"Sort of," Ully said. "Basically these antigens are acting as a screening agent."
"Meaning…?" Jade waved his hand impatiently.
"Meaning she's immune to many of our talents," Kris supplied with a frown. "How, Ully?"
"It's genetic."
"So one of her parents was like us?" Iliana asked, tapping a hot pink fingernail.
"Not exactly. It's kind of like…" Ully looked around and stretched for the pen on the table. "If immortals are pens, and normal humans are number two pencils, then she's a mechanical pencil."
"What?" Jade demanded.
"She's a hybrid," Iliana said, realization dawning on her face. "Kris…"
"Yeah, I know."
"She's also an immortal's mate," Ully added.
Kris studied the DNA molecule, now certain the woman's appearance spelled certain danger for him. His gaze settled on Jade's familiar features, and he studied his companion of so many years. Jade was everything he admired: brave, compassionate, dedicated. Loyal. He didn't doubt his second and his lover would move on, if Kris chose to take the woman as his mate. Yet he wondered if he could ever care for another the way he did Jade.
His duty as the leader of the fractured Council always came first. Jade's duty would, too. He'd found peace with Jade after Rhyn killed his first love, Lilith. But Jade was like most immortals: he'd only ever loved other men, whereas Kris valued mettle over sex.
As he weighed if he'd be forced to choose between someone he loved and an immortal's mate with a desirable gift, he couldn't help thinking Jade wouldn't take breaking up well. His love had a temper. It would take him a while to recover.
"We have two issues," Ully continued, sitting. "There's never been a mutation like this in the history of our people. If it's hereditary, then the mutation has been hidden from us for, like, maybe even hundreds of thousands of years. Second, I can duplicate the DNA with some time in my lab and isolate the antigen, meaning I can make someone immune to our enemies' powers."
"Or they can make someone immune to us," Jade said.
Kris felt the intent gazes of both of his deputies, who left the obvious unvoiced.
They were in more trouble than he'd thought once the Council convened.
"We know a few things," he started. "One, Sasha probably knows about her by now. Two, someone in our organization knew what she was when they set her up to be Toby's human guardian."