His smile instantly becomes more genuine. “It wasn’t that. The one condition is that I’m not looking for a relationship.”
I shrug, not caring myself. I hadn’t planned on looking for one and I’m still not sure what drew me to him so quickly. “That’s fine with me. We don’t need to be in a relationship for me to eat you and feed you to my bats.”
“Aw, more than one? How cute.”
I shake my head as I pull out my phone and give him my number as we walk back toward his car.
“There, I sent you my number as well, so you send me hot bod pictures of your bats.”
“I’m starting to feel like you have a bat fetish now,” I say like I’m confused.
He waggles his eyebrows. “You never know. Thanks for rolling around in the mulch with me. I had a good time. And thanks for the smoothie.”
“You’re welcome. I’m free this weekend if you’re bored,” I say.
“I might take you up on that.” River flashes me a smile before slipping into his car and driving off.
Before getting into my own car, I walk half a block to the flower shop and step inside. The florist smiles at me before reaching behind her and grabbing a vase filled with flowers.
“Hey, Bentley. I got some new flowers today that are such a lovely shade of lavender. I hope you don’t mind that I tucked one inside,” she says as she points at the large purple flower.
“No, of course not. It looks gorgeous as always,” I say as I swipe my card. With the vase weighing heavy in my hand, I head back out to my car and get onto the highway. Before long, I start seeing signs for the nearby hospital, which I follow. It’s just before the end of visiting hours, so I park the car and get out before heading inside. I have half an hour before I’ll need to be out, but it’ll be enough time. Once inside, I take the elevator up to the third floor and walk down to room number twelve. I knock gently on the door before stepping inside and looking at the woman lying on the bed.
She looks so frail and small, body wasting away because of age. She turned ninety-six this year before her body began to give up. “Hey, Dorothy.”
“Benny!” she says with a smile as she looks over at me. “Oh, what beautiful flowers! Peter brought me flowers last week.”
“Did he?” I ask, even though it was also me who brought her the flowers. Peter, her husband, passed away three years ago but she seems to forget quite often that he did and there’s no sense in reminding her.
“They were gorgeous. I miss my flower garden,” she says. “When did they say I could go home?”
“Hopefully soon,” I lie. Without the oxygen and constant care and monitoring, she wouldn’t have made it this long and that kills me. The thought of losing her hurts so fucking much. She’s my great-niece, the last blood relative in my family. After I’d been turned into a vampire, the only person from my family who knew what happened to me was my sister, who gave birth to one child. That child had Dorothy. I’d been so close to all of them that it killed me every time one left me. I wanted to change them, turn them into vampires, but my niece had died unexpectedly, leaving her young daughter behind. I helped her husband raise and care for Dorothy, but he’s been gone twenty-some years now.
I’d wanted to change Dorothy from a young age. I couldn’t handle losing one more family member, but she fell in love young and dreamed of having children. I promised I’d change her after she had as many children as she wanted to fill the house with, but she could never conceive. After a while, they gave up. Again, I insisted on changing her even though the laws forbade it, but she and her husband decided they wanted to live out their lives.
I knew it was selfish of me; I knew she didn’t want to never age as the love of her life grew old and died without her. He wanted to stay human, and she respected that.
But now, I’m left sitting here in the room of the last person I can call family, waiting for her to die. And a part of me is so sick of it that I’ve wondered more than once what it’d be like to just go with her when she goes.
“Why do you have that sad face on again, Benny?” she asks as she reaches a wrinkled hand out to me.
“Ah, just lost in thought. I have an unusual case at work.”
“Oh? I was telling my roommate that you were a crime-fighting detective. The best in the force!”
I laugh because I’m pretty sure Marcus would skin me if he thought someone had that impression. “It’s been interesting. Hopefully, we figure out who’s involved before long.”
“Oh, is this about that videographer?”
I nod. “It is. Have you seen clips?”
“I sure did! I got to watch it live! My cute little nurse showed it to me. I told him about you too. He said his wife might get jealous if I try to set you two up, though.”
I sigh, really hoping he isn’t the nurse she has today… or ever again. Then again, I’m sure they’re used to crazy talk from elderly patients. “I’m good, Dorothy. Please stop setting me up with random people.”
“But I want you to be happy!”
“I am happy,” I assure her, even though I know it’s a lie.
“You seem very lonely. And when I’m in here… I feel like you’re even more lonely. Don’t be sad.”
“I just wish you’d have let me change you,” I admit.
She holds a hand out, and I take it. She squeezes it in hers. “I know. And I hate causing you grief, but you’ll find someone to love and live for just like I did. It’s just taking you a bit longer because you’re too stubborn! Now go show that nurse you’re better than his wife!”
I shake my head because I will do no such thing. As if adding to my pain, the door opens and a female nurse comes in. She nods at me and smiles at Dorothy. “Oh!” Dorothy says. “This is my uncle I was telling you about. Isn’t he just handsome?”
Dear god. Not this again.
The nurse smiles at me. “He is. Now let’s get your medicine.”
My phone vibrates and I look down at it and see that River has sent me a message.
River: I know me wallowing around in the mulch was just too hot for you to handle, so I looked at my horribly packed calendar and think I might be able to sacrifice Friday evening for you. Thoughts?
I grin as I click on the text box.
Me: My personal assistant says that she might be able to push a few things aside for me and that’ll work. Did you have something in mind?
River: I’m honestly not sure. What do vampires do? Do we go to a restaurant and you just stare at me eating?
Me: We could. Or we could go somewhere.
River: Like a bat cave?
Me: Yes, a bat cave where I can frolic with my brethren. Honestly, I’m up for anything.
River: I’ll surprise you Friday, which means I haven’t come up with anything yet but I’m positive it’s going to be spectacular.
Me: Sounds fun.
River: I’ll pick you up so send me your address. I won’t stalk you. I promise.
“What are you so smiley about?” Dorothy asks, making me realize the nurse is already gone.
“Ah… just a friend.”
“Do your friends usually make you light up? Come on, I used to tell you all my secrets when I first met Peter. Let me hear it.”