Chapter 61

Joseph’s POV

“We ran the fingerprints again, just like you asked. But once again, they came back inconclusive,” Chief Mulligan said on the phone.

I grew aggravated and clenched my phone tightly in my hands until my knuckles grew white. I had left Tessa in the kitchen only moments ago to go into my study and call the Nightwalker headquarters.

“These vampires might be new, but they are smart. They are covering their tracks well,” Mulligan continued. “We need to figure out a plan to trap them.”

“Whatever the plan is, it’s not going to include Tessa,” I said for the hundredth time.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose with my pointer finger and my thumb, trying to ease some of the tension.

“It might come to that—”

“No!” I growled, stopping his words short. I felt a wave of fury cross me and I had to step back and recollect my thoughts.

Calmly I added, “We are not going to use her for any part of this plan. Tessa stays out of it. That was our agreement.”

“Then we will figure out another way,” Mulligan said, just as calmly.

Before I could say anything more, there was a knock on my study door. Tessa poked her head inside with a timid frown.

“Am I bothering you?” She asked, her eyes glancing around the room curiously.

I hung up the phone, placed it on my desk in front of me, and leaned back in my seat.

“Not at all,” I said in return. “Everything okay?”

She stepped into my office, sealing the door behind her. As she stood in front of me, I finally was able to notice her attire. She wore a pair of pajama shorts that revealed a lot of her thighs. She also wore a black tank top that rested just above her belly button.

Tessa had a figure I enjoyed looking at, but I couldn’t touch her knowing she was my student.

“I finally took a look at my blog,” she said, meeting my eyes. “My following tripled and the engagement was insane. They all want longer posts.”

I read her blog daily and I enjoy her posts. However, I personally wished they were longer as well. She has great potential to make her blog something special and with a little guidance, I have faith that it’ll blow up.

She doubts herself and that much is clear in her writing. Her audience can sense it as well. She keeps her blog posts short because she worries she will lose their interest. But what she doesn’t understand is how unique and relatable her writing is. Others enjoy hearing what she has to say as I do.

“You’ve had a lot of good ideas,” she continued. “I was hoping you’d be able to help me a little bit.”

I had a busy schedule already with teaching and finding those new vampires, but there was something about Tessa that made me want to drop everything and tend to her.

She looked at me with large and innocent eyes and I couldn’t bring myself to look away.

“Are you sure It’s me you want help from?”

She nodded her head once.

“Joseph, you have been my idol for as long as I can remember. It would be an honor.”

“Okay,” I finally said after a pause. “Then we will meet in the library tomorrow after school and we can discuss some things about your blog.”

She looked pleased by this response. Once she was gone, I was left staring after her. The sweet scent of her blood lingered in my study, and it made my mouth water.

All the training I had done to refrain from drinking blood was going out the window. I found myself unable to resist her and daydreaming about drinking from her. But not enough to kill her, just enough to satisfy this burning hunger inside of me.

It’s almost like a growing lust whenever she’s around.

The thought of those new vampires feeling the same way about her infuriated me. I didn’t want them thinking about her like that and I would do anything and everything in my power to keep them from coming near her.

My phone started to ring, bringing me out of my head.

It was Mulligan again.

“Chief Mulligan,” I greeted into the phone.

“Joseph, we have a problem,” Mulligan said, his voice sounding almost hollow.

I frowned.

“A problem other than the new vampires that still lurk in the city?”

“It’s related,” Mulligan said in return. “There was an attack last night on a young girl. I’m just hearing about it now.”

“A vampire attack?”

“It seems that way. She has the same wounds as the others,” Mulligan answered.

“Have they taken the corpse yet?”

“That’s the thing…” Mulligan began, hesitantly. “There isn’t a corpse for them to take.”

“What the fuck do you mean, Mulligan??” I asked, feeling fury rising through me.

“I mean, she’s still alive,” Mulligan answered. “She’s currently being held up at the hospital.”

This had never happened before. The new vampires were usually careful about leaving their victims alive. They were getting sloppy, leaving a bigger trail. If they weren’t careful, we would all be exposed.

“Does she remember anything?” I asked, worried about the answer.

“I’m not sure. But she was freaking out and saying random things that didn’t make any sense. So, they sedated her.”

“What was she saying?”

“They wouldn’t tell me,” Mulligan answered.

“What’s the girl's name?”

“Natalie Parker.”

“I’m going to the hospital to see her,” I said after a short pause.

I hung up before he had a chance to argue with me.

I stood to my feet and left my office.

Tessa was most likely in her room sleeping. Which was a good thing.

I didn’t need her involved in this. It would only worry her.

I grabbed my coat and left the house immediately, going straight to the hospital.

I reached the nurse's station and the front receptionist, an aging woman, sat before me, glancing up from her computer to meet my eyes.

“Hello, how may I help you?” She asked.

“I’m here to see a patient,” I answered eyeing her carefully.

She looked back at her computer.

“And who might that be?” She asked in return.

“Natalie Parker.”

She typed on her computer but then she froze and rose her gaze to meet mine.

“Oh yes. She came in last night after she was attacked by an animal. They brought her in, and she was screaming obscene things. She kept saying it was a bloodsucking man. Like a vampire,” the nurse shook her head just as my heart dropped into my stomach.

So, she did remember everything. She was traumatized.

“I need to see her right away,” I said again.

The nurse frowned and furrowed her brows together.

“I’m afraid you can’t. Her doctors requested that she have no visitors at this time. They are planning on transferring her to the psych ward in the morning for an evaluation,” she explained.

I narrowed my eyes at her and placed my hands on the counter. Her eyes were locked onto mine and her breathing became soft as my eyes narrowed and darkened, pulling her into my gaze.

Her eyes began to darken too and soon, she was completely silent and mesmerized by my eyes on hers.

“The doctors say that it’s fine for you to let me see her,” I said calmly. “In fact, they’ve been waiting for me to come, and they are pleased that I am here. My name is Dr. Joseph Evergreen and I’m the only one who can help Miss Parker.”

I kept my eyes on hers for a moment longer before pulling my gaze away from her. She blinked a few times, her eyes becoming their normal shade of brown once again. For a moment, she looked a little confused. Like she had lost some time, but then her eyes flickered to me.

“Oh, Dr. Evergreen. I’m glad you are here. Miss Natalie Parker is in room 104 on the first floor. She and her doctors are expecting you.”

“Thank you,” I nodded.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I entered her room, but I didn’t think she was going to be awake.

Her eyes were open, and she was peering over at the door with a timid frown on her face. Her entire body was pale, and she had bruises and cuts all over her flesh. She looked worn out and exhausted. I had never seen her before this day, but I could tell from the look in her eyes that she wasn’t okay.

She swallowed hard and I could see the fear in her eyes.

“You…” she breathed, staring at me like she had seen a ghost. She rose her trembling hand and pointed directly at me. “You’re … you’re a vam…vamp…vampire!!”