Mind Warp
67
In Progress
Negaduck pulled the motorcycle up to the curb of the Careaway clinic and Jacob followed him inside.
The receptionist wore a baby blue outfit and hairband over her brown hair. "Hello, do you have an appointment?"
"Do I look like a guy that makes appointments?" Starling glared at the girl receptionist, "He's been given unscreened blood. Get this guy a doctor and don't make me ask twice."
"It... I'll call the doctor in. He has to get in. Please take a seat."
Jacob sat down. Negaduck sat down opposite him.
"You're so forceful, Negaduck," Jacob remarked, impressed, "How do you do that?"
"Eh." Negaduck shrugged, "Picture the guy you think you wanna be and go for it." He looked down to the table.
Jacob paused, feeling the spasm again. "A-at least it doesn't seem to be getting any worse at the moment."
Negaduck looked up at him, "What's the thing that's got you worried?"
"Every so often my heart's... something's not working right."
"Jacob Quackers?"
Jacob stood up and followed the dark furred doctor up the hall.
"I'm Doctor Kitrine." He gestured Jacob into the consultancy room.
Jacob saw the chair with straps and immediately felt ill. "Look, I've just been in a set of restraints. Are they really necessary?" He asked tensely.
"I need to take a small blood sample, that's all."
"I can sit quietly for that." Jacob responded.
"Very well."
Kitrine took the blood sample and went to the other side of the room with it.
Jacob sighed and looked back to the desk in front of him. "How long will it take to process?"
"I can tell you right now; you're definitely infected with vampirism."
"I-I'm a vampire?"
"You smell like a healthy duck. But your heart says different."
Jacob shuddered. "My heart's supposed to do this?" Jacob put his hand to his chest, "But it 'hurts'!"
Doctor Kitrine blinked, "Nobody's ever turned 'into' a living vampire before. Your best source of help is finding your sire." Kitrine answered, "He'll help you through the rest of your transformation process."
"B-but I've never even met him!" Jacob frowned with fear. "Wh-what'll happen if I can't get his help?"
Kitrine gazed at him. "You may die."
Jacob shuddered and hid his face in his hands.
Kitrine frowned, "I'm going to call in another doctor to help. Just give us a minute."
Jacob waited, a bundle of nerves.
The door opened. "Doctor Harron Bainsley." She introduced herself to Jacob, a blond woman in a dark blue blouse and skirt under her lab coat. Harron bent down to him, looking into his eyes. "You sneaky little devils. I know you're in there."
"I-is it possible I can get through this without my sire?" Jacob hesitated.
"Let me have a proper look at what your vespers are doing before I answer that." She turned the lights down to a red light, "Aha, now I see them."
Harron put her hand against his chest, "When were you infected, Jacob?"
"This morning."
"I don't know what your sire was doing last night but your vespers are completely drained of energy. They couldn't fight off a cold. Fortunately instead of killing you, they've clustered in your heart and are feeding on kinetic scraps."
"That's why I'm in pain?"
"I've never seen vespers act this benignly before." Harron put her hand on his shoulder. "I would still try to find your sire, but I wouldn't get too anxious. So long as you stay healthy and out of trouble, your condition should remain stable."
"Thank you, Doctor."
When Jacob stepped back into reception, he felt like he'd just had a war with life.
Negaduck took him back to his flat.
"Let me get you a coffee." Jacob insisted.
"Sure." Negaduck shrugged. "Thanks."
Jacob unlocked the door and stepped in. His three cats immediately swarmed around his feet. Cream long hair tabby, white socks and grey short hair tabby.
"Nice place, very... pet friendly." Negaduck remarked.
"Oh, I missed you too, kids." Jacob cooed down at them. It was the usual litter of cat toys on the rug and he went to the kitchen.
Jacob fed the cats while waiting for the jug. All in all, the situation wasn't disastrous since he'd only been gone a little over a day. The dry food was low, the water bowl was low and the plastic wrapper on the bread empty on the floor. "Well, at least you didn't go hungry, Brain..." He threw the plastic in the bin and finished making the coffee.
Jacob came out to the lounge where Negaduck was looking at his family photos and handed Negaduck a cup.
Jacob sat down on his old lounge. "It was very nice of you to help me out today. Thank you so much."
"You wouldn't think I'm being insincere, would you?" Negaduck asked.
Jacob chuckled, "No."
Negaduck took a seat on the nearby armchair and drank his coffee. "So what was the verdict? Vampire or not?"
Jacob lowered his gaze, "I'm stuck in a partial transformation. They say it's very rare." His cream long hair jumped up on his lap. "Hello, Mister Bananas."
Negaduck paused, "did he say the word 'revenant' at any time?"
"No, I saw two doctors and nobody ever said that word." Jacob petted his cat. He sighed, looking up at Negaduck, "But they both said I need to find my sire. Do you have any idea who that guy is?"
"Oh, there's a guy who ain't gonna be happy seein' you." He clenched his beak, "The minute he knows you're in the picture, he's gonna be fixing to take you clear out of it. You being a newbee... you won't even stand a chance."
Jacob frowned, "H-he's that terrible?"
"Oh, yeah." Negaduck eased, "Darkwing tortured a guy for nine hours straight. Fast on his feet, hits like a Mack truck and definitely a blood drinker. Doctor Bellum has the marks on her neck to prove it. He's made her his own personal playmate. And she did all that to you without batting an eyelid. That just gives you a hint on the level the guy works on."
Jacob shuddered and petted Bananas.
"Just saying." Negaduck shrugged, "You want to go find him, you want to go armed with more than a cutesy cat for company."
"Well, thank you for warning me." Jacob frowned, "Why, I might've walked straight into that otherwise."
Negaduck put his mug on the coffee table. "Don't mention it." He stood up, "I'll let you get a break. Thanks for the coffee." He stepped to the door and turned. "Is Andrew Quackers your dad?"
"Yes?"
"I worked with him once, a long while back. Nice guy..." Negaduck said in a sad tone, "We made a great team; back in the day." He left the flat.
"Super hero." Jacob snorted, feeling miserable, "how could I be so gullible?" He looked over as his grey tabby came and jumped up onto the armrest to nuzzle his beak. "Oh, Brain." Jacob patted him with his right hand, awkwardly shifting his coffee mug to his left. "Now I'm stuck somewhere between vampire and duck and a monster like that is turning people into playmates."
His black fur and white socked cat stopped and meowed at him from the kitchen door.
'Oi! I want a hug too!'
"Well, come on, then, Paddy," Jacob laughed.
Paddy jumped up to sit down beside Jacob on the chair and Jacob petted him.
"Oh, you guys, you always make me feel so much better."
