Page 117 of Bound By Blood

“I do not care,” Drake said. “I cannot lose her.”

“We discussed it,” Zack said. “She and I.”

“What?” Drake stared at him. “When?”

“A while back. She asked me if I’d ever turned anyone. Said she was just curious.”

“Do it,” Drake said. “We do not have time to discuss it. She is dying.”

Zack glanced up at Scherry, who was standing to his left. “I’ve only done it once before.”

“If you fail, she will be no worse off than she is now,” Drake said, his voice tinged with desperation. “I will do anything you ask of me, give you anything you desire, if you will do this for me.”

With a sigh of resignation, Zack took Elena into his arms. He hesitated a moment, suddenly torn by uncertainty. He had turned Scherry and it had been hit and miss. It was one thing to drink from healthy prey, another to drink from the sick, the dying. If he took too much, and that was a risk with those who were sick, it could be fatal. Completely drained, they lacked the strength to fight their way back. Could he live with himself if he caused Elena’s death? Could he live with himself if there was a chance he could save her and he didn’t take it? She didn’t seem to be breathing. Her heartbeat was faint, erratic.

Kaitlyn placed her hand on his arm. “Please, Zack.”

Murmuring, “Forgive me,” he bent his head to Elena’s neck and drank.

Kaitlyn held her breath as what little color was left drained from her mother’s face. Was Zack taking too much? Even with her preternatural hearing, she could barely detect her mother’s heartbeat.

Looking up, she met her father’s gaze. She had never seen him look so distraught, knew it would kill him as surely as a stake through the heart if her mother died.

After what seemed like forever but was only a few minutes, Zack lifted his head. Kaitlyn watched, unblinking, as he bit his wrist, then held the bleeding wound to her mother’s lips.

“Drink,” he said, stroking her throat. “Elena Sherrad, if you want to live, you must drink.”

Kaitlyn leaned forward, her whole being focused on her mother’s face, willing her to drink.

“Elena!” Drake took her hand in his. “Elena! Come back to me!”

Tears burned Kaitlyn’s eyes when she looked at Zack.

Zack shook his head. “The rest is up to her.” He stroked her throat again. “Elena, drink.” It was not a request this time, but a command.

“She isn’t moving,” Kaitlyn said. Had they waited too long? Had Zack taken too much?

“Dammit, Elena,” Drake said, his voice thick with unshed tears. “I forbid you to leave me!”

At the sound of Drake’s voice, Elena slowly licked the blood from her lips. And then she grabbed Zack’s arm.

Drake blew out a sigh of relief.

“You did it!” Kaitlyn exclaimed. She threw her arms around Zack and kissed his cheek. “Thank you!”

“Yes,” Drake said, never taking his gaze from his wife’s face. “Thank you.”

Zack nodded. Would Drake still be grateful, he wondered, if he knew that his wife and Zack now shared a bond of blood that could not be broken?

Chapter Forty-One

“What happens now?” Drake asked, lifting Elena into his arms. After feeding, she had closed her eyes, seemingly unconscious.

“She’ll sleep the rest of the night,” Zack replied. “When she wakes tomorrow night, she’ll be a vampire, with a new vampire’s thirst.”

Drake nodded.

“You’ll need to watch her closely when she feeds the first few times. It’s not always easy for fledglings to feed without draining their prey. Maybe you already know that.”

---