Nightfall

Ike placed a blue-colored sippy cup in front of me with a straw. “Bon appetit,” he said as I took the cup and sipped happily at the straw. The blood was warm and fresh. Andromeda peered at us surprised.

“That’s it?”

Ike smiled. “What were you expecting? The hunt? We can subdue our instincts if we are allowed to hunt once a week. I hunted today with the council’s permission. I got two Hopdings thus the fresh blood. We aren’t monsters Andromeda, we only have a different health plan.”

I chuckled and swallowed a gulp of my food. “I kinda froze a bunch of regulars today after they formed a mob to oust me.”

Ike nodded. “Your abilities are starting to come in. You still haven’t gotten your element have you?”

“E-Element?”

Ike nodded twirling his hand. His blood whooshed out of his cup and floated about. “I have Water as my element.” His hand twitched, and the blood floated down into the cup. I watched with wide eyes. Andromeda was gaping like a fish.

“Y-You never once told me you could do something like that! Do you know how much damage you could do to the symbiotes out there?”

Ike crossed his legs and shrugged. “I’m a lover, not a fighter, sis. I heal. I can use my ability to heal practically anything, from pneumonia to cancer, but I don’t always.” He leaned forward a serious look in his eyes. “This has to stay between us, and I suggest that when yours comes in, you tell no one either.” He turned to Andromeda. “I’m trusting you, sis, so keep your trap shut.”

Andromeda nodded. “No one will hear about it ever,” she said. She turned to me. “I owe you an apology.”

I peered at her and sucked the last of my food away, burping lowly. “S-Sorry!” I burped out mortified.

Ike glanced at me chuckling.”Takes a little while to get used to Hopding blood. I had the same problem. Be careful they don’t come roaring out the other end.”

I stood mortified before sitting back down again glaring at Ike. Andromeda was in stitches beside me. She gasped for breath. “O-Oh man! Y-You’ve b-been ser-iously pawned!” She gasped out, chuckling in between words.

I sat glaring at Ike using my predatory eyes. I could feel them growing warm. My cheeks were warm! And I kept Burping! Sadly I did move on to tooting before long, and I let one so loud that even Ike was laughing. This lasted for thirty minutes. I’d like to say stopping time gave me an inner sense of time, but no, it was Ike’s clock by the kitchenette wall, that kept time for me.

Once I was able to function as a normal hybrid! I stood glaring at Ike and Andromeda. “I have no place to stay.” I glanced at the books that I had put in the pack I had tied to my waist. They were the only things that I had right now, and neither would they shelter, or protect me. They’d entertain me enough to forget the last thirty minutes though! I was certain Frankenstein had never been pawned, but then he’d never found another like himself, either.

Ike chuckled. “I know. You can stay at the infirmary like before. No one knows you’re here, but Tarric might come knocking. I’ll send him towards the door, but he’ll be persistent.”

“I’ll keep Tarric away,” said Andromeda lighting up instantly. I narrowed my eyes. What did she and Tarric have together? Should I even feel jealous? I was only a friend now anyway.

“Do you want anyone else to know about you?” asked Ike as he too stood and walked to the door He faced me.

I nodded. “The crew. Greg, Donny, and Gabriella.”

Ike nodded and left the room. I began to walk around. The blood strengthened me quite a bit. It had been human blood, not Hopding, but Ike couldn’t say that without making us look like depraved monsters in front of Andromeda. Someone had died. Who was the question? Then again was it truly necessary to know where the blood came from? My guilty conscious said yes. My new instincts said who gave a fuck.

Andromeda sat with her arms crossed and her legs also crossed. She was pissed. The question was why? What had I done this time? Although it was nice to see her ire again and not her fear.

“Did you have to invite Gabriella? She’s Tarric’s sister!”

“Her testament in the mockery of the trial I had, freed me earlier this week. Without it, I’d still be a prisoner to Tarric and his gang of sycophants… and she isn’t afraid of me.”

She recoiled slightly, her eyes showing hurt. She stood. “Well, I guess I’ll leave you here. Bye, Matt.” She started to walk out the door.

I grabbed her hand and spun her back. “Andromeda, wait!” Before I could stop myself, I leaned forward and kissed her. It was a rough, fast kiss. A welding of lips and a brush of my fingers on her face. I pulled back, leaving her flabbergasted.

“Bye, princess,” I said, grinning as I slowly shut the door. I headed for Ike’s kitchenette. On the other side was the infirmary doors. I stepped through, aware of eyes on me. An emancipated man sat in a corner, with long greasy hair and a beard that was pretty burly and long. He sat alone on the gurney, eyeing me with hate so profound it stunned me. Did I know this person? His light green eyes told me I should. His appearance didn’t ring any bells.

A commotion in the hall alerted me to people standing out there. I heard Tarric, Andromeda, and Gabriella arguing. I didn’t want to give away my hiding place so fast, but I wanted to help Andromeda and Gabriella. I heard Tarric rant about his sister visiting a monster and Gabriella retort.

“If he’s a monster then so is half our family. We are hunters…or did you forget? Manny and Ramona might have joined your cause against monsters but I never will, brother. Let us go or I will hurt you,” she said, uncocking her gun from her thigh holder and shoving it nuzzle-first into Tarric’s face poking his nose. She clicked on the trigger.

“1…2…”

“Alright! Fine! Be with the monster! I give you an hour but that’s all I’m budging. If you aren’t out in an hour I’ll assume he’s eaten you or worse and attack,” said Tarric taking a few steps back.

“I’d like to see you try. I’ll hand back your ass to you on a silver platter if you try.”

“I’ll get Dad,” said Tarric, smiling.

Gabriella stood down. “Two hours.”

“One or I come knocking with firepower.”

Gabriella bit her lip and then nodded. “Fine. One hour.” She turned to Andromeda who had watched the exchange calmly on the side. “Come on,” she said as they made their way to the infirmary. I backed away from the entrance and relaxed on my gurney. What was so scary about Tarric’s and Gabriella’s dad that she’d step down at the mere mention of him? I heard another commotion start in the hallway and the name Donny spoken. I smiled. All three showed up at my gurney smiling.