Patient A-3

Chapter 20: Crazy, Crazy Man

I tap my fingers anxiously against the wooden dining table. Wrath insisted we all have dinner together despite not having an appetite for human food. To my right, Cierien sits, deeply engrossed in rolling a joint. We've been inseparable for the last forty-eight hours since the night we spent together. We haven't discussed the implications of our newfound closeness, but I don't think we need to; I'm content with our current relationship.

I'm uncertain about Wrath's motives for the dinner gathering. Things have been slightly awkward between us, marked by his conspicuous attempts to ignore my presence over the last couple of days. Though, in all fairness, it's nothing new; his aloofness just makes me uneasy.

Wrath strides into the dimly lit dining room, his hands laden with food. "Can you guys even enjoy any of this?" I question skeptically.

Wrath narrows his eyes at me, using his fork to place a steak on our plates. "I like steak, Avalyn," he retorts, clicking his tongue and pushing the bowl of green beans my way. "Those are for you."

I muster a strained smile, already disliking the snide tone in his voice. "Thanks, Wrath."

He acknowledges my gratitude with a hum and takes his seat, delving into his meal. We fall into an uncomfortable silence, punctuated only by the sounds of chewing and the scrape of metal against plates. The quietness is unnerving, setting my thoughts into a chaotic spiral.

Am I chewing too loudly?

Do they think I'm acting strangely?

Am I being unusually quiet?

Should I say something?

"Can vampires procreate?" I blurt out impulsively.

Cierien chokes on his water, his hands scrambling for a nearby napkin. I halt the screeching movement of my knife, swallowing hard as I turn my gaze to him. Our eyes meet, his widened in disbelief, brows furrowed, and lips parted. "I- I don't think so."

I should not have said anything.

"Sorry, I don't know why I-"

"They can," Wrath interjects jadedly.

We both turn our heads in unison, sharing identical expressions of fear and surprise. Wrath, however, remains unfazed as he gracefully cuts his steak into smaller pieces. Cierien clears his throat, gulping down several sips of water. "He's kidding," he chuckles, though his eyes stay locked on Wrath, awaiting confirmation. "Right?"

He scowls, locking eyes with Cierien. "I am not."

Wrath rolls his eyes, placing his fork down and taking sips at the remnants in his glass cup, dragging it out. He does it so slowly that I'd sooner die of embarrassment before he finishes. Eventually, he leans back in his chair, exhaling heavily before shaking his head with a sneer. "Not to worry, guys, the clump of cells usually never even develop into a fetus."

Is that supposed to be comforting?

"But it has happened? A vampire and human reproducing?" I inquired further.

He shrugs, picking up his fork to finish his steak. "Supposedly."

My heart sinks. We didn't use protection, and I wasn't exactly contemplating the possibility of vampire procreation at that moment. I close my eyes, mentally counting the days until my period should start. It should be no later than next week; I won't worry until then. Swallowing hard, I moisten my dry throat. "Are they born as half-vampire, half-human?"

Wrath runs a hand through his hair, pushing his plate away and sinking comfortably into his chair. His mouth opens as if to speak, but he swiftly shuts it, glancing aside. He presses his lips together and, after a moment, redirects his attention to me. "This isn't fucking Twilight."