However,Cassandrawas saying shedidn’twant to do any of the things she claimed her body craved.Itwas a confusing contradiction, but he wanted to be certain her wishes were obeyed.
“I’m sorry to dump all this on you,Ijust figured you might need to know because you’re trying to find a cure for theHungerVirusand find out what’s going on with me andRavik, since both of us were bitten or scratched by anInfected,” she said, breaking into his train of thought.
“Yes, you’re absolutely right,”Severinassured her.“AndIpromise you,I’lldo my best to find out why your body is…craving what it’s craving.”Hecleared his throat.“Andin the meantime, if you don’t want to be aroundRavikanymore,Iunderstand.”
“Don’t want to be around him?”Sheactually looked shocked.“OfcourseIwant to be around him—he saved my life, bringing me here.AndifIspend too much time away from him, he might go back to his caveman stage and burn the bunker down if he tries to cook something again.”
Severin couldn’t help smiling.
“Yes,I’mstill not sure what he was thinking when he tried to cook thosefikkabeetles.”
“Me either.”Sheshook her head.“I’lljust be sure he’s wearing trousers and we should be fine.Er…it would help ifIhad on more clothes too.”
“I’m sure it would.Watchingyou walk around the bunker in your, er, night clothes is rather…distracting,”Severinadmitted.“Butyou can feel free to look at my clothing.Idon’t have much, but you can help yourself to anything you need.”
“Well, your trousers are never going to fit me, butImight steal one of your shirts, if that’s okay,” she told him.
“There’s no need to steal—I’moffering it to you willingly,”Severinsaid, frowning.“Or…amImissing anotherEarthidiom?”
“Something like that.”Shelaughed.“Letme go get one of your shirts on and thenI’mgoing to go watchRavikand be sure he doesn’t get up to anymore trouble.”
“Thank you for watching him,”Severinsaid gratefully.“He’sin the mating chamber,Ithink,” he added.
“Well, he can come into the kitchen with me whileIclean up and make us something to eat,”Cassandratold him.Standingon tiptoes, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.“Goodluck with your research.Ifyou can make a cure for theHungerVirus, this whole planet will thank you.”
“I’ll certainly try,”Severinsaid grimly.“BecauseifIcan’t develop a cure,VPrimewill probably have to be quarantined from the rest of the universe.”Hesighed.“That’sone reasonRavikandIhaven’t risked a run to the closest communications tower yet to call for help.Ican’t risk bringing this infection to theMotherShipunlessIalso have a cure for it.”
“What about your ship?Don’tKindredusually travel in long-rang shuttles?”she asked.“Iknow that’s howIgot out here, anyway—theMotherShipfolded space and a shuttle brought me andSskarthout.”
“Unfortunately, our shuttle was ‘trashed’ as you humans put it, during the first wave of riots after the virus really started to spread,”Severinsaid grimly.“Whichis why we need to place a call to theMotherShipto come and get us.”
“But you can’t do that without a cure—Iunderstand.”Shenodded.“Allright,I’lllet you get on with your work.I’dbetter go findRavik.”
And with that, she left his lab.Severinwatched her go and couldn’t stop thinking of what she’d told him.Hewondered if her new hyper-sexuality was a symptom of her perimenopause, or of theHungerVirus…or possibly a mixture of both.
Well, he was going to do his best to find out.
32
SEVERIN
Severin flexed his healing hand carefully and turned back to the lab table.Thesamples were waiting in neat rows, each one labeled in his own precise script.Ravik’sblood from beforeCassandrahad arrived.Ravik’sblood from after first exposure to her scent.Ravik’sblood from the morning regression.Ravik’sblood afterCassandrahad kissed his burns.Ravik’sblood after she had taken his seed into her mouth.
Beside those were the new samples fromCassandra.Hehad her blood, saliva, breath condensate, skin oil, sweat, and last but certainly not least, a small amount of her honey collected byCassandraherself at his request.
At present, the most interesting and useful sample in his collection wasCassandra’sblood taken after she had swallowedRavik’sseed.Hehoped to use it to make sense of her symptoms and to find out how theHungerViruswas reacting to her fluctuating hormones.
Severin stared at that last vial for a long moment.
It was only blood.Red, warm, human blood suspended in sterile anticoagulant medium.Nothingabout it should have made his fangs ache or his pulse quicken.
And yet, it did…because everything aboutCassandraseemed to do that lately.Justlooking at her blood made him think of what she’d said to him—that she wanted to ride him the way she’d been ridingRavikearlier.Gods, just the thought of her soft, wet pussy wrapped around his cock…
No.
He exhaled sharply and forced his mind back where it belonged.
Science—he needed to concentrate on science.Desirecould wait…or preferably die quietly in a corner where it would stop interfering with his ability to think.
