Illicit Imaginings

[VampiricTouch]

ReNova Ranch 12 - Resolve and Resignation​

She came to with the metallic taste of oxygen on her tongue and the hum of fluorescent light. Her head was tipped sideways against a paper pillow, skin damp, chest still tight.

Someone had removed her shoes.

She didn’t remember being moved—only the hard floor of the waiting room, the echo of her pulse. She tried to sit up. Her body disagreed.

“Hey… take it easy, it’s going to be okay.” A distant distorted voice spoke and she barely registered the instruction “Just breathe for me, alright?”

She blinked toward the sound and stared at a face - mid-forties, kind eyes, professional distance. The badge that bobbed into focus read Dr. Mallory - Behavioral Liaison. A counselor.

“We’ll just talk for a bit,” Dr. Mallory said. “You’ve had a… A panic episode. Would you like to talk about what brought it on?”

She slowly sat up and her hands clasped tightly in her lap, the tremors still hadn’t stopped.

“I can’t do it anymore,” She whispered. “Every infusion gets worse. The body aches, the-” She stopped short of telling him of the aches in much more personal places. “I can’t sleep. I wake up thinking about the next one. And I keep wondering if any of this even works.”

“You’re frightened,” Dr. Mallory said softly. “That makes sense.”

“I’m not frightened,” She said too fast. “I’m just… done.” She blinked hard, willing the tears back. “I thought I could handle it, but I can’t.”

The counselor waited a beat. “You’ve endured four, almost five weeks. That’s extraordinary. Most participants don’t make it past two.”

“Then I should stop before I break.”

“Maybe,” Dr. Mallory said, still calm. “But if you stop now, the data you’ve generated—everything your body’s built—loses continuity. It won’t mean anything to the research team. Or to Scott.”

She looked up sharply. “Don’t say his name.”

“I’m sorry.” The counselor folded his hands. “But he’s part of why you’re here, isn’t he? You’ve already done more for him than anyone else could. If you leave, the serum will never reach him.”

She shook her head. “You don’t know what it’s like. They keep telling me we’re close, but they said that last month… ”

“Progress takes time,” the counselor murmured. “Every breakthrough does. But you’re the only subject he has. That’s not luck. That’s you.”

Her voice cracked. “I just want my husband back.”

“Then don’t stop now,” Dr. Mallory said gently. “He’s still fighting. Let him see you fight, too.”

The air thinned between them. Her shoulders sagged, the last of her defiance folding into exhaustion.

“If I keep going,” she said finally, “and it still doesn’t work—what will I have left?”

“Hope,” the counselor said. “And that’s more than most people get.”

---

Dr Mallory walked her into the infusion room and excused himself.

Inside the room was her usual Researcher and now the Doctor.

“I know you’ve met him and that he’s worked on a round of infusions prior. But this time I’m quite pleased to inform you that Dr. Dominic Strand will be stepping in to lead this research. He is quite the expert as he was part of the original team of developers on the ReNova project.” The Researcher gushed with enthusiasm, even as her heart began to sink. “You will be in fantastic hands if he is leading the charge!”

She stood silently through the introduction of a man she already was unfortunately intimate with before finally hazarding the question, “Why wasn’t the good doctor involved from the beginning?”

“Ah, my case load has been quite heavy. But really, after seeing your husband’s condition… I’ll be honest, Scott doesn’t have much time left. There’s only so long one can stay on life support like that.” His voice softened and her face blanched. She staggered under the weight of those words and he caught her before her knees hit the ground.

Once she settled onto the medical bed with her face in her hands, he gently continued. “Now Professor Delaine has done very good work so far, but given my prior experience... I asked to join to accelerate your progress as best as I can. For his sake.”


** yes yes I started making names. I was getting confused with all the he, him and his. No she's not getting a name. The day I name her is the day I stop being able to abuse her...
Husband: Scott -------??
Doc: Doctor Dominic (Dom) Strand
Researcher: Professor Delaine