Pain dragged Ethan back to consciousness. Every breath was an effort, every heartbeat a reminder that he was barely clinging to life. The burning in his blood had dulled from searing agony to a persistent throb, but his body felt alien, changed in ways he couldn't understand.
He caught fragments of time through the haze of fever: Rhea's voice murmuring ancient words, the sting of needles, the cold press of compresses against his burning skin. Hours or days might have passed he couldn't tell.
During one moment of clarity, he found Rhea checking his bandages, her movements careful and gentle. The dim chamber swam into focus with unsettling clarity he could see every crack in the concrete walls, smell the sharp tang of medicines mixed with something wild and green.
"The fever's finally breaking," she said softly, noticing his alert gaze. "You've been fighting hard, little warrior. Most wouldn't have survived that much poison."
"How..." his voice cracked, throat raw. "How long?"
"Three days." She helped him sip water, supporting his head. "The poison nearly killed you. If your blood hadn't been special, hadn't started changing..."
The memory of Richards' betrayal flashed through his mind, followed by the faces of children in sterile cells. Sarah's trusting eyes as she took his hand, the way she helped calm the others as he led them through the dark tunnels. The children he managed to save, and the ones he had to leave behind - their faces haunting his dreams. The moment he decided that following orders wasn't worth the cost of his humanity.
"The price you paid was high," Rhea's expression softened. "But your sacrifice wasn't in vain. Richards took your betrayal personally - you didn't just defy orders, you dismantled years of their research."
A wave of dizziness hit him, accompanied by a surge of unfamiliar sensations. Sounds became overwhelming the hum of equipment, the drip of water, even Rhea's steady heartbeat. Scents assaulted him, threatening to overwhelm his consciousness.
"Easy," Rhea's hand found his shoulder, her touch anchoring. "Your senses are awakening too fast. Focus on my voice, nothing else."
"What's happening to me?" The words came out as a growl that didn't sound human.
"Your body is remembering what it truly is." She spoke carefully, measuring her words. "The poison didn't just nearly kill you, Ethan. It broke whatever was keeping your true nature dormant."
Before he could question her meaning, alarms began blaring from the monitors. Rhea moved swiftly to check the displays, her posture tensing.
"Multiple teams above," she reported, voice clipped. "Thermal imaging, sonar sweeps. They're being thorough." She began gathering supplies with practiced efficiency. "Richards and Lilith's people are coordinating their search. We need to move."
"I can barely stand," Ethan protested, though he could feel new strength flowing into his limbs, wild and unpredictable.
"You're stronger than you think." Rhea helped him sit up, steadying him when the room spun. "There's a network of old tunnels under the city. We can use them to escape, but you'll need to trust me. Your senses will make it challenging everything will feel too intense, too real."
As if to emphasize her point, the sounds of boots on concrete reached his ears, along with fragments of radio chatter. The hunters were getting closer.
"Why help me?" he asked as she helped him to his feet. "Why take the risk?"
Rhea's silver gray eyes met his, ancient wisdom in a young face. "Because you chose to do what was right, even when it cost you everything. Because you have a protector's heart." She smiled slightly. "And because very soon, you're going to need to understand what you're becoming. But those are answers for another time. Right now, we need to move."
The distant sounds of the search parties grew closer. Ethan forced his unsteady legs to support him, leaning on Rhea's strength. Whatever he was becoming, whatever changes were happening to his body, they would have to wait. Survival came first.
"Ready?" Rhea asked, shouldering a pack of supplies.
Ethan nodded, pushing back the dizziness and confusion. "Lead the way."
[To be continued...]