Inhuman. The word rattled around my head. I was fucked. I shifted in my seat and tucked my foot behind the stool’s footrest. I reached over the bar and grabbed a glass from the far side. “Rough childhood. I know how to take a hit.” It didn’t help that I was still hungry. Talking my way out of this would be easier if every fibre of my being wasn’t yelling at me to strike. Bite. Bleed. Feed. I filled the glass with water from the tap. 

“Hell of a childhood,” Dawn said, “you get hit with steel bars often?”

I lifted the glass, let the liquid touch my lips. I didn’t drink, but I went through the motions. “Not if I can avoid it. No insurance. Getting these ribs looked at is going to clean me out.” Her pulse pounded in my ears. It was distracting.

“Pull up your sleeve. Let's have a look at the bite. Might be hard to explain to a doctor.”

“It'll be fine. I'll just say it was a dog or—”

Dawn was fast. She drove the stake towards my chest in a blink. If Tess hadn't warned me beforehand, Dawn might've staked me right then and there. Expecting it as I was, I grabbed her wrist and yanked her off balance, bending her over the bar. I kicked out and flung the stool at the hunter with a shotgun. Their shot went high, leaving a ragged hole in the roof. I turned behind Dawn and twisted her stake arm up behind her back. A little harder than I had intended. The compulsion was strong. Her neck was close. Exposed. I was still fucking famished. I— 

“Jane! We have to leave!” Tess yelled. 

Fuck. All the other hunters stared. It had been a long night for them.

I pulled Dawn backwards towards the door. Greg was the only one with the wherewithal to react. He leveled his crossbow at me. No clear shot with Dawn between us, but I could tell he was considering it. I backed into the door and pushed it open. 

“Let her go.” Greg said, impressively calm. 

“Drop your crossbow,” I responded, “not going to hurt anyone. But I'm not taking a shot in the ass on my way out.”

I felt Dawn nod. Greg placed his crossbow on the ground.

“Sorry,” I whispered. I shoved Dawn back into the cafe and ran.

—*—

Back home I stripped off my bloody clothes. My entire right side was bruised a nasty deep purple and yellow. My arm where the vampire had bit had a deep pit. She had taken a whole chunk of flesh out. I winced as I poked the edge of the wound. Everything was starting to heal already, but it was still sore. And I could feel the hunger rising. It had been a conscious effort to slow the process. I pulled a blood bag from the fridge. I bit into it, and drained it. If I had let myself heal without the juice to back it up, that might've been one of the hunters. I watched my flesh knit itself together. Replacing the lost meat with whatever it was I got from blood. I had one blood bag left. I drained that, too, and concentrated on my broken ribs and cracked arm. I'd have to live with the bruising until I could resupply. Couldn't risk pushing myself into a frenzy this close to dawn. I was still hungry. Famished. But at least I wasn't bleeding on the floor anymore, and I could move without pain in my chest. I'd sleep on it and get more blood the next night. I sat on the edge of the bed, and held my head in my hands. 

“Jane?” Tess asked, sitting next to me, “how are you feeling?”

“Like shit.” I answered honestly, “it still hurts, and I'm still hungry. I'm in rough shape, love.”

She rested her head on my shoulder, “I'm sorry. I really thought the hunters would work out for you.”

“Same. Would've been nice, but they're unwavering in their hatred of vampires, and I don't have a choice but to play the hand I was dealt.” I sat a moment, taking in Tess’ reassuring presence, “Maybe their hatred is justified. Every vampire I've met so far has kind of sucked. I'm just— I'm a little sour that I'm wrapped up in that. Hard as I try, they won't see me as anything other than the enemy.” I fell back, laying on the bed, “it's you and me against the world, Tess.”

“Juliet, too.”

I nodded, “you, me, and Jules. We got this in the bag.” I paused, “Whatever ‘this’ is.”

“Well,” Tess asked, “what is the plan?”

“First things first. I need blood. Enough to finish patching myself up, and enough extra to lay low for a few months. We have a journal that's a few centuries long to go through.”

“At least the book won't try to stake you!”

I laughed, “the one thing I can't make an enemy of!” I continued with a more somber note, “I am genuinely curious to see what's in it. How centuries affect a person. Feeding habits. Did they feel remorse?” I ran a thumb over the leather cover, “I'll admit I'm desperate to humanize them.”

“Because it'll humanize you, too?” Tess asked.

“Yeah.”

“Jane. Love. It's not about what you are. It's about who you are. You might be a vampire, but you're nothing like the ones at the house. Nothing like the one that killed us.” She pressed soft lips against mine. I felt a hand gently caress my inner thigh. My breath caught. A feat considering I didn't breathe. Tess pulled her lips away to look at me. Waiting for permission to go further.

“God, Tess. You have no idea how badly I want that, right now.”

“But?”

“But it's three minutes to dawn, and I don't have enough blood on board to push through.”

“Ah, fair point.” Tess said, “another day.” She leaned forward and gave my lips a quick, affectionate peck. 

“As soon as fucking possible,” I told her. I pulled the blankets over, and fell into the sleep of the dead. 

—*—

I woke at dusk as usual, but something felt off. “Tess?” I asked the darkness. 

She was in the bed next to me, “mornin’ sunshine.” Then she took in my expression, “what's wrong?” 

“I don't know. Something just feels—weird.” I stood, and scrambled into my pants. I slipped my arms into my shirt, and was reaching for my holster when I saw it was empty. Fuck. “Someone's here. My gun is gone.”

“Who?” Tess asked. 

I didn't answer. Nobody else could hear her, but I had to try to be quiet. I listened. Nothing. No. Wait. Soft. Muffled. A rhythmic thump. There was somebody with a heartbeat in the back room. My bare feet padded silently on the concrete. The door leading back to the tunnel entrance was open. I carefully peeked through. Still nothing. 

Tess appeared beside me, “it's Dawn,” she said, “behind some old crates. She's got your gun. I don't know why I didn't feel her come in.”

I nodded. Well. One thing was for certain, she hadn't staked me while I slept. Time for a gamble. Both hands raised, I stepped from the cover of the doorway. “Good morning, Dawn. Sorry I wasn't awake to give you the grand tour.”

I heard her swear softly. Sorry. No way you could've anticipated ghost spouse running recon for me.

“Listen,” I said to the room, “you didn't stake me while I was sleeping, so I assume that means you want to talk. I'm game. Much rather a chat than getting shot by my own piece.” 

Dawn stepped from cover, my own gun leveled squarely at my head, “I thought about it. Had the stake over your chest.”

“Glad you didn't.”

“Heard you talking. Who's here with you? Where were they hiding?”

“That's—” I glanced at Tess, invisible to Dawn, “complicated.”

“Fuck your complicated. Answer.”

I shrugged, “it's Tess. My wife.”

“The fuck? You told me a vamp got her.”

“They did. Same one that turned me.” Dawn was silent, so I continued, “we're still new to, well, all this. Best we can figure she's some kind of ghost. Or spirit, or soul or whatever. She's stuck to me. But we buried her body. We watched the funeral.”

“That's— I've never heard of that before.”

“Me neither, but to be fair, I've met less than a dozen other vamps. And somehow I doubt you've chatted up many over coffee.”

“No.”

“I wish I could answer all your questions, but honestly, I got thrown into the deep end here, and so far nobody's thrown me anything except bricks. You probably have a better idea about what's happening to me than me.” I stepped further into the room, “but you wanted to talk. I'm listening.”

“Daisy said she had a good feeling about you.”

I shrugged, “I'm a natural charmer. The ladies love me.”

“You don't get it. When she says she has a good feeling about someone, it's not just a feeling. She knows when someone is a fuck up, or if they're good for the cause. She hasn't been wrong ever. Until you.”

“Why are you asking me? Sounds like you should be asking Daisy.”

“Because— because— fuck. Wanted to hear it from you, I guess.”

“I—”

She cut me off, “but you're right. I should ask Daisy. Don't know what I was thinking. You're just another fucking vampire.” She pulled the trigger of my revolver. Thank fuck she jerked it so hard the shot went down and right. Away from my head. But my ribs exploded. Painfully. I charged. Dawn tried to get a second shot off, but a single action revolver, especially one as big as mine, took practice. I tackled her. We flew. And fell. Oh fuck. She had left the tunnel grate open when she broke in. She grunted in pain as we bounced off the far wall of the vertical shaft. Christ, she was determined. She was trying to line up another shot, despite the impending ground. I grabbed my gun, and yanked it out of her hand, using the momentum to make sure I was below her. I could survive the fall. Probably. But she'd die for sure on the bottom. I landed on my back. I screamed in pain. More things were broken. Dawn landed on me and screamed, too. She scrambled up in a half crouch, and fell forward more than lunged. Her stake rammed into my chest. I tried to scream again, but couldn't. I couldn't move. At all. Even blinking was beyond me. Tess screamed for me. Her hands scratched over my chest as she tried to remove the stake.

Dawn crawled over me. She pulled a very large knife. Kukri style. “Blood sucking bitch,” she said, raising the knife. 

Tess couldn't grab the stake, but she could grab me. She grabbed my flaccid arm, and swept it over my chest, knocking the stake free. I roared. Whatever vampiric beast it was that rose in me when I was hurt or hungry was in full control now. I grabbed Dawn by the throat, and held her knife hand to the side with my free arm. I slammed her back against the wall. I lifted and squeezed. I faintly heard Tess calling for me. But I couldn't answer. All my attention on the source of my pain. I bared my fangs and went in for the kill, squeezing harder. 

Dawn made a sound. “uhnn.”

I stopped. The sound was so incongruous to the situation at hand I dropped her and fell back. I was in control of myself again as I tried to parse what I had just heard, “are you turned on?”

“Fuck you.” Dawn said, all the heat and fire and malice that usually coloured her tone was gone. 

I threw my head back and laughed. Laughed like I hadn't in a month, “Damn! If you insist, but no date first?”

Dawn just scowled. 

Danger apparently passed, Tess sat off to the side, looking between us and grinning ear to ear. 

I held out a hand in a placating gesture, my other hand didn't seem to be working anymore, “sorry, sorry! No kink shaming here! Just caught me off guard is all.”

Dawn sat, her back to the far wall. Watching me expectantly. 

“I'm not going to hurt you. I've got my shit back together.” The ‘I hope’ I left unspoken. 

“You're no different than the rest of them.”

“To be fair, you did break into my house and shot me with my own gun.”

Dawn shrugged.

“Look,” I continued, “The guy that killed Tess. Turned me. Fuck. Easily the worst night of my life. I'd never put anyone through that. Can't say I'm perfect, but who can? I'm just trying to do my best in a shitty situation.”

“You say that, but you're no less a monster.”

“Am I? How well do you think you and the other hunters would've fared if Greg hadn't brought me along?”

“Enemy of my enemy is still my enemy.”

I shrugged my working shoulder, “you must have no friends.”

Dawn glared at me. 

“Dawn. I don't expect a fucking parade, or even thanks for getting you and yours out of that vamp house. All I ask is that you give it some thought. That the world might not be black and white as you think.” I sighed. Or at least went through the motions. Dramatic effect and all that. Slightly lessened by what I was pretty sure was a visible lung through my gaping chest wound. “Look, I know that vampiric compulsion is dangerous. Why do you think I decided to live way the fuck out here? It's for my safety as much as anyone else's. It's isolated. I won't put anyone at risk. Unless someone decides to break in.”

“Then do humanity a favour and stake yourself.” 

“Why should I”

“You'll hurt someone eventually. Matter of time. Better you take yourself out now.”

I scoffed, “and leave Tess unavenged? Not a chance.”

“You'll have to feed some time.” She gestured at my wounds, “you probably need to feed now. Can't feed without hurting someone.”

“True. Got my shit rocked yesterday, and you sure haven't helped my state today. But remember the tunnels? Those people were tied to a fucking table, and drugged out of their minds. Could've fed there, but I didn't.”

“Who's to say whether you did or didn't.”

I rolled my eyes, “they were alive when you got there, right? No bite marks?”

“Vampire bites heal over.”

I thought about the mess made of Tess’ neck. Some exceptions. “Really?”

“You know.”

“Bold assertion for someone not in my head. I've only seen the results of a vampire feeding once, and Tess’ neck sure as fuck didn't heal over.”

“How long ago were you turned? You have to have fed since then.”

“Yeah. By the bag.”

“What?”

“I break into blood labs. Take from the fridge.”

Dawn scowled. I hoped I was getting through to her. I tried flexing my shoulder, but just made a little more blood drain from both the bullet and stake holes in my chest. I winced. Every drop lost made me a little hungrier. 

“I can see it in your eyes.”

“What?” I asked. 

“The hunger.” She gave a resigned sigh, “only a matter of time before you eat me.” She paused, “and don't say it.”

I used my good hand to make a zipper motion across my mouth, “lips are sealed. I'll make dirty jokes later.” I looked up the shaft. Easy climb under normal circumstances. “I'd like to get out of this hole, if it's all the same to you.”

She shrugged, “I don't mind dying here if I take you with me.”

I rolled my eyes, “Dawn, please. I don't expect you to give up your crusade against all vampire kind, but I'm begging you, give me a break.”

“Why should I?”

“I haven't done anything to you. I saved your dad. Hell, I saved your ass. Both in the house, and right here. I could've let you break my fall. And the cherry on top, I would like to point out how much goddamned pain I'm in right now, and how I'm trying very hard to keep my body from healing itself with blood I don't have so I don't hurt you. It would be so easy. To take your blood. Get out of here. But I haven't.”

She pursed her lips in thought, “Fine. Fuck. For now. And bright ideas?”

“Well I thought I'd take your blood and—” Dawn's expression cut my joke short, “sorry. Sorry. Not the time. I get it. How bad are you hurt?” I asked.

“Both legs. Definitely broken.”

“Shit. How aren't you screaming right now?”

“Spite. And now that the adrenaline has worn off, I'm trying not to move. You?”

“Well. My arm is kind of fucked up from the bullet. Must've hit some ligaments or something. But that's only half my gaping chest wounds.”

“Sorry.”

“Are you?”

“No.”

“Legs fucked, too, but only one. And whatever residual injuries I was carrying over from yesterday.”

“So?”

“So between the two of us we've got three arms and one leg. It'll be crowded, but I think we can manage the ladder. Together.”

“All right. Say we get out, what then?”

I was about to speak when I realized I had no blood bags left up top. Shit. Even if we did get out, we'd still be stuck here with three broken legs and no way to get to shore. I frowned, deep in thought.

“What are you thinking?”

“You won't like it.”

“I already don't like this,” she gestured at our surroundings, “I'm stuck in a hole with a fucking vampire.”

“Exactly.”

“What?”

“I'll admit. I fucked up. I don't have enough blood bags on hand to get myself running again.” I muttered quietly, “though wasn't expecting to get my ass kicked two days in a row.” I continued at a normal volume, “even if we get out, I'm not in any shape to go grocery shopping. If we get out, I think it's pretty good odds you leave me in the shape I'm in, or call in reinforcements to finish me off. Fair assessment?”

Dawn was quiet. “Yeah.”

“So I'm going to suggest something.” I held up a hand to halt her protestations, “let me finish, please. I'm not any happier about it than you are. When I learned I needed blood to live, I made a promise to myself, to Tess, that I wouldn't feed on any person. I—”

“Tess. Your ghost wife?”

“I made the promise when I thought she was all the way dead. Doesn't mean any less now.”

“And you're going to break that promise. Feed on a live human. Me. But it's fine because you'll feel really bad about it.”

“Well when you put it like that, it sounds— I dunno, bad?”

“It is.”

“Not a lot. I can focus how I heal. Just enough blood to fix my limbs, and I'll get us both out. Then we can go our separate ways.”

“Why should I let you turn the city into prey?”

“Are blood bags really prey? I'm practically vegetarian by vampire standards.”

“We've already established you're willing to make exceptions.”

“Only under the most dire of circumstances.”

“Vampires aren't to be trusted. You're not to be trusted.”

“God fucking dammit, Dawn! I've taken out a dozen vampires myself in the month since I got turned. What more do you want? A fucking girl scout promise on a fucking honesty badge?”

She scowled. Somehow even deeper than before, “You're starting hungry. If I give you access, and that's a big if, you won't be able to stop. Vampiric compulsion, you called it.”

“Tess will be able to stop me.”

Tess nodded.

“See?” I gestured to where Dawn could not see Tess, “she's nodding. We'll be fine.”

“Are you sure you're not crazy?”

“Reasonably. We have evidence that Tess isn't a figment of my imagination.”

“Fine. Conditions, though.”

I nodded. 

“You only take enough blood to fix your arm and leg.”

I nodded again, “reasonable. Once I'm mobile, I can go back to bagging.”

“I'm on top.”

I couldn't keep the grin from my face. 

“Shut up.” Dawn continued. “I want my stake at the ready, and I'm too hurt to use it another way.”

“Also fair. But we toss the knife down the tunnel. I want Tess to have enough time to get the stake out if you’re just using this situation to kill me.”

“Fine.”

She tossed me the knife, and I tossed it a ways down the tunnel. Using my good limbs, I shuffled closer to her. “So, uh, how do—”

“Fucking Christ,” Dawn swore, “maybe you really haven't fed on a person. You're like a shy goddamn virgin.” She shifted on her hip, trying to keep her broken legs as still as possible. She crossed her arm over my torso, and planted her hand next to my gaping chest wound. She held herself over me, and used her free hand to tap my chest with the stake. “As little as possible,” she reminded me.

I nodded. I shifted and got my good elbow underneath to prop myself up. It was an awkward position, and my nose brushed her neck. I felt her shiver.

“Hurry up.” She told me. 

I opened my mouth and bit. I was flooded. With warmth. With vitality. Oh fuck, this was nothing like bagged blood. I sucked, drawing in more. It felt like— fuck, it felt the first breath after a near drowning. It felt—

“Hey!” I heard Dawn call, seemingly from far away, “that's enough.”

I felt her push against me. But the blood it was— I felt a hand touch my shoulder. 

Tess spoke gently, “Jane. That's enough.”

I pulled myself away. Fast as I could. I knew if I stopped to think about it, I wouldn't have been able to. Goddamnit. I recognized that feeling. It seemed I had replaced the alcoholism with a thirst for fresh blood. Fuck. I'd have to keep a lid on that. 

Dawn had dropped the stake to hold her neck. She was still bleeding. It was dripping onto my bare chest. “Jane.” She hissed through gritted teeth. 

“Fuck! You're still bleeding, I thought you said vampire bites healed?”

“They do. It's the saliva that does it. You have to lick it.”

“I have to— what?”

“Don't fucking waste my blood blushing you fuck.”

“I—” I cut myself off, and simply nudged her hand aside. I leaned up, and ran my tongue over the wound. Granting myself the last fresh blood I could allow. 

“Now.” Dawn said, “help me out of here.”

I stood on a mended leg, and rotated a fully functional shoulder. “First things first, we need to splint your legs, so we don't make them worse when we move you.”

I had just grabbed the ladder when Dawn shouted “HOLY FUCK!”

I turned to see what she was looking at. “What?” I asked her. 

She pointed right at Tess.

Tess turned to see what was behind her. Nothing but wall. She turned back to Dawn and pointed to herself, “wait. You can see me?”

“You can see her?” I echoed. 

“Where the fuck did you come from?”

“I've been here the whole time.”

“Well. Dawn, meet Tess? I guess?”

“This is new!” Tess exclaimed, “she's the first person that can see me other than you!”

“Maybe has to do with the blood?”

Tess kneeled down in front of Dawn, and held out her hand, “pleasure to officially meet you!”

Dawn hesitated, only for a second, she tried to shake Tess’ hand, but it passed through. Tess nodded. She reached out and shook Dawn's hand. 

Tess looked at me, “looks like touch works the same way as us. I can touch her, but she can't touch me.”

I nodded. “I think the first aid kit is within the range we tested. I'll leave you two to it, and I'll be right back.” I climbed the ladder to the sound of Tess chatting animatedly. I smiled. It must've been stifling to have no one to talk to other than me. 

I returned to Tess and Dawn first aid kit in hand, and fresh shirt covering my remaining wounds. I had taken the time to tape gauze over the holes. I'd heal those later when I had more blood on hand. 

“Why do you even have that?” Dawn asked me. 

“You know. I have no idea. Tess and I just grabbed a bunch of stuff from the apartment. Just grabbed it by habit. Still human at heart?”

Dawn just grunted.

“Good thing we did!” Tess said. 

I took the cross bars from our old cot, and laid them next to Dawn's leg. I pulled gauze and a pill container from the kit. “It's just aspirin, but it might help?”

Dawn took it from me, and dry swallowed a triple dose. She nodded. I began wrapping the bar to her leg. She winced, but didn't cry out. I repeated the process for her other leg. She popped another aspirin. I raised an eyebrow. She showed her middle finger. 

“Ready to go, or do you need a minute?”

Dawn remained silent. She breathed evenly. “Thank you,” she said. 

I gave a dramatic bow, “you are very welcome.” I squatted and got an arm under her shoulders and knees. I lifted. She put an arm around my shoulder to steady herself. I carried Dawn down the tunnel towards the shore side. If we were going to climb out, we might as well come out on dry land. 

I set Dawn down on a bench near where we exited the tunnel.

She pulled out her cell phone, “at least I have service now.” she pursed her lips, deep in thought, “I'm going to call my dad to pick me up. You'd better make yourself scarce.”

“Thanks for the warning.” I rubbed the back of my neck, “so. My home—” I trailed off, hoping she got what I was trying to ask. 

Dawn sighed, and looked between Tess and I, “I didn't tell anyone where I was going. I won't tell anyone where your crypt is.”

“THANK YOU!” Tess yelled, and lunged forward to draw Dawn into a hug. 

“Much appreciated,” I said, “we've only just moved in, and I really don't want to try to find somewhere else.”

Dawn nodded, “Keep control of yourself. I'll be watching. If you ever get off bagging, I'll kill you myself.”

“Hot.” Tess said. 

Dawn glowered. 

“Jokes aside,” I said, “no worries. I'm not planning a buffet any time soon. Nothing but juice boxes.” I held a hand out to Dawn, “Good Luck, and speedy recovery.”

Dawn looked at my hand. She hesitated. She shook it, “Thanks, Jane.”