Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 159487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 797(@200wpm)___ 638(@250wpm)___ 532(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 159487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 797(@200wpm)___ 638(@250wpm)___ 532(@300wpm)
“Stand apart,” the warrior ordered. “Possible biological contamination detected.”
Severin’s expression went cold at once.
“She is infected but stable,” he said. “I need to stay near her. I need to give her the cure. Didn’t you get any of the information I sent?”
The warrior’s posture shifted slightly.
“We have containment orders. I can’t go against contamination protocol.”
Ravik came up through the beam next and landed with a growl, his shock blade still in hand. Every weapon in the shuttle immediately pointed at him.
“Drop the blade!” someone barked.
Ravik glared at them, obviously ready to argue.
“Ravik,” Cassie said quickly. “Please—drop it.”
His jaw clenched, but he dropped the blade—it clanged loudly on the shuttle floor.
The hatch sealed a second later, cutting off the sight of the tower, the mist, and the scattered Infected below. For one breathless second, Cassie thought they were safe.
Then a cool mechanical voice filled the cabin.
“Biological contamination detected. Quarantine lockdown initiated.”
Red lights flashed overhead and a transparent containment barrier snapped down between Cassie and the two males. It was like a smooth, elongated glass dome and she immediately felt claustrophobic.
“What? No!” She lunged toward the barrier and hit it with both palms. It was solid, warm, and faintly humming. “Wait—my guys need to stay with me! Please, don’t separate us!” she begged.
“Cassandra,” Severin said quickly from the other side. “It’s going to be okay—don’t panic.”
“Too late,” she snapped, pressing one hand against the clear dome wall. “I am very much already panicking.”
Ravik moved toward the barrier too, but two armored Kindred stepped in front of him.
“Stand down,” one ordered.
Ravik bared his teeth in a silent snarl.
“Move.”
“Ravik, don’t,” Severin said. “They’re only trying to help us.”
“They’re frightening her! Frightening our—”
He stopped abruptly and Cassie wondered what he had almost said. For a moment she was afraid he might say something awful—might reopen the fight right there in the middle of the shuttle while rescue warriors and red quarantine lights surrounded them.
But he didn’t. He only looked back at Cassie through the barrier and then he lifted his hand and pressed it to the clear wall containing her.
“I’m here, baby,” he said. “Not gonna let them hurt you—I swear it.”
Something in Cassie’s chest loosened a little.
Severin stepped up beside him, though he kept careful distance from Ravik now. His pale blue eyes held hers through the barrier, bruised and tired and full of things he wasn’t saying. He put a hand on the clear wall too.
“We’ll get this sorted out,” he told her. “We won’t be separated from each other for long.”
Cassie wanted desperately to believe him.
“I hope you’re right,” she said and her voice came out small and uncertain, which wasn’t good. Also, for once in her life, she couldn’t think of anything sarcastic or snarky to say.
The shuttle lurched as it lifted away from Visslick Prime, and the force of it made her knees wobble. She was watching Ravik and Severin on the other side of the containment barrier—the two males who had fought each other, saved each other, pleasured her, protected her, and now stood separated from her by a clear quarantine wall.
And now she couldn’t reach either of them—couldn’t touch either of them when all she wanted was to be held between them and wrapped in their arms.
Well, at least they were off Visslick Prime and they were alive, she remined herself.
But as Ravik dropped his hand from the barrier and turned his face away from Severin, Cassie knew the worst of the danger wasn’t over.
It had only changed shape.
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.