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by Alanea Alder
Gavriel stood and pulled Beth to her feet. "Kendrick could you shield Magnus from view if I were to carry him?"
"Easily," Kendrick said getting to his feet.
Caspian wiped his eyes and shook his head. "No. I will do it. He is my brother." Broderick rubbed his back. "And we will help you," he added looking around the room for support.
"Of course we will," Marjoram replied.
"We need to go. Everyone will be heading to the Rioux quarters for an update," Gavriel advised them.
Vivi jumped when Etain wrapped an arm around her. She had been absorbed in going over every step she had taken, but she couldn't think of anything that would have caused this.
"Come along my love. We can discuss it further with everyone at Magnus'." Etain walked with her toward the door. Behind them, Caspian and Kendrick lifted Magnus from the bed. With Broderick manning the doors, they hurried as fast as they could to the resident quarters.
Once inside Caspian, Broderick and Marjoram kept going to get Magnus settled in his own bedroom. Etain sat them down in a love seat as Aiden rushed over and scooped up Meryn looking relieved. "I thought the Code One was for you," he whispered burying his face in her hair. When he raised his head, he looked at Gavriel. "What happened?"
Gavriel looked around the room. Everyone, including Avery and Warrick, was huddled in the antechamber. Sebastian looked completely shaken. Hal walked over, led the squire to a chair and made him sit down.
Gavriel took a deep breath. "About twenty minutes ago Magnus had a violent reaction to his first treatment for the virus."
Adriel looked from Gavriel to Vivi and back. "Violent how?"
Gavriel met his eyes. "He looks feral." Gasps were heard all around the room.
"But he's not, right?" Beth insisted looking to Vivi.
Vivi buried her face in her hands for a moment before looking up. "I can't say for sure."
Etain placed a supportive hand on her back. "Remember, she is trying to treat an impossible virus with an experimental method, there are no certainties."
"Damn this virus!" Beth exploded vehemently.
Gavriel's eyes turned red in the face of his mate's anguish. Vivi knew a lot of his anger stemmed from the fact that there was nothing he could do to help her. With a soft voice that contradicted his visible anger, he comforted his mate. "Beth my love, remember to try and stay calm for the baby's sake. It is only his first treatment, maybe this has to happen before he gets better," he said reasonably.
"Do you really think so?" she asked looking up at him with desperation shining in her eyes.
"It is as Etain said. We are facing an unprecedented situation. I believe that anything is possible." Gavriel held Beth close.
Etain turned to Meryn. "Do you think DeLaFontaine had anything to do with this? Is that why you went to see him after breakfast?"
Everyone turned to Meryn. Aiden frowned. "She did what?" Meryn shook her head. "No, well he may, but that wasn't why I was there. All through breakfast my ears kept buzzing, and I kept seeing a picture of DeLaFontaine in his cell. When I went to see him, the buzzing stopped but then flashes of Magnus started coming. DeLaFontaine was too damn smug. He even asked how Magnus' treatment was coming. There's no way he could have known we were doing that today."
Aiden looked around. "The only ones who knew about today's treatment are sitting in this room."
Avery leaned forward his eyes darting around. "What about listening devices?" he whispered.
Kendrick shook his head. "Every time I cast I soundproofing spell it would short out any listening devices. Even if they had one in here before we arrived, it would be toast by now with the number of spells cast per day."
Aiden waved around the room. "So right we're covered?"
Kendrick nodded. "It was the first thing I did when we got back here."
Gavriel looked to Aiden, then they looked around the room. "What are our first steps?"
"We need to determine what happened with Magnus. What or who caused it and if it will affect the children and other vampires," Vivi suggested first.
"That's pretty much it, in a nutshell," Ellie agreed.
Meryn turned to Kendrick. "What did you see when you looked at my empathy?"
Kendrick rubbed his eyes. "I think I witnessed a premonition happening from a magical perspective." He blinked. "It was incredible. There were flashes of pinpoint light going off everywhere."
"That shit hurt," Meryn grumbled.
"Premonitions aren't supposed to hurt Meryn," Kendrick said looking at her closely.
"Maybe they wanted to make sure I was paying attention," Meryn suggested massaging her temples.
Kendrick hesitated then gave a slow nod. "That might actually be a viable explanation."
As Gavriel turned back to Vivi, the door crashed open. Nigel and Neil practically tumbled through the doorway. Kendrick frowned and looked as if he were about to admonish them when Nigel fell to his knees and vomited in the corner. Kendrick jumped to his feet quickly moving to their side, his face like a thundercloud.
"Nigel!" Meryn exclaimed. She spun looking around the room until she spotted Rheia. "Help him!"
Rheia and Ellie were already moving. Ellie knelt beside Nigel while Rheia spoke in soothing tones to Neil. She turned to look at Kendrick. "They're in shock."
The state of the twins snapped Sebastian out of his own despair, and he rushed to Rheia's side. "What do they need?"
"Blankets and some Blessed Chamomile," Rheia answered. Sebastian gave a quick nod then practically ran from the room.
Kendrick bent down and gently pulled Nigel to his feet. One arm wrapped around Neil, the other Nigel as he steered them to a sofa. He sat down with one twin on either side. "You're safe boys. No one and nothing can harm you here." Avery moved to sit on Neil's other side, and Meryn got up to sit on the other side of Nigel.
Ellie scrunched up her nose. "I don't suppose your magic can take care of that mess will it?" she asked pointing to where Nigel had gotten ill.
Law stepped forward. "I'll take care of it." Moments later, the air was fresher, and the sweet sick smell was dissipating.
Nigel opened and closed his mouth. "Minty fresh. Thank you," he said weakly.
Kendrick looked from one twin to the other. "What happened?"
Neil's eyes were still huge. "B-b-b-b," he stuttered.
Avery rubbed his back. "Take a deep breath," he suggested.
Nigel turned to Kendrick. "We were taking care of the refuse tube like you asked when..." he swallowed hard looking green again. "We were dredging it with our magic when we found something." He covered his mouth with his hand and swallowed again. "It was a body. Or what's left of one, it's been bloating and rotting in sewage and refuse for a while."
"Gods!" Declan exclaimed looking a bit sick himself.
"Another victim?" Adriel thought out loud.
Neil just shook his head back and forth still unable to speak. Nigel looked at Kendrick. "It's Augustus Pettier." His words fell flat in the room.
"That is impossible," Gavriel started.
Nigel gave him a tired look. "Neil and I have been studying his picture to watch out for him in the camera footage for Meryn. Chunks are missing from the corpse, but it's definitely him."
"B-b-b-b," Neil stuttered. Kendrick pulled his head onto his shoulder and whispered a spell softly. Neil's face relaxed. "Warm," he said blissfully.
Sebastian and Ryuu rushed in. Sebastian was holding a thick blanket while Ryuu carried a large tray with tea. Kendrick stood and scooted the twins together before wrapping the blanket around them. He sat in the chair next to the sofa. Meryn patted their blanket awkwardly.
"How could this happen?" Beth asked.
Meryn frowned. "His murder or the refuse tube?"
"Both," Beth replied.
Meryn pursed her lips. "Rheia or Ellie will have to confirm it, but if I had to guess I would say that Augustus Pettier has been dead this whole time. From what I understand of the process, the reas
on why the refuse tube backed up was because it was detecting vampire cells breaking down slowly. It recognized them as living matter and wouldn't empty."
Rheia turned to Ellie. "I am not doing an autopsy on a corpse that has been rotting in shit. No way, no how."
Ellie shuddered. "Ditto."
An extremely loud alarm sounded. "What now?" Kari demanded looking flustered.
Kendrick turned to Adriel and Aiden. "That's the alarm I set for the lab." Both men left the antechamber running, Declan and Colton right behind him.
Broderick came from Magnus' bedroom looking spooked. "What was that?"
Beth looked up at her father. "Someone has broken into the lab."
He frowned furiously. "Again?"
Meryn snorted then covered her mouth to hide her giggle. Vivi had to admit, though it was a dire situation, Broderick's reaction was comical. Broderick smiled at Meryn and sat down next to his daughter. She leaned in, and in a low voice explained what was going on with Nigel and Neil.
Ryuu handed first Nigel, then Neil a cup of tea. He stood and looked around the room. Beth followed by Kari got the next cups. Vivi thought Beth looked like she was two seconds from completely unraveling.
"This was supposed to be a happy day," Beth whispered as she stared down into her tea.
Meryn tapped her fingers on the sofa's arm. "Nigel, does anyone else know you found the body?" Nigel shook his head.
Kendrick looked at Meryn his eyes wide then he began to chuckle. "Little genius."
Vivi glanced from one to the other. "What?"
Kendrick bowed in his chair. "Allow me?" he asked Meryn.
"Sure."
Kendrick straightened. "If we can secure the body without anyone else the wiser, then the killer will have no idea that we know they exist. They will think we're still looking for Augustus Pettier. It may give us the upper hand."
Law exhaled. "I'll go secure the body from where the twins left it." He turned to Gavriel. "Where do you want it?"
Gavriel grimaced. "Do we even have a morgue?"
Beth shook her head. "We cremate our dead in Noctem Falls."
Gavriel eyed Rheia and Ellie. Rheia scowled. "I will take a look to see if I can determine the cause of death, but that's it."
Gavriel looked relieved. "I will take it." He turned to Law. "Could you assist her? After she has determined all she can learn from the body, take it to the cremation chamber to be cremated. We will store his ashes respectfully until they can be handed over to his sister."
Rheia stood slowly. "I was really hoping that by this time we would have been celebrating everyone's recovery."
Law looped his arm through hers. "We'll get there."
Rheia looked over her shoulder. "I would say to send Colton when he gets back, but he has a weak stomach. Make him stay here. I won't have the energy to baby him later."
Gavriel gave her a sad smile. "We will ensure he stays here."
Vivi sat back and closed her eyes. How had everything gone so wrong? When they heard Aiden calling for Goddard and Viktor over the walkie-talkie, everyone looked around worriedly. It took the men thirty minutes to return. All four men looked exhausted. When they sat down Adriel turned to Ellie and Vivi. "What?" Vivi asked.
"All the blood that was collected to treat the children and the sick vampires is gone." Adriel sat leaning forward his elbows on his knees. He rested his chin on his laced fingers.
"The stone!" Vivi gasped.
Aiden shook his head. "If you're talking about the black and gray thing, it's still in the mini-fridge on the opposite wall. But Goddard confirmed all of the blood from the walk-in refrigeration unit is gone. He said he helped bring it down from Level Six after the blood drive and saw where it had gotten stacked. It's all gone."
Gavriel turned milk white. "My blood?"
"It's right here!" Vivi announced pulling the injector cartridge from her lab pocket. "I stuck it there when we got that panicked call from Meryn. It never made it back to the refrigeration unit."
Gavriel let out a shaky breath. "Thank the gods," he whispered reverently.
Ellie simply buried her face in her hands and wept. Grant pulled her close his lips pulled back in a snarl. "Give me just five minutes with DeLaFontaine," he begged.
Colton looked around his eyes narrowing. "Where is my mate?"
"She went to go play with a rotting body that has been marinating in shit for the past couple weeks. Did you need her for something?" Meryn asked.
Colton's eyes widened. "She's what?"
"She's went to see if she could determine a cause of death for Augustus Pettier, did you need to go to the infirmary to be with her?" Meryn eyed Colton.
He shook his head looking a bit green. "No, I think she can handle it. She does have a guard right?" he asked quickly.
Meryn nodded. "Law went with her."
"Good," Colton said sitting back.
Vivi watched as Gavriel turned to Meryn and mouthed, 'thank you'. Meryn winked at the interim prince. Evidently, Meryn knew how to handle Colton.
Kendrick's jaw was clenched as he stood. "I am going to head to the lab to ensure that whoever broke in didn't disturb my testing plates."
The twins unravelled themselves from their blanket. "We'll come too."
Kendrick looked touched. "You two can stay here and rest."
Neil shook his head. "We want to stay near you," he declared unabashedly.
Kendrick's cheeks tinted pink before he cleared his throat. "Then come along." The boys sprang up from the sofa and followed him out the door.
Vivi couldn't bear to face Beth. "This is all my fault."
"I don't know about that," Meryn responded. "Maybe whoever took the blood, took it because they believed you were on to the right track. Maybe you are totally right, and they are freaking out."
Beth nodded. "She's right. Don't blame yourself. I know that my uncle would say the same thing."
Vivi knew they meant well, but not only had she created Magnus' treatment, she physically injected him with it causing his current state. No matter what, she knew this was on her.
She turned the cartridge with Gavriel's leftover blood in her hands. "I need to head to the lab as well to start testing. I wish I knew how a shifter would react to the older blood. They did so well with Viktor's blood, and he was only fourteen hundred years old. The blood we collected was twice as old."
"We still have the injectors upstairs that you prepared. So whenever you would like to move ahead with the third trial either on the shifters or vampires, we can," Ellie reminded her.
"Can't you just inject a kid and see what happens," Meryn suggested.
Vivi stared. "Meryn, I can't test on the children."
Meryn looked confused. "Why not? Wouldn't it be the quickest way to find out what will happen? Same thing with other vampires, just jab em and sit back and watch."
"Meryn, that's unethical and probably illegal," Vivi explained.
"Oh. Never mind then," Meryn said toppling to one side on the twins' blanket. She sat up then looked down at the blanket smiling. "Kendrick spelled it so it would be warm. Score!" She stood and began to twist until only her face was visible at the top of the blanket roll.
"My favorite delicacy. The Meryn Roll," Aiden teased picking her up. "Come on, I'll lay down with you for your rest period." He nodded to them then headed to their quarters.
Adriel stood. "I'm canceling the Code One and sending the men back to their usual posts." He held his hand out and helped Eva to her feet. Eva looped her arm with his. "I'll check in with Stefan. When y'all enacted the Code One the pack surrounded the hospital. I want to make sure they know that it was cancelled."
Ellie wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I should go check on the children." Grant cupped her cheek. "How about after you do that we'll pick up Benji from Adora and watch a movie before dinner? Just the three of us?"
Ellie just wrapped her arms around Grant's neck hugging him tight. "That sounds like heaven."
Grant sto
od and easily swept his mate into his arms. "Then let's go. The sooner you check on the kiddos, the sooner we can see Benji."
As Grant was carrying her from the room, she looked over his shoulder at Vivi. "If you need anything just call."
Vivi shook her head and waved. There was little to be done at this point except testing, and that she could do on her own.
Beth set her tea cup down. "I want to sit with Uncle." She drew in a ragged breath. "Though I don't know what good it will do."
Broderick patted her knee. "It may do more good than you realize." He gave her a sad smile. "When we were getting Magnus into his own bed Caspian made the off comment that his behavior had upset you. Magnus actually calmed down a bit. I think, deep down, he's still in there. We just have to help him find his way back."
"Thank the gods!" Beth whispered.
Vivi sighed wearily. "I'm heading to the lab."
Etain stood and took her hand. "We may take a slight detour, so if you need either of us reach out using the walkie-talkie."
Micah stood. "Until we find the one who broke into the lab, I'll act as Vivi's guard."
Gavriel nodded before turning to Beth. "Let us go see Magnus."
Vivi and Etain left the Rioux estate with Micah in tow. When she went to head towards the lab, he tugged on her hand. "I would like to go to Level Six before you sequester yourself in your lab."
"Why?"
He shot Micah a look. The warrior walked to the far side of the hall to give them a bit of privacy. Etain looked back down at her. "Because you need a break away from here. You have spent every moment since your arrival either in the lab or in meetings. Allow me to take you on a date. We can pretend like this entire, horrible situation isn't happening for a while before returning to reality." Etain held both of her hands in his. "It is my responsibility to ensure your happiness, and right now you are not happy."
"So we just forget that Magnus is ill and go on a date?"
"Was Magnus ill this morning?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Will he be ill tonight?"
"Yes."
"Will he more than likely be ill tomorrow?" Etain continued raising an eyebrow.
"You know he will be," Vivi responded sourly.