Chapter 23.

  Amelia was five hours in trauma at the hospital. The Doctors on call couldn’t believe she was still holding on, between what looked like day old gunshot wounds and the multiple stabs to the chest, the appearance of faded burns on her face in neck, it was a wonder to them she wasn’t already dead.

  “Blood levels are stable, her pulse is stable,” a Nurse said.

  “How is this possible? Keep pressure on the wounds, we have to sew them,” one doctor said as he worked on the young woman with a hand still cuffed to the side of the bed.

  This girl had lost more blood than any human could survive losing. Luckily for Amelia, the hospital had a supply of O- blood to dump into her. O-, the universal donor, no time for a blood test on her, little did they know that Amelia herself was O-, any other type of blood they could have used may have killed her, at least it would if she was a mere mortal.

  They saved her, for what kind of life she would have they didn’t know. Just rumor and that question of why she was restrained to the bed, and the orders from the Medics turning her in that she was at the very least a person of interest in a murder investigation. It was not a doctor’s place to question the circumstances of why a patient was brought to them, their only job was to make sure she lived, what with the Hippocratic oath and all.

  The Doctor’s had seen nothing like this before, this much blood loss, how the wounds would seem to heal as they made their stitching. Her pulse kept steady, but it kept steady at a beat so low per minute that it would have been a code blue had every other part of their surgery not seemed to work to keep her alive.

  After a night of intense surgery, the Doctors called it a miracle, granted one that served an alleged criminal, but a miracle none the less. The two attending Doctors, Hemlen and Joseph were their names. They met in the hospital break room after the patient was stable and taken into custody.

  “What the fuck did we just see,” Hemlen said.

  “I don’t fucking know. God wanted that girl alive for some reason,” Joseph said.

  “Have you found out why she was cuffed, this is only the second time I’ve had a cuffed patient, first was a gangbanger who got into a gunfight,” he said, “You think she did something that bad?” Hemlen asked.

  “I don’t know what the fuck she did, how many pints did we end up giving her, her body just seemed to take it in, feed on it almost,” Joseph said.

  “I wasn’t paying attention at the moment, but I saw three empty bags, and another one half gone when we were putting away the hazard material, this girl was desperate to live, the way her veins sucked up that blood, it was unreal, I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Hemlin rubbed his brow, “I heard she’s a killer, how the hell is that ninety pound girl going to kill anyone?” he asked.

  “It’s not our place to ask, all we can do is sew them up, we’re neutral in whatever war our patients find themselves in,” Joseph said.

  “My shifts over at midnight, you want to find bar and tie one off?” Hemlin asked.

  “Sounds like a good idea,” Joseph said.

  Hank and Scott were brought to separate rooms for their debriefing. Hank as an officer in the line of duty, and Scott as a civilian and mere spectator to the insanity that they had seen together. Hank approached this like he would any debriefing, all business as always.

  “State your name,” Investigator Peterson said, even in a case as crazy as this, parliamentary procedure was still called for.

  “Hank Tavares,”

  “Occupation?”

  “I have been a detective for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for two years,” he said.

  “How long have you been employed by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department?”

  “I have been an officer for five years,” Hank said.

  “Tell us about the incident that occurred on the night of April first, at 432 Sycamore lane,” Peterson said, going through the standard line of questioning even in this not so standard case.

  Hank took a deep breath, “A Civilian, one employed by CMPD and I had knowledge of possible illegal activity taking place at 432 Sycamore, he testified that the suspect had previously committed an assault and fled to the location with full premeditation to commit another act of assault,” Hank said, “I took it upon myself to investigate this potential crime and found myself at the scene and the incident ended with the successful apprehension of the suspect, with eyewitness testimony to murder in the first degree being committed by the suspect in question,” Hank said.

  “Was the Civilian armed with any weapons as you two entered?” he asked.

  “He was, he had a side arm that remained undrawn as we confronted the subject, he was wielding a melee weapon for his own self-defense of course, it could be classified as a baton, though it was not standard issue,” Hank said.

  “That would be item A-02,” the Peterson reached under the desk and presented Scott’s bloodied wooden stake, the one that had been the leg of one of Hank’s stools, it was in the evidence bag and still stained with Amelia’s, and since he got her in the stomach likely other peoples, blood.

  “The Civilian, for his own security, entered the premises with a non-lethal weapon as it would most likely be classified as a baton in the Officers Handbook part five section twenty-eight,” Hank nodded.

  “The Civilian put the suspect into surgery with this, they say he just barely missed her heart,” Peterson said.

  “The Civilian used his weapon in self-defense, the suspect posed a clear and present danger to the Civilian.” Hank said.

  “Officer Tavares, at what point did you aim your service weapon?” he asked.

  “I drew my service weapon when the suspect appeared to show great physical force against our attempts to apprehend them, I fired two shots, non-lethal aim, and incapacitated the suspect so they could be taken into custody. The suspect appeared to be an enhanced threat, most likely on some kind of drug. Dr. Laterbauch can analyze the blood found on item A-02. I believe she will find evidence of some kind of hallucinogenic or psychotic drug. she was erratic, wild, I felt that using my weapon was the quickest and safest way to deescalate the situation, I suspect she was inebriated on something like PCP, or possibly a drug called Adrenochrome,” Hank said, keeping his chin high and his eyes straight staring into the Peterson.

  “State your name,” Peterson ordered Scott.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Scott Tavares, do you have a no smoking policy?” Scott asked, “Because I could really use a cigarette right now,” he said.

  “Sure,” Peterson nodded to another agent standing by the door. He pulled out a pack of Malboros and handed one to Scott along with a lighter.

  “Not my brand, but I don’t really give a damn,” Scott said, lighting up, “So you want to know what happened, you want the real story, the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” Scott raised his eyebrows.

  “Just tell us about the incident to your most accurate reprensation,” Peterson said.

  Scott laughed, “The real irony here, is that the more I lie, the more likely it is you’ll believe me,” Scott said, ashing out the first drag of his cigarette into an empty mug, “I’ll tell you what happened, I’ll tell you everything that happened,” he said.

  “We have some formalities to go through before we collect your report,” Peterson said, “What is your occupation?” he asked.

  “Crime scene photographer with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police department,” After he got the job Hank told him that if he was ever officially asked he needed to say the whole name, not just Charlotte PD.

  “How long have you been employed with Charlotte Mecklenburg?”

  “Four weeks, Four insanely fucked up weeks,” Scott said, “I did nothing, everything I did was both self-defense and in the defense of others, I want to lay that on the table right now,” he said.

  “Mr.Tavares, you’re not being arrested, we’re just trying to find out what happened, you can relax,” Peterson said, “Just tell us what happened,” he said.

  “What happened, we fought a fucking Vampire, that’s what happened,” Scott said.

  “Sir, this is an official debriefing, we ask you not be so dramatic, just tell us about the suspect, what chain of events led you to take such force against her. Not that that force wasn’t needed, we’ve heard she was inebriated, dangerous and wild, Officer Tavares has already made the case that the two of you were acting in self defense,”

  “Dramatic?” Scott laughed, “I am way the fuck past being Dramatic, I’m serious, I’m deadly serious,” he said, “I know it sounds crazy, and nothing I could tell you would make you believe me, before we got to the party I actually put two in her myself,” Scott raised his hands, “In self-defense, got to caveat everything I did tonight with the self-defense line I would imagine,” he said, “Those bullets didn’t phase her, she’s not fucking human, she’s a monster, she’s a Vampire. Just wait for the reports of the bodies she left in her wake, they’re going to be missing a lot of blood, and most of them are going to have puncture wounds on their necks, she was feeding on those people, drinking their blood. Again I say, she was a literal Vampire,” Scott said, “If Officer Tavares, and I didn’t interfere, who knows how many people she would have eaten, and yes, I mean eaten,” Scott said.

  “This suspicion that the suspect was, as you say, feeding on these people. This led you to put a woman in the hospital in need of major surgery?” he asked.

  “That Major surgery was a waste of hospital resources, a kind God would have let that bitch die on the table for what she did,” Scott said, “It wouldn’t be murder, she’s not human. This is what I’m trying to tell you people, she’s a monster, she’s a fucking Vampire,” Scott said.

  “Is that why you used this?” Peterson said, taking item A-02 from under the table, the wooden stake, “What is this even supposed to be?”

  “What does it look like,” Scott asked, “It’s a wooden stake, that’s what you kill a Vampire with,” he said, “Tried to get her heart and end it, but I was stabbing her under some dire circumstances so forgive my lack of aim,” Scott said.

  “you’re lucky you didn’t kill her, had she died we would be a having a very different conversation, and you’re lucky that you got Officer Tavares to back up your story, so you’re saying this broad, this Vampire Girl was crazy, heard she was on some kind of drug, going on a wild rampage, killing all those people with her bare hands, how did a ninety-pound girl bring the havoc she brought to the party?”

  “She’s a ninety-pound Vampire, that’s how,” Scott said.

  “Sir, please don’t bring some fantastic element into this, we want the facts, the truth, that’s all,” he said.

  Scott laughed, “Truth?” he ashed out the last of his cigarette and put it out in the mug's bottom, “I’ll give you the truth, I walked in her with her fangs in the neck of Lucy Alans, I drew my weapon, acting in defense of her victim and myself, and when she lunged at me I, in self-defense mind you, fired off two rounds striking her in the neck and shoulder, she left apartment,”

  “What do you mean left? She just walked past you and left?” Peterson asked.

  “She jumped out of a second-story window, for all I know she could have turned into a fucking bat,” Scott said, “After taking the victim to the hospital, which every doctor on call that night will mention that I saved that girls life, Officer Tavares and I went to the party and stopped her rampage from killing even more people. If you really want more information go ask Jacobin, I mean Trevor Ellis, you have him in custody, he can vouch to everything I’ve said if you just put the squeeze on him,” Scott said.

  “Mr. Tavares,” Peterson rubbed his brow, “I believe that’s enough for tonight, this with the testimony of Officer Tavares gave us is enough to file a preliminary report,” he gathered his files and stood up, “I would like to commend you and your brother, it is admirable you could stop her with non-lethal methods. You should be confident she is in custody and will stand trial for her crimes. You stopped her,” he said.

  “Sounds good, so I can go home, I need a beer and I need a bed,” he said.

  “You’re free to go,” Peterson said, “I want you to know that between solving the McMansion Slayer and taking in the last perpetrator, your brother will most likely be getting a commendation. You two did good work,”

  “Thank you,” Scott said, “That’s all you needed to say.”

  At the changing of the guard for the holding cell the next morning the day shift officer asked about the health of the prisoner, “This her?” he asked, “The one they’re calling a Vampire?” he said making finger quotes around that impossible word.

  “Yeah, that’s her,” The night shift officer gave her one last once over, “Hasn’t moved all night, hasn’t asked for food, or even water, hasn’t even said anything, she’s just been sitting there, that damn grin on her face and that dead look in her eyes,” he said as the relieving officer looked in the cell, and sure enough there was that cute redhead, who unless you knew about her, wouldn’t look like she could be a danger to anyone. She was still just in her black lingerie, scars and bandages all over her body. He looked to her eyes, yet couldn’t feel her looking back at him. She seemed to stare through him at nothing, unblinking. Her lips her in a sly grin, her skin moon white and a vacant look on her face.

  “The Doctors who worked on her said it’s a miracle she’s alive, that she can even sit up like this after how much damage was done to her,” he said, “Careful transferring her, they say she’s a biter,” he said.

  The day shift officer sighed, “They say Tavares took her down, him and his brother, the new CSI guy,” he said, “We’re taking her to county for holding until her trail, no one’s come to make bail, guessing she hasn’t asked to make a phone call?” he said.

  “Nope, all yours buddy, my shift is over,” he patted his brother in blue’s shoulder and handed off the keys.

  “Special request, we’ll be transferring her in this,” another officer said as a medical bed was wheeled in “She may look fine, but the hospital still recommends she stay off her feet,” he said.

  “Let’s get this over with,” the officer said as he unlocked the door.

  “Okay Bella, no funny business,” he said as he led the stretcher inside.

  Amelia nodded, the first time she had moved in hours, “I’m ready,” she smiled.

  The cop took a careful step towards her, “I’m going to uncuff you, you make a move I don’t tell you to do, well, you’re going to end up back in the hospital, and you may not be so lucky this time,” he said as he unhooked her handcuff with caution and motioned her to stand up and get on the stretcher. Amelia laid down, getting comfortable as the officer clicked the cuffs on the railing of the stretcher. Just as a precaution, he took another pair and cuffed her other wrist to the other side.

  “You sure you don’t want a change of clothes or something, going to be a bit embarrassing heading out dressed like this,” he said.

  “I’m fine,” Amelia said, she let out a little laugh, this was funny to her, just another game.

  “Your choice,” he said as they wheeled her through the station out back to where the prison transport would take her to county to await her trail. As they made their way through the hallway to the large steel double-doors, she turned to the officer, “Excuse me, may I ask what time it is?” she asked.

  “twelve o’clock, high noon,” he said, keeping his eyes forward and leading her out.

  “Is it, cloudy?” she asked.

  “Sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky,” he said, “A nice spring day, I’d suggest you enjoy it while you can,” he said.

  “I think I will,” Amelia looked up, “It will be nice to see the sun,” she smiled, letting out another laugh as the doors opened. Amelia turned her head up and looked at the bright day waiting for her. She slid her cuffed wrist down and grabbed one of the Officer’s leading her, “Remember what you see,” she said as he looked down at her. She gave him a wink before closing her eyes and leaning back.

  The instant the stretcher got outside and the warm and comfort of God’s sun touched her skin, Amelia laughed as the officers saw her skin smoke and boil.

  “What the fuck!?” one cop said as they backed away from as her skin burst into flames. As painful as it looked, and honestly as painful as it was for her, all Amelia could do was laugh as the fire engulfed her body, melting her skin, burning her muscles, down to her bones before she exploded in a great fireball.