“Yes, you did.” Cara licked chocolate off her fingers. “A debt I’ll never be able to repay.”
“You already made me an aunt with Janie, and now I have a nephew on the way. We’re even.” Moira wondered what other types of candy Kane hid. She’d love a piece of butterscotch. Then she faltered. “I mean, well, I’m not married—”
“No stuttering here, girlfriend.” Cara smiled, reaching for another candy bar. “Believe me, as a Kayrs mate, I get it. Confusion is a way of life.”
Moira let out a relieved laugh. “Yes. Ah, thanks.”
Katie shuffled her feet. The scent of wild orchids mixed with Cajun spices wafted around. “So, anything new with the virus?”
Midnight black hair flew when Emma shook her head. “The antivirals we’ve been experimenting with slow down the progression almost to a standstill. While the eight pills a day are a pain, at least they’re giving us some time to find a complete cure.”
Katie frowned, gliding toward the counter. “Are we doing more tests on the catalyst today?”
Moira lifted her head. “Are you a scientist, too?” Maybe the lion shifter would help her escape.
“No.” Katie sighed. “I take notes. Emma does experiments, and I write stuff down. So helpful.”
“You are helpful, Katie. And yes, we’re doing more research on the catalyst today.” Emma grabbed another file and nodded toward a row of syringes filled with golden liquid. “I thought we’d blend some with the werewolf blood Kane obtained, and mix in the HIV drugs used to treat humans.”
“Are these normal doses or are we super dosing again today?” Katie asked.
“Normal doses,” Emma said.
“Good. I do appreciate being able to help. At least I see what’s going on.” Katie nodded, placing her notebook next to the shots. “How did my blood tests come out from yesterday?”
Emma grabbed a blue file and flipped the top open to read. “Your tests were good. No change in the progression of the virus, which means the handful of pills you’re taking every day is actually doing some good.” She flipped the file shut, smiling. “We’re buying time.”
Katie shook her head. “I stopped taking the medication a month ago. Yet the virus is doing nothing.”
Emma slammed down the file. “You stopped taking your pills? Katie, you’re killing me.”
Moira bit her lip. “Ah, you have the virus?” At Katie’s nod, she continued, “Why stop taking the medication?”
“I can’t shift.” Shivering pain coated Katie’s voice. “The second they infected me, I lost the ability to shift into a lion.” Tears filled her bourbon colored eyes. “My friend, Maggie, is a wolf shifter and she was infected with the virus and the catalyst. Every month during a full moon she fights the need to turn into a werewolf, and turns into a wolf instead. She can still shift.”
Moira had heard the Kurjans were trying to create a slave werewolf class, which would be stronger and live longer than humans turned werewolves. “I thought three cycles of a full moon and someone infected became a werewolf for good.” Of course, that was only when a werewolf bit a human. Having shifters turn into werewolves was a whole new mess.
Katie nodded. “Yeah. We waited three full moons, thinking if Maggie beat them all, she’d be cured. Instead, she has to fight the urge every full moon.” Emotion swirled through Katie’s eyes. “Maggie can still shift into a wolf... at least once a month.”
“So. There have actually been documented cases of shifters being infected.” Moira wondered what else the leaders of the Realm had kept under wraps. She needed to notify the Coven Nine. “Since Maggie is a wolf shifter and you’re a lion shifter, you might react differently to the virus.” Shifters were canine, feline, or multi—those who could shift into any animal except canine or feline.
Emma huffed out a breath. “I’ve told Katie that repeatedly. We have no idea how the virus will continue to affect her. Hopefully the bug will be neutralized and go away, similar to a common cold.” She slid the file into a drawer. “We think maybe the catalyst in Maggie’s system is what allowed the virus to progress to the point of where she had to shift.” A frown marred the queen’s face. “But again, we don’t know anything for sure, Katie. Quitting the medicine could be a huge mistake for you.”
“Then I should take this all the way.” Katie moved too fast for anyone to react. With impressive reflexes, she grabbed a syringe, shoving the needle into her arm and pressing the stopper. The shimmering liquid slid through the needle, leaving an empty threat behind.
Cara clapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh my God.”
Emma dropped her pencil, her face sheeting white. “Katie. What did you just do?” She rushed forward, grabbing and turning Katie’s arm to view the protruding needle.
“Don’t worry. I’ve been doing my research on the catalyst and know how much to take.” The lioness shrugged, removing the syringe and dropping the shot into a metal trash can. “I’m done waiting. Either this thing helps me shift again, or it kills me.”
“You don’t need to worry about the catalyst.” Cara shoved herself to her feet, struggling with the last couple inches. The chair released her with a groan. She steadied herself with a hand on the counter. “Jordan is going to kill you.”
Katie grabbed a rolling chair and dropped onto the seat, freeing herself from Emma. “The man keeps offering to mate with me. He thinks it might bring back my shifting ability.”
“Mating might work,” Emma hissed. “I’d rather experiment with Jordan than place poison in your veins.” She paced back and forth, her hand running through her hair. “I can’t believe you did this.” Her gaze darted around the counter. “I have nothing. There’s nothing to inject you with to counteract what you just did.” She whirled on Katie, her hands in the air. “I would’ve recommended mating with Jordan as an experiment before you did something like this.”
A wry smile lifted Katie’s lips. “First of all, the leader of the entire feline world can’t mate with someone unable to shift.” She shrugged. “Old-fashioned and probably wrong, but you all know it’s true.”
Moira straightened. They had to be talking about Jordan Pride. She’d met the dangerous lion on several occasions. The man seemed to possess an abundance of honor and duty. Would he mate out of duty? Somehow, based on her knowledge of the passionate natures of shifters, she doubted it.
“Jordan is capable of making his own decisions. He can mate whoever he wants.” Cara lifted her chin. “He offered, and I think you should’ve said yes. Considering you love the man.” Her hand trembled against her stomach.
Katie flushed pink. “Yeah, well, he never showed an ounce of interest until deciding I needed saving. Sacrificing himself is merely one reason he’s such a good leader.”
Moira barely kept herself from nodding. She wouldn’t mate a guy who was trying to do her a favor. It was one of the reasons she’d kept her distance from Conn all those years. He’d stay with her out of duty. She wanted more. Needed more. Tears pressured the back of her eyelids. Sadness settled like a dead weight in her stomach. What if he hadn’t marked her that night? Would they have found something together ... on their own? Regretting such a thing was silly, yet she couldn’t help but wish they’d had a chance.
Katie dabbed at the blood still welling on her arm. “How long until this thing kicks in?”
Emma huffed out in irritation. “We don’t know. Infection took a day with Cara, but she’s human. This might take years with you.” If possible, the queen paled further. Her hand went to her head. “Damn vision coming.” She swayed and only Moira’s quick movements kept her from falling to the floor.