Deeper than the Night - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,18
happening. Alexander! Her mind screamed his name as she tumbled into oblivion.
Lena Corley shook her head. "I don't understand. What are you saying?"
"I'm afraid we've found an abnormality in your granddaughter's blood, Mrs. Corley. We need to keep her here for further observation until we've determined the cause of the abnormality and determined whether it might be contagious. Or toxic."
"How did such a thing happen?"
"We don't know."
"Was there something wrong with the blood she received?"
The doctor shook his head. "We screen all of our blood donors very carefully. That's why we're so confused. We have the names of the people whose blood was used. They've all been rechecked."
Lena Corley stared at the paper in front of her. They wanted her to admit Kara to the hospital for some extensive tests. The doctor, whose name was Barrett, had informed her that Kara had fainted during an examination and that she was still unconscious. They feared it had something to do with the abnormal red cells in her blood. It was urgent, the doctor said, that they find the cause of her problem as soon as possible. Until then, it was imperative that she be kept in isolation.
"Think of your other granddaughter, Mrs. Corley. You don't want to take a risk of infecting her, now do you?"
"No, no, of course not, but..."
"I understand, but you mustn't worry," Barrett said reassuringly. "I promise you that we'll do everything we can for Kara." He handed her a pen. "Just sign your name there, on the first page, and again on page four. I'll take care of everything else."
Lena shook her head as she squinted at the fine print. "So many big words that I don't understand."
"Of course. All that legal mumbo jumbo. All it says is that we have your permission to keep Kara overnight, and to prescribe treatment for her."
"I don't know . . ."
"Mrs. Corley, time is of the essence in cases like this. Do you really want to put Kara's life at risk by waiting?"
With a sigh of resignation, Lena signed the papers.
Alex called the Grenvale Motel at six o'clock that evening, but the clerk informed him that Kara had not yet checked in. He knew a moment of concern, and then he shrugged it aside. She was a grown woman. Perhaps she had gone out to dinner or shopping. Grenvale was a big city, much larger than Moulton Bay, and it was still early. He would write a chapter, then call again.
THE DARK GIFT Chapter III
I stared into Lilith's face. "What have you done to me?"
"I have made you immortal."
I stared up at her, knowing what she was, yet refusing to acknowledge it; knowing, in the very depths of my being, that my soul was damned.
"What are you?"
Amusement flared in her eyes. "What do you think I am?"
"I don't know."
"You know."
I shook my head. "It's not possible."
"We are known by many names. Vrykalakes, blutsauger, upiry. Vampyr, Vampyre." She smiled. "Vampire, Alesandro, that is what I am. That is what you are."
"No . . " I stared at her, the embodiment of every nightmare I had ever known, every fear that had tormented me. Vampire. The undead.
"Go outside," she said curtly. "Empty yourself of bodily fluids. Then come back to me."
I did as I was told. Numb to everything around me, I did as I was told. I knew it was winter, that the air was cold, but I felt nothing at all.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed when I returned. "When you wake tomorrow, the transformation will be complete." Rising, she glanced at the window. "It is almost dawn."
I followed her gaze. The window was covered with a heavy green damask drape that would have kept out the light of the brightest day. How, I wondered, how did she know dawn was approaching?
"You may spend the day here, with me," she said. "Tomorrow you must find your own place to rest." She made a sound of disgust when I said nothing, only continued to stand there, staring at her. "Come along," she said, and taking me by the hand, she led me through a narrow door, up a short flight of stairs, into a small windowless room that was empty save for an ornate casket set upon a raised platform.
Dropping my hand, she climbed the stairs of the platform and lifted the lid, revealing a lining of deep green satin.
And then she held out her hand. "Come, Alesandro. The dawn approaches."