Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 159487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 797(@200wpm)___ 638(@250wpm)___ 532(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 159487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 797(@200wpm)___ 638(@250wpm)___ 532(@300wpm)
He wouldn’t talk to Cassandra either—who was still separated from them by a clear glass partition that divided the quarantine quarters in two. He would go sit by the wall that divided them sometimes but if she started trying to talk to him about how he and Severin shouldn’t be fighting, he got up and left.
The situation was driving Severin to the brink, but emotionally and physically. All his life the one constant he knew he could rely on was his friendship with the big Beast Kindred. But now Ravik was shutting him out completely and it fucking hurt.
“…develop a vaccine.”
Commander Sylvan’s words broke through his miserable thoughts and Severin realized he’d missed something.
“Excuse me—what?” he asked, frowning at his Commanding Officer.
“I said, the only way I can let the three of you back into the Mother Ship proper is if you’re willing to help us develop a vaccine for the Hunger Virus,” Sylvan said.
“Of course we’re willing to help!” Severin exclaimed. “Haven’t the three of us been giving you everything you want in the way of samples?
Even Ravik, as stubborn as he was, hadn’t resisted a single time when the technicians dressed in protective garb entered the quarantine quarters and asked for multiple blood, skin, hair, and other samples. He had even silently taken the offer cup and gone into the fresher to jerk off to give a sample of his seed.
Severin had given a sample himself, and he knew that Cassandra had given a sample of her honey. She’d told him so in hushed tones, her cheeks bright red as she admitted it. He’d never wanted so badly to breech the wall between them and hold her as he had right then. But since she still had active virus in her system and he and Ravik didn’t, they couldn’t be together.
Severin had asked multiple times if he could just see her long enough to bite her—he was afraid the cure in his essence might be starting to fade as his body neutralized the dead strands of virus present in the compound he’d injected himself with. But he had been forbidden, much to his frustration and dismay.
He was especially worried about the curvy little human, because he knew how the virus worked in her—how it made her crave male contact and seed. And right now, he and Ravik couldn’t give her what she needed. So far she seemed to be holding up all right, but he couldn’t be absolutely sure she wasn’t acting because the containment field around the quarters kept him from smelling her scent.
“Of course we’re willing to help,” he said again. “We’ll do anything we can to facilitate the process of making a vaccine.”
Sylvan hesitated—not a good sign, Severin thought.
“You might not be so eager when you find out what’s involved,” he said at last. “You see, I’ve tested the results in the lab myself over and over—I’ve even consulted with experts on Cherubin Three, who as I’m sure you know, are some of the foremost experts on viral detection and eradication.”
“Of course I know of them—I studied their findings when I was building some of my own research,” Severin said impatiently. “They have…some unusual methods of antiviral development and incubation.”
“Yes they do, which is one reason I’m not sure you’ll be interested in helping,” Sylvan said. “You see, I’ve been in contact with Doctor Verityx, their leading expert on flesh-eating viruses like the Hunger Virus.”
“Zombie viruses,” Severin said, thinking of what Cassandra called the Infected.
“Well yes—to put it in human terms.” Sylvan nodded. “I’ve seen a few of their ‘zombie’ entertainment vids, though my mate doesn’t much care for them,” he added.
“I don’t much care for them myself, having lived through one, so to speak,” Severin said dryly.
“No, I don’t imagine you do.” There was sympathy in Sylvan’s voice. “At any rate, Dr. Verityx believes that the path to a true vaccine and complete cure for the Hunger Virus lies in the reproductive tract of the human woman you brought with you—Cassandra.”
Severin felt his whole body go tight.
“Yes, I explained to you multiple times that the virus took a different pathway in her—probably because of her perimenopausal hormone fluctuations,” he said.
“And you were right.” Sylvan nodded.
“The cure I made was based on her honey,” Severin reminded him. “But it had to be mixed with Ravik’s blood and my blood and essence as well. And my essence was the only carrier that would keep it alive long enough to work in another living host.”
“Exactly, but as we both know, you can’t go around biting every male, woman, and child on the ship,” Sylvan said dryly. He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not even sure how you were able to bite Commander Ravik—though I supposed that’s between the two of you.”
Severin raised his chin, though he could feel his cheeks heating.