The Transcended: They call him Lucius

Part 3: Blood ~ Chapter 20

Zoey sat upright in bed, a big smile on her face. "Really? It's all over?"

Gwen nodded. "Yep, all the tests are done." Her expression became serious. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Pfew, ehm..." Zoey scratched her head. "Isa informing me about how the egg cell stuff was done, but that more tests were planned. She just never answered me when I asked why you didn't want to tell me that part."

Gwen's face flushed. "Making you rabid on purpose ain't exactly fun. I'm glad you don't remember that."

Zoey wetted her lips. "Can I ask how you did that now?"

"Sorry." Gwen shook her head. "Consider it classified."

A heavy sigh escaped Zoey's lips. "Am I good now though? Like, no more going rabid? Any lingering damage?"

"You're all good," Gwen said with a smile. "The only lingering damage is what Lucius did." She nodded at Zoey's missing legs. "You still have an increased risk of going rabid, but that comes from the already present PTSD—though I think you'll find a lot of improvement in that area. And, of course, as you recover and deal with all that has happened the risk will decrease further."

"But no more tests? Am I free to go?" The last question weighed heavy on her. Or will Lucius take me back?

Gwen looked away and fumbled with the fabric of her shirt. "Well, the tests are indeed done. However... You're not completely free to go."

Zoey paled. Oh dear God, no. Please don't say Khalida is going to force me to return to Lucius!

"During the experiments you ... attacked Lucius."

Zoey's eye widened. "I-I did?" She was unsure how to feel about that.

"You almost killed him."

There was a pang in her chest, a mixture of pure glee mixed with utmost terror. Oh God, the last time I tried to kill him did not end well. Does this mean he gets to punish me for what I did? Fuck, I don't even remember—

"He's paralysed from the neck down."

Zoey's jaw dropped. "He's ... what? What did I do? And why don't I remember it?"

"Going rabid in itself already inhibits memory formation, but we also drugged you to prevent memories from forming—you know, because classified procedure and PTSD."

Zoey grunted. "So, you're telling me I attacked Lucius and turned him into a quadriplegic, but I can't even remember how I did it?"

"Oh, you're allowed to know how you did it: you stabbed him in the neck with a syringe filled with disinfectant. The high level of alcohol—and probably the other chemicals—caused tissue necrosis that even being transcended couldn't fight against or heal."

Zoey just gawked at Gwen. "How the hell did I—"

"Further details aren't needed. You did it, the damage is done. Lucius is done."

"And I just have to believe that?"

"We can go and visit him later. Mind you, he's being kept in a coma—it would be an understatement to say he was livid and his stress levels were through the roof." She shrugged. "It was the only way to ensure he wouldn't go rabid."

"Why would you care if he did?" She couldn't stop the smile that tugged at her lips. "If he's paralysed from the neck down, he can't do much." She laughed internally. I guess this means no punishment!

"True, but if we want to experiment with his blood, we can't have him rabid."

Zoey bit her lip, trying to stop the laughter inside from spilling out. "You're saying I'm done with tests, but Lucius has been reduced to a comatose blood bank?"