章 2: 2. Angel In Blue Jeans.
Freddie tightly gripped the lifeless tiger shifter, feeling the weight of its heavy body as he strained to drag it closer to the cart. With the brakes applied, the cart remained still, but it still required considerable strength. Despite being human, Freddie was in great shape, thanks to a few sips of the doctor's blood that granted him enhanced strength compared to other humans.
With the help of a tarp, the carcass slid closer to the cart, and Freddie managed to pull it inside. He repeated the process, moving them one by one, as the dead shifter was a massive creature. The cart made a minimal sound as he pushed it up the ramps and into the well-lit clinic. The darkness of the night surrounded them.
Once inside, Freddie opened the heavy door of the freezer and maneuvered the cart inside. He then carefully slid the first carcass onto one of the tables and wrapped it in the tarp. Stepping outside, he retrieved the next one from the cart. As he did, he noticed the female shifter's body, and he pulled the last male shifter closer so that once he had placed the leopard shifter in the freezer, the female would be closer as well.
By accident, his hand brushed against the warm body of the female shifter. Freddie frowned, realizing that her body had been beneath the males, preventing it from cooling down significantly.
She was trying to stay awake, drifting in and out of consciousness. The pain in her side persisted, and the night chill began to seep into her bones. Exhausted, she struggled to understand why the other part of her didn't take over, allowing her to sleep and find safety. She caught a whiff of the human's scent, different from the one who had harmed her, but she fought to hold on. Despite the pain, she purred to herself, finding some solace in the fact that the pain seemed less, or maybe she was just too tired to fully register it.
As Freddie carefully placed the cold, stiff body of the leopard shifter into the freezer, he couldn't help but notice the complete absence of warmth in the lifeless carcass. Memories of the warmth he had once felt on the female shifter's body flooded his mind. It had become uncommon for the bodies brought by the doc to retain any warmth, just like this one. Freddie had grown accustomed to their stiffness, coldness, and undeniable lifelessness.
However, as he prepared to retrieve the last male, the lion shifter, Freddie heard a soft, purring sound emanating from the car. Intrigued, he blinked and strained his ears, wondering if it could be some new cricket species. If it was, he knew the doc would be thrilled and would likely explore the discovery in the yard in the coming weeks.
But before he could fully process the mysterious sound, movement caught his attention. The female shifter, whom he had assumed to be nothing more than a mere skeleton, suddenly moved her head and opened her eyes. She was alive!
Overwhelmed with astonishment, Freddie exclaimed, "Hey, hang on! I'll go get the doc. You are one remarkable creature."
Freddie rushed inside, panting, to find Damon just finishing his shower and getting dressed. Initially confused by Freddie's frantic words, Damon urged him to take a moment to catch his breath and explain what had happened.
After a few deep breaths, Freddie managed to convey, "Female shifter... she's alive. She blinked and tried to purr."
Damon, filled with disbelief, quickly gathered some sheets and his stethoscope.
Determined to see it for himself, he said, "Let's go and have a look. If she's still alive after being shot in the heart with the dart, moving with her heartbeat for about 8 hours, she truly is an extraordinary creature."
With that, Damon strode out, Freddie following closely behind.
The female shifter lay on her side, her yellow eyes, though peculiar, still held a flicker of humanity. Blinking, she emitted a soft purr as Damon approached, his footsteps echoing in the room. He retrieved his stethoscope and carefully placed it against her chest, listening intently. Her heartbeat, while weak, remained steady, offering no immediate signs of impending death. Her breaths were raspy, her lungs struggling to fill properly, indicating an infection.
Damon hung his stethoscope around his neck and spoke with determination, "You're holding on, so I'll do my best to help you. You're a veritable miracle in my eyes."
Gently, he uncovered her, sliding his hands beneath her frail form and swathing her in sheets.
"Go inside, prepare an intensive care cage. She'll fit in. Bring me the cannulation supplies; you can move the last one later," Damon instructed, his voice laced with steel.
Freddie hurried inside, following his orders. Damon cradled the female shifter in his arms, feeling her purrs vibrate against his chest, a sign of her weariness, fear, and confusion. Without uttering a word, he emitted his alpha male pheromones, attempting to soothe her trembling. Entering the examination room, he placed her gently on the table, flicking on the bright overhead light.
Muttering to himself, he said, "Alright. I need to cannulate you and administer fluids to assess your response. The next 24 hours will be crucial. If you make it through, we can explore more effective treatments."
Freddie returned with a small table holding the cannulation supplies, while Damon instructed him, "Put a mattress in the cage. She's so thin, she needs some padding."
Freddie nodded, retrieving a thin mattress that the doctor used for special cases. Cutting it to the appropriate size, he placed it at the bottom of the cage, covering it with plastic and adding a few sheets for comfort.
Damon carefully unwrapped the shifter, exposing her wound to the harsh light. The sight was unsettling - an ugly, inflamed gash on her side that emitted a foul smell. With sterile dressing in hand, Damon did his best to cover the wound, knowing that healing would have to wait. First, he needed to stabilize her and determine if she could survive.
It was not uncommon for ferals like her to succumb to shock when handled by humans, often within the first 24 hours. But Damon had experienced victories before. He had successfully healed a female lion and her five cubs, although it had been a close call. He had moved them to a safer place near one of the salvatores, eliminating any danger. Now, Number Five was attempting to persuade the lioness to take her human form.
Damon examined the shifter's hind leg, which had been trapped and broken. The poorly healed injury was now infected. Despite the pain and confusion, she continued to purr.
Damon whispered reassuringly to her, "It's okay. I won't hurt you. Well, not too much. I need to insert this cannula to administer fluids and pain medication. We'll check on you in the morning."
Gently, Damon held her front paw, carefully feeling for a vein. The shifter was severely dehydrated, so he cast a transparency spell to better see her veins. Swiftly, he inserted the cannula into her tiny, spasming veins. Connecting the IV drip of saline and a potent yet cautious dose of painkiller, Damon watched as the liquid began to flow. Despite her weakness, she continued to purr.
Damon proceeded to cover her hind leg, not wanting to cause any further discomfort at the moment. It had been a small miracle that removing the dart had caused no complications with her heart. Its rhythmic beating remained calm and steady, albeit slightly muffled. There were no signs of bleeding, offering a glimmer of hope in the midst of this challenging situation.
She was purring, her soft vibrations growing stronger now, and Damon gently spoke, "Hey, come on. I'll help you. I know you're scared, but try to conserve your strength. You can stop purring; there's nothing to be afraid of."
As Damon tended to her, Freddie went to retrieve the last shifter and placed it in the freezer.
He approached Damon and asked, "What's next, doc? Should I move her into the cage?"
Damon replied, "I'll carry her. She's light enough. She's received about 1500 ml of saline and a fifth of the usual dose of painkillers. Let's place her in the cage and cover it, so she feels a little more secure. We'll keep the saline flowing at a rate of about a liter per hour. She's severely dehydrated and must be feeling terrible. She's almost septic too."
Freddie opened the cage door while Damon carefully cradled the female shifter and placed her inside. He positioned the IV rack nearby and lowered her onto a mattress on her uninjured side. Damon closed the cage and covered it with a sheet. Then, as usual, he cast his spell on her, gently coaxing her shifter side to retreat and her human side to emerge. If she didn't make it, the spell would take a few days, allowing him time for an autopsy. Damon had done all he could, and they would assess the situation in the morning.
Something was attempting to rouse me from my slumber, and I resisted. I didn't want to wake up. Every time my feline side tried to stir me awake, I pushed it back, determined to remain in my slumber. Now, something was gradually pulling me towards consciousness. My feline side persisted, irritating me. In response, I released a small burst of power that I had kept within me for countless centuries, forcing that persistent force to leave me alone. The pulling ceased, and darkness once again consumed me.
Damon woke up early in the morning, greeted by the soft glow of dawn streaming through the curtains. As he stretched, he noticed something amiss, a nagging feeling that puzzled him. His spell had failed, leaving the female shifter's humanity intact. His brow furrowed in frustration, realizing that if she was still alive and capable of resisting his spell, she must be an incredibly powerful creature.
After a quick shower, Damon resisted the urge to check on the female shifter and made his way to the kitchen. The room was quiet, the only sound being the faint hum of the refrigerator. Freddie, his colleague, hadn't arrived yet, as it was his day off. Damon pondered whether Freddie would show up later or spend the entire day with his girlfriend.
Lost in thought, Damon planned his day ahead. If no one called him, he would tend to his animal patients. Currently, he had 15 in his care, ranging from a one-legged parrot to a fox with a deep cut on its tail, and even a new species of monkeys suffering from a peculiar flu. Damon had already prepared their food, neatly arranged and ready to be served. As he ate his own breakfast, he couldn't resist the temptation of the supernatural incubus king's blood, stored in small bags on the table. He greedily savored the hot blood as it trickled down his throat, leaving a few red stains on his shirt.
Once finished, Damon cleared the table, placing the dishes in the sink and rinsing them. He sipped the last remnants of his coffee, accidentally spilling it. With the animal food cart in hand, he checked to ensure he had enough for everyone. The monkeys, in particular, fascinated him, and he enjoyed experimenting with new foods for them. Carefully maneuvering the cart out of the fridge, he began pushing it towards the clinic side, humming a tune to himself.
He flicked the switch, instantly flooding the space with a brilliant, blinding light. The sudden brightness jolted the animals awake, causing a chaotic symphony of rustling and stirring. As the cacophony filled the air, he carefully distributed food to each cage, observing the creatures as they began to devour their meals. It wouldn't be long before a few of them were ready for release.
Once his cart was emptied, he placed it in a designated spot and approached a cage concealed under a sheet. The faint sound of saline dripping reached his ears as he gingerly lifted the cover, fully expecting to find the shifter lifeless. However, to his astonishment, she lifted her head and hissed at him with newfound vigor. Her hiss was far from feeble; it carried a fierce determination in her gaze. Damon let out a sigh and noticed that the bedding was soaked, evidence that she had forcefully removed her cannula, causing the saline meant for her to spill all over the cage.
Almost muttering to himself, he muttered, "Fine, we need to do something about you. It seems you're not very appreciative of my efforts here, but don't worry, you're still weak."
He walked over to a nearby cabinet, grabbed a movable table, and began collecting the necessary tools for cannulation, wound care, and pain management. Glancing at her momentarily, he reinforced the spell with a bit more strength as he passed by. This time, the spell would hold, forcing her to assume her human form. Maybe then, he could provide her with the help she needed.
He also gathered some blood tubes for DNA sampling and a few lab tests, along with the reserved drugs and syringes.
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