Connor and Ian took Mitchell to see Dr. Moon with a very small contingent of guards. He wanted to keep most of his guards at the settlement in case there was another attack, even though he suspected there wouldn’t be one this soon.
The blood had definitely helped Mitchell. They’d managed to get four bags into him, and he’d already started to fill out. He seemed more coherent, even if he still couldn’t remember a lot of things. Surprisingly, his heart was beating stronger, too. Needless to say, Dr. Moon was fascinated.
“I need to wait for the lab results to come back before we decide what to do next,” Dr. Moon explained. “I wish I could have tested your blood before the transition. I’m not sure if traces of cancer or HIV will show up in your blood now.”
“I remember being healthy,” Mitchell said as he rubbed his hands nervously.
“Do you know if your heart ever stopped beating?” Dr. Moon asked.
Mitchell thought for a moment and then shook his head. “I remember our hearts keep beating for a couple of days, sometimes a week. They usually check, but I think mine should have stopped already.”
Dr. Moon grabbed his stethoscope and listened. “Seems to be quite strong now. Have any of your memories returned?”
Mitchell shook his head. “No, but I haven’t lost any more. This is the first time I’ve gone a night without struggling to keep my identity.”
“I thought Mitchell needed five bags of blood last night, but he wouldn’t drink anymore,” Ian added.
If Connor didn’t know better, he’d swear Ian was acting like a nervous father.
Dr. Moon nodded. “I think we should continue to give as much blood as possible. In the meantime, I want to analyze the properties of the virus to see how it compares to the original virus. I also want to check for anything out of the ordinary in Mitchell’s blood. He may have been fed blood that was tainted in some way.”
Mitchell blew out a frustrated breath. “I guess I’m not as much help as you thought I’d be.”
“You’re a big help,” Dr. Moon assured him. “You have no idea what answers your blood may hold. You could save many lives.”
“What are the chances the Moon virus was intentionally altered?” Connor asked.
“I would be willing to bet on it,” Dr. Moon replied. “If the virus hasn’t mutated in a century, it seems unlikely it would suddenly do so. The question remains, who altered it?”
“I’m still betting on humans being responsible for this,” Ian stated.
Dr. Moon considered his suggestion. “It seems unlikely. They would need access to lab equipment. As I understand it, most of the settlements are quite primitive. I doubt there are many with the education for something like this. My guess would be vampires.”
“I agree,” Connor said. “Like I said before, the humans hate vampires. Why would they make more of them?”
“So, you think it might be one of our people?” Ian asked.
Connor shrugged. “It’s possible but not likely. That would be hard to keep under wraps. Where would they hide so many turned vampires?”
“Then it must be another territory trying to take over,” Ian suggested. “Still, that doesn’t make sense. Why would they call us blood brats? That’s a human term.”
“A very old human term,” Dr. Moon added. “The humans who used it have long since died. Maybe they’re using that term to make it look like humans.”
“Then they’re idiots,” Connor stated. “For now, I say we just see what comes of the lab results and hope Mitchell’s memories return.”
“I should have some answers about his blood work in about a week. Some of it will be back today but other tests will take longer,” Dr. Moon explained. “We should get him a room here so I can perform other tests.”
Mitchell looked uneasy.
“I’ll bring him back for any tests he needs,” Ian offered, surprising them all.
“It might be best if he stays here,” Connor agreed. “I don’t like the idea of keeping him in a cell all week. The room could be secured so he can’t hurt anyone, but he’ll be comfortable.”
“He can stay with me,” Ian insisted, and Connor didn’t miss the look of relief on Mitchell’s face.