"What do you mean? Someone must have survived this illness." Scott asked shocked.
"Very few have."
We set up some more beds Scott thought it best if we keep everyone together. Within a few hours Colleen, Shaun and Elder Camarillo were in the beds. Ill.
Councilman Samuel went to check on Ramon and Patricia. He was back with both of them. They had chills and high fever.
"Kylie the Council wants to see you." The Councilman told me.
"All right. Thank you Samuel." I bowed to him.
"I will be back shortly Scott." He nodded to me.
Councilman Samuel came with me.
"They want to know what is going on with the Rileys." He whispered as we walked to the training square.
"Understandable."
The Council was speaking to a woman I have seen a few times in the cave but never introduced to when we walked onto the square.
"Ah Kylie come forwards please." Councilman Klaus said to me.
"Thank you Sir."
"What is happening to my Elite Guard?"
"They have all been taken ill Sir."
"I heard." He nodded towards Councilman Samuel.
"Elder Camarillo called it 'Shifter's disease." The strange woman gasped then moved towards me.
"I have never heard of this illness before. What has Camarillo told you about it?"
"The Shifter becomes ill with all the mortal illnesses at the same time. There is no cure."
"What!?" All the Council members said together.
"They all have a scent coming off of them which shifter's can not smell." Councilman Samuel told them.
"Really how interesting? What does it smell like?" Councilman Vincent asked.
"It smells sweet sickly like death but not quite." Councilman Samuel explained.
The strange lady was standing close to me. The air moved around just enough for me to pick up her scent. Her scent just reeked of the odd smell.
I went to draw my sword but I did not have it on me. Councilman Klaus noticed my movement. "Kylie what is it?"
"Sir this woman has that scent all over her."
"Kylie this woman is Lady Maxine. She is a friend of Elder Camarillo." He told me.
"Be as it may Sir she has the scent on her." Councilman Samuel moved closer to Lady Maxine and sniffed. "She is right Sir."
"Lady Maxine what do you have to say for yourself." Councilman Klaus asked sternly.
"I do not smell anything."
"Shifters can not smell it Sir." I told him again.
"Sir may I return to my family." I asked.
"Of course Kylie. Good luck." He said.
"Thank you Sir."
I returned to my quarters Scott was in the kitchen making a broth for his patients.
"Who is Lady Maxine?" I whispered.
"Oh she is Elder Camarillo's lady friend. They have known each other for a very long time. Why?"
"She reeks of the scent that has everyone ill but she is not ill."
"She has been here for a month. She came with the French Army. Camarillo brought her here for the winter."
"I think she is the reason everyone is ill." I whispered.
"That is impossible. They would have been ill before this." Scott said.
"I do not understand it either Scott."
Councilman Samuel came into the kitchen. He brought a fresh breeze of the strange sweet sickly scent. "I brought Lady Maxine to see Elder Camarillo." He whispered to us.
"That explains the fresh scent." I nodded towards the common room.
I walked out of the kitchen with some fresh cloths for the ill. I put one on Colleen then I moved towards the Elder. Lady Maxine's scent was even stronger than before. It almost took my breathe away.
She took a cool cloth from me. I walked back into the kitchen to take a deep breathe. Scott and Councilman Samuel looked at me strangely. I signed that her scent was very strong. They nodded.
I walked into John's bedroom with some freshly cooled cloths then I went into my bedroom when I came back into the common room I must have startled Lady Maxine. She shifted which made her scent overwhelming. Councilman Samuel collapsed in the kitchen. Scott called for me. "Kylie come quickly."
Samuel was on the floor shivering.
"He just dropped to the floor." Scott said amazed. He sniffed the air. "It is really strong now."
"She shifted when I came out of my bedroom."
"Why?"
"I think I startled her."
I went back into the common room Lady Maxine was gone. We put Samuel in a bed. I checked everyone then I went to tell the Council about Samuel.
"What do you mean he collapsed after Lady Maxine shifted?" Councilwoman Cleo asked.
"Exactly that Madam. She shifted then he collapsed a few seconds later. Scott and I noticed that the scent was stronger." The Councilwoman looked at the rest of her Council members. "I am going to Kylie's quarters to check on our Council members."
"All right Cleo." Councilman Klaus said.
We walked down together I closed the door behind us. "How do you go to your bathing pool?"
"Through my bedroom."
"Lead the way Kylie."
We went down to my bathing pool.
"Kylie I have a feeling Lady Maxine is the reason everyone is ill."
"So do I Madam." I whispered. "Do you know if she was in the woods last night?"
"As a matter a fact I do. She went out for a walk shortly after I saw you and your family walking around."
"I think she must have shifted in the woods which they all smelled but did not know it."
"It explains their sudden illness."
I nodded.
We went back upstairs and checked everyone. Elder Camarillo was worse than all the others. "Why would he be worse than all the others when he was one of the last to become ill?" Councilwoman Cleo asked.
"Lady Maxine was visiting when she shifted beside him."
"Oh dear."
Scott came in with a steaming cup of tea. I could smell vampire blood.
"Scott are you bleeding?" I whispered as he sat beside Elder Camarillo.
"Not anymore. The thorns on a hawthorn bush are very sharp. I cut my hands taking the thorns off to brew." I think the Councilwoman and I must have looked at him strangely. "The Elder told me once that hawthorn tea is a good for an ailing shifter. I made a huge pot for everyone."
