Vampire Experiment: Book One of the Vamp Virus Series

✧✦ Chapter Seventeen ✦✧

Odette woke up while Jasper was out and blurrily looked around. Something tight was tied around her head, and her ankle was bound up and resting on some pillows. Her whole body ached and she also felt the burning sensation in her neck, letting her know Harland had been there. Hissing, she pushed herself up and struggled to her feet, fighting off a strong wave of dizziness. When she put pressure on her ankle, tears sprang into her eyes at the pain as she hobbled across the room to the kitchen.

Through her pain she realized her stomach was growling furiously. "I should probably eat something..." She took out one of the steaks and limping across the kitchen, she chopped it up and put half in a skillet. While waiting for the meat to cook, she filled out the job application, wondering how she was going to get to and from work.

She was signing the papers when she realized she had picked up a small chunk of raw steak and was chewing on it. "Ew!" She went to spit it out when she realized it actually didn't taste that bad. Moving it around her mouth thoughtfully, she tried to ignore the slimy texture and focus on the flavor.

"It really isn't that bad." She swallowed hard and remembered what she had been told about drinking blood to help with healing. "If I want to work soon, I'm going to need to fix this ankle..." Looking at the plate of still raw steak she sighed and turned off the stove. Pushing all of the half-cooked steak onto the same plate as the raw, she sat up on the counter and ate everything.

She had a few pieces left when Jasper strode into the house. "Odi?"

"In the kitchen." She smiled slightly as he entered the room.

"What are you doing up? You're in no condition to be moving around." He looked down at the bloody plate in her hands and looked at her, an eyebrow raised. "Raw steak? Since when?"

"Well..." She looked down, slightly uncomfortable with his expression. "Everyone's told me that blood is good for healing. And I was cooking some, but I ended up eating a raw piece and found it doesn't taste revolting. So I figured I'd eat it and hopefully start to heal up a little."

"That's fine and good, but you need more blood than what a steak can give you in your current condition." Lestat sauntered into the kitchen and stood in the doorway.

Odette looked down at the floor. "I know."

"Here, drink this." She got queasy when he handed her a medical blood bag. "It will help." When she refused he pushed it harder into her hands, "Drink. It." Grudgingly she opened it and drank some of the thick grossness. Her hunger grew a bit more intense and she forgot to be disgusted. After chugging every last drop she could get, she wiped her face with a towel. Her body was filled with a comforting healing warmth and she grimaced.

"What's this?" Jasper asked, picking up the papers next to her.

"A job application. When I went grocery shopping I talked with someone and he gave me those. He told me to fill them out and bring them back when I can."

"With what car?"

She knew he was upset about it and hearing it in his tone upset her more. Against her will her shoulders drooped, but when she replied her voice was strong. "I'm going to walk there. I was thinking about later today, before the sun rises."

"Odi, you were just in a car accident and have some serious injuries. Including a broken ankle. There is no way you are walking anywhere."

"I could drive you up." Lestat offered, smiling at her. "That way you don't hurt yourself."

"Don't offer to help her. She should be resting." Jasper sighed, rubbing his head. "Why are you here again?"

"You called me remember?" Lestat smirked. "I will let the love birds quarrel. I have more important business anyway. I must get something at the store." He flashed that wicked smile of his and was gone.