Then the worst of all of it. Seeing Joshua follow her away as if seduced by some evil spirit.
There’d been nothing Jessie could say or do to stop him. Before the authorities arrived Mrs. Rantsmack had relayed a twisted tale of opportunity and promise of physical redemption to Joshua that had the boy seeing past the heinous crime that lay at his feet.
“All his life he suffered. He was a good boy, but not well. First tuberculosis. Then, polio. Then the MS.” Tears ran down Jessie’s face. “How could I blame him for wanting relief?”
When Jessie looked down where Joshua lay, she screamed. The sight was more than she could bear. His body had disintegrated into a black, bubbling, steaming glob. “Joshua!”
Chapter Three
Several hours later Ricard paced the floor of the lab.
Raymond Tyrone’s experiments were growing stronger, more viable with each round. The scientist may be dead, but his experiments would continue with Rollins and the devil only knew who else.
All the tireless work to unlock the answer to what Tyrone was using to infect innocent humans in order to build his army seemed futile. Rather than getting closer to an answer, Ricard was more confounded.
“You’re going to walk a hole in the linoleum,” Lawrie Tyrone said. The young scientist and daughter of Lawrence Tyrone, founding partner of Panthera Laboratories looked up from the microscope. “You’re letting my uncle get to you.”
“How would it be possible for that young man to have TB, polio, and MS? It’s impossible. Never happened before in the history of the world.” Ricard rubbed his trapezoid muscles, trying without success to remove the hard lumps that instantly formed the very second he heard Jessica scream for the first time.
“Look at this.” Lawrie turned the microscope toward Ricard. “She is right.”
Once again he peered into the viewer, his eyes automatically adjusting to the magnification. Years of studying cell biology had gifted him with the ability to bring anything into focus.
Jessie was right. These cells each showed evidence of all three diseases.
“It makes no sense. That boy should have been dead already. This should have killed him.” Ricard pointed at the microscope.
“What makes you think it didn’t,” Serge asked. The leader of The Vampire Guard was also a studied scientist, one with an even greater interest in cell biology.
“What do you mean?” Ricard turned to see Serge pulling on a lab coat as he crossed the room.
The two men had known each other for many years, far longer than most vampires knew either man. That, of course, meant they knew details of the other no one else knew.
Ricard understood better than anyone Serge’s quest for a cure to vampirism. He also made it very clear to his old friend he would not participate in any experiment to find one. This had been a bone of contention between them for centuries.
“Jessie has not told us how long Joshua was ill. What if he contracted these illnesses later? What if one was cured before another came on or nearly cured as another was added?” Serge looked into the microscope. “It’s quite possible this poor boy was simply an experiment of the worst order.”
Ricard leaned against the table. “You mean to say you believe Tyrone did all this to him? These diseases, plus the serum to make him a revenant?”
“There had to be something quite important about this particular revenant for Raymond to leave Panthera and enter the heart of Central City.” Serge looked from Ricard to Lawrie. “Important enough that he died for him.”
Lawrie whistled. “But what? My uncle was a madman, but I never believed he thought anything was worth him giving his life. He was far too important in his own mind.”
“Rollins,” Ricard said. “Remember how the henchman had always wanted more than Tyrone would allow? Rollins must be behind Tyrone’s death. There’s no way the scourge will end simply because Tyrone’s ego killed him.”
“Agreed.” Serge looked back through the microscope. “I’ve sent a team out to do a little reconnaissance at the lab. There must be some hint of what’s going on since Tyrone’s demise. We’ll know more in the coming nights. For now, we need to figure out what Tyrone was up to with Joshua.”
“Right, but how does one person have three diseases like this?” Lawrie asked.
“The young woman said Joshua’s illness was permanent. That is true of MS. The other two are curable, though there may be lasting side effects.” Serge swapped out one slide for another.
“Lasting?” Ricard asked. “Lasting like becoming a vampire has a lasting side effect?”
“Or a revenant,” Lawrie said.
“I didn’t say the effects were kind, just that they would remain.” Serge did not look up but rather scribbled some notes on a pad.
“It cannot be possible that giving these revenants TB, polio, and MS is helpful to making them viable. The molecular structure of the revenants would destroy the weakened…”
All three scientists stopped and stared at each other.
Serge shrugged. “It’s quite possible that weakening the human system to a point where the body begins to destroy itself and then introducing an organism already far superior to the strongest human cell could be the answer to Raymond’s search.”
“Good God. The revenant cell would simply attach itself to the killer cells trying to destroy the body, then it could multiply at an exponential rate.” Ricard turned to face the workbench, letting his shoulders hunch.
The theory was brilliant, brilliantly demonic and evil beyond reason.
Lawrie retrieved a case of slides from the cabinet on the far wall. “We might as well look at these, too. We never considered determining if the revenants had other illnesses in combination with the serum.”
“You’re theorizing that weakening the system to such an extreme point would allow for the stronger cells to take over. Those stronger cells being the revenant vampire cells.” Ricard grabbed two more boxes of slides, handing one to Serge and taking the other to a microscope across the room.
If the theory was correct, a plague was about to befall all of Central City.
Serge nodded. “If I’m correct we either need to stop Rollins or find cures for every illness that befalls man.”
“I’m pretty sure we should kill Rollins and burn Panthera to the ground. Somehow that seems like a more achievable goal.” Lawrie opened a box and pulled out the first slide of thousands the team would review.
As the night continued Ricard’s mind vacillated between several thoughts. Serge’s theory consumed most of his time. The chemistry of the serum Raymond created took up another large percentage. But the last little bit focused on Jessica.
He could not stop his thoughts from returning to her. The very moment the woman screamed, something inside him clicked. The little piece of him that had lain dormant for so many years as he focused on a cure for vampirism or at least an explanation for how he and his friends had come to be, was now awake.
That bit of him he forced to be quiet and stay out of the way would no longer remain off to the side. It now wanted his attention and it would have what it wanted whether the scientist in him liked it or not.
Chapter Four
The coffee cup rattled against the saucer when Jessie attempted to place the dainty little thing down. Coffee sloshed over the side and onto the table. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, failing to hold back the tears.
The nurse placed a box of tissues on the table and dropped a mound of paper towels on the coffee spill. “There’s no need to apologize,” she said.
“Thank you.” Jessie cried.
Sitting in the infirmary with a kind, but strange nurse and two very large vampires was never where she imagined she’d find herself. But, then she’d never imagined her brother would disintegrate in her arms.
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” she whimpered. “It must have been so painful for him.”
Joshua had been her closest friend, not simply her little brother. How would
she go on without him? Who would listen to her stories from work, or debate the quality of Twinkies with her, or root for the opposing team just so they could compete?
Who would she come home to?
“We don’t want to upset you any more than you already are,” one of the men said. He was tall with dark hair and steely eyes. Except for the fact he had a beard and moustache he looked nearly exactly like the man to his left. They even had the same neck tattoos. “But, if you could answer a few questions, it might help us to stop the man who did this to Joshua.”
“Isn’t he dead?” Jessie asked, remembering the surreal moment Raymond Tyrone fell over the fire escape and plummeted to his death. She could hardly believe the man she had trusted with Joshua’s health had turned out to be so cruel. Somehow it seemed impossible for him to die.
“Tyrone is dead, but Rollins continues his work,” the man with the beard said.
Jessie looked from one man to the other. “Brothers?”
They both nodded. “I’m Rafe. This is my brother Gabe.” He pulled out a chair across the table and sat. “We understand what it’s like to care for a brother the way you did for Joshua.”
Gabe sat beside him.
They were so very similar. The shapes of their eyes. The curves of their noses. Even the way they moved was similar.
“We’ve been together for hundreds of years. The thought of losing each other is…” Rafe glanced to his side.
Gabe gave a slight nod. “It would destroy us.”
Jessie noted the slight accent both men had. “Where are you from?”
“Italy,” Rafe said.
“Who is older?” She’d have liked to sip from the coffee cup, but still her hands trembled.
“He is, and by several years.” Gabe grinned. It was the perfect little brother smile, the kind that screamed for attention.
“Watch it.” Rafe slanted a big brother glare at Gabe.
Jessie forced a smile. “On Tuesdays we had spaghetti, well, penne pasta, not spaghetti. It was too much work for Joshua to twirl spaghetti. But the little tubes could slide onto the fork.” Her voice cracked. “So, he could eat those more easily.”
There was no one now. No one for her to admire for believing each day was a new start and that someday he’d have perfect health and absolute peace.
Joshua’s unwavering belief that the doctor would find a cure made Jessie believe at times. His optimism made her want him to go to the doctor. Her desperation made her willing to let him try the experimental treatments.
She shook her head. Her foolishness got him killed. It was that damn connection to Dr. Tyrone that made Joshua believe in him.
“There’s nothing left of him.” She blew her nose. “Nothing.”
The nurse sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “We’re so sorry for your loss.”
Jessie buried her face in her hands and sobbed. The nurse pulled her into a hug and held her for several minutes until the jag of tears and incomprehensible garble stopped. Even Jessie couldn’t understand what she, herself, was saying.
When she was more composed, she wiped her face and sat up. “I’m sorry.” She stared at the tissue box, watching the green leaves on the lavender box blur in and out of focus. “I just can’t believe this has happened. I always knew he wouldn’t live to be very old, but I…” She looked up at the brothers. “…hoped and prayed. I believed Dr. Tyrone and Mr. Rollins when they said Panthera could help us. I wanted it to be true.”
The brothers watched her, not moving. They were still as statues, and if not for the absurdity of this evening she’d have been terrified by this situation. Instead, she was drawn to the clear bond of love these two men had for each other. It was familiar and safe, and more than anything in this world she missed the feel of that love.
“We always had hope.” She blew her nose. “I guess we had hope and stupidity. I should have known too many experimental treatments would lead to this.”
“What did they promise you?” Rafe asked.
“Dr. Tyrone promised he’d help us. He, uh, he said he couldn’t promise a cure but would do everything in his power to help.” She reached for the coffee cup, but the moment she touched it, the cup clanged against the saucer and she drew back her hand. “He offered tests and treatments, and every time he did, it was like having a carrot dangled before two starving rabbits.” She pushed the coffee away. “Mr. Rollins promised to help with anything we needed.”
“Maddie, honey, why don’t you grab one of those big mugs you like to drink cocoa from?” Rafe said.
“Sure. I’ll be right back.” The nurse left the room, rounding a corner to an area Jessie couldn’t see.
At once she noticed the room was dark except for the few lights around the table. In the dim periphery cabinets and counters lined the walls. Farther into the shadows Jessie made out a few beds across the room and several giant refrigerators.
“What was the help Rollins offered?” Rafe asked.
Thinking back to all the meetings Jessie and Joshua had with Mr. Rollins was difficult. Everything before tonight seemed like a lifetime ago.
She shook her head. “Access to medicines we couldn’t afford and treatments only the elite ever received. Transfusions whenever he needed them, which he needed with more and more frequency in recent weeks.” She couldn’t bring herself to say he’d needed them more toward the end. “I should have seen what was happening. I should have known. If I’d paid more attention, I could have saved him.”
Maddie returned with a heavy cup filled with steaming coffee. “I added a splash of cream for you.” She placed the cup in front of Jessie and sat down.
“But you didn’t know. That was part of Rollins’ trick, to keep you guessing in the dark, hopeful and guessing.” Rafe rubbed his neck.
“Jessie, anything you can tell us will help,” Gabe said.
“Help who?” Jessie picked up the mug, cradling the hot ceramic in both hands. “Certainly not Joshua.” She sipped the coffee.
There was a long silence in the room as Jessie concentrated on her coffee and tried to ignore the memory of her brother’s bloody remains running down her lap and over the kitchen floor.
“No, there is no help for Joshua, but there is hope for others. Panthera espouses helping, but really their only goal is to help themselves at the expense of everyone else. Joshua was not their only victim and there will be many more if we don’t stop them. You can help us,” Rafe said.
“Help you?” She looked from Rafe to Gabe. “How? Who are you people? You followed Joshua home. You knew where he lived. You probably work for Panthera. You’re probably the vampires Mr. Rollins warned about.”
Tears welled in Jessie’s eyes. Whether they were tears of anger, fear, or heartache she didn’t know. But she did know Joshua was gone, she was alone in this world, and there would never be another safe moment in her life.
“We don’t work for Panthera.” Maddie scooted closer, her hand rubbing Jessie’s back. “I swear to you, we don’t. We work to save the city from Tyrone and all that he’s created at Panthera. We don’t want to see anyone else hurt.”
Jessie shook her head. “I don’t know you. I don’t know anyone.”
What had happened to her life? She sat in a vampire infirmary with two very large and scary vampires and one touchy-feely human woman all of whom wanted to know what she knew. It was too much for her to process.
“I don’t know anything. Not one damn thing.”
“Any information you give us, even the most minute detail could lead us to a clue or an answer. It could be the key we need to stop Panthera and put an end to the brutality.” Rafe leaned forward. “Your memories are all we want.”
Rafe’s eyes were the color of blue steel. Something about them drew Jessie to him. A soft sleepy haze blanketed her mind, and she felt herself tumble down a deep black hole.
“I won’t hurt you. I need you to relax and remember.” Rafe’s voice sounded like a romantic whisper, the way a l
over spoke to a woman. “Close your eyes and trust me. Nothing bad will happen to you.”
Coaxed into submitting, Jessie closed her eyes and listened. For the first time in months the tension running from her shoulders to her lower back eased. After a long deep breath in she exhaled and felt her shoulders drop as more and more the agitation ebbed and the burden of all these years slipped away.
“When was the first time you met Rollins?” Rafe asked.
“At the clinic. He was one of the doctors treating Joshua. He’d been so caring and kind when we met him.”
“What did he treat Joshua for?”
“It was the TB clinic. Joshie had been exposed at some school event when he was ten. Even with the treatment his cough never seemed to improve.”
“Why do you think that was?”
“They said the polio was weakening him.” Jessie’s head dropped forward. So many sleepless nights and now this relaxation session made it nearly impossible to hold her body upright.
She felt the table move and someone catch her.
“Polio, too?” Rafe’s voice was now close, and his body was warm against hers.
“Yes, diagnosed at twelve. We have no idea how he contracted it. Really, that’s unheard of nowadays.” She rested her head on his chest. “I’m so tired.”
“Only a few more questions. Did they test for the illness or was Rollins able to diagnose Joshua from his symptoms?”
“It took so many tests and overnight stays at the clinic, and I think Josh stayed at the laboratory, too.” She paused, swimming deeper into her memories. “Yes. He did. They said the lab had better equipment and more high-tech tests could be done.”
“Did the tests lead to treatments?”
“Yes. For a while the drugs seemed to keep everything at bay. At least we thought they did until he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. That was the point everything went to shit.”
A Vampire's Purgatory (Romance In Central City Book 8) Page 2
