AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you have a favorite song yet? A place to make out? Do I need to book a wedding on mycalendar?”
“You’re hilarious for a mortally illperson.”
“I’m alwayshilarious.”
“That’s not what your neighbor said. He thought you were a humorless drillsergeant.”
“You have to be appropriately firm with youngpeople.”
“That should do it.” Zoltan left the IV draining into her vein and returned to put his equipment away and fold up histable.
“What exactly is itdoing?” Willardasked.
“Removing the magical triggers embedded in your system that told the DNA in your replicating cells to unravel while refusing to obey their programming for apoptosis,” Zoltan said. “You’ll still need your conventional treatment to get rid of what’s there, but it should bemuchmore effective now. I also used a drop of the dragon blood to mix into a potent immune system enhancer. The dragon blood alone would fill you with youthful vigor. If I had more of it, I would be tempted to hook up an IV formyself.”
“Can vampires feel youthful vigor?” Iasked.
“The better the quality of the blood we consume, the better wefeel.”
Willard prodded my arm. “This is the same reason I always tell you to eatorganic.”
“You and my mom would get alonggreat.”
“I’ll see myself out.” Zoltan picked up his suitcase and started to open the door but lurched back, crying out in distress. He pinned Sindari with a disapproving look. “The lights are backon.”
I didn’t do it,Sindari toldme.
If there’s nobody out there, would you mind turning them offagain?
It’s a long hallway, and I’m past the time I should be returned to myrealm.
A service animal would do it. And bring a couple of beers back on theway.
Funny.Sindari padded into the hallway, and it soon grewdark.
Zoltan, mumbling something about his burned retinas, walkedout.
I texted Dimitri.If the vampire comes back to your van, will you drive himhome?
Withoutyou?
I want to stay and keep an eye onWillard.
It’s a good thing Nin let me borrow one of her weapons. I was hesitant to take it, but now I’m glad I did. I’m not convinced the cervical collar is enough to saveme.
I’m not either. Carry whatever weapon she gave you in yourlap.
Actually, it’s on my finger. It’s a pistolring.
Is that more manly than itsounds?
No, but she wasn’t willing to lend me the submachine gun since I only had forty dollars for a deposit and she doesn’t take credit cards. She promises it packs a big punchthough.
You can trust her. But make sure to take pictures if you have to use it.I snorted, imagining a pistol ring on one of Dimitri’s big sausagefingers.
It was only after Zoltan and Dimitri were gone that I remembered the notebook I’d taken from the dark-elf laboratory. I assumed it was written in that special alchemical language of theirs and that Zoltan was the only one around who could read it. I wished I’d thought to ask him to take a look. Oh, well. He hadn’t needed it to concoct Willard’s formula. If I saw him again, I would ask him about it. It was probably just a recipe book, but one neverknew.
“Feeling any better?” I waved at the nearly empty IVbag.
“I’m not sure,” Willard said, “but my veins aretingling.”
“That must be the dragon blood. Zav is…” I groped for a way to explain the electricity of having his aura nearby. “Tingly.”
“Tingly?” Willard raised her eyebrows. “When the wedding invitations come, make sure you spell my nameright.”
“Ha ha. I don’t even know your firstname.”
“Good.”
She lay back and closed her eyes. I dismissed Sindari for a night of rest, then pulled up a chair formyself.
