When we got back to my apartment Jasper and Peter were waiting for us outside to take the furniture in. "Hazel! Jake! Your furniture is here, what do you want where?" Peter asked loudly as I unlocked the apartment door. He looked at me with a smile on his face, "Don't worry Kitten, I'll make sure that we get everything where they belong so that you can focus on putting away what you bought today and relaxing."
I looked at him with a slight smile on my face; it was sweet of him to say that out loud, but I knew better than to try to help anyway. There was no way that I could help move the furniture that wouldn't slow them down and vampires always got mad when you tried to do the opposite of what they said anyway, and since classes start tomorrow I don't want to risk anything. "Thanks, Peter and Jasper. I'm going to go make myself some dinner first though, I'm starving", with that sentence I realized that I hadn't eaten since breakfast seven hours ago, more time had passed than I thought while we were shopping. I need to be more careful with that so that I can always be strong enough to protect myself if necessary.
After I finished cooking I sat on the couch to eat, Hazel and Jake had been fed by Peter so I luckily didn't need to worry about that and could focus on myself for now. "So, Kitten, have you decided on your major yet, or are you entering college undecided?" Peter asked as he sat next to me. I'm surprised he knows how college majors work, but then again he is friends with a vampire family who repeats high school for fun, maybe they do college too.
"I'm majoring in business and pre-veterinary medicine so I can get a Ph.D. in veterinary medicine and open a vet clinic," I told him between bites of food. "There are too many pet owners who have nowhere to turn when it comes to what is wrong with their animals because vets aren't able to get an easy full picture like doctors can, so I want to provide that for cases that others can't figure out."
"That's amazing, that you're willing to use your gift to help others. I wish that I could do that." He looked down longingly for a little bit before looking back up with a smile, "You know, I volunteer at a vet clinic back in texas, mainly with animal transport, but I still know a thing or two about livestock medicine if you need any help with classes."
How can it be that he just so happens to volunteer at a vet clinic? It feels too coincidental that Peter, Alice, and Jasper all found me here without knowing it was me they were looking for and that Peter volunteers at a vet clinic. He has to be onto something, maybe I'll ask Hazel and Jake to help me figure out what he's up to so that Alice and Jasper don't catch me snooping. I don't want them getting hurt if they aren't a part of his plan, and I don't want them telling him I know if they are a part of it. "I'll keep that in mind Pete, thank you. How long have you volunteered at the clinic, I'm sure it can't be easy hiding that you're a vampire in that setting for long." I asked.
"It's been just about a year now come to think of it. It requires a lot of work on my part, but it's not unusual for vets and volunteers in Texas to wear jeans, long sleeves, boots, and cowboy hats as their usual attire. Add in sunglasses, medical gloves, and the occasional pair of colored contacts and I can avoid the sun and the awkward questions about my eyes and cold hands. Plus, if I decide to do it longer Alice taught me how to age myself with makeup so that no questions about my age arise."
"Wow, I can't imagine having to go through all of that effort just to volunteer somewhere, especially with the risk involved. Aren't there other things you could do with your time that don't risk you exposing yourself so much?" I asked genuinely curious now, something still felt off but I didn't think I would be able to figure that out today and I needed to keep him friendly to me just in case he was planning anything, this way it would potentially postpone his plans or maybe even make him second guess them.
"Yea, I suppose there are other things I could do, but my gift told me to volunteer when the clinic was looking for volunteers, I see why now because now I can help you if you need it, whether it be now or when you open your own clinic. Why risk human help when you can take vampire help? That way you wouldn't have to explain anything to anyone about how you can figure out animals so well. That is if you even need help at that point."
This was getting to be too much for me right now. It was too much having told Alice earlier that I didn't plan to hire help when I am able to open my clinic and now here is Peter, offering help. I didn't see Alice on her phone at all though, so either she hid it well or he was telling the truth, and I don't know which one I'd rather have been true. "I appreciate the offer, I'll definitely think about it in eight to ten years when I finish my Ph.D. program, for now, though I should head to bed, I have the dreaded 8 AM class and don't want to be too tired for it. Can you lock the door on your way out?" He nodded with a strange look on his face before heading out, leaving me to my thoughts as I got ready for bed.
A/N: Hello all! First, thank you for the reviews, I read all of them and am glad you are enjoying the story so far. Second, I start a new job next month, finally a guaranteed full-time position, but that means less time to sit and write so my once-a-month updates might become even more accurate. I'll make sure to let y'all know if that needs to change, but I'll try my best to keep it at once a month.
