Awkward Start

“I’m Shade. Sam Shade. You’re…you’re the half-vampire?” I ask. He scowls and jerks his hand back. They go back into his pockets and for a second I catch myself shoving my own hands into mine. “Jacob here was rescued, Mr. Shade. This has been very hard on him and he still hasn’t quite grasped the enormity of his situation. We were hoping you could help with that as well,” the Doc explains. “There’s nothing to help with. If you can cure this guy or Ferris, then there isn’t a reason you can’t cure me as well,” Jacob responds coldly. For some reason it had never occurred to me that someone wouldn’t be overjoyed at the idea of being a mutated powerhouse, but there were suddenly a couple of reasons I could see not being excited about it. If the kid was ga-ga for Jesus then there were would probably be some hang-ups. He would not, for example, be able to mutate the virus into superior strength or speed if he didn’t drink blood. He might not be forced to, if the virus in this form didn’t require it, but he was no better than the average joe without the slurp. The same went for regeneration, eyesight, hearing, and every other reason the Paladins would’ve wanted to keep this kid in this half-vampire state. And that’s when the fucking catch of this gig hits me like a ton of bricks. They want me to convince this kid to follow the lifestyle. I check out and he checks in, Vampire 101 for Jesus Freaks. And if that damn book was any indication, maybe he wasn’t totally off on his protests either. What in the hell had I just agreed to? Ferris and the Doc both look at me with almost pleading eyes, the former wolf half cocks her hips and I feel myself melting just a bit. I shouldn’t have let her catch me ogling, there’ll be trouble for it. “Kid…I think we might need to talk alone for a bit,” I explain.