"Monq. We have an urgent problem with the vampire. Can you come quickly? Please."
"Much better. I'll be there shortly."
"NOW!"
He hung up.
Monq stood near the door surveying the damage and marveling that five aliens could demolish a room so quickly while leaving the TV and entertainment unit without a scratch. He was doing a mental inventory of the ingredients in the substitute blood and could not, for the life of him, figure out what could have this sort of effect. Of course they were aliens, which meant alien chemistry.
He motioned to Elora and Ram. They followed him from the room and the three of them drifted over to where Sol and Baka were talking.
"I can't begin to guess what it could be and, obviously, they're no good to anybody in this state."
Everyone nodded.
Sol said, "Suggestions?"
"Yes. You may not like it, but it's all I've got. We could try to get some of the female personnel to donate. We vaccinate them first. Wait for four hours..."
"...then feed them to the lions?" Elora gaped at him. "You cannot be serious. There are not more than, what, a thousand things that could go wrong with that?" She looked at Sol. "I must have been gone longer than I thought. Monq's been possessed by a maniac while I've been away."
Baka jumped in. "As much as I'd like to find a quick solution, I've got to agree with Elora."
"Oh, what a surprise!" Monq said sarcastically.
Baka pulled back a little and scowled like he was both puzzled and offended.
"Don't worry about it," Elora told him. "Monq thinks everyone is ganging up on him if he doesn't get his way."
Monq arched an eyebrow at her. "Got a better suggestion?"
She hesitated. "Yes. As a matter of fact I do. We'll test your plan on me. I'm the perfect test case. Immune and strong enough to keep things from taking an unfortunate turn. I'll give one lucky biter what I can spare. If all goes well and he behaves himself, then we can consider trusting them with humans. Of course, you still have to get volunteers and that might not be as easy as you think."
"No." Ram wasn't laughing anymore. Neither was Baka. Neither was Sol.
"No, it might not be as easy as you think?"
"No. You're no' goin' to do any such thin' and, frankly, 'tis inconceivable that you would suggest it."
"Ram, I..."
"No! 'Tis the end of it. You will no' be chew toy for one of those thin's."
Elora looked around the little group and said, "Excuse us." It was almost a whisper.
She asked her mate to walk with her to the other side of the room and spoke quietly. "Ram. What's scaring you about this?"
He looked back over his shoulder at the group they had left. "I do no' like it."
"I know. Me either. And what else?"
"You're talkin' about lettin' one of those thin's drink your blood."
"And that's bothering you because you think I'll be hurt or because you think it's an act that's intimate?"
Ram shoved his hand through his hair and looked exasperated. When he pinned her with those Hawking blue eyes, she could read everything in his heart.
"You're afraid I would enjoy it? A vamp taking my blood?" He searched her face and looked away. They were both remembering the last time she was bitten.