Chapter 4 Our First Date

Sinclair Heights apartments, 9PM

The door swung open just as Reuben's hands began to knock it. Standing at the entrance was a tall woman with brown skin and a radiant smile. Her medium length hair hung down to her bare shoulders, edged by the long tube top that traced down her slender curves. Curves he always enjoyed running his hands up and down. He smiled and she knew it. She rested her muscular arm on the door frame.

"Enjoying the view, doctor?" said the woman.

"I'd enjoy it more if you let me in. Speaking of which, " asked the doctor, "how did you know I was at the door?"

"Super woman's intuition, " explained the woman, "it's my specialty." She seductive slipped her right fingers onto and up his tie. Then she pulled and Reuben came in close. "I always know where my man is."

A passionate kiss and tug, and in they went. Reuben briefly looked up and saw more of his amazing girlfriend's friends.

Dinner

"How are the patients?" asked Rebecca.

"These days, they've been really weird. I had to pull a vitamin bottle out of someone's ass, " said Reuben. "It's moments like this that make me glad I spent 10 years studying to be a doctor."

The ladies laughed loudly. Kim almost spilled her wine.

"Tanya, how did you find such a funny guy?"

"Uh, we-" Tanya began to explain. However, she couldn't tell the truth.

"She, she went to my clinic one night!" Reuben stuttered as he explained. "It's a funny story, really."

One year ago, "How do you like the clinic, Dr. Camacho?" asked Maddy. She removed her earrings as she always did when starting her secretarial shift.

"I always wanted to be a GP. Now I'm a GP, " said Dr. Camacho. He put the box of books in his office. "I was hoping for more guidance and practice before running a clinic."

"Well, sometimes, your dreams come true, especially when the previous guy gets fired."

Reuben opened the box, taking out the first set of books. "What did he do to get fired?"

"He got high on stimulants, went nuts and drove his Benz through the ER. Then during the chaos, he ran into the wrong surgery room and operated on the wrong patient."

"That was him?" he asked and dropped a small book on his foot. "OW!"

"Yeah. That's why he hasn't been here in a few days. He did save the patient, though. She also had an infected spleen."

"Lucky guy. Reminds me of the old days of doctors on cocaine, scalpels flying around and the only surgery with a 300% mortality rate."

"Dr. Vasquez had one of those at Livingstone. Patient survived but her blood spray gave the assisting surgeon and two family members heart attacks."

"Damn, Maddy. Elk Grove is not the frontier. Why are-" BOOSH! The front door swung open and a man with a torn t-shirt and black leather coat sat on both knees. Several knives were lodged in his chest, legs, and back. Two bullet holes were in his shoulders and he leaked blood.

"Doc, help me, " The man said before he flopped face first onto the floor.

"Lucas!" yelled Dr. Camacho as he ran over to him. "What happened to you?!"

"Wo..man...killed...me..."

"Again?!"

After getting Lucas onto a bed, Reuben went quickly to work, putting pressure on the open wounds. "Maddy, get ready to call Folden for an ambulance!"

"No! No hospital! Arrgh!" Lucas said as he struggled with the pain.

"You're bleeding all over the place! We need to run a FAST test and we can't do that here either!"

"I'll be fine! Give me, " Lucas pulled a knife from his chest, "blood!" His breathing was quick and pained.

"Don't do that! Those knives are keeping your blood in!" Reuben said as he grabbed Lucas' arm. He looked at bubbling liquid form around the wound where Lucas removed the knife. The bleeding stopped, and skin began to form around the wound.

"What...are you?" asked Reuben as took a step back in fear.

"Trust me, doc! AGH!" Lucas pulled another knife from his wounds. "I'll explain, later!"

Realizing that his roommate needed help now, he went to the bridge and got the blood packs. "Maddy! Hold that call! We can handle this!" shouted Reuben.

"There's blood all over the place!" shouted Maddy.

"I'll handle it!"

Dr. Camacho set up the fluid and blood IVs, then went to work removing the bullets. He noticed that the knives and bullets were glowing. UV light? he wondered. Or something else? He also noticed that Lucas still looked pale. But then again, he was always pale. The wounds began closing quicker without all the strange metal in them. Lucas' breathing was still labored. Was he poisoned?

"I know what you're thinking, doc, " said Lucas as he looked at him. "You're thinking regular humans don't heal like this."

"I wasn't thinking that, well I was earlier, " Reuben explained.

"Yeah, on that note. I'm a biter."

"What's a biter?"

"HEY! DOCTOR!" Maddy screamed. "Another one! AAH!" A thud came from the lobby.

Doctor Camacho quickly opened the door. A black woman wearing a torn shirt and coat lined with blades on the inside limped forward. She looked like she fell through a shredder. A necklace glowed in her shirt in between her bust.

"Get...out... of...the..way!" she barely said, short sword in one hand, knife in the other. Blood was dripping all over from her cuts.

"You're injured! You need-" whump! A strong kick from the woman sent him flying backward. He smashed against the fridge and went down.

"Oh shit!" said Lucas. He tried to get up. The pain got to him as he tried to sit up and he went back down. Can't move!

"You're finished, murder...er..." said the armed woman. She raised her sword to swing it. She swung it downward. It hit the metal rails, bounced out her hands and she fell to the floor.

Dr. Camacho got up quickly and knocked the weapons away. He lifted her up.

Dinner, "So that's what happened my first week on the job, " said Reuben.

"All three of you were attacked?" asked Rebecca as she scratched her long curly hair.

"Yes, " Tanya and Reuben replied.

"By giant rats and bats chasing after them?" asked Kim, a tall professional volleyball player.

"They were KFC eating rats, " replied Tanya, exaggerating the size of the rats. "And the bats were really nasty too!"

"Oh, madre de dios, yes!" said Reuben.

"I love it when you speak Spanish, " said Tanya. She jokingly fluttered her eyes.

"Awww, you guys are such a cute couple!" said Kim.

"You're sweeter than my little pony, " said Rebecca with a dry serious tone.

One year ago, Tanya woke up. Her clothes had been removed and she saw she was in bed, a sheet covering her. Her amulet was not glowing. She tried to sit up, and that's when she noticed the straps on her arms.

Lucas woke up and found himself similarly strapped to the bed. He looked around and saw the woman chasing after him, also tied to a bed.

"You! You did this!" loudly said Tanya.

"Me? You tried to kill me! I had to defend my- ARRGH!"

"Enjoying the garlic essence and magic blocker? Good! UGH!" Tanya also found herself in pain from the bruises and patched up cuts.

Dr. Camacho walked him. He didn't look happy. "I see you are both up. Good. Let's, as the English say, parley."

"I think the French say that, " Lucas corrected him.

"Whatever. Consider this an interrogation." Reuben picked up one of the knives Tanya had stuck in Lucas earlier. "You two are going to tell me what is going on. And no lies or mumbo-jumbo either. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, otherwise I'll drop both of you off at the police."

"It's his/her fault!" they said.

"Let's start with you, my roommate, " Reuben said as he clanked the knives menacingly against the metal guards. "So about this biter thing, what does that mean?"

"He's a vampire! Dhampir, bloodsucking fiend!" loudly said Tanya.

"I'll get to you in a minute, lady, " sternly said Reuben with a mean glare. He looked at Lucas again.

"Well, that is true, " said Lucas, "but that's not a crime."

"You killed her!" shouted Tanya

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did! I'll kill you for justice!"

"For the last time! I didn't kill her! That's not justice!"

"Fiends like you only deserve to burn!"

"This is not the fiend you are looking for..."

"Don't star wars me, asshole!"

"Alright, alright!" Reuben was annoyed now. "What girl, lady?"

Tanya swallowed for a moment. "I'm a bounty hunter. My name is Tanya. I hunt shifters who've been accused of crimes. He's wanted for the murder of Ginny Stamos."

"Who is that?" asked Lucas. "I don't remember a Ginny Stamos!"

"She was killed five years ago in L. A. Found drained of blood. Police had no clues, so her mom heard about me and hired me."

"Five years ago? Lady, I've been a vampire for 25 years, " explained Lucas. "so you're going to have to be more specific."

"OK, fine. Why did she think he was the killer?" asked Reuben.

"I asked the girls around Greta's nightclub if the DJ was a biter. They said yes, " said Tanya.

"I never killed anyone at Greta's! I never kill where I work!"

"You filthy liar! I know of four other deaths linked to you!"

"Any at Greta's?" asked Reuben.

"That's not the point!"

"Where was she found?"

"In...the back alley, if I remember correctly."

"What? I never leave my kills at the club! That's bad for business!" Lucas replied as he yanked on the straps.

"You're a vampire! You're always bad for business!"

"Fine!" Reuben said, getting annoyed with the conversation. "Did you find any specific proof, any fingerprints, showing he was the culprit."

"I'm not a cop! I don't need a warrant or crap like that!"

"But it wasn't me who did it! I hadn't killed anyone in 6 years, certainly not by biting!"

"What about your other kills?" asked Reuben.

"That was a decade ago, and they were annoying. They literally begged me to."

"Assisted suicide?"

"See, I told you! He is a monster, through and thru!" shouted Tanya.

Reuben held the knife backward as if he were ready to stab through Lucas' heart. Lucas began to worry. "Show me what you can do."

"Well, if you insist, " said Lucas. The tips of his ears became pointy, then his fangs extended from his jaw. Small wings began to form around his arms, and his nails became dagger-sharp.

"Amazing, " said Reuben.

"If I wasn't so hurt, I could show you my bat form, " said Lucas.

"What are we going to do?" asked Maddy as she stood by the door, face full of fright.

"The only thing we can do. I'll deal with my roommate."

"What? You can't-unngghg!" Tanya tried to move but the pain kept her still.

"Ha! Crazy lady! I...unnlll!" Lucas struggled but successfully changed back to full human form, then Reuben untied him.

"Lucas, you owe me a more detailed explanation. Meet me at the apartment when I get off work."

"Thank you, doctor."

"Depending on what you tell me, I will then decide if you go to jail or the morgue, or stay with me." He then looked at the wounded woman. "And you- you're lucky I don't call the police for roughing up my secretary."

"But-"

"No buts! You're staying here until you are well enough to leave. Then you will leave this city and chase the real killer. Understood?!"

"Yes, doctor..."

Dinner, "So the bats got in?" asked Rebecca.

"Yeah, they were really pale bats!"

"White-nose disease, " quickly replied Reuben.

"So why were you strapped in bed?" asked Kim.

"Lucas...uh, we were fighting the bats and the rats and I elbowed the automatic strapper."

"You have an automatic strapper?"

"Yes, we have crazy patients sometimes and we're always short staffed."

"Good lord!" said Rebecca as she drank a tall glass of wine. "Everyone got out without rabies, huh?"

"No, I needed the big needle, " Reuben explained.

"And Lucas is still rabid."

One year ago, Lucas looked at the wounded, strapped down vampire hunter. His fists tightened, holding off the urge to make the kill. I should eliminate her, but Reuben is standing right here. It's so hard to find night owl roommates.

Reuben looked at her. I have to admit she's kinda hot. But she's probably crazy. Hell, this whole situation is crazy. "Would you happen to have a picture or any info on the victim you're hell-bent on avenging?"

"Yes, check my coat pocket, left one, " said Tanya.

Reuben went into her pocket and pulled out the photo. "Do you recognize this woman?"

Lucas flipped his hair away from his eyes and flippantly took the photo. He looked at it. "She looks a little familiar. A lotta girls in the club look like her and it's dark and smelly up in there too. They all kinda look alike in the dark."

"When did she die?" asked Maddy.

Tanya rubbed her sore wrists and said "October 10, 2012."

Lucas took out his phone and muttered, "October 10, 2012, " three times. "I know that date. Why do I..." After going through his online calendar app, he jumped and said "That's why! I was working with a friend at GFX Studios! I'd give you his number, but I think he moved up to Oaktown. Anyway, I wasn't anywhere near Greta's that day!"

Reuben looked at the app and saw the activities. "Yeah, he was away from Greta's for three days at the time of the murder."

"But, the murders..." muttered Tanya.

"Look, come get me when you can prove who I actually killed. Otherwise, leave me alone and go-HAACK!" Lucas coughed strongly and left the room. "Damn she hits hard." He walked out of the clinic.

"Hey! Where's my fee?!" yelled Reuben.

"Doctor, you can't let him... escape!" complained Tanya as she tried to sit up, but failed.

"You're in no shape to question my decisions. Especially when they trash my clinic!" Reuben complained.

"Eh, I've seen worse, " said Maddy with no hint of humor in her voice.

"Now it's your turn to choose. You can stay here and be good or I can call an ambulance and ship you off to Folden. Folden's got better stuff but it'll be far more expensive. And they'll call the police when they see the knives in your clothes."

Tanya gasped. "Folden Medical! Shit...too expensive. I'll be good. Promise."

Dinner.

"So I treated her for a week. She was such a difficult patient." Reuben said with a comedic smile.

"Because you were a jerkass doctor!"

"Because you never took my advice! I'd tell you 'don't turn that way, ' and you turn that way and wonder why your wound reopened!"

"The other way wasn't comfortable!" Tanya said with an angry look.

"Awww, you sound like an old married couple!" said Rebecca.

"When was your first date?" asked Kim.

"You're gonna laugh when you hear this, " said Tanya as she leaned back in her seat.

"She asked me out. I figured after everything she never wanted to see me again, " explained Reuben. He took her hand. "But there was something special about her."

"He said he doesn't date his patients. I told that I wasn't his patient anymore so that rule didn't apply."

"I was gonna say no-"

"-but I told him about Nacho Boys-"

"-and I love Nacho Boys! Oddly enough it's where I met Lucas!"

One year ago, Nacho Boys.

"Want to split a Super Nacho? It's too much even for my appetite, " explained Tanya as Reuben sat down at the booth in front of her. The atmosphere between them was tense. You could say that Reuben wasn't fond of the fact his clinic almost had two bodies in it last week.

"I did not plan on eating anything here, " said Reuben.

"You sure? They're pretty good."

His mood changed when he saw her facial expression and smelled a rose smelling perfume from her. "In for a penny, in for a pound. Why not?"

"What did Lucas tell you about shifters?"

"Not much. He only talked about himself. I assume there's more to the story."

"There's a whole community of shifters here in Elk Grove."

"I knew this place was special. Didn't realize it was that kind of special."

Tanya smirked at the implications of his statement. She continued, "You should be aware that they zealously defend their privacy, their...you know?"

"Secrecy."

"I guess you can say they like the shadows."

"With people like you trying to kill them, I can see why, " Reuben complained.

"Maybe they shouldn't kill people first!" she slammed her fist on the table. The table shook and people looked at them. "Sorry..." she whispered and looked down.

"Yeah, about that. You are very strong for someone of your body size."

The Super Nacho arrived. A big bowl of delicious cheesy nachos with sliced lettuce, jalapenos, pulled chicken, and diced tomatoes. All covered with cheese because MERICA!!!

Reuben waved at the nachos and Tanya took a bite. After the first bite, Tanya answered his question. "It's this amulet I wear. Makes me stronger than an ox."

Reuben took a chip. "That's it? Magical amulet? Surely there's more to the story than that!"

"Don't call me Shirley (old Leslie Nielsen joke). You seem a lot more curious about this shifter stuff than I figured. Most folks want to run to the hills when they learn their neighbors might be shifters."

"Call me the curious sort."

"I call bullshit." Tanya took another chip.

"OK, you got me. Madre de Dios... Last week I had to learn the hard way that my profession is full of freaks. Did you hear about the ER bender surgeon?"

"No...I only really search the news for targets. Hardy ever get current events."

Reuben took another chip. "Might as well realize that normal is an illusion. If you're in touch with the shifter community, you can tell them that my clinic can be a safe place for them."

Tanya took another chip. "Well, I'll pass on the word. What's in it for you?"

Reuben looked out the window forlornly and thought about what to say. A cat ran by, being chased by a dog. He looked at Tanya. "My clinic could use more patients."

"That's it? You just want more business?"

"My clinic is primarily open at night. Gives people more options than the ER. Lucas says shifters are more night owly for some reason. It's better than the alternative for them. Plus, you can case the clinic for any baddies on your list."

"Sounds like you want me around more?" she fluttered her eyes once.

"No, no..." Rueben looked away.

"Oh my gawd!" Tanya looked serious. "You have a crush on me."

"No..."

"You're blushing!"

"No, I'm not..."

"You're totally blushing! This is so grade school!"

"It's not, I'm not..."

"You're turning pink like a peach!"

Dinner, "So yeah...it was totally Nacho Boys!" said Tanya.

"Yes, exactly. I saw her eating chips and knew she was the one!" said Reuben.

"Aww, how sweet! It's a Hallmark story!" said Rebecca.

"Or Harlequin. Seems almost...too perfect!"

"Speaking of which, " said Reuben as he stood up and took out of his pocket a small black pouch. He stood behind Tanya and removed the contents. "I hope you find this necklace as perfect as you are." He hung the necklace around her neck. The necklace was not very large. It had an oval blue gemstone in the middle, and two angel wings sticking out from the side. Tanya took his hands as he wrapped it around her. "Blue is your favorite color and the wings represent how far your love takes me."

Rebecca and Kim started clapping. Tanya said, "Oh...thank you, dear!"

"Aww, you're so great for her!" said Rebecca.

"Because she's so wonderful to me, " replied Reuben.