Blood Rites

Jen turned toward the guy approaching her. As he got closer, she realized that he was pretty cute and not much older than herself. The mischief gods were smiling on her tonight.

"You do realize you aren't supposed to be going to the ICU this late, right?" he asked her, totally throwing her for a loop.

"The ICU?" Jen said stupidly.

"Yeah, that's the only thing in the direction your friend just went." When Jen didn't respond but stood there looking back and forth between the direction Sally had gone and back at the cute guy, he spoke again. "I better go get her to keep her from getting in trouble. You need to head on back to whereever it is you are supposed to be."

The part about him going and getting Sally was what finally brought her out of her trance. Jen touched his arm to get his full attention and when he looked at her, she smiled her most seductively adoring smile. "Okay," she paused to look at his name badge, "Matt. You caught me. I was out roaming the hospital because I'm bored out of my mind. I was in a car accident and have been stuck in bed and I'm finally allowed to be up and moving. So here I am little 'ole pathetic me looking for a good time," she paused and winked at him, bringing on a full blush, "in a hospital. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find a good time that maybe came with a few drinks?" Jen said in her most hopeful voice. The guy named Matt looked at Jen, then at the hallway behind her, clearly torn about doing the right thing and the fun thing. Lucky for Jen, she was very good at convincing guys to do the fun thing.

"Well, I was just going to end my shift," he began, but Jen interrupted with a squeal.

"Yay! See, this was fate. You were going to leave work and be bored, and I was going to have to sit in my bed all alone and be bored, but instead we met. Pretty awesome if you ask me." Jen grinned at him adoringly. She wrapped her arm in his as she said, "Lead the way, handsome."

Matt took her to a room marked 'Dietary' in bold letters. "We have beer that is kept on the floors for people who come in and are alcoholics."

"Shut up! Really?" Jen asked.

"Yep, the docs have to write a script for it, though. It's not the greatest but it'll get the job done in a pinch." He grinned at her and Jen saw that he had dimples. She groaned inwardly, if only she hadn't given her heart to another. Wait, WTH, she hadn't given her heart away, what was she thinking? Matt interrupted her inner dialogue when he took her by the hand, and after he had filled his backpack with beer he pulled her out of the room and continued down another hall. They came to a small waiting area tucked around a corner where it was virtually impossible to see. Matt set down his bag and pulled out two beers. He handed her one and kept the other for himself. Jen sat down on the love seat and stared at Matt over the rim of the beer can as she took a sip. "So Matt, what do you do exactly?"

Four hours, 12 beers, and two bags of Cheetos later…

Matt was sitting on the love seat next to Jen while she rambled on about werewolves and how bossy they were. He figured she must've been into reading those paranormal romance books that chicks are so into. When she finally paused, Matt took advantage of her silence by placing his fingers under her chin and turning her face to him. Jen's eyes widened as he began to lean towards her.

"Has anyone told you how pretty you are?" Matt asked her.

Jen giggled. "On occasion." Jen turned her head, slightly cocking it to the side and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to kiss you," he answered bluntly.

"Huh, well I guess that's ok. It is for Jacque, after all."

Matt looked confused by her statement, but she wasn't refusing so he took that as an all clear. He leaned in the rest of the way and pressed his lips firmly to hers. Jen leaned closer into him and allowed him to part her lips with his tongue. This kiss lasted several seconds but Jen abruptly pulled back when she felt Matt's hand slip under the hem of her shirt and graze her skin.

"Oh, I don't think I'm quite drunk enough for that, big boy," she teased.

"Can't blame a man for trying when there's a beautiful girl sitting next to him, can you?" Matt winked at her.

Jen stood up then and would have fallen down if Matt had not steadied her. "Whoa, the floor is dipping. That can't be safe. You should probably tell someone to have that looked into," she told him as she continued to try and stay upright.

"Uh huh. Jen, I think it's time I got you back to your room."

"Room, shroom, I'm having fun. Aren't you having fun, Matty?" Amazingly, drunk Jen was still able to flirt.

"I'm definitely having fun, but I don't want someone to be worried about you if they come to your room and you are gone. Come on, you point me in the right direction and I will escort you safely, my lady."

"Ooo, you're my knight with the shiny armor." Jen giggled.

"That's right, beautiful." Matt smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist to help support her, and began to walk with her in the direction she pointed. She rambled the entire way there and when they finally got close, Matt froze at the sight of a big man standing in front of the door she indicated, arms folded across a wide chest. Matt swallowed hard as he continued forward.

"Hey!" Jen waved at the man and giggled when he lifted a lip at her and snarled.

Matt stopped moving forward, and when Jen realized he was nervous she stepped out of his hold and pointed, "Matty, don't be nervous, that’s just Splender." She turned and blew the man a kiss. "He's just grumpy."

Jen continued forward and when she reached the guy, she grinned big and pulled him into a hug, which looked awkward because the man remained stiff as a board.

"Hey Splender, how ya been?" Jen said as she relinquished her hold on him.

"It's Skender," he growled, "and what are you doing with that?" Skender pointed to Matt with a growl worthy of Decebel.

"Oh, that's Matty. He's my new friend, right Matty?"

"Uh, well yeah. But just friends, man, and I just wanted to make sure she made it back okay, so I'll just be going then. Bye Jen," Matt spoke rapidly and began backing away. He gave her a final wave and turned to hurry on his way.

Skender turned his scowl on Jen. "You had better get back in there before Decebel finds out you were gone with a guy."