The Descent Series, Books 1-3: Death's Hand, the Darkest Gate, and Dark Union by Reine Sm

Author:Reine, Sm [Reine, Sm]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Red Iris Books
Published: 2012-12-30T16:00:00+00:00

JUNE 1999

DR. KINGSLEY CALLED several days later to say that he had the results of Elise’s tests.

They met in his private office, which was decorated with hanging herbs and crystals. He shut the door and locked it behind them. “I don’t want anyone to intrude. I haven’t discussed your karyotype test with anyone else in the practice,” the doctor explained as they sat. “I discovered something… unusual.”

“Is something wrong?” James asked.

“No, no. Nothing is technically ‘wrong.’ I had my theories about what could cause a female kopis, but… well, the tests were informative.”

“How so?”

“Some things are not surprising. First of all, you have a myostatin deficiency, which means you build muscle easily. That’s an expected trait among kopides. What’s more surprising is that you’re completely androgen insensitive. Do you know what that means?” he asked. Elise shook her head. “Genetically, you have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, like a man, but all the physical characteristics of a woman.”

Elise’s eyes widened. “I’m a man?”

“No. You’re a woman with an intersex condition.”

“I don’t understand.”

Neither did James. “Is that why she’s never…?”

“You’ll never menstruate because you don’t have a uterus or ovaries, Miss Kavanagh. That means children aren’t in your future, either. This explains so much about kopides.” Dr. Kingsley rubbed his hands together, face bright with excitement. “We might want to consider surgically removing—”

Sudden motion cut him off. Elise shoved her chair back and stood, face red.

Her mouth opened, like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. She gave James a helpless look before leaving the room without a word.

Dr. Kingsley blinked rapidly, as though trying to decide what might have upset his new favorite patient. “You couldn’t have been more sensitive about that?” James asked.

“What do you mean?”

He had just told a teenage girl that she was not, strictly speaking, a teenage girl, and that she would never have children. And he didn’t understand why that might be distressing.

James stood. “Thank you for your assistance. Forward the bill to my coven. I don’t think we’ll need further help.”

“But… there are other tests I want to run.” The doctor moved in front of the door, preventing him from leaving. “Do you realize what this means? The impact this could have on our scientific understanding of supernatural phenomena? If we could just do exploratory surgery…”

Anger swelled in him. He grabbed the doctor’s shirt in a fist and shoved their faces close together. James wasn’t imposing, but he had a good six inches on the other man, and the temper to back it up. “We are done with your services.”

James dropped him. Dr. Kingsley stumbled back, pale and shaking.

He followed Elise out of the office.

She wasn’t waiting for him outside, so he decided not to search for her. Instead, he returned to their motel. Elise had used some of Mr. Black’s money to buy food the night before, and there was actual fresh fruit on the table. He passed the time savoring an apple—the first produce he’d eaten in weeks that hadn’t been half-rotten and dug from the trash.

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