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I stare at her for a moment without responding. Quite honestly—and surprisingly—this is the first I've thought about that particular part of Calla potentially becoming a vampire. Which one of us would turn her. In a matter of seconds, I come to the conclusion thatIwant to be the one to sire Calla. I wet my lips, regarding her curiously. “Who would you have do it?” I ask.
She blinks at me, silent for a moment before she shrugs. “I’m not sure that it really matters, does it?”
It's my turn to shrug. “There are certain benefits to being turned by a born vampire,” I offer.
“Benefits?” she echoes, arching a brow at me.
“Added layers of protection considering my lineage, stronger abilities because it's my blood, that sort of thing.”
“Oh,” she says quietly, “good to know, I guess.”
“If becoming a vampire is what you decide,” I say, looking into her eyes, “I want to be the one to turn you.”
Her lips part in a silent gasp as her eyes widen slightly. “I, um… okay. If that's what I decide. But I…” She trails off, shaking her head.
“No, tell me,” I push. “You what?”
She exhales a heavy breath. “I’m just surprised, I guess. I thought… Well, I didn’t think you even liked me.”
An unexpected chuckle escapes my lips, and I reach forward, tucking her hair behind her ear. “You drive me absolutely insane on a regular basis, that is very true.” When her eyes narrow and her lips part, I quickly continue, “Before you go running your mouth at me like you so enjoy doing, hear me when I say that I will do everything in my power to make sure you are safe and happy. Even when you piss me off.”
Calla seems to consider that for a moment before saying, “It sounds to me that you don’t want me to undergo a vampire lobotomy then?” She tries to make it sound like a joke, but her voice doesn’t lend any humor.
I pull in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Calla, isn’t it obvious at this point? We’re terrified to lose you, myself included. You’re struggling to picture your life without us—I promise we’re all doing the same.”
She drops her chin, sighing quietly. “I hate this.”
“I understand.” I pull her against my chest again, smoothing my hand over her hair. “You’re not alone in this or anything else. If you have a worry or grievance or fear, those burdens aren’t yours to carry alone.”
Her pulse jumps, and she buries her face in my chest, clinging to me. She doesn’t offer a response, but I wasn’t expecting one. So long as she knows we’re beside her no matter what, that’s what is important. She’s part of us now, and we take care of our own.
Calla and I walk back inside a few minutes later as the others get out of bed and head to the kitchen, filling glasses with coffee and blood to start the day.
It's going to be a fucking long one.
* * *
“They were supposed to meet us an hour ago,” Kade grumbles, tapping aggressively on his phone. “Something’s up.”
We’re sitting in the parking lot of an old factory that has long been abandoned. When Gabriel spoke briefly with Fallon last night, they agreed to meet here.
“Maybe they got held up,” Calla offers, though her tone suggests she doesn’t believe that. Her expression is strained, her eyes filled with concern, and the tension in her muscles is visible by how stiffly she’s sitting in between Lex and Gabriel.
“Or maybe it’s a fucking ambush,” Kade says tightly.
The sound of tires screeching fills my ears, and I cringe at the sharpness of it. The others exchange glances, Kade looking at me from the passenger seat.
“Incoming,” Lex mutters, and we get out of the vehicle, keeping Calla between us as a black SUV with tinted windows speeds toward us. The driver slams the brakes, making the tires squeal against the pavement, and I squint slightly, trying to make out the shapes through the windshield, but it's too fucking dark.
The back doors open, and two vampires I don't recognize jump out, walking around to stand at the front of the vehicle with their arms crossed over their chests. They make no move to engage with us, but we're all on high alert as Fallon gets out of the passenger seat with a grave expression.
Gabriel and I move at the same time, stepping in front of Calla, and shifting her behind us. Then Gabriel steps toward Fallon, concern filling his face. “What's going on, Fal?”
“What the fuck is this?” Kade says, his fangs bared.
Fallon shakes her head. “I’m so sorry,” she says in a broken voice, and my eyes snap toward the car where Jase stumbles out of the backseat. He's clearly had the crap beaten out of him, blood streaking his hair and covering his clothes. He has several bite marks on his arms and throat, and he walks with a subtle limp.
Calla gasps from behind us, and my jaw clenches. Before anybody can ask what the hell happened to Jase, two more SUVs tear into the lot and at least a dozen vampires spill out of them.
