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)
“I know what it looks like, Commander, but Ravik had just been mauled by an Infected. I had to bite him to heal him. Otherwise he would have turned full-Infected and attacked both Cassandra and myself.”
“I understand.” Sylvan nodded. “And I’m not judging you. But it seems like you and Commander Ravik aren’t, er, getting along right now and you’ll need to work together to develop a vaccine that can be given to everyone on board the Mother Ship. You could also save anyone who might be left alive on Visslick Prime too,” he added. “I understand that some of the people there are still alive inside a few of the cities.”
Severin frowned.
“I know—they threw Cassandra out of one of those cities to die,” he said shortly. “Forgive me if I don’t have much sympathy for them.”
“You and I both know that you can’t judge an entire race of people based on the actions of a few of them.” Sylvan’s voice was gentle. “I realize you probably have…protective feelings for Cassandra, but we can’t condemn everyone on Visslick Prime because of the actions of a handful of bad actors.”
Severin sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
“I suppose you’re right. And yes, I’d be fine with the Visskous getting the cure too—if there are any of them left alive by the time we get one they can take,” he added.
“Dr. Verityx seems to believe that the vaccine can be developed fairly quickly,” Sylvan said confidently. “But it will take the cooperation of all three of you. Commander Ravik and Cassandra must be committed to the project too.”
Severin frowned.
“I don’t understand—I’m the Xeno-virologist. I thought you were asking for my expertise in helping to craft the vaccine. I’m more than willing to work with Dr. Verityx on it.”
Sylvan shook his head.
“I’m sure he’ll ask for your help, but that’s not all he’s going to need from you.”
“Does he need more samples?” Severin raised his eyebrows, still not comprehending. “I’m sure we’ll all willingly give them. We have been all this time.”
“Yes, I know,” Sylvan nodded, but he still looked troubled. “Look, let me be blunt,” he said. “I’ll tell you what’s required of the three of you and then you’ll need to talk amongst yourselves and decide if you’re willing to participate.”
Severin was getting bad feeling in the pit of his stomach—which wasn’t a very scientific reaction to his CO’s words, but he couldn’t seem to help himself.
“Go on,” he said, attempting to keep his voice calm and even. “Tell me.”
So Sylvan did.
51
CASSIE
“They want us to what?” Cassie demanded, after Severin finished explaining.
Ravik was there too, not looking at his best friend—or maybe it would be better to call them ex-best friends now, she thought unhappily—but listening just the same.
“You heard me, but I assume you want me to repeat myself because you feel shocked,” the Blood Kindred said. “In order to re-enter the general population of the Mother Ship, everyone on board must first be vaccinated against the Hunger Virus. And the only way to make a general-use vaccine that will work on everyone is for it to be incubated in a living host. The same way I incubated the cure inside myself,” he added.
“And…I’m supposed to be the host?” Cassie asked. She was still uncomfortable with the idea. “Are they going to let it grow inside me and then take gallons of my blood to make the vaccine?” she asked fearfully.
She wanted everyone to be safe from the deadly Hunger Virus, but she didn’t exactly like the idea of being the sacrificial lamb to make that happen.
“Not your blood,” Severin said quickly. “The vaccine will be made in your mammary glands.”
“What, so they’ll have to…have to milk me?” Cassie could hardly believe it. She’d read a few of those fringe romance books about “hucows” where human women were put into a constant state of lactation, but she’d never pictured herself in such a situation.
“It won’t be milk your breasts are producing—more like a kind of nectar,” Severin told her.
Cassie threw up her hands.
“Oh, well then, that just makes everything so much better, doesn’t it? I mean sure—hook me up to the milking machine right now—as long as I’m only producing nectar, why should I mind?”
“I still don’t understand why you and I have to be involved,” Ravik growled, glaring at Severin.
The Blood Kindred closed his eyes for a moment and Cassie had an idea he was gathering every scrap of patience he still had left.
“Because,” he said at last. “Cassandra will need genetic material from both of us. She’s going to need our seed.”
Cassie bit her lip and thought about saying that she already needed their seed. The bite mark on her arm was glowing almost constantly now and the deep aching emptiness inside her was driving her crazy.
The thirst was unrelenting too. No matter how much water she drank, her throat was dry as chalk. She’d been thinking longingly of their flavors—salted caramel mixed with white chocolate—but the memory of sucking them both only made her thirstier and sadder.