Page 68 of Witch Untold
“You have to understand that Pire X is designed to neutralize the regular vamp infection,” Micha explained. “This strain is something we’ve never seen, but we’ve taken samples and we’re working on modifying Pire X to combat it. In the meantime, the prototype should slow down the infection in her system and prevent the metamorphosis to…” He frowned and looked to Mel.
“Ice walker,” she provided. “They call them ice walkers.”
“Yes, that explains her drop in body temperature.”
“Yes, it does.” Mel smiled, and his cheeks flushed.
“There could be more ice walkers out there,” Elijah said. “We’ll need that drug.”
Things had changed since Lilith locked the ice walkers away. She’d been so focused on killing them that curing them hadn’t entered her mind. Not that she would have had the means to do that back then, though. Pire X was only possible because of Bliss, the drug the covert agency had pumped into regular vamps. It had set events in motion and changed the vamps in ways the Magiguard were able to take advantage of.
Now it would save Sloane’s life. “What about Wren?”
Mel’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Your little fae friend is unique. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve studied fae for decades. We have ancient mogwai DNA samples, and the gene for aggression is always dominant. I see it in Wren, but there’s a new gene bound to it. One we’ve never seen.”
“We believe it may be controlling his aggression levels,” Micha explained.
Mel shot him a sharp look, as if to say,hey, don’t steal my thunder. “Fully grown mogwai have no control over their bloodlust. They kill, and they feed. Simple. But I believe Wren is different.”
“He changed to protect Cora,” Elijah said. “He attacked the creatures that were threatening her.”
“See,” Mel said, “that level of control is absent in a regular mogwai.”
“So Wrenisn’tdangerous?”
“I’d need to run a few more tests, but I don’t think so.”
Oh, thank God.
“We’ll keep Wren under observation for a few hours,” Mel continued. “Run the tests again, but I don’t see why you can’t take him home later today or tomorrow morning.”
Later today? Shit, it was almost two in the morning. A new day.
“Thank you, Mel, Micha.” Ursula dismissed them with a nod.
They left and Ursula turned to me. “Can I have a word about our conversation at Lumiers the other day.” Her gaze flicked to Elijah. “I assume you want an update.”
Fuck. My sample. “It’s okay. You can speak freely in front of Elijah.”
She nodded. “Your sample is being analyzed, but I put it through as anonymous. I’m glad you didn’t ask about it just now.”
I’d forgotten about it. About what was happening to me. About my trip to Tarrifel and the entity that promised it would speak to me soon.
But I remembered now. Great. “How long do you think?”
“A few days. I couldn’t mark it as a priority without having to explain why, and I think it’s best to keep this off the books.”
I didn’t want to know what would happen if the Magiguard deemed the results of my sample dangerous, and I guess neither did Ursula. This way we had options. Although I had no doubt that if Ursula felt I needed to be put down, she’d act on that, but my gut told me this entity, whoever it was, didn’t want to hurt me. It wouldn’t put me in danger.
“What is this about?” Elijah asked.
I lightly touched his arm. “I’ll fill you in later.”
“Go home,” Ursula said. “Get some rest. I’ll call you when you can pick Wren up and keep you updated on Sloane.”
I stepped up to the glass once more to study the occupants that lay beyond it. Wren would be fine, but the jury was still out on Sloane. “Please be okay.”
She had to be.
