Hunted Predators✔️

CHAPTER TWENTY

Moments after the vampire entered the hospital, Darcus Grimson woke up. In a shocking new development, reports coming from the hospital Grimson is held at indicate that he was suffering from a state of vampire induced paralysis that closely mimicked the symptoms of a brain dead patient.

Chief of Police Garrid Wesner says, "the vampire may have been attempting to finish the job. I've seen vampires, and I know that some cannot-

"There's no one here for her. I figured I should tell somebody."

Darko looks up from the article on his phone. A nurse stands before him. "Katherine's waking up," she says.

Darko stands up. "What room is she in?"

"Three oh seven."

"Darko!"

A young woman sprints down the hallway to Darko. He has just enough time to squint and say "Charlie Ann?" before she tackles him in a hug. 

Darko staggers back, laughing. "Take it easy, quarterback."

The young woman leans back, beaming at Darko. "Sorry it took me song long. Traffic out of the courthouse was a bitch." She puts her palms on the sides of his cheeks, her eyes tearing up. "It's really you."

"Is anyone else coming?"

"What?"

Darko removes her hands and repeats the question.

"Oh, Dad and Grandma were fifteen minutes behind me. Aunt Hilda and her kid were thirty, and I took off running as soon as I heard, so I left Jermey stranded there without a-"

"I have to check on something." Darko takes a step back. "Can you cover for me if I'm not back in time?"

"What? Darko, I just got you back, and you're leaving?"

"I'll be right back."

"Darko!"

Darko turns on his heel, jogging away. "Right back!" he shouts over his shoulder.

There's a man already sitting outside Katherine's hospital room. There's only three chairs, so Darko sits on the other end, with a chair between them.

"What a time to be a vampire."

Raising his eyebrows, Darko glances at the man sitting beside him. He looks like a rundown salesman with his greyish hair slicked over his bald spot and a faded burgundy suit.

"Katherine's case- everything was stacked against her; for christ's sake, there was a video of her committing the crime. This was supposed to be a landmark case, opening doors. Instead, it proves that vampires really are people with good hearts. Not only will the law to kill vampires be voided, but the liberal fools will be one step closer to letting those monsters back into society."

Darko stares at him. "Who are you?"

"Lester Crawley." Lester offers Darko his hand and they shake. "After what happened to your brother, would I be mistaken to assume you take a stance against vampires?"

"No, sir."

"And have recent events shaken your beliefs?"

"What does it matter? You can't have a murder trail with no murder."

Lester grins. "No one knows exactly what happened. All the public has seen is a video of Katherine biting you. Yes, you are alive, but that still leaves a lot of room for interpretation. There's more than one way to tell a story, and there's ways we can tell it that will expose Katherine."