Sanguine Tides - Book 3

Chapter 18

TW in the description
Thank you to rare.candykale for the art!

Mattias POV

The truck bumped down the road as rain pelted the windshield. Giulia sat in the passenger seat carrying a small bundle in her arms. The black scaled child lay safely hidden from view. However, her fever had escalated, and Mattias predicted she had little time left. If they were going to save her, they needed to figure out what the White Fever was. And how to stop it.

Mattias parked the rotten fish-smelling truck behind the hospital and quickly turned off the headlights. It was dark, the only light coming from a flickering street lamp across the parking lot. The rain made so much noise on the rusty vehicle Mattias had to shout to be heard.

"We should be safe here. Let's get inside," He said glancing behind them.

"Are you sure there isn't anyone there?" Giulia asked for the third time, looking around nervously.

"I know the staff. They agreed to clear out the entire second floor and give me the key to a windowless lab. They didn't ask too many questions."

"Do you know every hospital in this country?" Giulia asked, looking at the tall brick building.

"Just about. Let's hurry." Mattias opened the door and immediately put a hand up to protect his face from the assaulting rain. He opened Giulia's door, and using his white doctor's coat to cover her, ran towards the rear entrance to the hospital.

The group had reached the coast the day prior. Everyone was anxious to get off the ship, but Mattias forced the Sireni/Rusalki to stay hidden on board.

"Why can't we go? Can't we help?" Ksenya asked.

She was the most reluctant to let the child out of her sight.

"It's too dangerous. This is a coastal town. It's crawling with Visconti operatives. Not to mention it hasn't stopped raining for days, and it doesn't look like it's gonna let up." Mattias said seriously.

"Do you think you can fix this?" Eshe said, looking at the white-veined child in Giulia's arms.

"I'm going to do everything I can." He said. Then he looked at Alberto.

Alberto woke from the effects of the hallucinogens with his memory wholly restored. But that also meant he now carried the burden of his actions and the consequences that followed them. He hadn't left Luca's side, trying to get a response from the Sireno. But Luca hadn't moved. Mattias was forced to put a Nasogastric feeding tube through his nose to ensure his body received proper nutrients.

"As soon as I'm finished in there, I'm coming right back to help you with Luca. Do you understand?" Mattais said, tryin to reassure the crest fallen Sireno before him.

Alberto gave a sullen nod, then turned to return to Luca's side.

Mattias sighed as he watched him walk away. Those two...

He didn't have time to worry about them. One crisis at a time.

Mattias unlocked the back of the hospital using a set of keys he acquired from a high-level staff member that owed him a favor.

"Inside. Quick." He whispered and snuck into the white-lit hallway.

They found the back stairwell and climbed to the second floor. Once there, Mattias found a room that, at first glance, looked to be a closet. He fumbled with the keys, his hands shaking. They just had to get inside.

"You there!" A voice echoed through the hall.

Mattias heard Giulia let out a slight gasp. He turned to see another white-coated physician approaching them.