AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Camille gently laid Erin's head in Delilah's lap. She stood, eyes blazing, hands on hips. "What happened to you is totally different. You were tortured with every vile act Dredge could think of. Erin's been used as a feeding station, but she doesn't look scarred. And she didn't ask to be put in this position. Don't you get it? She's going to die if you don't do something now."
I stared at Erin's lifeless form. "People die, Camille. People live and they die. It's the way of the world."
"It doesn't have to happen," Delilah chimed in. "She doesn't have to be like those newborns. Look at Wade and Sassy—look at you! You're different. You choose to be different. You can help Erin from the beginning."
"Remember what Grandmother Coyote said?" Camille cocked her head. "Remember what she said at the meeting? You're going to have to do something you don't want to do. But I'll know it's right. And this is it. Turning Erin into a vampire is the right thing to do."
Frantic, I glanced at Morio for support. "Tell her she's wrong. This is just her desire to keep Erin alive talking."
Morio shook his head. "If Grandmother Coyote foretold this, then I have to back up Camille. Grandmother Coyote never says anything she doesn't mean."
Camille yanked me around, ignoring my hiss. "Trust me. Erin has a part to play in the future. You have to make sure she's around to do it. Turn her, damn it! You don't have to like it, you don't have to approve of it, but you have to do it."
She was so fierce that I almost feared her. I struggled with my conscience. What had Grandmother Coyote said?
"Menolly, you're going to have to do something you have vowed never to do. When the time comes, you'll know what it is, and you'll balk. But do it you must, regardless of your aversion to the idea. A long thread of destiny hinges upon your action… or inaction. Don't fail me. If you shy away, you'll upset a critical balance."
Was this it? Was raising Erin into the world of the undead what she'd meant?
I held very still, searching within, looking deep into my core, deep within my soul. The day I regained my sanity, I swore I'd never sire another vampire, never add to the host of demons raised from unwilling victims.
And yet… if Grandmother Coyote was right—if Camille and Delilah were right—had fate singled Erin out for transformation? And if someone was to sire her, who better than me? I could give her what few other sires would: guidance, a conscience, and care. I could usher her into her new life, cushioning the shock that usually accompanied the change. Was this the path to take?
"Hurry—she's almost dead," Delilah said.
Camille leapt toward me and grabbed me by the wrist. "Do this, do it now, or I swear I'll fucking sic the Moon Mother on you, Menolly. Trust me—it's more than just my friendship with her talking. I know Erin has to live, and this is the only way she can!"
Delilah let out a squeak and I saw her begin to shift. Both furious and frightened, I said, "Shit! Delilah, hang on, baby. Oh fuck. Camille, get hold of Delilah. Help her calm down so she can shift back. I'll do it, all right? I'll sire Erin. But don't you ever threaten me like that again."
Saying nothing, Camille rushed over to scoop up our golden tabby sister while I flew to Erin's side. Quickly, without thinking, I leaned down and drank from the bloody mess that was her neck. She'd have a scar all right, but it wouldn't be too bad. As soon as her blood went down my throat in that warm, luxurious flow, I held up my wrist and flicked a vein open with one nail. As the drops began to dribble out, I pressed them to Erin's lips.
"Erin, it's Menolly. You have to drink if you want to survive. If you don't drink my blood, you're going to die." I held her in one arm like a baby, my wrist pressed to her mouth. She opened her eyes and blinked as she tried to focus on me. "Honey, listen to me. This is your choice. If you drink, I'll sire you and take care of you as you go through the change. I'll teach you how to control the thirst. You don't have to become a monster. But if you'd rather let go, then I won't force you. It's all up to you."
Camille caught Delilah and held her, watching us. Roz, Morio, and Chase stood guard by the door. Chase looked queasy, but he didn't say a word.
"Erin, please drink," Camille said. She shoved Delilah into Chase's arms and knelt on the other side of Erin. "We need you. The world needs you. Destiny has plans for you. If you don't do this, it could mess up the future. Grandmother Coyote warned us about this moment."
Erin's gaze fastened on mine. She opened her lips. They were so dry they cracked and bled. "Do you… do you promise to watch over me? Do you promise to kill me if I do anything horrible? I won't become like them." She spat out the word, and I knew she was talking about the newborns.
"I promise you with my heart and soul. If you drink, I'll guide you every step of the way. I won't let you turn into a nightmare." What the hell was I letting myself in for? I didn't know, but the moment I'd offered her the chance, every fiber of my heart told me this was the right decision.
With a flutter of breath—a very small flutter, she was on the edge of death—Erin opened her lips. "I'll drink."
I pressed my wrist to her mouth. "Suck as hard as you can. You only need a few drops to seal the pact, but drink as much as you can. It will make the transition easier."
As she began to lick up the blood flowing from my vein, I closed my eyes against the competing tides within me. Every shred of my ethics told me to stop, to let her go peacefully to her ancestors. And yet my intuition told me to let her drink, to sire her, raise her, and make sure she lived.
Surprisingly strong, Erin managed to drink about a quarter cup of my blood before she suddenly gasped, convulsed in my arms, and then went limp.
"Is she dead? I thought you were siring her!" Camille stared at me, her voice spiraling against the walls.
I looked at her. As much as I loved my sister, I wanted to smack her a good one, but I resisted, trying to remember that she was upset and didn't fully understand the process.
"Oh, she's going to change," I said. "It's simply a matter of time, now."
"What do we do until then?"
I glanced over at Chase, who was petting Delilah. She began to shimmer and I coughed. "Johnson, better put Kitten down, she's ready to shift back."
