Chapter 29
After explaining the process to Quinn and discussing her options, Salem let Milly prepare the equipment. He paid her for exclusive access to her underground facility, and she only agreed if she could be present.
Pyro stayed at the bed-and-breakfast the first night, but the following day she and her Vampire guard came to Milly’s to begin her blood donation.
Salem ran a few preliminary tests, confirming she was a universal donor, but this had to be an exchange transfusion, which would fully replace Quinn’s blood.
It wouldn’t be the first time he had performed it, but there were a few differences in the process.
Some quite unorthodox.
He stepped into the hallway and spotted his packmates making small talk in the chairs.
“How was your flight back?” Lakota asked.
Krys extended his legs, hands tucked beneath his armpits. “Boring as fuck. We slept most of the time. Hardly remember a thing until the plane landed.” He jerked his thumb at the elevators. “What’s Bozo doing here?”
Salem looked at Scott, who was drinking a cup of water while Tak had a private chat with him. “Quinn invited him, and right now she gets whatever she wants. He’s already talked with her, so if you don’t mind, take him upstairs when we begin.”
Krys saluted with two fingers.
After rising from his chair, Lakota stuffed his hands in his pockets. “How’s she doing?”
Salem wasn’t certain how to answer that. Quinn had put her faith in him, and he bore the weight of that responsibility. Even though she had been outwardly optimistic, the light in her eyes had dimmed.
“The medical equipment made her anxious,” he answered truthfully. “I need to put catheters into her blood vessels on her chest, and she doesn’t want to see any of it. She asked to be sedated through the whole thing.”
Lakota jerked his head back. “The entire time? I didn’t think that was necessary. You said it would only be when the Healer pushed energy into her.”
“It’ll make her more comfortable. And if anything goes wrong… she won’t suffer.”
Salem felt a bout of acid reflux coming on, so he grabbed a piece of black licorice from his coat pocket. While chewing, he motioned for Krys to escort Scott upstairs before he got the bright idea to go back into the room and talk her out of it.
“I made her aware of the risks,” Salem explained, hoping they didn’t think he had pressured her into this. “She knows exactly what could happen. And there’s also the unknown. This isn’t a standard transfusion.”
Tak joined their private conversation. “Explain to me again how this will work, and don’t use all those big medical words.”
“Lakota needs to leave.” Salem noticed the beta seemed insulted and added, “This is sensitive information, and you tell Melody too much.”
Tak chuckled and clapped Lakota’s shoulder. “He’s right about that. Guard the elevators.”
After Lakota branched away, Salem scratched the back of his neck and paced.
“I ran all kinds of tests on Quinn except for DNA. I don’t have the equipment for that, and neither does Milly.
But I identified what, at first glance, looks like a virus in her blood.
I can’t find any trace of it in the biopsies I did on some of her organs. ”
“What does that mean?”
“Maybe it’s only in her blood.”
“Is it contagious?”
Salem took out another piece of licorice.
“No. She would’ve seen evidence in her family tree.
The virus is also in her saliva, so when we kiss, it either dies or interacts with my own magic.
A stem cell transplant would be too dangerous, and I don’t think that alone would make a difference.
” He chewed on the candy and then swallowed.
“I can’t explain in detail what’s about to happen.
You already know more than everyone else, and it’s important we keep it that way.
If anything gets out, it puts our lives at risk. ”
Tak pounded his fist against his chest. “My word is my bond.”
“This procedure was documented in a medical journal. Where’s the Healer?”
Tak smoothed down his flyaway hairs. “He’s upstairs.”
“I’m conducting a full blood transfusion to replace all her blood. She’ll be sedated. When the transfusion’s complete, I’ll need the Healer. I think he can trick her immune system into thinking the new blood is the healthy one, and it’ll eliminate the disease like an immune system response.”
Tak seemed to be struggling with the details, and probably for the better.
Salem was careful not to mention Pyro or what made her blood unique.
As a Mage, her power was imbued in her energy, and energy exists in all living things.
So an Infuser’s magic was in every fiber of their DNA.
Humans normally extracted certain components of the blood during transfusions, but his would involve whole blood while simultaneously draining Quinn’s.
It was risky, and there was always a chance she could die from the foreign DNA being introduced.
The Healer’s magic alone might take away Quinn’s disease, and he considered trying that first. But Pyro said it didn’t work on its own. Salem didn’t want to put Quinn through more than necessary and decided not to deviate from the original documented procedure.
None of this was based on real-world medical logic. When it came to Breed, Relics and others in the medical profession had to think outside the box for treatments and cures.
Tak stared at the door. “How long will it take?”
“A few hours. The donor’s still giving blood.”
His eyebrows quirked. “I’m curious who this donor is, but I trust if you’re keeping that a secret, it’s with good reason, so I won’t ask for details. How much blood does it take?”
“Ten bags.”
Tak threw back his head and laughed. “From one person? Are they still alive or shriveled up in the back room?”
Salem had spent yesterday collecting bags from Pyro.
Six total, plus two this morning. She was currently in an adjoining room, donating the last two.
A Mage’s blood replenished quickly, and he suspected she might’ve also been drinking blood from her Vampire guard to expedite healing.
Salem had no qualms with that. If anything, a little Vampire blood to strengthen her blood cells wouldn’t hurt.
After a deep breath, Salem nervously adjusted the elastic band in his hair. “I should get started.”
Tak patted him on the back. “I’ll come in for a minute.”
“Should I leave these undone?” I asked Milly while fumbling with the ties on my blue gown.
“Do what you like,” the Relic answered while placing needles and other medical things on a metal tray. “We’ll take it off after you go sleepy time.”
Milly wasn’t the warmest woman in the world, but I appreciated her candor.
I rubbed around the adhesive sticker on my abdomen. More covered my chest with wires coming out of them that connected to a heart monitor. It felt unnatural, and I wanted to rip them off.
The door abruptly opened, and Salem strolled in like a sexy doctor on a medical show. I loved seeing him in his white coat. I knew he didn’t need to wear one, but maybe he thought it would make me feel more comfortable.
“Will these come off easily?” I asked, picking at one of the adhesives. “They’re annoying.”
He leaned over and checked their placement. “It usually takes a year for them to fall off.”
“A year!”
Milly cackled before leaving the room.
“Salem Benjamin Lockwood. Did you actually make a joke?”
He winked at me.
Tak ducked beneath the door and lumbered in. “How’s my brave wolf?”
“Not feeling very brave.”
He patted my knee.
“Is everyone being nice to Scott? I know he caused a lot of drama, but it’s not out of meanness. His heart’s in the right place.”
“He’s upstairs,” Tak informed me. “Milly made a shitload of gingerbread.”
“I’d love some of that right now. I haven’t eaten anything since last night.”
Salem held my hand. “I can’t administer anesthesia when there’s food in your stomach. We’ll have a feast when it’s over.”
“Are you sure about this?” Tak asked me. “We can take you home if that’s what you want. Something might go wrong.”
He was right, but this was my only chance, and I’d be a fool not to try.
“I’ve been living my whole life with a dark cloud over my head.
If I’m going to die, I’d rather die with hope.
It gets harder. It’s not just being an invalid, but our inner animal starts going mad.
It’s like they’re fighting us from the inside and ripping us apart to get out, but they’re stuck. ”
Though Tak nodded, it was an ending he couldn’t possibly comprehend. I’d seen it firsthand.
“Do you have it?” I asked.
Tak opened a pocket on the leg of his tan cargo pants and handed Salem a gift wrapped in tissue paper.
“Go on,” I said. “Open it.”
Salem tore open the black paper and held up a round silver locket. It was smaller than mine, the chain shorter and thicker. He brushed his thumb over the etching.
I smiled excitedly. “Tak knows someone who works in metals, and he etched the design himself and filled it with gold. That’s a compass star so you’ll always know where you’re going. Open it. There’s no button, so you need to poke your fingernail into the edge.”
He pressed his lips tightly as he pried it open and stared at our pictures inside. His eyes glittered as he clasped it in his palm.
“The guy who designed it also invented a unique breakaway chain for Shifters. It’s strong and won’t easily pull off, but if you shift, it’ll come apart without breaking.
Isn’t that neat? I bought one for me too.
” I touched his arm and felt a wave of love.
“Put it on, Dr. Lockwood. I want you to wear it for luck. I want you to wear it whenever you think of me.”
Salem placed a reverent kiss on my lips. I loved feeling his emotions, but his underlying fear exacerbated my own. He struggled to put the locket around his neck before Tak helped him.
I had a full-sized bed, just like the ones in hospital shows. Since I didn’t take up much room, I scooted against the tall side guard and patted the spot to my left. “Lower the mattress and lie with me for a minute.”
Tak stepped out of the room and closed the door.
After Salem reclined the bed until it was horizontal, he climbed in and scooted as close to me as possible to fit.
I caressed his cheek, searching for grey hairs in his beard and hair even though he was too young. Stress could change a person. “Just in case I don’t wake up, I want to tell you something.”
He wrapped his free arm around me. “I’m listening.”
“You have a wonderful laugh and should do it more often. Sometimes I think people underestimate how compassionate you are. You’re an amazing person, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
” I traced his eyebrow and stroked his hair.
“You have quiet strength. Even though it’s difficult for you to show people your heart, don’t retreat.
It grieves me that you suffer for your past mistakes.
You’re too hard on yourself. This is your redemption story, Salem.
Even if I don’t wake up, you did everything to save a girl who didn’t have a chance in the world.
It doesn’t matter if you succeed—that’s not the point. ”
He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to mine.
“That’s what heroes do.” I tenderly traced my fingers across his jaw.
“They take chances when they don’t always know the outcome.
I know you don’t want to lose me, but I don’t ever want you beating yourself up about it.
That would make me sadder than anything, because what we have is beautiful,” I said, my voice cracking.
He clutched me tightly. “If you don’t wake up, the sun will never shine again. My life won’t have meaning.”
I wiped the tear sliding across his nose. “If the fates want me to leave, that’s a battle we can’t win. Remember me with a smile. Every silly and embarrassing moment. The bathtub, when you caught me from the ladder, our magical ceremony, our night in the field…”
“The watermelon.”
I laughed. “Especially the watermelon. Meeting you for the second time was even better than the first.”
Salem’s kiss was fire, and I heard the sound of my heart rate beating faster on the machine.
When it tapered off, he gazed into my eyes. “I know this will work, but if it doesn’t, I’ll find you in every life. I promise I’ll come for you.”
“I know you will, my love. And I’ll wait for you.
Thank you for giving me this chance. There’s no better way to go than in your sleep, right?
I get to say all my goodbyes and not feel any pain or suffering.
But maybe it’ll work. And when I wake up, you need to make reservations at a really fancy restaurant. Okay?”
“Promise.” He ran my braid between his fingers and held the end. “Just let me know when you’re ready.”
I opened his locket and admired our pictures. I’d chosen stills from our ceremony and had Lucian print them out on quality paper. I was looking left, and he was slightly turned to the right so that it appeared we were looking at each other.
After smiling at our short but meaningful life, I clicked the locket closed. “Okay. I want you to get up, shake off that anxiety I’m feeling in your touch, and do the best you can. I’m ready.”
Salem pressed a long kiss to my forehead before rolling over and getting up. “I’ll get Milly.”
“Salem?”
He turned around. “Yes?”
I blew him a kiss. This time he caught it and clutched it to his heart. “Don’t ever let it go.”
He shook his head. “Never.”