Forbidden (Pet Shop Of Horrors FanFic)

Chapter 29 : First Encounter

Victor's hands were shaking slightly as he lit a cigarette.He'd gone outside to smoke.He couldn't fucking do this.He hadn't expected to ever really meet the Count.The Count was dead.Or so he thought.He had never expected to come face to face with whatever-this-was in such a violent manner.And to top it all off,there was probably going to be hell to pay, from Brenda and Antonio both once they found where he'd gone.Not like he could really properly explain this whole mess to either of them.

"Christ," Victor muttered, taking a long drag. "Jesus Fucking Christ."

"That certainly isn't any kind of language for a doctor to use,is it?"

That voice... he knew that voice.It belonged to the Count.There was polite interest that was a bit too polite, and he could almost, not quite but almost, hear the sneering amusement just under the surface.

"I've said worse," Victor said,not quite able to bring himself to turn around quite yet.

"I was wondering if you are quite well? You certainly tore out of the meeting in a hurry. Your friend--"

"Intern. Assistant.Brenda's both," Victor corrected him.

"Your assistant said that you had a patient that you needed to check on, and that an emergency had come up."

God bless you,Brenda.

"However,"the Count continued, "if that's true, then why are you out here smoking instead of checking on your patient?"

"Because, I did that before I came outside to smoke," Victor said,a touch more sarcastically than the situation probably warranted.

"Did I wrong you in a past life, Dr.Hayes?" the Count asked.And the tone when he said Victor's name was one that the resident doctor was well acquainted with.It was the same one that the Count used when he said "Mr. Howell" in the dreams.

Finally,Victor turned around,meeting the Count's eyes unflinchingly.

"I don't know, Doctor D. Why don't you tell me that?"

The Count's eyes widened just a fraction, and he hissed in a very soft breath.That was a look of surprise all right.Or as close as the Count would probably come,Victor realized.For a moment,time stood still.Neither one of them saying anything.And when the silence was broken,it was the Count who broke it, shaking his head.

"Really, Dr. Hayes, I've no clue what you're talking about," he said,brushing it off.

"Of course you don't," Victor said,unconvinced.

Really, if the Count had actually admitted it,that would have been far too easy, wouldn't it?

The Count shrugged slightly, before smiling at Victor.It was,Victor noted,not a very happy smile. It was more like the smile a lion would give a gazelle before catching it and tearing it to shreds.

"I do hope that this... problem of yours doesn't impede our ability to work together,Dr.Hayes," the Count said, before nodding."Now excuse me. I have actual work to be doing, and can't afford to spend any more time standing out here and watching you give yourself lung cancer."

That said,the Count swept back inside, and Victor took another long drag and finished his cigarette.

"Christ," he muttered. "I really think I liked it better when the bastard was just a dream. At least then, I could wake up and he wouldn't be around anymore."

Unfortunately for him, the dream had become a reality. And Victor was just going to have to learn how to deal with it. He just hoped that it wouldn't involve quite so much head trauma this time around.