All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire(126)

 

"It's just after five." Sabrina tossed the contacts in the trash.

 

"In the morning?" Toni blinked.

 

"Evening," Teddy said. "You slept all day."

 

Toni looked at him. Then at Carlos and Sabrina. Then around the room. "Oh my gosh."

 

"What's wrong?" Sabrina rushed back to her side.

 

"My eyesight. It—it's perfect. Without contacts." She handed the compact back to Sabrina and looked around the room once more. Her sight was more than perfect. She could read the fine print on a poster across the room above the sink. It described the proper procedure for washing hands.

 

She caught Carlos and Sabrina exchanging a worried look. Something was wrong. She lifted the sheet and blanket to look at her side. The last time she'd looked, there'd been a dagger stuck in her. She touched the area gingerly, expecting to feel some pain. Nothing.

 

Underneath the sheet, she pulled up her hospital gown. She peeked at her side. There was a faint scar, barely noticeable. She touched the scar. No pain or tenderness. And all the bite marks that had dotted her torso were gone.

 

Alarm crept into her. She must have slept for weeks to be this healed. "How long was I out? Was I in a coma?"

 

"Menina." Carlos touched her arm. "You were wounded last night."

 

"Last…but that doesn't make sense." She grabbed his hand. "Tell me what happened."

 

He winced. "Toni, lighten up. You're about to crush my bones."

 

She released his hand. Her sense of alarm grew into full-fledged panic. "I hurt you?"

 

Carlos flexed his fingers. "You seem a lot stronger."

 

"Oh my God." Sabrina stepped back, her eyes widening.

 

"Will someone please tell me what happened?" Toni grasped the railing beside her so she could lower it and get out of bed. She gave it a little push, and it broke completely off.

 

Sabrina gasped.

 

"She's Superwoman!" Teddy announced, grinning.

 

"What?" Toni dropped the bed railing, and it clattered on the floor. "Oh no." Great eyesight, super strength. Was she still alive? She touched her teeth to see if she'd acquired any pointed fangs.

 

"Relax, menina." Carlos patted her arm. "You're not a Vamp."

 

She exhaled with relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Not that I have anything against them. I'm really fond of them, and I love Ian. But I'd really hate to die and miss it. I mean, I'm glad I'm still alive. I really like to eat." Good grief, she was babbling like an idiot. "I'm just so confused. How did I heal so fast?"

 

Just then, Ian walked into the room, carrying two vases of flowers. He grinned at Toni. "Ye're awake. How do ye feel?"

 

"I have perfect eyesight." She looked him over. He was looking great in his jeans and blue sweater that matched his eyes.

 

"That's good." He set the vases on the counter.

 

"I didn't have perfect eyesight before," Toni said.

 

"What did you do to her?" Sabrina demanded. "She—she's ripping the furniture apart with her bare hands!"

 

"She's Superwoman," Teddy added.

 

Ian looked at the broken railing on the floor.

 

"It was an accident," Toni said. "I didn't mean to. I just pushed a little and…"

 

Ian nodded. "We thought something like this might happen. Ye could have heightened senses and abilities."

 

Toni swallowed hard. "What kind of abilities?"

 

"Ye'll be verra strong and fast." Ian walked toward her. "Constantine was the one who made us realize it when he said ye would be like him—mortal but with special powers. I hope ye doona mind."

 

"Mind?" Teddy said. "This is so awesome! Toni will be like the bionic woman, but without the metal parts."

 

Toni sat there, stunned. She glanced at Sabrina, and her friend was staring at her with a shocked expression. "How—what did you do to me?"

 

"We gave you a blood transfusion." Ian perched on the end of the bed. "My blood."

 

"You filled her up with vampire blood?" Carlos asked.

 

"Awesome," Teddy whispered.

 

"Are you trying to turn her into a vampire?" Sabrina asked.

 

"Nay." Ian rested a hand on Toni's foot. "We were only trying to heal her. Ye see, vampires heal naturally during our death-sleep because of our blood. We thought my blood might be able to heal Toni. And it did. Sorta." He shrugged one shoulder. "Constantine helped, too."

 

Sabrina approached the bed. "That sweet little boy helped heal Toni? He—he helped me, too."