Good Golly, Miss Molly!

Ruby laughed at the tacky undead jokes. “Well, whatever makes you money, right. Makes the world go ‘round an’ all.” She twirled a piece of hair around a finger, grinning down at Isa. “What a shame, though. Late nights can be so fun for lookers like you.”

She hummed in thought as she looked over the simple map. “So I just head up in through there…. Got it.” She took the map from Isa anyway, just in case, Rhett’s voice ringing in her head. “Gimme ten minutes and I’ll be fine as frog’s hair.” She smiled and sauntered off towards the maternity ward, waving over her shoulder.

Sure enough to her word, barely ten minutes passed before she walked back out. Fresh color flooded her cheeks, eating leaving a renewed pep in her step. She rubbed at a spot of smeared lipstick on her chin as she neared Isa. “Howdy. Have a nice wait?”

“That was speedy.” She said, almost incredulously. Isa put the papers she had been shuffling back and forth into the file folder on the wall. Normally, holding things made it look like you were busy but it didn’t always work--some people were just plain annoying. “I’m sorta glad too, can’t be away from the post for too long or people start searching for me. Had to tell one or two to shove off but it’s alright as long as you’re good now.”

Looking true to her name, Ruby’s lips were a deep iron red. “You look like a blushin’ beauty, or a star from the big screen... i’m sure that means the blood must’ve helped.” Isa smiled and then noticed the smudge in the vamp’s makeup. 

“Brawn,” he echoed, straightening at her request. “Well I can do head cheese, but I usually discard the brain when I make it. And that will take me about a day to make since I don’t have any on hand.” Did she want just the brain? It was a common misconception to think that head cheese was made with actual brain. From a nutrition standpoint, the brain truly didn’t pack that much of  punch, but cravings were cravings. And an order was an order.  Perhaps she would make the pork interpretation of cervelle de veau. “If you want the brain, and just the brain, I probably won’t charge you anything. I throw them out along with the eyes.” 

Unfazed, he waited for her response as he moved to tug on a pair of gloves. Getting to the brain would be a bit of a challenge, pig skulls were surprisingly hardy. 

No charge? Sweet. Maybe I should offer anyway, just to stay in character. "Oh, you're too kind! I'll just take the brain itself then. And since I'm sure it's real hard work, I insist I give you somethin in return. You got a tip jar somewhere, honey?" Isa moved her head about but didn't actually look for one. 

“Monday’s just fine with me. ‘S’far as I know, the night thing is one of those pesky myths. Ain’t turn to ashes in the sun either, though I do get one helluva sunburn. That’s half the reason we picked here. I ain’t fixin’ to spend half my money on sunscreen all the time.” She stepped back more as Isa opened up the room, leaning against the opposite wall as the door closed.

By the time the nurse stepped out, Ruby was on her phone, bubblegum fished out of her bra and popped in her mouth. The only thing Rhett ever used his phone for was trivia games against her, and he always won. Still, she couldtry to beat him, he wasn’t that much smarter. The door slid open and broke her concentration, both making her miss the timer for the game and popping the growing bubble out of her mouth. She slipped her phone back down her shirt as she watched the nurse lock up.

The vamp laughed as she took the container. “Damn. Worth a shot anyway, right? Think I might have some back home… Rhetty’ll know.” She shrugged, smiling down at Isa. “I ain’t gonna ruin your nice lil’ covert operations here, darlin’. What would be the goddamned point of all that?” She looked down at the container and huffed softly. “You ain’t real busy right now, right? You got a spare room I can stop an’ snack in right quick?” She gave her the most convincing puppy dog eyes she could muster, unnatural charisma kicking in anyway. “Won’t take me long at all.”

"No, it's not busy for a couple more hours typically. I could probably be at home sleepin', but I'm getting paid to be here so..." She shrugged her shoulders playfully, "Gotta stay. Hard not-life, working for an un-living." Isa laughed at her own play on words. 

 "Yeah, uh, I think I've got a few spare rooms, let me get you one that's least likely to be touched." She pulled a brochure from the wall and gazed over the map, just to refresh. The picture on the front had a sunny, happy place, and every time she saw it, it made her interally giggle. 

Ruby wrinkled her nose at the mention of wereblood. “Most other creatures besides humans’ blood is disgustin’. Not that I have the God given right to be picky or nothin’, but…” She shook her head fervently. “Nasty. Like milk ‘bout to spoil, maybe. Edible, but… Obviously off. Gets worse the farther removed from livin’ and humanity somethin’ is.”

She smiled, listening to Isa talk. Maybe she got a little too over excited. Seemed the nurse just thought she was rude now. “Don’t you worry. I ain’t plannin’ to barge my way in, now. We can make up a schedule or somethin’. Weekly blood dates.” She snickered, happy to have some kinda plan at all.

“I don’t think I’m too bad yet at all, but,” Ruby took a step back, gesturing at the cooler door. “I can understand the concern, a'course. You go on ahead. Get me a twirly straw,” she joked, grinning all the while. It made sense to be a bit reluctant to let a hungry vamp into the room full of fresh enough blood. No reason to push things.

“Yeah, dates. “ She whispered, more to herself than the other. It was followed by a small laugh. “How about Monday nights? Those seem to be the tamest around here, at least during the night. Figure you don’t go out much during the day, right? Hold on.” She hit the number keys and slid her card, pushing open the door and sliding inside.

About five minutes later, Isa returned with a plastic lunch pail containing six bags of various blood types--whatever had been closest to expiring but had about a week left of shelf life. Suppose it doesn’t matter much to a hungry Vamp. It was the best she could do for now, anyway, seeing as Tantum always got first pick.

Ruby grinned as she followed the tiny nurse through the doors, nearly starting to skip. Sometimes these plans didn’t go right, but a fail didn’t always mean somethin’ bad. Whatever kept ‘em fed. “Mighty pleased to meetcha, Isabelle. What a pretty name.”

“Animal blood makes us groggy, mostly. I’d like to avoid that at any costs. Plus, I swear if Rhetty gets any more tired, he might just become one with his bed. Barely ever leaves the goddamn house.” She shook her head, huffing at her doof of a twin. “Blood bags usually work in a pinch, but of course a livin’ meal is always best. Can’t always get top notch quality, though…” She sighed, thinking back to living in a city when food was easy.

“I ain’t too sure, but I think only a couple bags a week will do. A meal lasts longer than you’d expect…” She trailed off, counting on her fingers. “Yeah. Maybe two each a week, so four. No type preference, really, it don’t matter. Food’s food, at this point.”

“Luckily, four’s not bad to spare. Mamono’s marked down as an emergency hospital so we get imported blood frequently. It’s a lifesaver considering that the majority of the island can’t or won’t donate blood. I don’t know about you but werewolf blood sounds hard to swallow.” She laughed again, it seemed like the first time in a long time.

“Most people who come in here are dead or almost dead or undead so there’s really no reason to keep the stock up besides feeding and no one else keeps tabs on the inventory besides me and another super. Make sure you come talk to me instead of just walking in here though, please? It’ll make my life hellish if you bypass security.”

Ruby shifted back a bit, trying to be at least a little polite, “I ain’t gonna eat you, miss.  I have a policy against eatin’ ladies. Ain’t right to take such beauty out the world. Plus you’re…” She trailed off, gesturing over Isa. “Whatever you are. I ain’t good at distuingishin’ besides heat and alive. Ain’t pushin’ blood right. ‘Bout as appealin’ as someone else’s old leftovers. No offense or nothin’., you’re a real looker outside the whole potential meal thing.”

She leaned against the counter again, dragging a hand down her face. “I’m hungry. I thought I’d be able to pull some sneaky thievery shit and jack a few blood bags or somethin’. It’s worked before, and I’m onto my last few plans. Population’s too goddamn low and I ain’t even seen someone who seemed like a trashy enough person to pick off anyway and even Rhett’s starting to bitch and he ain’t never complain unless he’s gettin’ real bad and he ain’t eat much before we arrived and I’m just…” She trailed off again, resting her head on the counter. Oversharing, the Reinhardt specialty.

The vamp looked up again after a short moment, eyes back to their normal brown. “Sorry ‘bout that. Threw myself a bit of a hissy fit.” She stood properly, adjusting her skirts a bit before reaching out for a handshake. “You call call me Ruby. If I ain’t been obvious enough already, I’m the vampy type, and I got a brother who’s the same, and we’re hungry.”

She looked around the room quickly then took the offered hand in her room-temperature one, “No offense taken. Name’s Isabelle, most people call me Isa. I’m a bona fide walking corpse and a flattered one at that. It’s alright about the hunger, we all need to eat something. Except for the ghosts, those folks are just plain spooky.” She laughed softly at her babbling, it was nice to meet a pretty new face in this old town.

Isa rounded the corner of the booth and motioned to follow after her, she walked backwards through the double doors down the empty hallway and started chatting. “Anyway, usually Rei organizes hunts for the meat-eaters on the island but I supposed you’re the “blood only” kind of vamps? If blood bags don’t cut it, I know a sleaze or two that needs to be knocked down a couple pegs.” She laughed and then grimaced at the thought of Elek being drained.