Sipping Copper

Opening the Wounds

“I need pure blood, Cole,” Rhett murmured.

His older brother scoffed and then leaned forward in his chair.

“You know very well that you have the ability to go to the any of the registered blood clinics in the city to get your allotted six-month supply. No questions asked. So unless you somehow are suffering from a memory issue that I’m not aware of… then there’s more to it than that.”

Rhett couldn’t help but flinch at the level of awareness that Cole had always possessed,  and even more so now with what old age and wisdom had given him, along with being in the Vampire and Human Relations Department for what was fast-approaching a half of a century.

“How many vials do you need?” Cole prompted. “I may be able to find a work-around to get you an advance… as long as it’s for an understandable - ”

“I need ten tubes,” Rhett said in a rush. It was actually more like twelve to fourteen, but he would be able to stretch out the supply in a couple of ways.

Cole’s jaw dropped, and his eyes went suddenly wide.

“ Ten ? Why in the world do you need that much? Wait, you’re not doing something insane like trying to start your own mixing dispensary, are you? There are laws and regulations for that, Rhett. Granted, I’m pleased that you’re wanting to finally take some business initiative to…”

Cole paused, then looked slightly crestfallen at Rhett’s face.

“So, that’s not it then.”

“No, it’s not.”

The silence was there once more, but this time there was a tentative amount of dread that accompanied it. Like the two brothers knew there was a bomb in the room, and it was only a matter of time before it went off. The ticking second hand of the wall clock didn’t help with this feeling.

“How old is she,” Cole whispered. The expression in his eyes desperate to be wrong on his second guess.

“It’s a he. Created last night,” Rhett answered, not returning his gaze. It was easier - better - to keep his face lowered to the dark tiled floor. What he did felt so much more shameful now, in the the light of the morning. His brother had spent over half of his life trying to protect him and others like him from being labeled as nothing but unfeeling monsters, and yet look at what he had fucking done. Due to a sensation of want that he hadn’t had for so long.

There was a rattled breath, but Rhett refused to look up into the wrinkled face.

“Fine then. He. ” Cole said. He sounded so far away. “And you are completely sure that he’s been turned?”

Rhett’s first nod was so stiff that he nodded again just to make sure that Cole registered his reply. “He smells like honeysuckle, Cole. Like the ones momma used to have in the backyard. It took me a while to connect the scent, but…”

“Shit,” Cole whispered. It was the second time in over a decade that Rhett could remember his older brother cursing. Rhett carefully tilted his face up to watch the elderly man become even older before his eyes. The balding head was in slightly shaking hands. “So it's not just that you were just passively involved…”