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“Yeah, that,” Declan replied.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Allegedly.”
“Yeah, allegedly. It hadn’t been tested on a human subject until that day.”
That day.Yeah, I remembered that day all too well.
I wrung my hands as I eyed the scattering of ashes, all that remained of Nightshade’s latest victim. “So the Nightshade has to be mixed with living blood for it to work as a weapon going forward.”
“There is no going forward for the Nightshade program, Jill,” Declan replied. “Your blood is still compromised and you need a cure for that. Which is exactly why we’re here.”
Declan Reyes was a control freak. I already knew that. I’d seen the evidence in it with what he’d chosen to do with Sara, how she was somewhere else now, a location I didn’t know because of the threat of vampiric influence on my admittedly weak human mind.
I’d hoped that Dr. Reynolds might be able to recreate the Nightshade, but that was off the table. Such a waste of a perfectly good—if frightening as hell—weapon.
“I’m sorry,” I told the doctor. “I’m sorry that you can’t replicate the formula and find another volunteer to take my place.”
The doctor looked down at the silver gun. “Yes, that would make everything much simpler. The only source is your blood itself—and any new blood your body creates is immediately infused with the poison. Your blood, Jill, is both the beginning and the end of the Nightshade program.”
This was one situation where it wasn’t that great to be popular.
It was too bad that the very thing that was killing me could be a huge help to the world. Talk about a lose-lose situation.
“I do...have a suggestion, though,” Dr. Reynolds continued. “One I am hoping you will be amenable to.”
“I’m listening,” I replied.
“We could postpone your treatment for a few days, during which we would take blood samples from you regularly. With enough samples on hand, we might eventually find a way to go forward with this project.”
“You want to bleed her,” Declan growled. “For your own gain.”
“For the world’s gain, Mr. Reyes,” the doctor countered sharply.
“It’s not going to happen.”
I put my hand on Declan’s tense arm. “Wait. Let me answer for myself.”
“Jill...” he began.
I shook my head. “I know this isn’t my world, this isn’t anything I want to be a part of for a minute longer than I have to be, but I’m not naïve. My blood is proven to kill rogue vampires and I know that's a very good thing. If the Nightshade wasn’t also killing me, I’d absolutely volunteer to make regular donations.”
“But it is killing you,” Declan said.
Apart from the poison, I’d been bitten, bruised, and knocked unconscious too many times to count. This roller-coaster ride sure as hell didn’t come with a safety harness.
“I’m still alive, and I feel fine today,” I told him.
“That’s not good enough for me. For all we know you have only hours left to live.” Declan's fierce expression softened a fraction at my wince. “It’s the truth,” he said.
I shook my head. “Yeah, well. The truth hurts.”
He turned to the doctor. “The Nightshade program is over. And this conversation needs to end. Now. You can either help us today or you can’t. Which is it?”
Yes. Definitely a control freak. But I couldn’t say he was wrong. As much as I’d like to help Dr. Reynolds, I had no idea how much time I had left. And just because I felt almost normal today thanks to the blood fuser, it didn’t mean it would last.
Jackson said there were several research facilities across the country, all dedicated to this kind of research. They’d develop another formula. A better and more stable one.
I couldn’t let myself feel guilty about this since there was nothing I could do to change what was.
