Chapter 1. The Interviews

Chapter 1. Interviews

Tall,  somber and rail thin Radu Prince rubbed his temple absently as yet another shaken and terrified prospect was led up from the lower annex. Clearly this one would not do well, either. Out of twenty applicants, they had yet to find a suitable medical professional to tend to the unique medical and psychological needs of the families eldest member, Radu’s brother, Mircea Prince.

“It’s alright, Doctor Lewis,” Minhea, Radu’s nephew, assured the man who’d paled to nearly as ghostly a shade of white as the Prince family themselves appeared to be as he walked him up the steps, ignoring the screaming and ranting from behind them as they closed the door. His voice took on an odd, otherworldly quality as he continued, taking a moment to look the frightened man straight in the eyes before proceeding through the library with him and out into the corridor. “The interview was very standard. Boring, in fact. Just another self-absorbed rich family looking to be pampered and have your talents wasted wiping noses and trimming hangnails for them for far less than your time and talents are worth. You’re leaving now having decided to refuse the job offer, as it is completely beneath you and wastes all the training you worked so hard to complete.”

The man relaxed visibly as Min spoke, regaining color and calming considerably. By the time they reached the door he seemed to acquire a swagger in his step and a smirk upon his lips. “I appreciate the offer, Mister Prince, but I’m a doctor, not a nanny. You understand.”

“Of course, Doctor Lewis,” Min replied, smirking back as he offered his hand. “Thank you for your time.”

He watched as the man drove off, then closed the door and headed back to the library where his brother and uncle waited.
In the stillness of the library, Radu sighed, returning to his desk and closing the file before opening the next.

“We’re not going to find anyone who can do this.” Vlad sighed from the corner where he stood with his wife, Soraya. They presented a striking contrast, standing side by side as they were. He was nearly as tall as his uncle and with the same pale skin, dark curls, crystal blue eyes and striking features that all of his kin seemed to share. His wife, however, was a petite, radiant creature with a flawless peaches and cream complexion, flame red hair and dark blue eyes that could dance merrily with mischief one minute, then narrow in unbridled fury the next.

“It doesn’t seem that way, does it,” she agreed with a sigh, leaning against her husband tiredly. They’d been at this since sunset and they still hadn’t met a single person worth so much as a second glance.

Radu glanced up and shrugged before returning to the file. “We are not out of applicants yet. There may yet be one who is capable enough.”

“Really, Uncle? You still believe that out there among them sits one who will not be put off by what we are? By what HE is? He ATE one of them!” Min interrupted as he entered, looking from his brother Vlad to his uncle in disbelief. “Perhaps you should choose one who is O negative next, since he’s so partial to it. Or perhaps we might feed them all some of Soraya’s chocolate to sweeten them before sending them down so that he might enjoy dessert!”

Vlad shot his brother a scathing look, his pale blue eyes narrowed in disapproval as Soraya protested the suggested waste of chocolate. Everyone knew that Mircea, like most of his kin, didn’t care for sweets at all.

Min just smiled sweetly, all wide-eyed innocence in return. “Don’t pretend you weren’t thinking the same thing,” he challenged. “You know as well as I do that none of those people out there are going to be suitable for this.”

“Just go get the next one,” Vlad rolled his eyes. As much as he wished he could disagree, however, he felt reasonably sure Min was right. Who among the learned men in the parlor would choose to risk their lives tending to the needs of one such as them, especially one with as exceptionally dangerous as Mircea could be in times such as these.

Moments later a squat, rotund man was escorted into the room.

“Doctor Anthony Olivera,” Min introduced him, noting his uncle nodding to indicate he had the file. “This is my uncle, Radu Prince, and my brother, Vlad Prince. They will be conducting your interview this evening.”

“Please, be seated,” Radu said quietly, indicating a seat across from him without looking up from the file before him, his stomach beginning to turn at the entrance of the oily man. Ordinarily he left staff interviews entirely to Vlad, preferring to minimize contact with others whenever possible, as it was invariably unsettling to have so many untrained minds spewing their thoughts and feelings about and prolonged exposure too often left him feeling emotionally drained and physically ill no matter how carefully he shielded himself from them. However, the care of his brother wasn’t something he could leave entirely to someone else. Too much could go tragically wrong if the wrong person were selected for him to ever be comfortable leaving the responsibility to another, no matter how much he trusted them. Whoever they hired, he knew, would have to be trained, as the rest of their staff was, to manage the thoughts and emotions they put forward for others who might be sensitive to them. To upset Mircea with the clutter and discontent of the average untrained mind could to easily yield disastrous results.

Doctor Olivera settled into the chair, his eyes roaming greedily around the room, taking in the art and antiques, ignoring the copious volumes of books in favor of the more obviously expensive items. His eyes lingered a moment upon the beautiful red-haired woman in the room, and he found himself wondering how much access he’d have to the glorious creature, and how open to private examinations, as it were, she might be.

Radu kept his head bowed over the file, his eyes hidden behind dark curls, seemingly disinterested in the doctor’s wandering gaze and lewd thoughts. Only the barely perceptible tensing of his sculpted jawline indicated that he might have noticed the doctor’s straying interest. “I see here that your marks for your recently completed residency were less than sterling,” Radu said at last, his softly accented baritone barely carrying across the table, still without looking up. “What do you believe makes you more qualified for this post than the others awaiting an interview?”

“I… um…” the doctor began, taken off guard. “I passed all exams and completed all prerequisites,” he said at last, recovering himself. Attempting a superior air, he went on, “I’m sorry, I was under the impression you needed a discrete personal physician. I assume this means that there are things you would prefer were omitted from any chart. The level of discretion you probably want, though, isn’t going to be found in the honors student.” He smirked. “I, however, can keep any secret for the right price.”

“Any secret?” A hint of a smile touched the corner of Radu’s lips. One less familiar with him might mistake the reaction for approval. Vlad and Minhea, however, exchanged worried glances.

<Nait, are you home yet?> Min asked quickly, reaching out for Radu’s mate, the seraph Naitachel. <I think Uncle’s about to lose his temper with this one.>

<Landing now,> came the reply. <I will be right there.>

“Forgive me for being late,” The seraph entered moments later on crutches to mask his unusual gait, his wings and tail hidden beneath a long trench coat which masked his odd legs as well. Radu glanced up at last, a ghost of a smile upon his lips as he welcomed his spouse.

“Of course, beloved,” he replied, drawing a backless stool into position beside him so that Naitachel might sit down. “Doctor Olivera was about to demonstrate his ability to keep a secret.”

“Is this lovely lady my new patient?” the doctor asked, eyeing Nait appraisingly, noting the pale hair and fair skin, his gaze lingering upon the full lips and delicate features all with obvious and clearly non-clinical interest.

Min stepped forward, then, clearing his throat. “Correct me if I’m wrong, doctor, but I was under the impression that they still taught basic anatomy in medical school, do they not?”

Olivera’s brow creased in confusion. “Yes. Of course they do.”

“Then you will note that my uncle’s husband is most definitely male and cease looking at him as if he were a centerfold pinup in a cheap magazine,” Vlad growled, his arm remaining protectively about his wife’s shoulders. This doctor was a letch! Surely Radu couldn’t be seriously considering him for this post, could he?

Radu sighed, glancing in Vlad’s direction and giving a barely perceptible shake of his head. No. Of course he wasn’t.

“Ah… is that your secret? The great and powerful Radu Prince, head of Dragon Industries, is gay?” Doctor Olivera asked mockingly.

“No, Doctor. That is actually no secret at all,” Radu’s already soft voice, grew even quieter, his crystal blue eyes narrowing beneath dark curls.

Olivera glanced around the room. “Well, then, what is?” he challenged, unconvinced.

“Oh boy,” Min cringed, “not again.”

Radu smiled slowly, deliberately, revealing sharp fangs. “This is.”

The man’s eyes widened, his screams echoing throughout the library.

Radu leaned forward, reluctantly placing a hand upon the man’s shoulder, his voice taking on the same otherworldly quality his nephew’s had earlier as he offered mercifully, “You were just frightened by a very large spider, and are ill at ease with the creaking and groaning of the old manor house. The family seems to want far too much for what they are willing to pay and shows no interest in affording you the luxurious lifestyle you desire. You’ve decided to leave now before they insult you further by suggesting you actually work for the paltry amount they are offering you.” As he spoke, the man settled, his arrogance and greed overriding his fear.

“I’m sorry, but if that’s all you’re offering you’re wasting my time,” he blurted, rising and brushing imaginary dust from his too-tight suit jacket. “Good luck finding anyone with a real degree to work for that amount.”

“Very well, doctor,” Radu settled back, closing his eyes a moment against the onslaught of emotion the man projected and rubbing his temple again absently. “My nephew, Min, will show you out.”

A light rap on the library door surprised them all. At Radu’s nod, Min opened the door, escorting Dr. Olivera out past another man, who stepped in, pausing just inside the door.

“Sorry to interrupt your cattle call, ladies and gents, but some of us have actual clinic hours in the morning and would like to be seen sometime before midnight if it’s all the same to you,” the newcomer announced.

Radu looked up at that, noting that the man standing before them had opted to interview in jeans and a button down shirt, left open at the collar and rolled at the sleeves, rather than a suit. He looked a bit worn, leaning casually against the doorframe.  At Naitachel’s nod of approval, Radu waved the newcomer in.

“Your name, sir?” he asked as he gestured toward the seat across from him.

“Name’s Ryan Kelly,” the doctor answered, gesturing to his file on the desk, a few folders down from the top. “So tell me about my new patients.”

Vlad and Radu exchanged equally incredulous glances. Had the man just attempted to hijack the interview? Radu quirked a brow and gave a barely perceptible shrug. Why not? He decided, drawing forth the folder and flipping quickly through it, rubbing again at his temple as if willing away the headache that insisted on remaining there, seeming to intensify the longer these interviews went on. Why could people not think and feel more quietly rather than bombarding the sensitive with every detail of themselves?  Attempting once again to push away the onslaught, Radu replied, “Your primary patient would be my brother Mircea Prince. He suffers a form of PTSD that occasionally manifests in extremely violent behaviors.  There are moments of lucidity that can, at times, last years. However, it takes sadly little to trigger the psychosis, and anyone working with him would have to understand upfront that there is a very real and serious risk to life and limb involved.”

Doctor Kelly frowned. “Why isn’t he being tended to in a psychiatric facility? It sounds as if it might be more appropriate.”

Radu shook his head. “His needs are best met here with us, I assure you. My nephews and I hold multiple degrees, including medical and psychiatric degrees. The position we are hiring for is merely for support, since we also have responsibilities elsewhere.”

“This is a generous sum you’re offering for a support staff position.” Doctor Ryan noted, though his skepticism at Radu’s claim of multiple medical degrees was fairly obvious. Not one of the people in the room appeared old enough to hold even a single doctorate, let along multiple. Deciding not to call his interviewer on the exaggeration, Kelly proceeded instead to stress, “But you need to be aware that once I make a determination that a course of action is in my patient’s best interest, I won’t be overridden because someone here doesn’t like my judgment. I won’t be here to give meds and empty bedpans. Any nurse can do that.”

“Understood, provided you accept that committing my brother is not nor will it ever become an option we will consider. Now, you should be aware that there is a small amount of scarring around Mircea’s eyes and he remains quite light sensitive as a result of injuries he sustained during war. You will need to be sensitive to this and use no more light than you absolutely must in his presence.” Radu fixed him with an even gaze, pleased to note that the doctor seemed to be paying full attention. “His medical needs are quite unique and require an unusual degree of respect for our privacy beyond what you might be accustomed to in your day to day practice. You may be asked to treat other members of the family as well, should the need arise, and an equal degree would be required in their cases, as well.”

“Which war?” Doctor Kelly asked curiously, feeling as if the question of respect for their privacy went without saying. Nobody hired a private physician then expected anything less.

“I beg your pardon?” Radu replied, taken off guard. Realizing the moment he’d said it what it was the doctor was asking, he replied, “It is only relevant to note that he was a soldier and sustained injury as such. Beyond that, we do not speak of it.”

“If we want to help him through the PTSD, we may have to,” Doctor Kelly pointed out. “And why isn’t the VA handling his case? If he’s a veteran, they probably should be.” Kelly asked, eying the interviewer carefully, noting that he seemed fatigued. “And why aren’t you handling these interviews during daytime hours. You’re obviously exhausted, and given that’s the third time you’ve rubbed your temple, I’d venture to guess that you’re headache is getting worse.”

“The VA isn’t handling his case because we do not desire that it should, and we are handling the interviews now as this is when we are available.” Radu replied quietly, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

“Then at least take something for your headache. I’ll wait.” Doctor Kelly insisted, settling back into the chair.

Radu ignored the look of amusement that lingered in the eyes of not only the doctor, but his family members as well. He glanced sidelong as Naitachel placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder, exuding peace and serenity to counter the onslaught Radu felt from those in the foyer and parlor. “I shall see to it when these interviews are finished.”

“Alright.  Let’s call them finished then. I’ll take the job. How about you bring him to my office in the morning so we can meet and…” Doctor Kelly began, rising from the chair.

“No,” Vlad interrupted. “We do not venture out during daylight. We are… allergic.”

“Allergic to daylight?” the doctor asked, turning to face Vlad, sounding unconvinced.

“Yes, quite.” Radu nodded, rising. “You will see us here, or we shall arrange a place at your medical facility but I fear venturing into daylight is something only staff members, my beloved, Naitachel, and Vlad’s wife, Soraya, shall be doing.”

“I see. A genetic abnormality, then? That might make things a bit less convenient for me,” The doctor stated the obvious, turning back to Radu. “What sort of reaction do you experience in sunlight?”

“It burns us,” Vlad answered from behind him.

“Yup,” Min concurred, moving to stand beside his uncle. “We smoke, sizzle and burn. Not fun.”

“Sounds like I’m interviewing for a bunch of vampires.” Kelly quipped. “Next you’ll be telling me you drink blood.”  He watched the pale haired one take on an almost guilty expression, and shook his head. Something about these people was definitely off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Whatever it was, though, wasn’t enough to deter him from taking on the case. In fact, it only made him more interested in it. He’d found himself growing bored, recently, with the average, run of the mill illnesses he came across at the clinic. He was ready, he believed, for a real challenge. Something told him this was it.

Radu looked at him evenly a moment, as if considering a response, before rising and heading for the door behind him. Sensing the direction of the man’s thoughts, he smiled. Perhaps this was the one after all, he thought. Aloud, if only barely, he said, “Follow me, please.”

“Follow you where?” Kelly asked, frowning.

Radu opened the door and proceeded without turning around, “To meet your patient.”