Page 91 of Damian’s Conquest

“Good. Mick, we have the blood that Cynthia drained from you earlier today. If you agree to let us use the blood to heal Cynthia’s twin brother, Ralph, we won’t turn you over to the vampire council for punishment. Should we need more blood to heal Ralph, you’ll be providing more. Another infraction that puts our entire society in danger, and you’ll be turned over to the council. Don’t expect any leniency if that happens.”

Naomi saw that Mick swallowed hard.

“Yeah,” Grayson added, “and guess who’ll be pouncing when you slip up? And I’m not as nice as Damian.”

Naomi had no trouble believing Grayson’s words. He was definitely not as nice as Damian.

“And what will happen to Cynthia?” Tracy asked.

“We’ll be erasing her memory,” Damian replied. “She won’t remember that she ever bought any vampire blood, or that she figured out that Mick is a vampire.”

“You’re not punishing her?” Mick asked, surprise evident in his voice. “She kidnapped us.”

“She won’t be imprisoned if that’s what you mean. Since she’s human, and her crime didn’t result in anybody’s death, we have no reason to kill her. She’s not a danger to society, and despite what she did to you, she’s not violent. If it makes you feel better, we’ll be watching her once she’s released. Should she ever commit another crime against us or anybody else, I assure you we’ll take action.”

Naomi’s heart suddenly pounded. She believed Damian. He wasn’t making empty threats.

“Make a decision,” Damian demanded. “It’s a package deal. All or nothing.”

Mick exchanged a look with Tracy. “We agree.”

“Good choice,” Grayson said. He looked at Damian and gestured to the door. “I can get started with the names of the buyers, if you take care of Ralph.”

“No problem,” Damian agreed and turned to the door.

Together they left the room, and Damian shut the door behind him. He pulled her into an embrace, and Naomi pressed herself to his chest.

“Just a little while longer,” he said, “and we can get out of here. Let’s check in on Ralph.”

“Will Mick’s blood really cure him?” she asked.

“At least it gives him a chance.” He released her from his arms and took her hand. Then he let his gaze sweep over the circular room with its treatment bays that were separated by long curtains, just like in a real hospital. “Maya?”

The female physician Naomi had seen earlier when the ambulance had arrived, stepped out of one of the treatment bays. She approached them.

“What’s the verdict?” she asked, then cast a quick look at Naomi.

“It’s a go.”

“All right. Then let’s do this before it’s too late.” She walked toward a large refrigerator and opened it. Naomi watched as she took out a bag filled with blood, then pulled more medical supplies from a drawer. “I already prepared everything. Come. We put him in the long-term patient room.”

Maya swung a door open, and Naomi and Damian followed her into another corridor. There she stopped in front of a door. Next to it, a large window afforded a view into the room. To Naomi’s surprise this didn’t look like a normal hospital room. It was much larger, and was furnished like an expensive hotel suite. Ralph lay on a bed, hooked up to a machine that monitored his vital signs.

When they entered, Ralph turned his head slightly to look at them, but he didn’t sit up.

“I want to see my sister,” he murmured, his voice weak, his eyes pleading. “I don’t have much time left.”

Damian stepped closer, and Naomi stood back. “You’ll get to see her soon. But first, we have an experimental treatment that can cure the cancer. All we need is your permission to treat you.”

“More snake oil? More pain?”

Naomi heard the hopelessness in his voice, and her heart ached for him.

“No pain,” Damian promised. “Your sister risked a lot for this. Do you really want her efforts to be in vain?”

Tears welled up in Ralph’s eyes, before he closed them. “All right. Do it, but if it doesn’t work, just let me die in peace.”

“You have my word.” Damian stepped aside, and allowed Maya to approach her patient.