Page 47 of Anatomy of the Immortal Species
Mikhail remained impassive while the heated exchange flew across the table.
“Helena Nyavolska wants to loot the Temple of the Dead Immortals,” Platinum whispered to Amelia, a grin forming on her lips.
Helena overheard and jerked towards their side. “Not ‘loot’, just collect genetic material – legitimately – from one of the mummies for analysis.”
Nyavolski clicked his tongue. “For heaven’s sake, woman! Leave the dead alone. If you want genetic analysis, do it on me, on him, or her”—he pointed at random creatures around the table—“or one of the thousands of damn patients we have in the Hospital!”
“And what would that accomplish?” Helena brushed a red lock from her forehead, the wide sleeve of her shimmering black blouse slipping to reveal the Council symbols tattooed on her forearm.
Nyavolski slammed his hand on the table. “How the hell shouldI know what you’re trying to achieve with this madness!”
“I want to study the DNA of a creature that lived and died before the Changes of—”
“Those don’t exist! Forget it!” He flicked his hand in dismissal.
“According to the immortal society’s customs, all dead bodies are cremated,” Jaguar explained to Amelia, leaning forward to catch her eye around Mikhail. She nodded, although she already knew it.
“Except in the Temple of the Dead Immortals, which is guarded by an ancient vampire clan.” Constantine caught Helena’s gaze across the temple. “Which makes me curious… How do you plan to get past them?”
A smirk tugged at the corners of Helena’s lips. “With diplomacy.”
Vladislav laughed. “You and diplomacy, darling, are worlds apart.”
“How original, darling.”
“Helena, do you evenunderstandgenetics?” Platinum’s eyes narrowed on the nymph.
Helena lifted her chin with theatrical flair. “I do. And I’ll soon understand it a lot more. I’m now a genetics student at the Medical University of Sofia.”
Amelia nearly choked.
Nyavolski raised a dark eyebrow. “Playing human again, are you?”
“I figured it was better than kidnapping doctors to teach me, don’t you think?”
“Fine. Learn genetics, and then we’ll talk.” Mikhail’s voice boomed across the table, drifting the attention towards him.
“Mikhail, don’t you see? This is the only way.” Helena softened her tone.
The tension in the manticore’s stance hadn’t left him since the idea was first mentioned. “Intruding on the Temple of the DeadImmortals would provoke the wrath of creatures across the immortal world.”
“When they realise it’s for their own good, they’ll calm down,” Helena insisted.
Her words drew laughter around the table. However, Mikhail’s expression remained serious. “The legends say anyone who dares steal from the temple will trigger an unprecedented catastrophe.”
The nymph pursed her lips. “Don’t tell me you believe in ghosts, too, like my husband.”
“Let’s just say I didn’t believe in curses either, but I still lost two fingers, didn’t I?” Jaguar raised his injured hand in the air.
“See, woman! I don’t want anything bad to happen to you, which is why I’m against it!”
Helena wrinkled her nose. “You don’t understa—”
“Enough.” Mikhail cut her off. “I do not approve of desecrating the most sacred temple for immortal species. I do not approve of stealing corpses or parts of them, much less experimenting on them within the Hospital. Now, back to the mystery location in Kamchatka. I was starting to suspect there’s been human involvement in the recent events, thus Zacharia’s following that lead. But those people in Russia seem like a different matter. I intend to pay them a visit at the start of spring, assembling a team of selected beings. In the meantime, continue gathering intel on the reptilians – but discreetly. And remember, if anyone asks, it’s all just rumours for now.”
***
The Council deliberated for about half an hour after Mikhail refused to support Helena Nyavolska’s ideas. They discussed possibilities for expanding the Intensive Care Unit, and appointing one of the Council members, a man named Dimitry, to oversee it. They considered the request of a small witch tribe from the Middle East to join the Hospital team due totheir struggle to survive financially. Apparently, it had become difficult to make a good living from traditional witchcraft services in modern times.
