The Net: "The Need For Blood": Chapter 9
"What's going on?"
She stood up. "Don't ask." She gathered up the supplies and covered the mug. "Just don't ask." She walked past him, taking the paper bag from him. "Is this my lunch?"
"Um, yeah…." Walter dumbly stared after her as she left the store, got into her car, and drove away.
She arrived at Jacob's college dorm a few minutes later, to find him already waiting for her, holding the door ajar with his foot so it wouldn't lock him out.
"Boy am I glad to see you! You have no idea!" He let her inside. "Well, my roommate is gone for awhile so we have the room to ourselves."
"That's good because we need to talk."
"About what?" Jacob led her upstairs to the second floor, room 234.
"I'll tell you later."
When they were finally in his room with the door closed and locked and sitting on his bed eating and drinking their lunch she explained what had happened.
"So, he knows?" Jacob asked, when she'd finished.
"No. He doesn't. Well, not everything. I don't want to have to explain to him what he saw. Neither of us is going to tell him, not one word. OK?"
"Course. Wouldn't dream of it. I don't think I want to know what he'd do if he found out."
"Me too."
"So, what are we going to do for dinner tonight?"
"My place? Six pm ?"
"I'm there."
"Yeah, I know you are."
✠
Having no classes, Jacob spent the next day at CIC with Angela. And after spending the whole morning in the back room doing nothing but watching her work, he suddenly walked back out into the music store, without a single word. Angela got up and went to the doorway.
"Jacob?"
He only looked at her sadly and retreated to the other side of the room. Walter, who'd been standing behind the counter, watched them.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Angela nodded in Jacob's direction. "His nerves are acting up. I'll have to get his medication."
"What? I didn't know about this!"
"Of course, do you think we'd tell the whole world about it?"
"Well…..I…."
"Jacob, I just remembered that I don't have it with me so you'll have to come with me."
He madly shook his head just as the phone began to ring. "I can't do it!" he choked out.
Walter answered the phone and a few seconds later he hung up. "I've gotta go! Someone's got a lead on that virus creator guy we've been looking for. I'll be back soon. Don't need backup!" And with that, Walter was gone.
"Angel, please don't tell me you don't have…."
"I do. Don't worry, it's in my car."
Quickly she ran out to the car and came back with the supplies. She went into the back room and stayed there for several long minutes. When she finally came out, she held a cup in her hand, which she set down on the counter. She went back into the other room as Jacob took the cup and gulped its contents down. He followed her.
"Thanks Angel. You don't know how much better I feel."
"Yeah, can you tell me what happened?"
"It was my sense of smell acting up again and I had deep hunger pains all of a sudden. The only thing I could smell was your blood. I just….I had to get away before I did something to hurt you."
"OK…….I think I get it."
"It's been happening to me. It seems to grow worse every time."
"So, am I to believe that when you suddenly get up and leave the room……that means you're……..you're….."
"Yes, that means I'm hungry."
Angela sat down at her desk. "I guess I can handle that."
"Angel, you shouldn't have to handle this." Jacob set the cup down on her desk, licked spotlessly clean. He walked around the desk to her side and gave her a hug. "This shouldn't be happening. You shouldn't have to go through this."
"Jacob, there's nothing we can do."
"Actually, there might be something."
"What?"
"I can't tell you, and ruin the surprise. But I'll let you know if it works." He headed for the door.
"Jacob, wait!"
He turned back.
"Will I see you for dinner then?"
He hesitated only slightly before saying he would. He then left, with that same sadness in his eyes that had been there since Sean had turned him into a vampire, only now, it seemed to be deeper than ever possible. Angela missed the tear escape his eyes and roll down his cheek, as he walked away.
✠
Angela waited impatiently as the phone rang later on that night, until someone finally picked up. "Hello?"
"Hi, Walter, have you seen Jacob anywhere recently?"
"No, why would I have seen him? What's wrong Angela?"
"I haven't seen him since he left CIC at lunch time."
"Yeah, so what's wrong with that? He's a college student, what do you expect? He's probably just out partying with his friends."
"No! Jacob wouldn't do that. He's not into partying. Look, we were supposed to have dinner together and he never showed up. I called his dorm room and his roommate said he never came home after he left in the morning. It's now after eleven pm ! I'm worried about him! This isn't like him at all! Something's wrong!"
"Angela, calm down. I'm sure nothing's wrong. He's in college. I'm sure he can take care of himself. Why don't you just go to bed and I'm sure he'll show up in the morning."
"You'd better be right!" Angela hung up with her boss, and did as he'd instructed, though her heart told her something was terribly wrong.
Something's just not right! I know it. Something's wrong but I don't know what to do!
✠
The next morning, while she drank a single cup of coffee for breakfast, the doorbell rang. She jumped from her chair, spilling coffee all over her bathrobe. She ran to the door and flung it open, expecting to see Jacob standing before her.
"Hi, ma'am, I just need you to sign for this package." It was a UPS delivery man in his brown uniform.
"What? What package? I didn't send for anything."
"Your name is Angela Bennett, right?"
"Yes, that's me."
"Well, it says to Angela Bennett, right here. Can you sign here please?" he handed her an electronic clip board and she signed her name.
"Who's it from?"
"I don't know," he said, handing her the small box before going back to his truck.
Angela went back inside her apartment. Quickly, she grabbed a knife and opened the box. Inside, she found a note and underneath that she found crumpled paper surrounding and cushioning a smaller box. She unfolded the note and read:
Dear Angel,
This is just something I wanted you to have. Take care of it for me, please. Whatever you do, Angel, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I just need sometime alone for awhile. Don't worry, I'll see you later….
Love, Jacob
