Chapter Thirty-Seven
“He’s done it!” Micah exclaimed, his eyes burning red with anger. “He’s turned her!”
Holly stared at him, eyes wide. “Are you sure?”
“Damn right I am. I can feel it happening.” Rising, he paced the floor, his hands clenched. “I’ll kill him for this.”
“Micah, calm down.”
“I am calm!”
“Sure you are. If you were any calmer, you’d be breathing fire and farting smoke.”
He might have laughed if he hadn’t been so outraged. “I’m going to Morgan Creek.”
“I’m going with you.”
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
“I know. That’s why I’m going.”
* * *
When it was done, Ethan transported Sofia into their room at Blair House and lowered her onto their bed. She didn’t move, was barely breathing. He removed her shoes and clothing, pulled a nightgown over her head, then tucked her under the covers. She would sleep the sleep of the Undead until sundown tomorrow.
He stood beside the bed, thinking how much he loved her, how beautiful she was, wondering if she would still love him when she woke tomorrow night.
Leaning down, he brushed a kiss across her lips.
“We’ve got company,” Saintcrow announced from the doorway. “You’ll never guess who it is.”
Ethan blew out a sigh. “Micah,” Ethan said. “And Holly.”
“Right the first time.”
“This isn’t a conversation I’m looking forward to,” Ethan remarked. Closing the bedroom door, he followed Saintcrow up the stairs into the living room, stood by the fireplace while his sire opened the door.
Micah stormed into the room, his face dark with anger. Holly trailed behind him. She looked at Ethan with an expression that clearly said I tried to stop him.
Ethan shrugged, then spun away as Micah lunged at him, fangs bared, hands reaching for his throat.
“Micah, stop it!” Saintcrow’s voice cut through the room like a scythe.
Micah came to an abrupt halt, his expression mutinous as he glared at the master vampire.
Holly curled up in the chair by the fireplace, her gaze moving from one man to the other.
“He turned my sister.” Micah fired his words like bullets. “My baby sister.”
“She asked him to do it,” Saintcrow said, his voice mild. “As you well know, it was inevitable.”
“She’s too young, too inexperienced to make that decision and you know it. What if she breaks up with Ethan?”
“That’s not likely to happen,” Ethan said quietly. “We’re married.”
“You’re what?” Micah roared.
Holly stared at Ethan, wide-eyed. “When did that happen?”
“Recently. Sofie knew her mother would want a big wedding, but we didn’t want to wait. We planned to tell her family in a few weeks and then get married again.”
“You’ve ruined her life,” Micah said, his voice thick with loathing. “I’ll never forgive you for this.” He turned toward Saintcrow. “Or you either.” Taking Holly’s hand, he sent a last, fulminating glare at Ethan, and vanished from their sight.
Ethan blew out a sigh, then, sinking down on the edge of the sofa, he cradled his head in his hands.
“He’ll get over it,” Saintcrow remarked.
Ethan shook his head. “I don’t think so. What if he’s right? What if Sofia hates being a vampire and hates me for turning her? I really will have ruined her life. I should have waited until we knew each other better, until she was older.”
“What’s done is done,” Saintcrow said, clapping him on the shoulder. “There’s no going back. She’ll be hungry when she wakes tomorrow night. You can give her a little of your blood to ease the pain, but she’ll need to feed. Hey, are you listening to me?”
“Yeah.”
“She’s got my blood in her and so do you, so she’ll be strong. Make sure she doesn’t kill her prey. She’ll want to take it all the first few times. Don’t let her.”
Ethan nodded.
“Other than learning how to hunt, I don’t think she’s got much more to discover about being a vampire.”
Ethan grunted. That was true enough. Maybe it would make her transition easier.
* * *
Sofia woke feeling stranger—and better—than she ever had in her life. For a moment, she lay there wondering why she felt as if someone had just given her a super dose of adrenaline.
She jackknifed into a sitting position, her hand searching the bed beside her. There was no one there. Frowning, she wondered where Ethan had gone. Since their marriage, she had quickly grown accustomed to waking up beside him.
Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she stood up. Why did the rug feel so different? Wiggling her toes, she glanced at the carpet, thinking she could feel each individual strand of fiber. But, of course, that was ridiculous.
Gradually, she realized she was seeing everything around her in sharp focus, even though there was no light at all in the room.
She doubled over as a sudden cramp knifed through her, cried out as the pain drove her to her knees. What was happening to her?
She looked up at the sound of footsteps, scrambled to her feet as the door to the lair swung open.
“Ethan!” She groaned as her stomach clenched. “Ethan, something’s wrong.”
Hurrying toward her, he lifted her into his arms, then sat on the edge of the bed, cradling her to his chest. “There’s nothing wrong, love.”
“There is. The pain . . .”
“It’s normal.”
She drew back a little so she could see his face. And frowned. He looked the same and yet . . . different somehow. She took a shaky breath, and his scent flooded her nostrils.
“Sofia. Listen to me.”
“Hmm.” She traced his lower lip with her fingers, then, leaning forward, she bit him lightly, gasped with surprise when her bite drew blood. The sight of it, the smell of it, went through her like chain lightning. Cupping his face in her palms, she licked the dark red drops, then stared at him, her eyes widening with comprehension.
“I . . . I’m . . .” She blinked at him. “A vampire.”
He nodded, his expression wary.
“You turned me last night.” Vampire. I’m a vampire. She searched her feelings, but she felt numb, empty, as if she was living inside someone else’s body, seeing the world through a stranger’s eyes. Colors were brighter, sounds more pronounced, her sense of touch more sensitive. She nodded slowly. “I remember now.” She recalled the taste of his blood, the sense of euphoria, and then falling, tumbling helplessly into an endless black void. A low groan rose in her throat. “You said it wouldn’t hurt.”
“You need to feed.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Feed. Prey. People. “No.” She shook her head. “I can’t do that. Why can’t I just drink from you?”
“Because vampires don’t feed on each other.”
“You fed on Saintcrow.”
“I wasn’t feeding. It was like an exchange of energy, of power. I couldn’t survive on his blood. And you can’t survive on mine.” He stroked her hair. “You knew this was part of it.”
“Yes, but knowing and doing . . .” She shook her head again. “Can’t I just visit the local blood bank or something?”
“You could. You can feed on animals, too. But not indefinitely. Like it or not, eventually you have to feed on the living. Otherwise, you’ll weaken. I’m told the longer you wait, the more painful it gets.”
“Did Saintcrow tell you that?”
“Yeah.”
“Was it hard for you, the first time?”
“Not really. Saintcrow took me to some little town in Southern Wyoming. The first lesson he taught me was that it’s never a good idea to feed where you live.” Ethan shook his head. “At the time, I remember thinking that feeding used to mean meat and potatoes, but from then on, it would mean blood.”
He remembered it all as if it had been yesterday. “He picked a woman for me. Without even knowing how I was doing it, I imposed my will on hers. I thought I’d be disgusted by the whole thing, but it was all so easy. ‘Take what you want, but gently’ was Saintcrow’s advice. ‘You’re a lot stronger now than you were before.’ He showed me where to bite her. ‘Not too deep,’ he’d warned. ‘You don’t want to kill her.’
“I’d expected to feel revulsion for what I was about to do, but it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to sink my fangs into her throat.” He laughed softly. “I remember wondering where those fangs came from. There’s no way to describe it, Sofie. Saintcrow had to practically drag me away from her. That’s when he told me his other rules.”
“There are rules?”
“There are according to Saintcrow. You already know rule number one—don’t feed where you live. Number two, you don’t kill your prey. Number three, you don’t wait until the pain is excruciating before you feed.”
“Is that the last one?”
“No. His final directive was that if I killed anyone, he would destroy me.”
“Even if it was an accident?”
“There were no exceptions.”
Sofia shivered.
“Well, that’s not entirely true. He said my sense of self-preservation would kick in if I was in desperate need of blood to survive or badly wounded. I had the feeling the rules didn’t apply then.”
She didn’t look reassured.
“Nothing like that’s going to happen to you,” Ethan said. “I’ll be with you until you get the hang of things.”
She smiled faintly.
“You can drink a little from me, if you want. Saintcrow said it would ease the pain.” He turned his head to the side. “Just take a little.”
She stared at his throat. Always before, he had bitten his wrist and offered it to her. But the pulse beating in the hollow of his throat called to her. He groaned softly when she bit him, just below his ear. At first, she thought she’d hurt him; then she realized it wasn’t pain but pleasure. His blood was hotter than she remembered, and quickly dulled her pain.
Lifting her head, she licked her lips.
“Better?” he asked.
“Much.”
“So, are you ready to embrace the new you?”
“I guess there’s only one way to find out,” she said, sliding off his lap. “Let’s go hunting.”
“Okay by me,” he said. “But you might want to change out of your nightgown first.”
* * *
For all her apparent eagerness to embrace her new lifestyle, Sofia dug her heels in when it came time to actually bite the young man Ethan had chosen. It was one thing to drink from the man she loved and quite another to bite a complete stranger. She tried to picture it in her mind—pulling him to her, biting him, drinking his blood. What if he tasted bad? What if he had some horrible illness?
“You’re immune to disease,” Ethan said. “Nothing can hurt you.”
She nodded, remembering how Mateo had added ground oleander to Ethan’s wine to no effect.
“There’s nothing to it,” Ethan said. “Stop thinking like Sofia, the woman, and let your vampire nature take over. Like this.” He folded his hands over the young man’s shoulders and lowered his head to his neck.
The scent of warm, hot, fresh blood filled Sofia’s nostrils. And with it, the undeniable urge to feed. When her fangs descended, she pushed Ethan aside and took her first taste of human prey.
It was like nothing she had ever known. Better than the finest wine, more satisfying than a glass of ice water on a blistering summer day.
She growled—actually growled—at Ethan when he laid his hand on her shoulder. “Enough, Sofia.”
She knew she should stop, but she couldn’t.
“If you kill him,” Ethan warned, “you’ll bring Saintcrow’s wrath down on us.”
That threat alone was enough to make Sofia back off, albeit reluctantly. She licked the blood from her lips, watched with regret as Ethan erased the memory of what had happened from the young man’s mind and sent him on his way.
“Well?”
She turned to find Ethan watching her, his eyes narrowed. “What?”
“Was it as bad as you expected?”
“You know it wasn’t. And I feel great. Why was Micah so worried?”
“He’s your brother. It’s what brothers do, I’m told.”
“I know.” She blew out a sigh, and then smiled. “It’s just because he loves me.”
“I worry about the same things he does, you know?”
“What things?”
“That in a year or two you might regret it, and hate me for turning you.”
“How could I hate you? I asked for this.”
“Sofie.” He drew her into his arms and kissed her, ever so gently. “People change. Even vampires. I know there are no guarantees in life, but . . .”
Cupping his face in her palms, she said, “Stop worrying. I think I’ve been around enough vampires to know what I was getting into. And yes, I know actually being one is different, but if I ever regret it, I’ll have no one but myself to blame. Okay?”
“Okay.” He tapped the tip of her nose with his finger. “So, what do you say we go do what people on their honeymoons usually do?”
“Sounds good to me. I’d race you back to Morgan Creek, if I knew how to unleash my brand-new vampire powers.”
* * *
Ethan caught Sofia’s arm when they reached the outskirts of Morgan Creek. She was a quick study, he thought, pleased. She had almost beaten him.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “Why are we stopping?”
“Micah’s waiting on the bridge.”
“Oh.”
Slowing, they walked the rest of the way.
Sofia experienced a sudden wave of uncertainty when she saw her brother’s face. What if he hated her now?
For a moment, brother and sister regarded each other. Then Micah said, “I’d like to talk to Sofia alone, if that’s all right with you, Parrish.”
“You’re welcome to go up to the house,” Ethan said. “I’ve got a few things to take care of in the office.”
Micah nodded curtly.
Ethan squeezed Sofia’s hand. “I’ll see you at home.”
“Come on,” Sofia said.
“Don’t you want to exert your new powers? Or don’t you know how?”
“I know how, but it’s a nice night for a walk. What are you doing here, Micah?” she asked, starting across the bridge.
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine.”
“You promised you’d wait until you were older.”
“I intended to, but . . .” She took a deep breath, then told him about Browning and why she had decided not to wait.
“I see your point.”
“How’s Dad?”
“He’s doing great. Mom and Dad are wondering where you are, why you haven’t come around. You can’t put it off forever.”
“Look who’s talking!” Sofia exclaimed. “You waited a good long time before you told any of us the truth.”
“Are you happy with him?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“All right, I know where you’re coming from. But the family already knows about vampires now, so the rest should be easy. And you didn’t answer my question.”
“Yes, I’m happy. Blissfully, totally, wonderfully happy. He didn’t force me, Micah. It was my choice and mine alone. Maybe someday I’ll regret it, but I don’t think so. And like I told Ethan, if I do, I’ve got only myself to blame.”
“Do you want me to tell Mom and Dad for you?”
Sofia chewed on her lower lip, thinking it over. Then shook her head. “No, I should tell them.” She took his arm, then stopped walking. “Please don’t hate Ethan. I love you both. I can’t have my two favorite guys always at each other’s throats.”
Micah snorted. “Bad choice of words, little sister.”
She made a face at him, then said, “You know, Ethan wouldn’t be a vampire in the first place if he hadn’t gone to your wedding.”
Micah threw up his hands in self-defense. “Hey, you can’t blame that on me. Saintcrow’s the one who turned him.”
“Maybe we should just turn the whole family.” Grinning, she tugged on his arm. “Come on; wait until you see our lair!”
* * *
Ethan looked up from the mail-order catalog he’d been perusing when Sofia entered the office. “Where’s your brother?”
“He went back home. We’ve decided to turn the whole family.”
“What?”
“I’m kidding. He just wanted to make sure I’m okay.”
“Are you?”
Sitting on his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re perfect.”
“Thanks, I like you, too. I need to go home and talk to my folks. Do you want to go with me?”
“What do you think?”
She slipped her hands inside his shirt. “I think we should do what you suggested earlier, and go do what people on their honeymoons do.”
He waggled his eyebrows at her. “No need to ask me twice.”
A thought carried them into the bedroom, where they did what honeymooners do.
* * *
Later, after a quick shower, Sofia went through her closet, considering and discarding one outfit after another.
Reclining on the bed, Ethan shook his head as she threw off a light green sweater and pulled on a frilly pink blouse. “We’re just going to see your mom and dad,” he remarked. “Why all the fuss?”
“I want to look like me.”
“You look pretty much the same as always.” Which wasn’t exactly true. Being a vampire had added a certain thickness and luster to her hair, made her skin a little more translucent. And then there was that vampire allure that came in handy when hunting prey.
She pulled on a pair of black pants, stepped into her shoes. “I’m a nervous wreck!”
Rising, he took her in his arms. “Relax. I’m sure it will come as a surprise, but your folks won’t be totally freaked out, not the way they would be if you were the first kid in the family to become a vampire.”
“I know. I keep telling myself that.”
“So, are you ready?”
“I guess.”
“All right, then. Let’s get it over with.”
* * *
Sofia took a deep breath when they arrived on the front porch. She could hear the TV playing in the living room, smell the chicken her family had had for dinner. She knew her mom and dad were in the living room, and that Rosie was upstairs.
Another deep breath, and she opened the door.
“Sofia!” Lena Ravenwood flew across the room to embrace her daughter. “Come in! Come in! This is a wonderful surprise!”
Luciano’s smile spread from ear to ear. “Sofia!”
She hugged her dad and then Rosa, who had come downstairs to see who was at the door.
“Sit, sit.” Lena gestured at the love seat. “Ethan, welcome.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Ravenwood.”
“Please, you must call me Lena.”
“Lena.” He shook hands with Luciano, then nodded in Rosa’s direction, rolled his eyes when she winked at him.
“Have you had dinner?” Lena asked.
“We already . . . ate,” Sofia said. She perched on the edge of the love seat, laid her hand on Ethan’s arm for reassurance when he sat beside her.
“Dessert, then?” Lena asked. “I made cannoli.”
Sofia forced a smile. “Maybe later,” she said, glancing at Ethan.
With a sigh of resignation, Lena sat on the sofa with her husband and Rosa.
“So, how’ve you been?” Rosa asked.
“Good.” Sofia twisted her hands together. “Ethan and I have decided to get married.”
Rosa grinned.
Lena clapped her hands together. “That’s wonderful!”
“Aren’t you rushing things a bit?” Luciano asked. “I mean, you haven’t known each other very long.”
“Long enough,” Sofia said.
Rosa leaned forward, her eyes shining with excitement. “Have you set a date?”
“Not yet, but the sooner the better.”
Lena frowned. “You’re not . . . ?”
“No, Mom, I’m not.”
Her mother sighed with relief. “A wedding! So much to do. Have you thought about colors and flowers? You’ll be married at St. John’s, of course. I’ll call Father Ralph to see about reserving the church. A Saturday morning would probably work best.”
“About that . . . I’m afraid it will have to be an evening wedding because . . .” Sofia grabbed Ethan’s hand.
“Because Ethan’s a vampire?” Lena cut in to fill the awkward silence.
Sofia took a deep breath. “And so am I.”