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“If I take her without their permission, the league will kill both of us,” Levka said.
“Very possibly, but what a noble way to die, eh?” Arman wrinkled his nose. “Did I ever tell you how much I fear the water?”
Levka put on the lifejacket, then took Caitlin in his arms while Arman held onto Amie. “I won’t tell the others you’re afraid of the water.” Levka bit into his own arm and offered his blood to Caitlin’s lips. “Drink, sweet angel,” he coaxed her.
Caitlin’s eyelids fluttered, but she didn’t react any more than that.
Arman turned his head. “The ship’s returning.”
“Thank God for small miracles.” Levka tried again. “Caitlin, drink my blood, and stay with me.” Levka looked up at Arman. “Does she realize what we are now?”
“Vlad told her what we all are and showed her his teeth right before he sank them into her neck. She didn’t have a chance.”
“I’ll kill him,” Levka hissed.
“His league will sign his death warrant for taking her by force as soon as we report him.” Arman touched Caitlin’s wrist. “She’s slipping away.”
“I know it. I can’t control her mind to make her drink.”
“Maybe it’s like Petroski said. It’s better to take a mate we can control.”
“Caitlin, you know what we are. If you choose not to be one of us, so be it. I lost a girl I loved dearly a very long time ago. If you die, I will sink to the bottom of the ocean and die with you.”
“Subtle, Levka. No pressure. Let her decide for herself?” Arman gritted his teeth. “There’s a shark headed our way. Your arm is dripping blood into the water.”
“If…if…we…were…” Caitlin said, her words so soft, he could barely hear them. “…on…on land…I could…” She swallowed hard. “I…could…help.”
She wasn’t making any sense. Had to be the blood loss.
Levka’s blood chilled as the gray dorsal fin headed in their direction. “Make him think we’re dolphins ready to kick his butt.”
“Give me all the tough jobs, will you?”
“It’ll keep your mind off being in the water.”
Caitlin licked some of the blood dripping from Levka’s wound onto her lips. He shifted his attention to her. “Caitlin, will you be mine?”
Her eyelids fluttered open this time. “Vlad…” Her eyes shut again, and his heart sank.
“Drink my blood, and you will be safe from Vlad.” Levka tried to drip the blood into her mouth, but managed to get more of it in the water.
Arman shook his head. “Can you keep the blood out of the water, Levka?”
Caitlin’s hand touched Levka’s waist. He tried to encourage her to drink from his arm again, but she turned her head away.
“She doesn’t want our way of life, Levka. Give it up.” Arman shifted his concentration back to the shark. “He’s gone under.”
“Is what Arman says true? You want no part of our life?” Levka asked her, praying it wasn’t so. He’d do anything to make her his, yet he couldn’t force her even if he wanted to.
“Where…where…are…we?”
As weak as she was, he could hear her heartbeat quicken, felt the panic in her blood. He hesitated to say, afraid she’d be paralyzed with fear if she learned she was in the ocean again. With a shark somewhere nearby.
“In the Atlantic,” Arman said. “But we’re with you this time, and you have nothing to fear.”
“Thanks, Arman. Why don’t you tell her about the shark again while you’re at it? She doesn’t seem totally aware of her surroundings. As weak as she is, it would be ideal if she doesn’t have to worry about little niceties like that.”
“Kiss…,” she said, then swallowed hard.
