Danny rushed forward and managed to catch Taylor before she hit the ground. Her body lay limp in his arms as blood ran from the open wounds on her face and body.
"Taylor!" he shouted as he held onto her. "Taylor! C'mon kiddo, open your eyes!"
Moaning faintly, Taylor shifted slightly in his arms, just about forcing her eyes open for a moment before shutting them again.
Not Taylor! Please! Not Taylor! The thought circled endlessly in his mind even as he picked her up and carried her into the living room. Putting her down on the sofa, he ran down the stairs to the basement so fast he nearly fell.
Throwing boxes aside, he tore through his old possessions. He knew it was there. It had to be! Tearing the final box open, he pulled out a small, white-painted, wooden box. The small first aid kit in the kitchen wouldn't be enough. Taylor needed something more powerful.
Succubi had a healing factor. Left alone, any one of the wounds on Taylor's body would heal without a mark. But there were too many and the healing wasn't fast; there was every chance Taylor would bleed out first.
Running back upstairs, he pulled it open and dug through the contents, his panic and fear rising as he did so. Most of the contents were useless; glass vials had congealed or their contents had evaporated. The magically treated bandages disintegrated in his fingers, their charge long dissipated and the fabric rotten.
Tipping the last of the contents out onto the floor, a small scrap of yellowing paper floated to the floor. Snatching it up, he stared at the runes.
It took him longer than it should have to realise it was a healing spell, written by Annette.
Taking a breath, he quickly ran back to the kitchen and grabbed the first aid kit. He did his best to wrap her arm and side, working quickly as the blood flow was slowing down and her breathing faint.
Grabbed the paper, he mentally braced himself. Channeling magic into the spell hurt. Pain lanced up his arm and into his head, a stabbing sensation filled his chest and he struggled to breathe as the spell started to work.
Slowly, too slowly, the wound on Taylor's face started to close, and her breaths became stronger.
All too soon, the pain became too much. His vision was starting to fade, and the colour was draining from the world. His heart felt like it was going to explode in his chest, and he was forced to cut the spell off before it could do more.
You stupid, stupid old man, he cursed, even as he struggled to stay awake. He'd bought Taylor time, but if he passed out now, she'd be dead before he woke up, if he ever woke up.
Still cursing himself, he staggered to his feet and stumbled into the kitchen so he could grab his keys. Moving as fast as he could, he made it to his truck and pulled the doors open.
That done, he half ran, half stumbled back into the house and and picked his daughter up, fear and desperation lending him strength.
Bundling her into the passenger seat of his truck, he stopped only briefly to be sick before climbing in and skidding the old vehicle off the drive and down the road. Hospitals were no good; they wouldn't be able to help her, and even if they could, the wrong people would find out about her.
You should have warned her, a traitorous voice whispered in the back of his mind, even as he jumped a set of lights.
Tires screeched as he cornered hard. He'd never been more thankful that the constant cutbacks in the police department meant there was less chance of him being seen.
The only magical healer he knew about was on the far side of the city and had retired years ago. That left only one other choice.
Skidding to a stop, he jumped out of the truck, ran to the passenger side and grabbed Taylor. There was a worrying moment when Taylor groaned from the rough treatment, but the instant his heart started beating again, he ran for the building.
He crashed shoulder first through the door, ignoring the flash of pain it caused and refusing to slow down. "I need help!" he called as he burst into reception, struggling to stay upright.
The young woman behind the desk didn't hesitate; even as she ran around the desk her hand was tapping the radio on her ear.
"I need you in reception, emergency, possible Case 53," she barked.
Stepping forwards, the tall woman picked Taylor out of Danny's hands with very little effort.
Numb to everything, Danny all but collapsed as his daughter was placed on a bed and wheeled out of sight.
A strong pair of arms wrapped around him and pulled him upright. "It'll be alright, just follow me, we need to ask you some questions," a woman said. She was dressed like a nurse.
Exhausted, running on fear, pain and adrenaline, Danny couldn't do more than nod and let her lead him in the direction they had taken Taylor.
##
(Taylor)
When I woke up, I felt better than I should have. I could still remember the feeling of that creature driving its claws into my side, but right now, all I felt was hungry and a little bit groggy.
I spent a few minutes just lying there with my eyes closed. I could hear talking and movement off in the distance, but I couldn't make out what people were saying. I didn't want to get up just yet so I settle for opening my eyes.
The ceiling above me was white, as were the walls. The smell of antiseptic and bleach lingered over everything. It was a downside to enhanced senses that most people either forgot or ignored. All those little background smells and sounds that everyone else took for granted were much harder for me to block out.
I could also hear someone breathing nearby.
There was also a lingering emotion hanging over everything, but I couldn't place it. Hope, maybe, with suffering and pain mixed in? Given everything that had happened, I guessed I was in a hospital, which would explain the smell.
Snuggling deeper in the blankets, I felt my tail brushing against the sheets. After my transformation, I'd found I could stay shape shifted while I slept, but I always woke up feeling tense, like I'd slept in an odd position. FYI, sleeping with horns? Not easy, especially if you don't want to keep waking up with pillows impaled on them.
Shit! With a start, I realised I was in my real appearance and possibly in a hospital!
Opening my eyes, I quickly sat up, stopping only when the room spun around me because I'd moved too fast.
Looking round, I found myself in a small room with light green walls, and the nearby window had been covered with a film that let light in, but made it impossible to see through. Aside from the bed, the only other furniture was a wheeled office chair and a padded armchair with Dad sleeping in it.
He looked like hell. His skin was pale, and even while sleeping, he had dark rings around his eyes. His clothes weren't much better. They were creased, like he'd been sleeping in them, and there were even blood stains in places.
Seeing him there reminded me of the look on his face before I'd passed out. I didn't even want to think about how much I must have scared him, coming home like that. How did I get home, anyway?
Still, if Dad was here, there wasn't much point in worrying about possibly outing myself as a cape or something.
Rearranging the pillows, I sat back and let my mind wander. There wasn't much else to do; there was a TV, but I couldn't see the remote anywhere, and I didn't want to wake Dad.
Closing my eyes, I reached out with my empathy. If this was a hospital, it was a really small one. I could only feel a handful of people nearby at best. There wasn't a lot of energy, but I tried to subtly draw on what I could.
Next to me, I could feel Dad's emotions darken, and something about it told me he was having a nightmare.
"D-" I coughed briefly, suddenly aware how dry my throat was. Clearing my throat, I tried again. "Dad? Hey, Dad?"
I tried not to be too loud, just in case anyone was sleeping in a different room, but it turned out I didn't need to worry. Almost as soon as I started talking, Dad woke with a start.
"Taylor?" he asked blearily before focusing on me. "Taylor! Oh thank god!"
I never got a chance to say anything; he rose out of the chair and wrapped me in a hug. I tried not to let myself get too choked up, but I let myself enjoy the contact for a bit before assuring him I was fine.
"Taylor, what happened?" he asked eventually.
"I…" I paused briefly, considering what to tell him. He had enough to deal with, and I didn't want to add to it, but if I lied now, wouldn't it just make matters worse?
Sighing, I told him everything. Going to the library, heading home, hearing a scream, the… thing that was attacking that woman, everything.
##
"Oh Taylor," Dad said softly, pinching his nose under his glasses, as I finished.
"I wasn't looking for trouble, I swear! But I had to do something, I couldn't just let it kill her!" I said quickly.
Dad gave a quiet, dark, little chuckle. "No, I suppose not… you're our daughter after all…"
While he lapsed into a thoughtful silence, I decided to try asking the questions that had niggled at me since I'd woken up.
"Dad, what was that thing? And where are we?"
Shrugging, Dad told hold of my hand and sat, looking thoughtful. "If I had to guess, I'd say that creature was a vampire. A young one too, by the sounds of it."
"A vampire?"
He laughed at my disbelieving look, "You're a succubus. Is it so hard to believe vampires are real? I promise you they are, but they're nothing like the things you see on TV. As for where we are… I couldn't take you to a hospital." He held up a hand to forestall my question. "I promise, I'll explain it later, but for now, know it would be a really bad idea for you to go to a hospital.
"There's no real magical healers in the city anymore, so that just left this place… We're at Panacea's clinic."
I felt the blood rush from my face. "Dad, you can't! Do you know how expensive she is?"
Panacea was a rogue, that is, a parahuman who used their powers to make a legal living. She'd started healing people a year or two ago, and eventually moved on to having her own practice.
Her services were fairly cheap for simple things, but the prices rose quickly. And the prices she charged for cosmetic alterations was incredible. I'd looked at her website once, when Emma's taunting about my looks had really gotten to me. Even just fixing my eyes — when I still needed glasses, anyway — would have cost a fortune.
Strictly speaking, she was actually cheaper than a hospital, but only a few health insurance companies would agree to cover parahuman healing, and almost none of them would pay out for cosmetic surgery performed by a cape.
"You let me worry about that," Dad said firmly, with a hint of finality in his voice.
Before any more could be said, there was a knock on the door, and a nurse came in. She was pushing a small trolley with a bowl of food and what looked like a large milkshake.
"Good morning Miss Hebert, I'm glad to see you're doing better," she said cheerfully, positioning the tray next to my bed. "I've got your breakfast here and Panacea should be by in a few minutes to give you a final checkup."
The smell of the food made my stomach growl, reminding me again just how hungry I was, and Dad moved out of the way so I could eat. The bowl was filled with porridge and had a large bowl of sugar for me to add, while the drink was just like a really thick milkshake and smelled strongly of vanilla. Thankfully, it smelled stronger than it tasted.
"What is this?" I asked in between sips.
"It's a nutrient drink we offer to anyone who needs a lot of healing," the nurse said. "Panacea can't create mass, so she uses body fat and often leaves people feeling extremely hungry. The food is just to help bring your weight back up quickly. I'd suggest eating slightly larger meals for a few days, but don't overdo it."
Nodding, I finished my drink. I'd been sitting here the entire time with my horns and wings visible, yet the nurse hadn't so much as blinked at my appearance. It felt odd. So far, Dad was the only one who'd really seen the real me. To anyone else, I was the tall, skinny, quiet girl at Winslow — who had finally started to fill out — or the tall, curvy girl at the mall that one weekend.
Once I was finished with my meal, the nurse handed me a large pair of sweatpants and a hoodie for me to wear and left, taking the tray with her.
Despite the meal and full stomach, I still felt hungry, but there was nothing I could do about that unless I could convince dad to stop by a mall or something. There just weren't enough people in the building.
While I got changed, Dad waited outside. At some point, I'd been dressed in a hospital gown, the slit at the back giving plenty of space for my tail. Between the tears and the blood, I supposed the clothes I'd been wearing were ruined. I'd been wearing one of my sports bras last night; it was probably beyond saving now, and the thought of buying another made me wince. Those things were expensive at my size.
The clothes the nurse had given me were simple, cheap gray affairs with stretchy waist bands and ankles on the pants. Unfortunately, they were a little short in the leg and arm and a bit snug in the chest, but were thick enough that I could make do for now.
Thankfully, my trainers had been spared and had been included with the clothes.
I was just debating whether I should shapeshift when there was a knock on the door.
"Excuse me? Miss Hebert, it's Panacea, are you dressed?"
I was about to say no and quickly change my form when I realised it was pointless. Panacea had healed me last night; that meant she already knew what I looked like, and transforming now would probably raise more questions that I didn't want to answer.
"Y-Yeah! I'm decent," I called back.
Opening the door, Panacea looked just like the images I'd seen online.
She was shorter than me with a costume that practically covered her entire body. It was a white hooded robe with a red trim and a healer's cross on the front. A red scarf wrapped around the lower half of her face, leaving her eyes visible and just enough of her cheeks that I could see freckles.
Stopping just inside the door, she glanced at me with a small wince. "Sorry, those are the largest clothes we had in stock. Unless you'd prefer a man's size?"
Tugging at the hem of the hoodie, I shook my head. "N-no, it's fine, I'll change when I get home anyway," I said nervously.
Nodding, Panacea walked over to the office chair and sat down. She waved at the empty armchair. "Take a seat, this won't take long."
Nodding and hoping not to make a fool of myself, I quickly sat down and held out my hand when prompted.
Holding my hand, Panacea hummed to herself. "Looks like you're fine. Did you know you've got a minor healing factor?"
"Y-yeah. It's not very fast though."
Unlike the nurse, Panacea kept glancing at my horns, wings and scales. She was giving off a mix of surprise, interest and even… attraction? At one point, I was willing to swear I caught her glancing at my bust.
Leaning back in her chair, Panacea stared through me. There was something familiar about her eyes, but I couldn't place it. The taste of her indecision danced on my tongue before she took a breath and stood up.
"One moment please." Walking back outside, I heard her asking dad if we could have a bit of privacy and sending him down the hall to get himself some coffee. That done, she came back into the room and closed the door.
"I just want to ask you some questions, if that's all right?"
"Umm, sure?" I said nervously, wondering where this was going.
"Would it be okay for me to ask… what you are?... my receptionist thought you were a Case 53, but your body is too uniform, too well constructed, for that. I'd almost think you were a changer, but you don't have a gemma, which means no powers."
Ah. I should have expected this. I'm not sure what she meant by uniform, but Case 53 did sound familiar, something about capes who got turned into monsters by their powers. When I'd considered being a hero, I'd thought about passing myself off as a parahuman, but if she already knew I didn't have powers, that wasn't going to work.
Picking up on my indecision, Panacea held up a hand. "I promise, whatever you say won't go any farther than this room. It won't be written down and I won't discuss it with anyone."
She was radiating nothing but honesty, friendly curiosity and a bit of embarrassment tinged with attraction. So at least I knew she meant what she was saying. Empathy for the win!
Eventually, I decided on honesty.
"Magic," I explained. "My Mom came from a parallel world with lots of magic. Apparently, they all look like this there." It wasn't the full truth, but close enough. I wasn't sure how she would react if I said I was a succubus.
"Really?" Panacea said, sitting forward. "I had a guy in here a few months ago who said he could use magic, but he was just high."
I rolled my eyes. "Do you have a pen and some paper?"
Taking them from her, I quickly scribbled out a simple light spell, charged it and set it off in the corner of the room.
Surprise flowed off Panacea. "Huh. I can honestly say I've never seen that. And trust me, I see a lot of strange things."
I didn't doubt it; I'd seen some of the threads on PHO.
Looking at me again, I felt her resolve harden. "Look, don't take this the wrong way… but I know you don't have much money."
I flushed in embarrassment and anger, and Panacea flinched.
"Sorry! I don't mean anything by it!" she said quickly. "How would you like to work for me?"
"W-what?"
Panacea sighed. "While I've never seen someone use magic, I have on occasion had to deal with people who have been affected by it and finding a magic user who's not in the Protectorate is hard. You don't have to make a decision now, but if you're willing to help me out, I can offer you decent pay for it."
I could taste her concern and embarrassment, but there was honesty there. The offer was genuine.
"I… I need to think about it," I said quietly.
"That's fine, like I said, you don't have to decide now. Talk it over with your dad."
With that, she stood up and led me out to reception, where Dad was filling out some paperwork.
I'd never considered being a healer before. The idea had merit; it was the heroic thing to do, it would let me help people and I was less likely to get attacked by a fucking vampire.
I was so caught up in my thoughts I didn't even notice what I was doing until Dad spoke up.
"You okay kiddo?" he said quietly, making me jump.
I'd somehow managed to walk outside, climb into his truck and put my belt on without even noticing.
"Y-yeah," I said, shaking the thoughts away. "Dad, is it possible to heal with magic?"
Instead of saying anything, Dad reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled up piece of paper with a spell on it.
"That's a minor healing spell your mother wrote," he said quietly. "It wasn't much use for me, but I don't see why you couldn't use it."
Taking it from him, my hands were trembling slightly. I still wanted to learn how to fight, but maybe I could do this as well?
The image of Emma wearing a 'naughty nurse' outfit popped into my head, making me blush.
Stupid hormones, I thought to myself as I tried to force the image away.
