Emily's Protectors

Chapter 8: Michael's visit ✔

(Photo of Rami Malek as Michael)

Alistar looked up, suddenly moving to the door. Someone was coming up the stairs, listening for a moment before relaxing and moving back to the window. Dammit, this room was starting to feel smaller and smaller. A minute later, Michael walked through the door. Michael studied Paul's body before finding Alistar standing by the window.

"So come here often?" Michael joked.

"Not much. This place is kind of dead" Alistar smiled, walking to Michael. "What are you doing here?"

"This whole case is bothering me. Angelo and Gregory came back from this guy's house" pokings Paul's shoe. "They found some evidence tying him to the other murders but nothing to explain how a human could hide from us. Hell, we were able to find and trap the evil spirit in India faster than this man."

"How do you mean they found nothing?"

"The only thing they found that was out of the ordinary was these dried plants everywhere" With that, Michael threw a small bag of dried leaves which Alistar caught.

"Do you know what this is? Drugs?" Alistar asked, pulling his face after smelling the mixture.

"No, I don't think so. I want to see if I can find anything here."

After a while, the two stood together with seven small bags unceremoniously placed on Paul's chest.

"How did I miss this the first time I searched this room?" Alistar wondered, picking up a bag and examining it.

"I think whatever is in this bag is meant to either hide this man or throw you off his scent. I still have that girl's number that works in the lab, and I can contact her and see if she can help identify it?"

"Please do, but how will you convince her this time to help you? No, wait, I don't even want to know," Alistar said, shaking his head.

"I have my ways," Micheal said, more than a little proud. Turning serious, Micheal said, "This last victim doesn't fit into his normal M.O."

"I am not sure what you mean, Micheal," Alistar said, finding it difficult to look Micheal in his eyes.

"The other victims were all either homeless or druggies living on the street. She doesn't fit, and something is different about her and I have a feeling you know what it is?"

"Maybe you and Nicole should go to the hospital and see if you can find out if she knows anything?" Alistar suggested ignoring Michael's question.

Micheal shrugged his shoulders. "I am sure "detective Micheal" could make a turn. I don't think our local boys in blue would have been there yet. But if I may suggest one thing?" Micheal asked, turning to Alistar. "Let's leave Nicole out of this"

"Why?" Alistar asked, confused.

"My dear friend, for a 600-year-old vampire, you have a hell of a lot to learn" Micheal raised his hand before Alistar could interrupt him. "But seriously, just listen to me and don't let Nicole near her."

"Ok," Alistar said, still confused, "when are you going to the hospital?"

"I'll leave now before I go to the lab" Without another word, Micheal picked up the evidence they found, ready to leave.

"It's dark enough for me to leave. Are you going to offer me a lift back?"Alistar asked Michael, who was already running out the door, just to be answered with laughter, "you're a vampire turn into a bat and fly."

Alistar shook his head, the smile on his lips fading as he looked around the room, ready to leave. The police would probably discover the body sometime next week, and the body was already starting to smell. Walking over to the lamp to switch it off, Alistar remembered Emily's handbag lying discarded on one of the shelves. Quickly gathering the contents and dumping them back inside, he switched off the lamp and, without looking back, closed the door. Alistar made his way to the east side of town, to the house they had rented for the last six months.

Half an hour later, at St John's hospital, Emily slowly started to open her eyes, a cry escaping from her lips. She tried to swallow, but it hurt too much. Looking around her, Emily tried to make sense of her memories. If not for realizing that she was in the hospital, she would have been sure it was all a bad dream.

"She is waking up, detective" Emily turned her head to see where the sound was coming from, seeing a pretty little blond training nurse speaking to a man sitting on the bed next to Emily. "You know I am not really supposed to let anyone speak to her before I call the doctor."

"I see," smiling at the nurse while the man's eyes locked with Emilys, "why don't you quickly go call the doctor then? I don't want to get you into any trouble" in one motion, the man stood up and pushed the blond to the door.

Seeing Emily trying to speak, Michael moved over to the water bottle next to the bed, opening it and offering it to Emily. She nodded gratefully. Helping her sit up, Micheal handed her the bottle.

"Don't drink too much," Michael cautioned.

"Who are you?" Emily asked after she was able to speak,

"I'm detective Michael. Do you know who you are? And why you are here?"

Emily nodded. "My name is Emily Jackson, and I think I was attacked."

Staring at the drawn blinds by the window, "I don't really know how I got here," Emily said softly. "Nothing makes sense."

"What doesn't make sense?" Michael asked with a soft voice taking Emily's hand while sitting down on the chair next to the bed. At the same time, he was giving Emily his most dazzling smile.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked, taking back her hand.

"I don't know what you mean?" Micheal said, a bit shocked. He couldn't even remember the last time a female didn't melt when he turned on his charm.

"Just stop. Having to witness you and the nurses was bad enough, and your puppy eyes will not work on me," Emily said dramatically with a half-smile on her face.

"Damn it, what time is it? I need to go open the diner, damn it, damn it!" Emily tried to stand up, looking around for her clothes.

"Emily, relax! You were attacked last night and were brought to the hospital this morning. You have been here almost 12 hours. Is there anybody I can call for you?" Michael said, pressing Emily back onto the bed.

"Can you please call Ben and Anna, my parents?" Emily asked, giving Michael Ben's telephone number.

"Ok, I will. But please, can you remember anything about last night?" Michael pressed.

Closing her eyes, Emily told Michael all she could remember about the attack. She only stopped at the part about seeing a wolf and flying to the hospital in a stranger's arms. How could Emily tell a detective about that? They would think she had lost her mind!

"I...I don't know how I got here," Emily finished.

"You were brought in by an orderly that found you next to the road," a voice said from the door. "I left specific instructions that I am to be called the moment the patient wakes up before she speaks to the police."

Emily's doctor entered the room, studying her chart.

"If you are finished, detective, I need to examine my patient," dismissing Michael.

Michael smiled at Emily and promised that he would phone her parents before leaving her room. Closing the door behind him as he went.

Outside of Emily's room, Michael's smile disappeared. Looking up and down in the bright corridor, Michael could feel the hair on his neck starting to raise. You don't get to be 329 years old without some sort of six-sense. Michael was sure someone or something was watching him. But was it because of him, or was it because of the girl in the room behind him? He needed to speak to Alistar and the rest of the group, fast!