Page 61 of The Rebirth
Nevertheless, the shifter’s resident doctor had arrived around six a.m., which was when Sam had returned to the apartment. Between keeping an eye on Dane, Sam and Tripp had been going through reports and updates on leads—cold ones, mostly—that were coming in on Adam Emery’s whereabouts. Although, that letter from the retired Navy SEAL Grant Vega that I’d given to Steven might just be the opening the Vampire Navy SEALs were looking for.
After Sawyer’s investigation into Grant Vega and then speaking to him, it turned out that Grant was a building inspector for the city of Chicago. That position afforded him access to the files and records to just about every structure in the city. Which meant the building that Grant had referred to under Fred Emery’s name was a valid and warm lead.
Sam snapped his fingers. “Did you hear what I said?”
I blinked. “I didn’t.”
He chuckled. “I’m running late, so I’ll see Jordyn later. I want to check on Dane, then I have to meet Tripp and Webb.”
“Of course.” I pressed the large round silver button on the side wall.
The doors opened, and an air-conditioned breeze wafted out along with a sterile, medicinal odor that indicated we were in fact in a medical environment.
A sense of foreboding had me rubbing the chills along my arms as Sam and I entered the state-of-the-art facility that served as a research lab on one side and had patient rooms on the other.
We ambled down the center aisle that separated waist-high lab benches that traveled the length of the room on two sides. There wasn’t a soul in sight, which wasn’t unusual. Not many vampires got sick or hurt, and this place didn’t have the activity that a regular wing of a hospital had. Unlike the Boston facility, the medical staff under Dr. Vieira only consisted of Peter Landon and Jo, although Peter was a researcher, not a doctor. Still, Steven and Dr. Vieira were in the process of hiring more staff as they continued to expand and integrate more with humans.
“Dr. Vieira,” Sam called out.
Nurse Wendy poked her dark head of hair out of the last room. “Jordyn is in here, and Dr. Vieira is in an exam room in the new wing with Dane and Dr. Hammond. I’ll show you where, Sam. I need to grab some supplies in that wing anyway.”
I knew she’d accepted employment working for Dr. Vieira, but I had no idea that she’d started.
After Sam and I swapped a kiss, he and Wendy left, and I glanced around as an eerie feeling made the hairs on the back of my neck stiffen. Skirting by the lab bench, I shrugged off that cold chill, put on a smile, and went into Jordyn’s room.
Her big brown eyes grew wider as she tried to whistle. “Whoa! Hot momma.”
I sidled up to her bed. “Me? How about you? You’re beautiful, sis. I would never know you were injured and had been in a coma.”
Whether it was the sun’s rays spraying in from the window or her natural appearance, her skin glowed within the pink robe over cotton pajamas.
“I’m weak but walking fine, and Wendy will be helping me with physical therapy. Doc says I can leave the infirmary, maybe in the next day or so.”
“That’s great news. I’ll make sure Sam’s old bedroom is clean for you.”
“So, are you ready for your first day?”
I held my stomach. “Nervous but excited. I feel like I have a purpose to do something meaningful.”
“Are you prepared if Violet asks you about your vampire-hunting days?” Jordyn asked. “And you know she’ll ask you about Rianne.”
I scrunched my nose. “I’ll be honest and speak from the heart. We’re living in a different time that’s rapidly changing. People are afraid of what they don’t know. That will be my lead-in, and I’ll use myself and our hunting days as an example. As far as Rianne goes, there’s not much to say. If people choose the path she’s taken, then they need to know the consequences.”
Jordyn quivered. “It makes me ill to know Rianne is a stone’s throw away from us. It also breaks my heart that she chose to take the serum. But we can’t let her suffer. When Uncle Jack and Aunt Tabitha arrive to see Noah, maybe we should end Rianne’s misery at the same time as Noah’s. Surely, Dr. Vieira has done all he can by now to study her.”
I toyed with my ruby wedding ring. “I just wish there was a way to reverse the process. I would give anything to have our sister human again.”
“Me too,” Jordyn said. “And I’m sorry I wasn’t any help early on in trying to knock some sense into Rianne.” Guilt was evident in her tone.
I knew she loved Rianne as much as I did.
“You know as well as I do, our sister is super stubborn. She wouldn’t have listened to you either, Jordyn. Besides, you’ve said that she made her choice.”
She nodded. “I know. But I still could’ve tried to get through to her.”
“We’ll talk to Dr. Vieira the first chance we get about Rianne’s outlook,” I said.
Silence ticked for a beat and was broken only by the beep of the vitals machine that Jordyn was hooked up to.
