The pavement was wet as we walked uphill through an alley. A husky man wearing an apron stepped out of a gray door to deposit a bundle of plastic bags into a large trash bin. He kicked a cat out of his way as he returned to his building. I frowned at him as I heard the pained wails coming from the poor feline. We had walked for a block or two when Galen stopped in front of a pair of heavy steel doors.

“This is the place.” Galen knocked.

A tall guy with sunglasses—almost as tall as Galen—opened the door. He sized us up quickly.

“Doc’s busy,” he said. “Come back later.”

“We have an appointment,” Galen said.

“I said he’s busy.”

The palms of my hands started to sweat. I hated confrontations.

“That’s okay. We can come back,” I said.

“We’re not leaving.” David looked at the man behind the door. “We came to see the doctor, and we’re going to see him.”

Galen took a step forward, but instead of moving out of the way, the tall guy crossed his arms and tightened his jaw. David pushed me back and attempted to take a step forward. I grabbed his arm, pulling on it to keep him from joining Galen. I was thankful when the door opened wider and another man appeared. He looked us up and down, twice, and then placed a leather fedora over his black hair. The man pulled out a cigarette case from his linen coat.

“You’d make a good model.” He lit his cigarette. His head jerked in our direction. “Give ‘em my card,” he instructed the tall guy. “I got a job for you, if you’re interested.”

The tall guy stretched his arm, holding the card out to me. I reached for it, but he pulled the paper away and laughed. He gave the business card to David instead. For a second, I thought I heard my self-esteem whimper.

The man with the fedora and the cigarette puffed a ring of smoke and started walking. A car pulled up and another guy, just as tall as the first, stepped out of the car and opened the door for the two men. The fedora man lifted the hand that held the cigarette as a farewell gesture before he stepped into the car.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” a voice echoed from behind the steel doors. Out stepped a man with strands of long, greying hair and a goatee. His lightning bolt earring was a bit large for his earlobe. He wore a simple white t-shirt under a white, short-sleeve lab coat that was too small for him. His khaki pants were folded up to his ankles, exposing his bare and grimy feet. Was this the genius scientist that was going to fix me? I shot Galen a worried look, and he smiled in return.

“What business does…” David glanced at the name on the card, “Gío Carboné have with you?”

“None. He’s a collector,” the doctor said. “Let’s get started. This way to my lab.”

“What does he collect? Bodies?” I snorted, as we walked into the building.

The doctor paused his step and looked at me in surprise. “Rarities, mostly.” He blinked several times. “I’m sorry. I just realized I didn’t introduce myself. My name is Doctor Tobias Gunn. I already know Mr. Galen Chios, so that would make you Mrs. Isis Chios,” he shifted his stare to David, “wife to Mr. David Chios, who I’ve only met over the phone. Am I right?”

I shook my head. “Oh, I’m not—”

“Yes,” Galen spoke over me. “That’s right.”

Gunn shook our hands. “I’d like to thank you for your generous donation, and be assured that, as you’ve asked, your anonymity will be kept.”

“About that, Dr. Gunn,” Galen said. “We’d like to contribute further funding to your research.”

The scientist clapped his hands. “Excellent!”

“To be clear, we’d like to become your exclusive and prime source of funding,” David added, detailing the condition of the deal.

“Exclusive?” The doctor blinked. I gathered it was a nervous tick. “That could be very costly. Are you sure?”

Galen slipped out a piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to Dr. Gunn. “Will this cover one year’s worth of research?”

Gunn covered his mouth with his free hand and made a sound like a mouse that made me giggle. David elbowed me. The doctor folded the check and placed it in his shirt pocket.

“I’m at your family’s disposal twenty-four hours a day,” Gunn said. “And I’m not just saying that. I don’t sleep much, but even if I did sleep, which I wish I would, you could count on me, sir… err… sirs and madam.”

“Thank you,” the brothers said.

“Let’s get started then.” Gunn turned his back to us and walked in the direction of a wall of smooth steel.

I laughed softly when I saw the image on the back of the doctor’s lab coat. It was a picture of a dark human silhouette wrapped in a colorful human DNA chain. Above the picture, the doctor’s research lab’s name read T.G. Genetics Research Center & Laboratories. Below the picture was his slogan, “We’ll unzip your genes if you let us.”

When we reached the end of the hall, I saw that it was three panels that formed the wall. Gunn tapped a clear square plate that lit up in neon blue upon his touch. He withdrew a cotton swab from his lab coat pocket, wiped the inside of his cheek with it, and then dabbed saliva on the panel. The light on the small board turned green and the middle plate of the wall slid open with a whoosh, revealing the laboratory. Though it seemed like a pretty gross access key, I had to admire the doctor for his ingenious design.

“After you,” the doctor said, dropping the cotton swab back into his pocket.

The door slid shut behind us, creating a light wave of air. I cringed, thinking of how many times a day he used the same piece of cotton. Then a thought occurred to me, how had Gemini managed to break into the lab without smearing Gunn’s spit over the access panel?

I scanned the laboratory for windows, but found nothing. What I did see were microscopes, surgical tools, large machines, small medical equipment, two examination tables, and multitudes of steel tables. One of the larger machines was emitting an irritating beep.

The scientist led us to one of the many tables. I gawked at a tray full of sharp metal rods that lay side by side.

“Are you comfortable with needles, Mrs. Chios?” Gunn asked.

“Not anymore.”

David took one of the syringes from the tray that Gunn was holding. Gunn squealed like a mouse again.

“No touching,” Gunn said. “These are sterile.” He took the needle from David and flung it into a small trash bin displaying a biohazard warning.

“Dr. Gunn, there’s another issue to discuss before you begin any procedures with the lady,” David said.

“Of course.”

Dr. Gunn set the tray on a lab table and stood in front of David with his arms behind his back. Galen was preoccupied with the doctor’s microscopes.

“I might’ve contracted the illness that’s attacking my wife.”

“If it’s viral, it’s not uncommon since you’re in close contact with each other as a couple.” The doctor walked to a drawer next to me and pulled out two hospital gowns. “You’ll have to remove all articles of clothing and accessories you may be wearing. Follow me, please.” Gunn led us to a door in the corner of the laboratory that I hadn’t noticed before. “Go ahead. There’s room in there for both of you.”

I glanced at Galen, and then at David. David opened his mouth to speak, but the doctor opened the door and pushed us both into the room. It was a small bathroom.

“No time to waste,” Gunn said and closed the door behind us.

It was large enough to fit two people in the small room, but not spacious enough for two people to move around. The showerhead was only three feet away from the toilet bowl and there was a white sink and wall mirror adjacent to it.

“Can you face the other way?”

“Why? Are you embarrassed?” David asked, and I shrugged. “Fine.”

We turned in opposite directions. I faced the shower and hung the gown from a silver hook on the wall. As we undressed, I found the space we had was much tighter than I anticipated, and we elbowed each other a few times in the process. I kicked my garments to the corner of the shower and grabbed the gown off the hook. I wrapped the gown’s strings around me and overlapped the back opening, making sure that I wasn’t exposed.

“I’m done,” I said.

“So am I.”

We turned to look at each other, wearing the white and light blue print bed dresses. I whistled, seeing how the hem of David’s gown was high up on his thigh.

“Sexy legs you got there.”

David shrugged. “I work out.”

“That’s trendy of you.”

I lifted my clothes from the floor, rolled them into a ball and turned to look at David whose hand was already gripping the knob. I waited for him to open the door, but he just stood there with the silver handle in his grip.

“Are you nervous?” I asked, placing my hand on his over the doorknob.

“Yes.”

“Me, too.” I looked up at him. “I’m sorry you have to go through this.”

“I’m not regretting my decision, if that’s what you think.”

“I know,” I said. “But what’s keeping you from opening the door?”

“As much as I try not to worry,” David tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, “I’m afraid that this doctor may tell me something that I don’t want to hear.”

“Like what?”

“That I may lose you. That I won’t be able to give you the things I promised. I can’t compete with this transformation.”

My heart plummeted to my bare feet. I knew that what David had said would happen with or without the doctor’s diagnosis. In the end, he would lose me, and I would lose him. The determination to turn myself over to the Council had only grown stronger the previous night, seeing him bleed and convulse. It was the start of his transformation. David might not have had the power to control the change, but I held the key to save him from turning into the bloodthirsty Creatura from my dreams. And it would be over my dead body that I’d let that bitch have him.

“Don’t worry.” I forced out one of my fake smiles. “Everything will fall into place, and we’ll be fine. Well take it one day at a time. As for today, let’s finish this.”

***

Dr. Gunn extracted several vials of blood from my arm, and then directed me to an MRI machine. The loud humming noise that it produced made the claustrophobia almost intolerable inside the tube. I kept my eyes closed during the scan and focused on breathing, trying to block out the sound. At last, the device ejected the sliding table, and I was freed from the cylinder. I opened my eyes and found Galen smirking at me, standing next to the machine.

He put his finger over his lips and jerked his head in the direction of the doctor who was gawking at a curved syringe in front of his nose.

“The doctor is having problems trying to draw blood from your husband.”

“Oh no.” I panicked. “He’ll know he’s not mortal.”

“Like a bent needle hasn’t raised his suspicions already?”

“Well, don’t just stand there. Do something about it.”

“In a minute,” Galen said, looking at David and the doctor. “Let’s see what Gunn does next. Look, there he goes again. Nope, that needle isn’t working either. Uh oh… He broke it this time. I can’t believe he’s reaching for a third. What a moron! I don’t know about you, but if he keeps this up, I’m going to laugh.”

“It’s not funny.” I sat up.

“Galen.” David shot his brother a bothered look. “Give the doctor a hand, would you?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

Galen took an object out of his pocket and walked to the scientist. I slipped off the bed and followed him.

“What’s this?” Gunn held a small glass tube with a silver rectangular sheet in it that ended in the shape of an isosceles triangle.

“A blade,” David told him. “Your needles aren’t even capable of breaking the top layer of my skin.” David took the tube from Gunn’s hand and opened it, sliding the sliver of metal onto his open palm. “This is the only way you can have the blood cultures that you need.”

“Mr. Chios and… other Mr. Chios,” Gunn began, “I have a feeling you’ve left out a lot of information that I’ll need in order to continue this study.” Gunn reached for the blade.

“No,” David pulled his hand away. “You mustn’t touch it with your bare hands. The blade will slice right through you. It needs an attachment.”

“Allow me,” Galen took the blade and mounted it onto a small metal rod, transforming it into a scalpel. Then he took David’s wrist and pressed the point of the triangle into the middle of his brother’s limb.

“That’s deep enough.” David winced. A thin, red stream of blood slid over the side of David’s arm and down to his elbow.

“Finish your procedure,” Galen said. “And make it quick. It won’t be long before the lesion closes. ”

Gunn’s stare shifted to me, two vertical lines forming between his brows.

“Doctor.” David’s voice shook the scientist from his thoughts. “You can continue.”

“Right. Yes.”

The doctor moved fast as he drew vial after vial of blood from the small gash. He set a small white lid on the last of the glass tubes, and asked, “Will you be telling me about this thick skin of yours?”

“I was under the impression that this is what we hired you for—to solve the riddle?” David was quick to answer.

“Well, you must know something. I mean—” Gunn let out a forced short laugh “—you had that scalpel ready.”

“Inspect it, if you must, but don’t touch the edges of the blade. It’s sharp.” Galen held out the scalpel to the scientist.

“How sharp?” I asked.

“Let’s find out,” said Gunn.

The doctor raised the blade and looked around, eyeing his target—a steel lab table next to him. He ran the razor diagonally along the corner of the table. The silver triangle that the doctor had shaped out of the angled edge dropped to the floor. Gunn squeaked as he observed the piece of the dissected table at his feet, and then turned to look at us.

“What kind of alloy is this?” he asked.

“It’s not an alloy. It’s a compound of Lutetium and diamonds,” Galen explained.

“Lutetium is used in atomic technology. It’s very rare, Mr. Chios.” Gunn’s eyes were wide with shock. “I need to know why you’ve come here.”

“Because there’s something wrong with me, Doctor,” I said. “Something terribly wrong, and it’s affecting David—and we need your help.”

“Your skin—” Gunn’s head shook rejecting the idea “—it’s normal, Mrs. Chios.” His stare bounced from David to Galen to me. “I’d like to remind you that I may be an idiot, but I’m a scientist, too, and a damn good one, if I do say so myself.” He turned to look at Galen. “You’re paying me to keep my mouth shut, and I understand that, but in order for me to help them, I need you to come clean. Tell me what I’m supposed to be looking for. Otherwise…” He took the check that Galen had given him out his shirt pocket. “You can take this and leave.”

“I doubt you’d like to miss out on the opportunity to discover this on your own, Gunn. I promise it’ll be worth your time.”

Galen took the check from the scientist’s hand and tucked it back into Gunn’s shirt pocket. Gunn inhaled deeply and held his breath. When he started turning a light shade of purple, he exhaled.

“Okay. I’ll proceed in the name of science,” Gunn said.

Gunn took David and Galen aside and spoke with them briefly, and then left us to gather his instruments.

“What was that about?” I asked.

“He was explaining the next procedure, asking us to assist him,” David said.

It wasn’t long before I saw the doctor walking toward the hospital bed where I was sitting, wearing white latex gloves and holding a tray of glass tubes. When he came closer to the table, I saw an extra instrument he was carrying and freaked.

“What that’s supposed to be for?” I stared in terror at a three-inch long needle in Gunn’s hand.

“I’m sorry. You weren’t supposed to see this.” He hid the needle behind his back. “I need to gather some cerebral spinal fluid since we’re trying to rule out any neurological irregularities.”

“You may have worms.” Galen raised his brows and nodded. “In your head.” He tapped his temple with two fingers. “They make you crazy.”

I ignored him, and turned my attention back to the doctor. I bit what was left of my thumbnail.

“Does it hurt?” I asked.

“He’ll apply an anesthetic first. You won’t feel much,” David said.

“Much?”

“It won’t hurt,” Gunn said, blinking. Did he blink when he was lying?

“You can bite on my hand if you have any pain. It won’t hurt me.” David leaned in close to my ear. “I can’t sedate you because he’ll find the remnants of my anesthetic in your lab results.”

“Isis, you mustn’t bite too hard on his hand,” Galen said in a hushed voice. “Creatura have rabies.”

“What?”

“Shut up, Galen.” David frowned.

“It’s the truth,” Galen said.

“Stop it.”

Rabies, Galen mouthed, widening his eyes.

“Ahem,” Gunn interrupted. He was standing behind the bed, at my back. “This will be a little cold, Mrs. Chios. It’s an antiseptic solution to cleanse the area.”

I gasped and arched my body when I felt the icy liquid on my lower back. The air around us filled with the smell of iodine and other pungent chemicals I couldn’t identify.

“You can’t move when the needles go in. You’ll have to be completely still,” the doctor cautioned. “Lie down on your side. Gentlemen, if you’ll help her fold into a fetal position as I explained, I’ll begin.”

David pulled my knees in until they touched my chest. At the same time, Galen tucked my head into the space between my collarbones. The muscles in my neck and upper back felt like rubber bands ready to snap.

“Steady her, please,” Gunn ordered. The boys applied a slight pressure to my knees and head, adding to the strain in my muscles. “You’ll feel a little sting, but don’t move. Remember, if you move, it’ll hurt. Understood?”

“Mhh,” is all I managed to sound out.

I closed my eyes and drew in air through my teeth as I felt the needle break the first layer of skin, and then slide through, depositing a fluid into my spine. In an instant, the area began to numb.

“One more time,” the doctor announced. I didn’t feel the second needle. Just as my nervousness eased, a heavy and painful pressure deep in my spinal cord rendered me immobile. “Just a few more drops and we’re finished,” Gunn said. “You’re doing very well.”

I felt David’s hand run across the top of my head, stroking me like a domesticated animal. I opened my eyes to glance at him. I wondered if I looked as defenseless as an animal being put to sleep. I must have because just then Galen asked me, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah. Why?”

David opened his mouth to say something, but then covered my eyes with his hand.

“Hey!” I protested, and David quickly hushed me.

“It’s done,” I heard Gunn say. “Now, you said you wanted me to conduct a sonogram. For what purpose?”

“Isis has issues with her menstrual cycle, Doctor. We believe we should take every aspect into consideration,” David said.

“Hmm…” Gunn sighed. “I don’t believe it’s necessary, but it wouldn’t hurt. I’ll be back with the equipment.”

I heard Gunn’s footsteps walking away, and David lifted his hand from my face. He stared at me with widened eyes. I turned to look at Galen, whose stare was also fixed on me. The brothers exchanged a quick glance and shrugged at each other.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

David’s lips pulled apart, struggling to find a way to express what he wanted to say. Galen stepped closer to me.

“Rabies,” Galen said. “I told you.”

I glared at him. Like on many other occasions, I was ready to smack the stupid out of him, but now wasn’t the time.

“David, what is it?”

“Your—your eyes.” David blinked. “They changed.”