Marko kept his eyes on the road as the hospital came into view, trusting his friend behind the wheel to get them there as quickly as possible. The amount of information pouring into his mind was overwhelming. Road signs, traffic signals, a mental map of his surroundings, memories of the past, thoughts about the future. Was this how he used to think when he was alive? He'd been a genius! Or else lately he'd been a dullard. He didn't know if this new found clarity would last, but this wasn't an ideal time to be thinking too much.
"If she's died..." he said to Franco, the words alone so strange and frightening, "I don't think I want to keep all this up. It's not natural anyway, me being alive. If she isn't alive too... I know it sounds melodramatic but it's my life, I can be melodramatic if I want, can't I?"
"If she's died..." he said to Franco, the words alone so strange and frightening, "I don't think I want to keep all this up. It's not natural anyway, me being alive. If she isn't alive too... I know it sounds melodramatic but it's my life, I can be melodramatic if I want, can't I?"
Franco drove fast but carefully. The last thing they needed was more road related issues.
"She is fine. She has fought off dragons, vampires and God only knows what else. If the grim reaper showed up I'm sure she'd have tea with it."
He sounded resolute. Maybe more for Marko than himself. The hospital came into view.
"Don't get angry again, whatever you do. If they have to pin you down your secret won't last long when they check vitals."
"She is fine. She has fought off dragons, vampires and God only knows what else. If the grim reaper showed up I'm sure she'd have tea with it."
He sounded resolute. Maybe more for Marko than himself. The hospital came into view.
"Don't get angry again, whatever you do. If they have to pin you down your secret won't last long when they check vitals."
"I'm not angry", Marko said slowly, trying to gauge his own feelings. "Well, I am, I'm furious because some thoughtless maniac hurt my wife and didn't even stop, but it's not the same kind of anger. I don't know exactly what Anna has done, but I hope it lasts."
As they pulled into the hospital parking lot, Marko tried to study himself in the overhead mirror. It was clear that he was going to have to be careful. Franco was right, he looked like a patient at best (a cadaver at worst) and examining him would be unlikely to dissuade anyone from those assumptions. The bloodstained clothes didn't help.
"We'll just have to be cool and calm. If anyone asks, I'm perfectly well, nothing is the matter with me and we're just visiting family."
As they pulled into the hospital parking lot, Marko tried to study himself in the overhead mirror. It was clear that he was going to have to be careful. Franco was right, he looked like a patient at best (a cadaver at worst) and examining him would be unlikely to dissuade anyone from those assumptions. The bloodstained clothes didn't help.
"We'll just have to be cool and calm. If anyone asks, I'm perfectly well, nothing is the matter with me and we're just visiting family."
"If anyone asks you work at the abbatoir on Wharf Street." Franco sighed. His own temperature was high.
"Nobody has called me, I'm unsure if that's good or bad news." He led Marko in through the emergency room doors.
At the end of the hall, a petite woman relaxed in a wheelchair. She seemed quite out of sorts. Probably on painkillers. Behind her walked an old man with a small bundle in the crook of his arm, and a little white haired boy.
Franco didn't recognize them. He walked straight past them to the counter. "Hello. We need to get in to see a patient, I believe she is in the ICU."
"Nobody has called me, I'm unsure if that's good or bad news." He led Marko in through the emergency room doors.
At the end of the hall, a petite woman relaxed in a wheelchair. She seemed quite out of sorts. Probably on painkillers. Behind her walked an old man with a small bundle in the crook of his arm, and a little white haired boy.
Franco didn't recognize them. He walked straight past them to the counter. "Hello. We need to get in to see a patient, I believe she is in the ICU."
Marko, however, recognised the little family immediately. It was strange to look at them and not feel an overwhelming territorial rage, to feel entirely in control of himself. He hardly felt neutral about the vampires: fear and animosity bubbled under the surface, but it felt so shallow compared with the tidal wave of feelings which often threatened to drown him when they were around.
He knew that he shouldn't stare, that he should try to move away before being spotted, but one thing had him transfixed. A tiny newborn baby.
He looked far longer than he should have.
He knew that he shouldn't stare, that he should try to move away before being spotted, but one thing had him transfixed. A tiny newborn baby.
He looked far longer than he should have.
Franco was having some kind of argument about visiting hours. "Well what about Miranda, surely she is in here somewhere? Tell me you didn't kick her out!"
Ana glanced up bleary from her wheelchair. She tugged at Andrei's sleeve. He stopped cold and stared hard. Marko's emotions were under control perhaps, but Andrei's were anything but.
He began apruptly backing away, dragging the chair and protectively clutching the infant to his chest. He stumbled backwards into Gil, but barely seemed to register.
"Get back."
Ana glanced up bleary from her wheelchair. She tugged at Andrei's sleeve. He stopped cold and stared hard. Marko's emotions were under control perhaps, but Andrei's were anything but.
He began apruptly backing away, dragging the chair and protectively clutching the infant to his chest. He stumbled backwards into Gil, but barely seemed to register.
"Get back."
Marko was shocked for a moment: the monsters, treating him as if he was a monster? But he had been on a wild rampage just a few hours earlier. They were wise, he wasn't safe around a newborn. He wasn't really safe around anyone.
His initial instinct was to put his hands up submissively, make himself as small as possible, obey the command to move away. The instinct fizzled away, and Marko stood firm.
"I'm just here to see my wife", he said calmly. "She's had an accident. That's the only thing I care about right now. My friend and I will be going as soon as we know where to find her."
His initial instinct was to put his hands up submissively, make himself as small as possible, obey the command to move away. The instinct fizzled away, and Marko stood firm.
"I'm just here to see my wife", he said calmly. "She's had an accident. That's the only thing I care about right now. My friend and I will be going as soon as we know where to find her."
Andrei deposited the babe in Ana's arms and moved around to stand in front of her.
"Good. Keep it that way. Gilgamesh, can you please push the chair to the car." He stood bristling between his group and the ghoul. "I'm going to make sure we aren't followed." He glowered, trying his best to look imposing, despite his tiny frame.
Franco turned around with a scowl. "Ey, Marko! You know these clowns? You need help?"
"Good. Keep it that way. Gilgamesh, can you please push the chair to the car." He stood bristling between his group and the ghoul. "I'm going to make sure we aren't followed." He glowered, trying his best to look imposing, despite his tiny frame.
Franco turned around with a scowl. "Ey, Marko! You know these clowns? You need help?"
Gil nodded and took charge, suddenly aware of the dim but familiar aura of his old frenemy. He quietly guided Ana and his siblings out of the building.
"It's fine, Franco", Marko replied, not breaking eye contact with the vampire. "But I think we should be going as quickly as possible, visiting hours or not. Andrei..."
He paused, searching for the right words.
"Congratulations."
"It's fine, Franco", Marko replied, not breaking eye contact with the vampire. "But I think we should be going as quickly as possible, visiting hours or not. Andrei..."
He paused, searching for the right words.
"Congratulations."
Andrei's mouth snapped shut. He looked stunned, as much as if he'd actually been physically struck.
"I.. um. Thank you." He said quietly. He followed the train of family out of the hospital, pausing to give Marko one last confused glance over his shoulder. Ana blinked lazily at them. "Give Ariadne my best."
Franco stared, slightly awestruck. "Huh. Well." He stood next to Marko and patted him on the back. "I'd take that as a good sign, friend. How do you feel?"
"I.. um. Thank you." He said quietly. He followed the train of family out of the hospital, pausing to give Marko one last confused glance over his shoulder. Ana blinked lazily at them. "Give Ariadne my best."
Franco stared, slightly awestruck. "Huh. Well." He stood next to Marko and patted him on the back. "I'd take that as a good sign, friend. How do you feel?"
"I..."
Marko stood quietly for a moment, almost as stunned as Andrei had been. Faint rumblings of jealousy stirred inside him (how could that monster get to have another chance at having a child and he never would?) but it faded quickly when he remembered why he was there.
"I just want to see Ariadne," he sighed, giving Franco an appreciative nod. "Let's see if we can track her down. Knowing her, she's probably already managed to sell all the doctors lots of antique furniture they don't need, hmm?"
Marko let Franco lead the way through the hospital, half out of habit. He found that all the signs and posters on the walls felt much easier to read, although some of the words were long and unusual and he was out of practice. The first hint that they had found the correct location was two familiar figures sat huddled sadly on a bench in a corridor. Rosa and Maria looked up in shock on seeing their brother approach, bedraggled and splattered with mysterious red stains.
Rosa gasped and stood up with her arms outstretched, but Maria immediately caught her arm and pulled her back. The older sister studied Marko closely, and addressed Franco.
"Is he safe?"
Marko stood quietly for a moment, almost as stunned as Andrei had been. Faint rumblings of jealousy stirred inside him (how could that monster get to have another chance at having a child and he never would?) but it faded quickly when he remembered why he was there.
"I just want to see Ariadne," he sighed, giving Franco an appreciative nod. "Let's see if we can track her down. Knowing her, she's probably already managed to sell all the doctors lots of antique furniture they don't need, hmm?"
Marko let Franco lead the way through the hospital, half out of habit. He found that all the signs and posters on the walls felt much easier to read, although some of the words were long and unusual and he was out of practice. The first hint that they had found the correct location was two familiar figures sat huddled sadly on a bench in a corridor. Rosa and Maria looked up in shock on seeing their brother approach, bedraggled and splattered with mysterious red stains.
Rosa gasped and stood up with her arms outstretched, but Maria immediately caught her arm and pulled her back. The older sister studied Marko closely, and addressed Franco.
"Is he safe?"
Franco put his hands on his hips indignantly.
"First of all, he is dead, not deaf. Second of all, of COURSE he is safe, do you think I would bring him here if he wasn't safe?" He snorted.
"Tell her, Marko." He said, stepping back to Marko's side and casually leaning on the lurching figure without a hint of fear.
"First of all, he is dead, not deaf. Second of all, of COURSE he is safe, do you think I would bring him here if he wasn't safe?" He snorted.
"Tell her, Marko." He said, stepping back to Marko's side and casually leaning on the lurching figure without a hint of fear.
Marko gave Franco an appreciative grin, before turning his smile to his sisters.
"I feel fine. My friend Anna sorted things out, calmed me down, my head is clearer than it's been... well, in a very very long time. And Franco has done an excellent job bringing me here. He's a good chap, you know."
This time Rosa wasn't going to be held back, and she rushed over to fling her arms around Marko's middle and pull him close, mumbling that she knew he would come and that everything would be alright now. Maria's concern melted away too she approached, albeit slightly more hesitantly.
"I'm sorry", she said softly, "I wasn't trying to be patronising, it's just that you're looking a bit frazzled and the last time I saw you, you weren't very lucid. I was scared..." Her voice caught and she took a moment to compose herself again.
"I was scared that we'd lost you. Thank you, Franco."
"I feel fine. My friend Anna sorted things out, calmed me down, my head is clearer than it's been... well, in a very very long time. And Franco has done an excellent job bringing me here. He's a good chap, you know."
This time Rosa wasn't going to be held back, and she rushed over to fling her arms around Marko's middle and pull him close, mumbling that she knew he would come and that everything would be alright now. Maria's concern melted away too she approached, albeit slightly more hesitantly.
"I'm sorry", she said softly, "I wasn't trying to be patronising, it's just that you're looking a bit frazzled and the last time I saw you, you weren't very lucid. I was scared..." Her voice caught and she took a moment to compose herself again.
"I was scared that we'd lost you. Thank you, Franco."
Franco puffed out his chest a bit. "A good chap. Heh. Thats right." He crossed his arms and stood back to watch the smarmy scene play out.
"I'm glad to have you back, Marko. We have some lost time to make up for. However." He looked at the sisters.
"Something more important is going on. Where's the boss?"
"I'm glad to have you back, Marko. We have some lost time to make up for. However." He looked at the sisters.
"Something more important is going on. Where's the boss?"
"Of course", Maria replied, stepping back. "She's in a room down the hall. They say she's stable, but she's got a few broken bones and she hit her head hard. She's dosed up on painkillers, so I'm afraid the few words she's said haven't made a lot of sense."
Rosa quickly interrupted, "But the little psychic girl, Emu..."
"...Cuckoo"
"Cuckoo, said that her mind is alright. She thinks that Ariadne can hear us, so we've been talking to her. Johann is in there now."
"I'll go and join him, then" Marko nodded. "Let her know I'm here. I just hope she doesn't notice the mess I've made of my favourite shirt."
Rosa quickly interrupted, "But the little psychic girl, Emu..."
"...Cuckoo"
"Cuckoo, said that her mind is alright. She thinks that Ariadne can hear us, so we've been talking to her. Johann is in there now."
"I'll go and join him, then" Marko nodded. "Let her know I'm here. I just hope she doesn't notice the mess I've made of my favourite shirt."
Johann dozed by the bedside. To be sure, he wasn't built for this. Injury to himself, certainly. But another death or near death for a loved one?
There was very little left of him. He could barely keep his eyes open, though his head nodded now and then, watchful for vampires as always. As if they'd be in the hospital for anything.
He didn't notice the group that approached, despite his vigil. He was engrossed in the steady beep of the heartbeat monitor.
There was very little left of him. He could barely keep his eyes open, though his head nodded now and then, watchful for vampires as always. As if they'd be in the hospital for anything.
He didn't notice the group that approached, despite his vigil. He was engrossed in the steady beep of the heartbeat monitor.
And then there was a large, looming, undead presence in the room, its clothes torn, traces of blood around its mouth, staring at the limp shape in the bed. As dishevelled as Marko looked, his eyes were keen. He took in the scene quickly.
Swaddled under an array of tubes and sensors and dressings, Ariadne looked so small and fragile. She looked almost as deathly pale as he did, but to Marko's relief she still had that spark of life within her, that vital component he had lost long ago.
Anger flashed through him. How could someone do this to her. Why did Johann get to be the one sitting by her side? But as before, it didn't last.
"Johann. How is she?"
Swaddled under an array of tubes and sensors and dressings, Ariadne looked so small and fragile. She looked almost as deathly pale as he did, but to Marko's relief she still had that spark of life within her, that vital component he had lost long ago.
Anger flashed through him. How could someone do this to her. Why did Johann get to be the one sitting by her side? But as before, it didn't last.
"Johann. How is she?"
Johann startled awake, and stared blearily at the disheveled Marko.
"She is... uh." Marko looked worse than usual, though he sounded much better.
"She is heavily drugged but is expected to recover normally. Marko, what have you been doing?" He asked bluntly, unable or too tired to bury his concerns under his usual polite veneer.
"She is... uh." Marko looked worse than usual, though he sounded much better.
"She is heavily drugged but is expected to recover normally. Marko, what have you been doing?" He asked bluntly, unable or too tired to bury his concerns under his usual polite veneer.
"Eating squirrels", he replied simply, walking closer to the bedside. It was tempting to leave things there, but perhaps Johann was entitled to a better explanation. He sighed, sitting down carefully on the end of the bed and looking down forlornly at the sleeping Ariadne.
"To tell you the truth, I don't remember much. After Ariadne was hurt, something snapped inside me. I think that the part of me that I consider to be ME left. But Anna brought me back. I think she's my... for want of a better word, master, now. She's a good one, too. My mind feels so clear. The anger is gone."
He touched a hand to his chest again, still half expecting to feel that his heart had miraculously restarted.
"I didn't hurt anyone. Well. Other than the squirrels."
"To tell you the truth, I don't remember much. After Ariadne was hurt, something snapped inside me. I think that the part of me that I consider to be ME left. But Anna brought me back. I think she's my... for want of a better word, master, now. She's a good one, too. My mind feels so clear. The anger is gone."
He touched a hand to his chest again, still half expecting to feel that his heart had miraculously restarted.
"I didn't hurt anyone. Well. Other than the squirrels."
"That is some feat." Johann tried to sound impressed. Mostly he sounded exhausted.
"If you are in full control of your faculties, i think this vigil is yours." Johann shakily rose to his feet.
"Keep a good eye on her. I think vampires are afoot. Call it paranoia. I'm sure they smell blood." He hobbled to the door. "I am going out to find coffee."
"If you are in full control of your faculties, i think this vigil is yours." Johann shakily rose to his feet.
"Keep a good eye on her. I think vampires are afoot. Call it paranoia. I'm sure they smell blood." He hobbled to the door. "I am going out to find coffee."
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