Part Two

by Doreen Grégoire

Julia awoke from her nap several hours later feeling refreshed, but somehow dissatisfied. She returned to her office to discover that her secretary had booked an appointment for last thing in the day. She sighed resignedly. She had hoped to leave early to do some errands and return before darkness made the winter roads more difficult to drive. Now she'd have to put it off for another day.

At 5:00 she walked into the consultation room to meet her appointment. He had his back to her as he stared out the window at the night, and she took in his appearance in a swift glance. He was of medium height, slim, with dark hair. He wore an Inverness cape, something she hadn't seen outside of old Sherlock Holmes movies. He also carried a cane, though she noted that he was not actually using it for support. With a start she noticed the dark ring on the index finger of his right hand and wondered why it looked so familiar.

He turned around and she noted absently that the blustery weather had blown his hair across his forehead in disheveled locks. Somehow this added to his appearance, not detracted from it. She dug around in her memory for a name (her secretary had forgotten to make up a file), then held out her hand.

"Mr. Collins? How may I help you?"

He took her hand and shook it, but he was clearly confused. "I'm sorry, there must be some mistake," he said. His voice was cultured, well-modulated, with a faint English accent. "I was looking for Dr. Hoffman." He smiled apologetically.

Julia smiled in return. This wasn't the first time this had happened. "I'm Dr. Hoffman," she told him.

He shook his head, obviously still confused. "I was told I would be seeing Dr. Julian Hoffman. Are you his wife?"

Julia chuckled. "No. I'm Julia Hoffman." She crossed the room to sit behind the desk, and motioned Mr. Collins to a chair. "It's a common mistake. Say it fast enough, and it does come out sounding like Julian. Now, what can I do for you?"

He sat, but was clearly uneasy. He held his cane in both hands, his thumbs nervously tracing the silver wolf's head in the handle. He looked down for a moment in indecision, then stood up abruptly.

"I'm sorry for taking your time, Dr. Hoffman, but I was expecting a man, someone who would be more versed in my -- condition." He turned and headed back toward the door, but stopped when Julia laid a hand on his arm.

"Wait, Mr. Collins," she said gently. He turned reluctantly to face her. "I know seeing me must be a shock, but I am a qualified physician. Please, tell me your problem."

She managed to get him seated again. Instead of taking the seat behind the desk, she sat herself in the chair beside his, trying to put him at ease.

He again started fiddling with his cane, but seemed to notice what he was doing and put it aside, sitting back in the chair. He crossed his legs and leaned his elbows on the armrests.

"Mine is a somewhat -- delicate condition," he began quietly. "My assistant has done some research for me, and was told you are one of the pre-eminent specialists in diseases of the blood in this state." At her silent nod of affirmation he went on. "I am unaware of the name for my condition, but I can tell you the symptoms. I have an extreme aversion to sunlight, I suffer from insomnia, and my extremities are always cold. I believe this indicates poor circulation?" Again she nodded silently and urged him on. He smiled thinly. "I also have a very poor appetite."

Julia thought for a moment. "Well, Mr. Collins, what I'd suggest is that we admit you for tests -"

He raised a hand, interrupting her. "I'm afraid that won't be possible, doctor."

"What do you mean?"

"What I meant is that it won't be possible for me to stay at the hospital. It's a peculiarity of mine." He smiled self-deprecatingly. "I find I can't sleep away from my own bed."

"But I can't be expected to treat you without knowing what I'm treating you for. We must do tests --"

"I'm not saying that the tests are out of the question, doctor. Merely that I cannot possibly stay here while your staff administers them."

Julia was getting irritated with this man's attitude. "Mr. Collins, the lab is closed now, and the technicians have gone home for the night. My only suggestion is that you return tomorrow --"

"No." He leaned forward and fixed her in his gaze. "You know the tests that must be done. Can you not draw my blood yourself?"

Despite her reluctance, and the fact that this man was severely getting on her nerves, Julia found herself giving in and agreeing to his strange request.

"All right, Mr. Collins. Please follow me." He rose and followed her out of the office and down the long corridors of the hospital.

* * * * *

Julia unlocked the door to the deserted lab. Their footsteps echoed hollowly as she led Collins to a small room. She instructed him to remove his overcoat and jacket, and to roll up his right shirtsleeve. He complied mutely, watching her preparations with interest from the chair she told him to sit in.

At last she had everything assembled -- several small glass vials, a long piece of rubber tubing, an adhesive bandage, a small wad of cotton and a rather long hypodermic needle. She tied the tourniquet about his upper arm and waited for a vein to fill -- and waited, and waited. Puzzled, she checked the tourniquet; it was tied properly. She poked a finger at his veins, which were just barely visible beneath his pale skin.

"Is there a problem, doctor?" he asked with a hint of a smile in his voice.

"I understand what you meant about the poor circulation," she replied. "I've never seen it take this long before."

"May I offer my assistance?" When she looked up at him in query he continued. "This tourniquet will not work on me, nor will your standard collection methods. If you would allow me a moment's privacy, I will ensure you have the sample you need."

"What are you going to do?"

He smiled sardonically. "If I told you, I wouldn't need the privacy, would I?" Again he fixed her with a steady gaze, and Julia found herself leaving him alone in the room.

He called her back in a few minutes later. All the vials were filled, sealed, and neatly lined up on the counter. He was just buttoning the cuff of his shirt.

She stared in bemusement at the vials on the counter. "How did you --?"

He shrugged into his suit jacket then picked up one of the vials and stared at it thoughtfully before handing it to her. "All of your questions will be answered after you look at this under your microscope."

She took it from him and held it in her hand for a moment. "It's cold. How could your blood be so cold?" She backed away from him, still clutching the vial. "What are you?"

He remained where he was, with a look of quiet sadness clouding his face. "Please, Dr. Hoffman. I promise I will not harm you. All I ask is that you examine that sample."

She turned silently and went into another part of the lab. He followed her at a distance and watched as she prepared a slide and put it under the microscope. She gasped in amazement at what she saw.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen before! The white cells are misshapen, almost mutated, and there are far more than there should be. And there's something else -- another type of cell --" She narrowed her eyes and glared at him suspiciously. "Are you sure this is your blood?"

"I assure you, I took it from my veins myself, less than five minutes ago." He leaned against one of the counters. "Are you ready for an explanation yet?"

Julia found a stethoscope in one of the drawers, then approached him and moved his jacket away from his chest. She held the end to his chest and listened.

"If you wait long enough, and listen very carefully, you will hear a very faint heartbeat," he told her quietly.

Sure enough, after several seconds, there was a faint, barely discernible double beat, after which his heart was silent again.

The stethoscope dropped from fingers gone suddenly numb. Julia tried to back away from him, but the counter behind her blocked her way. She repeated words she had uttered only a few minutes ago. "What are you?"

"Dr. Hoffman, what do you know about vampirism?"

* * * * *

TO BE CONTINUED.

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