“I’m scared, Tracy. This is serious shit.” Raven paced as her mind raced, thinking of different scenarios that might possibly be playing out. “It’s some kind of virus. I don’t even want to say what it might be, but if it is what I think it is…let’s just say we’re royally screwed. Bo needs to be quarantined until we know for certain.”

“What? Tell me what you think it is.”

“Some altered strain of Ebola,” Raven answered in a whisper.

One of the nurses abruptly backed away from the IV in Bo’s arm. She reported to Raven, “Dr. Odin is on tonight. He should be in here any second. I saw him looking over Bo’s chart.”

“Thanks, Maureen. You’ll be staying with him?”

Maureen nodded. “Yes, I won’t leave unless the doctor or another nurse arrives. Not to worry. Should I gear up, Dr. Strigoi?”

Raven gave her a weak smile. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”

Maureen was visibly nervous. “B-but I thought I heard you say…”

“Believe it or not, this strain of Ebola has been genetically altered. It’s a recombinant virus, which means it’s been genetically changed in a lab. The preliminary reports show it doesn’t affect humans. You are still human, right?” Raven tried to soften her tone. Maureen was married to a Lamai.

“Of course. Jack wouldn’t…”

Tracy ’s voice was quiet yet confident. “Don’t worry. You’ll be okay.” She kept moving out of the way of the nurses.

Raven placed her hand reassuringly on Maureen’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. That was a poor attempt at humor.”

Maureen gave a slight smile. “I’ll get Dr. Odin.”

Raven understood the implications. Bo could not be under her care, at least not on paper. She had privileges at the hospital, but only in her capacity as the M.E. For the sake of appearances and hospital protocol, Dr. Ian Odin would look after Bo. But Raven would have a say in his treatment as well.

“Has anyone notified Bo’s family?” Dr. Odin bellowed, bursting through the doors of the exam room. His white, shoulder-length hair flew in all directions, in direct opposition to his meticulously trimmed beard. “I want blood matches from his whole family. I know his grandfather shares his blood type. Let’s get Mat in here. I want a tox work-up on this white substance that’s covering his face.”

“I already had the EMTs get a sample,” Raven said, double-checking with Tracy.

“Yes, we have it.”

Ian motioned with his hands for things to speed up. “Maureen, get that powder off his face now.”

“Bo’s partner should be on his way with Matoskah. Bo’s parents are out west visiting his sisters. Joe is calling them as well,” Raven said, gently stroking Bo’s cheek. He felt warmer than before.

Raven moved out of Maureen’s way so the nurse could clean off Bo’s face. “Is he getting a broad spectrum antibiotic?” she asked, knowing deep down it wouldn’t matter in the least.

Dr. Odin came over and took Bo’s vitals again. “Yes. Why don’t you go down to the lab and check on his results?”

Raven stalled, not wanting to leave. “Do you know how Mordred is doing? Are the transfusions helping him?”

“I don’t know. Last I heard, he was stable,” Ian said, updating the chart. “His temp’s one-oh-two. Bo usually runs a temp of one-hundred, correct, Raven?”

Tracy offered, “I’ll stay with him.”

Raven kissed Bo’s face. It was warm. “Yes, Ian, usually. I’ll be in the lab. Page me immediately if there are any changes.” Raven wanted to be sure before she confided to Dr. Odin her suspicions concerning the virus.

“Of course, of course,” the white-haired doctor chided.

She walked out into the hall, directly into Tobias. “Raven, how is he? What happened?”

For some reason, at the sound of her father’s voice, she broke down. A profusion of tears fell from her eyes. Floodgates opened and fear nestled within her heart. “I don’t exactly know. I-I think Jade had something to do with this. She w-was there. He must have been infected. There’s the identical puncture m-mark on his arm, same as the others, and h-he’s unconscious. There was white powder on his face.”

Tobias hugged her, and she melted in the safety of his arms. “I’ve been doing some research of my own while I’ve been in town. I think I have someone who may be able to help.” He held her at arms length for a moment. “You must be strong now, dulciuri inimă. Who is Bo’s doctor?”

Raven wiped the tears from her face, forcing them to cease. As much as she wanted to curl up into a tight ball and become a little girl again, her father was right. There would be plenty of time for crying later. “Master Wizard and Chief of Staff Ian Odin.”

Tobias gave Raven another hug before releasing her. “Good. He knows almost all there is to know about what we’re up against.”

“I’m not so certain about that. I received another call from my colleague, Dr. Kronberg, in San Francisco. It seems that Laroque’s been experimenting with viruses, particularly Ebola.” Raven knew she had to focus. Bo’s life depended on her ability to solve this medical mystery.

Her father smirked. “I would ask how he was able to get his hands on Ebola, but, knowing Laroque, it must have involved magick.”

“Stay with Bo until I get back?” she asked.

He brushed his hand across her cheek, wiping away a rogue tear. “Of course. Emerald is upstairs checking on Mordred. When you get back, I’m going to call in a few favors.”

Raven nodded and turned toward the lab.

“Tell me again why we have to do this?” Jade asked the man in the shadows. The only light came from the flames in the hearth that created streams of shadows and illumination.

He stepped into the light. His chestnut hair was streaked with white at the temples, his eyes the color of brandy. Not overtly handsome, he was attractive in a rugged and dangerous way. His aura hinted of both as did his manner and appearance.

“Because you made me promise not to hurt her,” Laroque said to his daughter. Purposely his voice remained level, void of any trace of anger.

“I don’t want things to be this way, père,” she pleaded as she stood before him, the warmth of the fire at her back.

“Now that you’ve seen her, you have a change of heart?” He spoke softly to his daughter. Taking a cigar out of his humidor, he lit it.

He, to this day, could not get over the striking resemblance she bore to her mother. At some moments, when his guard was down, he could almost feel Nicolette’s presence. The tone of Jade’s voice, the color of her hair and the glint in her eyes all echoed Nicolette.

Jade fanned the smoky air in front of her. “Raven’s my family. No matter how much you hate Tobias, she is still my sister.”

He reined in his frustration. “I explained all of this to you. I can’t touch Tobias. The only way to get to him is through his family. You begged me not to harm Raven. What else can I do but go after the man she loves?” He poured a cup of tea from an antique china pot.

Jade frowned. “Yes, I remember all that.” She turned away and stared into the flames.

Laroque walked over to his daughter. “Tobias took your mother away from us. He made her feel incredibly guilty over what happened, he never let up on her and he drove her to suicide.” He felt the muscles in his neck strain as he tried to keep his voice in check. He put his hand on her shoulder, but she moved away, toward the sofa opposite the fireplace.

Jade sat. “How do you know that?”

“Because I know Tobias!” Laroque slammed the delicate china cup against the desktop, causing it to splinter into tiny fragments. Jade pushed him too far. Every conversation that included mention of her mother and Tobias ended the same way. Laroque stormed over to the opposite end of the room in a fury. An archway separated him from his daughter. He stood in his office.

He sensed Jade’s apprehension. Ever since she’d seen her sister, she’d had mixed emotions about everything. Laroque could read his daughter and knew Jade began to question the whole situation after observing Raven and Tobias together at the festival. The ancient Lamai appeared to care deeply about his daughter. Laroque was aware of Jade’s propensity to empathize with others.