Leaving after this was all over was going to be even harder than he’d thought.
55
CASSIE
“Ah, it’s so lovely to meet the three of you!Iam so very pleased to be working with you on such a complex and interesting problem,”Dr.Verityxchirped.
There was really no other word for the language ofCherubinThree.Also,DoctorVlooked rather like a great horned owl—at least, his head did.Hehad a beak and huge golden eyes and pointed ears.Hisbody was covered in feathers but he seemed to have arms instead of wings and he was wearing a green lab coat—which seemed to be the color of science here, since most of the assistants in the lab were also wearing them.
The lab itself was sleek and modern, filled with pale green light and long curved counters made of some glossy white material that remindedCassieof marble.Therewere no sharp corners anywhere—everything was rounded and smooth, from the diagnostic stations to the tall cabinets with transparent doors that held rows of glowing vials.Theair smelled faintly herbal, with an antiseptic undertone that made her think of a hospital trying very hard not to smell like one.
Everywhere she looked, bird-like people in green lab coats were moving around with brisk, fluttery efficiency.Somelooked owlish likeDr.Verityx, with round faces and huge golden or amber eyes, while others had longer beaks and brighter feathers in shades of blue, red, gray, and silver.Oneassistant had a long crest of emerald feathers that bobbed every time he bent over a display, while another had speckled brown wings tucked close to her body under a modified lab coat with slits in the back.
They chirped, trilled, and whistled to each other as they worked.Thesounds were musical, but also somehow very businesslike, as though a flock of songbirds had gone to medical school and developed strong opinions about viral loads and endocrine pathways.Severalof them glanced over atCassieand the twoKindredmales flanking her, but none of them stared for too long.
Which was honestly more than she could say for herself becauseCassiewas staring ateverything.
There were floating trays that glided silently through the air, carrying sealed samples in glowing tubes.Therewere spherical scanners hovering over examination platforms—their green beams sweeping back and forth like curious fireflies.Alongone wall, a huge transparent display showed a rotating model of theHungerVirus—black and red and ugly, with curling tendrils that madeCassie’sskin crawl.
Then she saw the table.
It was positioned in the center of the largest examination chamber, under a ring of soft green lights.Atfirst glance, it looked like a padded medical bed, but the longerCassielooked, the more nervous she got.
It had adjustable supports for arms and legs, a raised center cushion, and two curved transparent cups attached to flexible tubes that ran into a sealed collection unit.Therewere also smaller instruments tucked into compartments along the sides, including what looked like a wand, several smooth applicators, and a little silver device with a rounded head that madeCassieimmediately decide she wasnotgoing to ask what it was.
Her breasts gave a faint, nervous ache as she realized that the table must be forher.Thesuction cups would be attached to collect the nectar she was supposed to start making.Asfor the other instruments, she didn’t know their uses and she was afraid to ask.
Ravik must have sensed her reaction because he moved closer on her side, his big body radiating heat and tension.Severinstood on her other side, controlled and quiet, but she could feel the alertness in him.Neitherone touched her directly, but both males were close enough that she could take comfort from their presence.
“Is that the, uh…”Cassiecleared her throat and pointed toward the table with the nipple cups.“Isthat the nectar collection setup?”
“Indeed!”Dr.Verityxchirped happily.“Avery advanced mammary extraction and analysis table, designed for comfort, stability, and immediate biochemical testing.Itwill allow us to collect your nectar while measuring hormone levels, immune-marker density, anti-viral potency, and vaccine stability in real time.”
Cassie stared at him.
“That sounds like a very fancy milking table.”
Dr.Verityxblinked his enormous golden eyes.
“That is also accurate.Ofcourse, you will not being making nectar untilIgive you the medication which causes your breasts to fill, so you don’t have to worry about it just yet.”
Cassie nodded nervously.
“Can you tell us more about that?”she asked.“Aboutthe whole, uh, processI’mgoing to go through?”
“Yes, yes—of course.”Dr.Verityxbobbed his feathered head and motioned them toward a seating area near the main diagnostic display.“Pleasesit.Ifind patients are calmer when they understand the procedure.”
Cassie sat because her legs suddenly felt less steady than she would have liked.
Ravik remained standing behind and slightly to her right, arms crossed over his broad chest and jaw set like he was already looking for a reason to hate every word out of the doctor’s beak.
Severin sat on her other side, leaning forward slightly, all scientific focus now, despite the tension between him andRavikwhich really hadn’t eased much, even though they’d allowed her to drink from them in the shuttle.
Dr.Verityxtapped one taloned finger against a green panel and the display shifted.TherotatingHungerVirusmoved to one side and a holographic model ofCassie’sbody appeared beside it, outlined in soft gold.Pathwayslit up through the mouth, throat, bloodstream, reproductive organs, and breasts, which was just wonderful because apparently her anatomy was now a public science exhibit.
Cassie folded her arms over her chest.
“That’s me,I’mguessing?”
