Chapter 50
SEVERIN
“I’m sorry, Commander Severin, but you must understand my position. I cannot risk the wellbeing of every male, woman, and child aboard the Mother Ship just on your say-so. You’re going to remain in quarantine a while longer.”
Severin stared in frustration through the clear barrier that separated him from his commanding officer.
Commander Sylvan was a Blood Kindred like himself but he was also a scientist and a doctor.
Severin understood his reasoning—which was perfectly logical.
He was doing the exact same thing that Severin would have done if he was in his place.
However, being trapped in the quarantine quarters with Ravik and being separated from Cassandra was becoming nearly unbearable.
It had been three days since the rescue shuttle had brought them back from Visslick Prime and all three of them had been poked, prodded, and tested within an inch of their lives.
It had also been three days since Ravik had said a single word to him.
At first Severin had tried to wait him out. He didn’t need to speak, he told himself. His actions spoke for him—spoke louder than words. His bite had healed and saved his best friend—eventually Ravik would realize that.
But soon the silence between them got to be too much, even for his cool and stoic constitution. Because Ravik had shut down completely—he wouldn’t even grunt a “yes” or a “no” to any of Severin’s questions. He wouldn’t even look at Severin.
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.
“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.