WalkingHaunt by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page B

dressed and grabbed water and a meal, joining the rest in the makeshift medical bay.
    Niisa was covered with dark marks, and her breathing was laboured.
    Debarren had sweat on his brow, and two healers were working to keep Niisa stable. Yohwen walked up to Orkill and pressed herself against his side. Everyone was doing what they could, so there was nothing for her to do.
    Orkill put his arm around her shoulders and pressed an absent kiss to her head. “She will be fine. Debarren is about to administer the antibodies. After that, we wait.”
    She nodded and watched as Debarren injected Niisa on one of the few clear points on her neck.
    “Orkill, have you and Debarren walked around during the day without breather gear?”
    “Once it was made clear that our species were not at risk, yes. Why?”
    She blinked. “I will tell you later.”
    Niisa gasped as her back arched and the two Healers worked to fight her body’s response to the foreign antibodies. Niisa twitched, thrashed and finally lay still.
    Yohwen gasped and moved forward to Niisa’s side as the Healers stepped away. The violent colouration beneath her skin was fading and bright colour was coming instead.
    Laughter bubbled up, and Niisa glared at her. “Why are you laughing at me, I am dying.”
    “You are not dying, you have spring pox. The antibodies are doing their work.” She stroked Niisa’s dark hair away from her face.
    Debarren looked stressed and exhausted. “Is it dangerous?”
    “Keep her hydrated and keep her from scratching. She will be fine. She is not a child, she will survive it easily.”
    “You shouldn’t laugh at me, Yoh. I have seen you in your underwear.”
    Yoh snorted. “Big deal. Thanks to your influence, it matches.”
    “I know.” Niisa giggled softly. “Can I rest now?”
    “Sure. Rest when you can. I will see if anyone can rig some mittens so you don’t scratch holes in your skin.” She chuckled and winked.
    “You are having too much fun with this.”
    “Of course I am. You are going to live. You will be itchy for a week, but you will live. That is worth smiling about.” She pressed a kiss to Niisa’s heating forehead as the pox drove out the plague.
    It was truly a moment of the lesser of two evils being the more desirable turnout.
    Debarren smiled and took hold of Niisa’s hand.
    “Debarren, do you have any of those antibodies left?”
    He nodded. “Of course.”
    “Then, give yourself a shot before touching or talking to another Ysheer. I am pretty sure that you were the source of infection.”
    He blinked in shock, and another Healer immediately took a blood sample, running it for analysis. “She’s right. It isn’t airborne, but you are a carrier.”
    He stumbled away from Niisa in horror. “Oh gods.”
    Yohwen waved him down. “Calm down. I am pretty sure that this is how it was designed. We just need to inoculate everyone here with Wedderal spring pox and that should do it.”
    The female Healer with the dark green hair smiled, “How much blood are you willing to part with?”
    “Whatever is needed. Take what you need, but leave me enough to live.”
    Orkill came in with a tray full of snacks and water packs along with three cups of caf. “Sit her down, and I will keep her hydrated. I need that shot too.”
    Knowing what they needed precisely, the blood taken was less than a litre. It was enough to make her dizzy and lightheaded but not enough to kill her. She leaned heavily on Orkill as he walked back to her quarters with her. He had gotten one of the first shots, and he was in early stage of spring pox.
    He needed a nap, and there was no danger of anything peculiar going on. He simply wasn’t up to it.
    She stripped her clothing off and crawled into bed while he was in the lav. She turned her back to him and pulled the blanket over her shoulder.
    He crawled into bed beside her, a blaze of heat against her spine. He pulled her tightly against him, and despite his interest, he didn’t do anything