FIFTY-TWO | THE OTHER DOCTOR

Doctor Quin is a man. A very nice-looking man in his late thirties, if I had to guess. His eyes are like liquid amber, not quite brown and not really yellow, but something in between - and just as warm. They're hidden behind thin, black-wire rimmed glasses that sit on the tip of his nose. I didn't even think vampires needed glasses.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Ms. Holland." He addresses me formally, raising a hand between us. We're in his office, the room spacious but much smaller than the kind I'm used to seeing for an infirmary...though I guess vampires really don't have a need for an infirmary since they heal so quickly.

"Please, just call me Scarlett." I say, taking his outstretched hand and giving it a firm shake. He nods coolly.

"As you wish, Scarlett." He gestures to the two chairs in in front of the cot. "Please, make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks." I reply and take a seat, Miklye begins to follow me, but the Doctor grabs his shoulder.

"Mikyle, get lost." Doctor Quin tells my shadow flatly, grimacing at him.

"I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on her-"

"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Dr. Quin shoots back at him, pointing to the door. "And I'll know if you try to listen in." He warns, tapping his head. I frown at the man, not sure if vampires have telepathic bonds like Wolven do. Mikyle scowls at the man before turning to look at me for the first time all morning.

"Yell if you need anything, princess." He tells me before turning on his heel and walking out of the room. Dr. Quin zips over to the door and closes it behind my shadow, smirking.

"I apologize for that, but I know Mikyle very well and his presence would only make our conversation more confusing. He's a bit of an over-sharer." I smile a little at that. "You must have so many questions, Scarlett." Dr. Quin sighs, pulling off his glasses and letting the band they're connected to hold them against his chest as he comes over and takes a seat in the chair opposite me.

"No, well, I mean I do, but-" I let out a frustrated sigh and drum my fingers against my knees anxiously. "Look, let's get one thing straight: I don't want to be vamp. The thought's been driving me crazy since I found out what I am, and I don't want to have to drink blood the rest of my life to survive." The words tumble out before I can even attempt to filter them.

"Why?" Dr. Quin asks calmly, his face staying relaxed an unaffected by my tactless words.

"I don't know, maybe I just find it hard to stomach the idea of drinking blood - the literal thing keeping humans alive - for the rest of however long my life's going to be-"

"The average life expectancy for vampire-shifter hybrids is still unknown." He interrupts me.

"What the hell does that mean?" I growl at him, my anger spiking at this news. *What the hell is he talking about?*

"It means, the hybrids like yourself are still alive and well." Dr. Quin replies, unfazed by my rude words, but there's a light of curiosity in his amber eyes.

"Y-You've met things like me?"

"My dear, your particular kind of genetics are rare, yes, but it's not unheard of." Dr. Quin begins in that same relaxed tone. "There are five that I'm aware of. Two in Russia, one in Australia, one in Ireland," He begins. "And you." I stare at him, dumbfounded. I thought I was the only one. "Though I've only ever met the two in Russia personally on a business trip," He continues. "The woman, Natasha, has been living with her mate, Vitali, the other hybrid, for over three centuries. They both seem to have stopped aging in their late twenties." I stare at him, my mouth agape.

"T-three hundred?" My mind's racing and I'm feeling dizzy.

"Interesting..." Dr. Quin leans forward, studying me as the dizziness becomes nausea and that bone-chilling cold begins to seep in. "Your emotions seem to run a little more wildly than most." He tells me, leaning back in his chair. "As for living off blood," He folds this hands on his lap. "Are you a vegan?"

"Uh, no." I blink at him, not sure where that came from.

"They how is drinking blood any different from consuming dairy products?" He asks me. I stare at him in surprise, open my mouth, then think about what he said. I shut my mouth. "Or eating meat? You do eat meat, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, but-" I sputter, trying to come up with an argument - but this guy's good.

"Animals are killed to feed many humans, often treated poorly as a result of high demand." He tells me - and I feel like I'm being lectured. "We take blood *sustainably* from donors, humans who agree to come in once every three months to give one pint of blood, and are well compensated."

"Compensated?" I ask, not sure I like that word. It's too general.

"Some prefer monetary compensation, others ask for protection, some require housing," Dr. Quin explains. "The Coven your father runs is very generous."

"You're not just saying that cause he's your boss are you?" I ask him skeptically. Dr. Quin lets out a surprised laugh, his smile as bright as his eyes.

"Though I am a large supporter of Hale, I don't cover for him like some of the others may." Dr. Quin says, then takes a deep breath. "My loyalties lie with Ritska."

"Ms. Jin?" I blink, surprised. Ms. Jin seems to be a key part of the Coven, but I'm surprised the eccentric lady seems to have a following like Hale.

"Yes. But that is a topic for another time," He tells me, waving my questions away when I open my mouth again. "Back to the matter at hand. Blood." He studies me for a moment. "It's clear you're malnourished for our kind. Most vampires diet is a direct correlation to how powerful they are."

"Strong vampires, like you father, can go without consuming blood for weeks if they need to. But if they use too much power or get injured, there is a higher probability of loosing one's self-"

"You mean becoming a Revenant." I deadpan, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Ah, so he told you." Dr. Quin sighs, nodding. "I can understand your hesitation towards blood, but it's that hesitation that could ultimately lead to that condition- becoming a Revenant."

"I drink blood, Doc, just not a lot." I tell him, shrugging. "Mom puts some in one of my meals, and I have a some of those sin-a-cubes in my coffee or tea-"

"My dear, it's not enough." He shakes his head. "In your case, I'd say at least one donor bag a day to sustain yourself. Though you may need to increase your intake as the day of your Blooming comes closer." He explains. "At the pace you seem to be going, the symptoms of the change will drive you insane and force your body to undergo a rapid progression-"

"Doc, in English." I hiss at him, getting annoyed.

"You could loose control at any moment and go on a killing spree." Dr. Quin states my worst fear.

"I just-" I suck in a deep breath. "I don't want to get addicted, Doc."

"Do you like coffee, Scarlett?" He asks without addressing my words.

"Yeah." I say slowly, wondering where he's going with this.

"Could you go a day without it?" Dr. Quin asks off handedly, but I narrow my eyes at the crafty vampire.

"Yeah, I'd be a little cranky, but I guess I could-"

"That's because of the caffeine. Caffeine is a drug. That's a fact, not an opinion," He tells me, and again, I feel like I'm being lectured. "Blood is sustenance to a vampire. But, like any food, if consumed in large quantities, there could be some unsavory consequences. For humans, it's obesity or heart disease. For vampires, it's a little steeper of a price, yes, but it's an ultimately avoidable thing."

"Hale said the older vamps are the more likely they are to become a Revenant anyway."

"Vampires don't live forever, Scarlett. There are always going to be reasons why we should avoid drinking too much blood, but you can't starve yourself just because you're scared." Dr. Quin tells me point-blank, looking into my eyes.

"What do you think I should do then? Drink blood and hope for the best? What if I loose it one day and kill everyone I love?" I ask coldly, feeling uncertainty bubbling in me.

"Then I recommend you do what all those in Hale's Coven do: get a sponsor." I blink at the man.

"I'm sorry, a what?" I laugh in surprise, but the Doc is serious.

"A sponsor is another vampire, preferably one who you can talk with comfortably and is loyal to you, and ask them to - in the event you loose control - *take care of you*." He says the last words very seriously so I can't misunderstand their meaning.

"Is that what Hale was for Ms. Jin?" I ask without meaning to.

"Yes, partly." Dr. Quin nods somberly. "But your father was able to salvage her soul before it was too late. Which is part of the point of having a sponsor." He explains.

"Do you have one?" My curiosity makes my lips loose.

"I do, Ritska is mine." He tells me. I nod, not surprised.

"Do you ever think about it? Loosing your soul and turning into a Revenant?" I ask quietly.

"I do," He tells me, and gives me a little smile. "But I sleep better knowing there's someone out there, who I trust implicitly, to make sure that never happens - or at the very least that I won't hurt anyone." His tone is as calm as when we started talking. I nod, feeling like a weight's been lifted from my very bones as I mull over what we've talked about.

"Thanks, Doc." I say quietly and let out along sigh. "You've given me a lot to think about." I stand and the Doctor stands with me.

"Glad I could help, Scarlett. Feel free to drop by if you have any more questions in the future." He tells me and extends his hand to me. I shake it firmly. I know as I do, this isn't going to be the last time we see each other. I'm sure now that I'll be back to pick the man's brain.