The Dragon's Cure - Shaun

Chapter 12

The car reeked of toxic sweat. Everything that Chezlin drank, ate, smoked or used that weekend, seeped through his pores every time his temperature spiked.

Shaun had to stop the SUV twice. The first time to buy ice that they stored in the two small freezers they had installed behind the front seats. The second time he swopped places with Luke so he could lay Chezlin on top of him. The leather seats melted underneath Chezlin and it was safer for Shaun to absorb his heat than risk the car exploding before they got home.

"Luke call Charles and ask him to have the tonic and serum ready for Chez. I'll have to give him another shot when we get there," Shaun said.

"Are you sure he needs it this soon after the first one? Won't the tonic be enough?" Luke asked.

"Not this time. Whatever he used is poisoning him. I'm not taking any chances. I won't lose him too," Shaun said.

"I know I was to young to remember her, but Jessica's death was not your fault," Luke said.

Shaun dabbed the ice, wrapped in a cloth, against Chezlin's forehead and said, "I'm not saying it was. I'm saying that I won't lose Chez to this infernal disease like we lost her. If we had more than a day with her, Dad could have developed this serum and Chez would still have his twin sister with him. We feel her loss, but can you imagine how he must feel? They grew inside of Mom together and then in a blink of an eye, she's ripped from his life. Just like Melinda got ripped from Amanda's life."

"I'm such a jerk. Not once did I think of it that way. No wonder he's been so distant. He lost Jessica the day after they were born, then Mom and Dad a few years later, and we haven't really been there for him. I had the patrols every night and training during the day. Now I have the job at the station. You had your research there and here. No wonder he forced us into this weekend."

As they neared two very large, black gates, Chezlin cried out, pulling his legs to his chest.

Leaning out the front window, Luke pushed a button below a speaker and yelled, "Charles get these gates open and Shaun said to get a tonic and the serum ready for Chez. He's in a bad way!"

The gates squeaked and groaned as they opened slowly, before a voice said in a soft, asian accent, "I have one ready. I was not expecting you this early."

"No time for chit chat old man. Chezlin needs help. Be ready!" Luke shouted.

Luke drove through the gates and the smell of cherry blossoms flushed the car of the toxic stench permuting the interior.

"You smell that Chez? We're home. You're going to be fine, soon. We'll help you through this. This won't feel like home if you're not with us, so you have to fight this. After all, Dad would not have named you Pugnator, if he didn't believe like we do, that you are a fighter," Shaun said pushing the hair away from Chezlin's sweaty brow.

Shaun inhaled sharply as Chezlin wrapped his cold fingers around his hand. "I'm t-trying, but s-something is wr-ong," Chezlin stuttered.

Shaun hoisted Chezlin over his shoulder and ran up the inner staircase to Chezlin's room, calling to Charles.

"Lay him on the ground. The bed won't take both my weight and that bouncing," Luke shouted from the door.

They laid him down on the soft, fluffy carpet and Luke pushed a pillow under Chezlin's head as Shaun grabbed the syringe that Charles held out to him.

"C-couldn't you f-find a thicker n-needle?" Chezlin asked. Luke snorted and pushed down on Chezlin's shoulders.

"This is going to hurt. Hold on for me, Chez. It's going to be better soon," Shaun said.