Page 81 of Wynter's Bite

“Drink,” he whispered, pressing his wound to her lips.

At first, she swayed, motionless and pale. Justus steadied her and said a silent prayer. When her hand grasped his arm and her mouth latched on the wound, he thanked the fates with all his soul.

She sucked his blood in greedy gulps until his head swam with dizziness.

“Enough,” he said, but it took some gentle coaxing to get her to release him.

Bethany whimpered in disappointment before falling back on the bed. Her bosom heaved as she panted with heavy gasps, her pulse now rapid and strong. Justus grasped her hand, threading his fingers through hers as he tried not to panic.

Had it been like this when he was Changed? It had been so long.

When Bethany clapped a hand over her mouth and moaned in pain, some of his recollection returned. He did remember that part. Growing new fangs hurt like the devil.

“Oh, Justus!” she cried, “It hurts!”

He laid down on the bed beside her and took her into his arms. “I know. Don’t be afraid to cry. It will pass and I will never leave you.”

She sobbed against his chest, her hand clenching his in a grip that grew strong enough to give him a twinge of pain. Her other hand knotted in his jacket, agony radiating from every shudder and spasm of her body.

Unable to bear her suffering, Justus pulled the bottle of laudanum from his pocket. “Take a bit of this.” He had no idea how much it would help since vampires typically recovered from the effects of strong drink or cannabis rapidly, but he would do anything to mitigate her pain.

Bethany shook her head, teeth clenched. “I can do this. The last thing I need to be is an opium-addled vampire like the one Rhys met.”

Vincent’s shadow fell over them. “Take it,” he commanded. “Had I had some on hand to give to Lydia when she was Changed, I would have. The drug will wear off fast anyway.”

Bethany regarded Vincent and Justus in turn with a stubborn glare and pressed her lips together so tight they turned white. Heart-rending moans still emitted from her, but she averted her face from the little brown bottle.

Justus sighed and brushed her hair from her face as she thrashed and moaned, desperately wishing there was something he could do to take the pain away.

After a hellish eternity, Bethany’s tremors subsided and her free hand slid down to clutch her belly. “I need...” she whispered. “I want...”

Vincent nodded. “It’s time.”

He left the room and returned quickly with two vacant-eyed chamber maids. “Treat them gently, or you will not survive this night,” he warned.

Lydia led one of the maids to the bed, grasping the woman’s wrist and holding it towards Bethany’s mouth. “Your first meal.”

Bethany shook her head and started to turn away, but then her eyes glowed lightning blue and her mouth opened to reveal her tiny pointed fangs. With a groan of hunger, she bit down on the maid’s wrist, moaning in pleasure as she drank.

Color returned to her cheeks, and her breathing evened out as she fed.

“No more,” Justus said, cupping her jaw.

She groaned in protest, but withdrew from the maid’s wrist. Lydia healed the wound and led the servant from the room.

Vincent urged the other maid forward. “Now for you.”

Justus drank as little as possible, restoring the strength he’d lost from Bethany’s transformation. After healing the puncture marks, he looked up at Vincent and Lydia. “Thank you.”

Vincent nodded curtly. “It’s nearly dawn. You both should rest. Tomorrow we have a youngling to teach, your fealty to swear, your presentation to my people, and of course, a wedding to plan.”

Justus’s mind swam with the impossible schedule. Something so different than his constant nights of running and searching for food and shelter.

When the earl and countess left them, Bethany rolled over to face him. “Oh, my heavens...” She stroked his cheek. “You’re so beautiful.”

“I was thinking the same about you,” he replied, dizzy with relief that she’d come through the Change.

Her lips parted as her eyes studied him and then peered over his shoulder at the room. “The world looks so different. So much more vivid. Is this how you’ve always seen it?”

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