38

Viktor needed someone to remind him why he had taken an oath never to transform again. Depriving an immortal creature of one of its basic needs was akin to setting a wingless bird free. Cold-hearted. A mockery.

Every time he allowed himself to taste freedom just for a second, Alex would spring up out of nowhere, clutching her new book. ‘ Vik, listen to this!’ And ‘ Vik, you will never believe that!’ Or ‘ Vik, are you feeling all right?’ Sometimes he could have sworn the little parasite was stalking him.

He focused on Mikhail, who had gathered them around the table for yet another pointless meeting that dragged on for hours. Could he quit the Council? Or force Mikhail to kick him out?

He glanced to his right, his gaze roaming over Platinum’s long legs. The miniskirt and fishnet tights gave them an especially tempting appearance. Someone’s begging for it… Without thinking, Viktor’s hand traced her thigh under the table.

Her head spun towards him faster than lightning. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

He pulled his hand away. Oops.

“Is there a problem?” Mikhail gave them a slight frown.

“No, brother.” Viktor smiled while Platinum glared daggers at him.

So what? Misreading the signs could happen to anyone. He scanned the other women around the table. Everyone was staring at Mikhail, as if he was saying something important.

Oh, but Vik knew the manticore well. He always made it seem like he was the saviour of everyone and everything… When in fact, he was no better than Vik himself.

Despite his bitterness, he decided to listen to his speech.

“… we already have enough patients, so a decrease in patient numbers because of rumours spreading about the murders at the Hospital does not worry me.”

“Why don’t we increase the prices?” Vladislav offered. “We’re not a charity.”

Mikhail shrugged. “Payment is different. Every creature pays as much as they can afford. It’s always been like that.”

“It’s the twenty-first century!” Lyla barked, pursing her purple lips and slamming her fist on the table. “Living costs are higher than ever. And”—the purple spread into a wide smile—“humans keep creating all this cool stuff. It all costs money, and we’re not supposed to steal…”

“I love diamonds, for instance,” Platinum said as if they didn’t all know that already.

“I like yachts,” Silvester added.

Mikhail furrowed his brow. “I don’t understand. You’re all filthy rich. Why would you need more than what you already have?”

Viktor contemplated the manticore’s words. He wasn’t filthy rich. He wasn’t even medium-rich. In fact, the expression ‘poor as a church mouse’ encapsulated his financial status the best. He had never needed money before, since he rarely left the Hospital’s premises. His life revolved around healing and teaching.

This would change. Right now.

“Access to the building is too easy. Creatures from all over the world come here,” Dimitri said.

“Yeah. That’s the point.” Mikhail waved his hand in dismissal.

“And that’s the problem.” Elisanda sighed. “Let us not be ignorant. Murders, new diseases – we’re losing control.”

The manticore faced her, placing his palms on the table. “Please, be more specific.”

Viktor smirked, knowing Mikhail hated being criticised. This is going to be fun.

Elisanda said, “We believe—”

“Who’s ‘we’?” Mikhail’s calm tone hinted at a storm underneath.

The nymph’s gaze darted around, as if she were trying to regain her confidence, before replying, “Myself and many of the Council members believe that none of this would have happened, had we been stricter about the creatures we allow to waltz in here. One of the ways to achieve that is by raising the prices. Think about it, Mikhail. We could turn this place into a luxury hospital for VIP creatures.”

Viktor burst out laughing. “This is ridiculous! VIP creatures? Absolutely ridiculous!”

Mikhail threw a sceptical glance at Elisanda. “Is this a joke?”

She straightened in her chair, jutting her chin in the air in defiance. “Of course not. Many of us agree that this infection would never have reached the Hospital, had we been more careful.”

“Infection?” Mikhail arched an eyebrow, throwing Viktor into another fit of laughter.

The nymph’s blue eyes widened. “The carcinoma. It is highly likely it was caused by a viral infection. It won’t take long before it spreads…”

“What?!” Platinum leapt up from her chair. “Are you implying it’s contagious?”

“Why was I not informed?” somebody asked.

Next to Viktor, Mikhail’s teeth made an audible grinding sound. “Because it’s not true.”

Elisanda cleared her throat. “I have discussed the possible source of this neoplasm with doctors of the Council and they all support the viral origin theory.”

Viktor didn’t remember anyone discussing this issue with him.

“I see.” Mikhail squinted. “So, your suggestion is to reduce the number of patients to… VIPs only?”

“Exactly.”

“Vladislav, you’re head of surgery.” Mikhail faced the vampire. “What do you think?”

“Well… I agree on upping the prices, but reducing the patients to VIPs only…” Hesitation crept into Nyavolsky’s voice. “What the fuck is a VIP in the immortal world?”

“Probably those billionaires that are behind bars right now,” someone chimed in.

“Creatures,” Mikhail said, raising his hand in the air, “please, be quiet for a moment. I would like Vladislav’s opinion on the infectious origin of the carcinoma.”

“There’s a theory that some carcinomas are caused by viruses in humans, but for now, we’ve got no reason to believe that’s the case here,” the vampire replied.

From the opposite end of the table, Elisanda scowled. “I thought we had agreed on that.”

“All right,” Mikhail said. “I refuse to reduce the patients to VIPs only, but I will consider raising the prices. Anything else?”

Viktor laughed again. These creatures were nothing more than immortal knuckleheads.

“We might have a small problem,” Jaguar said.

Viktor yawned, earning himself another death stare from Platinum.

“A friend of mine, a vampire, told me a very strange story,” Jaguar continued. “About a witcher he knew, who knew a lycanthrope…”

Viktor rolled his eyes.

“That lycanthrope claims his father died of old age.”

“What do you mean old age ?” Platinum slapped her cheeks.

Viktor smirked. If the nymph wrinkled up and lost her beauty, she’d probably have no issue with his hand on her thigh.

“His skin aged, his hair went grey”—Jaguar skimmed his brow with fingers—“and his joints were aching.”

“We know that our bodies have been ageing since 1744, but at a very slow rate. And though we haven’t heard of immortals dying of old age, it’s not impossible to think that we will, in the near future… Why did this man not come here?” Mikhail asked.

“He led a solitary life, in some Russian village. The man believed it was God’s curse.”

“And the son?”

“He’s good – in decent health.”

“You are right. It is strange. If it is at all true. Would you check?” Mikhail suggested.

When the meeting was over, Viktor got up, convinced he would pay a nice visit to the city’s hotspots. He had heard of a place called Students’ Town, where apparently most humans housed their student dormitories. What entertainment could he find there, he wondered …

“Could we talk?” Mikhail asked.

Viktor’s muscles tensed. Everyone else had left the room, so the manticore was clearly talking to him. Oh, crap. Out loud, he said, “Yeah…?”

Mikhail’s attention stayed on him for far too long. “Have you been feeling all right? You’ve been distracted, ever since we stopped the drugs.”

Viktor plastered on his most charming smile. “I feel wonderful!”

“Glad to hear it. I’ve been wondering about something, and I’d like your opinion.”

Viktor sighed to himself. The danger had been neutralised for now. The two of them walked down the hall.

“Do you think it’s possible that Amelia belongs to one of the immortal species?” Mikhail asked after making sure nobody else was around.

“Amelia, Amelia…” Viktor tapped his nose. “Your pet, right?”

Mikhail’s features sharpened. “I wouldn’t call her that.”

“Just joking, my friend. A bad joke.” Viktor smiled innocently. He had to be more careful if he didn’t want to end up pumped full of sleeping drugs again. “What makes you think that? Do you feel a specific scent?” he asked, managing a serious face.

“She smells like a human, but I wonder if she could be an immortal who still hasn’t reached immortality. As in, someone who’s in the process of transformation.”

“You know as well as I do that every kid carries the specific scent of their species even before they become immortal. What makes you think she could be in the process of transformation in the first place?”

“She barely eats, refuses meat, and threw up once after dinner. The other day, I found her lying on the floor, passed out.”

“Is she ill?”

“That’s possible. But from what?”

“How the fuck am I supposed to know if I haven’t even seen her?!” Viktor barked. Realising his mistake, he took a step back. “I apologise, my friend. I’ve been a little stressed out lately.”

Mikhail narrowed his gaze. “I can see that.”

“How are things going otherwise? Did you succeed in melting the little human’s heart?” Viktor drew a heart shape with his fingers and placed it in front of his chest. Mikhail’s eyebrows formed a straight line. “I mean, I thought you were planning to make her trust you.”

The manticore didn’t reply.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t any help.” Viktor shrugged, forcing himself to act the subdued scientist he was supposed to be.

Mikhail patted him on the back. “No worries.”

The wolf growled inside. He didn’t need to be handled like a puppy!

Down, Viktor ordered.

He obeyed.

They were going shopping now.