Cronin's Key II by N.R. Walker Read Free Book Online Page B

jail for medical malpractice. I’d rather not have one that’s had their medical license revoked for atrocities toward humans, if that’s okay.”
    Eiji grinned. “Leave that to me. Though maybe you could define atrocities toward humans ?”
    Alec raised one eyebrow at Eiji. “Or animals, Eiji. Preferably not a veterinarian either.”
    The smaller Japanese vampire laughed. “Oh Alec, you’re lack of faith disturbs me. Anyway humans pay plastic surgeons good money for atrocities all the time.” He grinned even wider. “But I can assure you, Alec, your family doctor knows more than you think.”
    Alec stared at Eiji, as did Cronin. “You know his family doctor?” Cronin asked.
    Eiji nodded. “Of course. Alec saw him many times as a child. I needed to be certain the doctor was adequately qualified for Alec to be in his care.”
    “You what?” Alec asked.
    Eiji rolled his eyes. “I couldn’t have Cronin’s fated one seen to by just anyone.”
    * * * *
    “The doctor will be here at six tonight,” Kole MacAidan said into the phone.
    “Thanks, Dad. See you then.” Alec clicked off the call and threw the cell onto the table. “It’s organized. Though Doctor Benavides thinks the house call is for my dad.”
    Jodis and Eiji were in the office going through the books they’d borrowed from the old library in Prague, giving Alec and Cronin some much needed privacy. Cronin put his forehead on Alec’s shoulder and sighed. “I’m sorry you have to go through this,” he murmured.
    Alec put his hands to Cronin’s face and lifted it so he would look at him. “It’s not your fault. This isn’t anyone’s fault. It just is what it is. We had no way of knowing my blood would affect you like this. It’s just a routine blood test and a physical.”
    Cronin growled again, a low petulant rumble. “What kind of physical?”
    It made Alec laugh. “The kind you don’t have to worry about.” Alec looked at his new watch, then out to the beckoning sunrise. The wall of specially filtered glass protected the vampires within, without impeding the spectacular view of the city. “It’s almost bed time,” Alec said. “How about we start on our research before we call it a day.”
    Cronin nodded. “Where do you want to start?”
    “I was making notes before,” Alec told him. “Sometimes it helps to see the bigger picture when it’s written in front of you.” He found his notebook and read aloud what he’d written, the words Jorge had said.
    From his blood comes the sun. Blood from a stone. Stone from a blood. So many questions. Blood from a stone.
    Red hand, blue moon, silver river, the earth will come to life. Blood from a stone, stone from blood. He is risen already, as she was risen, the answer is in the stones. Blood from a stone, stone from a blood.
    Cronin asked. “What does the key need to do?”
    Blue moon, silver river, blood from a stone. You will not find him with your eyes.
    Yes, through the key. Through the key.
    Red hands in the stones. Forever is in the stones. The key asks different questions, he does. Yes, he does. Red hands in the stones. Forever is in the stones.
    Alec was quiet for a moment as he thought it over. “He said the first part earlier. He said my blood comes from the sun when he was talking about the mummified vampires in Egypt. He saw that my blood resurrected Ra and the sun disk, killing all those poor souls. That’s what he called them. He said they didn’t know what they were doing, and he was right. Queen Keket never taught them, never fed them.”
    Cronin nodded. “He said it wasn’t their fault. ‘They knew not what they did.’”
    “Yes, and I agreed with him. They needed to die, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t their fault. They were a product of their maker.”
    Cronin’s black eyes flashed with memory. “And he said ‘It wasn’t the Queen who did wrong.’”
    Alec nodded. “I assumed one of his personalities didn’t like the fact that we killed so many