...chapter SEVEN – Doctor, Doctor

Vamdemon walked through the streets of the bustling city slowly, eyes fixated on the path before him and away from the sky. Humans hurried past, not caring if they bumped into him mindlessly as they rushed to their destination. It angered him greatly, but he forced himself to keep quiet and to remain calm. He couldn't slaughter so many of the pathetic creatures in public. Not yet. Smiling at the thought, he pulled the hood over his head tighter, blocking out the rays of the setting sun more securely, and continued on his way.

Still walking, he pulled from a pocket in the human disguise he wore a sheet of paper. Glancing down at it, he read the instructions that he had etched upon it in digital language the night before. Off the the side, along the margin, was a map of the area he had sketched out as well. The location was further away from his island base that he was used to roaming, and didn't know his way around as well as he would have liked. Turning a corner, he cursed the fact that he could not fly to his destination. It would have made finding the prominent hospitals much easier.

He paused in his relentless stride as the building finally came into view. It was expansive, inviting, and painted a bright white. The color disgusted him.

Pushing through the swinging doors, Vamdemon spilled into the lobby. He stood there in a daze at the sudden change in lighting. It was almost as painful as the sun. Fighting off a growl of pain, he shuffled forwards to lean against the counter towards a nurse who was seated before a computer.

She looked up to greet him and let out an inaudible gasp. His torso was covered in a large, baggy, black sweatshirt. All that could be seen was his face and tufts of blond hair. His skin was pale, more than it would usually be, and his lips were discolored. His hands were covered with thin, white cotton gloves that appeared red beneath.

"Just sign in, Sir." She said, erasing the expression of surprise quickly. It was rude to gape at a patient.

He narrowed his eyes, but turned his attention to the pad below him. He picked up the pen and wrote slowly and with obvious imprecision the name he had made his appointment with – Vincent Ree. He looked back up, eyes locked on the woman on the other side of the plastic divider.

"Is there a problem, Sir?" She asked, "Take a seat, and the doctor will be with you when he is done with the other patients.

Holding back his anger at having to wait, he drew a breath and turned around to find a seat. He passed a number of people who had lined up behind him to sign in as he struggled to write his alias in Japanese characters. Leering at them, he sat down and crossed his legs, waiting to be called.

There was a television in the center of the room playing the news of the day. The main topic of the night was still the disappearances he was causing, and the lack of deaths in the past few days. He smirked, knowing the only reason for the relent in deaths was his deliberate fasting in order to keep himself pale and portray the sickness he was aiming for.

"How sad," One of the patients said to another, "All these murders lately. What has this world come to?"

"Mm..." The other agreed, "The police said in the beginning the attacks would keep happening, and yet people keep going out. Makes you wonder how smart they might be. I mean, it's sad and all, but..."

"I understand," The first said, "And I agree. If the threat is outdoors people should avoid it. I know I do. But I guess I'll feel worse if this killer starts invading homes. That would be pretty bad."

"Oh yeah." The other said, "Do you think it will happen though? Can the police stop the killer first?"

"I doubt mere law enforcement can put a stop to him." Vamdemon said, smirking.

The two looked at him, surprised. "That's an awfully negative view to have."

"It is the truth." Vamdemon stated, shutting his eyes momentarily out of smugness. "You see what has been done to these people? That is nothing. Nothing. Just wait. Give him a few days. You will see a taste of the power he is capable of."

"...do you know this killer?"

"...I do not." Vamdemon said carefully. "It is merely a prediction."

They glanced at each other, exchanging similar looks of worry, then looked away from Vamdemon, content to ignore his dark words and focus on happier talk. Smirking still Vamdemon leaned back in his seat, blending into his costume even more, and waited, content now that dark thoughts were in his mind.

Two hours passed as if they were nothing. Vamdemon was silent, accustomed to waiting in secrecy for the things he required when necessary. The woman from behind the counter approached him and tapped him gently on his shoulder. She had assumed he had fallen asleep when he did not answer when his name was called. He muttered words of false thanks and stood, following her through the door and into a small, light green room with a long horizontal seat and counters.

There he sat and waited once more as the woman disappeared and another took her place. This one was dressed in a long white uniform and held a hard notepad in one hand, a pen in the other. She smiled at him warmly and proceeded with her questions.

"How are you feeling this evening, Mr. Ree?"

Vamdemon glanced at her, still unfamiliar with being addressed with the name. "What sort of question is that? This is a hospital, isn't it? I'm here to see a doctor, aren't I? Is it not obvious that I am not well?"

Her smile faltered momentarily, but it didn't remain lost for long. She forced it back, and larger than than before. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ree. Of course. Would you tell me what's wrong? Why are you here tonight?"

Reaching into a pocket in his sweatshirt, Vamdemon withdrew the sheet of paper with the directions and flipped it over, skimming over what he had written on the other side. "Blistering of my skin, vomiting, constipation, pain in my back and chest," He listed off, and glanced up at her as he said the finally symptom, "and sudden numbness and paralysis."

The woman nodded in understanding, although she appeared confused. "I'll leave this for the doctor, Mr. Ree, he'll be in shortly."

Vamdemon grunted and pushed the sheet of paper onto the metal beside him. He pulled off his left glove and observed the skin beneath it. It was red and blistered, and rough to the touch. The pain it caused rippled through his body; a result of his self starvation. For three days he had denied himself the blood he needed to survive. The result was less strength, less coloration of the skin, and an incredibly weakened immune system. His body wasn't strong in its current state, and couldn't heal his wounds properly, especially not ones created by the ultra violet radiation that the sun emitted. Forcefully he had exposed his hands to the light in the state of weakness and allowed the cooking to occur so as to further corroborate his claims of illness.

"Ouch," Said a friendly voice from the doorway. Vamdemon's eyes flickered to the owner, who was a tall man with blue hair. "Those are the blisters my assistant wrote about, I assume? I'd normally shake your hand, but that looks like it might hurt."

"Yes..." Vamdemon said carefully, staring the doctor with concentration.

"All right then, tell me, before we begin, do you have a history of any disease?"

Vamdemon retrieved his paper and stared at it, "Porphyria."

"And suddenly the symptoms make sense." The doctor said and smiled gently. "You must have a very serious case for your skin to blister so badly. This is a recent symptom, it seems? Things have gotten worse in the past few days?"

"Yes..."

"Can you tell me what medication you are on?"

Vamdemon faltered momentarily. He hadn't researched medication... Shaking his head, he spoke, "I do not know."

The doctor rose an eyebrow but moved on. "How is your diet? You seem very thin; that can cause a surge of symptoms."

"I eat enough."

"...but that isn't what I'm asking." The doctor said, slightly more forceful with his voice. His gentle exterior melted away as the concern for his 'patient' settled in. "Are you taking in enough carbohydrates? They should make up at least half of your diet. What about protein, or iron? Or do you have too much iron? Do you have blood drawn as treatment?"

Vamdemon smirked, "No, I don't."

The doctor frowned at the patients reactions. "I can't help you unless you answer my questions seriously, Mr. Ree."

"I am answering them seriously." Vamdemon said, growing annoyed. "I'm sorry I am unable to give you a sufficient response."

The doctor let out a breath and continued. "These symptoms developing so quickly means a sudden attack. You will need to be treated. If you will, follow me. I'm going to set up an intravenous line of Panhematin for you. After that we can set up a diet plan for you. Is that all right?"

Vamdemon grunted an acknowledgment. The doctor turned and opened the door, holding it ajar for Vamdemon to follow. They crossed through the hall and entered another room, smaller than the last.

The doctor propped the door open, but Vamdemon shifted forwards and placed his hand over the doctors, removing it from the door and allowing it to close.

"...Mr. Ree?"

"On second thought," Vamdemon said slowly, drawing nearer to the man, "this won't be necessary."

The doctor's brows furrowed as he thought about Vamdemon's words. "You need something to treat your illness or you'll-"

"I'm not ill." Vamdemon said quickly and pressed the doctor against the door.

"...what?! But your hands-"

"Are indeed a result of exposure to the sun, but is not caused by any disease known to man. Worry about it no longer, for it is not the reason I require your services."

"I-"

"Remain silent." Vamdemon growled, putting more pressure on the doctor's body. "Do not speak unless I speak to you. Answer no one else, is that understood?"

"Y-yes!"

"Good." Vamdemon said, releasing the doctor momentarily. "Put your arms behind your back."

The doctor let out a fearful breath and did as he was asked. Vamdemon grabbed his wrists roughly and pulled him back to open the door. He pushed him down the hallway and turned back towards the entrance of the building. The patients in the waiting room paid them no heed, why would they? The doctor could simply be on break. Not even the nurse behind the entrance counter looked up.

Now the doctor was lead down the streets, their pace brisk. "I will tell you what I need of you, human. You will be correcting a very damaged leg of one of my slaves. You have the skill?"

"Y-yes," The doctor stammered, surprised at being addressed as 'human'. "But do you have the supplies?"

Vamdemon slowed his pace and swiveled the man around to look him in the eyes, angered he had let that aspect of his operation slip his mind. "Supplies? What do you need?"

"What's wrong with the leg?"

"It's broken."

"I'll need x-rays-"

"Not an option." Vamdemon said quickly. He didn't know very much about human technology, but he was educated enough to know it required a large machine he would not own.

"Er... At the very least I'll need a cast of some sort... Do you have that?"

"No."

"Let me get one then." The doctor said quickly, "I have supplies at my home. Let me go there and get things to treat your...slave..."

"Alright." Vamdemon agreed wearily, "Lead the way."

The doctor did, turning down another road and walking quickly. "My family will be home... I ask you...beg you...please do not involve them with this."

"I will not kill them. I give you my word." Vamdemon promised and continued walking with the doctor's arms in his clutch. Another night he might not have done so. He enjoyed inflicting harm and pain, and especially death, but weak as he was the sport might cause him more harm than pleasure. Eventually coming to an apartment building, they entered the elevator and exited it again on the correct floor without words and stepped in front of a door. The doctor opened it and stepped inside briskly, heading to a room in the back and leaving Vamdemon at the entrance.

Standing there at the mouth, Vamdemon stared at a sign hanging beside the door for a few moments. The name listed seemed familiar to him, although the name was in a language he didn't know well. It was written in English. Kido.

A tired voice from the building drew his attention. "Dad? What are you doing home already?"

"Err... I forgot something. Don't worry about it, I'm leaving again soon."

"Oh, okay..." The boy said and yawned. "I hate it when you work late shifts like this. I miss you here at home.

"I miss you too, Jyou, but it's my job."

Oh! Vamdemon smiled wickedly as he realized why the name had seemed familiar. Kido, Jyou. The child of sincerity! He stepped inside the home to get a better view. Indeed, it was the boy, who was dressed lightly in night time clothing and perched on a couch. His blue hair was messy and wet, as if he had just come out from a shower.

"Your brothers aren't home?" The doctor asked.

"No, they are at an event at the school."

"I see. I'll just be a moment." The doctor said, and disappeared into his room once more.

Vamdemon stepped forwards even more, entering the room half way and stared at the boy, who hadn't registered the new entity until then.

"Who are you? A friend of dads?" Jyou asked pleasantly, smiling gently.

Vamdemon's smile grew wider, more menacing, revealing fangs beneath his purple lips. "Not even close, dear child."

Jyou's smile faltered immediately. Vamdemon was not clothed normally, but there was no other creature on Earth that had such sharp canines. And that voice... Darkness and hatred flowed from the monsters mouth, and the color drained from his face as he realized who was standing in his home.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Vamdemon... S-stay away!" He cried, shrinking back into the couch. He reached in a pocket for his digivice, pressing a button to call Gomamon into the room.

"Do you truly think that will make a difference?" Vamdemon mocked, laughing. "Humor me, then. Have it evolve. Destroying your home and the inhabitants around you in an impossible fight would make perfect my night."

"What do you want?" Jyou asked fearfully, realizing the extreme danger of the situation.

"What a delightful question." Vamdemon said, stalking forwards. "What shall I do with you? I can toy with you as I do my slave, stripping you of clothing and ripping you open like the pathetic weak human you are, or, I can pull you limb from limb like a rag doll, and watch your bones slip out of your muscles as the sinews snap. I can drag you from this room and throw you over the railing out the door, hurling you to your doom to splatter against the pavement, bones, flesh and blood spread for all below to see, or I can melt your flesh with my magic and relish in the fountain of blood that spews forth. So many delectable choices..."

Jyou was trembling, and covered his ears as best he could with the digivice in his hand in an attempt to block the grim words coming from his enemies mouth. Gomamon rushed into the room, stopping dead in his tracks as he saw Vamdemon approaching his partner. He ran forwards and tried to launch an attack, but the advancing digimon merely laughed and waved it away. He produced a small ball of flames that he forced towards the small digimon, knocking him back and against the wall even with it's weakened power level.

Vamdemon stopped in front of Jyou and reached forwards as Gomamon struggled to lift himself up from the ground where he had fallen. In a panicked attempt to defend himself, Jyou held up the digivice and aimed it's powerful holy light towards Vamdemon. The brightness penetrated his vision, making everything appear white as the incredible power battered his body. With a feral growl he flung forwards an arm and knocked the device out of Jyou's hand and across the room.

Sight returning now that the attack had subsided, he ran a trembling hand over his face in anger. It had bubbled from the heat of the light and was now burned and cracked. The pain coursed through his body as his skin attempted to heal itself but failed because of his weak body. Violently he lashed forwards and grabbed Jyou up off the couch by the front of his clothing, then threw him against the wall where Gomamon had finally righted himself.

First he kicked the small digimon aside, then approached the coughing boy and lifted him up once more throw him against the wall and held him there with a nearly bone crushing force. Pushing the head to the side, he plunged his sharp teeth deep into the boy's neck and drank hungrily as the blood on it's way back to the heart gushed into his mouth. Jyou whimpered from the immense pain that originated from the tear Vamdemon made in his neck and cried out again as the monster pulled away.

He continued to bleed as he slid down the wall and crumpled on the ground. Gomamon grabbed onto him and spoke, attempting to keep him awake. The partners looked up weakly and fearfully to see Vamdemon glaring downwards above him, blood dribbling down his chin, and wounds on his face finally beginning to slowly mend themselves together.

"You are incredibly lucky I promised your father I would not kill you, brat, or your life would have been extinguished soon after I spotted you in here. But fear not, you're time will soon come."

The doctor emerged from his room, supplies in hand to investigate the sounds that were coming from the living room and nearly dropped the tools when he saw his child.

"Do not approach him." Vamdemon warned, "Or I will renege on my promise and kill him regardless. Leave him there and follow me. I need my slave fixed."

The doctor faltered, torn about how to react, but sighed heavily, sending Jyou an apologetic look, and exited the building. Without warning, Vamdemon scooped up the man and leaped off the side of the building, into the sky. They flew far away from the city, passing a bridge over the sea, and arrived at a small island, where Vamdemon dragged the man to a specific spot where they sank into the earth.

The sudden arrival into the monster's lair startled the doctor, who grew even more apprehensive as ghosts fluttered by him. Tailmon watched from the track room as the man was led forwards and into the main hall, where Vamdemon's slave was eating a meager meal as breakfast. His eyes fell upon the new addition with disdain. Would this man become the latest to fall victim to his master's slaughter? Would he be forced to snuff out the life? Would the bag of flesh before him become the meal at the end of the night?

"What's wrong, boy?" Vamdemon snapped, the weight of the night weighing on his mind as he stood there, exhausted already although the night was still young.

His slave jumped in place at the hostility of his master's voice and spoke, "S-sorry, my Lord. I didn't mean to be rude! Welcome back, master. Did your task go well?"

"Well enough." Vamdemon said, pushing forwards the trembling man. He set the bag he had retrieved from his home and folded his arms, unsure of what to do. "Don't you want to know what this is for?"

"Yes, Sir..." The boy said mechanically.

"This human will fix your leg, so that you can operate better in the tasks I require of you." Vamdemon informed him.

"R-really?" The boy said quickly, surprise invading his voice.

"Yes, brat!" Vamdemon growled. "How disrespectful you are tonight. I should kill him where he stands and let you suffer with your mutilated limb!"

The color drained from the slave boy's face as he clamored to regain his composure. "I-I'm sorry, my Lord! I didn't mean it like that! Please, forgive my rudeness!"

"Only because you are fun." Vamdemon said darkly, and turned. He addressed the doctor, "Fix him, human. Do it well and I might spare your life to make use of you with my other servants."

Picodevimon fluttered down from the entrance to the hidden lair and approached the group in the hall apprehensively. He had heard Vamdemon's angry voice, and was genuinely afraid of relaying the news he had to report to his master.

"Vamdemon-sama..." Picodevimon said reverently, "I'm here with the report..."

"Give it." Vamdemon said quickly, hoping to get it over with as quickly as possible.

"Y-yes master..." Picodevimon croaked. "Our allies positioned in a nearby district has reported that Garudamon has been sighted..."

"...what?" Vamdemon asked quietly, surprised himself. He knew the chosen ones were on Earth as well; Jyou's presence in his home had attested to that, but he didn't realize they were willing to fight and destroy locations on their own planet. Furthermore, if Garudamon, a perfect level, was seen, that must mean... "Which of my servants have fallen?"

Picodevimon drew in a breath and spoke, "Mammon, Raremon, and Gesomon have all been destroyed, master." He chuckled slightly, unable to restrain himself. "Really, the troops that Tailmon brought with her are all useless!"

"What's so funny?" Vamdemon growled, striking the bat digimon along the side with a flash of red lightning.

Picodevimon let out a screech and doubled over in pain. "N-nothing at all, Sir!"

"Have you found the eight child yet?"

"N-no, master, not yet, but we're raising our efforts and expanding our search parameters. We'll find him..."

"The children must have doubled their efforts..." Vamdemon said angrily. He cursed himself many times over for holding himself true to his promise to the doctor he had abducted. He should have killed the pathetic child of sincerity when he was cowering below him. "Hurry! We mustn't let them gain the upper hand."

"Yes, sir!"

"All of you!" Vamdemon said loudly, "Get above, now! Search into the early hours of the morning! I expect some form of success, or you will all pay the price."

"Yes, master!" His servants cried in unison, and frustrated, Vamdemon stalked to his quarters despite the night still being young.

His worry free attitude had melted away. The children were indeed searching for the eighth child and were willing to risk the soundness of their surroundings to do so. He would have to act more swiftly if he was going to find the human first.

Lowering himself into his coffin, he thought about ways to push forwards his plans. He slipped into an restless sleep as he plotted his next move.

That was longer than I thought it would be... Next chapter is longer it's already written :P and it is set to be released on Halloween!