by C. L. Quinn
“I’m still negative for contagion.”
“Bernie was before she got sick.”
“But I’ve been exposed much longer. Don’t worry, I’ll stay miles from anyone else. I just...”
Vaz pushed up from the bed and slid his boots on. “I just can’t breathe in here.”
He disappeared past the doors and out the entrance.
Sitting next to Bernie on her bed, Park brushed her hair back because there was just nothing else she could do. “Hey, sistah. You are going to miss an epic shopping trip if you don’t get better. Now, that I know you don’t want to do. So, come on…”
Bernie lay silently beside Park as one of Baron’s staff came in and injected her.
“This should make her feel better, if a little loopy.” The woman walked way and Park smiled. “Loopy? You? Never!”
“Oh, my word, I’ve got it! Holy shit, I’ve got it!”
Sarah grabbed her cell phone and dialed Tamesine.
“Please, come quickly, I have the answer!”
Within fifteen minutes, the living space filled up with vampires and their companions.
Sarah asked them to get comfortable on the sofas and took a place in the center of one.
“These texts describe a first blood community that precedes your generation, Tamesine, Koen, Xavier, by thousands of years. You’ll want to read all of these pages when you get a chance. The important information is that I was right, and I hate that I was. But the evidence at the burial site pointed to a catastrophic illness or accident that killed a lot of vampires at once. When Park mentioned the illness here and in Switzerland, I wondered if there could be a link. I believe there is. These pages document what they call “end of days” as a terrible illness befell the community. They couldn’t find a way to stop it or cure it, by medical intervention or magic. That’s how they died. I believe it was this very virus that attacks you now.”
“Holy fuck on a stick!” Xavier exclaimed in his usual manner, shocked to actually realize that it was true, that an illness existed that could kill vampires.
Quieter, but with the same shocked response, Eillia pushed up from the sofa and walked to the open doorway to let the sea air cool her face. “The universe be with us. This couldn’t be worse news in light of the numbers of new vampire children. They are in danger.”
“I am so sorry to have to deliver this news, but there is hope. It’s sketchy, and dangerous, but they did find something that worked.”
“You’ve buried the lead, lass. Tell us about this cure,” Koen demanded impatiently.
“It involves a Shoazan.”
Tamesine leaned in. “How so?”
“The process requires a Shoazan to be infected with a full-strain dose of the virus. We all know that it is nearly impossible to kill a Shoazan. They are protected by the universe because of their mission to produce vampire children. The ancients, desperate, tried the only thing that they could think of, and it worked. But not the first time. That’s important to know.”
“Aye, then, and what was this miracle?” Xavier was as impatient as his brother now.
“With the knowledge of a Shoazan’s ability to survive anything known until this illness, they decided to inject the virus into one. They posited that the Shoazan’s cosmically protected lifeforce would destroy the virus and perhaps create a vaccine or cure for the virus. It was a good idea, and it did work, but two Shoazan’s succumbed and died from the virus before it worked on a third. They found that it had to be a healthy Shoazan, and that the injection had to be the most virulent form of the virus to trigger the vampire virus’ defense response. After that, they used her blood to heal others. By that point, they were able to save ten first bloods, but they had lost over a hundred. This thing is an efficient killer.”
“Where the fuck did it come from?” Xavier demanded. “Does it say anywhere in those writin’s where this thing came from? And how’d it get here?”
Eillia answered. “We don’t know. Vaz says that it just began to circulate about six weeks ago in the village next to his home in Switzerland. Although, something tells me that Nikolai finding this grave site several countries away was meant to be. It’s destiny reaching out to us.”
“Why couldn’t destiny have kept the thing buried?”
Sarah could see now that Xavier was getting drunker by the minute, a second bottle of whisky in his hand. He was a passionate man when he was drunk, this struck his heart, and he wasn’t comfortable with emotional pain.
Eillia answered quietly. “My friend, we are not privy to the choices made by destiny and the fates.”
“Fuck the fates! Let’s do it and save our girls!”
“There are some choices to make, so why don’t you guys let us do that? Go get some drinks and go down to the sea.”
Koen stood and pulled his brother up. “You’re sure? Okay, but if you need us, let us know.”
Marc caught Tamesine’s eyes. “No decisions until you speak to us.” She nodded her agreement.
He followed Xavier and Koen from the room.
“I guess I should go with them,” Zach said, and Dez nodded.
“Don’t go too far, though, baby, I might need you soon. Tamesine gave me that amulet last night and I think I’m going to do the spirit merge.”
“I think that’s great, Dez. Okay. Good luck, ladies.”
Once he’d gone, Tamesine turned to the group.
“Good, we can speak freely now. I volunteer.”
Objections began and she lifted a hand. “Stop. Even though Park is already infected, it looks like it would only kill her. We have to use a healthy Shoazan. It’s going to be me.”
“No, Tamesine, you have two children,” Eillia said. “And you’re more powerful than all of us, so we need you here. I am the only choice.”
“I’m more powerful which means that I stand a better chance of surviving. I’m doing it.”
“Uh, uh,” Olivia said. “Let me.”
“Olivia, we don’t know that you’re Shoazan.”
“Odds are high that I am. Plus, I’m a fourth-generation first blood. You’ve all made such a big deal about the fact that I may be extremely powerful. Maybe even more powerful than you, great grandmother. Listen, I’m the only one here who doesn’t have children who need their mother. I make sense.”
Olivia turned to Sarah. “What’s your instinct? I’ve come to believe you have almost preternatural instincts.”
“No. No, I can’t be involved in this choice. This is a first blood matter. I’m a doctor and a scientist, but I’m human. You must choose within your community because this is not only important, it may be fatal.”
Olivia stood her ground. “I’m the choice, everyone. If it doesn’t work, then you can make another. Please, let me do this.”
No one spoke for several minutes. It was true that Tamesine and Eillia had small children who needed their mother, both to teach them and protect them.
Tamesine stood. “No, Olivia, you’re new to our community and it’s a sacrifice you shouldn’t have to consider. Yes, you are fourth-generation and that makes you very prized. We can’t risk you. Then, of course, there’s the fact that you are my great-granddaughter and I won’t allow it. It has to be me.”
“Tam…” Eillia began.
“No. I’m doing it. I’ll talk with Marc and go to Park right away. Promise me, Olivia, that you’ll stay here.”
“I can’t.”
“Then…”
Olivia froze in place. “What the hell?”
Tamesine walked up to her great-granddaughter and kissed her on the cheek.
“I love you already, my dear, and you are not going to have a deadly virus injected into you. You have a great future, my sweet child.”
“What did you do to me?”
“I’ve introduced you to a common first blood talent. You’ll like it. Not so much when it’s used on you, but it’s helpful at times. I can’t risk you deciding to take off and do this.”
Tamesine
began to walk out of the room and Eillia followed her quickly.
Dez, still on the sofa where she captured everything that happened, got up, walked over to Olivia and smiled.
“You are a beautiful girl, and Tamesine is right, you deserve a grand life. Tamesine knows best.”
She disappeared instantly, and left Olivia behind, frustrated and angry. What the hell?
Blood. Too much to be okay. She was sicker tonight, and knew what it meant. The virus was destroying her, too. Park wiped the stains from her skin and slipped her shirt off to change it quickly. No reason to let the others know, they couldn’t do anything for her anyway. This way, she’d do all she could for Bernie and Vaz. When Bernie was gone, she would admit to her mate that she was ill enough to believe that she might not make it either, and let him know how much she loved him.
No sooner than necessary, because he might try to do what Vaz had done, and she couldn’t allow that. He had to be there for Cairine.
Her greatest sorrow was for the little boy who wouldn’t be born. Her death would be sad, she had such a wonderful life and so many incredible moments ahead with Bas and her children, but if she lost this fight and this baby died, that was the tragedy. Park had no doubt that he was destined for great things, if he had the chance.
In a fresh shirt, her nose and face clear of blood, and managing the worst headache in her life, Park went from the isolation unit’s small bathroom out to join Vaz.
“Hey. How’s she doing?”
“The meds are helping. She’s quiet, but her color gets worse by the hour. I wonder if a blood meal would help.”
“Baron tried that and she threw it back up. She’s barely vampire now, Vaz. That’s the creepy part of this. Technically, it’s a cure for the vampire virus, if it just didn’t kill the host.”
Vaz turned away to stare at the glass window. “I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to watch her die.”
“I know, sweetie, but it’s the last thing you can do for her, just be here and let her know how much you love her.”
“She knows.”
“Yes, she does.”
“Sweetie,” he said softly. “That’s her word.”
“I picked it up from her. Whenever I say it now, I feel a pinch of pain.”
“Yeah.”
Vaz turned to hug Park and she pulled back, startled.
He saw the expression of terror on her face and knew.
“You’re worse, aren’t you?”
At first Park couldn’t say it. Then, moments later, because she knew that he knew, she nodded.
“You need to stay away from me, because I think you’re not sick yet. In fact, I believe that you are immune. If you are, we need to get you out of here and begin more tests. I’ve already had Baron watching your blood.”
“Not while Bernie is…” Vaz stopped.
“I understand. Just, don’t throw your life away, she’d be really pissed at you for it.”
“Yeah, she would.”
“I’m okay, Vaz. I’ve just had an increase in bleeding and my headache has ramped into intense. We both know there isn’t anything that anyone can do for me, so there isn’t any point in bringing it up yet.”
“Park, it means that…”
“I know what it means, Vaz. But I can’t think about that now, too much to do. We have to take care of Bernie. I need to continue to oversee this project, because even if I don’t make it, the virus will still be here and still needs to be eradicated.”
“I’ll take up the baton, Park, if I make it through. If I have anything to say about this, it won’t kill anyone else.”
“That’s the healthy attitude, now. It’s getting close to daylight again, I’ll ask for second meal.”
Baron turned on the centrifuge and left it running while he walked over to the sink to rinse a set of vials his staff had used earlier. They’d gone to sleep long ago, not accustomed to vampire hours. The vials clinked as he turned on the generous water flow.
“I need your help,” a lovely voice said behind him. Baron was pretty accustomed to surprises, so he turned, and expected someone familiar. This beautiful vampire, he did not know.
“Are you Baron?”
“I am, madam,” he responded politely.
“Good, you’re the guy for the job. Listen, I’m going to ask you to do something odd in a few minutes, but believe me, it’s important that you follow instructions.”
“Okay. May I ask who you are and what you need?”
“My name is Dez and no one is to know that I am here, at least not until we do what I need you to do. Have a seat, Mr. Baron, and I’ll explain.”
He did so, and watched the strikingly gorgeous brunette. Huge luminous blue eyes dominated her face, as pretty as he’d ever seen. She was confident and forceful, and he liked that.
“Okay, here’s the deal. I am here to give you a chance to make a serum to protect against this virus or to cure it. I am a Shoazan. Do you know what that is?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Good. It turns out, according to some old texts from first blood vampires born long before these who we think are the first bloods, they left a recipe behind for a cure. Damn, that’s confusing isn’t it? Here’s what isn’t confusing. You need to inject me with a full dose of the virus in its most virulent form. It has to be a healthy Shoazan, you understand?”
Baron stood, but Dez stopped him. “Listen, I don’t have a death wish. According to these vampires, who were wiped out by this thing, if a Shoazan shoots up with the virus at its worse, and survives, her blood will protect others.”
“It would create super anti-bodies.”
“That’s the idea.”
“What is the chance that the Shoazan will survive?”
“Huh, let’s not go there little man. Trust Dez. Just get some of the fucking stuff and get it in me.”
“I would like to try some tests first.”
“No time. If you don’t do this, others will come who are going to try to force you to use them. I can’t let that happen. So,” Dez caught his eyes, “Do it.” The compulsion should make him go straight to the virus. It didn’t.
“Why aren’t you under compulsion?”
“Ms. Park has a cloaking compulsion. I cannot be compelled by any other vampire.”
“All right, then, that’s clever. Tell you what, if you want to save these people, then let me do this. It’s just going to get ugly if you don’t and more people will likely die. How about that?”
“You’re sure you want to do this? There is no guarantee that this cannot infect you. It doesn’t behave like any other known pathogen.”
“I’m aware of the risks. I’m also aware that it’s our only chance. Please, Baron, I’m asking you, hand out, heart open, help me do this.”
Dez watched the man, a man she could tell was rarely indecisive, stand unmoving while he decided what he would do.
He slowly nodded. “Okay, go into the room behind you marked Isolation 4. I will return with the virus in a few moments. Ms. Dez, have you made your provisions in case this does not go well?”
“There are three letters in this pack. I would ask you to make sure that they get to the people they are addressed to.”
“Without fail. I pray that they remain unread.”
He walked away, a man on a mission.
Dez went into the small room and dropped her backpack. Unzipping a side pocket, she pulled out the spirit amulet her mother had given her. Once she sat on the bed, she removed her jacket and carefully folded it to place it in a chair at the foot of the bed. It was a favorite, black with royal blue pen-stripes. Sexy, she’d always thought, because it highlighted her cleavage. She hoped that if she didn’t survive, that perhaps Olivia would like it.
She was ready now. Lying back, she stared up at ceiling tiles that probably held a filtration system. Soon, she’d be very ill. The only people she would see then would be in biohazard suits poking needles into her.
Dez wished that she’d b
een able to kiss Zach goodbye. But that could never have happened, he would have known that something was wrong and he would have stopped her.
She couldn’t allow this to play out any other way. Eillia and Tamesine were mothers, and for Dez, that ended it right there. While she hadn’t reconciled her feelings for Tamesine yet, she was sad that now, she may never have the chance.
And Olivia taking this hit? Not on her life. Dez didn’t know her either, but she did know that the beautiful vampire was her granddaughter and that alone meant more to her than she could have imagined. If this went badly, she would regret never really having a chance to bond with Olivia.
Dez didn’t want to die, but the one thing she could give these women was to take away any choice that involved this sacrifice. No other choice was possible.
Baron entered, in full biohazard gear now. He held a syringe encased in glass.
“I’m ready. One last chance, you are sure that you want to do this.”
“Let’s ride, Doc.”
“Then we shall. This is the strain that now invades the vampire Burne in the other unit. Sadly, I don’t expect her to survive much longer. It’s virulent, and may begin immediately. Your symptoms might be unmanageable, and keep in mind that I can’t give you anything for pain that would work, not while your vampire DNA is intact.”
“I understand.”
“I will do everything that I can to help you make it through this. You are a remarkable woman.”
“Yeah, yeah, I bet you say that to all the girls you’re getting ready to inject with a deadly virus. Hold on, let me attach this. I’m a first blood, but I’ve never bonded with my spirit amulet. It’s probably too late, but what the hell, might as well give it a go.”
The latch was exactly as Olivia had told her when she put the first one on in Siberia, just a ring and hook. After Dez hooked it around her neck, she ran her fingers back around it. Yes, just like the first one, the chain was now unbroken and the latch was gone. Magics.
She laid back again, her hands crossed in front of her resting on her chest. “Do it, Doc.”
Baron nodded, came to her, and injected the deadly vampire-killing virus directly into her body. Nothing happened for several long minutes, then her head spun and she felt as if she was falling through space. Something inside moved through her bloodstream, slipped into everywhere the blood would take it. At the same time, she felt as if something was attacking the thing that tore through her. From a distance, as if it were down a long tunnel, she thought that she heard a voice call to her, but then it stopped and she gave in to unconsciousness.
