Chapter 7

Sally’s place had been smoke-filled and stinky. As we arrived at the motel, I noticed Sally still smelled like cigarettes. I asked, “You smoke?”

“Yeah. I started with regulars, but I like menthol now.” She took one from her purse and put it in her mouth.

As she reached for a lighter, I took it from her lips and tossed it on the ground. “You’re quitting smoking, starting right now.”

“Um ... Quitting is really hard, but okay.” She kissed my cheek.

That night, I was fully exhausted. I’d screwed Bernice several times while we watched Sally and Marie 69, licking and sucking each other’s pussies. I I gave each of them a wad up the ass too before, Bernice Taught the girls to deep throat. As I started to doze off Sally kissed me. She smelled and tasted like strong cigarette smoke again. “I told you to quit smoking.”

“I ... I’m really trying. I only had one since you told me. I’m sorry.” I realized the fang’s power was strong, but not unlimited.

“It’s all right. Just throw out your cigarettes and lighters and don’t smoke anymore.”

“Sure. Anything for you, Ron.”

In my dream I heard a slow, rhythmic beeping. A female voice said, “ ... and this is one of our more interesting cases. 26-day coma with no apparent cause. Pulse and respiration have been steady at 18 and 5, with temp of 93 since paramedics arrived on site nearly a month ago. The family said he had been lying in bed thirty hours, after having sex several times. His ... male equipment is fine, and there are no signs sex or other physical activity had anything to do with his current condition. Surprisingly, his drug and tox screens were clear. It’s almost like he’s a bear in hibernation.”

Through the heavy and confusing darkness, I mumbled, “Tiger.”

A young male voice said, “Doctor Ames, I think he said something.”

“No, he’s in coma.”

The female opened my eyelids and shined a bright light, blinding me a moment.

“Tiger, not bear.”

She gasped and I heard the beeping speed up as I opened my eyes. The almost elderly female doctor was next to me, along with a small college-aged crowd. They all looked amazed, as I started pulling wires off my arms and chest.

She looked nervous as she said, “Ah ... mister Danbury, you should lay still so I can check you.”

I felt like gagging and sneezing at the same time, as I pulled a long tube out of my nose.

“Please relax, let me check your heart.”

I noticed I was naked, but for a hospital gown and a sheet. “I’m fine. Where are my clothes?”

“They’re in the closet in the corner. Please lay down, sir.”

I saw snow falling out the window! It was WINTER! I NEEDED TO GET HOME AND HIBERNATE!

The crowd tried to keep me in bed, but I had to go!

I shoved three of them aside and they fell in a heap. I quickly dressed as the doctor grabbed a phone off the wall and dialed. “Security! I need security in room 581, STAT!”

I looked outside as I finished sliding my boots on, and saw I was on the fifth floor. The window wouldn’t open, so I smashed it with a chair. As I jumped out several people yelled, “NO!”

I spread my arms and legs wide as I fell, then landed cat-like with my hands and feet touching down at the same time. The wind was knocked out of me as my chest hit the knee-deep snow. I was thankful I had only cut my left hand on a bit of glass from the window.

I ran a few miles until I found a wooded park, where I could hide out and rest a little while. I didn’t remember the town or the name of the motel I had been at, only that I had screwed three women there. I remembered their scents precisely, but not their names. I recalled I had been annoyed one of them smoked, but she liked anal sex enough to make up for it. I had no idea where my truck was.

My phone showed I was in a suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina. I checked my wallet and was more than happy to find my bank card. I walked to a dealer and bought a new truck. I hesitated as I remembered there was a duffel bag with over a hundred grand in cash under the front seat of my old one. I quickly realized getting home was more urgent than trying to recover money I didn’t really need.

On the way to the highway, I stopped at yet another convenience store and bought them out of beef jerky and sausage sticks. I knew I could never go without the fang again. I would need to hibernate at home, and Utah was a very long drive.