The Blood Contract
Chapter 65: He’s awake

Chapter 65: He’s awake

It had been two long hours of treatment already, and Lucian was fast asleep, his breathing deep and even. His skin glistened with sweat under the soft glow of the lab lights, a clear indication of the internal battle his body was fighting. Marlowe made it a personal duty to stay by his side, diligently wiping down his body with a cold towel every twenty minutes to regulate his temperature and offer some relief. Each time she pressed the cloth to his fevered skin, she silently hoped the solution she had prepared would be enough to pull him through.

She wasn’t entirely sure how effective the medicine she had come up with would be in the long run, but the mere fact that it had managed to stabilize and normalize his vital signs for the time being was enough to give her a small measure of relief. It wasn’t a full victory, but it was a promising sign—one that allowed her to breathe a little easier as she continued monitoring him closely.

A knock suddenly echoed around the lab, sharp and unexpected in the quiet space. Marlowe glanced toward the entrance before rising to her feet and moving to answer it. When she opened the door, Adrian, Darrell, and Serena stood outside, their faces lined with worry as they peered past her into the lab.

"Is Lucian in here with you?" Serena asked, beating Adrian and Darrell to it. They all had concern written all over their faces.

Adrian had come to them earlier, visibly concerned, asking if they had seen Lucian leave the house or go anywhere around the vicinity. He explained that he had searched the house but couldn’t find him anywhere, which had left him feeling uneasy.

But a maid, who overheard them talking, informed them that she saw Lucian going into the lab with Dr. Marlowe. The maid also hinted that he didn’t look alright, which got them worried and hurrying toward the lab.

Instead of directly answering the question, Marlowe stepped aside and held the door wider, allowing them all to enter the lab. "No loud noises," she instructed calmly, her gaze briefly flickering toward Lucian’s unconscious form, "so he wouldn’t wake up before the treatment is completed." After they filed in, she gently shut the door behind them, her expression focused and serious.

The three of them paused in the doorway, their eyes widening in shock as they took in the sight of Lucian, deeply asleep on the bed. Various tubes were attached to his body, some for monitoring his vital signs, others for administering the treatment. The scene was far from what they had expected, and the gravity of his condition was immediately apparent.

Serena stood frozen for a moment, disbelief etched across her face. Just that morning, he had seemed perfectly fine—eating breakfast with them, discussing the council’s issues and her brother’s freedom with his usual sharp focus and calm demeanor. It was impossible to reconcile the man she had seen earlier with the fragile figure before her now, so vulnerable and hooked up to various machines.

Even when she was heading out to go fix the car, she had seen him but intentionally ignored him. At that time, he didn’t look weak.

"What happened to him?" she whisper-asked, moving her attention to Marlowe, just as the other two men did.

"His curse is back," Marlowe revealed quietly, her voice tinged with concern. The words hung in the air, and the eyes of her listeners widened even more, their shock palpable as they processed the unexpected turn of events. It was hard to believe, especially after all they know.

"What?! How is that possible?" Darrell exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief. "I thought Madam gave him temporary relief. Has it already worn off so fast?" He frowned, his mind struggling to make sense of the situation. The idea that the relief had been so fleeting seemed impossible, and he couldn’t fathom how things had taken such a turn so quickly.

"It didn’t wear off so fast. The poisoned dagger brought it back. And he has been hiding it. If I hadn’t suspected and figured it out, it would have been too late to do anything about it. He was already at a very critical stage."

"What if I do it again—I mean give him another temporary relief?" Serena asked, already alarmed.

"No what ifs," Marlowe replied firmly, her tone leaving no room for discussion. "He’s already receiving treatment, as you can see. I came up with a different temporary treatment for him, and this will hopefully suffice." Her answer came out sharp and decisive, effectively cutting off any further arguments Serena might have wanted to raise. Marlowe’s gaze remained steady, her focus unwavering as she ensured everything was in place.

As if disagreeing with her, one of the machines suddenly emitted a sharp beep—a clear indication that Lucian’s heart rate had spiked above normal once again. The rhythmic sound broke the tension in the room, drawing everyone’s attention to the alarming readout. It was an unmistakable sign that his condition was worsening, despite the treatment.

"What’s happening?" Serena asked in a panic, her voice trembling as her gaze darted between Marlowe and the monitor.

Marlowe didn’t respond. Instead, she moved to monitor the machine for a short moment before grabbing a syringe and filling it with a different injection, which she injected into a vein on the back of Lucian wrist.

It took a short while, but the machine eventually stopped beeping, indicating that things were back to normal again.

***

Hours later, Lucian slowly opened his eyes, only to come face-to-face with the wall of the lab. At that moment, he remembered how he got there and everything that happened before he slept off.

Turning his face to the other side, he was surprised to see Serena seated there with her eyes fixed on him. There was a slight furrow between her brows as she regarded him.

"Marlowe, he’s awake," she announced, and Marlowe, who had been working on something on her table, turned around.

"How are you feeling now, Mr. Draven?" Marlowe asked, leaving everything she was doing and moving toward him.