The dark, pale stranger floated off the elevator. "That is the third time I saw him this week", Clara thought. She remembered he had mistakenly come through the emergency entrance, as the triage nurse, Clara redirected him. His dark eyes and blue black hair where striking. He moved like a ghost. People thought ghosts where scary but Clara thought they were mysterious. People feared the unknown, Clara embraced it. She chose ER nursing because you saw everything in its basest elements. Everyone bleeds red blood no matter what their proclivities. I like people any time, any type and anywhere, she thought. The crowd gave the tall figure a wide berth. She noticed that each time he came into the hospital he looked drawn and sickly, exiting he was glowing.
She finished her cigarette and stepped into the hospital. She brazenly approached him. "Hi, I see you know were to go now." He looked at her a moment, confused, then the recognition. The light radiated from his smile to the top of his luminous head. The whites in his eyes appeared transparent. "Hi, good to see you again. We never formally met, I am Leopold Nikolaevich." Clara took his hand and introduced herself, "Clara Gale, ER nurse". He thanked her for her direction and invited her to coffee. The conversation flowed. Clara was amazed how easily things progressed. She did not have to cajole or even be extra charming; Leopold seemed mesmerized. They made plans.
The restaurant was the Blood Rose. "Strange to choose one known for rare fresh meats." Clara thought. After dinner and wine, which he consumed voraciously and had made no notice she touched nothing, they grabbed a cab to his place. They kissed in the back seat. The heat they generated finally seemed to warm his skin, she’d never kissed someone this cold outside of the morgue. His lips avoided her neck. They tripped up the stairs; fell into his apartment still devouring each other with their lips.
Leopold turned on the lights; standing in the corner next to a chair hung an intravenous bag of liquid red, she was stunned. Betsey moved closer to him, caressing his neck and asked quietly; "What is all this Leopold?" "You are the perfect one," he answered. "You can understand all my peculiarities. Together we will the next step." He kept showing her all his medical equipment, the pints of blood in the refrigerator, prattling on and on until finally she heard the word, hemophiliac. Clara said "Leopold, what did you say?" Leopold ceased his mania and said, "I am a hemophiliac that is why I see Dr. Bombay. I have to get coagulants." Clara smiled benevolently and hugged Leopold. She kissed his neck. "Leo, baby this is going to be fun. Long and painful for you but slow and wonderful for me" Clara began nursing, little, replaceable sips.
