It was about five o'clock in the morning. I was sleeping a dreamless sleep. The waiting room was not comfortable but I had promised Ann that I would keep her informed. I had fallen asleep just about an hour before.

I sat slumped in a chair my ankles crossed, my feet propped up on a chair I had pulled over for that purpose. The chair was unceremoniously pulled out from under my feet. I jolted awake. I was on my feet, hands and body poised to fight.

Jeremy stood grinning at me. "If I had been your werewolf I would have finally gotten my prize."

"Jeremy." I said sleep gone from my voice. I looked out the set of windows to see darkness blanketing the hospital campus. A few vehicles moved in the distance their headlamps lighting their way. "What time is it?"

"Five eighteen." He said with a glance at the gold watch at his left wrist.

"I thought you were taking a commercial flight." I said and looked down the hall towards Beth's room.

"I decided to use the jet.-- Are you going to explain what's going on here or do I need to guess?" His voice was laced with sarcasm. He didn't look happy to see me either.

For a moment I wondered if I had slipped back into the newborn stage of our relationship. He had the air of disappointment that he displayed when I was learning to cope with the changes vampireism had created. I didn't like it or how it made me feel.

"You know I didn't ask for this, Jeremy." I told him indignantly.

"Did not say you did. Now, tell me what's going on." His eyes lost some of the hardness that had been displayed there moments before.

So I started talking. We sat with our backs to the darkened windows. When I had finished he asked if I knew what kind of spell the coven had cast. I shook my head, negative.

"Did you not ask, Alexis?" He inquired his voice bland.

"I've not had the opportunity. We were in the emergency department then transferred up here. There have been others around, Jeremy, humans. I didn't think having a discussion on the paranormal would be appreciate in a crowded waiting room."

He looked around the empty room.

"And Ann isn't here either." I defended.

"When she gets back here I want to meet her. I need to know what spell they used. I hope it was a spell. The alternative is unlikely and dangerous."

"Dangerous?" I questioned shifting in my seat. I had never been a thrill seeker. Jeremy had, for him to think something dangerous left no doubt I didn't want it involved with me.

He gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't barrow trouble, Alexis. Let's see what the spell was before we worry." His voice sounded so calm and normal. He was right.

I nodded my head.

"The club were you met her, did you feel a pull to go there before you went there? Before you met her? Before you came to the city?" He asked each question and waited for a response before asking the next. Each answer had been a negative shake of my head.

"Where are you staying?" He asked as he stood.

I told him. He sighed. "Move into the Claremont." He shook his head. "Why do you insist on staying at these second rate dwellings? You have the money to live better."

"Money can be spent only once, Jeremy. I learned as a human that if you have it save it."

"But you," he pointed at me, "are no longer human, Alexis. You have amassed fortunes in the past four hundred ad fifty years. What is the point if you don't use the wealth you attained?"

I just shook my head. We had never agreed on our spending habits. However, with Jeremy in town I knew I would have to make a few concessions. The hotel being only the first.

"Get a mobile phone as well. You should have done so when your plane landed."

"Anything else, Uncle?" I said with a hint of childish sarcasm. He ignored the sarcasm and let his gaze roam over me critically.

"Shower. And for pities sake update you're wardrobe. You look like a teenager."

"Ha." I scoffed. But I smiled. "I happen to like how I dress. It's comfortable. But I agree with the shower." I did agree with that part. "I have to wait till Ann gets here at six thirty before leaving. I don't want Beth here alone." I glanced down the hall towards her room.

He eyed me thoughtfully. "Keys." He held out his hand and I dug my hotel key from my pocket. I laid the key in his palm. He folded his hand over the brass key and the plastic yellow diamond with the number eight printed in black ink. "I'll take care of it." He told me.

He left and I settled back in my seat. I didn't even try to go to sleep. I knew Ann would show up soon.

Light started spilling in the windows as the sun rose. Unable to see in Beth's room, from where I sat, I decide to go check on her. It had been a few hours since I had looked in her room.

I made my way down the hall. I smiled at a nurse that passed me. She grinned and kept walking. When I got to Beth's room I pushed the door open. I made no noise in case she was asleep.

She lay partly on her side. There was only one dim light on in the room but I saw her clearly.

She looked soft in sleep. Her heart monitor beeped slowly and study. The IV dripped.

I wanted to brush the hair from her face but I remained out of reach. I didn't want to wake her.

Okay, the truth was I didn't want to have the confrontation that I believed was coming.

I silently left.