Page 75 of Risking Immortality

“But the bonding process was carried out years before that, I’m guessing.”

Barty nods. “Yes. We bonded shortly after meeting. There was little knowledge about our species back then. Just like humans, we were learning about ourselves. For me, I fell in love with Anya and that was that. I had no clue about the repercussions. We learned later on that our mating was extremely rare, if not the only successful human/vampire mating.”

“Um… When you mated, did you have any adverse reactions?” Erin asks. Like her, I want to know if Anya seized or slipped into unconsciousness.

“Oh yes,” Anya chuckles. “Barty thought he’d killed me.” It’s strange that her sentence brings me comfort.

“I seized,” Erin states. “And then blacked out.”

“But you felt the euphoria, right? The connection which bound you to Amelia?”

Erin nods her head. “Then you truly bonded.”

“But is that enough to turn Erin?” It only then occurs to me that Erin might not want to become a fucking vampire. Jesus, Amelia, how self-centered are you? “Erin, do you want that?”

“I want to be with you.” She cups my cheek and looks me dead in the eye. “If I need to become a vampire to do that, then I will.”

“But what about your family and friends? You know what it will mean if you become immortal.”

“Yes, and I can’t say I know how I will feel or what will happen when the time comes to say goodbye to the people I love. I can only tell you how I feel now and what I know in my heart. My life is with you, Amelia. From now until eternity. My heart is yours and I feel myself becoming a part of you a little more every day.”

Wow, okay! I need a second to swallow the lump that is wedged in my throat and will the tears to recede without falling. I don’t want to become a blubbering wreck in front of Barty and Anya.

Drawing Erin in, I hold her. The steady thrum of her heartbeat fills me with warmth. “If I could choose to be mortal, I would,” I whisper. It’s true. I would give immortality up in a nanosecond if it meant Erin didn’t have to change.

Erin finally steps out of my arms and smiles shyly at Anya and Barty, who are looking at us in complete understanding. “How long until you turn thirty?” Anya asks. I’m not sure which one of us she’s asking. Did I tell them my age last night? God, I hate getting blackout drunk.

“I have several months,” I answer. “Erin has three years.” Barty and Anya nod their heads in understanding. Even if everything goes off without a hitch on my birthday, we will have to wait years to know if Erin will change. Although, I’ve already decided, if Erin remains human, I will end my life when hers is done.

“Knowing that we’ve bonded, do you think Amelia will be okay?” Erin’s eyes betray how nervous she feels regarding my change.

Barty puffs his cheeks and wiggles his head from side to side in contemplation. “If I were a betting man, I would say Amelia will complete the change without a problem. Her soul has found and latched onto its other half. From what we know about our kind, that is all that is required for Amelia to become immortal.”

I’m certain now our bonding has ensured my immortality. I haven’t had a single dose of serum in well over forty-eight hours. I have no signs or symptoms, no bleeding or pain. I am whole.

“My worry isn’t for myself,” I say somberly. “I just hope Dr. Mendhi can give us some new information. I don’t want us to be living on edge for the next several years.”

“I wish we could have given you something concrete. Just know that we are here for the foreseeable future,” Barty smiles, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“How often do you move?” I ask.

“Every twenty years or so. Although we are secluded here, which is why we’ve stayed longer. No one pays us any mind.”

“Is that what we will have to do?” Erin asks me.

“Eventually. My parents had us all in LA, but we will have to relocate at some point.”

Twenty-Eight

We stay with Barty and Anya for another two days. Dr. Mendhi flies home before us, keen to get his samples under his microscope. Well, I presume that’s what he has planned.

Unfortunately, we haven’t garnered any fresh information from our new friends after our walk in the garden. Instead, we concentrate on taking a couple of days to relax.

With a promise to visit from both sides, we fly back to LA and back to our lives. With no choice but to sit back and wait, I decide we all need to resume work. Erin and I discuss my house outside the city. In the end, selling is the best option. Erin enjoys working at Insomnia and I’m not about to ask her to give that up to move.

Taking up permanent residence in the penthouse above the club suits me fine. It forces me to get involved in my business. I realize leaving Claire and my other managers to pick up the slack is detrimental to me. I’m a businesswoman and I love owning clubs and restaurants. Laurence and Marcus were right when they lectured me on my birthday. I had hidden away in my home with my books.

However, now Erin is in my life, I’m determined to start living again. Granted, the hours are long, and we both work six days a week usually, but we make the most of every second together.

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