Way of the Wolf: Shifter Legacies 1 (4 page)

“It is mere chance then?”

“Not quite that bad. We’ve learned that certain techniques will increase the probability of a successful transformation. Repeated feedings upon a subject leading up to his infection and death will double his chances of being turned.”

Peter butted in. “That’s another thing I’ve never understood. Why does it take three days for some of us to come back, and others weeks? Why do some of us die and stay dead? Why did you die and bounce back before we could even arrange for somewhere to lay you out?”

Elliot blinked.

Chani noticed his confusion. “My turning was unusual. I died as we all must, but was back on my feet transformed in a heartbeat. We don’t know why. We don’t know why the blood bond works either, or how for that matter, but it does. We aren’t just strong humans. We look human, but we’re not. Science can’t explain this for instance.”

Elliot reared back in surprise when Chani’s face changed into one of a stranger and then back. He looked up at Peter in time to see him turn into Blake and back.

“Goddess bless. I’ve heard of vampire mind tricks but never thought to experience them.”

Arcadian chuckled. “No trick I assure you. It is true magic, or glamour if you want to get technical. All of us can do it to one degree or another.”

“The stories?”

“Are true up to a point. Not all of them, but enough to serve.”

“I always thought the Shadow was cool,” Peter said and wiggled his fingers like a magician. “Clouding men’s minds you know?”

He nodded calmly but felt chilled by this development. If they could cloud his mind and make him see things, how could he ever be sure of anything they told him?

“What about Morgan?”

“I can’t do anything like that. I’m physically tougher but that’s it.”

“Blood, sunlight?”

“I wouldn’t be a very good aide if I couldn’t go about in the day time. I eat and drink in the human way, though I could abstain for longer than a normal human if push came to shove. I don’t drink blood,” Morgan made a face. “Nasty stuff.”

“You get used to it,” Chani said with a smile.

“Hypothetically speaking, let’s assume I say yes to working for you and that Susan is agreeable to becoming what Morgan is, how would that work?”

Chani answered. “One of us, me probably as I do not currently have a servant, would bond with Susan. She would agree to let me feed from her, and then later she would take blood from me. It may only take one feeding, but three is the usual method. She will become like Morgan shortly after that. For this to happen, you both have to agree to live and work here with your colleagues. You will have no outside contact for an indefinite time, and will work for us as we direct. You will not discuss any of this with anyone.”

“I can’t agree to an indefinite time. Your research may never be realised. I would be signing the rest of my life over to your project.”

Arcadian nodded. “Let us say a minimum of two years with options for renewal of the contract.”

Elliot nodded slowly. “I need to speak with Susan. I can’t go ahead unless she agrees.”

“Excellent! I’m sure she will agree, Professor.” Arcadian smiled slowly. “I’m certain of it in fact.”

* * *

2 ~ Lephmann

“Am I boring you, Doctor Lephmann?”

David frowned at the mockery. “Not at all. I was considering your choice of subject. I don’t know about you gentleman,” he surveyed the others, “But talk of this nature…
troubles
me.”

Jan nodded her agreement, but it was already obvious that the others agreed with Hoberman. A cynical man might think to charge them with toadying—and be right. Doctor Hoberman was senior to them all and he was in tight with those that mattered. Jan was relatively new in her position, just as David himself was. Both of them were still on the outside looking in. He hadn’t been able to make friends with Hoberman’s little clique, and if he were honest with himself, he didn’t want to. He saw the wall growing ever higher between him and the others every time he opened his mouth, but it was not in him to keep silent when he heard such bigoted trash expressed by professional and well respected men. They should know better. Opinions voiced in private were one thing, though the smell of such hypocrisy turned his stomach, it was better than the alternative. Saying such things where others could hear and perhaps act upon them was irresponsible in the extreme.

“Troubles you in what way exactly?” Hoberman said, playing to his audience.

“To differentiate between patients for such petty reasons as his or her race is abominable. I became a doctor because I believe in helping people. It doesn’t matter to me whether the patient is human or something else, and it shouldn’t matter to you gentleman.” He tried to catch their eyes. “There is nothing in the oath we all swore that restricts our practice of medicine to humans.”

One or two of the others did have the decency to look abashed, but they didn’t have the moral courage to agree with him. They looked away trying not to meet his eyes.

Only Jan had the guts to speak up. “I agree. You must admit the situation has changed, if not, we are nothing but frightened peasants hiding from the bogeyman.”

Hoberman glared. “The times have indeed changed and not for the better. Your bogeyman is as real as you are. We knew how to deal with such creatures as they deserved back then, but now we cuddle up with them and pretend not see what we’ve taken into our beds. Your peasants may have been ignorant savages beset by superstition, but they knew the folly of trying to live with these animals!”

Jan hissed in shock. Even the clique was shocked to stillness. Hoberman had called them animals. They weren’t animals but people. Different from humans maybe, but they were sentient beings. They loved and hated like people, laughed and talked like people. They
were
people!

“I believe you misspoke, Doctor,” David said giving the man a graceful way to withdraw. “I hope you misspoke. I’m sure all here agree that it was people you meant, not animals.”

“I said what I said and meant every word. You may call them people if you wish. You may even believe it, though how anyone could is beyond me. That is beside the point.”

“What
is
the point?”

“The point is, I’m in need of someone with your peculiar outlook where non humans are concerned. Alex Brauer called me yesterday and asked me to recommend someone to help him over at Mercy. I thought you might like a change of scenery. Unless of course you’ve changed your opinion about working with the animals?”

He gritted his teeth to stop himself replying immediately and rashly. Doctor Brauer worked at Mercy Hospital, which was understaffed. A change of scenery would be good right now, but knowing Hoberman, his exile was likely to become permanent in a hurry. He had only recently come on staff here at Saint Bartholomew’s, and he had his future to consider. Making an enemy of Hoberman was not a good idea; his opinions had weight. If the man just happened to mention that a doctor of his acquaintance was a troublemaker, that doctor would find it very hard to find a worthwhile position anywhere.

“Ah,” Hoberman smirked. “He’s having second thoughts. It seems David’s convictions have been tested and found wanting. Perhaps you, Janice?”

Jan shook her head and looked down as if ashamed. She glanced once at David then away.

“My convictions remain the same. I have no problem working at Mercy for a time. The experience will be good for me.”

Hoberman raised an eyebrow. “Indeed? Well then, I shall tell Alex to expect you tomorrow. Shall we say ten?”

“By all means,” he said with a sinking feeling. What would Michelle say when she heard about this? Whatever she said, he knew he wouldn’t like it.

The rest of that day he couldn’t stop thinking about Hoberman. Why did the man dislike him so? He had done nothing to warrant it, and it wasn’t his opinions where non-humans were concerned either. Hoberman had spoken with Alex Brauer yesterday before their discussion about them, so the trigger couldn’t be their opposing view.

It was late when he arrived home. He showered and took the opportunity to change his clothes before leaving the house again to drive to Michelle’s place. He would rather drive almost anywhere else than explain to her how he had volunteered to work with non-human patients, but he couldn’t hide it forever. Michelle and he were supposed to go out tonight, but he was late. She would be in a bad mood. By the time he parked his car, he had summoned enough courage to tell her what had happened and where he would be working for the foreseeable future.

Michelle opened the door and waited for him. She must have been watching the street. He tried to kiss her but she was having none of it. She spun on her heel and stalked back inside the house leaving him at the door. David sighed. He really didn’t need this.

“I’m sorry,” he said closing the door quietly. Michelle didn’t like noise. “We can go another night.”

“You could have at least let me know. Robert was free; he could have taken me.”

“Why Robert and not Jennifer?”

Michelle shrugged.

He let his anger at the idea of Robert taking his place go. He didn’t want to be angry with her and he certainly didn’t want her angry with him. He stepped up behind her and clasped her shoulders. “I’m sorry. We had an emergency; I couldn’t just leave.”

“There’s always an emergency with you. If it’s not one thing it’s another.”

“Hey,” he whispered. He tried to pull her into his arms but she resisted and shrugged him off. She stalked to the other side of the room. “What do you want me to say? I’m a doctor. I had to stay and save someone’s life. I’m sorry if that messes up your social schedule.” He winced as soon as that came out. He wished he could take it back, but it was too late and he knew it. He headed for the drinks cabinet knowing he would need one.

“I have a life too, David.”

“I know you—”

“My life doesn’t revolve around your work. If you think that I’m going to make an appointment every time I want to see you, you have another think coming.”

“I don’t think that.”

“Well that’s what it feels like to me.”

He poured himself Glenlivet over ice and threw it down his throat in one gulp. “I have something to tell you and I don’t want you to interrupt.”

“What is—”

“Hoberman asked me to work over at Mercy and I said yes,” he said in a rush and winced waiting for the explosion. He turned to see her standing as before. “Well?”

“I’m waiting for the punchline.”

“It’s not a joke.”

“How could you? You know what this will mean.”

He rolled his shoulders trying to dispel the tension building there. “It means I’ll be out from under Hoberman.”

“He’s a friend of my father, a really
good
friend, and you knew that! Daddy will find out!”

“I don’t care if he finds out. In fact, I have a good mind to tell him right now. This is going to be good for me. I just know it.”

Michelle stared at him, appalled. “How could you let this happen? You have to tell him you changed your mind. Daddy will—”

“I want to marry
you
, not your father. You know my feelings. I won’t go back to Hoberman and beg for my old place back! I didn’t go through med school to toady to the likes of him.”

“Do it for us. Daddy says he can get you a place with him, but he won’t do that if he hears about this. Think what people will say!”

“You’re not listening to me. I don’t want to work for your father. Hoberman wants me out of his playground. I’m more than willing to give him what he wants.”

“Why are you so
weak!
” Michelle stormed. “You’re always so damn accommodating!”

He stilled. “Is that what you really think of me—that I’m weak?
Well is it?
” He roared the question, stiff with anger. Michelle remained silent. “I see,” he hissed and slammed his glass down. “I better go.”

“David?”

“Yes?” He looked back from the doorway.

“Please say you won’t do it. Daddy can fix this.”

“I really would be as weak as you think me if I allowed that.” He couldn’t help slamming the door on his way out. Petty, but he felt a little better for it.

Alex Brauer as it turned out was a harried looking man in his late thirties. David could see Hoberman had not lied about him needing help at least. Attracting good administrators and staff couldn’t be easy with the hospital’s reputation for treating non-humans. Everyone working here was holding down two jobs and sometimes three. Brauer officially headed up the emergency department, but in real terms, he was senior surgeon effectively running the entire hospital alongside its undermanned and underfunded administration department. It was a heavy burden for a team of experienced doctors, let alone one man and a couple of juniors. He wondered if Brauer knew that his newest addition was also lacking in experience. Probably not, he thought when he saw the smile of relieved welcome.

“Doctor Lephmann?” Brauer said shaking hands. “I’m so very glad to meet you. I must confess that when I heard the news, I thought they were just fobbing me off as they usually do.”