Your transition isn't complete just yet

All thoughts of dominating Tasha and bringing her to Gina go up in smoke, along with your newfound vitality.

Your knees shake and you collapse, sliding down the wall at an angle and slumping to the floor, breathing heavily.

"...that's new."

You try to explain what just happened but all that escapes your lips is a string of unintelligible words. Pity. You really could have used the clarification yourself.

You're dimly aware of Tasha stepping up to you and vague panic kicks in as you realize she was about to stake you. Which you felt was really unfair, considering how shitty you already felt. You drag yourself along the floor but Tasha is faster. You close your eyes, bracing for the end... something cold hits your face face and part of you recoils.

The rest of you opens your eyes and blinks at Tasha's cross, held against your forehead, in confusion.

"Well I'll be damned. You're not all gone yet."

You half shrug, too overwhelmed and too low on blood to figure out any other response. Your head starts to clear as your body adjusts to the sudden withdrawal of whatever was currently hiding in your chest somewhere. Tasha sighs heavily, regarding you with a conflicted expression.

"You're in the middle of transitioning into a bloodsucker, I guess the cross made it pull back for the moment. It's temporary though, it'll come back when I move the cross. And then you'll keep changing into one of them. This is probably the last time you'll really be yourself."

She leaves the question unsaid but you hear it anyway: how do you want this to end? You whimper. This was so unfair, you'd just wanted to get a job at a good company...

"I-I don't want to die..."

Tasha's face screws up, sympathy and determination swirling around each other in a, probably deadly, dance.

"...UGH. Alright here's what we're gonna do:" She pulls a smaller, silver cross from her jacket, this one hanging on a necklace, "You're gonna put this on and keep it in contact with your skin at all times, at all costs, got it?"

You nod vigorously, making yourself dizzy. Tasha strings the cross around your neck and you feel the thing in your chest retreat lower. If anything, it makes you more aware of it: a cold, almost slimy presence. It makes you feel nauseous... except instead of discomfort the signals get confused and it makes your legs rub together. Fuck.

Tasha helps you to your feet, giving you one last conflicted look before ushering you along the hall, "C'mon we need to find Elise."