El Brujo

"Bitch," the man commented after she left.

Looking at me, the man did something so unexpected that I just blinked: he introduced himself. "My name is Michael. It's my job to examine the 'special' captives."

At this point, I was baffled. What does one say to a stranger who introduces themselves while you're sitting naked on an exam table after the least pleasant exam they've had in years. So, I said, "Hello."

"Stand up for a minute," he said.

Though he didn't put any **** behind it, I followed the command{if resistance > 0}, having already been reminded it was pointless to resist{endif}.

The man examined my skin and my nails and then said, "Sit," gesturing back to the table.

So, once again, I sat.

"Okay, show me your tongue, then I'll need you to pull your lips back and show me your teeth."

I hesitated.

"Come on, I already know what you are, so let's get a move on."

I stuck my tongue out at him while I processed what he said. Nobody had recognized me as anything but human, but this man seemed to recognize it without actually seeing my fangs, leaving me wondering if there were other signs that I'd missed.

"Okay, teeth," the man said, interrupting my thoughts.

"If you know what I am, shouldn't you be a bit worried about being within striking distance when I show you my teeth?" I asked.

"Ma'am, I could squash you like a bug or ignite you like a torch with a word and flick off my wrist. So, no, I'm not afraid of a nascent vampire."

I momentarily forgot the awkwardness of the situation amidst the prospect of getting some real answers to what I had become. "Nascent? Is that like a…" I struggled to remember what MJ had called me, "...a damper?"

"Dhampir, d-h-a-m-p-i-r. And, yes. We call dhampir and anyone else who has the potential to become something inhuman 'nascents'. Now, please, show me your teeth."

Feeling even more awkward than when I did it with David, now being naked and all, I put my fingers in my cheeks and pulled my lips wide apart to show my fangs.

"Huh, that's about what I'd expect from a nascent who's acquired the thirst, but hasn't gone full vamp yet. Be glad your tongue's intact. It seems like nascents tend to bite a hole in it as soon as their fangs grow in."

I shuddered at the thought.

"Anyway. You seem fine. Just don't let the thirst control you and nobody will have to stake you before you turn."

"Wait, turn? Haven't I already turned? Do you actually stake vampires? Is that the only way to kill us?" I asked in rapid fire.

"You're a nascent, but you've developed the thirst. When you die, assuming your heart's intact and your head's still attached, you'll turn into a vampire, a full vampire, that is. 'Staking' is a euphemism. You kill a vampire by stabbing it in the heart or cutting off its head, typically both for good measure. Now, if there aren't any more questions, I'll be going and I won't even mention your {if resistance >0}passenger{else}passengers{endif} to the shitbags outside."

"Wait, I have more questions," I said.

"If I find my quarry tonight, we can talk afterward. I'm sure you'll survive the auctioning," he said and left.