Adam lay on his apartment floor. Alone. Not doing anything. Just lying there. He decided not to visit Christa yet. He didn't know what she remembered, or what she would say to him. He didn't know if she hated him and didn't want to ever see him again. He didn't want to know.

So he just lay there.

Matt suddenly appeared next to him. He sighed at the sight of Adam and sat on the floor.

They didn't speak to each other, just sat in each other's company.

Adam was the first to speak after two hours of silence.

'What's going on at the moment?'

Matt looked at the ceiling, breathing out heavily.

'She's in the ICU'

Adam shut his eyes so tight that his skin went a light yellow.

'She lost a lot of blood Adam. She's gunna be there for a while. What happened? I thought werewolf blood was disgusting'

'You don't understand what it's like matt. You don't know'

'Then TELL me. I want to know. Christa's our friend and you almost killed her!'

Adam sat up, resting his back on the wall.

'Fine. I was hungry. Very hungry. You know when you get that feeling, when you haven't had anything to eat? It's like a sharp pain in the pit of your stomach. It's at that moment that you don't care about anything else, you would eat a piece of crap just to ease off that pain… I went to find Christa after she got the nosebleed. Miss Fegal sent me to see if she was okay. The last thing I remember was smelling her blood. Then you shaking me, screaming at me. It's like another person took over. Okay?'

Adam hung his head in shame.

Matt was silent at his confession. He couldn't understand how he could do such a thing.

'… are you going to see her?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'Because, there is a slight chance she hates me after I tried to kill her'

'Adam, she doesn't remember'

'What?'

'She doesn't know a thing. She wouldn't say anything if she knew it was you anyway. Can you imagine the horror from the police after she tells them she was attacked by a vampire?'

Adam looked at Matt thoughtfully.

'She thinks it was someone she didn't know who attacked her. Well, that's all I could tell her before she fell asleep.'

'You lied to her?'

'Would you rather I tell her the truth?'

'No…but-'

'She keeps asking after you. If you don't want her to suspect anything you have to go see her'

'Fine, whatever, okay?'

'When are you going?'

'ARGH, JUST PISS OFF!'

Matt seemed taken aback. He raised his hands in surrender then hauled himself off the floor, then left, plunging Adam into loneliness once again.


1 WEEK LATER.

Adam hated these hallways. They were too clean. Too surreal. He always felt as if he was being watched, CCTV everywhere. It reminded him of school. The only thing that made him feel a little better was the cute nurses. He walked towards the reception.

'Um…Christa Stammers please'

The pretty young lady – probably in her late twenties – set her big blue eyes upon Adam's face.

'Are you a relative?'

'Ur, I'm her cousin'

'Really?' Her eyebrows raised.

'Um…no. I'm her…long term boyfriend'

The woman's face relaxed a little as she passed a form over the desk.

'I'm guessing you're Adam?'

He looked at her, bewildered.

'Er – yes. How did you know my name?'

'Christa has been asking after you. A lot.' She smiled.

'Sign the bottom. We have to make a record of all visitors'

He took the pen from her hand with trepidation, then signed the paper.

'Room 516. Down the hall, to the right. Wash your hands with this before you go through please' She said whilst passing over a bottle of hand gel.

Adam walked down the hall, hands in pockets. He walked slowly, counting up the numbers reluctantly. 516. The door was slightly ajar.

He gently pushed it open.

Christa was lying in a clean bed, a drip in her arm feeding her blood. She was a lot thinner than usual, the bones in her face showing a lot more, dark bags under her eyes.

Adam walked in, slightly surprised by how clean she looked. No…how unwell she looked.

She was asleep and he didn't want to disturb her – so he sat on the chair next to the bed.

Before he realised, Adam had fallen asleep. He was only woken when a middle aged doctor shook him gently.

'How long have you been here, young man? He asked quizzically. Adam shook the fuzziness away before looking at the clock.

'Oh, I didn't realise the time. Around 5 hours. I guess I was a bit tired'

'I'll say. Do you want something to eat? It's getting late and the canteen is about to close. I'm sure if you ask Linda on the reception she will be able to bribe you something' He chuckled. Adam sat up in his chair. The doctor was fiddling around with the drip in Christa's arm.

'Did she wake up while I was asleep?'

The doctor didn't respond until he had finished with the needle.

'No. She's been out practically all day. Pretty drugged up. It should be wearing off soon though – the visiting time goes on until 11pm so if you stick around a bit longer I'm sure you will get a word in.'

He walked out the room leaving the two alone once again.

'Oh God Christa…I'm so sorry…' Adam placed his hand on hers. Her eyes started to twitch and after a few moments she opened them fully.

'Sorry about what?'

A grin broke across Adam's face.

'Hey there. What's new?' Christa groaned in pain as she lifted her head properly.

'Nothing much. I hate this hell hole'

'Something we don't have in common'

'Why do you like it then?'

He shrugged.

'Loads of hot chicks in short dresses'

Christa rolled her eyes then tugged at the needle going into her arm.

'I wouldn't do that if I were you. Oh, and Linda told me you have been asking after me loads' Adam raised his eyebrow in a mocking way.

'Don't get too flattered there. You didn't answer my question, what are you sorry about?'

He looked out of the window and the rain battering onto the glass.

'Adam?' He turned to face her, serious once again.

'What do you remember? About the attack?'

'Oh, um, not much'

'Tell me everything you know'

'Everything?'

'That's what I said isn't it?'

'Adam I'm really tired-'

'Tell me. I insist.'

'Oh.' Christa looked thoughtful for a moment.

'Okay. Well, I was in the cupboard hiding from you – I know how much you hate the stink of my blood and I really couldn't be bothered to go to Matron. Then the door opened. I didn't get a good look at the guys face. But he looked like a prick. The next thing I know I'm in hospital five days later with blood pumping into me'

'…That's it?'

Christa nodded.

'Well. I just thought that…'

'what?'

'That it's all my fault' Adam looked away again and Christa frowned.

'How do you mean?'

'Um…' He couldn't tell her, could he?

'It's my fault you got hit by Danny. If that never have happened then you wouldn't have had to leave.'

'Oh come on, your just wanting a bit of sympathy because you think it's your fault. Which it isn't. It's no one's fault except the retard who decided to drink me dry.'

Adam turned to face her.

'It was a vampire? You're definite?'

Christa tilted her head in a sarcastic way.

'urm…OF COURSE. What else could have done this' – she pointed to the puncture wounds on her neck – 'apart from a vampire?'

Adam mumbled something and sat further back in his chair.

They were silent until Christa started to speak.

'The doctors are confused about me'

'In what way?'

'I almost died from blood loss two weeks ago and now I'm practically fully recovered. Usually it takes longer, months in some cases, to be at the stage I am now' She sighed heavily and closed her eyes.

'I can't exactly mention I'm a werewolf and heal twice as fast. The nurse says it's happened before. Apparently, a few months ago, this nurse got stabbed in the kidney up in Barry Island and was good as new in a week'

Nina. It had to be Nina. Stabbed? Adam didn't know this. He made a mental note to himself to give George a ring, see how they are doing.

'Talking of your furry friend' – Christa shot him a glare - 'You do realise the full moon is soon?'

'Of course I do!' She snapped.

Adam hesitated before speaking again. The last thing he wanted to do was to anger her.

'What are you going to do? You can't change here, can you?'

'Well…I have had some time to think. I have an idea. But I need your help'