Erasure and Affirmation (Hypernaturals 11)

This Will Be Bright

Denise was looking at the latest report on Vera. She read aloud: "Conversion is ongoing. The VMC is rampaging through her unchecked. Her immune system has left the door open. At this viral load, her blood could already be used to make more serum."

Denise shook her head. "Unreal. Taking the data from the Siren lab and doing this with their failed results. First field test, and it's a blazing inferno of happy Vampire makers. I would take back all the bad things I ever said about you and Sally, but I never said any bad things. You all rock. This is amazing stuff."

Jessica looked over at the door to the patient room from where we were in the former clinic, now clinic/lab. "If I had a worry about Vera's trajectory, it would be the pace. When Morgan turned she ran a low-grade fever. Two degrees less than this one. I have no idea if that is because of the dose, how she injected it, or her Siren nature."

"Will she survive the transition?" Denise asked.

"We know how to get people through transition a lot better than we used to. I'm watching not only her viral counts but her entire metabolic panel. Looking at everything. Kidneys. Heart. Liver function. You name it. Between the IV and the NG, she is getting the best nutritional support I know how to provide. Even better than Marvin's because I learned a thing about IS during the testing. How to promote it more efficiently. We actually fucked that up a little with Marvin, but the way we inundated him overcame our fuckup. As it stands now, if Vera's temperature goes any higher, I'll start taking measures to cool her off. I even have the cold suit still from when Adrian was darted."

Jessica looked unhappy. "Angel won't leave her bed. Gets up to go to the bathroom. Eat a little. Back into the bed, where she talks to her all the time. Reads to her. Talks about having kids together. All sorts of random and romantic things."

Jessica looked at me. "I understand. If it were him in there, I'd be doing the same thing. I did, on every shift I took after he was darted."

News to me...

"I know. I saw. You didn't leave any room in the bed for anyone else. Selfish bitch."

Jessica flashed a quick smile at Denise. "Not that selfish. I put you on our list. I didn't say I was going to make it easy for you to get at him. Just that you could without getting pounded."

"I appreciate that. I could not take on you, Helen, and Morgan at the same time." Denise replied, smiling back.

"Nope. Not a chance." Jessica nodded.

While my future was being parceled out female Vampire style, I went to the patient room to see what is what.

I saw Angel wrapped carefully around Vera. Avoiding all the plumbing. Her head tucked to Vera's shoulder. She heard me come in and looked over at me. Angel looked miserable. Then tucked her head back in.

"I can't lose her. I just got her." Angel told me.

"I know, Angel. I understand. You are not going to." I said with assurance.

"How do you know?" Angel asked with some tone of wanting to believe. She should.

"Well, for one thing, my Angel: Vera's fever broke. For another, her BP is normalizing rapidly. If I had to guess, she'll be awake soon. Probably want a shower. Or a pile of food. Or both." I was reading off the displays, but I could see the body temperature drop in IR as well.

"Really?" Angel lifted her head and craned to look at the displays.

"Really." I said.

I raised my voice slightly and called over my shoulder. "Jessica? Come look at the displays, if you would please? Angel does not believe me. Just because I am not a trained medical professional. No trust!" I requested.