Chapter 2: The Nightshift
Elsa was at work sifting through drawers. She was currently looking for medicine for one of the patients on her floor. Elsa worked the nightshift at Burgess Hospital as a nurse. Not many people worked the nightshift which was perfect for Elsa. She didn't really like interacting with a lot of people. Sometimes she got a little thirsty and those people were sometimes tempting.
"What happened to you?" the voice of her friend Ginny came into her hearing range – for a vampire that was quite a distance. Elsa looked into the face of her friend. Ginny reminded Elsa a lot of her sister which mad her sad. She had the same hair colour and even sometimes did it up in the same way. Her energy was even the same. Ginny was a human. She didn't possess any supernatural abilities. Sometimes that made Elsa jealous. Ginny was also a nurse. She often worked the nightshift as it was easier than working the dayshift – in her opinion anyway.
"I had a fight with the cooking stove," Elsa said. "It won."
Ginny laughed. "Those burns look nasty. Do you want me or maybe a doctor to take a look at it?"
"Nah," Elsa said. "I've already fixed myself up. Should be good to go in a few days."
Elsa didn't dare to mention that she had regeneration that was super-fast and could heal anything. However burns from UV radiation took more time so the timeframe that Elsa gave Ginny may be accurate.
"Good," Ginny said. "So," Ginny leaned on the drawers that Elsa was looking through, "you seem worried about something. Boyfriend trouble?"
"I'm not worried," Elsa lied. Truth be told, she was worried. She was told that there was a group of werewolves running about and that she had to take care of it. Werewolves were not always easy to take care of. The less experienced ones were easy for her but there were some werewolves like that Bunnymund fellow that were tough. Elsa was confident in her skills but would they be enough?
"I don't buy it," Ginny said. "So boyfriend trouble?"
"I'm single," Elsa said. "So no boyfriend."
"Hmm," Ginny folded her arms and started to think, "if it's not boyfriend trouble, could it be something related to work?"
"Ginny, seriously there is nothing wrong."
Elsa soon found what she was looking for and headed off to one of the patient's room. One of her patients had been having spikes in their levels so the patient's doctor told Elsa to apply medication twice every hour. Elsa inserted the syringe into the IV and pushed. The medicine went in. Elsa discarded the syringe and headed out the door.
"He okay?" Ginny asked.
"Should be," Elsa smiled.
Elsa headed back to the nurse station where she took a seat behind it. She opened up the computer and started to type up things. Ginny took a seat next to Elsa and Elsa felt her stare on her.
"Could you stop," Elsa said. She rested her face on her fist while her elbow rested on the table.
"I'm trying to figure you out Elsa," Ginny said as she leaned back in her chair. "There is something about you. We've been friends for a while but I've never been able to figure you out."
"Maybe that is because there is nothing to figure out?" Elsa suggested. In fact there was a lot about her that Ginny didn't know – her being a vampire for starters.
"You're hiding something," Ginny said.
"Yeah I am," Elsa said. "I'm secretly a vampire who has been snacking on the patients. That's why I can only work the nightshift. The sunlight burns me. That's how I got these burns, not a cooking accident." Elsa tried to sound as sarcastic as possible.
Ginny roared with laughter. "Yeah right," she said through her tears of laughter. "You a vampire? Get out of here. The day I believe that is the day the world collapses."
"Thought you could use a joke," Elsa said. She was glad that she wasn't telling Ginny for real that she was a real vampire. That was one conversation she didn't want to have with her.
"Vampires do not exist," Ginny said. "They were used to explain serial killings. It's the same with werewolves. They just exist in stories. They're made up."
If only you knew, Elsa thought but she didn't say anything.
"Besides," Ginny said, "if you really were one, you would probably die of thirst. The lack of blood would have killed you."
"True," Elsa laughed too.
"Well if you were a vampire at least you don't sparkle. Vampires do not sparkle!"
"Tell me about it," Elsa said. Ginny was right – at least she didn't sparkle.
Elsa continued her shift as usual with nothing out of the ordinary happening. Everything went like clockwork. She went around dealing with her patients, one by one. The night went on and Elsa soon found herself busy folding sheets. Everything around her had been quiet. Elsa hated the quiet. It caused her to remember things – things to drift back into mind – and these were things that Elsa didn't want to remember. Elsa heard screaming coming into her brain. Elsa shut her eyes. The memory of an innocent girl came into it. Elsa slammed her fist against the wall. Tears streamed down her face. Go away, Elsa thought. She didn't want to remember. She wanted to forget.
"Elsa?" the voice of Ginny came out of nowhere. The memory of the girl screaming went away when Ginny spoke. Elsa turned around and saw Ginny looking at her. Elsa saw concern all over her face. "Are you okay?" Ginny asked.
"I'm fine," Elsa said. She forced herself to smile. "I thought you had gone home. Your shift ended twenty minutes ago."
"You look like you were crying," Ginny said. "Did something happen?"
Elsa was spared answering when her cell interrupted into noise. Both Ginny and Elsa jumped at the sudden noise. Elsa was glad that she didn't have to answer Ginny's question. Ginny was one of those people who could tell when someone's lying in situations just like this. Elsa looked at the caller ID. It was someone who she had to answer.
"Sorry," Elsa said.
"Elsa – wait," Ginny said.
"I'm fine," Elsa said. She walked away and answered her phone. "Yes?" she said.
"Ah my dear Elsa, how are you?" the man on the telephone was none other than Doctor Frasier, the Master of the convent that Elsa stayed at. Elsa owed everything she had to him. Elsa had first come into the states in 1912 when nothing was keeping her back in Norway. During 1917, Elsa met Doctor William Frasier. They were both working the medical front back in the States when World War One hit. Soon he offered her a place at the convent that he was the Master of when he discovered that she was just like him, a fellow vampire. He offered her a safe place to be, work in 1939, a friend in him and friends in the other vampires at the convent. Up until that point, Elsa had been a bit of a drifter; just going from place to place – never really fitting in. Because of her vampirism, she felt like she didn't belong anywhere. Doctor Frasier changed all that. He offered her a home. Elsa could never repay him for his kindness.
"I'm doing okay," Elsa lied. She never was okay. She stopped being okay the minute she became the monster she was.
"You're wanted back at the convent," Doctor Frasier said. "At once."
"My shift isn't over," Elsa said into her phone.
"As your boss, you are allowed to take the rest of the night off."
Doctor Frasier had worked at the same hospital that Elsa worked at. They had worked together both World Wars and now he worked as a Neurosurgeon. In his previous life, Doctor Frasier had been a surgeon. He had been born during the American Revolution. His family had been declared traitors as they supported the British regime. His family had all been killed by some rouge patriots except for him as he was only seven at the time. He went to live with his Aunt and Uncle who lived in New York. They were huge on making America their own independent country. Growing up, he followed in his uncle's footsteps to become a doctor and take over his uncle's practice. One of his patients came in with unusual symptoms that he couldn't diagnose. During a psychotic episode the patient had, Doctor Frasier had been bitten and soon experienced the same symptoms. It wasn't long before Doctor Frasier realised he had become a vampire.
Doctor Frasier may have been opened about his past but that didn't mean that Elsa was exactly forthcoming about hers. He knew a little bit like where she was born and how she got Turned but Elsa was a private person. She kept her past to herself.
"I'll be right there," Elsa said and with that, she hung up her phone.
Elsa headed straight for her locker and, to her annoyance, Ginny followed. She was still wearing that look of concern. Ginny was the kind of person who would never let anything go. It was annoying to Elsa. She sometimes just wanted to be left alone. Man, she reminded her so much of Anna.
"Your shift isn't over," Ginny said simply as Elsa opened her locker. Elsa didn't respond. She just shoved things into her bag. "Elsa, did you hear me? Your shift ends in two hours. You can't just leave now."
Elsa shut her locker and looked over at Ginny. There were days were Elsa wished she could tell Ginny the truth about everything but Ginny would find her repulsive and wouldn't want anything to do with her. Ginny was one of the few human friends that Elsa had found over the years. She didn't want to lose her.
"I've been given the night off," Elsa said simply. "Trust me Ginny, I know what I'm doing."
"Doesn't sound like it," Ginny said. "If you want I can cover."
"Thanks," Elsa turned to leave but she stopped. A thought had just occurred to her. She had the thought earlier but now she was going to press it.
"Why aren't you home?" she asked.
"Mortgage payments," she said. "Picking up extra shifts wherever I can get them."
"Ah," Elsa said. Elsa remembered what it was like to have money problems. When she first set out to run away, she realised she needed money. She would get jobs wherever she could but at least she didn't need to buy food. The one necessary she needed came free – well not entirely free, there was a price just one that Elsa didn't need coins or notes for.
Elsa soon raced out of the hospital and down the street. Elsa headed back to the convent as fast as she could. Doctor Frasier sounded like something important was going down and she wanted to be a part of it. She sped up. She couldn't use her vampire speed as there were people all around her and Elsa wanted to stay conspicuous. At least she didn't live too far away. Her convent soon came into view and she bolted inside. Ragnar was by the door, it looked like he had been waiting for her.
"We're wanted in the council room," he said.
Every convent had one. The council room was a large circular room that had a large bench with seats behind it. Tiles littered the floor and some of them formed the symbol of the Vampire Order – some weird shape that Elsa never was able to work out. It was always too blurry. Elsa shuddered to think what they wanted in there. Only council members were allowed to summon people there. She wondered what was going on now. Could it have something to do with the mission that she, Ragnar and Anton were given?
Elsa followed Ragnar to the room and entered it. Inside, Anton was already there. He wasn't alone. Four people sat at the council bench. Elsa recognised two of them. One was Doctor Frasier who smiled at her and she returned it. As Master of the convent they were in, he was allowed to sit on the council bench and be an Acting Council Member. The other person she recognised was none other than Pitch Black himself. Elsa stared into his cold, dark eyes. Thoughts, faster than trains, went all around her brain. What was he doing here? He only graced people with his presence if it was something important. Well that certainly made things a lot worse.
"Elsa Winters, my liege," Doctor Frasier said as Elsa walked into the room.
"Rank?" Pitch Black asked. His voice sounded quite cold and sent shivers down Elsa's back.
"Death Dealer," Doctor Frasier said. "She's one of our finest ones."
"Ah," Pitch leaned back in his chair and his extremely long fingers tapped against each other as he examined her. Elsa felt like she was naked and exposed. There was something about his stare that made her quite uncomfortable. "I understand the three of you have been recently given a mission. Am I right?"
Elsa's voice failed her. She was staring up at Pitch Black, one of the most fear vampires in history. He was the very first one as well and just happened to be responsible for spreading vampirism throughout the world. He was also their leader, anything he says, happens. How could she speak to him? It would be like meeting a member of the royal family. It was quite intimidating. Fortunately for her, Anton's voice didn't fail him. Anton had met Pitch Black a few times before on other missions so he was known to him. That could explain why Anton could speak to Pitch Black without losing his voice.
"Yes sir," he said.
"You have been instructed to take down The Guardians, am I right?" Pitch Black continued.
"Yes sir," Anton repeated.
"This is a very important mission Frasier," Pitch turned to face him. "The Guardians are dangerous. The last group tasked to take them down, well not a single member survived. They were slaughtered."
"I assure you," Doctor Frasier said, "that these three are my best Death Dealers. They could be potentially some of the best Death Dealers we vampires have to offer."
"Now that is something I like to hear," Pitch Black said, his voice sounded almost comical. "So you three ready for a task of this magnitude?"
"Yes," they all said. Somehow Elsa's courage came back to her just in time.
"Again," Pitch Black said, "that is something I like to hear. Let me tell you something. The leader of The Guardians is a man called Nickolas North. He was one of the very first werewolves. Tsar Lunar, as you are aware is the very first werewolf, bit him not too long after he, himself, was Turned. Since then, Nickolas North has been Tsar Lunar's most trusted ally. North does everything he can to protect him. Now, North has a little band together which is situated right here in Burgess. I want you three to find it and take it down. I want Nickolas North to be eliminated. With him out of the way, we could do a final assault on those blasted dogmen and finally cleanse the world them which is something the world is in dire need of. So, find him and bring me his head. I want to be sure that he is dead. It is something I have been trying to do for nearly a millennium. His time is up. Are we all clear on this?"
Elsa, Anton and Ragnar all nodded.
"Good," Pitch turned back to Doctor Frasier. "You've assembled some find troops here. I am faith that we will finally end this war."
"Me too," Doctor Frasier said. He turned to Elsa, Ragnar and Anton. "Our supreme leader is counting on you. Don't screw it up. Do you all hear me?"
They all nodded. It seemed to Elsa that a storm was blowing their way and she didn't know if they were going to survive it.
Jack stared at the outlined shape that was Manny. Could it really be that there were Death Dealers after them? Jack had seen the destructive power that they had. There was a group for werewolves not too far from Burgess who got destroyed by a couple of Death Dealers. A couple took out a whole pack of werewolves – that was over eight werewolves. Jack wondered who these new Death Dealers were and what was the best way to stop them from killing him. He couldn't die just yet. He was still searching for answers about what happened in his hometown all those years ago. He had no clue and no answers. He needed them. He needed them more than air itself.
"I bet it's that blonde vampire," Bunnymund pounded the wall.
"That vampire who you always get your butt handed to?" Tooth asked with a friendly shove in Bunnymund's direction.
Bunnymund didn't respond to Tooth. He just scowled. They looked to Manny for answers. He didn't say anything. Manny usually only said what was needed to be said. Then he would go off to the next group of werewolves to impart wisdom to them.
"Looks like Manny doesn't know," North said.
"Death Dealers," Manny said in the same raspy tone he used before, "coming, soon."
"When?" Jack asked but Manny shook his head. Manny didn't always know all the answers although sometimes it did appear that way.
"We should be taking the fight to them!" Bunnymund said. "Get them before they get us. It's the most logical thing."
"No," North said and there was something in his voice that none of them had ever heard before. "We wait. We prepare. If we initialise the fight then that's the fuel that Pitch needs to further burn us. Instead we wait and see what we could do."
Jack nodded. "Right."
"So your advice is to sit around and do nothing?" Bunnymund shouted.
"Edmund, calm down," Tooth said grabbing his upper arm.
"Calm down?" Bunnymund roared at her which made her flinch. Tooth released him in her fright. "I've just been told that there are some Death Dealers after me. Forgive me if I'm not calm."
"We can fight this," Jack said. "North is right. We lure them into our trap. If there is more than one then we lure them apart and take them apart one by one. If we do it in our base then we won't come off as the bad guys. They will have been invading us. We were just defending our territory."
"The kid is right," North said.
"I'm hardly a kid," Jack.
"You look like it," North shrugged.
"I haven't been a kid in years," Jack muttered. He stopped being a kid the second he was Turned.
"Back to business," Tooth said, "did we ever decide on what we are doing?"
Everyone turned to North who looked at Manny. They shared something in the look they shared.
"We stack up the defences," North said. "Let them come to play."
A/N: So glad to see that people have been enjoying this. Thanks for all the support guys, means a lot. Here is the next chapter. I hope that is just as enjoyable as the first. Please review =)
Reviews:
Kat-IlluminatedPurity: Glad to see that you have enjoyed the first chapter. Hopefully the second hooks you even further.
Iheartjelsa: Well the doctor angle doesn't have a lot to do with it. It's just a means to get blood for the vampires. Never read your story Problems With No Ends, but will be glad to offer any help I can.
ElsaTheSnowQueen2: Thanks! Continuing as requested.
angelofdarkness: Yay! Glad to see that.
KAMIKAKES: Well I don't know if I am actually awesome, although people keep telling me that. Thanks for it anyway! Well Elsa and Jack are not feuding themselves, their races are. They've been dragged into the feud but who knows, they may end up feuding themselves or fall in love which turns out to be forbidden love? Who knows? You may just have to read a find out!
TPATFan16: It may turn out to be a forbidden love story, maybe you should wait and find out.
archbaldmatthe1: Don't know what you're really after with rumours.
fireninjafox: Thanks!