit him—a flicker of a moment he'd brushed off before.

"Wait..." His voice trailed, suddenly sharp with realization. "Just before Rae was wheeled back, she... she looked at the nurse. Like she knew her. It was quick, but I didn't think much of it because she was still groggy from the anesthesia." The weight of the memory settled in his gut like a stone. How had he missed it?

The guilt gnawed at him. He should've asked more questions, should've paid more attention. He was so afraid of losing her, of what it would feel like to be without the love of his life, that he hadn't seen the signs. His stomach twisted.

"I can feel your guilt, son," Rae's father muttered, his voice thick with restrained fury. "Don't. This isn't on you. It's on the one who did this to her." His fists clenched, trembling with barely-contained rage.

The minutes crawled by, each second heavy with anticipation. An hour later, the familiar nurse returned, her expression a mask of professionalism. "Mr. and Mrs. Kim, you can go in now," she said, stepping aside and gesturing to the double doors that separated them from Rae.

"Jin, come with us," Rae's mother said softly, looping her arm through his. He managed a small nod, his heart thrumming with a mix of fear and hope, the smile that flickered across his lips half-formed.

Each step toward the room felt heavier than the last. His mind raced, unsure of what they would find beyond the corner. What state would she be in?

The nurse hesitated, glancing at the family before speaking. "I have to warn you," she said quietly, her words heavy with meaning. "This will be difficult."

"What do you mean?" Rae's mother asked, her voice trembling slightly.

The nurse exhaled slowly, the weight of the truth hanging between them. "To save her life, we had to..." The explanation that followed sent chills down Jin's spine.

The nurse's voice was soft, apologetic, but the weight of her words pressed down like a lead blanket. "We had to use clean vampire blood to counter the tainted blood she was given. It was the only way to save her."

Jin's chest tightened, his voice dropping as he spoke, though he already knew the answer. "What does that mean exactly?" His eyes darkened, dreading the response. She would turn. There was no escaping it.

"She's in the process now," the nurse continued, her gaze flickering between them. "You have a little while while she's awake, before the full transformation takes over."

Her father's voice trembled, cracking under the weight of the news. "So there's... there's no way to stop this?" Tears welled up, shimmering in his eyes.

The nurse's shoulders slumped as she shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Kim. If it had been only one treatment, there might have been a chance. But with the second dose, even though the first was tainted... there's too much vampire blood in her system now. Not enough human blood remains to sustain her. She will turn, fully."