Blood Ties
Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel Comics, New Line Cinema or Blade the Series. However all original characters are mine.
Summary: At the behest of some of the readers I have written a sequel to my story "Bloodline". This takes place a few weeks after the events in the first story.
Marcus Van Sciver has made good on his promise to accompany his wife, Krista to the Aids ravaged country of Botswana in the heart of the Africa.
As Marcus lies ill, his wife Krista is desperate for answers from Dr. Darkoh. However the "good" doctor's prognosis reveals more than Krista bargained for, much more.
These two ladies will be anything but nice to each other. Cat-fight anyone?
Meow!
Chapter Five
Krista has kept a constant vigil at her husband's side, anxiously waiting for the moment when he regains consciousness.
It's been nearly 48 hours since Marcus succumbed to the mysterious ailment that has placed him in a comatose state. Dr. Darkoh and her staff have been caring for him diligently but there has been very little change in his condition and much to Krista's bitter disappointment, still no answers.
And despite Bessie's insistence that she go back to her room to rest, Krista Van Sciver has vowed to stay at Marcus' bedside no matter what.
Sitting in an uncomfortable metal folding chair, Krista starts to doze off in spite of her best efforts to stay awake. However she is alert again when suddenly she feels a warm hand on her shoulder. Slightly startled, she looks up to find Bessie's friendly face smiling down at her. But behind that cheery expression, Krista's weary eyes also detect motherly concern.
"How's he doin', child?" Bessie asked sympathetically as she casts her gaze towards Marcus' seemingly lifeless form.
Krista sighs tiredly. "It's more of the same, Bess. I just wish I knew what was going on!"
"I'm sure that Dr. Darkoh is doin' all she can for Marcus. But if you don't get some sleep, you're gonna end up in a hospital bed right along side him! Go on girl, get some rest. I'll stay and if he even moves a finger I'll come get you right away!"
Her heart tells to her remain, but Krista's knows that she truly is exhausted, feeling the ache and fatigue all the way to her bones.
Patting Bessie's hand in a gesture of appreciation, she rises from her chair to allow Bessie to sit.
"Thanks. But if anything should happen…"
"Stop worryin', I'll call you the very second it does! Now, shoo!"
Krista smiles at the woman that in many ways has become like a second mother to her. Not that she'll ever take the place of her own late mother, Lisa, but Bessie comes pretty damn close.
As she turns to leave the hospital room, Krista comes face to face with Dr. Darkoh. Their meeting in the hallway is so abrupt, that the women almost run into each other.
"Sorry, doctor. I didn't see you there."
The physician shrugs off the apology then addresses Krista with her distinctive aloofness. "Ah, Mrs. Van Sciver, I was just coming to see you."
Anxiously Krista's eyes search for a hint of good tidings in the doctor's stoic expression. "Well, is there any information on what's happened to my husband?"
"Yes. But I'm afraid the news is not good."
Upon hearing Dr. Darkoh's words, Krista is immediately panic stricken. "Oh God, what's wrong with Marcus? Please tell me doctor, I have to know."
Without an ounce of sympathy, the doctor reveals her prognosis on Marcus' condition. "It's the serum, Mrs. Van Sciver. Your husband has had an adverse reaction to its properties. Simply put, he has gone into an acute state of vampiric anaphylactic shock."
Krista is dumbfounded, but due to her early medical training in the US Army she is not ignorant to the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction.
"Forgive me, doctor. But if that were that case, wouldn't have Marcus' symptoms manifested themselves long before we arrived here? After all, he was inoculated weeks prior to leaving the States."
Raising an eyebrow the doctor responds carefully. She knows now that she is not dealing with a misinformed lay person. "That is true, Mrs. Van Sciver, but only if your husband were human. Allergies in hominus nocturni occur quite differently, especially for a vampire such as Marcus. Due to your kind's unique metabolism and physiological make up reactions to things such as sunlight, garlic and silver are immediate and deadly.
However other causes of anaphylactic shock in some vampires maybe slow to exhibit themselves. Ingestion or inoculation of synthetic plasma or other artificially engineered blood products can seem harmless at first. But continued use could weaken a vampire's immune system over time. In your husband's case the degradation of his immunological system although gradual, had begun. Luckily I was able to stabilize his condition just in time."
Crossing her arms across her chest, Krista is quickly losing her patience. "So what happens now? What are going to do to counter act the affects?"
"Why, Mrs. Van Sciver the answer is simple. He must not be immunized again. To put it bluntly, due to Mr. Van Sciver's considerable age he has consumed far too much blood for the serum to have a positive affect on him."
"So what are trying to say, Dr. Darkoh?"
"What I'm trying to say Mrs. Van Sciver is that another dose of the serum will kill him."
Krista is floored. "Will he recover?"
With a wry little smile the doctor replies. "Oh yes, but he will need to consume fresh blood to do so."
"Fresh blood?" Krista repeats.
"In order for your husband to regain his health, he will need to drink the blood from a recent kill." Dr. Darkoh smiles widely, revealing two rows of pearly white teeth.
"But that would mean…"
"He needs to hunt, stalk his prey out in the open like the predator that he truly is. However, that is something that I cannot allow. For the sake of this facility and the patients under my care, as soon as he is able to travel, Mr. Van Sciver must leave."
At this point Krista is livid. How dare this bureaucratic healthcare provider dictate to her?
"This is my husband you're talking about! He is not an animal and I will not endanger him by putting him on the next plane out of here!"
Dr. Darkoh's calm veneer begins to show cracks as the anger that has been seething underneath starts to bubble to the surface.
"Now you listen to me! I am the administrator of this hospital! And it is my job to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone that dwells here! It is you and your husband that are endangering the lives of everyone human in this facility!
And don't think for one moment that I've forgotten what you two really are! I've tolerated your presence because I believed that there was no imminent threat to the patients. But now it seems that the only thing keeping you from ripping out everyone's throats has just been deemed a failure! How long will it be before the serum no longer keeps you at bay, Mrs. Van Sciver? It may be only a matter of time before I find you in the nursery draining the infants dry instead of cradling them!"
Instinct and rage take over and before anyone can stop her, Krista lunges towards the snide doctor. Swiftly grabbing her by the throat, she slams the other woman against the wall, and then proceeds to roughly push the doctor up against the drywall partition.
Krista's sharp teeth are now gnashing together as she snarls at the woman struggling in her grasp. Dr. Darkoh's twisted hands attempt to pry Krista's fingers away from her neck, but it's no use she is much too strong. The frightened physician can now see that the irises of Krista's eyes are blood-red and burning brightly with hate.
"You're right doctor…I may lose control and decide to make a meal out of you right here, right now!"
"Krista, don't!"
The sound of Bessie's anxious voice causes Krista to whip her head around. The second her eyes take in the frightened expression on headmistress' face, Krista is filled with shame and remorse.
"Bessie..." Krista stops short when she notices that her actions have drawn a small crowd comprised of some of the other staff members. Everyone, from orderlies to nurses, can't help but stare at the dreadful spectacle before them with wide-eyed terror.
Mortified by her own reprehensible behavior, Krista slowly lowers Dr. Darkoh back to terra firma.
Then as she turns back around to address the people that she has worked so closely with for so many years, a young wild-eyed nurse's aide points accusingly at Krista with a shaky finger.
In a low foreboding tone she utters a single ominous word. "Owenga!"
Another nurse upon hearing the damning declaration hastily makes the sign of the cross in an attempt to ward off any evil.
Then the young woman says it again, only this time it's a piercing blood curdling shriek. "Owenga! She is owenga!"
Almost simultaneously the group takes a few steps back, clearly distancing themselves from Krista.
It has been made very apparent to Krista that she has now exposed her true self to the colleagues have befriended and trusted her. How could she explain this situation away? Only a handful of people were given exclusive knowledge of Krista's and Marcus' "uniqueness".
And now because of her carelessness, she may have put all of her friends in mortal danger. Now that they all knew her secret, she was almost certain that the House of Chthon would order their immediate extermination. The risk of unwanted publicity was too great and something that could not be ignored. Krista, however will do everything in her power to prevent that from happening.
"You see, Mrs. Van Sciver? They are all afraid of you, as they should be!" Dr. Darkoh's words are dripping with venom as she gloats over her supposed triumph over Krista. She is now slowly circling around her, stalking her as a predator would shadow their intended quarry.
Krista knows that she is going in for the kill, she can feel it. Not wanting to take her eyes of Dr. Darkoh for even a moment, she follows her every move.
"The owenga are the harbingers of death in my country, Mrs. Van Sciver." The cunning Sheila Darkoh takes great pleasure of informing Krista of that fact.
But she doesn't stop there. There is much more she wishes to reveal and she does so with hateful fervor. "They are known to be the takers of blood, the murderers of children! I saw first hand what creatures like you did to the people of my village. How they would gorge themselves on the blood of the living, leaving nothing but devastation in their wake!
But the shaman put a stop to your kind! He told the men what to do. One by one, the owenga were hunted down. They were dragged out kicking and screaming from their decaying stinking lairs only to be exposed to light of day! And I remember how I rejoiced as I watched their bodies' burn to a crisp. The owenga were reduced to nothing but smoldering cinder, as you one day will be!"
Krista is visibly shaken by Dr. Darkoh's admission. Her blatant hatred towards her and her kind has finally been unmasked, and that makes this woman a dangerous enemy. And there is no telling to what lengths she will go to destroy the Van Sciver's.
As for Bessie, she is completely incensed by the chief of staff's cruelty towards Krista, and immediately comes to her defense.
With the fierce protectiveness of a lioness she places herself in front of Krista, shielding her from another verbal onslaught from Dr. Darkoh.
"That's quite enough out of you, Shelia! I'm not goin' stand here and let you talk to Krista that way! If you're lookin' for a fight, then look no further!"
With a defiant sneer the doctor only scoffs. "Typical. Coming to the defense of your mistress like a good little pet, isn't that right familiar? You are nothing but a traitor to your own species!"
Krista, empowered by Bessie's show of loyalty, quickly regains her composure. She cannot allow this tyrannical medical professional continue to spew her diatribe of hate. And the time has come to make an example of her.
Straightening her spine, Krista Van Sciver stands at her full height as her penetrating eyes bore into Dr. Darkoh's. "You know what, doctor? I've heard just about enough your bigoted bullshit! You're fired! You have one hour to clean out your desk and gather your personal belongings. Security will then collect your badge and escort you out of the building!"
Sheila Darkoh finds herself in a state of shock over her sudden dismissal and for the briefest of moments is rendered speechless. But soon enough, she finds her voice again.
"What?! This is preposterous! You can't fire me! I am the one of the world's leading AIDS researchers. Do you have any idea how many years I have invested in trying to find a blasted cure? Of course not! You were always too busy playing Mary Poppins with those brats to even care! You need me!"
With a wry little smile Krista retorts, "I think we'll manage just fine! This hospital was established by the House of Chthon before you were even born and it will still be standing here long after your bones have turned to dust! You've been left to own devices for far too long Dr. Darkoh. And I blame myself for being so lenient with you, for allowing you to think that you were somehow in charge. But most importantly, you seem to have forgotten the cardinal rule. Never bite the hand that feeds you! Now get the fuck out of my sight you ungrateful bitch, while you're still able to!"
Bessie, meanwhile, places her hands on her rounded hips and sticks out her chest in a haughty manner. "That's right, keep it movin'! And don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!"
She then saunters over to the telephone hanging on the wall, picks up the receiver and places it to her ear. Within a matter of seconds she contacts the security room. And soon enough two burly looking guards materialize as if out of thin air. Quickly, they flank the former chief of staff informing her that they are ready to accompany her wherever she needs to go.
Krista addresses the security guards with all of the authority befitting the wife of Chthon's supreme leader. "Escort her to her office and make sure that she takes nothing but her personal affects, is that clear?"
Both men answer their mistress in unison. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good. And she is to go nowhere near the lab! All of her research files, notes and any other material relating to the AIDS mutation are now the exclusive property of Van Sciver Enterprises as per her employment agreement."
The guards silently acknowledge Krista's instructions before escorting the humiliated Dr. Darkoh down the corridor that leads to her office. As she is being led away, she twists her head around to look directly at Krista.
Her dark eyes glitter menacingly as she addresses her former employer. "You'll be sorry, just you wait and see! This isn't over by a long shot. I have powerful friends in the government and I will not rest until they shut the doors of this facility then take it down brick by brick. I only hope that I live long enough to see the day when you and your blood sucking husband are finally put to death for your crimes against humanity! And that day is coming, Mrs. Van Sciver. Make no mistake about it; your day of reckoning is at hand!"
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Your day of reckoning is at hand!
Shelia Darkoh's last words echo repeatedly in Krista's mind, like an odious curse. Its sole intent is to shake the foundations of the Van Sciver's sheltered and well guarded environment. Krista feels so miserable right now, that it appears the doctor succeeded in rattling her cage.
"Bah, don't listen to her, Krista! This place practically ran itself before she darkened our doorstep. We'll be fine, child. You'll see!"
Krista frowns. She knows that Bessie is right. There are a slew of other renowned physicians clamoring to fill the position left behind by Shelia Darkoh. Replacing her would be the easy part. But now Krista Van Sciver faces the daunting task of undoing the damage wrought by that hateful woman. Reassuring her staff that they have nothing to fear from her or Marcus will be difficult but it has to be done nonetheless.
Taking in a deep breath Krista turns to face her staff. The uncertainty and fear reflected in their eyes mirrors her own. Hesitation causes her to falter a bit, but when she feels Bessie take her hand, it is all the encouragement she needs.
"I won't insult your intelligence by pretending that what you witnessed didn't actually happen. But I want you all to know that I am not this raving bloodthirsty owenga that Dr. Darkoh spoke of. I would not harm any of you and neither will my husband. You have my word."
One of the male orderlies speaks up, an older man named James. "You forgive me, Miss, but I don't think I can work here any longer. With you around, it's not safe."
James' words pain Krista, but she can hardly blame him.
"If any of you feel the same way, then you are free to go. I will not stop you. I know that a few of you have not been with us long and I understand your decision. But as for the rest, I can honestly say that I consider you to be my dearest friends."
The young woman that had accused Krista as one of the owenga now scoffs at her claims of friendship. "Creatures such as you have no friends, only victims!"
Krista can feel the sickly sensation of bile rising in her throat as some of what the nurses' aide has said resonates within her. How many lives had she taken over the years, how much blood had she split? True, with few exceptions, it had never been the blood of innocents, but she had killed nonetheless.
Closing her eyes she can't help but see the endless faces of those have died by her hand. They had all been criminals of the most depraved order. Murders, sadistic rapists, wife-beaters all brought to justice for their crimes. And each had met their end swiftly when her razor sharp fangs punctured their flesh and she partook of their blood.
But what made her any better than them? Did killing in the name of justice change what she is? Is taking the life of a heinous criminal redeem her somehow, make her less of threat?
An eye for and an eye.
A tooth for a tooth.
A life for a life.
Blood for blood.
This is what Krista tells herself each and every time a despicable excuse for human being is brought before her for execution. It is her justicifcation to do what must be done.
But does it make it right? And does it matter to the fearful people standing before her?
And now as she looks upon the anxious faces of her employees, the answer to her questions suddenly comes to her.
"Look, I'm not going to stand here and deny what I am. But can any of you deny what we've shared and built together over the years? Some of you have been here long enough know what our struggles have been to find a cure and wipe AIDS off the map! We've shared much more than just a working relationship, haven't we?"
The corners of Krista's mouth curl slightly when she notices that two or three of the older employees have nodded in agreement.
Somehow she is given the confidence to go on. "I've been here through it all from the moment we broke ground here almost 89 years ago. And as the decades passed I've cried tears of joy with the ones that came before you. Watched as the little ones that survived grew up to be earnest young men and women. And I also consoled you, offered my comfort when needed. I held your hands in mine as we stood side by side weeping over the many graves of the children we buried. Together, we have made this facility what it is today, by offering hope and a safe haven to those that need it the most. Don't allow your fear and ignorance destroy what we've all worked so hard for."
Slowly, doubt and apprehension start to dissipate as Krista's impassioned words resonate with a few members of the staff.
Bessie chooses this moment to say something on her behalf. "Listen to me, this is Krista. C'mon, you all know her! You've seen her with the children! Can any of you honestly say that she'd hurt them or you for that matter? Search your hearts! You know what I'm tellin' you is the gospel truth!"
Krista gazes hopefully at the small crowd, searching for a glimmer of hope.
Then finally James tentatively steps forward. "Miss Krista, I have to ask one thing: what guarantee do we have that you won't hurt us?"
Sighing, Krista demonstrates hesitation at revealing the secret of the serum. She had always counted on the synthetic elixir to curb her appetite for blood. But now after hearing Dr. Darkoh's findings, she is no longer sure of its effects.
And what about her husband, Marcus? If the staff finds out about his negative reaction and the treatment needed to restore him to health, panic would spread throughout the hospital like wildfire. No, Krista decides that she can't reveal the truth. Not just yet, not until Marcus was well enough to leave.
"There is a serum available to our kind that suppresses our thirst. Humans have nothing to fear from us while we are under its influence."
The nurse's aide is not convinced. "I don't care what you say! I'm leaving!"
As turns to go she twists her head to address her co-workers over her shoulder. "And if any of you knows what's good for you, you'll do the same!"
Sadly, Krista watches two more nurses silently break away from the rest of group to follow their colleague. The remaining three employees, however stay where they are.
Then to her pleasant surprise, a tall reed of a man moves toward her. Krista instantly recognizes him as Dr. Darkoh's very competent lab assistant, Dr. Oscar Mutabo.
"Mrs. Van Sciver." His voice is deep, reminding Krista of rolling thunder. "I cannot speak for my colleagues, but I will stay. There is still much to be done and I want to help you. After all, I am a man of science. I will not allow superstitious nonsense scare me off."
Tears of gratitude start to roll down Krista's cheeks. "Thank you Dr. Mutabo. Thank you so much!"
"I will also stay, Miss Krista." James the orderly firmly reassures her.
Lastly, the head nurse for the triage unit, a petite woman named Ashanti vows to not only remain but to do everything she can to help.
Overcome with emotion, she smiles through her tears.
After a few more moments Krista thanks her staff once more before she tries to go back to her room. She wants nothing more right now than a very hot shower and a soft bed to rest her weary bones. But as she turns to leave, quite unexpectedly, Krista starts to feel very lightheaded. Then a wave of nausea washes over. As she swoons, her knees buckle as if her legs can no longer support the weight of her body.
Krista panics as she feels herself slipping towards the floor. Involuntarily, her hand clamps down onto Bessie's shoulder in an attempt to hold herself up.
Bessie, in turn instinctively reacts by wrapping a strong arm around Krista's waist, preventing her from sliding down to the floor beneath her.
"Krista what's wrong?" Bessie asks anxiously. But Krista is unable to answer her. Frantically, she tries to work her mouth, but the words won't come. Krista is filled with dread as her worse fears come true.
Her thoughts, like the winds a violent tempest, whirl around in her mind.
Oh god, has the serum stopped working? This can't be happening, not now!
She can hear Bessie desperately call to Dr. Mutabo. "Please help her!"
Both Dr. Mutabo and James swiftly step forth to take a hold of her as Ashanti goes to look for a wheelchair. Within seconds the head nurse returns with the chair. Krista feels herself being hastily seated in it. And she being wheeled down the corridor towards the emergency room, Krista feels the weight of Bessie's hand in hers.
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Krista's eyelids suddenly fly open after experiencing a fitful slumber plagued by harrowing nightmares that she cares not to remember. Her dreams were disturbingly hunting and almost vividly real.
She recalls flashing images of children playing in a courtyard all dressed white. Their happy chatter and laughter still resonate in her ears.
Oddly, in her dream the sun had been shining but it had not blistered her skin. Krista often dreams of sunlit days. It's her subconscious longing for something that can never be again.
Distinctly, she now remembers seeing her husband, Marcus in her dream. He had stood at a distance. Silently he had watched the children play various games of tag, and hide-and-go-seek. Her memories tell her that she had waved at Marcus. But instead of acknowledging her, he continued to ogle the children with a disquieting intensity.
Why had he been staring like that? Then it dawns on her. Krista suddenly remembers looking into the frosty blue of his eyes. And that's when she had felt it, the unsettling chill that crawled down her spine.
What lied in that concentrated gaze had been unmistakable. There, in her beloved's eyes was a raw, primal hunger. There was no question that Marcus' bloodlust had been provoked judging from the predatory expression on his face.
Marcus, no!
She broke out into a sprint, running as fast she could towards the children in an attempt to save them from the inevitable onslaught. But as she pumped her legs, the sun was unexpectedly blotted out of the sky by dark ominous clouds. Great torrents of sheeting rain had begun to pelt the arid earth below, quickly transforming it into a huge mud pit.
Krista had struggled to get to the defenseless children, but she was prevented from doing so when she felt something touch her leg. Quickly she looked down and to her horror she saw that a series of hands had shot up from the muddy ground. As she screamed cold boney fingers had begun to tug at her. Savagely the disembodied digits had grabbed her legs and ankles. And as Krista thrashed about to get free, she felt herself being pulled deeper and deeper into the black gooey muck.
Sadly the last thing she had seen before waking up was the frightening vision of her husband viciously picking off the children, one by one. He had taken great pleasure in greedily drinking their blood as he slurped and smacked his lips. And when he drained his last victim Marcus suddenly lifted his head and smiled hideously at her.
The memory of the ghoulish grin, with its exposed fangs, and blood tinged mouth makes Krista shudder, even now. She knows it was just a dream, but it seemed so real.
As Krista's eyes acclimate themselves to the real world, she finds herself in strange surroundings. She is not in her room as expected but on a hospital bed. And suddenly it call comes back to her:
The fainting spell, holding Bessie's hand as she was being rushed to emergency, and the terrible fear that the serum had failed to do its job eating away at her.
Abruptly, her dark contemplations are interrupted by the sound of the bed curtain being drawn back by Dr. Mutabo.
He greets her warmly. "Ah, Mrs. Van Sciver, I see that you are awake. I hope you were able to get some rest."
"Barely," she mutters under her breath.
"Oh well that's too bad. But I highly recommend that you get plenty of rest from now on. A woman in your condition is going to need it."
Oh no, here it comes! I knew it! There's something wrong with me! I need to get out of here before I kill someone!
Being an astute student of body language, Dr. Mutabo notices that his patient is tense from worry.
Gently he rests his hand on hers and says reassuringly, "Mrs. Van Sciver, you seem anxious. But there is really no need. I took the liberty to speak with the other doctors that are familiar with vampire physiology.
They were most helpful and assisted me to run some tests. You'll be glad to know that by vampire standards, you are perfectly healthy. Your blood work also came back and it shows that your hemoglobin count is low. But that's to be expected since you are not ingesting blood as a result of the serum."
"The serum?" Krista parrots with disbelief. "You mean its working?"
Dr. Mutabo doesn't understand the question. "Why of course it's working. Why would you think otherwise?"
Krista lies. "Oh, it's nothing." Silently she offers up a prayer of thanks that her bloodlust is still under control.
Then she asks, "Dr. Mutabo, what happened to me earlier? Why did I have that dizzy spell?"
Smiling broadly he happily answers her. "That is a perfectly normal occurrence with expectant mothers."
"Oh my God,does that mean…?"
"Yes, Mrs. Van Sciver, congratulations! You are pregnant!"
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End Chapter Five