Authors: Dawn Michelle
Chapter 5
"So where are you from?" John asked after he rearranged the items spread across his passenger seat and tucked his computer back into the dashboard.
"What?" Beth turned to look at him instead of searching for signs of the setting sun on the buildings that towered over the reserved parking lot. "Oh, sorry, down south a ways. Arkansas, a small town with nothing special about it."
"I'm Detroit born and bred," he said as he backed out of the doorway and gestured for her to get in.
Beth gathered her coat and sat down in the seat. She squeezed her legs together and fought the urge to look down. The skirt was so damn short she knew she was giving him a shot of her silky panties. He kept his eyes on hers and smiled, ignoring the obvious. Beth swung her legs into the car and waited for him to shut the door before she hoisted her butt up and yanked her skirt down. It wasn't much, but it covered enough she didn't run the risk of him arresting her after all. She didn't think she could handle the thought of having handcuffs on her again.
Officer Retkin sat down in the driver's seat and started his car. He made a few adjustments, turning down the communications system and adjusting the various tools on his belt for comfort. "Ann Arbor?"
"Yes," she said.
He backed out of the parking spot and pulled out into traffic. It was moving slow but people found a reason to get out of his way when they realized a cop car was behind them. "It's kind of funny how people will do everything short of breaking the law to get out of my way most of the time. We don’t want to bust people. We usually don't, in fact, unless somebody's doing something we can't ignore. The other— is something wrong?"
Beth twisted to look at him. She was leaning forward in her seat and staring out the window, trying to search for signs of the sun. She gulped and shook her head before sitting back. "No, sorry. Just worried that I lost my sunglasses and we're headed west. Looks like the sun has set though."
Officer Retkin grunted and pulled onto the I-94 west expressway. Her merged in with the heavy traffic before glancing at her. "Liz? Level with me, are you sure you're not on something? I'm not going to arrest you, I promise."
Beth's breath caught in her throat. She swallowed, forcing her lungs to work. She turned and saw him looking back at her. He had to return his attention to the road, but in that moment she thought she saw a look of genuine warmth in his green eyes. She nodded, the words spilling out as they came to her. "I am," she admitted. "Nothing illegal. I'm, uh, I'm not a student though. I've got friends here though."
John's eyes narrowed. "I don't understand."
"I'm sick," Beth said. "Very sick. The drugs are experimental and help me feel almost normal."
"Oh!" he glanced at her a few times before offering a weak smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."
She shook her head. "No, it's okay. I've accepted it."
"Accepted it? What?"
"I'm dying."
He jerked his eyes to hers again and then swore under his breath before he looked back at the road. "That's terrible! What, um, what is it? If you don't mind me asking."
Beth shook her head again. She felt bad for him. She was telling him the truth, but it wasn't the truth. Not the full truth. Of course to explain it she had to twist things quite a bit. "It's a rare form of cancer. Traditional treatments don't work. Chemo's a waste of time."
After a few moments of awkward silence he said, "I'm sorry. I, uh, I wish I had something better to say. Something inspirational or something."
Beth smiled and started to reach for him. She stopped and pulled her hand back. What was she thinking? She couldn't flirt with a cop! "Yeah, me too. Like I said, it's what I've got."
"Are you sure there's no hope?"
Beth smiled and stared out the window at the last fiery glow of the setting sun. It made her eyes ache a little but it was bearable. "Days," she said. She saw him jerk out of the corner of her eye. "That's what I've been given. A few more days."
"No way," the cop said while shaking his head. "You look underfed and maybe a little sick, but there's no way you'll be gone in a couple of days. I don't believe it."
Beth's response was a sigh. She leaned back against the seat and let the rhythmic drone of the tires on the pavement dull her senses. She didn't know what else to say to the cute cop. She should be traumatized after last night, but the attempted rape seemed as distant as her attack in high school. Had too much happened to her, or was this a benefit of her condition? Was one of the side effects of becoming a vampire feeling like she had a permanent prescription for Prozac?
She risked a glance at the man beside her and saw him focusing hard on the road. A muscle in his cheek kept twitching beneath the skin. Was it a nervous tick or something else? Some proof that he was thinking hard about something. Probably about her.
Beth sighed again and turned back to stare out the window. They were coming up on Romulus already, which was nearly halfway to Ann Arbor.
"What's wrong?" John asked. He frowned and added, "I mean, other than the obvious."
"Sucks that I didn't meet you sooner," Beth said before she realized what she was saying. Her eyes widened and then she groaned and slumped in her seat. "Sorry, I didn't—"
"Don't be, he interrupted her. "I'm flattered. And I was thinking the same thing."
"You were?"
"Uh huh," he said and offered her a smile. "Then again, that would have just made it worse if there really is no chance."
"Ouch," Beth moaned and the smiled to show she was teasing him. "So much for better to have loved and lost."
"That's not what I meant!" he groaned. "I—"
"Relax," Beth said and let her hand reach across and rest on top of his forearm. She gave him a pat before pulling her arm back into her lap. "Like I said, I've accepted it."
"But you don't like it."
"Fuck no!" Beth blurted. She pressed her lips together at her outburst and relaxed when he laughed.
"Good. You're feisty, I like that. You really set Frank back on his heels a couple of times, he wasn't sure what to make of you."
"Frank's your partner?"
"Yeah, Officer Frank Nettle."
"I was calling him Officer Smashnose," Beth admitted.
John laughed again. "We'll keep that between us."
Beth grinned.
"So you're a fighter," he continued. "I think you've got a lot of life left in you. I'm counting on it, in fact."
Her smiled faded. She had no idea what she had left in her. Or what tomorrow would bring. According to Penny, she would exist for a very long time, but that wasn't the same as what he meant. "Why's that?"
"Because I'd like to see about helping you out," he said.
Beth winced. "Help me how? You're giving me a ride, that's all I need."
"You need to put a little weight back on, I think."
"Trying to fatten me up?" Beth wondered. "I spent most of my childhood being chubby."
He laughed. "No, not that. I meant I'd like to take you out to dinner. I have to get back downtown tonight, but I could do it tomorrow?"
Beth hesitated. His hopeful smile was winning her over but she didn't think dinner was a good idea. She doubted he'd approve of her ordering a steak so rare she could lick the blood off of it. Vampires couldn't eat real food, could they?
"You're trying to protect me and keep me away, aren't you?" he asked after she waited too long to respond.
"No! I, um, I was—"
"Good, tomorrow it is then," he said. "Where do I pick you up at? Maybe an earlier start too?"
Beth froze. "Not earlier. I, uh, I don't— I mean, the medication I'm on makes me really sensitive to sunlight. Gives me headaches and stuff."
"My mom's like that," he said. "Too much time in it and she'll get a rash and sometimes sores that bleed."
"Yeah, that sound right," Beth agreed.
"So later, say eight o clock? Even if the sky's clear the sun will be long gone by then."
She hesitated again and glanced out the window. One of the exits for Ann Arbor was coming up. She pointed at it, struggling to come up with an excuse as to why she couldn't see him again.
"Liz?"
Beth groaned. "Fine."
"Fine?"
"I mean yes," she said. "This is stupid though. For you."
He shrugged. "Let me be the judge of that. Now, are you staying at the hospital in Ann Arbor or somewhere else?"
"What? Oh, somewhere else. I go in for checkups daily though."
"Where at?"
Beth hesitated and then gave him directions to a house down the road from Colin's frat house.
They drove in silence as he made his way through the busy college town. He came down the street from the other direction and had to slow down as they drove passed the burnt down frat house. "Hope that's not where you're staying," he said.
"No! Um, I'm down the road," she said and pointed up ahead. "Near the end."
"College parties," he said while shaking his head. "Hope nobody got hurt there."
"Yeah," Beth mumbled. "Me too."
He slowed as he drove near the end of the street. Beth glanced around and realized she hadn't planned for this. He was going to expect her to go in somewhere. But where? She didn't actually know anyone that lived in any of the houses. She ran her tongue back and forth across the inside of her teeth until she pointed at a house set a little further back from the street with a shoveled walk around the side of it.
"This is it?"
"I'm around back," she lied.
John grunted and pulled the car over in front of the paved driveway. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card before handing it to her.
"Really? A business card? Do I call you if I see anything suspicious?"
"Call me anytime for anything," he said. "You lost your purse and your phone, so let me know when you get a new number."
"Oh!" Beth stared at the card and then looked up at him. "Uh, good idea."
"It's the training," he teased. He fell silent and watched Beth staring at the card in her hands. "Don't back out on me, Liz. I'm not asking for anything crazy. You'd be helping me out. I want to try and help people, remember? This is an excuse for me to feel better about myself really, that's all."
Beth couldn't stop herself from laughing. She shook her head when she stopped and dropped her gaze to her hands. She took in a breath and lifted her eyes to his. Tomorrow wasn't going to happen. It couldn't. "John?"
He smiled. "Yes?"
"I'm not a prostitute."
He laughed. "I know that!"
"Good. Will you, um, will you kiss me?"
His eyes widened but he recovered before the moment was wasted. He leaned over in the car and closed his eyes as his lips brushed hers.
Beth inhaled, taking in his scent. It curled inside of her, filling her nose and lungs. She reached out, clutching him to her and kissing him back. It wasn't enough, she wanted more. He felt so good against her. So warm and alive. He was a man but he wasn't pushy or aggressive. He didn't try to force her, he let her lead the kiss and push herself into him.
She licked his lips, prompting him to groan something. His lips opened though, allowing her access. She moved in her seat, rolling up onto her side and forgetting about everything save the need to feel him. To be closer to him. To share in his warmth.
"Woah there," he mumbled as he managed to hold her at bay. "Hang on now, I'm in uniform and on duty."
Beth stared at him but couldn't think. She wanted more of him. She needed him. She was hungry for him.
"Liz, calm down, I can't do this now. I'm not sure it's all that good for you either. Do your doctors say you're okay for, um, that kind of, uh, activity?"
Beth was panting and still trying to renew the embrace. The more he talked the more the warmth faded from her lips and the red haze in her mind faded. She stayed against him a moment longer and then relaxed, letting him help her back into her seat. She'd been nearly on top of him, her legs spread and her skirt up to her hips so she could try to straddle him.
"Oh my god," Beth whispered when she glanced down at herself. She reached down to tug at her skirt but it was trapped beneath her. Only her legs, now pressed together, allowed any pretense of modesty in her translucent panties. "I'm sorry."
John reached over and took her hand in his. "It's okay. You're a firecracker, like I said. I just don't want you to get hurt."
Beth let out a short laugh and shook her head. She wanted to cry but her eyes wouldn't even moisten enough to blur her vision. "I need to go," she stated.
"Liz? It's okay. Really. Tomorrow, you're not going to stand me up, right? You'll be here?"
She hesitated. She was never going to see him ever again. She couldn't. She shouldn't. "Yes."
He smiled. "Good. If you need anything— anything— you call me. All right?"
She nodded and smiled. "Thank you."