"How long have you been coughing blood?" I say as soon as the doctor walks out of the room.

"It's not a big deal--" He starts.

I place my hand atop his. It's cold.

"How long?" I say quieter.

"It's new, maybe a week or two." He says shame lingering in his voice.

"It's getting worse, isn't it?" I whisper.

We share a look between one another.

"Naomi.." He puts his hand behind my head and bringing it to his chest.

I feel his soft, steady heartbeat.

"There will come a day where I won't be hear anymore. Unfortunately, that day may be sooner than we'd both like, But I want you to know no matter what Ill always be with you or watching over you." He says, as his chest vibrates against my hand.

I close my eyes and a tear streams down my face. But before it falls he wipes it away and gives me a warm smile.

The doctor walks back in with X-rays.

"I've got some bad news." He sighs.

"I'm afraid it has gotten worse, despite treatment. I've decided that I can no longer continue your case confidently. However, I have a good friend who is an expert in this field who may be able to offer some better treatment options?" He says turning towards my father.

"Yes." I blurt before my father even has a chance to say anything.

My father nods coyly.

"Good, I'll be back in a jiff." He stands and walks out of the door all in one motion.

He returns moments later with someone else.

The first thing I notice about this someone was their brown spikey hair.

As my eyes trail from the familiar hairstyle to his face, I meet with brown eyes full of surprise.

It was the same vampire from last night, the one I didn't meet, the one who saved me.

Judging by his reaction he must recognize me as well.

I instantly tense up, unsure of what's going to happen next.

"Hello Mr and Ms. Young, I'm Dr. Seth Taylor. I specialize in lung cancer. Dr.Ramirez here has caught me up to speed on your case and said you would like to discuss some treatment options?" He says, quickly switching into a formal mode.

He reaches his hand out to shake my fathers but only sends a quick head nod of acknowledgment my way.

"You can call me James." My father shaking his hand.

"I will leave you guys to it. It was a pleasure working with you, James." Dr.Ramirez gives my dad a firm handshake coupled with a half hug, then he exits the room quietly as Dr.Taylor and my Dad talk.

I sit there only half paying attention, trying to figure out why so many things had to happen to me within 24 hours.

Well, not so many but such life-changing news.

Like that my dad isn't getting any better.

Like that vampires exist. I look over at Dr.Taylor as memories from last night flash through my mind.

A vampire as a doctor for humans.. ironic, but.. makes sense.

And then my dad... I tune in as I look over to him.

"Unfortunately, by the looks of these X-rays, even with our most aggressive form of treatment you'd have a year and a half left. Only a transplant could buy you the most time, but that isn't an option because of how progressive this is.." He says in a somber tone. He finally looks over to me, his eyes expressing sympathy for me.

My dad looks down to his lap.

"I see.." he looks as if he already knew but this was just confirmation.

"My daughter graduates next year, I want more than anything to see her to it." He starts.

"Let's go with that option." He says, with resolve in his voice.

Dr.Taylor nods.

"I'll have a nurse draw up the paperwork and we can start as soon as next week. But do keep in mind, this isn't an easy process. You'll need more care than you have now, and majority of the time you will feel worse than you feel now, but it will buy you time." He says before he exits the room, but not before shooting me one last look.

"I'll be right back dad." I give him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking out of the room.

I quickly follow him out of the room and trail far behind him until he is alone. By the looks of how easily he ended up alone, he knew I was following him.

As soon as we are alone he turns around to face me, and I stop dead in my tracks.

Here I was face-to-face with a vampire, again.

I stood there, not scared—I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but more so nervous because I had no idea what to say.

"W-what are you?" I say between shakes breaths.

"Oh, come on.. You really gonna make me say it?" He half-jokes as he puts his hand behind his neck.

"—Actually, no. My question, is how do you know— how do you remember?" He says cutting his own self off, with what seems to be something that just came to his mind.

"What do you mean how do I remember?" I ask confused.
"How could I forget would be a better question" I mumble to myself.

He takes a defensive step back, a look of slight uneasiness flashing over his face.

" A better question is what are YOU?" He says.
"He should've changed those memories, it's never not worked— I saw it, the bite.. How do you still remember?" He says sounding as if he was talking to himself and not me.

"Changed my memories..?" I trail off, as I remember this morning.

The splitting headache I had, and then the different memories of the same night.. That bite.. must've been to alter my memories somehow...

I've never read anywhere that they had any other powers than their physical abilities...

"I have to get him here.." he mutters under his breath as he opens the window.

"Wh-" before I could even start a figure comes through perching itself on the windowsill.

"What's wrong?" A voice says.

As my eyes finally focus, I realize this is the same vampire from last night that bit me.

"But... were on the 5th floor..." I mumble under my breath, still amazed by their power.

"Dax, you said you did it? Why does she still remember?!" He says somewhat panicked.

Dax then turns his gaze to me.

"It can't.. be? I did." He says confusion dominating his voice as he jumps down from the window and into the room.

He brushes himself off before approaching me faster than any human could.
Before I knew it I was in the same position as last night, my head bent all the way back exposing my neck.

"I'll just try it again." He says as his fangs flick out.

But quickly I realize what's going out and burst out of his hold.

Before I knew it my hand was stinging and his face was turned to the side. Realizing I instinctively slapped him I stick with the action.

"What is going on? You can't just go around biting people like that. It makes you the same as him— the one you're trying to make me forget about."

"Don't EVER compare me to him." They both say in unison, the levels of anger varying.

"Either way, explain to me why," I say in a slightly apologetic tone.

"That'd be too long of a story," Seth says, throwing his arm behind his head.

"I have patients to get back to, patients like your father," Seth says making eye contact with me.

"Right.," I say bringing my head down.

"I should get back to him," I say as I start to leaves the room.

"But, this won't be the last you hear from me," I say stopping and turning to make eye contact with both of them, especially Seth. I now know that he works in this hospital so one of these days I can try to track him down after work.

And I leave them with that as I walk out of the room and back to my father.