Andree Hayworth walked several aisles and turned right.
When Andree knew she was alone, she checked her watch.
“I knew they were vampires!” she said under her breath. She took out her phone and dialed a number. Since no one answered, she waited until she got the voicemail.
“Maryl! Clayton Cole is here with your enzymes! Tell me what to do!” She hung up and peered over her shoulder. She couldn’t believe she had slept with Cassidy, a vampire!
Cassidy walked to the enzymes. “Let’s get started,” she said as she pulled up her sleeves.
“Cassidy, I don’t think we will be done by next week,” Clayton said.
“Why not?”
“Either the O types will get here before then, or if by some miracle they don’t, I don’t see the process completed by then. It will take a lot longer,” Clayton said.
Cassidy looked at him. “What aren’t you telling me, Clayton?”
“I sort of misled you.”
“Sort of? What do you mean?”
“Everything we told you and Doctor Hayworth was a lie.” Clayton looked at the other scientists and then back at Cassidy. “While we have known each other for a long time, your ethics can sometimes get in the way.”
“What do moral principles have to do with anything? And equally disturbing is you made me sleep with a human being for nothing?”
“I didn’t tell you to sleep with her. I only wanted the use of the lab! Don’t pin that one on me! And what does that have anything to do with the fact that I lied to you?”
“I have known you for a long time, as you’ve stated, Clayton. I expect deception from you.”
“You don’t understand the consequences of that serum, Cassidy.”
“Yes, I do. I am a scientist, and you are not.” She picked up one of the vials. “What are we doing here with a ton of the serum, Clayton?” She looked at him and couldn’t read his face. “With that serum administered worldwide, we won’t have to worry anymore about what blood type is nourishable or not. It would usher in a new era. No more vampire wars or turfs. You don’t seem to be on board with that.”
“That’s where the lie takes place. You see, you’re looking at it the wrong way, Cassidy.”
“Please, enlighten me, Clayton, because I fail to see any downside.”
“This serum is an abomination! It’s a disgrace to the A and B blood types!” Clayton seethed.
“How?” Cassidy asked sincerely.
“Because it will dilute our species! We are much stronger when we feed upon our own blood types! Can’t you see that?”
Cassidy looked at the plethora of vials of serum. “What do you intend to do with the serum? You’re not throwing it away, or we wouldn’t have gone to this much trouble.”
“Now, we come to the crux of why we are here, Cassidy.” Clayton walked around the desk and picked up one of the vials. He watched as the other scientists were checking out the equipment and microscopes and turning them on. He cleared his throat. “I need everyone to use the blood that we brought here and using the serum, find a way to reverse the stripping of the antigens off the top of the red blood cells.”
“What on earth for?” Cassidy said in puzzlement. “It took Shelly Leadstone more than a decade to perfect that serum, and you want it to be changed by next week? And modified how?”
“The time frame isn’t realistic, I know. I will have to improvise as we go along. However, the serum can change any type of blood to just the O types. I need you and the others to convert the enzyme to produce just A and B and AB blood types.”
The implication staggered Cassidy. “But, the O blood type vampires won’t be able to feed at all if you are successful! You are talking about wiping out two of the eight blood type vampires around the planet!”
“Collateral damage,” Clayton said noncommittally.
“You seek to convert over forty percent of the human blood type just to get rid of the O negative and O positive vampires?”
“More like forty-four percent, but yes,” Clayton said without remorse.
“I don’t know if I can do this, Clayton. It’s morally wrong and unethical. While I am a vampire, I am an ethical scientist as well.”
Clayton grabbed Cassidy by her throat. “Look around you, Cassidy! Each one of these scientists believes strongly in my vision of the future of my blood types. I will not allow you to get in my way!”
“You’re hurting me!” Cassidy said in-between ragged breaths.
He released his vice-like grip. “Are you going to abide by my vision, Cassidy?”
Cassidy massaged her throat. “Yes.”
“I don’t believe you. I can hear your heartbeat. It’s beating at one hundred and seventy-seven beats per minute. You have no intention of helping us.”
Cassidy tried to speed away, but Clayton quickly caught her. “Jack! Come here, please.”
“What’s up?”
“Cassidy doesn’t believe in our vision of our future.”
“I see,” Jack said as he rubbed his stubbly chin. “What do you need from me?”
“I want you to drain her blood so we can add it to our stockpile. Can you do that?”
“Yes, but her B positive blood makes her strong. I won’t be able to spare anyone to hold her down. No matter how we bound her, she will get loose.”
With sudden ferociousness, Clayton seized Cassidy, found her jugular vein, and sucked her blood until she passed out.
“How about now? Can you restrain her and drain the rest?” Clayton said as blood dripped from his mouth.
“Can do,” Jack said as he took hold of her arms and dragged her away.
Clayton heard the light tapping of rain hit the large window nearby. Then the rain turned from a light pattering to a torrential downpour. As he gazed out the window, he wondered where Maryl and Ray were.
The lightning crackled and branched out in all directions. Rain dove down to the ground in sheets. He liked to study mother nature and the power it bestowed upon
