Monsters Within: Blood Night 2

Chapter 3

Charlie parked the bike and squinted in the bright noon sunshine. Even through the painful glare, she could make out two figures like an blue smudge perched outside the cafe window.

"And she's alive!" Lucas chuckled.

Jamie flashed her familiar smile at her. "Hey Charlie." Quick as a flash, Jamie's arm darts out and seized Charlie in a hug. "It's good to see you."

"You too," she mumbled, and Jamie flashed concern to Charlie. "What's going on? You look so pale and those bags under your eyes. Are you alright"

Does she really look that bad, Charlie thought. She did notice her looking more paler than usual in the mirror, wondering if it's her being so damn tired or the way she is losing a bit of weight. But she brushes it off to be nothing terrible happening to her. "It's nothing. Busy with work, not getting enough sleep or sunlight, I guess."

"How about we go inside and get some coffee, shall we?"

They entering and find a seat a small wooden table as Lucas orders their drinks. The cafe is quite open, glass windows revealing the bright sun to light the room in living colors. It was busy at this time at lunch, a crowd eating and drinking, chatting with old friends, the sound of coffee brewers clacking away and soft country music playing in the background. Lucas comes back with two cappuccinos and a pumpkin tea. Charlie drinks the tea. letting the tea soothe her throat.

"You seeing anyone?" Jamie asks.

Charlie was caught off guard by the question. "Uh, no. No... no one."

Jamie's eyebrows shot up. "No one at all. That's a lot of years. You turning into a nun?" Her tone was gentler than Charlie had ever heard it, even as she jokes.

Charlie licked her lips and takes a drink. "Oh, God no. I'm just not thinking about dating this time. I'm still young, so I got years to go. And I don't think I would be good at keeping a dark secret of my past. That wouldn't work well."

Lucas hummed. "You take your time. But if doesn't mean you shouldn't shy away from it. Having company is a good thing; boyfriend, friend, ally." Lucas's smile flashed out at her in the darkness, and Charlie returned it.

"How is school for you guys? I want to know what college is, and that frat houses actually exist, just like in the movies."

"Oh, there's parties but barely see any frat houses. After graduation, me an Lucas found the cheapest apartment to live in. Hell, with the both of us hocked at the expenses of our intuition as a doctor and me a nurse, thought I would have a heart attack. Classes were tough at the first year, so much information that made the both of us have any time to talk as we used to do. And now this third year, it's going very smoothly. Doing work preparation, watching nurses working actual patients and barely any hard homework. Lucas here has four patients he's working on and he's very good."

Charlie's fingers tightened in the fabric of her jacket. Their happy memories trembled on the edge of Charlie, and she wished she was in their happy life, instead investing money to pay off her rent.

Thankfully, Jamie's voice broke through her thoughts. "So, you thought about what college and degree you want to do?"

Charlie glanced over at her, taken back. "Well... I don't know. I've been searching and thought maybe a... cop? I don't know. I guess I figured it's a steady job."

"A cop." Jamie's booming laugh filled the cafe, swallowing the oxygen and leaving too little for Charlie to breathe comfortably. "I'm sorry. Just I don't think you're a badass enough to handle it."

"I just..." Charlie trailed off, flustered. Jamie's laugh rolled over her again and like something inside her made her explode.

You're a fucking badass under that good ol' girl routine, said her inner voice or whatever was saying to her. You've got some o' that bloodlust inside of you, and if you get to work it out on some lowlife, all the fucking better. Am I right, or am I fucking right?