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“Toorisky,” Gabriel said, his shoulders dropping. “Even with her quarter-vampire blood, you know the odds of survival. I worry the process might even accelerate her condition. And yes, we’ve successfully transitioned the queen and even Jocelyn, but you know as well as I do every transition is different. And we’ve never tried with someone in a condition like Grace’s.”
If we could somehow make it work, it would save her life.Gabriel’s voice cut through my own thoughts, his mind a whirlwind as he ran through odds and past situations in his head.
“Wait,” I said, heart racing. “When you say transition, you’re talking about turning me into a vampire?”
Ajax nodded, but he looked deflated. “If Gabriel says it’s too risky, then it is. We can’t risk you—”
“Okay, we’ll get to that later but…” I turned, giving my full focus to Ajax. “Is that something you’d actuallywant?”
Ajax tilted his head. “Of course, we’d talk about it, Grace. I would never force a choice that life-altering on you without discussing it.”
“Right, that’s not what I meant.”
“What are you asking me?” Ajax asked.
I blew out a breath, glancing at Gabriel who very poignantly walked to the other side of the room, pretending to be studying my scans again. “I mean, would you want to turn me if there were no risks? Would you actually want me to become like you?” I whispered the question.
“Why wouldn’t I?” he asked.
I parted my lips. “I don’t know,” I said, heat flushing my body. “We haven’t known each other more than a month. Asking someone to be immortal with you is kind of a huge step.” I clenched my eyes shut. “Not that you were exactly asking me to be immortalwithyou, like stay with me for eternity and everything,” I rambled. “Okay, this is sounding terrible. Forget I said anything—”
Ajax’s lips met mine, cutting off my words and stealing my breath. He cupped my cheeks, pulling back to look at me. Devastation and anger and passion churned in those eyes. “You’re my mate, Grace. I know all of this is new to you but that mark on your skin means I belong to you and you belong to me,forever. If I knew you were safe,” he said. “I would turn you.”
My heart sank and soared at the same time, if that was possible. “I would let you,” I said, and his eyes widened.
“You’d want this life?” His eyes flared wide with surprise.
“A life? Yes, I’d love that. Especially if it had anything to do with you.” Traitorous hope flared in my soul. “Let’s do it.”
Ajax pulled away from me. “What? Didn’t you just hear what Gabriel said?”
Gabriel cleared his throat. “I’ll just step outside—”
“Don’t you dare go anywhere,” Ajax cut him off, stopping the doctor in his tracks. “She obviously needs you to explain the risks again.”
“I do not,” I said. “I know the risks. I’m willing to take them—”
“You don’t know what you’re saying,” he said. “Gabriel, tell her again. You said it could accelerate her condition.”
“It’s very likely,” Gabriel chimed in.
“Right, and so could me just living out these last months of my life, Ajax,” I fired back. “Any minute could be my last—”
“You have months, Grace. Months. You don’t understand the value of that time. I will not rob your peace in your last days.”
His words killed any retort I might’ve made. I’d said those same words to my doctor when she’d pushed for treatment. I understood where he was coming from, but surely this was different than radiation and meds and surgery. This would either work or it wouldn’t.
I held Ajax’s gaze, and fear rippled in my mind. Not my own, but his.
I can’t hurt you. I can’t risk hurting you. Please, Grace.
I wasn’t sure if he knew I could hear him in that moment or if he cared, but it shattered the fight I’d been gearing up to have.
“There is one matter we should discuss,” Gabriel chimed in when the silence grew too heavy.
“What’s that?” Ajax asked without taking his eyes off mine.
“The matter of her telepathy.”
