Vampyre Paladin
By Brenda Stephens
Chapter 3
Part 1
The bedroom was plain, the curtains drawn. The threebulb
overhead light glowed radiantly, as did the two lamps
on either side of the queen-sized bed where Dylan lay. A
thick red comforter tucked him in. Though at peace, his
face resting and his body limp, his forehead spotted in
perspiration, like a man in a sauna. Despite the battle
within him, Dylan appeared a placid lake, non-disturbed –
or more accurately, like a recently deceased corpse not yet
hardened. He was certainly not grasping at his last bits of
humanity, as Sara Holstadtler did. Sarah was not the least
relaxed when I came to call – the clear difference between
a damned level 3 and a savable level 2. This comatose state
was the calm before the storm.
“Can you help?” Claire asked, not allowing time to
slip away.
“He seems to be sleeping. I need to check his vitals
before I can say for sure, but from his appearance, there’s
hope. If you don’t mind…”
I sat on the bed and placed my index and middle
fingers on Dylan’s neck, just under the jawline. His pulse
was slow – very slow - but maintained a continuous
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