Page 73 of Lucie
Iain thumped him on the forehead. “Your bat scratch.”
It took Lucien a second to understand what the man had said. “What about my bat scratch?”
“You may have been infected from it when you also came in contact with the virus. I think the two may have fought and cancelled each other out. Or…” He madean elaborate shrug. “It’s possible the two contagions didn’t know how to deal with your blood. By the time they figured out whether to attack your Normal or yourMutahside, their effectiveness had passed.Or…”
Lucien snorted. “You really don’t know what the hell happened, do you? You’re just taking a stab in the dark, aren’t you?”
Iain pretended to ignore him. “Ormaybe the bat’s germs chose one side of you, and the virus chose the other, and both realized too late that they’d each chosen the wrong sides. If they’d chosen differently, you could already be dead.Orone could have inoculated you from the other, but if that was the case, don’t ask me which did which.”
“Iain.”Yulen’svoice was soft but firm. Time for jocularity was over.
The physician grew stoic. “Or maybe, and this is my personal belief, you’re one of those rare people who are immune to diseases.”
Lucien scoffed at that idea. “I’ve been sick in the past. How is that possible if I was immune?”
“There’s lots of reasons why. Maybe getting sick is what triggered your immunity. But, if I remember correctly, you’ve never gottenreally ill. Some sniffles and sneezes, and some coughing, but you’ve never been high fever, throwing up, diarrhea, flat on your back in bed sick.”
Thinking back, Lucien had to concede to that fact.
“Luc.” Iain bent down to stare at him full-on. “The last time I think you were ever anywhere near being truly sick, you were maybe two or three years old. Think about it.Maybe your special hiddenMutahability is that you’re immune to everything. If that’s true, my God, your blood could save hundreds suffering God knows how many afflictions.”
He checked the tubing, crimping one end to withdraw it fromAtty’sarm before taking it out of Lucien’s. “That’s one down and one to go.”
“You’re going to giveJohnamy blood, too?”
“Like I told you earlier, it maybe their only chance.”
“And you think she’ll be able to take it because you believe I have a natural immunity?”
“Like I explained, it could be any number of factors that prevented you from becoming ill.” Iain narrowed his eyes at him. “If you do have a natural immunity, you’re better than any serum, Luc. Your blood won’t need any distillation or sterilization.”
Yulenpicked up the saddleand took it over to whereJohnalay unconscious. Lucien laid down and presented his other arm for the next transfusion. As Iain inserted a fresh tube into him to feed into the young woman, the doctor checked his pulse again. “Normally, I shouldn’t be taking this amount of blood I’m drawing from you, but this is an emergency. When we’re done, you’re going to feel weak and lightheaded, so don’ttry to sit or stand up until I determine you’re strong enough, understand?”
“How long do you think it’ll take before we know whether or not this worked?”Yuleninquired.
“Judging by how quicklyAttyis deteriorating, I’m guessing we’ll know something for sure by morning.”
Lucien gasped. “So soon?” He glanced over at where his father was standing and observing. The battle lord’s face wasdark with rising grief.
“That soon,”Yulenresponded in a hollow voice, and went back to his wife’s side to wait.
