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Cameron
“He doesn’t look good,” I murmur, glancing at the chart of the patient on the makeshift bed. The veterinary clinic is completely full of patients and we’ve opened the doors to the old clinic that was used back when we had a proper doctor. Anyone with medical training who isn’t sick has been called in to help, but we’re still swamped, and the dragons seem to be getting worse with each passing day. “How much time do you think he has?”
“Not a lot,” my mother admits, lowering her voice. She shakes her head and walks away from me. She hasn’t cried, but I know my mom, and I can tell that she’s barely keeping it together. She’s been working day and night to take care of the dragons and rescued shifters alive, but we’re starting to lose people.
This virus took awhile to gain speed, but now?
It’s in full force and we’re almost out of options.
Thunderstorm is in just as much trouble as us. They’ve reported ten shifters dead already. They’ve sent messages to anyone who will help asking for assistance, but they haven’t physically sent anyone away. They don’t want to risk the infection spreading. After all, we don’t know how long the incubation period is. We don’t know how long the virus lasts. We don’t know anything except that the fever turns into seizures which turn into heart attacks which turn into pain. The sores that start on the patient’s stomach gradually spread, which leads to incredible pain. The vomiting and diarrhea is enough to dehydrate anyone on its own, but coupled with the other symptoms, it’s one of the most horrible illnesses our clan has ever seen.
And that’s saying something.
I set down my clipboard and walk outside of the clinic. Looking toward the mountains, I can see their peaks just over the top of the trees.
“Come on, Natalie,” I whisper. “Bring him back to us.”
Chapter Nine
Donald
“Fever,” she says. “Seizures and heart pain in some.”
“Heart attacks?”
“Two so far,” she says. “Both patients are still alive. Well, they were when I left.”
“What else?”
“Vomiting, diarrhea, and sores.”
“Sores?”
“Here,” she presses her hands to her belly. “Sores here and then they spread.”
“Abdominal sores?” I ask her, because this isn’t good. “Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
I groan and turn, leaving the room.
“Where are you going?” Natalie says, but I hear her footsteps and I know she’s following me down the hallway of the cave. The entire place is wired with electricity and has flooring that’s really nice. It cost me a fucking fortune to install and even more to pay off the guys who built it not to tell anyone I’ve got a secret, decked-out, underground mansion.
“To the study,” I growl, focused on my mission. There’s only one thing this virus could be. I’ve seen it before, but long ago, and I thought I wouldn’t ever see it again.
I prayed I would never see it again.
We reach the study quickly and I move to the shelves.
“Have some books,” she says in awe.
“You still like to read, do you?” I murmur, but I’m not really listening to her answer. I’m too busy pawing through one shelf and then another looking for the infectious diseases guide my counselor recommended my final year of medical school.
I lay the book on the table, spread it open, and start flipping through it.
“You know what it is, don’t you?” She asks quietly, moving beside me.
“Yeah, and it’s not good.”
