Dagon was silent for a moment. “How is this virus transmitted?”
“If I wanted to infect a member of your crew—which I don’t—I would have to drain almost all of his blood, then transfuse him with my own, infecting him on a massive level.”
He slid Adaos a look as the robotic arm hovering over the healer withdrew the needle from his arm and retracted. “Did you do that to Adaos?”
“No. I just took some of his blood. I’m sorry, Dagon. I was so weak I couldn’t even stand up when I did it, and all I kept thinking was that I had to find enough strength to get out of here before the rest of the mercenaries realized I was awake.”
He met her gaze. “How did you take his blood?”
She tightened her hold on his hand, not wanting to tell him, not wanting to see revulsion or disgust wash across his features.
“Eliana?”
She sighed. “When I transformed, the virus provided me with a means to infuse myself with someone else’s blood whenever the need arises.”
“What means?”
Forcing herself to meet his gaze, she drew her lips back, exposed her upper teeth, and let her fangs descend.
Dagon’s face lost all expression.
She waited for him to yank his hand away from hers.
“You drink the blood?” he asked. And she heard the revulsion he tried to keep from registering on his face.
“No. The goal isn’t to funnel the blood into my digestive tract. It’s to get it into my circulatory system. My fangs behave like this needle.” She glanced at the one in her arm. “They draw the blood directly into my veins.”
He slid Adaos another look. “The marks on his neck?”
“I bit him.” Eliana looked down at their clasped hands, dreading his response.
He gave her hand a squeeze and slid his thumb across her knuckles in a soft caress.
Hope rising, she looked up at him.
“I see now why you were so furious to learn the Gathendiens were responsible for the attack.”
“Yeah. What is it with those assholes?”
He smiled. “I like this term you use to describe them.”
She laughed, then winced at the sharp jab of pain it sparked. “I did warn you that I tend to have a foul mouth when I’m angry.”
“Then you will fit in well on my ship.”
She studied him, almost afraid to believe it. “Really?”
He nodded. “You seem surprised.”
“I am. Most humans—or Earthlings—react badly to what I’ve just told you. Some tried to kill me when they guessed I was different.”
“The Sectas warned us that Earthlings tend to hate those who are different from themselves and often react with violence.”
“Sadly, it’s true. But not all humans do. There are some who work with the Immortal Guardians and help us.”
“As they should. You have saved your planet and prevented them from becoming extinct.”
Unfortunately, most humans didn’t know that. “What about your crew?” she asked uneasily. “Are you going to tell them?”
“No. I will keep your secret, Eliana. No one else needs to know.”
She relaxed. “Thank you.”
“Except Adaos.”
Wincing, she glanced at the sleeping male. “Because I bit him?”
“Because he’s our chief medical officer. I don’t know how long you will be traveling with us, but—if I’m understanding correctly—you’re going to need regular transfusions.”
“Oh. Right.” She nibbled her lip. “Do you think he’s going to freak out?”
He paused as though deciphering her meaning. “I think he will be fascinated. He will keep your secret though if you ask him to.”
Relief filled her. “Good.”
“Would you let one of our secondary medics see to your wounds when they return?”
She shook her head. “The transfusion is all I need. I really do heal quickly. If you ran another scan, the computer would tell you my fractured ribs are already mending.”
“Affirmative,” CC stated. “All fractured ribs are now seventy percent healed.”
Eliana stared at Dagon, then whispered, “Was she listening to everything I just said?”
Leaning closer, amusement glinting in his hazel eyes, he whispered back, “Yes.”
She laughed, then winced again.
“Easy,” he enjoined.
“When I’m finished with the transfusion, could I maybe shower and borrow a change of clothes? I’m going to need to sleep deeply for a bit to fully recover and would rather not do it all bloody and gross.”
He smiled. “As you wish.”
Eliana’s transfusion took far longer than Adaos’s had. It took so long, in fact, that Adaos woke halfway through it. And just as Eliana had warned, he spoke and behaved as though he were drunk.
Dagon was stunned, having never seen the healer inebriated before.
But it amused Eliana. “Awww. He’s a happy drunk. That’s so cute.”
Seeing her spirits lift raised his own. She had a very expressive face. And despite his assurances, she seemed to expect rejection or disgust or the like from him. Clearly, she had been treated badly in the past.
Once Adaos sobered up, as Eliana put it, Dagon left her in the medic’s care and returned to the bridge. His crew searched assiduously for more survivors of the attack, a task that continued to prove difficult. They were far from home in a sector of space that saw little traffic or exploration. They couldn’t use the qhov’rum or their warp drive to cover distance more swiftly for fear they would miss something or someone.
While they searched, the crew expressed their curiosity about Eliana. All were amazed she still lived. All were equally astonished that a woman so tiny and sorely injured could take down Adaos, and they would probably tease him about it for months.
“Commander Dagon?” Adaos spoke in his earpiece.
“Yes.”
“Eliana is resting.”
“Did you allow her to use the cleansing unit?” She had called it a shower.
“Yes. I also provided her with healing garments.”
Dagon was a little surprised they had any of those on board. Healing garments were simple shirts and pants that opened easily to provide healers with access to wounds. Usually injured warriors just rested naked under a cover, their years of training having long since robbed them of any modesty.
“Good.”
“The amount of blood she required astonished me,” the healer admitted. “Even a warrior thrice her weight who has lost most of his own would not require so much. I can’t wait to learn more about this virus she harbors and her advanced DNA. If I could—”
“You will not turn her into an experiment or a creature to study, Adaos,” he ordered sternly. “And you will say or do nothing to make her feel like an aberration. If you do, you’ll answer to me.” Eliana had demonstrated admirable strength and courage, but that didn’t mean she lacked vulnerabilities. Dagon didn’t want Adaos to pounce with questions and requests for tests, making her feel like the oddity the humans on Earth had labeled her.
Only hearing his end of the communication, the crewmen on the bridge cast him uncertain looks.