Page 42 of Hospital for Immortal Creatures

They reached the OR in complete silence and found Vladislav swearing like a madman, hovering over the wide-open abdominal cavity on the operating table.

Viktor approached without putting on sterile clothing. “What’s going on?”

“Fucked up stuff, Vik. I’m telling you.” Vladislav grabbed the intestine. “See, what the hell do you think that is?”

Viktor leaned in closer over the protruding grey form on the outside wall of the colon.

“What’s that thing?” Alex had snuck in behind them to have a look herself.

Viktor gaped. “Is this… what I think it is?”

“I think so, damn it. That’s why I wanted you here. To confirm that it’s not a trick of the light or something…”

“I’ve seen things like this years ago. Back when we…”

“When we were practising on humans!”

“What is this, Vik?” Alex asked, her tone a tad impatient.

“It’s a carcinoma.”

“What do you mean? We don’t get cancer.”

“Well, I haven’t been cursing non-stop this past half hour just ‘cause I like it!”

Vladislav swore again.

15

Hours later, Mikhail found Viktor Volk in the lab, bent over something on the table, dark strands of raven hair falling across his face.

At his approach, Viktor threw him an intrigued glance over his shoulder. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

The stained lab coat of the lycanthrope suggested he was deep in some potion.

“Am I interrupting something?” Mikhail pointed to the chopping board in front of Viktor, where a thin, long plant with yellowish leaves lay.

Viktor waved his hand. “Silphium. It’s believed to be extinct.”

Mikhail pulled up a chair and flopped into it. “And it isn’t?”

“Exactly.” Viktor started taking the plant apart, separating the root first. “In the past, they used it primarily as a contraceptive. Quite idiotic, if you ask me. This plant has many more potent qualities. Lately, I’ve been using it to cure flesh wounds.”

The lycanthrope cut the root into minuscule pieces, which he then gathered up with care using his knife and transferred into a small leather pouch. Mikhail had always admired Viktor for his ability to tame his mind. To keep his temper. But he also knew the price he was paying for it.

Mikhail waited for the lycanthrope to chop the plant before he said, “What’s going on, Vik?”

Viktor placed the knife on the chopping board and turned to face him, cutting to the heart of the matter. “It’s not like we didn’t see it coming.”

Of course, Vik had already figured out the reason behind this visit.

“And now what?” Mikhail asked. “I have to cut open every creature that comes through here to check for cancer?”

Viktor leaned against the lab desk. “Calm down, brother.” His composure was unnerving. “This particular patient is a New Generation vampire who hasn’t unlocked his secondary form yet. I believe this detail lays at the foundation of all this.”

“Many creatures haven’t unlocked their secondary form. Does that mean every subsequent immortal generation will suffer from all kinds of diseases?”

“Yes, but they won’t exactly be immortal.”

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