All Soul's Day Chapter 1

Okay, this is something I wrote a long time ago. It's posted at Literotica, but some of you might not have known me from way back then. So... I decided to post this.

*blush* Keep in mind this was written a long time ago, lol. My writing style has changed dramatically. :) The plan is to post this for the next three Thursdays, and then on the thirty-first I'm going to publish Halloween short that's new. 

Enjoy! 

Chapter One

I'd just gone on shift when word came through that major causalities were on the way. The ER braced for the fifteen car pile-up on the interstate caused by the snow. Reports that were coming in stated that it was bad, very bad.

I gathered my team, getting ready for the fight that was soon to appear in my ER. Quickly I ran through the list of things needed, determined to save as many of the wounded as I could.  

Death was a necessary part of life, and I understood this. People were born, lived their life, and then died. What I found insulting was when life was taken from a person before they were through using that life.

Being an ER doctor took a special type of person.

“Dr. Grey! We’re ready…ETA five minutes.” My head nurse, Cindy announced.

Taking a deep breath, I counted to ten, and then released it. This calmed my nerves, and stopped the shaking in my hands. My nickname was Grey. My actual name was Jamie Greyson, but everyone called me Grey.

I’m five feet ten inches and weigh one hundred fifty pounds. My shoulder length hair is jet black. I have been told in certain light it had blue highlights. My eyes are a light sky blue, and are slightly slanted. I’m twenty-eight years old.

“First arrivals! Get ready!” Someone yelled as the ambulances screamed to a stop.

Please… please, angel of death, stay out of my ER, damn it.

Many, many hours later I stood over the body of a ten year old child as I called time of death. Her poor body had just been too damaged; there was nothing I could have done to change the outcome. That never stopped me from fighting till the end.

Slowly I dropped the blood-splattered sheet over her face. She was just a fucking child… why her? Why did she have to die damn you? There were times, as I watched a patient draw their last breath, I could’ve sworn I saw a slight fluttering in the air above their body. Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing their soul departing, and questioned where it went.

I believed in Heaven and Hell, I had to believe that there was something waiting for us after we struggled through this life. Losing patients always affected me, and made me fight harder against Death.

“Dr. Grey! Dr. Grey… we need you!”

With a small sigh I bid the girl a safe journey, then rushed to the next battle. Too many had already been claimed by the Angel of Death today, and I promised that no more would be taken if I could help it.

I ended up staying two hours past the end of my shift. A young woman was fighting for her life, and winning. She was one of the first patients I worked on from the accident, and had flat lined on me.

“Don’t you die on me!” I panted while doing CPR.

She’d been rushed to emergency surgery, and was now in ICU. Her condition was critical, but stable. I felt like I had cheated death, once again.

I showered at the hospital and changed into my street clothes. Several of my colleagues were meeting at a bar down from the hospital, and I had been invited to go. The day had been an emotional rollercoaster ride, a constant battle between life and death.

“You’re coming, right?” Cindy asked. “Please do, you need to unwind.”

“Sure, why not.” I was tired, but was off for the next two days. “It’s not like I have anyone waiting for me at home.”

Everyone at work knew I was gay. I had been out for several years now. My boyfriend and I had broken up six months earlier. According to him my job was my life, and was more important than he was. He didn’t understand what life in an ER was like… that it was a battleground between life and death. Oddly enough, I wasn’t that upset over his leaving.

“You’re fixated on death, Grey!” My ex had shouted in my face as he walked out. That was the last thing he said as he walked out the door.

I parked my car and stared at the bar. A shiver of awareness crawled up my spin, and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

“What the hell?” I trembled as I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel.

The darkness of the bar soothed my mind as I made my way over to where everyone was gathered. I sighed quietly as I drew closer. The one person I was hoping wouldn’t be there was sitting at the table. Dr. Edward James, Chief of Staff, was someone I detested with a passion. The man had no concept of the word no, even when it was yelled loudly at him.

A month ago Edward trapped me in a storage closet, and put his hands all over me. A swift knee to the groin made my point. I had threatened to report him, and he had threatened me with his power and seniority at the hospital. Every since then he had gone out of his way to make me miserable.

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late.” I said, taking a chair far away from Edward.

A waitress appeared at the table to take my order once I sat down.

“He’ll have crown and coke.” Edward ordered as he smirked at me.

“Make that hot chocolate, plenty of whipped cream and marshmallows, please.” I grabbed the waitress by her sleeve.

“Too good to drink with us, Grey?” Edward sneered.

“Too many DUI cases in the ER.” I mumbled. “I don’t drink and drive.”

I shifted in my seat so that my back was to him, hoping that he’d get the message. Over the next few hours he generally left me alone, only making a few snide comments directed at or about me.

“What a jerk.” I told Cindy, trying to keep my eyes off the main bar.

“Ignore him; he’s just trying to get under your skin.” Cindy said. “Kind of like you’re ignoring me.”

“Huh?”

“What is so fascinating over there?” Cindy had noticed my quick glances.

A guy at the bar kept drawing my attention. He looked like a biker type. He had long straight blond hair, and was muscular. The black corded sweater was pushed up above his elbows, showing a large skull tattoo with wings.

Heavy muscular thighs were covered in torn stone washed jeans that covered black biker boots. He had a thick silver chain around his neck, his eyebrow was pierced, and so was his left ear.

“I think you have an admirer.” Cindy grinned at me.

“Not my type… too big, too pierced, too tattooed.”

“Maybe you need to try a new type, sweetie.” Cindy swatted my arm.

His eyes were as black as night, which was odd with his light blond hair. On the back of his chair was a black leather jacket with chains on it. Every time I glanced his way, he was staring intently at me. I never dated big guys, but my gaze kept returning to him.

“Uh yeah, he’s a little intimidating.” I tore my eyes away from him. “Not someone I’d want to meet in a dark alley.”

I paid my tab, and headed out to my car when a shift in the air warned me that I was not alone. Rough hands grabbed my shoulders, pushing me head first into my car. My head bounced off the side panel as I frantically tried to brace myself.

I found myself pinned, my chest against the hood. Black lights swirled around me as my vision blurred. My wrists were imprisoned behind me. Possible concussion... my mind whispered. Naw, really? I answered back.

“No one tells me no, slut.” A voice whispered in my ear, a voice I knew from work.

“Get the fuck off me, Edward!” I struggled against the car. “Have you lost your damn mind?”

“One night, that’s all I want.” Edward demanded. “I’ll make your career, promise.”

 “No! Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I’m a slut, they’re not interchangeable… you stupid son of a bitch!” I yelled, hoping to gain attention to us.

This earned me another rap against the car hood. I tasted blood from where he had just split my lip. I realized he was dog drunk, and I was in serious trouble. Edward outweighed me by fifty pounds at least. This caveman, macho mentality was why I didn’t dated big guys.

“I believe he said no, friend.” A deep cold voice said.

I felt Edward tremble against me. Even I shivered at the veiled menace in those words. Craning my head to the side, I saw that biker dude from the bar. Heaven help me, this guy is fucking huge.

Edward released me and without his body supporting me I suddenly felt weightless. Turning to face the guy he tried to bluff his way out of the situation.

“Look here, this doesn’t concern…” Edward started to say, arrogant ass that he was.

That was as far as he got. The biker put his hand on Edwards’s chest above his heart. I heard the painful gasp he made when the biker touched him. Edward turned pale, broke out in a sweat, and clutched his left arm. What the hell? The guy barely touched Edward.

“Believe me when I tell you, you do not want to mess with Grey anymore.” He spoke softly, his voice a deep rumble. “Now get out of here while you still can.”

I watched as he leaned over and whispered something else to Edward, something I couldn’t hear.

Edward turned and walked off, never saying another word. By this time I was half on, half off my car and seriously considering sliding on down to the ground.

“What else did you say to him?” I asked. “I’ve never seen him act like that.”

 “I told him that I have friends in low places, and he didn’t want to piss me off.”

“Grey! Grey!” Cindy stepped around the biker. “Oh honey, are you alright?”

“Cindy?” I whispered. “Damn, what’s going on?”

“Azrael noticed that Dr. James followed you out to the parking lot.” Cindy helped me down to the ground. “He asked if I would accompany him to find you. He was worried you would be afraid of him.”

I looked up at this muscular, hulking guy. There was something about him that scared me shitless but drew me to him at the same time. I was upset, but mainly because I was seeing two of him at the moment. I was sure I had a concussion and as tired as I was this promised to be a long night. Azrael lowered himself down next to me as I stared blankly up at him.

“Are you okay?” He asked. “He rapped your head pretty hard on the hood.”

“Besides the fact that I’m seeing two of everything, I’m fine.” I joked weakly.

“Oh sweetie, you have a concussion, don’t you?” Cindy frowned at me. “You can’t be alone tonight.”

“I’ll be fine.” I was dead tired, my body ached, my head hurt, and I damn well wanted to sleep in my own bed tonight. “I’ll set the alarm to go off every couple of hours, promise.”

“No, that won’t do.” She pulled out her cell. “You’re a doctor, and you know the dangers of a concussion. You’ll stay at my house.”

“Cindy, that really isn’t…”

“Not another word, Grey.” Cindy replied.

I loved this woman almost as much as I loved my own mother. She was a married, middle aged black lady that treated all the single people in the ER as her chicks, and she was the mother hen. She seemed especially protective of me.

She was opinionated, outspoken, and didn’t take ‘no bull’ off anyone. She was a force of nature, and like any force, you either got the hell out of the way, or buckled under.

“Yes ma’am.” I grinned at her.

“I would like to check on you tomorrow, if you wouldn’t mind.” Azrael said.

“Ah sure, yeah.” I yammered.

I gave him my cell number, and he helped me to Cindy’s car. The next morning Cindy dropped me off at home on her way to work. Her husband dropped my car off later. Azrael called me twice that day, just to talk. I ended up taking a week of vacation. Every day I talked to him, and really enjoyed our conversations. Two days after I went back to work, he asked me out.

TBC next Thursday

Happy October!