Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Visions of Darkness, Dreams of Light ❯ The Explanation ( Chapter 2 )

He became aware of an exquisite taste in his mouth. He looked down and saw Mina at his feet. "Mina! Mina!" He whispered hoarsely. No more than a second later, Sonic showed up. Drake looked at Mina. Felt his stomach lurch, and the blood at his lips. He saw the hedgehog pull back in shock at the blood on her. He turned and ran, moving faster than he ever had before, the agony of what he had done ripping through him..

Sonic grabbed Mina. She felt so light in his arms, he knew she needed help. He raced to the hospital, praying that she would be ok. <What just happened here?!>

Chapter 11

"Well, it would appear she was suffering from shock and acute blood loss. We managed to give her a transfusion, but she still hasn't responded to us. Whatever happened, she was terrified."

"What about her neck?" Sonic asked, worried.

The duck frowned. "I hoped you could tell me. There wasn't much blood around the wound, for as bad as it was, and it appeared to have been torn rather than cut. Did you see any of what happened?"

"It was Drake." Sonic whispered.

Mina's mother gasped. "Why would he do this? He practically worships her. He…he…couldn't have. What would possess him to attack her?" She lowered her head, wishing she could weep.

"I don't know." Sonic admitted. "He was there, she was on the ground. He ran off the minute I arrived, and he hasn't been seen since. It certainly isn't helping his case any. If he is innocent, he shouldn't of run. He had to have known it would look bad enough as it was."

"Maybe that's why he ran." Sally said softly. "He knew people would think that he had done something, or wouldn't wait for a trial. Maybe they argued about something, and he flipped out and attacked her. He hasn't been himself lately. Or maybe he just got there and thought Sonic was going to accuse him. I don't really know. We won't know until he tells us or until Mina snaps out of it."

Tails snapped "I don't believe it. He'd never hurt her. He lov…" The fox's mouth snapped shut and he spared a quick glance at Mina's mother.

She frowned, not noticing his slip. "I agree. I am absolutely sure that he would not have attacked her because of an argument. Something odd is happening to him, of that, I am certain. But why?"

"We'll find out." Sally stated.

"Will she be ok?" The mongoose asked, wringing her hands.

"Well, she might be out of it later, but I would rather we all went home. She will be monitored throughout the day, and I'll notify you if she wakes, and whether you may visit or not." Dr. Quack stated, ushering them all out.

Drake looked at his reflection in the small pond. "Why? Why did I? What's happening to me? I attacked Mina. I…I drank her blood." He spun, swinging at the tree, shattering the bark with the blow of his fist. He stared at the destroyed plant. He picked up a rock. Large cracks appeared when he squeezed. He looked at the fragments in his hand. "I'm getting stronger…" he whispered. <Am I becoming… a vampire? Is it possible?> He looked from a shaft of sunlight between the leaves of the trees to the exposed skin of his hand. He stepped fully into the light. <Nothing. Whew. For a minute, I was worried.> He looked around. He leaped at a tree limb, easily landing on it, and quickly balancing. <God…she didn't have a chance.> He sobbed once, sitting on the limb. He wiped his eyes quickly, dropping to the ground. <The headache is gone. I feel…healthy. God, I'm a healthy murderer. I'll turn myself in. Maybe they'll be merciful and end this. I hope she forgives me.>

Sally frowned. Sonic had gone looking for Drake, and hadn't found him yet. She kept checking in on him, worried that he might twist an ankle or get hurt in the dark. Or worse. Sonic was understanding, as if Drake had attacked Mina in a fit of passion, he might be next. He was always quick to assure her he was alright. She shivered. She couldn't believe this was happening. <I'd believe Drake would attack Mina when Antoine attacks Bunnie.> She shuddered again. <I think I should check on Mina.>

Drake moved through Knothole stealthily. <I can't believe this is so easy. I haven't made a sound or been seen yet. I've heard people moving about, laughing…joking. And here I am…> He laughed silently. <If they knew what was out here they would never sleep again.> He shook his head. <Why don't I just go to Sally? She'd understand. It would end. But I need to see Mina. I need to know if she's alright, or...> He landed in front of the hospital. The guards were looking around cautiously. He leaped into a tree, and then onto the roof. He eased himself into an air duct.

Sally was walking through the hospital. The doctor had asked her not to, saying visiting hours were over, but he did not have Dr. Quack's resistance to royalty. He had let her in with a single warning. Sally stepped into Mina's room. The mongoose dropped her book with a start, turning towards her.

"Hello, Sally. What are you doing here at this time of night?"

"It's only 10 o'clock Mina. I'm glad you're awake. Everyone was worried."

"I just woke up about an hour ago. Dr. Quack said momma was worried, but he couldn't let her in. He's a stickler for those stupid visiting hours." She frowned. "What are you doing here? I know he wouldn't have let you in."

"He went home for the night, and I talked one of his assistants into letting me in. I wanted to ask what happened. Was it Drake? Did he…try something?" She finished softly.

Mina shivered. "It was Drake, but it wasn't. He…" She seemed to struggle for words. "He seemed like an animal. He didn't respond to me, he just…attacked."

"But why? What happ…"

"He bit me." She reached up to the bandage. "I was so scared when he started towards me. He looked so… cold. He didn't look like he cared about anything. When he bit me, I felt him drinking. It hurt, and I was so scared. When he was drinking, I just couldn't take any more. I just…went. It was too much to handle." She let out a sob.

"It's ok Mina." Sally hugged her, trying to calm her down. "We'll find him." <She couldn't take whatever he did. She created some sort of fantasy to explain it. What did he do to her?>

Mina quickly shook her head. "Don't hurt him. He didn't know. I don't think he could help himself. He looked so… hungry. I think that's why he was so sick. He needed blood." She shivered. "I guess he lost it, and it made him take what he needed. I hope he's ok." She wiped away the tears. "How could this happen to him? He's…he's like a…a…"

"A vampire." Drake whispered, stepping through the open doorway.

Sally stepped in front of Mina. "Drake." She stated, almost defiantly. She winced at her tone when she saw his face. His eyes were filled with pain, and she could see the tracks made by his own tears on his face. <God…He couldn't be…>

"I don't know how it happened. I just know that it did. After I… fed, I was in control again. The headache was gone. I was hungry for real food again. But…it's still there. It's almost unnoticeable, but it's there. The hunger for blood. I didn't know what it was before. Or maybe I did, but couldn't admit it." He looked at Mina. "I am so sorry…I couldn't stop. I…" He swallowed. "It will not happen again. I'll not let it. I was so afraid that I'd killed you. I just needed to see… before…" He was silenced by a metal tray to the back of his head. Mina looked to Sally in shock.

"I'm not about to let him do something stupid. He can't help himself, but maybe we can."

Chapter 12

Drake opened his eyes, looking around the room. Mina was there, her throat slashed by his teeth. He tried to close his eyes, trying to force the image from his sight.

"No! You will look at what you've done! Look what you did to my daughter! All because she didn't care about you!" The mongoose held a wooden stake.

"That's not true! I'm sorry! I didn't… I couldn't…" She slapped him

"You monster! You deserve your Hell!" the Robian roared, bringing the stake down.

"I'm sorry!" He shrieked into awareness. He realized that it was Mina who was restraining him. He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God." He realized that he'd hugged her. She was blushing embarrassedly. "Sorry."

She returned the hug tentatively. "You broke the restraints." She whispered softly. He looked at the steel braces, which were still attached to his wrists, but no longer attached to the bed. "Did you have a nightmare?"

He nodded slowly. "Why am I here?"

"Where else would you be?" She asked.

"In a hole, with a stake through my blackened heart."

She slapped him. He stared. "You are NOT evil. You're sick. You didn't sell your soul, or anything like that. You were healed by a magic object not meant to heal you. It didn't work right. We'll find some way to help you. Don't talk like that. After all, you did come back to make up for it."

"Mina…" <I love you.> He nodded. "Ok. Sorry. I just…"

"I don't care. Don't say that again."

"Mina, please don't slap him again. You scared me more now than he did earlier." Sally's voice came. Sally was looking at him through the glass separating the operating room from the observation room. "We've come to a decision. We have enough blood on hand in Knothole to sustain you for a while. We just need to see that you can drink it. Mina has a bag with her, in case you need some now."

"Why did you send her in first?" He asked.

"Because you won't hurt her." Sally stated.

"Oh." He said nervously. "I'm not that hungry right now. I'm almost full. Can we do this later? I don't think I can hold down more, and I really don't want to get sick. It would be…messy."

"Are you positive, Drake? We've run some tests, and you seem…normal. It's doesn't show anything except that you have blood in your stomach and that you heal much faster. And that only because we could watch you heal." She looked at him. "It also appears that your bite doesn't cause vampirism, because Mina's neck hasn't healed, and she hasn't anything wrong with her."

Drake frowned. "I didn't show any signs. I just changed recently."

Sally sighed. "I think you changed from the minute I used the sword on you that second time. The doctor said you had a lot of blood in you stomach. I guess that was enough to keep you going for a few days."

Drake nodded. "So a stomach full should last about a week. But I didn't actually have blood in me all that time did I?"

"I guess that you can go for a while without. Maybe you store the energy. Either way, we think that you only go mad when you're starving, so we'll keep you fed."

"Thanks, guys, but are you sure about this?"

Sonic looked at her from the closed room. "Are you, Sal? If he goes mad again…"

Sally looked at Sonic levelly. "We can't lock him up, he didn't do anything wrong. We can't force him to stay, it wouldn't be fair. We have more than enough blood coming in, and he needs our help. Besides, he saved Tails' life. We owe him this much trust."

Sonic nodded. "You're right. Sorry Sal." He turned the intercom back on. "Welcome back to Knothole, bud."

Drake swallowed. He'd been worried about seeing Mina's mother again. Mina knocked on the door. Drake's senses were telling him to bolt. He could hear her coming to the door. She smiled at the sight of Mina, and looked surprised to see him. She stepped forward and gave him a tight hug. Surprised, he returned it.

"I knew you wouldn't hurt her. On purpose, at least. Come in, both of you. You both gave me quite the scare. I was so worried."

Drake smiled. "I thought you'd be angry."

"No. You would never hurt Mina. I've seen that. But I was worried that you weren't yourself."

Mina yawned, and excused herself for bed.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Mongoose. I was worried you'd be angry."

"I understand that you didn't have a choice. You came back, intending to make things right, and no lasting harm was done."

Drake felt a twinge of regret. "Except for that mark on her neck. I hope it heals. Does fur grow over scars?"

"Sometimes. It usually covers it pretty well, if it is a little more coarse than normal. Don't worry. I'm sure they will fix her up. It probably looks worse than it is."

"Maybe. I'll see you in the morning. G'night."

Chapter 13

"Hey Drake, how are you today?" Sally asked for the fifth time in the week since the attack.

"Hungry." He stated in resignation.

Sally frowned. "Well, looks like we can finally test to see if you can drink from a bag. I'll see you at the clinic."

Later…

"Ready?"

"Of course, it's just weird." He began

"Weird? How?"

"It's hard to explain. I'm uncomfortable with having people watch me feed." He said weakly.

"He's camera shy Sal. You know he won't show." Sonic said with a smirk. Drake growled at the hedgehog, his eyes briefly turning red. Sonic's smirk deepened. "Ooh. Big scary bloodsucker." Drake grinned.

"Quit playing around you two." To Drake, she said "How do you do that thing with your eyes? That freaks me out every time."

"Don't know. Just happens. I don't know how my strength works either. Or any of the rest of it. Just that it does. Sorry Sal." He sighed. "Let's get this over with." He lifted the bag. He gave it a weak shake. "Not that appetizing, is it?" Sonic gave a little chuckle. "Bottoms up." He bit into the bag, his canines stretching into fangs to pierce it. He drank for a moment before jerking back and retching. He heaved for a moment, but was thankfully able to keep it down. "Foul! It's cold. I can't drink this! It's…just nasty. I'm sorry guys. There's no way."

Mina jumped up. "I've got an idea!" She raced over, grabbed the bag, and raced off. She was back a minute later. "Here!" She handed the pack to him. He gave it a look.

"Ok, let's try again." He gave it a sip. Then a long pull. And then he drained the bag dry. His eyes rolled back in his head. He fell heavily into the chair. "Wow."

"So…it was good?"

"It was a lot better. It still tasted…dead, kinda. But at least I could stomach it warm. What did you do?"

"Microwave."

"Your mother is going to kill us if any blood leaked from the first time." Drake whispered in horror, momentarily regaining control of his senses.

Mina frowned. "I…uh, I'll be right back!" she raced off to check.

Sally shook her head and smiled. "It's a nigh immortal, super strong, fast, blood drinking creature of the night. And it's afraid of a four foot tall mongoose." Sally and Sonic almost fell over laughing. A few moments later, a lanky (and currently a little dazed) vampire joined them. "In all seriousness, how are we going to keep this under wraps? I mean, Drake is getting stronger by the day, and faster, too. He's healing so fast that it'd be impossible to hide it if he gets hurt. And when are we going to feed him?"

Sonic snapped his fingers. "I got it! We'll say that you used too much power on the sword to save his life, and the extra power just stayed behind. That'll work, and as for "feeding"… we can do that in the hospital. We could use an empty room or something. Say he needs a regular checkup so that the magic doesn't mess him up. Perfect, huh?"

Sally stared. "I wish I knew how you could be so childish and so… ooh! And then come up with a plan that is so plausible it just might work. I just don't get it."

"So…it's good?" Sonic asked.

Sally and Drake looked at each other and smiled. "Did she say that? I don't think so." "I'm pretty sure I didn't use those words." And they started off with Sonic close behind.

"Guys! C'mon, I don't even know what she said! Guys!"