“No.”
He told her about the demons who once matedwith humans to create the vampire and hunter races.
“Fascinating,” she murmured.
He pulled his wrist away from Lucy’s mouth;it wasn’t doing any good anyway, not unless he gave her a whole lotmore. He captured Melanie’s hand with both of his.
“You have to let me know what you think shewould choose,” he said. “If I keep giving her blood, I’ll take thechoice away from both of you.”
Melanie stared at her friend as she tried tofigure out what Lucy would choose. Then she recalled Lucy atcollege and how she threw herself into classes and originallywanted to throw herself into life, but she’d only managed to dip ina leg. Still, that leg made her come alive in a way Melanie hadnever seen while they were at the facility.
That leg had caused Lucy to become anentirely different person. She embraced the wilder side of hernature, got tattoos and piercings, and learned more about hersexuality and people.
Lucy had developed into herself and becomethe person she was meant to be. She’d also smiled in a way shenever had while they were in the facility.
Lucy also loved life and was courageous in away few people were. If anyone would take this lemon and turn itinto lemonade, it was Lucy.
She hoped her friend didn’t hate her for thechoice she was about to make, but if she did, Melanie would livewith the consequences of it. She just hoped Lucy could also livewith those consequences, but at least she would be alive. Butfirst, she had to know….
“What if she becomes like one of those othervampires? One of those Savages?” Melanie asked.
“Do you think she’ll make that choice?”
“Is it a choice?”
“For many, yes.”
He didn’t want to go into the whole demonscapturing vampires and turning them into Savages thing right now.However, if Melanie was to decide for her friend, she should knoweverything Lucy would face. So, he told her all of it.
By the time he finished speaking, she’d paledconsiderably. She didn’t talk as she gazed at Lucy and tried tofigure out what to do.
“Lucy wouldhateit if someone didthat to her,” she said.
“Yes.”
“But… if anyone can kick a Savage or demon’sass, it’s her.”
Kyle didn’t speak as she pondered herchoices. A few minutes passed, and he started to tell her that shehad to hurry, but he bit back the words. The last thing she neededwas more pressure.
Finally, her eyes met his. “Do it,” she said.“If she hates me afterward, I’ll deal with it. If it’s not thechoice she would have made, then I’ll destroy her if that’s whatshe’d prefer. It will destroy me to do such a thing, but I’ll dowhatever makes her happy. However, she has to be alive to make thechoice.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay,” he said and bit into his wristagain.
Before he could bring his bloody wrist backto Lucy’s mouth, she seized his arm. “Areyouokay to dothis?” she asked. “You’ve lost a lot of blood.”
“I’m fine,” he assured her. “I’ll have tohunt afterward, a lot, and she’ll also require blood when shewakes, but I’m fine to do this now.”
“Where will she get the blood?”
“At first, from me, and then from animals.I’m sure there is plenty of deer, foxes, and coyotes roaming aroundhere. I’ll find them, but we won’t kill them.”
Melanie released his arm, and he put hiswrist to Lucy’s mouth again. She hoped she was doing the rightthing and Lucy wouldn’t hate her, but she truly believed her friendwould choose life over death.
She didn’t realize she was trembling untilKyle draped his free arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.She rested her head on his shoulder as he gave more and more bloodto her friend.
