Robin, Sophie, along with Dani and Zephyr, were in Jude Mayari’s office.

“It checks out.” Sophie said. “I looked at the CCTV footage, and there’s med students doing unrecorded overtime in the labs. Used supplies, extra lab hours. Someone’s been conducting unknown activities.”

Sophie passed the photos from the laboratory footage as well as the lab records of those who signed in to use it. Jude skimmed through it and saw it didn’t match.

“What about the cows? How’s that related?” Jude asked. There was still the mystery of why a truck of cows would come to the hospital but nothing would exit out of the vehicle.

“According to the footage, the med students bring dozens of ice coolers to the back of the hospital. Maybe someone will pick it up along with the cows.” Sophie said.

“Cows are known to be used for some medical research.” Dani noted. 

“We can learn more if someone follows those med students as well as monitors the cameras.” Jude said.

“I’m guessing that this is where Zephyr and I come in?” Dani asked.

“This isn’t their first time investigating. And based on the past results, you two are quite good at it.” Robin said.

“We’re a good team,” Zephyr slightly elbowed aside Dani, who smiled.

“Then it’s settled.” Jude said. “Sophie, can you and Robin look at the cameras while Dani and Zephyr follow the med students?”

“We can do that.” Sophie said. “What about you? Will you be in your office?” 

Jude took off her doctor’s coat and grabbed her handbag. “No, I have urgent business to attend to that day. And right now.”

She smiled at Robin who knew what she meant. Or rather who she meant.

────── ⋆⋅ 𖤓 ⋅⋆ ──────

THE SIDAPA RESIDENCE, Manila 

It was days before the truck would come by again. Zephyr wondered this time where the cows came from since the thieves were intercepted in Zen Vita Farms. He figured the thieves would find other farms to steal from.

Zephyr also wondered what the lab activities could be for. It took balls for a bunch of inexperienced medical students to go against hospital regulations. Especially when that hospital is under the vampire mafia healthcare system. 

Dani sat down beside Zephyr in the lounge area. He noticed that there was a lot more space in the couches but she chose to sit beside him. He, however, did not mention this to her. 

As much as the house was big and full of several rooms, it could get boring. And quite lonely. The clouds began to darken, and soon, it was raining. 

“Do you think there’s another vampire clan behind this case?” Zephyr says, trying to make conversation. He really didn’t give a shit about what he was saying. 

“Who cares?” Dani said as she started to hug Zephyr. She wrapped herself around Zephyr’s arms and put her hands on his chest. Zephyr flinched at her touch.

“Are you okay? Sorry, I didn’t think if you wanted to hug,”

“No, it’s okay. I’m just-” Zephyr paused. “I’m sensitive to that area.”

Dani remembered Zephyr’s scars on his chest and put her hands away. 

It was quiet for a moment as they just sat there, in each other's embrace. “Zephyr?” Dani said, softly. “Remember what you said in the lab?”

“What did I say?”

“If there’s somewhere else you’d want to kiss,” Dani recalled. She looked like she wanted to say more but she was hesitant.

But at that moment, Zephyr understood. He held Dani’s arms and pecked her lips. Zephyr then looked at her intently but only for a brief moment, as they began to kiss again, more passionately. They were soon lying on the couch, their lips locking further, as a feeling of warmth entered Zephyr’s body.

Then they heard a door open from one of the halls and they pulled themselves apart from each other. They were now, sitting normally, as if nothing happened.

“Dani!” Sophie called from the halls.

Dani left the lounge area without looking at Zephyr. He sat there, comprehending what just happened. This was the first time he kissed someone in three hundred-something years. He wondered if they were just way into the moment. 

Dani entered the lounge again. She told Zephyr, “There’s another truck coming tonight. So get ready to go to Mayari Foundation Hospital.”

How could Dani just say that like nothing happened? 

────── ⋆⋅ 𖤓 ⋅⋆ ──────

 MAYARI FOUNDATION HOSPITAL, Quezon City

Dani drove the car to the hospital with Zephyr beside her. The silence was deafening. Zephyr didn’t know what to say to her about what transpired in the afternoon.

Dani finally spoke after she parked the car. “About what happened…” she said. 

“Is it just a one-time thing?” Zephyr asked. I sound so desperate, he thought to himself.

“It doesn’t have to be,” Dani said. “I mean, as long as we’re still friends, right?”

Zephyr for a split second didn’t know how to react and by default went to reply, “Yeah,” he said. “We’re friends.”

Dani gave him a short kiss then exited the car. 

They went to the back of the hospital where they hid in one of the big disposal bins to wait for the truck. They heard the truck enter and peeked out.

The medical students sneaked from the blind spot of the cameras and put the ice cooler in the truck. They then went back to the building, which the two assumed was to get more coolers. Dani and Zephyr sneaked back in, making sure the trucks didn’t see them, then followed the students.

Inside the building, the two went into a cold hallway where Dani said was the storage units. They would occasionally see medical students but make sure they weren’t seen when the students looked back. After dodging the students, they made it to the room where the students moved back and forth from. 

Dani and Zephyr made sure everyone was gone when they entered the storage room, and what they found made their stomach turn.

The room was full of vampire corpses, some cut open, some well preserved, and most, cut into pieces.